Swedish Murder Case In Phuket Sends Reader Interest Off The Charts

[webfact]

Swedish murder case in Phuket sends reader interest off the charts

Yesterday's steep rise in traffic on the Phuket Gazette website was fueled

by a brutal murder within a kilometer of the newspaper's office.

Source: Google Analytics

PHUKET: -- Not since the tsunami in December 2004 have readers around the world shown so much interest in a single event in Phuket. Yesterday, as on December 27, 2004, the day after the waves hit, the demand for news, fueled by the Phuket murder of Swedish national Maksim Schantz, swamped and knocked over the Gazette Online for a period of about eight minutes.

The Gazette's stories about the murder included five updates within a 13 hour period, and sent our readership statistics off the charts.

With close to 60,000 page views from more than 20,000 visitors, it was the website's second busiest day since its launch in 1997. (See chart above or, for greater clarity, click here.)

The statistics are drawn directly from independent provider Google Analytics and presented to our readers in chart form, with the charts changing at 3am every day.

In the statistics presented for the 24 hours ending at 3am today, it is to be noted that Sweden, with more than 51,000 page views, was the world's 5th largest consumer of our website's information, surpassed only by Thailand, Australia, the UK and the United States.

The Gazette Online enjoys Google's top ranking for 'page importance', (6), sharing that honor with one other (Phuket.Com). The site is ranked Number One and Number Two in Google's search results for both 'Phuket News' and 'Phuket Newspaper', and Number Three under 'Thailand Newspaper' (after the Bangkok Post and our partner newspaper The Nation.).

All news stories in the Gazette Online appear also in the company's powerful new iPhone and iPad applications, with more than 4,000 downloads from the Apps store since the products were launched earlier this year.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-08-03

[taninthai]

Perhaps with this many hits they should learn to report real factual events then before jumping in head first with the complete wrong story

My opinion of them is fools

[Soutpeel]

Perhaps with this many hits they should learn to report real factual events then before jumping in head first with the complete wrong story

My opinion of them is fools

Rather crass self marketing IMHO publishing cr*p like this

[hellodolly]

Perhaps with this many hits they should learn to report real factual events then before jumping in head first with the complete wrong story

My opinion of them is fools

The original post said twelve Thai's did it.

For some strange reason there is a lot of farongs who want to believe in negative things about Thai's. If the article had been two Swedes kill their fellow country man they would not have raised a eye brow with a lot of the readers.

[bubblegum]

So where are the comments?

[rkidlad]

Perhaps with this many hits they should learn to report real factual events then before jumping in head first with the complete wrong story

My opinion of them is fools

The original post said twelve Thai's did it.

For some strange reason there is a lot of farongs who want to believe in negative things about Thai's. If the article had been two Swedes kill their fellow country man they would not have raised a eye brow with a lot of the readers.

I can understand why people got so upset with the original report. I don't condone any of the racist remarks made.

It was awful reporting from the newspaper in question. I sometimes feel TV is irresponsible with some of the stories it puts on here. A lot are very poorly written and make no sense. They just confuse readers and make a mountain out of a molehill. (Not including this one)

[apetley]

With such quality reporting I for one am waiting for their in depth article on how a pack of 12 Thais later became a pair of Europeans.

[tominbkk]

Quite rude of them to toot their little horns like that when they created such a huge mistake in reporting in the first place. Of course, can't expect much from a 4th rate dishrag like the PG....but hey, if some murder helps get a few more advertisers, go for it!

[softgeorge]

Perhaps with this many hits they should learn to report real factual events then before jumping in head first with the complete wrong story

My opinion of them is fools

The original post said twelve Thai's did it.

For some strange reason there is a lot of farongs who want to believe in negative things about Thai's. If the article had been two Swedes kill their fellow country man they would not have raised a eye brow with a lot of the readers.

You are probably right. With this many hits on the site from people abroad what would they be thinking of phuket and Thailand as a whole. Gangs of Thais roaming around murdering farangs??? Has there been an official retraction in the original story and an appology to readers ?

[aussiebebe]

It sounds like a very sad story but there's no hint that the paper just maliciously distorted events to boost it's ratings. So, it wasn't 12 Thai murderers, it was two Swedes? Is that the full story? Poor man.

[MrChangers]

I can make a graph in a spread sheet that makes me look like the worlds wealthiest man, who outside of Phuket reads this local rag. Only got slight coverage here in Chiang Mai.

[Jimi007]

Quite rude of them to toot their little horns like that when they created such a huge mistake in reporting in the first place. Of course, can't expect much from a 4th rate dishrag like the PG....but hey, if some murder helps get a few more advertisers, go for it!

I have to agree with your assessment of The Phuket Gazette. Other news sources never mentioned twelve Thai men were involved... Was it really a mistake on the Gazette's part or a way to boost rating?

[KarenBravo]

who outside of Phuket reads this local rag.

Looking at the pie-chart in the OP may answer your question.........

[MrChangers]

who outside of Phuket reads this local rag.

Looking at the pie-chart in the OP may answer your question.........

See my post KB anyone can make the numbers up in a spreadsheet and post it as fact not the work of a rocket scientist is it.

[KarenBravo]

who outside of Phuket reads this local rag.

Looking at the pie-chart in the OP may answer your question.........

See my post KB anyone can make the numbers up in a spreadsheet and post it as fact not the work of a rocket scientist is it.

Try reading the OP again, but, this time more slowly. It says where the figures are from. If you don't believe that, then there's no point believing anything on the internet.

[nicky1982]

The reporter who did this story needs to grow up a bit childish if you ask me someone lost their life and they are just showing off at how many hits they got from people looking at their stupid website ...

Edited August 3, 2011 by nicky1982

[MrChangers]

who outside of Phuket reads this local rag.

Looking at the pie-chart in the OP may answer your question.........

See my post KB anyone can make the numbers up in a spreadsheet and post it as fact not the work of a rocket scientist is it.

Try reading the OP again, but, this time more slowly. It says where the figures are from. If you don't believe that, then there's no point believing anything on the internet.

I have read very slowly the OP and yes you are right! The Internet is full off crap and published by the nation comic ..... I get my kids at school to make dummy charts on info I give them but not from the nation toilet paper

[MrChangers]

who outside of Phuket reads this local rag.

Looking at the pie-chart in the OP may answer your question.........

See my post KB anyone can make the numbers up in a spreadsheet and post it as fact not the work of a rocket scientist is it.

Try reading the OP again, but, this time more slowly. It says where the figures are from. If you don't believe that, then there's no point believing anything on the internet.

We do magnetic and fuzzt felt pics as well

[nicky1982]

I have read very slowly the OP and yes you are right! The Internet is full off crap and published by the nation comic ..... I get my kids at school to make dummy charts on info I give them but not from the nation toilet paper

I totally agree with you!!!

[KarenBravo]

[i have read very slowly the OP and yes you are right! The Internet is full off crap and published by the nation comic ..... I get my kids at school to make dummy charts on info I give them but not from the nation toilet paper

I see you're having a hard time.

Let me help. Here it is from the OP:-

"The statistics are drawn directly from independent provider Google Analytics and presented to our readers in chart form, with the charts changing at 3am every day".

You see.....not from the Nation Newspaper. Can't see Google having an interest in juggling figures.

[Flatouthruthefog]

Perhaps with this many hits they should learn to report real factual events then before jumping in head first with the complete wrong story

My opinion of them is fools

'Fools'? You are being far too polite.

'How to turn a tragedy into a pathetic marketing exercise' is my view!

Almost acceptable in the lower echelons of the media, almost, if only their report was correct in the first place.

The PG was started by a good Canadian and sustained by a good Brit. Since then, it has gone to hell in a handcart and I am amazed our 'mentionable' newspaper here still believes it.

(Read this quick guys. I am about to be removed for telling the truth. Again).

[MrChangers]

[i have read very slowly the OP and yes you are right! The Internet is full off crap and published by the nation comic ..... I get my kids at school to make dummy charts on info I give them but not from the nation toilet paper

I see you're having a hard time.

Let me help. Here it is from the OP:-

"The statistics are drawn directly from independent provider Google Analytics and presented to our readers in chart form, with the charts changing at 3am every day".

You see.....not from the Nation Newspaper. Can't see Google having an interest in juggling figures.

I'm not having a tough time as I do not need to hit the Caps button but when people quote Google and our newspaper in the same line it smells like you have a vested interest.

Are you a sponsor here?

[KarenBravo]

[i have read very slowly the OP and yes you are right! The Internet is full off crap and published by the nation comic ..... I get my kids at school to make dummy charts on info I give them but not from the nation toilet paper

I see you're having a hard time.

Let me help. Here it is from the OP:-

"The statistics are drawn directly from independent provider Google Analytics and presented to our readers in chart form, with the charts changing at 3am every day".

You see.....not from the Nation Newspaper. Can't see Google having an interest in juggling figures.

I'm not having a tough time as I do not need to hit the Caps button but when people quote Google and our newspaper in the same line it smells like you have a vested interest.

Are you a sponsor here?

Not at all. I have a very low opinion of the Phuket Gazette myself, but, when you incorrectly state that the Gazette, then the Nation is making up the traffic figures when it clearly states that they are from an independent source, then I think that is unfair, not to mention, rather obtuse..

Edited August 3, 2011 by KarenBravo

[FOODLOVER]

Spend less time on pie charts and more time verifying your story please

[bkkjames]

So when does high web traffic for a 3rd party website equate to 'news' on tv?

"See that story (albeit wrong) we ran about the guy who got murdered, it increased traffic..."

Poor poor taste imo.

[housepainter]

I'm still laughing!

It's almost childish the way we are spoken down to. 17 replies here, all regulars, and yet we are told millions checked in and never added a word.

Oh I forgot. i read somewhere on here that Swedish people can read but can't write. Must be true as a Swede wrote it.

We've had the flat earth, sun round the earth, Pattaya as world ethics hub and now this.

One day 12 Thais roll up the next day it was 2 Swedes wot dun it.

Yeah.

Next.

[ozsamurai]

Utter crap! Irresponsible journalism... they lost all my respect, hope they enjoyed the hits, as its probably the last they;ll get.

Oz

[tartempion]

The reactions here were no better than the Phuket Gazette reporting

[bkkjames]

The reactions here were no better than the Phuket Gazette reporting

The reactions to this story about web hits or the original? If its this one, feel free to add your input about the story.

[Atmos]

it may qualify for a 'news' item on the notthenation satire site - 'Phuket news hits media high with hoax story - pie chart proves it'

It may have been an unintentional hoax - but the differences between the first and last updates are bizarre.