The Presidents and the Press

FAIN: FA-10221-70

George I. Juergens
Indiana University, Bloomington (Bloomington, IN 47405-7000)

Study of origins of relationship in American history between presidents and teh press; how the two interacted upon and ultimately transformed each other. The fact that the presidents learned to use publicity for their own political purposes helped to elevate the press into an unofficial instrument of government. Reporters, on the other hand, transformed the presidency simply by exposing it to intense coverage. Such coverage helped determine what sort of individual could aspire to the White House (in terms of personality, appearance, social background, etc.) and what was expected of him as president Study traces development of this relationship and explains why it proceeded in the direction it did. Many of the issues involved are at the forefront of public concern today; charges and counter-charges of news managment, biased reporting, the impact on the media. Fellow has done previous research on the evolution of the American press for his book on Joseph Pulitzer and the New York World. His research plus previous experience as a newspaperman give him important background and understanding in the field.