The provided text offers a comprehensive biography of William Randolph Hearst , an influential American newspaper publisher and politician. The source, an excerpt from a Wikipedia article, details his life from his early life and education , including his time at Harvard, to his transformation of the San Francisco Examiner and his later acquisition of the New York Morning Journal . A significant focus is placed on his mastery of yellow journalism , particularly during his intense rivalry with Joseph Pulitzer, and his role in stoking public opinion leading up to the Spanish–American War . Additionally, the article covers his political engagement , his shift from progressive to more conservative views, his controversial stance on Nazi Germany, his eventual financial disaster during the Great Depression, and his enduring legacy, most notably his famous California properties like Hearst Castle and his inspiration for the film Citizen Kane .
