Readly says the poll of 2,000 adults identified the headlines which really captured their imagination over the past 12 months – and King Charles taking the throne came top.
While it may seem a distant memory, Boris Johnson departing Number 10 came second, and England making the final of the World Cup came third, despite their defeat.
More than 50 years after they split, the release of the ‘last ever’ song by The Beatles, 'Now and Then', was also a popular read. As was coverage of another pop icon, Sir Elton John - thanks to his final UK performance when he headlined Glastonbury.
Barbie topping the box office, the rise of AI, and the return of reality TV show Big Brother also went down well with those polled by digital magazine and newspaper app, Readly.
Other notable moments making the top 30 included Donald Trump’s mugshot, a pill which halves the risk of breast cancer, and Twitter becoming X.
But the topic of Prince Harry and Meghan is something 48 per cent no longer want to hear or read about. With Love Island, Phillip Schofield, and YouTube personalities also falling into this category, added Readly.
Chris Couchman, head of content at Readly, said: "It seems that year on year, news is becoming even more shocking and there have been so many highs and lows this year. Yet, it’s nice to be able to recap on the year we’ve had – with Nigel Farage going on I’m A Celebrity to a Parkinson’s patient able to walk 6km without problems after a spinal implant. The diversity of the news in 2023, from the unexpected and shocking to the heartwarming, truly reflects the dynamic nature of the world we live in.”
According to Readly, the study also found 66 percent of those polled consider themselves ‘up to date’ with current news and events.
The cost-of-living crisis came out as the biggest talking point of 2023 (52 percent), followed by the Israel-Hamas war (45 percent) and AI (24 percent).
With 74 percent revealing they ‘couldn’t quite believe’ some of the stories reported in the media during the past 12 months.
As such, the deaths of Matthew Perry (29 percent), Paul O’Grady (23 percent), and Sinead O’Connor (18 percent) were the biggest shocks of the year.
However, Readly says 61 percent would much rather read about positive events. And although 61 percent of people think 2023 has been a memorable year, 19 per cent consider other years to be more so, with 2020 deemed more memorable.
News broadcasts on TV were found to be the place 54 percent go to get their news and current events information from. Whilst 44 percent get their news from digital magazines and newspapers, 37 percent tune into the radio and 29 percent simply rely on word of mouth.
The research carried out through OnePoll on behalf of Readly found that sports (32 percent), politics (25 percent) and entertainment (24 percent) were the topics those polled most enjoy reading or hearing about.
And it also emerged 17 percent suspect they’ve read a piece of news this year that was AI generated. With 30 percent expecting AI to dominate the news agenda even more during the next 12 months than it has done in 2023.
Chris Couchman from Readly added: “Looking ahead, we anticipate another year of compelling stories and transformative developments. Here’s to a year that doesn’t pass by too quickly, allowing us all to savour the moments and embrace the exciting possibilities that lie ahead. May 2024 bring us more moments that captivate, challenge, and inspire, ensuring there is always something to look forward to.”
Readly says Brit’s favourite news stories of 2023 were as follows:
- Coronation of King Charles III / Death of the Queen
- Boris Johnson resigns as MP
- Lionesses reach World Cup final
- Donald Trump gets his mug shot taken
- Pill which halves the risk of breast cancer announced
- Phillip Schofield leaves This Morning
- Parkinson’s patient able to walk 6km without problems after spinal implant
- The rise of AI
- The Beatles release their final song, ‘Now and Then’
- Sir Elton John headlines Glastonbury
- Nigel Farage appears on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!
- Holly Willoughby leaves This Morning
- Peter Kay first live tour in more than a decade
- Barbie tops the Box Office
- Prince Harry releases his memoir, Spare
- Twitter becomes X
- Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff MBE appears in public for the first time since his Top Gear crash
- Vinyl outsells CDs for the first time since 1987
- England suffer semifinal heartbreak against South Africa in the Rugby World Cup
- Dan Wootten is suspended from GB News/Laurence Fox is sacked
- Beckham airs on Netflix
- Sir Elton John ends touring career with final concert in Stockholm, Sweden
- Big Brother returns
- Tyson Fury controversially awarded win over Francis Ngannou
- Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story airs on Disney+
- Adele stops Las Vegas show to tell security to leave fan alone
- Married at First Sight airs on Channel 4
- Matt Hancock appears on SAS Who Dares Wins
- Britney Spears releases memoir, The Woman in Me
- Jada Pinkett Smith reveals she and Will Smith separated in 2016
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