We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
752 of its 812 stories (93%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. la Paz accounted for 669 of Bolivia's 752 stories about harm, carried by 558 outlets. 665 of la Paz's 669 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (681 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about 4 times its own usual.
2,476 of its 3,632 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Amatrice accounted for 1,842 of Italy's 2,476 stories about harm, carried by 1,129 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (1,124 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
265 of its 396 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (149 stories). Road crashes were named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
342 of its 388 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Mogadishu accounted for 282 of Somalia's 342 stories about harm, carried by 281 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.
53 of its 80 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. 33 of Freetown's 40 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
165 of its 362 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Budapest accounted for 138 of Hungary's 165 stories about harm, carried by 104 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (133 stories).
49 of its 66 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. San Salvador accounted for 45 of el Salvador's 49 stories about harm, carried by 43 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (47 stories).
59 of its 83 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (40 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
1,775 of its 2,318 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (41 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
683 of its 1,277 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. 306 of Herzliya's 358 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: tsunami in Haiti (62 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in New Zealand (143 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hurricane in Cuba (24 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drought in Mozambique (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heavy rain in Thailand (46 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 26 Aug. 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 62,791 stories about harm among 279,923 counted on 26 Aug.
Bolivia stood out: 93% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 23%. 22 in every 100 of the day's 279,923 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Haiti's news, mentions of the tsunami ran more than ten times their usual.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
Countries with at least 50 stories that day.
Stories, not people.
Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 22 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.
Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 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?
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.