We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
89 of its 131 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Tunis accounted for 72 of Tunisia's 89 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.
435 of its 2,296 stories (19%) were about people being harmed, usually 9%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (182 stories). Dengue was named in 38 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with outbreaks, ebola and flu. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.
235 of its 367 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories). Outbreaks were named in 186 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
175 of its 449 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. 65 of Kampala's 100 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories).
390 of its 594 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Beirut accounted for 340 of Lebanon's 390 stories about harm, carried by 330 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 10 times the usual rate (248 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
199 of its 379 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Colombo accounted for 153 of Sri Lanka's 199 stories about harm, carried by 112 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories).
56 of its 147 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (43 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
56 of its 123 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. 45 of Port-au-Prince's 47 stories were about protests or strikes. Cholera was named in 44 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual.
36 of its 69 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. 8 of Freetown's 15 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).
13 of its 38 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 10 of Andijan's 10 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories).
Also named far more than usual: cholera in Haiti (44 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); tuberculosis in South Africa (273 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Rwanda (69 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Costa Rica (16 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); earthquake in Taiwan (21 of its stories, about three times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 13 May. 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 58,323 stories about harm among 304,283 counted on 13 May.
The news turned to Tunisia for the third day running. 19 in every 100 of the day's 304,283 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Puerto Rico's news, mentions of outbreaks ran about three times their usual. Tunisia stood out: 68% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 41%.
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 softer 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?
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