Media Moguls Who Changed America l Money and Power

The mass media has a dismal reputation and President Donald Trump's rants against the “fake news” media didn't help. The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found 33 percent of more than 70,000 consumers in 36 countries said they don't trust media. Nic Newman, the lead author of the study, spoke with reuters.com concerning the findings. “Fake news" could be the "Best thing that has happened to journalism in a long while. It’s an opportunity to re-establish the value of mainstream brands and focus on quality,” he said. The media including newspapers, television and radio can have a tremendous impact on society and are typically owned by men (there's a deficit of female luminaries in the business) and do need quality control. Without quality, they can manipulate public opinion by pumping out fallacious information to support their respective agendas and write their own anecdotes. The media in itself, can shape cultures, minds, spark heated discussions or promote peace. Media magnates work behind the scenes, pulling the cords, and they are often amassing vast media-related companies to retain control. They are involved to make a profit, of course, but they use their money to help support personal agendas, while some use their affluence for good. Love them or hate them, the media mogul can shape a nation's political, sociological and cultural landscape for years to come.

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is a producer, talk show host, philanthropist, superwoman and of course, a media mogul. She was born to a struggling family in Mississippi in a low-income household. Her television career began at age 19 when she worked as a co-anchor for her local news station. She is now the only black billionaire in North America. Oprah was raised Baptist, even named after the Biblical character “Orpah,” and has reiterated her Christian faith in adulthood, though she favors a more general spirituality rather than adherence to specific doctrine now. What makes Winfrey exceptional on the list is her capacity to encourage during her interviews while adding to her name value. She talks about the true definition of courage and told an audience to never lose hope. "I know that’s not easy. But making a bold move is the only way to truly advance toward the grandest vision the universe has for you,” she advised. Boldness personifies Winfrey for sure and some say, she has political ambitions as well, but we shall see what the next move will be.

Ted Turner

FeatureflashPhotoAgency/Shutterstock.com

Ted Turner founded and created the first 24-hour cable news channel and founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television. In 1978, he contacted media executive Reese Schonfeld with the idea of creating a 24-hour news channel, so Turner sold his North Carolina station to fund the network. What really made CNN a powerhouse was their coverage of the Challenger shuttle accident as having access to the news at any time satisfied the public's appetite for information. Turner no longer owns CNN but is keeping up with the industry he helped shape. What does Turner think of the media today? "The media is too concentrated, too few people own too much. There's really 5 companies that control 90 percent of what we read, see and hear. It's not healthy." Turner is also a well-known philanthropist, donating money to support climate change initiatives and advocating against off-shore drilling. He is the chairman of the Turner Foundation, which supports efforts for improving air and water quality, safeguarding environmental health and preserving wildlife.

Rupert Murdoch

FeatureflashPhotoAgency/Shutterstock.com

Australian-born American and media mogul of News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, began with one newspaper and well, the rest is history. He's owned UK tabloids, has a stake in 20th Century Fox studios, Harper Collins and he's expanded into the Asian market. Murdoch decided to enter the cable news market with the Fox News Channel, a 24-hour cable news station, following in Ted Turner's footsteps. He continued to acquire news outlets at a frenzied velocity. He bought the Chicago Sun-Times, the Village Voice, the Wall Street Journal and New York magazine. Across the pond, he purchased the Sunday Times of London. In 2007, he took ownership of the Wall Street Journal. In addition to buying media properties, he donated $1 million to the Republican Governors Association and was criticized as owners of major networks covering elections should not be able to donate money. "I sensed the excitement and the power. Not raw power, but the ability to influence at least the agenda of what was going on," he said.

Hugh Hefner

Tinseltown/Shutterstock.com

The founder of Playboy magazine, Hugh Hefner, introduced the world to Playboy magazine in 1953 and changed the way people viewed sex. Marilyn Monroe, Farrah Fawcett, Madonna, Joan Collins, Lindsay Lohan, Pamela Anderson, Rachel Hunter, Daryl Hannah, Nicole “Coco” Austin, Sherilyn Fenn and Sharon Stone all posed for Playboy. “I’m living a grown-up version of a boy’s dream, turning life into a celebration,” he told Time magazine in 1967. “It’s all over too quickly. Life should be more than a vale of tears.” His sheer marketing brilliance made him an icon that peaked in the 1970s and encouraged people to find sexual freedom. His legacy of dating hundreds of women and even marrying “Playmates” much younger than him was legendary to some and became a source of contention for many. The man clad in silk used his power and money to support causes he cared about. He backed gay rights, promoted abortion and advocated for sexual liberation. He also championed civil rights and supported the LGBTQ community.

Michael Bloomberg

360b/Shutterstock.com

Former Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, is an author and a philanthropist with an approximated worth of $18.1 billion. The Bloomberg brand is worldwide and renowned for having a station, a news service and a magazine. He now has more than 19,000 employees in 200 offices around the world. Bloomberg is considered a social liberal. He supports same-sex marriage and is a supporter of gun control. But he doesn't have a party that he aligns with. He was a Democrat until 2001 but switched to the Republican Party before running for mayor. He then became an independent. As mayor, Bloomberg banned smoking inside all NYC restaurants and bars and used his office to reduce the size of sugary drinks, but this was repudiated by the New York Supreme Court. Outside of politics, Bloomberg is a noted humanitarian and created Bloomberg Philanthropies to preserve the environment, support health policies and perhaps do battle against the National Gun Association (NRA).

Henry Luce

Wikicommons Public Domain

Henry Luce is not a household name, but you have heard of his publications. Luce launched a series of magazines like Time, Life, Fortune and Sports Illustrated for the upscale customer. The magazines were glossy, informative and created a visual impact unprecedented at the time of their release. He started with Time in 1923, Fortune in 1930, followed by Life in 1940 and Sports Illustrated in 1954. "He created the modern news magazine and restyled pictorial reporting, encouraged a crisp and adjective-studded style of writing and initiated the concept of covering business as a continuing magazine story," the New York Times reported. Luce also believed in big business and was a lifelong Republican and used Time as a platform. He wanted to support right-wing anti-communist groups. And did so when China’s Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek was featured on the cover of Time twice.

James Gordon Bennett

Wikicommons Public Domain

James Gordon Bennett was a fierce competitor and created the New York Herald in 1835, the first paper to publish interviews. He helped the industry by landing an exclusive with a sitting president (James Buchanan), who he also endorsed. The Herald was officially independent in its politics but supported politicians, including William Henry Harrison Zachary Taylor, Franklin Pierce and backed the Union in the Civil War. Bennett was passionate about gathering news and was the first to introduce the tools of modern news reporting. He published the first Wall Street financial article, a first in American publishing and was the first to offer vivid accounts of the Great Fire of New York in 1835, which destroyed lower Manhattan. He was a huge influence in the media and used the publication to even sway people to believe Abraham Lincoln was a martyr after his assassination.