Channel 4 achieved strong ratings this week for Japan’;s Tsunami: How It Happened, a fast turnaround documentary about the science behind the recent Japanese earthquake and resultant tsunami. Produced by Pioneer for Channel 4 and Nova US, the film attracted 2.25m viewers (10% share).

Aired within two weeks of the actual disaster, the film is part of a growing trend towards news-response documentaries which fuse news actuality with expert analysis and survivor testimonies. Pioneer also made a film which explored the story behind the highly-publicised Chilean mine disaster.