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A new brand of journalism William Randolph Hearst introduced his own brand of journalism to the world when he was given control of the faltering San Francisco Examiner in 1887 by his father George, a rancher and career politician. The younger Hearst's promotion of the Examiner, and his jingoistic print-based promotion of the Spanish-American War helped give birth to sensationalistic "yellow journalism." Hearst early on realized that dynamic, splashy reporting sold papers. While Hearst publications have since dropped their political partisanship, Hearst's juicy journalism and publications have revolutionized the industry in many ways. Hearst papers featured the first multi-colored page (the better to catch the eye of readers), the first halftone photographs on newsprint, and the first full-color comics section. A media giant Today, Hearst is a media/entertainment empire with 16 top-selling magazines, including the saucy Cosmopolitan, sensible Good Housekeeping, glam Harper's Bazaar, the highly-publicized Talk (launched in August 1999), Redbook, and Esquire (the last two purchased in 1986). Besides the San Francisco Examiner, Hearst publishes 12 other U.S. daily newspapers and 18 weekly newspapers. Hearst recently sold its Hearst Book Group, which included William Morrow & Co. and Avon Books, to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. for an estimated $200 million. The company has nearly 100 overseas editions of its popular magazines, including 36 versions of Cosmopolitan. The international versions contain articles pegged to their markets, and entice advertisers hoping to reach foreign markets. Hearst the diverse Chairman Randolph Hearst, the son of Hearst Corporation's founder, turned the company over to nephew George Hearst in 1996. The kingdom George inherited isn't confined to print. The company owns 20 percent of ESPN, and partnered with ABC to launch Lifetime network ("television for women"), the History Channel (famous for its WWII documentaries) and Arts & Entertainment channels (lots o' Jane Austen) in 1984. Hearst also is a partner with Continental Cablevision in the New England Cable News network, an all-news network in the region. The company tapped former FCC chairman Alfred Sikes in 1993 to take Hearst onto the information superhighway and put Hearst magazines online. It has invested in new media enterprises, including Netscape, as well. In April, 2000, in a joint venture with Harpo Inc, Oprah Winfrey's company, Hearst launched O: The Oprah Magazine, which Ms. Winfrey describes as "the book that I never wrote." That year, Hearst and Conde Nast entered into an agreement for joint ownership of a newsstand distribution and marketing company. Television giant In 1997, Hearst's TV station holdings merged with broadcaster Argyle Television, forming the publicly-traded Hearst-Argyle Television (of which Hearst is the majority owner). In 1998, Hearst-Argyle, which already owned 15 television stations and two radio stations, announced it would buy nine television and five radio stations from the Pulitzer Publishing Corporation. The stock and debt assumption deal was valued at $1.8 billion dollars and made the company one of the two largest non-network-owned television station groups in the country. In June of 1999, the Hearst Corporation invested another $100 million into Hearst-Argyle Television, demonstrating its commitment to remain the majority shareholder in the company.
Fiasco in Frisco In August 1999 Hearst bought the San Francisco Chronicle, which had been on sale since early 1999, for an estimated $660 million. This figure exceeded most estimates by roughly $160 million. Some have speculated that Hearst could afford to bid high because it will now be the only daily in the city, whereas other buyers would have had to contend with Hearst's Examiner. As part of the purchase however, Hearst was required to sell its Examiner to comply with antitrust laws prohibiting ownership of two newspapers in the same city. Further complicating the situation, former San Francisco mayoral candidate Clint Reilly has brought a suit against Hearst - which was planning to sell its Examiner to investors tied to the owners of the Independent - charging that the sale would hurt competition between the city's papers. The case went to court in May 2000.
The company's diverse operations means job positions are constantly opening – and closing. New hires are brought aboard most frequently in the Marketing, Sales, and Editorial departments of any of Hearst's numerous publications. Hearst's publications regularly rely on newspaper and trade journal advertisements to advertise positions. One insider advises, "Watch the trade publications, but apply quick – jobs are often filled very quickly."
In spite of Hearst's size and "universally-recognized name," the parent company exerts "little influence" over the day-to-day operations of its publications. Employees appreciate their "high degree of independence," though they say that senior personnel are available to aid new employees. In addition, employees say that working for a "top-line" publication can "launch a long-term career in the industry." While the company's emphasis on "tradition and security" has come to mean "a concerted push to boost the bottom line," the "loose" corporate organization, employees say, helps "ensure that quality journalism has a future here." "This is a people place," says one insider "and we need people people." Employees hoping to move up at Hearst publications can expect to work hefty hours, and those at Hearst's fashion magazines are likely to be spotted in the same trendy outfits featured in its publications. Pay varies by department, with some describing it as "average," and others opining that they receive "a better starting salary than most other publishing houses." One insider reports, "The pay is very competitive, and supplemented generously with outstanding benefits." Benefits include a choice of medical insurance options, tuition reimbursement, and employee health and wellness programs. With more time spent on the job, benefits increase to include 401(k) and retirement plans, as well as health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts. Another perk, is "a big box from Tiffany's marking your first anniversary with the company," though the more shortsighted might prefer "ice cream Fridays in the summer" at some locations.
Ruth Diem Human Resources
Newspapers;Magazine;Business publishing;Television and Radio Broadcasting;Cable Network Programming;Newspaper Features Distribution;Television Production and Distribution;New Media;HEARST MAGAZINES: Colonial Homes;Cosmopolitan;Country Living;Country Living Gardener;Esquire;Good Housekeeping;Harper's Bazaar;House Beautiful;Marie Claire;Motor Boating & Sailing;Popular Mechanics;Redbook;SmartMoney;Sports Afield;Town & Country;Victoria;TELEVISION STATIONS: WCVB-TV, Boston, MA;WWWB-TV, Tampa, FL;WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA;KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA;KQCA-TV, Sacramento, CA;WESH-TV, Orlando, FL;WBAL-TV, Baltimore, MD;WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI;WLWT-TV, Cincinnati, OH;KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO;KCWE-TV, Kansas City, MO;WYFF-TV, Greenville, SC;WDSU-TV, New Orleans, LA;WPBF-TV, West Palm Beach, FL;KOCO-TV, Oklahoma City, OK;WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA;WXII-TV, Greensboro, NC;WLKY-TV, Louisville, KY;KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM;KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA;KITV-TV, Honolulu, HI;KETV-TV, Omaha, NE;WAPT-TV, Jackson, MI;WPTZ-TV/WNNE-TV, Burlington, VT;KHBS-TV/KHOG-TV, Ft. Smith, AR;KSBW-TV, Monterey, CA;RADIO STATIONS: KTAR-AM, Phoenix, AZ;KMVP-AM, Phoenix, AZ;KKLT-FM, Phoenix, AZ;WBAL-AM, Baltimore, MD;WIYY-FM, Baltimore, MD;WXII-AM, Greensboro, NC;WLKY-AM, Louisville, KY;NEWSPAPERS: Daily;Albany Times Union, Albany, NY;Beaumont Enterprise, Beaumont, TX;Edwardsville Intelligencer, Edwardsville, IL;Houston Chronicle, Houston, TX;Huron Daily Tribune, Bad Axe, MI;Laredo Morning Times, Laredo, TX;Midland Daily News, Midland, MI;Midland Reporter-Telegram, Midland, TX;Plainview Daily Herald, Plainview, TX;San Antonio Express-News, San Antonio, TX;San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, CA;San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco, CA;Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, WA;Weekly Newspapers;Advertiser (NY);Ballston Journal (NY);Ballston Spa Money Saver (NY);Beaumont Journal (TX);Hardin County News (TX);Jasper NewsBoy (TX);Malta Messenger (NY);Marlette Leader (MI);Mid County Chronicle (TX);North Central Sun (TX);Northeast Sun (TX);Northwest Sun (TX);Orange County News (TX);Pennysaver (NY);Southside Sun (TX);Tri-County Sun (TX);Vassar Pioneer Times (MI);Westside Sun (TX)
Advance Publications;Hachette Fillipacchi;Time Inc;Times-Mirror;Tribune Company More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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