America’s first multimedia tycoon, pioneer of “yellow journalism” and struggling politician are all titles wrapped into one man dubbed the real-life “Citizen Kane.” William Randolph Hearst landed a lot in history as an example of triumph and trial as he explored the darker side of wealth and fame.
At the helm of his empire, he changed – and helped define – 20th century America’s media landscape in a way that still echoes into today.
Magazines like Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar and Good Housekeeping were once under his thumb. Newspapers that belonged to Hearst once widely circulated around major U.S. cities like Chicago and Boston, feeding narratives to the public. And, while vowing to make actress Marion Davies – his mistress – a star, he ventured into the film industry.
William Randolph Hearst became America’s first multimedia tycoon, but financial struggles…