The sensational life of William Randolph Hearst: A look at how the press covered the journalism mogul

You can't talk about William Randolph Hearst without talking about yellow journalism. That, and the fact that Hearst built a media empire that revolutionized journalism. 

Fun fact: Heartst was nicknamed the "Father of Yellow Journalism." Image retrieved from History.com 

At the peak of Hearst's empire, he was publishing 28 newspapers and nine magazines. In the eyes of many, Hearst personified the American dream. If you want a more in-depth biography on Hearst, read my older blog post here.

But with much success, comes a considerable amount of scrutiny. And Hearst was no stranger that. 

The Spanish-American War is often referred to as the first "media war." During the 1890s, journalism that sensationalized, sometimes even manufactured, dramatic events was a powerful force that helped push the United States into war with Spain. 

Newspapes at the time published headlines including, "Who Destroyed the Maine? 50,000 Reward," "Spanish Treachery" and "Invasion!"

Hearst's New York Journal published sensationalized headlines like, "Destruction of the War Ship Maine Was the Work of an Enemy." Image retrieved from The World

While no real historian attributes the U.S. entry into the conflict to yellow journalism, some argue the era's newspapers may have heighted public calls for U.S. entry into the conflict.

In spite of Hearst's often quoted statement, "You furnish the pictures, I'll provide the war," there were other factors that played a role in leading to the outbreak of war. 

For context, when the Cuban War of Independence happened in the late 19th-century, Hearst told his illustrator Federic Remington to cover the events. However, when Remington later informed Hearst and said nothing happened on the front, Hearst replied with the often quoted statement. 

Propaganda of the Spanish-American War. Image retrieved from history.com

Nonetheless, yellow journalism is basically the predecessor to "fake news." 

Aside from Hearst's troubles with yellow journalism and his undenying popularity, American writer and political activist Upton Sinclair published The Brass Check as an expose of American journalism. More specifically, it was a critique of Hearst's journalistic practices and the limitations of the free press. 

Sinclair's novel The Brass Check writes, "The reader will understand that I depsise these yellows; they are utterly without honor, they are vulgar and cruel; and yet, in spite of all their vices, I count them less dangerous to society than the so-called 'respectable' papers, which pretend to all the cirtues, and set the smug and poius tone for society -- papers like the New York Tribune" (1919). 

Sinclair's novel can be purchased on Amazon here.

Clearly, Sinclair was not a huge fan of Hearst, or yellow journalism for that matter. 

Speaking of unfavorable things, Hearst was didn't particular fancy Orson Welles's Citizen Kane (1941). For context, the film examines the life of Charles Foster Kane, a character based on the William Randolph Hearst. The 1941 classic covers the rise of the penny press, the Hearst-supported Spanish-American war, the birth of th radio, the growth of celebrity journalism, amongst the other topics. 

Orson Welles's Citizen Kane continues to be a fan-favorite to this day. Myself included. Image retrieved from Imdb.com

As Welles's film progressed, word spread of an expose on Hearst. And Hearst, well, he didn't like that one bit. Allegedly, there is evidence showing Hearst's executives "conspiring to undermine Welles's personal credibility and stop the film's release." 

The Hearst organization actually banned mentions of the film from its publications, not to mention the fact that the organization also dangeled a nice, shiny lawsuit over any studio and any exhibitor. Big yikes. But of course, the film was released - and I am personally a very big fan of it.

Hearst may have had unprecedented fame at his peak; but with that much fame, comes criticism. And as previously mentioned, Hearst was no stranger to criticism.