How well have you been paying attention in 2023? Take this topical quiz to test your knowledge of some of the top stories of the year – from the Rugby World Cup, to the Barbie movie, and more. It’s been another eventful year in the world of news – with heartwarming tales, shocking scandals, and milestone moments aplenty.
But can you remember what date the King’s Coronation took place? What chocolate bar Cadbury discontinued? Or what Ken’s famous line was in the Barbie movie?
The quiz was developed by digital magazine and newspaper app, Readly, which also polled 2,000 adults to discover their favourite stories of the year – with King Charles’ coronation coming top.
Boris Johnson departing Number 10 came second – and, despite losing, England’s Lionesses making the final of the World Cup was also a highlight.
Meanwhile, more than 50 years after they split, the release of the “last ever” song by The Beatles, “Now and Then”, was popular this year.
And so 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 the 2,000 adults polled.
Other notable moments making the top 30 list 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 percent no longer want to hear about – with Love Island, Phillip Schofield, and YouTube personalities also falling into this category, for many of those polled.
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 – from 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.”
The study also found 66 percent of all those polled consider themselves “up to date” with current news and events.
And the cost-of-living crisis came out as the biggest talking point of 2023, for 52 percent – followed by the Israel-Hamas war (45 percent), and AI (24 percent).
Meanwhile, 74 percent claimed they “couldn’t quite believe” some of the stories reported in the media during the past 12 months.
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 – with 61 percent saying they would much rather read about positive events.
And although 61 percent of people think 2023 has been a memorable year, 19 percent consider other years to be more so – with 2020 coming out on top.
The main place people turn to in order to get their news and current events information emerged as news broadcasts on TV, for 54 percent.
This was followed by digital magazines and newspapers (44 percent), while 37 percent tune into the radio, and 29 percent simply rely on word-of-mouth.
The research, carried out through OnePoll, also found that sports (32 percent), politics (25 percent), and entertainment (24 percent) were the topics those polled most enjoy reading or hearing about.
And 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, a magazine app with more than 7,600 titles, 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.”
