We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
749 of its 1,112 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Jakarta accounted for 602 of Indonesia's 749 stories about harm, carried by 416 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (379 stories). HIV was named in 64 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
126 of its 297 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. 14 of Colombo's 27 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (64 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
30 of its 76 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (27 stories). Avalanche was named in 13 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 128 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (16 stories). HIV was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
120 of its 167 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Yaounde accounted for 98 of Cameroon's 120 stories about harm, carried by 85 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories). Train derailment was named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
9,398 of its 19,570 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Manchester accounted for 7,153 of the UK's 9,398 stories about harm, carried by 2,911 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (3,921 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
617 of its 740 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Tripoli accounted for 435 of Libya's 617 stories about harm, carried by 509 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (272 stories). Drownings were named in 101 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with measles.
1,950 of its 3,343 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (266 stories). Power cuts were named in 164 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
340 of its 474 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 66%. Caracas accounted for 251 of Venezuela's 340 stories about harm, carried by 181 outlets. 181 of Caracas' 251 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories).
255 of its 328 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. 51 of Manama's 58 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (184 stories).
Also named far more than usual: malaria in Ethiopia (144 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hunger in Congo (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drownings in Libya (101 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); train derailment in Cameroon (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); train derailment in South Korea (24 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 24 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 55,377 stories about harm among 236,750 counted on 24 May.
People injured were reported at about twice the usual rate, most often about the UK and the US. of the day's 236,750 news stories, 23 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 21. the news turned to Indonesia for the second day running. Mentions of the malaria ran about 4 times their usual in Ethiopia's news. In Indonesia, 67% of the news was about people being harmed, where 33% is 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 about as 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.