Tsunami And Bushfires Most Closely Followed Stories Of 2009
The Samoan tsunami was the most closely followed news story in 2009 followed by the bushfires that devastated Victoria
in February.
These findings are from UMR Research’s fortnightly, telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of 750 New
Zealanders .
The tsunami was followed closely by 81% of New Zealanders and the bushfire by 79% making them both among the ten most
closely followed stories since these records began in 2003. The only stories to have been more closely followed were the
flooding in the central North Island in February 2004 (85%), the London bombings of July 2005 (84%), the 2004 Boxing Day
tsunami in South East Asia (82%) and the search for Featherston girl Coral Burrows in September 2003 (82%).
It was the search for another girl, Aisling Symes, that captured public interest to become the third most closely
followed story this year (75%) followed by the swine flu outbreak in April (69%) and the Napier siege in May (67%).
Although political stories don’t normally feature in the top ten, three did this year with the anti-smacking law
referendum at 6th (66%), the inauguration of Barak Obama 7th equal (61%) with the David Bain retrial and the ACC budget
blow-out and proposed changes at 9th equal (60%) with the international economic problems.
One story that didn’t make the top ten, but grabbed attention was the All Whites fairy tale run to the World Cup. Just
18% followed the team’s nil-all draw away to Bahrain, but 50% followed the dramatic 1-0 win in Wellington.
ENDS