Un-Americanism in the papers: Anti-Communists and use of the press

Understanding how anti-Communists in Congress manipulated public opinion through the press is critical in understanding how McCarthyism worked. This study traces the development of press interaction techniques, focusing on the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and Senator Joseph McCarthy from 1938 to 1952. HUAC used the print press and radio to maximum advantage to create a discourse of fear and convince the public of the need for further investigations. Their savvy press manipulation allowed them to sidestep opposition attempts to moderate the Committee or shut it down. This study also demonstrates that Senator Joseph McCarthy drew heavily upon these precedents in his own rise to power. Given this evidence, it should not be surprising that television, the medium for which McCarthy had no established precedent, ended his career.