The Wealthiest American Dynasties, Ranked

William Randolph Hearst took a newspaper inheritance from his mining tycoon father and turned it into a media juggernaut. He crafted sensational headlines and built a publishing empire that dominated American news for decades.

Over 60 years, he amassed nearly 30 newspapers, multiple magazines, and radio stations—his dramatic rise famously inspiring the film Citizen Kane. The Hearst name became synonymous with power, prestige, and media clout. Today, the empire he built lives on, with the Hearst family controlling a vast $24.5 billion fortune.