We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
88 of its 92 stories (96%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Tirana accounted for 82 of Albania's 88 stories about harm, carried by 87 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (76 stories). Flooding was named in 65 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
291 of its 328 stories (89%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Sanaa accounted for 277 of Yemen's 291 stories about harm, carried by 212 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (130 stories). Outbreaks were named in 129 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.
606 of its 1,012 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Macerata accounted for 433 of Italy's 606 stories about harm, carried by 431 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (491 stories).
77 of its 166 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. 14 of Jakarta's 26 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (30 stories).
587 of its 711 stories (83%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Idlib accounted for 291 of Syria's 587 stories about harm, carried by 280 outlets. Poisoning was named in 27 of its stories about harm, about 10 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.
123 of its 289 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 11%. Reports of people killed ran at about 8 times the usual rate (50 stories). Earthquake was named in 101 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
48 of its 102 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (38 stories). Flooding was named in 38 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
303 of its 405 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (142 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.
93 of its 201 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (86 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
714 of its 1,234 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Jenin accounted for 571 of Palestine's 714 stories about harm, carried by 68 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (60 stories).
Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Taiwan (101 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in North Macedonia (38 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); ebola in Guinea (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); natural hazards in Madagascar (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); snowstorms in Russia (84 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 Feb. 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 24,048 stories about harm among 108,780 counted on 4 Feb.
On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 22 in every 100 of the day's 108,780 stories, as usual. Mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual in Taiwan's news. In Albania, 96% of the news was about people being harmed, where 38% is usual. On 4 February 2017, a year earlier, the share was 23 in every 100, against 22 today.
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.