Memo, Washburn to Jackson Regarding the President's Use of Television Broadcasts

MEMORANDUM TO: C.D. Jackson O.F. FROM: Abbott Washburn 101-2 RECEIVED DATE: March 20, 1953 MAR 3 1 1954 GENTRAL FILES # For a lot of good reasons, I very mich favor the idea of television reports or chets by the President. I'm pretty sure this should not be done regularly each month, despite audience building arguments, etc. You play this thing by ear and time it to the topic that is being most discussed across dinner tables. FDR chose these moments with great skill. Announcement of each chat was heralded on all front pages. A regular monthly program would tend to become routine. It would also become a chore and place an unrewarding and unnecessary burden on the President. Skillful and careful choice of time and subject would produce a tremendous national viewing audience for each such telecast. I see no reason for doing the show "entirely on motion picture film". You have more flexibility right up to the last minute if the President goes on live but brings in parts of the material on film the way Ed Murrow does. Also, there is a "canned" quality to an all-film program that detracts from the immediateness of the thing. FDR succeeded magnificently in giving the impression: "Here is the President of the United States personally talking to me right now at this noment--taking me into his confidence.' You never heard an announcer say, "You will now hear President Roosevelt in a fireside chat by transcription"! I agree entirely that in each of these reports the President would say, in effect "Here is the situation; let's look at it together. 11 This is good. Of course the networks would donate the time as a public service. Prints should be sent to Embassies and Information Centers throughout the world also to high schools and colleges in this country. Considerable thought should be given to the format. A committee under Ben Duffy's direction might go into this. You will recall how much more natural and effective DDE was during those latter programs when he was talking informally with three or four people (Mrs. Hobby, Mrs. LaGuardia, Lew Douglas, etc.) , instead of stiffly facing the cold camera. For example, if he is talking about the nation's health, you might want to make it a panel with Mrs. Hobby, a couple of parents, a bright teen-ager, and the family doctor. CROSS CARD FOR STAFF SECRETARY