Analyze how, over time, presidents have used the media to their benefit. Compare and contrast two different presidents' use of mass media

Answer:

An ideal response will:
1. Discuss how the mass media can serve as a political tool for presidents, especially in keeping citizens informed.
2. Explain that as the nature of the media has changed, so has their utility in advancing the political agendas of various presidents.
3. Note that the media provide the mechanism whereby presidents can directly communicate their political agendas to the public and attempt to sway public opinion in favor of their positions. For example, the student might note how Roosevelt used the radio to have "fireside chats" with the nation during the Great Depression and WWII.
4. Choose two presidents and compare and contrast their use of media. For example, compare how Roosevelt and Obama both used the media to connect directly with citizens but how the different media (radio versus TV and social media) change the way that they mobilized the public.
5. Provide a clear and concise conclusion.