From 1933-1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt sent out 30 informal chats to the American people. Coined the “Fireside Chats” by reporter Harry Butcher, They were meant to calm the American people, inspire them to keep pushing, and get them through the Depression. It almost seems like a coincidence that the golden age of radio was during the Fireside Chats. The radio helped Roosevelt talk to the entire country at once. Why not the press? Roosevelt didn't like the press because of the way that publishers could change things. He called them poisonous propaganda. When Roosevelt talked to you, it felt like he was actually speaking to you next to a Fireplace. When he broadcasted a Fireside chat he would imagine he was talking to a farmer or a girl and start out with- "my friends". Afterward, the Fireside Chats would convince people to support war efforts.
The impact of these chats was not to be underestimated. The Fireside chats raised morale and boosted confidence by a large margin. The chats calmed the American people. In fact, the iconic picture of the Great Depression became a family, sitting around radio listening, as Roosevelt talked. Combined with the new deal, the great depression finally ended.
Even after the chats stopped, their impact still lives on. The innovation and effectiveness of the chats inspired many other presidents to try electronical devices to communicate with the public. Jimmy Carter did a similar type fireside chat, wearing a sweater next to a fireplace talking to the public. Ronald Reagan did a weekly radio chat to talk to the public.
