William Randolph Hearst's career in publishing began as business manager of the Harvard Lampoon. He was introduced to journalism, and more importantly, learned first hand the value of the advertiser's dollar.

The San Francisco Examiner was the first Hearst publication, gifted to Hearst by his father George. Legend had it that George won the Examiner in a poker hand in Virginia City, and had no use for the failing newspaper. Little did either of them know that when William Randolph Hearst first printed his name on the Examiner masthead as "Proprietor" that one of the largest communication corporations on the planet had been founded.