William Randolph Hearst

On 4th March 1887, William Randolph Hearst came into the offices of his father's ailing San Francisco Examiner and announced to the staff that he intended to "startle; amaze and stupefy the world". He then proceeded to do just that. Over the next half century his newspapers were in every sense amazing. They made and destroyed reputations, often with impressive disregard for the truth. They exposed corruption, while at the same time buying politicians. They created stars; they even declared a war. Within a few years of becoming proprietor, Hearst turned his papers into vehicles through which he could successfully run for Congress and even put himself forward for the presidency of the United States. Though he never actually occupied the White House nor achieved the mass popularity which he craved, he came within an ace of the 1904 Democratic presidential nomination, buying and cajoling his way to 263 votes before losing to the colourless but safe Judge Parker. Hearst's papers remained successful. They usually gained in circulation and some of them even made money - though the Examiner lost a fortune (his father's) while he was editing it. But as long as the money lasted, the money did not matter. And the circulation was important only for the power, however specious, which he felt it represented. The glamour of newspaper ownership never left him, but the futility of the power ultimately corroded his personality. Shy, desperately unsure of himself in public, he finally died in an agony of loneliness. Just as newspaper owners must never underestimate the nature of their power, so newspaper readers should never underestimate the lure of its glamour. Ninety years after Hears! look over the Examiner, I was sitting in the Daily Express building waiting for the new proprietor, Victor Matthews, to arrive to complete his purchase and tell his expectant executives what was going to happen to them. He was a veteran of many industrial take-overs. But on this occasion he was clearly delighted to be welcomed by a group of reporters and a television crew. They delayed his arrival while they interviewed him on his views on politics and his ambitions as a proprietor, and even requested him to drive round the block to arrive again for better television effect. Mr. Matthews was a building contractor by trade and had been offered few chances to give his views on the world before. Attempting to adopt what he felt was the argot of such occasions, he murmured something about "believing in Britain and helping make her great again". The phrase seemed to go down well. He used it many times that day and afterwards. Overnight the glamour of newspapers had magically transformed him into a public figure. Within weeks Matthews was letting it be known that he would appreciate an invitation to meet the prune minister at Downing Street. The flattery of newspaper proprietors has long been a favourite sport of premiers and an invitation duly came. The incident was merely a modem pastiche of an aura which has motivated proprietors throughout newspaper history. It has often been remarked that men acquire newspapers for many reasons, but rarely for the business of running them and making themselves rich. From the earliest times, the access papers have afforded to public life has been a major factor. That access has, on a few occasions, been converted into real political power. But for the most part it has been an illusion. Ownership has been a ticket to the front stalls of public affairs, but not to the stage itself. Owners who have disobeyed this rule have had to retreat to their seats, bruised and disillusioned. from "Newspapers; the power and the money" by Simon Jankins

Vocabulary.

ailing - здесь: приходящий в упадок

announce - заявить

staff - сотрудники, штат

intend - намереваться

startle - поразить

amaze - изумить

stupefy - ошеломить

proceed - продолжить, приняться за

destroy - разрушить

disregard - пренебрежение, игнорирование

expose - подвергаться

declare - заявить

proprietor - владелец, собственник

turn into - превратиться в

achieve - достигать, добиваться

carve - страстно желать, жаждать

within an ace of - на волосок от

cajole - умаслить, склонить к

votes - голоса (на выборах)

remain - оставаться

gain - здесь: улучшаться, возрастать

circulation - тираж(и)

fortune - состояние, богатство

edit - издавать

matter - здесь: значить

specious - здесь: обманчивый, показной

glamour - обаяние, чары

ownership - владение

futility - тщетность

ultimately - в конечном итоге

corrode - разъедать

desperately - отчаянно

loneliness - одиночество

underestimate - недооценивать

lure - соблазн

took over - здесь: смена владельцев

purchase - покупка, приобретение

delighted - довольный

crew - команда

delay - откладывать, задерживать

request - обращаться с просьбой

contractor - подрядчик

adopt - принимать, усваивать

argot - жаргон, арго

occasion - случай

murmur - (про)бормотать

go* well - здесь: быть принятым, одобренным

overnight - за одну ночь

transform into - превратить(ся) в

appreciate - ценить, благодарить

flattery - лесть

duly - совевременно, вовремя

merely - просто

acquire - проиобетать

afford - позволять (в фин. отношении)

access - доступ

convert into - превращать(ся) в

stalls - ряды партера

affairs - дела

disobey - не подчиняться

retreat - уступать, удаляться

bruised - в синяках

Word Study.

Ex. 1. Match the phrases with their Russian equivalents:

1.to lose a fortune a/ заинтересовать владельцев

2. to announce the staff b/ подвергаться коррупции

3. to purchase a newspaper c/ издавать газету4. to destroy reputations d/ отложить чей-то приезд
5. to make oneself rich e/ ценить приглашения
6. to expose corruption f/ приобрести газету
7. to motivate proprietors g/ прийти своевременно
8. to come duly h/ потерять состояние
9. to create stars i/ пренебрегать правдой
10. to appreciate invitations j/ объявить сотрудникам
11. to declare a war k/ не подчиняться правилам
12. to drive round the block l/ разрушать репутации
13. to underestimate the power m/ повысить тиражи
14. to crave popularity n/ объявить войну
15. to delay one's arrival o/ недооценивать власть
16. to gain in circulation p/ объехать вокруг квартала
17. to disregard the truth q/ стремиться к известности
18. to edit a newspaper r/ обогатиться, разбогатеть
19. to disobey the rules s/ создавать звезд

Ex. 2. Match the phrases with their Russian equivalents:
1. futility of power a/ по этому случаю
2. public figure b/ владение газетой
3. in every sense c/ отчаянно неуверенный (в)
4. stage itself d/ в тот день и впоследствии
5. overnight e/ доступ к власти
6. front stalls f/ на волосок от
7. lure of glamour g/ общественный деятель
8. desperately unsure (of) h/ во всех отношениях
9. for many reasons i/ сама сцена
10. that day and afterwards j/ по многим причинам
11. on this occasion k/ за одну ночь
12. within an ace of l/ соблазн очарования
13. access to power m/ передние ряды партера
14. nespaper ownership n/ тщетность власти

Ex. 3. Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Херст заявил персоналу, что намеревается "ошеломить и поразить мир".
2. И он приступил к этому.
3. В течение последуюих 50 лет его газеты были восхитительны во всех отношениях.
4. Они создавали и разрушали репутации, зачастую пренебрегая правдой.
5. Они подвергались коррупции, в то же время подкупая политиков.
6. Они создавали звезд, они даже объявили войну.
7. Херст добился успеха и в 1904 г. был на волосок от номинации на пост президента от партии демократов.
8. Росли тиражи газет Херста, некоторые из них приносили доходы (make money), хотя "Examiner" потеряла целое состояние, когда он был ее редактором.
9. Но пока были (lasted) деньги, деньги означали не все.
10. И тиражи были значимы только для власти.
11. Тщетность (futility) власти в конечном итоге разъела его личность.
12. Будучи отчаянно неуверенным в себе на публике, в конечном итоге он умер в одиночестве.
13. Невозможно недооценивать соблазн и магию власти.
14. Через 90 лет владельцем газеты "Examiner" стал г-н Мэтью, бывший строительный подрядчик.
15. За одну ночь волшебство газет превратило его в общественного деятеля.
16. Замечено, что люди приобретают газеты по многим причинам - и не только с целью обогатиться.
17. Обладание (владение) газетой прямой доступ к политической власти.
18. Но для большинства людей это - иллюзия.
19. Владельцы обладают билетом на передние ряды партера, но не саму сцену.
20. Те, кто не подчиняются общепринятым (common) правилам, должны отойти и уступить свое место - в синяках и утратив иллюзии.

Comprehension Check.
Answer the following questions:
1. When did W.R..Hearst come to his father's offices?
2. Was "San Francisco Examiner" flourishing (процветающей) that time?
3. What was Hearst's intention?
4. Did he succeed in it?
5. What was his position on political scene?
6. Did money mean much for him?
7. Was he happy in his private life?
8. Who became the owner of the "Examiner" 90 years later?
9. Was he as ambitious as Hearst?
10. What had he done before that?
11. What happened to him overnight?
12. What are the reasons of purchasing newspapers?

Topics to Discuss.
1. William Randolf Hearst.
2. Victor Matthew.
3. Reasons of purchasing newspapers.
4. Rules to be obeyed by newspaper proprietors.