William Randolph Hearst

William Randolph Hearst, born in San Francisco, followed his father's footsteps by studying Journalism at Harvard University. He took over 'San Francisco Examinar' from his father in 1887 just two years after graduating. Hearst was determined to turn the newspaper into a reputable place and succeeded by employing the best journalists available such as Mark Twain and Jack London. Alongside making the newspaper into a reformist investigative reporting, he also managed to entertain himself and his team by lurid sensationalism.

Moving to New York City, he acquired The New York Journal and engaged in a bitter circulation war with Joseph Pulitzer's New York World which led to the creation of yellow journalism—sensationalized stories of dubious veracity. Acquiring more newspapers, Hearst created a chain that numbered nearly 30 papers in major American cities at its peak. He later expanded to magazines, creating the largest newspaper and magazine business in the world.