Part 8/9:
Arguably, no discussion of American dynasty can omit the Hearsts. With a legacy stretching back to the 18th century, the Hearst family evolved from mining to media under the leadership of patriarch George Hearst. His son, William Randolph Hearst, would elevate the family into the realm of global media dominance. Using tactics such as yellow journalism and savvy media acquisitions, he built a newspaper empire that extended into film and radio.
Throughout the decades, the family has encountered its share of controversy, including William's tumultuous relationship with the press and his infamous romantic entanglements, yet they have still managed to amass a fortune estimated at over $30 billion by 2023.