logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2024
50m 58s

Origins of Political Campaigns: Publicit...

History Hit
About this episode

How do our politicians use the media? Throughout the 2024 election we have seen a boom in the use of social media and cable news, so how far back does this go?


To find out, Don speaks first to crisis public relations expert and TikTok star, Molly McPherson, to hear about this year's election campaign. Then, he chats to author Claire Bond Potter, whose book is titled 'Political Junkies: From Talk Radio to Twitter, How Alternative Media Hooked Us On Politics and Broke Our Democracy' and whose substack carries the same name. Claire takes us through the history of political news, from pamphlets and papers to radio, TV and social media.


Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.


Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign here for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY


You can take part in our listener survey here.


American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

Up next
Aug 21
American Traitors: Axis Sally
Is contributing to enemy propaganda treason? In this second episode on American Traitors, we are meeting 'Axis Sally', real name Mildred Gillars.Professor Michael Flamm joins us to explore the life of this American citizen who broadcast American music, scripted dramas and hateful ... Show More
44m 36s
Aug 18
What If Lincoln Hadn't Been Shot?
It's the biggest 'What if?' in American history: What if Lincoln hadn't been shot? The assassination could so easily have failed and things went so wrong in the aftermath (looking at you Andrew Johnson). Could Reconstruction have looked different with Abraham Lincoln at the helm? ... Show More
56m 26s
Aug 14
American Traitors: Benedict Arnold
Is Benedict Arnold the biggest traitor in American History? In this episode, Don is joined by author Stephen Brumwell to examine how Arnold went from hero to villain.How important was he to the Revolutionary cause? Why did he decide to go against it? And do his actions even count ... Show More
53m 38s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2022
The Divided Dial: Episode 2 - From Pulpit to Politics
Episode 2: From Pulpit to Politics How did the little-known Salem Media Group come to have an outsized political influence? In this episode we trace the company’s rise to power from its scrappy start in the 1970s to the present day — a growth that paralleled and eventually became ... Show More
33m 27s
Oct 2024
Pay Pals: How Billionaires Influence Elections
Money in politics isn't new, but billionaire influence in our elections has reached staggering levels – and 2024 could break all previous election spending records. From the presidential race to down ballot elections and think tanks to media empires, wealthy donors are reshaping ... Show More
1h 1m
Sep 2024
Can Taylor Swift win the election for Harris (Or Trump)?
The self-proclaimed ‘Childless Cat Lady’ Taylor Swift has endorsed Kamala Harris… but what difference is it likely to make, in terms of persuading the undecideds, and getting new voters registered? We also look back at the history behind celebrity endorsements from Frank Sinatra’ ... Show More
34m 47s
Sep 2024
Has American politics been taken over by conspiracy theories?
Two days after former president Donald Trump claimed immigrants are eating cats and dogs, and babies are being executed after birth, Jon and Lewis discuss how deep-rooted conspiracy theories have become in American politics. They're joined in the studio by Gabriel Gatehouse, whos ... Show More
34m 27s
Apr 2020
Talking Politics: HISTORY OF IDEAS
A short trailer to introduce a new series of talks by David Runciman. In a series of twelve podcasts, he explores some of the most important thinkers and prominent ideas lying behind modern politics – from Hobbes to Gandhi, from democracy to patriarchy, from revolution to lock do ... Show More
2m 12s
Mar 2025
Roundup: Shutdown Threat, Tariffs & Ukraine
Congressional Democrats are at odds as to whether or not to support Republican-led efforts to keep the government funded ahead of a Friday deadline. We look at the divisions. Then, the White House expressed support for a ceasefire in Ukraine & pushed for more tariffs on imported ... Show More
23m 40s
Jan 2025
RFK Jr. Confirmation Hearing
During his confirmation hearing Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump's pick to run Health and Human Services, defended his stances on vaccines and abortion access. This episode: White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram, political correspondent Susan Davis, and health policy cor ... Show More
16m 52s
Sep 2024
Profile: Who is Donald Trump? (Part 2… The Politician)
Inside Trump’s White HouseLONG After one of the greatest political surprises in American political history, Donald Trump’s 2016 victory gave way to a controversial and consequential presidency. We look back on the four years that were defined by staff fallouts, COVID, and an atte ... Show More
30m 53s
Jan 2025
Is Trump’s ‘flood the media’ strategy working?
With daily announcements, executive orders and press conferences from Trump’s presidency in its first fortnight, how should we be navigating the daily torrent of news? Americast examines the deliberate strategy by the White House (also used in Trump’s first presidency) to “flood ... Show More
33m 25s
Sep 2024
Normally Podcast: Normal-ish Takes on Political Insanity
In the first episode of Normally, hosts Mary Katharine Ham and Karol Markowicz discuss the evolving political beliefs of Kamala Harris, the media's role in shaping political narratives, and the double standards present in political discourse. They also delve into the dynamics of ... Show More
21m 24s