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Celebrity Memorials
The most engaging story of the year is Fox News’ reporting on the mysterious circumstances surrounding the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. Audiences spent more than 44 million minutes engaging with reporting on and tributes to the pair. Readers also gravitated toward obituaries and retrospectives for other notable entertainers like Diane Keaton, Robert Redford, and Anne Burrell.
Catastrophe
On top of deadly climate events like the Palisades fire in Los Angeles and severe flooding in Texas Hill Country, multiple aviation disasters gripped audiences in 2025. These articles mix on-the-ground disaster coverage with tributes to the victims and their loved ones.
Peaking at number 8 on our list with CNN’s “A ‘bright star’ helicopter pilot, a daughter of immigrants and figure skating champions are among DC air collision victims,” these stories generated more than 50 million minutes of engaged time.
Political Power & Digital Misfire
Though not the record-breaking election year of 2024, politics still dominated audience attention as political stories on our list amassed more than 182 million minutes of engaged time. Coverage ranged from major legislative battles to behind-the-scenes glimpses of influential power players, peaking with our second most engaging story of the year, The Atlantic’s report that “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans.”
Crime, Violence & Public Safety
With two stories in the top 10 — ABC News’ “Officials release video, plead for public's help in tracking down person of interest in Charlie Kirk shooting” and CNN’s “What we know about Charlie Kirk shooting suspect Tyler Robinson” — coverage of the Charlie Kirk shooting was one of the most engaging stories of the year as readers sought clarity on the suspect, the sequence of events, and the motive. Other top stories covered political violence, school shootings, and an act of terrorism on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
Health, Science & the Body
This year’s stories about health, science, and the human body ranged from mysterious illnesses to groundbreaking research, major public-health decisions, and deeply personal narratives about medication, mental health, and caregiving.
Peaking at number 7 on the list with The New York Times’ “It’s Just a Virus, the E.R. Told Him. Days Later, He Was Dead.,” these stories generated more than 45 million minutes of engaged time.
