We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
481 of its 627 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Baghdad accounted for 247 of Iraq's 481 stories about harm, carried by 142 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (410 stories). Building collapse was named in 26 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Caracas accounted for 658 of Venezuela's 724 stories about harm, carried by 377 outlets. 618 of Caracas' 658 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (472 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
90 of its 137 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
219 of its 618 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (141 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
144 of its 152 stories (95%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Ouaka accounted for 69 of the Central African Republic's 144 stories about harm, carried by 53 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (139 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.
264 of its 321 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 6 times the usual rate (40 stories). Cholera was named in 81 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with measles and malaria. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
265 of its 728 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. 87 of Rio de Janeiro's 94 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (165 stories).
424 of its 1,175 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. 241 of Athens' 364 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.
206 of its 309 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of abductions ran at about 9 times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
93 of its 483 stories (19%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (64 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Also named far more than usual: cholera in Somalia (81 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Germany (78 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hiv in Botswana (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); extreme cold in Ukraine (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plague in Yemen (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 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 49,011 stories about harm among 238,075 counted on 2 May.
Somalia's news mentioned the cholera about 4 times as often as usual. 21 in every 100 of the day's 238,075 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 22. On 2 May 2016, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 21 today. Iraq stood out: 77% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 64%.
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 21 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 much 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.