We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
727 of its 1,052 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Cairo accounted for 637 of Egypt's 727 stories about harm, carried by 635 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (640 stories). Plane crash was named in 79 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with volcanic eruption. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
71 of its 86 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. 15 of Vientiane's 18 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (61 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
229 of its 421 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (215 stories). Storms were named in 187 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
50 of its 64 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Bangui accounted for 33 of the Central African Republic's 50 stories about harm, carried by 27 outlets. Plague was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
411 of its 493 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Mogadishu accounted for 344 of Somalia's 411 stories about harm, carried by 303 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (327 stories). Building collapse was named in 28 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Aleppo accounted for 3,729 of Syria's 4,066 stories about harm, carried by 1,608 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (1,163 stories). Train derailment was named in 280 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with ebola. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
574 of its 963 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Ramallah accounted for 374 of Palestine's 574 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets. Extreme cold was named in 71 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
104 of its 253 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of abductions ran at about 5 times the usual rate (12 stories). Power cuts were named in 17 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
77 of its 157 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (28 stories). Drought was named in 38 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
158 of its 206 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (47 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: drought in Malawi (38 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); respiratory illness in Portugal (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Chile (18 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); bird flu in South Korea (37 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); natural hazards in Ethiopia (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 Dec. 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 55,545 stories about harm among 271,409 counted on 15 Dec.
Azerbaijan's news mentioned storms more than ten times as often as usual. 20 in every 100 of the day's 271,409 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On the side of help, reports of peace efforts ran at about twice the usual rate. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Syria and the UK. Egypt's news was 69% about people being harmed, against a usual 51%.
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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