We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
435 of its 624 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Caracas accounted for 342 of Venezuela's 435 stories about harm, carried by 342 outlets. 312 of Caracas' 342 stories were about protests or strikes. Malaria was named in 45 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
209 of its 573 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Pyongyang accounted for 190 of North Korea's 209 stories about harm, carried by 178 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
33 of its 47 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (23 stories). Earthquake was named in 24 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.
195 of its 471 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (57 stories).
88 of its 259 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. 54 of Buenos Aires' 59 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
134 of its 407 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Brussels accounted for 117 of Belgium's 134 stories about harm, carried by 98 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
67 of its 194 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (17 stories). Avalanche was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hypothermia. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about 4 times its own usual.
Tabqa accounted for 422 of Syria's 774 stories about harm, carried by 342 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (102 stories). Flooding was named in 236 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. 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.
242 of its 450 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (57 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.
113 of its 123 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 74%. Balaka accounted for 50 of the Central African Republic's 113 stories about harm, carried by 59 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: earthquake in China (453 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Somalia (160 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flooding in Syria (236 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); measles in Romania (20 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); outbreaks in Yemen (37 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 11 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 44,018 stories about harm among 230,645 counted on 11 May.
The share of stories about people being harmed was the lowest since 10 November 2016. Mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual in China's news. of the day's 230,645 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 21. Venezuela stood out: 70% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 62%.
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 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.