The Hearsts – $24.5B
The Hearst family can trace its fortune back to patriarch and publishing emperor William Randolph Hearst. He was the son of a rich miner based in San Francisco and used the family wealth to buy The San Francisco Examiner at the age of 24. He then expanded it into a radio, television, and news empire. He allegedly served as the inspiration for the title character in the Orson Welles film Citizen Kane. His son William II continued to media legacy by becoming a Pulitzer Award-winning journalist. His son now heads the family business, now known as the Hearst Corporation. It is not unreasonable to claim that their influence in the PR and publishing fields remain unrivaled.
The Hearsts – $24.5B
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