We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
509 of its 593 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Colombo accounted for 403 of Sri Lanka's 509 stories about harm, carried by 468 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (343 stories). Natural hazards were named in 111 of its stories about harm, more than ten 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.
105 of its 176 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Lantau accounted for 98 of Hong Kong's 105 stories about harm, carried by 5 outlets. 94 of Lantau's 98 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as warm as the world's.
1,212 of its 1,465 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Kabul accounted for 609 of Afghanistan's 1,212 stories about harm, carried by 751 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (1,049 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
174 of its 230 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Vienna accounted for 136 of Austria's 174 stories about harm, carried by 137 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (162 stories).
2,046 of its 2,398 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 72%. 469 of Madaya's 799 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (1,080 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
218 of its 250 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Tripoli accounted for 180 of Libya's 218 stories about harm, carried by 200 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.
38 of its 71 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (31 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
48 of its 124 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (32 stories). Tsunami was named in 34 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
137 of its 150 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 76%. Outbreaks were named in 44 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
471 of its 1,168 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (86 stories). Cyclone was named in 27 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with storms.
Also named far more than usual: tsunami in Chile (34 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in South Sudan (44 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hurricane in El Salvador (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); train derailment in India (183 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); power cuts in New Zealand (31 of its stories, about 7 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 Apr. 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 33,041 stories about harm among 132,907 counted on 15 Apr.
Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate, most often about Syria and the US. of the day's 132,907 news stories, 25 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 22. Sri Lanka stood out: 86% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 26%. Help and hope: reports of volunteers ran at about twice the usual rate. In Chile'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.
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 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.