The Hearsts: The First Billionaire Media Family (Documentary)

These days, it seems like every two-bit social media influencer and semi-savvy pop star is making a billion dollars. Yet, much like a sports debate between father and son about how “back in my day, it was much harder to win a championship”.

The money game played by the family we’ll discuss in this video had a totally different set of rules -
And making that coveted first billion dollars wasn’t easy, at all.

Today’s episode of Old Money Luxury will be undoubtedly like no other, as we describe The Hearst Family -The First Billionaires of Media.

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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Introduction
1:13 Chapter 1: The Hearst Family Origins and Ancestry
4:23 Chapter 2: Expanding the Hearst Media Empire
8:01 Chapter 3: The Next Generation of Hearsts
11:27 Chapter 4: The Hearsts Enter The Digital Age
14:55 Chapter 5: The Modern Day Hearst Family

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In the grand parade of American family sagas, few names ring out as loftily as the Hearsts.
A family original hailing from Irish soil, their origin story unspooled in South Carolina back in 1766—way before anyone even thought of Silicon Valley's tech empires or Hollywood's cinematic aristocracy.

Yes, these Hearsts got the ball rolling with a patriarch named George - whose gumption in the mining business could put any venture capitalist to shame.

In the mid-nineteenth century, George Hearst left a humble Missouri farm for the glinting allure of California's Gold Rush.

Though he didn't strike it rich immediately, he eventually hit pay dirt—quite literally—with the Homestake Mine in South Dakota.

But George wasn't just a miner - he was also a gambler with a knack for scoring in high stakes games.

Winning the San Francisco Examiner in a bet, George branched into publishing - weaponizing the ink to champion Democratic Party causes.

He turned a poker hand into a political platform - and honestly, you have to tip your hat to that kind of chutzpah.

As the Roaring Twenties rolled in, William Randolph Hearst felt an an insatiable appetite for expansion.
Indeed, he wasn't content with merely ruling the nation's largest newspaper chain - he coveted the ink on glossy magazine pages as well.

Now, his first magazine nibble was Cosmopolitan.
Originating in 1886 as a family-friendly read, Cosmo - as it's colloquially known - underwent several identity shifts before settling into its current iteration as a women's magazine.

When Hearst acquired it in 1905, he injected a tantalizing blend of short fiction, public affairs, and the occasional celebrity profile.
By 1940, Cosmo was practically a household name - boasting a circulation of a whopping two million.

Now, William Randolph Hearst Senior not only amassed a media empire but also begat a brood of five sons -
George, William Jr., John, and the twins Randolph and David - and all of them dutifully plunged into the family inkwell - and piggy bank.

William Junior - born in 1908 - elevated the familial calling to Pulitzer Prize-winning artistry.
Known for his commitment to both the family enterprise and journalistic integrity, he was - if you will - the family's editorial North Star.

David Whitmire Hearst - born 1915 - wasn’t exactly a byline lightweight either.
Starting as a beat reporter for The New York Journal-American in 1936, David navigated a maze of roles - from assistant advertising director at The Baltimore News-Post to city editor - and eventually ascended the throne of publisher at The Los Angeles Herald-Express in 1950.

Now, William Randolph Hearst The Third - a Harvard-educated math wiz - spent decades ascending the corporate ladder, even donning the hat of editor and publisher of the San Francisco Examiner - echoing his grandfather's tenure.

Simultaneously juggling roles as director and philanthropic trustee for over three decades, he's essentially the de facto patriarch.
His cousin - George Randolph Hearst Junior - presided over the Hearst Corporation’s board like a symphony conductor until his 2012 swan song.

Leaving behind four offspring - including George Randolph Hearst The Third - he kept the family enterprise humming in harmony for more than 40 years.

Then there’s John Randolph "Bunky" Hearst Junior - the favorite grandchild of William Randolph Hearst - who was indeed a controversial figure in the Hearst family.

His life escapades include twice-divorced status, race car adventuring, and editorial pursuits - but his dalliance with matrimony took a darker turn when his nuptials to Barbara cascaded into a legal scrimmage that rocked the gilded Hearst corridors.

In 2012, the corridors of Hearst Corporation felt a seismic shift, as a figurative family baton passed hands.
The venerable George Randolph Hearst Junior - board chairman and patriarch in every sense - drew his last breath.

[oldmoneyluxury]

COMMENT: Which legendary family would you like us to cover next?

[chazparker]

A very good history of the Hearst Empire. The WR Hearst Trust would be an excellent subject to cover about preserving family wealth. Hearst Senior did not trust that his sons would not squander the fortune. He created a trust so forward-looking and sophisticated that 70 years on still maintains the money control and keeps the family business private. To this day William Randolph Hearst, Senior still continues to control the family empire in a sense.

[maxwithabigoldax]

The Hearst Castle is worth the venture out to the remote central California coast. The Neptune Pool and Roman Pool along with the rest of the grounds are incredible feats of architecture and design. I highly suggest planning a visit as I look forward to returning one day myself.

[Pharaonin]

Thank you for your documentation- about the Ups and Downs of this important family.

[ElliottNest]

I would suggest the Henry Ford family.

[stephanebelizaire]

Very Instructive Documentary, Bravo ! We may add as well, The Hutton, The Duke, The Donohue, The Mars, The Maggi.

[AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Excellent video! Can you cover the Waltons from the Walmart empire?

[carloslionel]

Great video, saw Citizen Kane some years ago and got interested in learning more about the Hearst family.

[hichemrajhi]

can you make a video about Stefan Persson the heir to H&M

[m.s]

Happy that you began the video with addressing the hyperbolic claims by many that they are billionaires, when they are not, not even close. All should be wary of such claims, having a billion in US dollars or more, particularly in cash, nets an annual interest of approximately $30m. Many of these so called billionaires are barely worth the interest payment. It’s just click bait. Remember the 1% has a net worth of $11.5m. That’s all.
Well done video, thank you.

[jackyanderson]

Although I am not a member of Old Money Luxury but the stories (Documentaries) are interesting and inspirational.
And about the Hearst family and legacy there is a name that many Old Money lovers would like to see and talk about. I mean Amanda Hearst. She is one of a kind. About the Hearst family we don't talk only about the furtune. We also talk about the beauties that the family produced. One of them is Amanda Hearst. She is one of the most beautiful girls in the world. I love that.
However, I wish you all the best of luck.

[carolannemckenzie]

Just to think, if Marion hadn't bailed out her lover by giving him all of her jewellery, it might all have gone kaput!

[eluisse]

Please research and publish Tata and Birla families of India and their industrial empires. These two families are best examples of wealth from generations to generations while building the majority of Indian Industrial infra over last 100+ years.

[wlam]

I would like to suggest a video about the Li Ka-shing family of Hong Kong

[DumbledoreMcCracken]

Control the message, control the solar system

[markrichardson]

I enjoy your videos, how about the Amway families ❤

[chante]

The Bridgman family. Please do a cover on this family.

[Chiromedicare]

How about an episode on Robert Allerton?

[coachpoppavic]

Redstone Family. Thomson family (Canada/UK).

[otebadavid]

Hello Old Money Luxury. I kindly front the Wallenberg Family from Europe