Book contents
- The Cambridge Companion to US First Ladies
- Cambridge Companions to History
- The Cambridge Companion to US First Ladies
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- The First Ladies Podcast Episodes
- Notes on Contributors
- Chronology of US First Ladies
- 1 Introduction
- 2 US First Ladies
- 3 Neither Wives nor Companions
- 4 First Ladies in Wartime
- 5 First Ladies and International Diplomacy
- 6 First Ladies, Slavery, and Civil Rights
- 7 First Ladies as Social Advocates
- 8 First Ladies, Suffrage, and the Equal Rights Amendment
- 9 Examining the Impact of Gender Norms on First Ladies’ Speeches
- 10 First Ladies as Trendsetters
- 11 First Ladies’ Strategic Use of Electronic Media
- 12 First Ladies in Film
- 13 Mourners in Chief
- 14 Legacy, Memorialization, and Public Memory of First Ladies
- Further Reading
- Index
11 - First Ladies’ Strategic Use of Electronic Media
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 January 2025
- The Cambridge Companion to US First Ladies
- Cambridge Companions to History
- The Cambridge Companion to US First Ladies
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- The First Ladies Podcast Episodes
- Notes on Contributors
- Chronology of US First Ladies
- 1 Introduction
- 2 US First Ladies
- 3 Neither Wives nor Companions
- 4 First Ladies in Wartime
- 5 First Ladies and International Diplomacy
- 6 First Ladies, Slavery, and Civil Rights
- 7 First Ladies as Social Advocates
- 8 First Ladies, Suffrage, and the Equal Rights Amendment
- 9 Examining the Impact of Gender Norms on First Ladies’ Speeches
- 10 First Ladies as Trendsetters
- 11 First Ladies’ Strategic Use of Electronic Media
- 12 First Ladies in Film
- 13 Mourners in Chief
- 14 Legacy, Memorialization, and Public Memory of First Ladies
- Further Reading
- Index
Summary
Electronic media use by first ladies dates to the 1930s when Lou Hoover delivered her first radio address. The development of radio and television—and later social media—placed a greater emphasis on image and personality, giving first ladies the opportunity to be heard as well as seen, and in some cases offering them more control over their messaging. This chapter looks at several notable examples of how first ladies strategically used—and in some cases misused—electronic media to shape their public image, support their husband’s programs, and advocate for their own causes.
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- Information
- The Cambridge Companion to US First Ladies , pp. 270 - 298Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025