Hearst vs Pulitzer - Days of Atonement | 6

The final chapter of the rivalry between Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst centers on their diverging paths toward legacy and the shifting landscape of 20th-century media. While Pulitzer retreated from the excesses of yellow journalism to champion journalistic integrity—culminating in his legal victory against the government over the Panama Canal scandal and the establishment of the Pulitzer Prize—Hearst pivoted toward political ambition and, later, the burgeoning film industry. Hearst’s political career ultimately faltered, leading to a decline in his newspaper empire’s influence and a desperate, aggressive attempt to suppress Orson Welles’ *Citizen Kane*, a film that mirrored his own life. Ultimately, Pulitzer secured a lasting reputation as a patron of professional journalism, whereas Hearst’s legacy became defined by his struggle to reconcile his vast wealth and power with his waning cultural relevance.