I would argue that one of the earliest (if not the first) use of modern technology for community engagement occurred with Franklin Roosevelt and his fireside chats. He used 30 speeches, given on the radio, to address the public throughout the Great Depression and World War II on topics such as unemployment and war updates. Obviously, this form of communication is one-sided, and its primary purpose was to inform. By today’s standards, it is so limited. Yet it succeeded not only in informing the public but in inspiring them to action and encouraging them through some of the most difficult times in US history. These chats contributed to some great sacrifices and resilience (not just those on the war front, but rationing, can drives, women and minorities entering new professions, moving across far distances to find some hope for one’s family, fighting fear by NOT running to the bank to withdraw all of one’s money).
What made it so effective? Unlike today, where people have a wide choice of technologies bombarding them everyday (and those that don’t have access issues which limit any efforts at using technology for community engagement), people in the 1940’s and 50’s had radios. 90% of households had radios (above the percentage of adults with internet access at home today). Moreover, the radio was the singularly new source of information and entertainment. It drew people together for a shared listening experience. Many of today’s engagement resources pool together opinions, concerns, or ideas, but they allow individuals to remain relatively individual, with more limited interpersonal interaction.
We also must believe that FDR’s personality and style of delivery made this engagement so particularly beneficial. He became the public’s friend or family member. Indeed, they were called “fireside chats” because it was informal, as if chatting at home by the fire. Perhaps today’s efforts may learn from that level of personability. Citizens may respond better to actual people, even from a distance, than words on a phone or computer screen.
FDR really set a precedent for using technology to engage with citizens. Perhaps it was so effective because of the time in which it happened – times when individuals needed extra inspiration and hope. But I’m not convinced that today is that different with the need for hope. Yet despite the abundance of technology options, today’s government is probably not engaging with the public in a way that will make it into every US History book (although Twitter and YouTube may show up in world history with uprisings and revolutions around the world, and perhaps some presidential tweets might be mentioned, unfortunately). But the term “fireside chat” is a common vocabulary term for any US History class. Hence, the right person in the right time may use even one-directional technology to foster engagement. Indeed, perhaps there are aspects of this type of engagement which might still be genuinely effective.
Community Engagement for Public Service 