THE POWER AND DECLINE OF WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST Colleague David Pietrusza. Media magnate William Randolph Hearst, who controlled a vast empire of newspapers and radio stations, shifted from a Roosevelt supporter in 1932 to a fierce critic by 1936. Hearst

THE POWER AND DECLINE OF WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST Colleague David Pietrusza. Media magnate William Randolph Hearst, who controlled a vast empire of newspapers and radio stations, shifted from a Rooseveltsupporter in 1932 to a fierce critic by 1936. Hearst's reputation suffered after a controversial meeting with Adolf Hitler, which he attempted to downplay, but which accelerated his decline in popularity. Roosevelt, concerned about "crackpot ideas" and opposition from the wealthy, attempted to neutralize Hearst through intermediaries. However, the President's "soak the rich" tax policies deeply angered Hearst, leading the publisher to order his income reduced to avoid taxes and solidifying his break with FDR. NUMBER 5