Slate Business ICYMI | Encore: Jubilee Is Making Debating Worse
Dec 24, 2025
Aymann Ismail, a Slate staff writer and commentator on media and politics, dives into the controversial YouTube channel Jubilee and its viral Mehdi Hasan video. He discusses how Jubilee's initial mission to foster dialogue has morphed into promoting clickbait and polarizing content. The conversation highlights the detrimental effects of platforming harmful views for engagement and the normalization of extremism in online debates. Aymann shares insights on the production choices that amplify spectacle over substance, ultimately questioning the ethics of internet culture.
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Content Over Connection
- Jubilee packages polarized confrontations as entertainment rather than genuine bridge-building.
- Aymann Ismail argues the format prioritizes clicks over productive discourse and has evolved into content-first programming.
Viewer Reaction Was Visceral
- Candice Lim describes being unable to avoid the Mehdi Hassan Jubilee video and feeling physically affected by it.
- She says the video was the hardest she tried to not watch all year and it felt worse at double speed.
Formats Optimized For Clip Farming
- Jubilee's formats (Middle Ground, Spectrum, Surrounded) are designed to produce viral clips for social distribution.
- Aymann Ismail notes the company optimizes production to farm many shareable moments from each shoot.