Radio first emerged as a major national medium during the 1920s. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945; see entry in volume 4) was one of the first politicians to make use of radio to broadcast messages to the general public. While he was governor of New York from 1928 to 1932, Roosevelt began broadcasting "fireside chats"—using common language to address issues of concern to citizens of New York. Roosevelt continued that practice after he was elected president in 1932.

The first of his fireside chats as president focused on the banking crisis—when a large number of banks closed because they could not meet the demand of people withdrawing their savings. In the chat, Roosevelt carefully explained the nature of the crisis, urged people to be calm, and announced his intention to call a bank holiday—to close all banks while the government could...