Season 10 Episode 6: The Television Presidency

April 20, 2023

 

About This Episode

President John F. Kennedy was the first president to take live televised questions from the press on a regular basis…and he would provide the model for what would become the modern television presidency.

In this episode, we’ll take a look at how Kennedy interacted with the media and how his press conferences gave some underrepresented voices a chance to be heard on a national stage. We’ll also have a conversation with reporters from today’s White House press corps about JFK’s influence and how different presidents have approached their relationships with the press once in office.

What We Talked About

  • View the archive transcripts of President Kennedy's White House press conferences
  • Learn more about what it was like to work in the Presidential Press Office 
  • View information about our permanent exhibit on JFK and the Press
  • Watch a 2023 Kennedy Library Forum on the Press and the Presidency