We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
1,970 of its 2,864 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Lahore accounted for 1,395 of Pakistan's 1,970 stories about harm, carried by 1,079 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (1,370 stories). Earthquake was named in 36 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
984 of its 5,025 stories (20%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (80 stories). Storms were named in 81 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain, measles and rubella. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
74 of Athens' 122 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (46 stories). Flooding was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
75 of its 256 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (56 stories). Oil spill was named in 41 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
3,532 of its 4,358 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 73%. Brussels accounted for 3,484 of Belgium's 3,532 stories about harm, carried by 1,882 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (1,290 stories). Drought was named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hurricane. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
82 of its 93 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Bamako accounted for 63 of Mali's 82 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (81 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
208 of its 487 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
523 of its 1,347 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Dublin accounted for 465 of Ireland's 523 stories about harm, carried by 467 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (397 stories).
49 of its 86 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Vienna accounted for 43 of Austria's 49 stories about harm, carried by 35 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (15 stories).
289 of its 793 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (36 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: drownings in Philippines (55 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Somalia (21 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); helicopter crash in Algeria (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Kashmir (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Japan (31 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 27 Mar. The big dot is this day; the shaded band is a normal day (the 30 days before it). Click a day to open it. Based on 29,880 stories about harm among 130,829 counted on 27 Mar.
23 in every 100 of the day's 130,829 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 20. This week the news turned most often to Belgium, on 3 of 7 days.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
Countries with at least 50 stories that day.
Stories, not people.
The day's biggest events: attacks, accidents and disasters, people displaced, protests, outbreaks. Bigger dot: more stories. Ranked by the share of the day's outlets that reported it and how clearly it was about one thing, the same way for every place and year; the news data does not say who attacked whom, so both sides of a war appear where the news put them. Click a dot for its stories.
Of the stories about people being harmed, what part of life each was about. The mark is usual.
Stories that report it, not people: we count what reporters wrote, not what happened.
The words in the day's stories were much harsher than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.
From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?
Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.
Create a free accountSign in · a username, an email and a password.