By Syed Arif Hussaini

June 06, 2008

Randolph Hearst: The Media Mogul


Last week we talked about Walt Disney, the builder of the ‘happiest place on earth’. Let us consider this week another great American, Randolph Hearst (1863-1951), the media mogul who built the monumental Hearst Castle. Next week we shall make a comparative study of the two.
A bundle of contradictions, Hearst was born into wealth, had an overwhelming passion for pelf, power and position; yet, he denounced the rich and always upheld the causes of the downtrodden. He married a pedigree-less, stage dancer who bore him five sons, no daughter. Subsequently, he was infatuated with an actress, Marion Davies, who remained his mistress for decades till his death. He was indifferent, if not disdainful, towards the bourgeois concepts of respectability.
Randolph went to Harvard for higher studies, but did not take to academic pursuits. He was found responsible for several cases of indiscipline. Once, he placed a donkey in the room of a teacher with a plaque around its neck saying: “Now there are two of you”. Expelled from college, he had to return home to take up a vocation. His father offered him the money-minting mines and his enormous ranch in Mexico. But, Randolph wanted to have only the insignificant paper: The San Francisco Examiner.
Every one thought it impossible to turn the paper into a viable financial entity. But, impossible was a word that did not exist in his lexicon. Impossible, he maintained, was a little more difficult than possible. To prove this right, he would be found frequently driven by seizures of furious energy. He refused to let obstacles deter him. When he wanted some thing, he wanted it desperately and he worked for it with full force day and night.
In the very first year under his direction, the Examiner launched over a dozen crusades against incompetent and expensive public services. Sensationalism was Hearst’s major tool - to startle, amaze, stupefy, and convulse his readers with excitement.
“Hearst was not a newsman at all in the conventional sense”, wrote his biographer W.A. Swanberg. “He was an inventor, a producer, an arranger. He lived in a childlike dream world, imagining wonderful stories and then going out and creating them so that the line between fact and fancy was apt to be fuzzy”.
Having honed his skills at the Examiner, he decided to move to New York at age 32 seeking a larger playground for the exercise of his talents. He bought the Journal and started competing with the renowned, though blind, Joseph Pulitzer of daily World. The competition between the two gave birth to what came to be known as yellow journalism. For, both had used yellow posters in that city against each other. Subsequently, Hearst came to be called the king of yellow journalism. He started expanding his ownership of newspapers and magazines.
His worldwide publishing empire eventually included 32 newspapers, 13 magazines, King Feature Syndicate, radio and TV stations, Metrotone News, several movie and book companies.
The power he thus acquired turned him into an unprecedented manipulator of men and events. One of his biographers, Ben Porter, commented, “Few individuals in American history - with the exception of certain Presidents - have affected or helped to shape the course of this nation’s history over a 50-year period, either favorably or wrongly, more than William Randolph Hearst.”
He would cry at the death of a dog and would not let his gardeners poison the field mice, but he had no compunction in provoking, through the constant hammering of his papers, the Spanish-American war that took innumerable lives. His scathing and relentless criticism of President William McKinley is often thought to have incited the assassin to shoot him down.
On a visit to London as a young boy, he asked his mother to buy the Windsor Castle for his residence, and a museum whose objects d’art had enamored him. The dream of a castle furnished with statutes, paintings, ornate carpets, draperies, and other exhibits never left him, but it had to wait till he had acquired his publishing empire and could afford to build a castle fit for a king. The construction that commenced in 1919 took almost thirty years to complete the world famous Hearst Castle.
It is located on California Highway 1 about half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It comprises a 115-room main building surrounded by guesthouses, pools, gardens, playgrounds located over a quarter of a million acres of Hearst holdings that he used to call “my ranch”. He owned the entire area that a human eye could see in all directions from the main building. He was the king of all he saw. The Castle stands as a tribute to his genius, his ambition, his achievements and also a manifestation of his vanity. It is now a museum. It struck me as a manifestation of his indigestion of wealth.
His guests at the Castle included President Calvin Coolidge, Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw, Charles Lindberg, Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable and an array of other show business stars.
Hearst thus had his castle where he owned all that he perceived; outside he had his media empire where he employed over 30,000 persons including a hundred executives, but his political ambitions to be the Mayor of New York, Governor of that state and even be nominated for Presidency were thwarted by the electorate. For, his public image left much to be desired. The voters did not seem to trust him. He reminded the voters of his fake and sensational stories that subsequently turned out to be incorrect.
The seamy side of his persona was depicted by Orson Wells is his 1941 film “Citizen Kane”. I saw the film before writing this piece, particularly as it was considered by many critics as one of the great films of the twentieth century. I did not, however, find it in good taste.
Mr. Hearst was no doubt a self-centered person – perhaps a megalomaniac - but he was nevertheless a great man as reflected in his great achievements. (arifhussaini@hotmail.com)

 

 

 

 

PREVIOUSLY

Desire and the Culture of Instant Gratification
March 23 - Memories & Nostalgia
Deeper Malaise of Pakistan Polity
BJP’s Debacle in the Battle for Ballots
Feudalism’s Aversion to Education
Forgetfulness -a Prank of Old Age or of Hyperfocus
The Taliban and Beyond
Meetings of World Economic Forum and Its Counterweight
BJP Fails Again to Frame Pakistan
Indo-Chinese Relations in Perspective
Taj Mahal and Indo-Pakistan Standoff
Grandma, Grandpa
'The Clash of Civilizations' : A Questionable Thesis
In the Gadgeteer's Dreamland
Emergence of MMA on Pak Political Landscape
Chechnya and Moscow's Hostage Crisis
Turkish Elections in Historical Perspective
Iraq's Oil Wealth
America: A Nation on Wheels
"Jinnah & Pakistan" - A Worthwhile Book
Afghanistan Merits More Attention

The Siren Song of Sale and Savings

In Memory of Dr. Hamidullah

Tackling Murphy at the Airport

Musings of a Superannuated Man

US Economy: Will Bush's Plan Work

Tempo of Life in AmericaThe Genius behind the MouseThe Media Mogul Who Manipulated Men and EventsHearst and Disney: A Comparative StudyNothing but the TruthWar on Iraq Imminent and InevitableMahathir's Interesting ViewsPortents of a New World OrderMarch 23 - Memories & NostalgiaRachel Corrie & the Spotted OwlLost in CyberspaceThe American Nice GuyismConnecticut - A Nursery of MenOn a Visit to Canada after Half of CenturySome Legal Aspects of the Iraq WarBureaucratic AnticsRhode Island: An Oxymoron, a ParadoxThe Mystique of CaliforniaComic Operas in Islamabad & in TexasKhyber Knights: A Fascinating BookG-8 Summit Skirts Touchy IssuesIn Memory of a Versatile GeniusHillary Clinton's Cleverly Crafted BookChitranwala Katora and ChutkiyanThe Yak Shows : The Trash TalksThe Giants of Sequoia National ParkReflections on Pakistan's Independence DayAziz Kay 'Sifarati Maarkay And Mujtaba Kay 'Safarnamay'California's Political CircusLali Chaudhri's Provocative Short StoriesSeptember: A Witness to WarsAmerica in the Quagmire of IraqCollapse of Another WTO SummitA B C D: American-Born-Clear-Headed DesisThe Pangs of WaitingChechnya: A Ray of Hope for PeaceAmerican Job Exodus to ChinaIslamabad : Its Beauty & OdditiesWelcome Proposals to Break Indo-Pak LogjamBenazir's Case and the Corruption ScenarioPredicament of Pakistan's PolityWhen Memory Starts FalteringTerror in Turkey Unrelated to Nation's Cultural ConflictThe Siren Song of Sale and Savings Wrinkles in US-China RelationsWrinkles in US-China RelationsSaddam Crawls out of a Hole to IgnominySaddam Crawls out of a Hole to IgnominyWhen Memory Starts FalteringA Day in the Company of Mujtaba HussainHyderabad Presents a Panorama of Progress and ChangeConflict over New World Economic OrderPakistan's Nuclear ScandalUrdu in Hyderabad DeccanA Good Book on a Great ManGay Marriages in Vivacious San FranciscoThe Passion of the Christ - A Well-Sculpted but Fuss-Causing FilmA Treat of Mujtaba's Wit and HumorPredicament of Pakistan's PolityThe Murder of Sheikh Yassin: Israel's Hidden AgendaArmy Action in Pakistan's Tribal BeltWould the NSC Buttress or Besiege Democracy?Desire and the Culture of Instant GratificationSwiss Court and the Benazir-Zardari Plunder SagaPakistan and the International Economic ForumsWhy Do US Follies Keep Piling up in Iraq?The Tamasha at Lahore AirportIndian Elections and Subsequent DevelopmentsBush Flaunts His Faulty Policies on IraqPost Civil War America and Post-Independence PakistanBureaucratic AnticsTackling Murphy at the AirportAsma's Fascinating Book on IslamAPPNA Qissa - 25 Years of Activities of Pak-American DoctorsBureacratic AnticsNightmare in SudanIn Pursuit of TerroristsWhy Turkey's Entry into European Union Is Blocked?Forgetfulness - A Prank of Old Age or of HyperfocusKremlin's Inept Tackling of Chechen ExtremistsWho Should Get My Vote In November Election?Bush vs. Annan on Legal Status of Iraq WarRethinking the National Security of PakistanThe Brief Message

Desire and the Culture of Instant Gratification Is Iran the Next Target?

Dollar vs. Euro -A Question of Hegemony

Zardari’s Release Indicative of Reconciliation?The Siren Song of Sale and SavingsChristmastime – A Festive OccasionPak-China Ties Keep Growing FirmlyAmerican Shopping MallsTsunami - an Asian Disaster Dr. Cohen’s Thought-Provoking Work on PakistanAlice in the FreelandBalochistan: Crisis & Conflict Iran the Next Target, but The Common Man

Chechnya: Chaos to Continue in the CaucasusGlobal Warming and Emulators of the OstrichA Treat of Mujtaba’s Wit and Humor Reflections on the Idea of Pakistan‘Engaging India’ - A Valuable Book by Strobe Talbott
Memories & Nostalgia
American Nice GuyismBalochistan at the Verge of Revolutionary Changes?India as Seen by Early Muslim Chroniclers India, China Leading a Resurgent AsiaThe Pain at the Petrol Pump Mujtaba Husain - a Humorist Par Excellence Musings of a Superannuated Man in AmericaThe Pangs of WaitingChaos and Killings in Uzbekistan Prospects of the Pain at the Petrol Pump
French Voters Reject Proposed EU Constitution
Why Turkey’s Entry into European Union Is Being BlockedWhat Ails Thee, My Native Land?The Deeper Malaise of Pakistan’s PolityResistance to Change in the System Feudalism’s Aversion to EducationRhode Island: An Oxymoron, a ParadoxThe Spotted Owl Wins against Bush AdministrationSufi Sage of Philadelphia and His Devotee from TorontoTo Ease the Pain at the Petrol PumpPat Robertson - a Loose Canon?Monkey Menace in New DelhiSeptember - A Witness to WarsThe Trouble with Islam Today Two Revealing Books on AfghanistanTo Lighten the Tedium of Air Travel
Islamabad as I Remember It
China’s White Paper Upholds Its “Democratic Dictatorship”The Brief MessageHalloween: The Fun-Filled FantasyPractical Joking: The Sport of Creeps?Senate Rebuffs Bush on War in IraqBush’s Unproductive Visit to ChinaGlobal Warming or Terrorism: Which Is a Bigger Threat?A High Achiever Shows the WaySyriana - An Expose of Intrigues of Oil CompaniesHow Washington Sold Its Soul for Saudi CrudeAlice in the FreelandAmerican EnglishThe Battle of the BulgeLost in CyberspaceHamas Vote Victory Invites Wrath of the WestNo Relief in Sight from Pain at the Petrol PumpPolitics of the Cartoons’ ControversyFollies & Fantasies of the FreaksMujtaba’s New Book and Urdu Magazine ‘Al Aqreba’Bush’s South Asian VisitFeudalism’s Aversion to Education

Mergers and Cartels Produce Unprecedented Oil Profits?

V for Vendetta – A Controversial Political Thriller A Treat of Mujtaba’s Wit and Humor Media Buzz on Invasion of IranChina’s Charm OffensiveTo Pump or Not to Pump, That Is Not the QuestionUndocumented Immigrants, No Social PariahsBush’s Subtle Approach to Immigration Issue The Da Vinci Code – A Mega Money Minter Randolph Hearst: The Media Mogul Hearst and Disney: A Comparative Study Pakistan’s Political Scenario Portends Violence but No Basic ChangeChatty Columns of a Remarkable Young WomanMountbatten Messed up Partition of IndiaChechnya after Blast Kills Its Rebel LeaderBombay Blasts and Some Reflections on TerrorismA Good Addition to Urdu Literature Lieberman’s Defeat in Democratic Primary Asifa Nishat - a Deep Thinking Urdu PoetWar In Iraq: The Crucial Issue in Midterm ElectionsBalochistan: Shape of Things to Come Khalid Khaja - an Eminent Urdu Poet, Writer & SpeakerSeptember - a Witness to Wars Military Coup in Thailand Triggers ReminiscencesMusharraf Pulls No Punches in His MemoirHasan Chishti - a Man of Letters, a Purveyor of HappinessHalloween: The Fun-Filled Fantasy Practical Joking: The Sport of Creeps? To Lighten the Tedium of Air Travel Bajaur: Action against Religious Seminary Raises QuestionsRumsfeld’s Exit Marks the Beginning of Shift of Course in IraqBorat: A Comedy of Discomfort and of Even OutrageRuler Derby in PakistanNO God But GOD - A Rational Account of Islam & A Call For ReformationTo Ease the Pain at the Petrol Pump Christmastime - a Festive OccasionJimmy Carter Exposes Oppression & Apartheid by Israel

India & China Lead Resurgent AsiaProspects of Pain at the Petrol PumpA Highly Informative and Thought-Provoking BookSomalia: Ethiopia Rides the TigerPakistan: The Shifting Political ScenarioMujtaba Hussain - A Purveyor of HappinessSurge in Suicide Blasts in PakistanSpecter of War Haunting IranFrenzied Fanatic Fells Female MinisterMusharraf Overtly Pressured and Covertly Remonstrated Suspension of Pak Chief Justice Triggers ControversyMarch 23: Memories & NostalgiaThe Ruler Derby in PakistanProspects of the Pain at Petrol PumpAmerican Islam: An Investigative StudyTurmoil in the Tribal Belt of Pakistan?A Scholar’s Gripping Account of Hyderabadi DiasporaOn Being a Senior CitizenTurkey: In the Cleft of a Cultural ConflictLost in CyberspaceAkbar Ahmad’s Book on Current Challenges to Muslim SocietiesAsma’s Fascinating Book on IslamIrshad Manji Points out the Trouble with Islam Today A Scholar’s Plea for the Resumption of IjtehadThe Mystique of CaliforniaKnighthood for Salman RushdieUpheaval in Palestine: National Objective in Ruins“Jinnah & Pakistan” – A Worthwhile BookLal Masjid and Beyond

Musings of a Superannuated Man
Significance of General Elections in Turkey Musharraf-Benazir Tango to the Tune Called by the USReflections on Independence DayNostalgia for the HomelandPakistan: The Corruption Scenario Changing Political Dynamic in PakistanPakistan: Current Political Crisis and the Common ManThe Battle of the BulgeOn Being a Senior CitizenWhen Memory Starts Faltering (1)The Musharraf-Benazir Deal: Its Nature & FutureHalloween: A Fun-Filled Fantasy Is Pakistan the Most Dangerous Nation?Lost in CyberspaceSurge of Violence in PakistanWhat Ails Thee, My Native Land?

Washington’s Fear Mongers Focus on Pakistan’s Nukes

Akbar Ahmad’s Book on Current Challenges to Muslim Societies
The Startling US Intelligence Report on Iran’s Nuclear Plan
Christmastime: A Festive Occasion
Desire and the Culture of Instant Gratification
Bhutto’s Murder Plunges Pakistan Deep into Turmoil
Would Musharraf Be Able to Weather the Storm?
Feudalism’s Aversion to Education
‘Charlie Wilson’s War’ – A Film Based on a Best-Seller Book
The Kite Runner: An Absorbing Book, a Wonderful Film
Hillary Clinton - First Woman to Bid for the White House
Whither Pakistan?
Who Should Get My Vote?
Pakistan: The Emerging Political Scenario
More Pain at the Petrol Pump
On Being a Senior Citizen
Sufi Sage of Philadelphia and His Devotee from Toronto
‘The Pakistani Bride’ – A Gripping Novel by Bapsi Sidhwa
New Pak Premier Faces Daunting Tasks
The Mystique of California
Mark Twain: America’s Greatest Humorist
Jimmy Carter Exposes Oppression & Apartheid
‘The Trial of Dara Shikoh’ - A Thought-Provoking Play
No Reprieve from the Pain at the Gas Station
‘The Culture of Tolerance’ - A Bold, Provocative and Discordant Book
Pakistan’s Politicians Pursue Personal Ends


Editor: Akhtar M. Faruqui
© 2004 pakistanlink.com . All Rights Reserved.