We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
247 of its 425 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Mount Lavinia accounted for 128 of Sri Lanka's 247 stories about harm, carried by 118 outlets. 98 of Mount Lavinia's 128 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (105 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
248 of its 302 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Ambae accounted for 232 of Vanuatu's 248 stories about harm, carried by 229 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (108 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
109 of its 198 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Beirut accounted for 92 of Lebanon's 109 stories about harm, carried by 85 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (85 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
54 of its 134 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about 8 times the usual rate (42 stories). Malaria was named in 43 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
64 of its 132 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (56 stories). Landslides were named in 54 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
27 of its 74 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
18 of its 29 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Plague was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with outbreaks and wildfires. Its coverage was about 4 times as grief-stricken as the world's.
142 of its 181 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Mogadishu accounted for 100 of Somalia's 142 stories about harm, carried by 80 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.
357 of its 524 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Kabul accounted for 249 of Afghanistan's 357 stories about harm, carried by 173 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.
129 of its 315 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. 55 of Kampala's 86 stories were about protests or strikes. Drought was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
Also named far more than usual: landslides in Guatemala (54 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); food poisoning in North Korea (131 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plague in Madagascar (16 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); storms in Marshall Islands (12 of its stories, about 9 times its usual); drought in Mexico (117 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 28 Sep. 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 44,898 stories about harm among 204,013 counted on 28 Sep.
In Guatemala's news, mentions of landslides ran more than ten times their usual. the news turned to Sri Lanka for the second day running. Sri Lanka's news was 58% about people being harmed, against a usual 26%. of the day's 204,013 news stories, 22 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 25.
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 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?
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