Chicago Herald-Examiner

Chicago Herald-Examiner. The *Chicago Herald-Examiner* was a major Daily newspaper in Chicago, published from 1918 until its closure in 1939. It was created through the merger of two existing Hearst-owned papers and became known for its aggressive, sensational style of yellow journalism. The paper played a significant role in the city's competitive media market during the interwar years before ultimately folding amid economic pressures.

History

The newspaper's lineage began with the 1901 founding of the *Chicago American* by William Randolph Hearst, which later absorbed the *Chicago Examiner*. In 1918, Hearst merged the *Examiner* with the recently acquired *Chicago Record-Herald* to form the *Chicago Herald-Examiner*. This consolidation was part of a broader strategy by Hearst Communications to dominate Midwestern newspaper publishing and compete directly with rivals like the *Chicago Tribune* and the *Chicago Daily News*. The paper operated from the landmark Hearst Tower on the city's Near North Side, a building that symbolized Hearst's powerful presence in Chicago.

Notable people

The *Herald-Examiner* employed a roster of prominent journalists and cartoonists. Among its most famous contributors was the legendary columnist and humorist Ring Lardner, whose sports and satirical writing gained a national following. Noted editor Arthur Brisbane also exerted considerable influence on the paper's direction. The staff included celebrated photographer Tony Spina and Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Carey Orr, whose work often targeted political figures like Mayor William Hale Thompson. Other significant figures associated with the paper included reporter Ben Hecht and managing editor Walter Howey, who was later fictionalized in the classic play *The Front Page*.

Editorial stance and influence

The paper's editorial stance was firmly aligned with the populist and often nationalistic politics of William Randolph Hearst. It frequently engaged in muckraking campaigns and sensationalism, focusing on crime stories, political scandals, and human-interest features to boost circulation. The *Herald-Examiner* was a staunch supporter of Franklin D. Roosevelt during the 1932 presidential election but later turned against the New Deal policies of his administration. Its coverage significantly influenced public opinion in Chicago on issues ranging from Prohibition to local corruption, and it maintained a fierce rivalry with the conservative *Chicago Tribune* under Robert R. McCormick.

Mergers and acquisitions

The formation of the *Herald-Examiner* itself was the result of a major merger. In 1918, Hearst combined his *Chicago Examiner* with the *Chicago Record-Herald*, which he had purchased from Herman Henry Kohlsaat. This acquisition ended the publication of the *Record-Herald*, a paper with roots dating back to the *Chicago Morning News* founded by Victor Fremont Lawson. Further consolidation occurred in 1929 when Hearst folded the evening edition of the *Chicago American* into the *Herald-Examiner*'s operations, streamlining his Chicago holdings. These moves were characteristic of the ongoing consolidation within the American newspaper industry during the early 20th century.

Final years and closure

By the late 1930s, the *Chicago Herald-Examiner* faced insurmountable challenges. The economic hardships of the Great Depression severely depressed advertising revenue and newspaper circulation, while competition from radio and other newspapers intensified. A crippling delivery strike in 1938 further damaged its financial viability. In 1939, Hearst Communications made the decision to cease publication, merging the *Herald-Examiner*'s assets and remaining subscriber list with the *Chicago Daily Times*, which was owned by the Field family. This merger created the *Chicago Sun*, later the *Chicago Sun-Times*, effectively ending the Hearst newspaper era in Chicago after nearly four decades.