The Most Engaging Stories of 2015 | Year in [Read] View

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When you work with as much data as we do—and trust me, it’s a lot—it’s humbling to show off the actual journalistic output we support. So, we’ve compiled a list of the 20 stories that held your attention longest in 2015 — for a grand total of 685,231,333 Engaged Minutes (or more than 1,300 years). These were stories that held you breathless. Enraged you. Inspired you. They were long-form reports, rich with narrative, like #1, 7, 11, and 17, which show that readers really do respond to quality (!!). They were live coverages of the attacks in Paris (#3, 4, 6) or the elections in Britain (#5). They were confessional essays and impassioned arguments, investigations and elegies. These are the stories that prove that digital storytelling isn’t just alive, it’s kicking ass.

1. What ISIS Really Wants

The Atlantic | February

2. The Science of Why No One Agrees on the Color of This Dress

Wired | February

In-depth examinations of global newsmakers topped the list in 2015. Undoubtedly, this was the year of long-form narrative.

3. Paris attacks: as they happened

BBC | November

4. Paris attacks: Bataclan and other assaults leave many dead

BBC | November

5. Election Live

BBC | May

6. Paris massacre: At least 128 killed in gunfire and blasts, French officials say

CNN | November

It goes without saying: Breaking news will always grab and hold attention.

7. Inside Amazon: Wrestling Big Ideas in a Bruising Workplace

The New York Times | August

8. Scott Weiland’s Family: ‘Don’t Glorify This Tragedy’

Rolling Stone | December

9. How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco’s Life

The New York Times | February

10. Police: Bryce Williams fatally shoots self after killing journalists on air

CNN | August

11. The Lonely Death of George Bell

The New York Times | October

Honed craft. Timeless themes. Notice that these Times pieces are even more examples of the power of narrative journalism.

12. Spygate to Deflategate: Inside what split the NFL and Patriots apart

ESPN | September

13. At least 14 people killed in shooting in San Bernardino; suspect identified

CNN | December

14. The “Food Babe” Blogger is Full of Shit

Gawker | April

15. I Found An iPhone On the Ground and What I Found In Its Photo Gallery Terrified Me

Thought Catalog | April

16. No. 37: Big Wedding or Small?

The New York Times | January

Sometimes, the most engaging content is the most distracting. Readers will engage deeply with more than just serious news items.

17. Split Image

ESPN | May

18. This is Why NFL Star Greg Hardy Was Arrested for Assaulting His Ex-Girlfriend

Deadspin | November

19. The Coddling of the American Mind

The Atlantic | September

20. The Joke About Mrs. Ben Carson’s Appearance Is No Laughing Matter

The Root | September

Want to see how your stories stack up? Get in touch.


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