We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
1,548 of its 1,910 stories (81%) were about people being harmed, usually 68%. al-Bab accounted for 912 of Syria's 1,548 stories about harm, carried by 533 outlets. 460 of al-Bab's 912 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (604 stories). Drownings were named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
1,426 of its 2,459 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Kuala Lumpur accounted for 1,270 of Malaysia's 1,426 stories about harm, carried by 926 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (210 stories). Drownings were named in 55 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
76 of its 106 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Dakar accounted for 73 of Senegal's 76 stories about harm, carried by 79 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Plague was named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
72 of its 101 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (47 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
530 of its 758 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Cairo accounted for 348 of Egypt's 530 stories about harm, carried by 339 outlets. 260 of Cairo's 348 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (307 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
119 of its 146 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Leila accounted for 83 of Tunisia's 119 stories about harm, carried by 79 outlets. 83 of Leila's 83 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (113 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
361 of its 752 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Ramallah accounted for 326 of Palestine's 361 stories about harm, carried by 34 outlets. 165 of Ramallah's 326 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (44 stories). Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
417 of its 712 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (70 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
283 of its 694 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 196 of Saigon's 201 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (75 stories).
1,029 of its 2,421 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. 484 of Pretoria's 572 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (247 stories).
Also named far more than usual: natural hazards in Zambia (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Ireland (62 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); cholera in South Sudan (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plague in South Korea (39 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Brazil (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 24 Feb. 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 57,094 stories about harm among 266,299 counted on 24 Feb.
Reports of people falling ill ran at about 6 times the usual rate, most often about Malaysia and the US. Stories about people being harmed made up 21 in every 100 of the day's 266,299 stories, as usual. Mentions of flooding ran about 10 times their usual in Ireland's news. On 25 February 2016, a year earlier, the share was 20 in every 100, against 21 today. Syria stood out: 81% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 68%.
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.