As we reflect on 2023 in Georgia, The Georgia Sun invites you to take a moment to look back at the stories that captivated the hearts and minds of our readers across the Peach State. In a year brimming with news, certain stories resonated more deeply, drawing unparalleled attention and sparking conversations in every corner of Georgia.
These are not just the most compelling narratives of the year; they are the ones that you, our readers, chose to read, share, and discuss the most. From the unexpected to the unforgettable, these stories reflect the interests and concerns of Georgians, nor just those of us in the news business.
Weather Reigns: If you’ve ever wondered why websites like ours devote so much attention to weather and chances of rain or snow — or why your local TV news station covers weather three times in an hour, here’s a secret you probably aren’t going to like. Audiences in Georgia love the weather and have been obsessed with it for nearly 20 years now. Of our top 10 most read stories of 2023, four of them were weather-related.
The most read story of 2023 was actually last week’s chances of snow in North Georgia and another story about the same weather pattern clocked in at number four. Turbulent weather that was expected around Thanksgiving came it at number eight and our number 10 most read story was on an approaching tropical storm.
Head of The Class: A story on the 18 best public elementary schools in Georgia clocked in at number two. Parents across the state are always eager to learn more about the education their children are getting and how that compares to other students and schools.
Scattered, Smothered, and Covered: Our story on 9 things you didn’t know about the Waffle House was the third most-read article this year, proving that no matter how busy our lives get, Georgia residents will always have time for The Waffle House.
Keeping Up With The Joneses: A story about which are in Georgia had the wealthiest middle class came in at number five. One trend we have experienced over the course of the last two years is that Georgia residents seem very concerned about where they “rank” compared to others and who is getting what.
Presidential Polling: Coming in at our number six most read story was an article about Joe Biden’s approval rating in Georgia and how it has changed. This article would have been of interest to both Republicans and Democrats — Democrats being interested in the state remaining a blue state and Republicans who don’t think Biden is doing a good job and would like to see the state turn red again.
Lost And Found: A Parkview student went missing in the parking lot of the school in May and was found in mid-June under precarious circumstances. The article about when she was found was our 7th most read story of the year.
Moving In: Coming in at number nine was a look at who is moving to Georgia and where they are coming from. Georgia residents have no doubt noticed an influx of new residents who aren’t Georgia natives, and appear to be curious about which states people are flocking to Georgia from.
So, there you have it. A look inward at what readers like you have been most interested in this year. Often, people like to shoot the messenger for reporting on or covering certain stories, but as you can see, the topics that most interest readers are often not the most important news.
If you came to this article, or any of the ones listed above from social media, or an app, we encourage you to sign up for our email newsletter below. That way you can read about all the issues we cover this year and not rely on an algorithm to tell you what is and isn’t newsworthy.
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