Mark Cuban speaks onstage during the 2025 SXSW Conference and Festival at Hilton Austin on March 10, 2025 in Austin, Texas.

Richest billionaires in media and entertainment

Written by:
September 25, 2025
Julia Beverly/WireImage // Getty Images

Richest billionaires in media and entertainment

The first billionaire is generally considered to be John D. Rockefeller in 1916, though some argue it was Henry Ford in 1925.

Fast-forward some 100 years to 2021: As the COVID-19 pandemic continued to rage, a record-breaking 660 people became billionaires globally, growing the previous year's number by 30%.

While the United States has the most billionaires of any country, Americans are somewhat split on their feelings about the billionaire class. According to data from the Pew Research Center, the nation became somewhat more critical of billionaires between 2020 and 2021.

Although support for individual billionaires like Bill Gates is relatively strong, many Americans view the ultrarich—as a group rather than as individuals—negatively. Meanwhile, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is projected to become the world's first trillionaire by 2026.

Media and entertainment billionaires have thrived by capturing audiences' attention. Their empires span television, film, music, and digital platforms—industries that shape culture while driving massive profits.

Stacker compiled the richest billionaires in media and entertainment using data from Forbes. Data is as of September 23, 2025.

#20. Amos Hostetter Jr
- Net worth: $3.9 billion
- Source: Cable television
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#19. Eduardo Vivas
- Net worth: $5.0 billion
- Source: marketing software, mobile games
- Lives in: Palo Alto, California

#18. Tim Sweeney
- Net worth: $5.1 billion
- Source: Video games
- Lives in: Cary, North Carolina

#17. Barry Diller
- Net worth: $5.1 billion
- Source: Online media
- Lives in: New York, New York

#16. Isaac Perlmutter
- Net worth: $5.2 billion
- Source: Marvel comics
- Lives in: Palm Beach, Florida

#15. George Lucas
- Net worth: $5.3 billion
- Source: Star Wars
- Lives in: San Anselmo, California

#14. Thomas Tull
- Net worth: $5.3 billion
- Source: Movies, investments
- Lives in: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

#13. Martha Ingram & family
- Net worth: $5.9 billion
- Source: Book distribution, transportation
- Lives in: Nashville, Tennessee

#12. Mark Cuban
- Net worth: $6.0 billion
- Source: Online media, Dallas Mavericks
- Lives in: Dallas, Texas

#11. Katharine Rayner
- Net worth: $6.6 billion
- Source: Media, automotive
- Lives in: East Hampton, New York

#10. Margaretta Taylor
- Net worth: $6.6 billion
- Source: Media, automotive
- Lives in: Southampton, New York

#9. James Chambers
- Net worth: $6.6 billion
- Source: Media, automotive
- Lives in: Palisades, New York

#8. Steven Spielberg
- Net worth: $7.1 billion
- Source: Movies
- Lives in: Pacific Palisades, California

#7. David Geffen
- Net worth: $9.1 billion
- Source: Movies, record labels
- Lives in: Beverly Hills, California

#6. Jim Kennedy
- Net worth: $9.9 billion
- Source: Media, automotive
- Lives in: Atlanta, Georgia

#5. Charles Ergen
- Net worth: $10.0 billion
- Source: Satellite TV
- Lives in: Denver, Colorado

#4. Gabe Newell
- Net worth: $11.0 billion
- Source: Video games
- Lives in: Seattle, Washington

#3. John Malone
- Net worth: $11.2 billion
- Source: Cable television
- Lives in: Elizabeth, Colorado

#2. Donald Newhouse
- Net worth: $16.7 billion
- Source: Media
- Lives in: New York, New York

#1. Rupert Murdoch & family
- Net worth: $23.9 billion
- Source: Newspapers, TV network
- Lives in: New York, New York

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