Soon after he was made managing editor of the
Herald in 1866 at the age of twenty-five, Bennett told his staff, "I want you fellows to remember that I am the only one to be pleased. If I want the
Herald to be turned upside down, it must be turned upside down."
Despite Bennett's eccentricities, he assumed full responsibility for the New York Herald and dedicated himself to making it the best newspaper in the world. He is credited with bringing to the newspaper business much of the type of coverage that is popular today, and, between his pranks and scandals, binges and cruises, he somehow managed to supervise every detail of publication, including content. Rather than depending on surveys and polls, Bennett operated on the assumption that he could create the public's desire for information himself, and then satisfy it in full measure. One such incident, which exemplifies both his lavish spending sprees and his dominance over the paper's content, involved the use of the Atlantic cable in 1866. Although the Herald and the Tribune endeavored to be the first with a message under the sea, Bennett is usually afforded historical accreditation for the feat.
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