We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
3,480 of its 5,334 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Barcelona accounted for 3,094 of Spain's 3,480 stories about harm, carried by 1,660 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (82 stories). Gas explosion was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about three times its own usual.
226 of its 339 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Lisbon accounted for 150 of Portugal's 226 stories about harm, carried by 109 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (109 stories). Earthquake was named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heatwave. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
242 of its 503 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 12 of the New Territories' 23 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (193 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
261 of its 405 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (58 stories). Hunger was named in 76 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
689 of its 734 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 69%. Freetown accounted for 660 of Sierra Leone's 689 stories about harm, carried by 467 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.
146 of its 251 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Phnom Penh accounted for 101 of Cambodia's 146 stories about harm, carried by 104 outlets. HIV was named in 91 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
572 of its 1,554 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (459 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
130 of its 277 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Brussels accounted for 120 of Belgium's 130 stories about harm, carried by 104 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (47 stories).
543 of its 713 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Reports of abductions ran at about 8 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
388 of its 854 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of refugees ran at about 9 times the usual rate (17 stories). Oil spill was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual.
Also named far more than usual: hiv in Cambodia (91 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Barbados (37 of its stories, about three times its usual); power cuts in Taiwan (29 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); rabies in Morocco (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hiv in Zambia (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 Aug. 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 52,135 stories about harm among 211,634 counted on 17 Aug.
In Spain, 65% of the news was about people being harmed, where 16% is usual. Cambodia's news mentioned HIV more than ten times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 17 August 2016, 22 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 25 today. of the day's 211,634 news stories, 25 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 22.
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.