The 1930s were the “Wild West” of media. As traditional city press clubs crumbled, two very different worlds emerged: a mainstream landscape rife with sensationalism and the rise of a new, professional class of women journalists who challenged world leaders.
1. Dorothy Thompson: The “Blue-Eyed Tornado”
While the 1920s press was a “boys’ club,” the 1930s saw the rise of Dorothy Thompson, arguably the most influential woman in American journalism.
- The Hitler Interview: In 1931, Thompson interviewed Adolf Hitler. She famously underestimated him, calling him a “little man” of “cartilaginous” character.
- The Expulsion: In 1934, she became the first American journalist expelled from Nazi Germany. Rather than silencing her, this catapulted her to fame.
- The Powerhouse: By 1939, Time magazine named her the second most influential woman in America (behind Eleanor Roosevelt). Her column, “On the Record,” reached 8 to 10 million readers and was syndicated in 170 papers. She used this platform to warn a reluctant America about the rising threat of fascism.
2. “Yellow Journalism” & The War for Truth
”Yellow journalism”—sensationalism designed to sell papers—didn’t die with the 19th century; it just adapted to the Depression.
- The Hearst Empire: William Randolph Hearst used his papers to fight a “class war.” He often branded labor strikers as “communist agitators” to scare the middle class, while simultaneously publishing flattering newsreels of Nazi Germany to promote “order” as a solution to economic chaos.
- The “War of the Worlds” (1938): When Orson Welles broadcast his “alien invasion” radio play, newspapers seized the moment. They published headlines about “Mass Panic” and “Radio Terror.” Modern historians suggest the panic was massively exaggerated by newspapers to prove that their rival, Radio, was “dangerous” and “unreliable.”
3. Lorena Hickok: The First Lady’s Eyes and Ears
Another pivotal figure was Lorena Hickok, the most famous female reporter of her time before she left the press to work for the New Deal.
- The Secret Reporter: Hickok was a top Associated Press reporter but grew so close to Eleanor Roosevelt that she could no longer remain “objective.”
- The FERA Reports: She left journalism to travel across America for the government, writing raw, private reports for FDR and Eleanor about the true state of poverty. Her “journalism” was for an audience of two, but it directly shaped New Deal policies like the Federal Emergency Relief Administration.
Key Figures of the 1930s Press Transition
| Journalist | Notable Impact | Legacy |
|---|---|---|
| Dorothy Thompson | First US journalist expelled by Nazis. | Proved women could be leading political columnists. |
| Lorena Hickok | America’s best-known female AP reporter. | Provided the “boots-on-the-ground” data for New Deal relief. |
| Heywood Broun | Founded the American Newspaper Guild. | Shifted journalism from a “social club” to a protected trade. |
The Depression era essentially killed the “amateur” reporter. By the end of the 1930s, the rowdy, drink-heavy city press clubs had been replaced by a more sober, professional, and politically engaged press corps.