After taking control of the San Francisco Examiner in 1887, William Randolph Hearst was eager to try his luck in New York. Hearst bought the failing Journal in 1895 and turned it into a sensation. He earned the loyalty of the city’s population of newly arrived immigrants by railing against monopolistic businesses and championing the working class, using the medium to increase his influence.

Hearst began producing newsreels and serialized dramas, and he reigned over Hollywood society. One of his films starred a young actress named Marion Davies, and Hearst was instantly smitten. In the 1930s as the Depression devastated the country, Hearst’s politics evolved, and he became out of touch with readers. Circulation numbers dropped and Hearst found himself $78 million in debt.