"Fireside Politics builds upon a wide variety of sources: two major NBC manuscript collections, government documents, papers from the Republican and Democratic parties, broadcasters' memoirs, newspapers, magazines, and the writings of interwar radio enthusiasts, sociologists, and political scientists. Craig begins by covering the development of radio and its evolution into a commercialized, networked, and regulated industry.

He then focuses on how the two major parties used the new medium in their national contests between 1924 and 1940, examining radio in political campaigns and debates from the perspectives of the networks, the parties, and listeners. Finally, Craig broadens the argument to encompass interwar notions of citizenship and good taste and their effect on radio broadcasting and its chief actors. He also compares the American experience of broadcasting and political culture with that of Australia, Britain, and Canada.

Fireside Politics delivers an account of the ways radio metamorphosed into a medium of political action - a force that affected campaigning, governing, and even ideas of citizenship and civility."--BOOK JACKET.