The Richest Billionaire Owners Of News

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In one of the most powerful books of the century, Noam Chomsky outlined how the New York Times and Newsweek have been serving as a propaganda machine for the United States, generating content, and, by proxy, support for imperialism, colonialism, and a variety of other international politics set forth to benefit the US government. But it's no longer just the New York Times that is serving as an agent of propaganda. Now, individual billionaires have been able to purchase the press and provide disguised support for their business endeavors and decisions. These figures have ranged from owner of Amazon Jeff Bezos to Presidential Candidate Michael Bloomberg. With net worths that surpass most US state budgets, these all-powerful media moguls have created their own cultures that have allowed them to make their own rules, serve as their own fact-checkers, and manipulate the psyche of their consumers.

While these titans of industry have been able to navigate across culture unchecked, they have also left a paper trail behind, showcasing their involvement. They serve as the owners of some of the most powerful media outlets in the country and have a direct hand in dispersing the news among the public. These are who Tom Wolfe would call "The Masters of the Universe" and through their astonishing wealth, they have been able to sway culture in their favor while serving as the richest media moguls in America.

Jeff Bezos, The Washington Post: $209.2 Billion

Jeff Bezos reclaimed his title as the richest man in the world in 2021 and since that moment, he has been out of this world. He recent went into space aboard his own Blue Origin rocket and officially stepped down as CEO of Amazon. In addition to owning Whole Foods, Zappos, Audible, Alexa, Twitch, and IMDb under the Amazon umbrella, Bezos is also the owner of multiple media outlets including The Washington Post and Business Insider. Bezos has also slowly been gaining stake in social media as well, Bezos Expeditions is a large shareholder of Twitter.

Bezos purchased The Washington Post in August of 2013 for a reporter $250 million. The paper has had a powerful journalistic reputation. It is credited with breaking the Watergate scandal that collapsed Richard Nixon's presidency and has won a cumulative total of 69 Pulitzer Prizes. First founded in 1877, the institution is also credited with having printed the Pentagon Papers in 1971 which spurred opposition to the Vietnam War.

Warren Buffet, Dailies: $101.1 Billion

Warren Buffet was the owner of several daily news publications under the Media General label. Buffet has had a turbulent experience with media outlets. Buffett reportedly worked delivering newspapers during his teenage years prior to owning them. He then announced in 2009 that he would be stepping away from the newspaper industry altogether and sold off a variety of his original assets. But then, in 2012, he changed his mind and purchased Media General's dailys and weeklys for $142 million with a $400 million term loan. In January of 2020, he reverted back to his 2009 philosophy and sold 30 daily newspapers as part of his BH Media unit for a reported $140 million in cash.

Carlos Slim Helu, The New York Times: $70.6 Billion

In 2008, Slim purchased a 6.4% stake in the New York Times, a small sliver that cost him $127 million. He went into deeper the company in 2009 when he purchased a section of its parent company for $250 million. In 2017, he sold off half of his shares, which earned him a profit of $240 million, nearly doubling his original investment.

At his original time of purchase, Slim was known as the second richest man in the world. He rose to prominence as a stock trader in Mexico prior to founding Inmobiliaria Carso. He then gained further international attention in the 1990s when he went on to purchase Telmex and the Mexican arm of Sears Roebuck. He started investing heavily into US companies in 2003 by purchasing large stakes in brands like Barnes & Noble, OfficeMax, Office Depot, Circuit City, and Borders.

Michael Bloomberg, Bloomberg Media Group: $59 Billion

Michael Bloomberg made headlines in 2020 when he decided to announce a run for President. The announcement was also supported by a hefty investment of social media adds that cost him over $20 million. He spent an additional $11 million on a Super Bowl ad alone.

Unlike other powerful people on this list, Bloomberg has not tried to hide his involvement with the press. He named his media outlet after himself and continued to use the site to help promote his presidential run.

Sheldon Adelson, The Las Vegas Review Journal: $29.8 Billion

Best known as the founder, chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of the Las Vegas Sands, Adelson was also known for being one of the wealthiest media moguls during his lifetime. He passed away in Malibu, California in January of 2021 at age 87. In addition to owning the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Adelson was also the owner of the daily newspaper Israel Hayom and the weekly newspaper Makor Rishon. He gained further recognition in 2016 as being Donald Trump's largest known campaign donor with a contribution of $75 million.

Rupert Murdoch, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal: $22 Billion

Rupert Murdoch is the one true media mogul on this list. While the other billionaires have dabbled within the industry, Murdoch has made a name and a fortune for himself by dedicating his life to publishing. He is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publications, productions, and broadcasting networks around the world. This includes The Sun and The Times in the UK, The Daily Telegraph in Australia, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post in the US, and the Fox News conglomerate.

Donald Newhouse, Advance Publications: $16.3 Billion

In addition to over two dozen newspapers including The Star-Ledger, The Plain Dealer, and The Oregonian, Newhouse is also the owner of several magazine publications. This includes Conde Nast which publishes Vogue, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker.

Mort Zuckerman, New York Daily News: $2.8 Billion

After establishing himself as one of the largest real estate investors through his co-founding of Boston Properties, Zuckerman delved into the media industry. He is the owner of the US News & World Report where he also serves hands-on as Editor in Chief. He has also previously served as the owner of The Atlantic, The New York Daily News, and Fast Company.

John Henry, The Boston Globe: $2.8 Billion

Henry is one of the more sports-centric members of the list. While he owns the Boston Globe, a move that cost him $70 million, he is better known as being the owner of the Boston Red Socks. He is also the principal owner of the Liverpool Football Club and Roush Fenway Racing.

Sources:

Forbes, CelebrityNetWorth, Yahoo!, Insider, LoveMoney, WallStreetJournal, LATimes, Ballotpedia, NPR, CNN, MarketWatch, WashingtonPost, Heavy, CBS, VOANews, NYTimes