Ruptly's 2019 videos that made the headlines

Looking back on the year, Ruptly have tracked the videos that captured international audiences, revealing the variation in news appetites globally. Most of these are political clips but there are a few unmissable and popular animal videos that made the chart-topping list.

Ruptly's top five most stolen footage:

2019 was an interesting year for politics as proven by this list. All though it wasn't all doom and gloom, Russia's Semyon the bear also made the cut.

1. In the UK, Ruptly's world exclusive clip of whistleblower Julian Assange being removed from the Ecuadorian embassy was most stolen worldwide.
2. Whereas in Venezuela, president Nicolas Maduro surviving an assassination attempt also scored high.
3. From Israel, the team's footage of riots breaking out over the police killing of an Ethiopian teen was too good for the world to miss.
4. While Russia's explosions at the Siberian ammunition depot stole the limelight.
5. But Semyon the bear proved popular as he was seen cheering up his friend with a big hug - an exclusive moment caught on Ruptly camera.

Videos that captured the biggest audiences:

This section looks at the stories that received the most eyeballs per clip around the world. Each region has its own rankings, which were calculated based on the number of times the video was deployed by a client.

Worldwide:

1. In the UK, the world exclusive Julian Assange clip topped the charts again.
2. While, France's firefighters taking on the flames consuming the famous Notre Dame cathedral came in second.
3. More footage of the Notre Dame spire collapsing also proved popular worldwide.
4. Whereas from Russia, the dramatic footage of a plane landing while on fire secured plenty of viewer's attention.
5. The wildfires that raged the Amazon rainforests in Brazil also had people watching.

These were the top five most popular Ruptly clips viewed in Asia:

1. France's firefighters battling the flames around the Notre Dame cathedral topped the chart...
2. Followed closely by French president Emmanuel Macron arriving at the Notre Dame as the flames engulfed the cathedral.
3. The footage of the Russian plane landing while on fire came in third.
4. While the Asian population were also interested to see a Chinese dad train a dog to make sure his daughter does her homework.
5. Clips of French locals singing hymns outside the Notre Dame as firefighters continued to battle blaze also made the list.

These were the top Ruptly clips from English-speaking territories:

1. ​Julian Assange being removed from the Ecuadorian embassy led the rankings again.
2. While the world exclusive clip of Russia's Novaya Zemlya town being overrun by polar bears was unusually high amongst English-speaking viewers.
3. They were also interested to see Trump and Kim make history with an impromptu handshake in the Korean Demilitarised Zone.
4. The clip of police detaining seven suspects in relation to the Sri Lankan bombings also piqued interest.
5. While the world exclusive video of US troops and the Syrian Arab Army crossing paths on the road between Manbij and Kobani also made the cut.

These were the main five Ruptly clips popular in Europe:

1. Perhaps no surprise here, but Assange's removal from the Ecuadorian embassy topped the chart...
2. Followed closely by the ongoing Brazilian wildfires in the Amazon rainforests.
3. China's military parade to mark China’s 70th National Day in Beijing also proved popular among European viewers.
4. While extreme Russian pole dancer Voronezh dazzled European audiences with her skills.
5. And a homeless 'Subway Soprano' singer captured online attention with an operatic at a Little Italy celebration in the US.

The videos that topped charts in LATAM and Iberia regions:

1. Brazil's wildfires alight in the Amazon rainforests shocked LATAM and Iberian audiences.
2. While the chilling moment that a fatal pipeline exploded in Mexico also caught their attention.
3. The iconic Notre Dame cathedral being engulfed in Paris, France also attracted their interest.
4. And a Chinese toy designer making a real-life Hornet transformer also proved popular.
5. Russia's stricken polar bear filmed wandering around a Siberian city also made the list.

Ruptly's videos that proved most popular in Middle East and Asia:

1. Middle Eastern and Asian viewers were most captivated by Ruptly's clip of the Syrian Arab Army continuing to cause offense in the Hama countryside.
2. While Russia's S-400 Triumph missile system deployed in Kaliningrad region also caught their attention.
3. The video reports from Syria of 12 injured in a blast in Manbij were also popular.
4. While news of Syria's Arab Army continuing to attack Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib made the list.
5. A clip of US troops on alert after a deadly attack in Manbij also topped the chart.

Ruptly's most capturing video in Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States:

1. Georgian protesters attempting to force entry into parliament in Tbilisi were most viewed by Russian and CIS viewers.
2. French footage of the Notre Dame spire collapsing proved popular amongst Russian and CIS viewers.
3. Dozens injured in Tbilisi, Georgia when protesters demanded resignation of top officials was also of interest.
4. MFA spokesperson Maria Zakharova holding her weekly briefing was captivating for Russian and CIS viewers.
5. While Georgian police being deployed with rubber bullets at Tbilisi protest and injuring dozens caught their attention.

Ruptly’s most viral social media content:

1. The clip of Julian Assange being removed from Ecuadorian embassy acquired 3.6 million views
2. While a cat adopting baby squirrels received a close 3 million.
3. Spainish teenagers donning blackface and handing out gifts to children in parade received a cool 2.2 million views.
4. A video of USA sunbathers helping to save a pod of beached whales got 2 million views .
5. And a French inventor crossed the English Channel on a jet-powered hoverboard caught the attention of 1.7 million viewers.

Matt Tabaccos, chief commercial officer at Ruptly, says: “The breadth and depth of the coverage that Ruptly provides appeals the world over. Our footage has helped news outlets and publishers deliver must-see videos to their audiences, and gather millions of views.

"However, while we are flattered by the fact that our coverage is must-have, the worrying trend of video piracy continues, even among major news outlets. In 2020 we will be enhancing our video tracking technology to help root out piracy where it occurs, allowing us to continue to provide our clients with the top stories as they unfold, whether that be a protest from on the ground, a political summit, the latest viral craze, or anything in between.”