Throughline – "The Original Clickbait King" (April 16, 2026)
Episode Overview
In this episode, hosts Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei travel back to the turn of the 20th century to explore the story of William Randolph Hearst, the flamboyant and controversial newspaper tycoon whose aggressive, sensationalist approach to journalism transformed the industry and left a legacy that echoes in the age of clickbait. Through the lens of the dramatic 1897 jailbreak of Evangelina Cisneros from a Cuban prison – orchestrated by Hearst’s reporters – the episode examines how “journalism of action” blurred the lines between reporting and activism, helping invent both modern news media and its ethical dilemmas. The Throughline team unpacks how Hearst’s innovations shaped the news, why his approach sparked fear and admiration, and what his story reveals about today’s fractured media landscape.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Evangelina Cisneros’ Imprisonment and Rescue
[00:17 - 03:41]
- Evangelina Cisneros, a teenage Cuban revolutionary, was held in a miserable Havana prison under dire conditions for over a year after being accused of treason against Spanish colonial rule.
- William Randolph Hearst, owner of the New York Journal, learns of her plight and assigns reporter Carl Decker to orchestrate a daring prison break.
- The rescue is not only a headline-grabbing event but also a “made-for-media melodrama” that highlights the era’s willingness to blend reporting, advocacy, and activism.
Notable Quote:
"I had many fantastic dreams in my prison, but I never dreamed of liberty coming to me from an American newspaper more than 1,000 miles away in New York City."
— Evangelina Cisneros (02:43)
2. Hearst and the Rise of “Journalism that Acts”
[03:41 - 07:49, 07:54 - 16:13]
- Hearst’s journalism was revolutionary: he believed papers should “be the journalism that acts” and make tangible change, not just passively report.
- Early in his career, Hearst uses his San Francisco Examiner reporters to rescue shipwreck victims, painting journalists as the heroes and promoting action-driven reporting.
- To distinguish his papers from rivals, Hearst emphasizes narrative flair, eye-catching illustrations, and sensational stories—pioneering techniques that would become the foundation of “yellow journalism”.
Notable Quotes:
"Who’s the hero? The journalists are the heroes. The examiner has come to the rescue."
— Karen Rogenkamp, journalism historian (09:57)
“If stories on the front page of his paper didn’t elicit a gee whiz, well, they’d failed. On the second page, readers should say ‘holy Moses.’ And on the third, a ‘God Almighty.’”
— Rund Abdelfatah paraphrasing Hearst (13:59)
3. The Birth and Critique of Yellow Journalism
[16:13 - 21:32]
- Hearst’s innovations morph into yellow journalism: a blend of fact and fiction, marked by dramatic headlines, serialized stories, and willingness to shape—not just report—events.
- The term “yellow journalism” was coined by rival Irvin Wardman, inspired by Hearst’s comic “The Yellow Kid.”
- Hearst’s paper’s tactics provoke both widespread fascination and fierce backlash, with some competitors calling Hearst’s acts “reckless” and damaging.
Notable Quote:
“Yellow journalism is like new journalism, but with a massive dose of steroids. It takes that line between fact and fiction and blurs it even further.”
— Karen Rogenkamp (16:13)
4. Jailbreak Journalism in Cuba
[21:32 - 34:43]
- The Cuban War of Independence offers fertile ground for Hearst’s heroic narratives, casting the US and Cisneros as the virtuous parties and Spain as villain.
- Hearst’s campaign to free Cisneros begins with public appeals—to the Queen of Spain, the Pope, and American women—but when these fail, he sends Decker to engineer her escape.
- The jailbreak itself is recounted in dramatic, even romantic, terms—casting the Journal as a “knight in shining armor.”
Timestamps – Key Moments:
- [25:49] Hearst frames the Cuban crisis as a morality play; Cisneros becomes central to this.
- [30:41] Carl Decker’s true assignment: break Cisneros from jail.
- [31:45] “Click. It broke.” The moment the cell’s bars are snapped.
5. Aftermath: Public Outcry and Ethical Debate
[34:43 - 41:47]
- Upon arrival in NYC, Cisneros is feted as a heroine; Hearst’s Journal hosts a massive parade and rallies.
- Other newspapers split—some hail the rescue as a coup, others condemn it as “jailbreaking journalism” that jeopardized diplomacy and violated ethics.
- The backlash prompts new standards for reporting and the rise of journalism schools focused on objectivity and restraint. Hearst’s brash methods help inspire the creation of the New York Times’ now-famous guiding slogan: “All the news that’s fit to print.”
Notable Quotes:
“She just becomes this important figure in selling not only the idea of Cuban independence, but in selling the newspaper as well and selling the story of this journalism that acts.”
— Karen Rogenkamp (36:42)
“The Chicago Times Herald terms the feat 'jailbreaking journalism.' Think of the brainless folly of the act. It might upset all negotiations and make the efforts of the president to win independence for Cuba by peaceful means absolutely useless.”
— Historical Narrator/Reporter, quoting contemporary criticism (38:00)
6. Legacy and Modern Echoes
[41:47 - End]
- Adolph Ochs’ New York Times sets itself up as the sober, objective alternative, and over time, its standards shape American “serious” journalism—yet the cycle of drama and advocacy vs. objectivity continues.
- The rise of the internet and digital news challenges the old model; the Times’ adaptation (bundling news with games, recipes, etc.) is both business and distraction.
- Media trust is now at record lows, with skepticism fueled by partisanship and sensational reporting. The episode draws explicit parallels between the “yellow journalism” era and today's fractured media landscape and click-driven news.
- Professor Rogenkamp warns of the dangerous appetite for ever-more sensational content and the breakdown of a shared factual reality.
Notable Quotes:
“I worry that the American public no longer cares as much if something is made up or if there’s a level of fabrication or stretching of the facts, provided the narrative fits their social and political biases… We no longer seem to have a shared reality in some way across the nation.”
— Karen Rogenkamp (46:12)
“The news is constructed in the same way that history is constructed… But if there is no set of fact from which to work, then where are we?”
— Karen Rogenkamp (47:22)
Memorable Quotes Recap (with Timestamps)
- Evangelina Cisneros: “I had many fantastic dreams in my prison, but I never dreamed of liberty coming to me from an American newspaper...” (02:43)
- Karen Rogenkamp: “His motto: We will be the journalism that acts.” (03:37)
- Karen Rogenkamp: “Who’s the hero? The journalists are the heroes.” (09:57)
- Rund Abdelfatah paraphrasing Hearst: “‘If stories on the front page of his paper didn’t elicit a gee whiz… they’d failed.” (13:59)
- Karen Rogenkamp: “Yellow journalism is like new journalism, but with a massive dose of steroids.” (16:13)
- Historical Narrator/Reporter: “Think of the brainless folly of the act…it might upset all negotiations and make the efforts of the president…absolutely useless.” (38:00)
- Karen Rogenkamp: “…We no longer seem to have a shared reality in some way across the nation.” (46:12)
Thematic Timestamps
- 00:17 – Evangelina Cisneros’ imprisonment in Cuba
- 02:43 – The American newspaper’s unexpected role in her liberation
- 07:54 – Hearst’s early exploits in San Francisco
- 13:59 – Hearst’s dramatic front page style (“gee whiz,” “holy Moses”)
- 16:13 – The emergence and ethics of yellow journalism
- 25:49 – Framing Cuba as a damsel-in-distress narrative
- 30:41 – The plan and execution of the Cisneros jailbreak
- 36:42 – Cisneros as both a symbol and a media star
- 38:00 – Journalistic controversy and “jailbreaking journalism”
- 41:47 – The shift towards journalistic objectivity and the legacy of Hearst
- 46:12 – The ongoing crisis of trust and truth in news
Conclusion
“The Original Clickbait King” uses the gripping real-life escape of Evangelina Cisneros to illuminate how William Randolph Hearst’s sensational, participatory approach created a new era of journalism—and controversy. Through expert voices, historical context, and present-day resonance, the episode interrogates how Hearst’s “journalism that acts” both empowered the press and undermined its credibility, how his appetite for spectacle has shaped our modern craving for dramatic headlines and viral stories, and how the enduring tension between advocacy and objectivity remains at the heart of our media dilemmas today.
Listeners are left to ponder: What is the role of journalists—in Hearst’s time and ours—and has the quest for attention always come at the cost of the truth?
