We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
1,666 of its 2,163 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Mexico City accounted for 1,162 of Mexico's 1,666 stories about harm, carried by 1,123 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories). Flooding was named in 530 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with building collapse, helicopter crash and power cuts. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
521 of its 1,002 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Ramallah accounted for 458 of Palestine's 521 stories about harm, carried by 7 outlets. 294 of Ramallah's 458 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (290 stories). Storms were named in 75 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.
128 of its 190 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Copenhagen accounted for 125 of Denmark's 128 stories about harm, carried by 212 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (118 stories). Its coverage was about 5 times as grief-stricken as the world's.
176 of its 289 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (110 stories). Natural hazards were named in 41 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
42 of its 73 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 5%. Kofinou accounted for 41 of Cyprus' 42 stories about harm, carried by 61 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (40 stories).
781 of its 1,140 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Jerusalem accounted for 507 of Israel's 781 stories about harm, carried by 169 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (55 stories).
39 of its 89 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (22 stories). Poisoning was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
280 of its 462 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (170 stories). Outbreaks were named in 18 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.
770 of its 1,902 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (286 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
159 of its 537 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 70 of Milan's 75 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (76 stories).
Also named far more than usual: hunger in Venezuela (18 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); poisoning in Tanzania (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in France (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in Syria (39 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); cyclone in Australia (45 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 17 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 30,550 stories about harm among 130,228 counted on 17 Feb.
Mexico stood out: 77% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 21%. Mentions of flooding ran more than ten times their usual in Mexico's news. of the day's 130,228 news stories, 23 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 21. On 17 February 2017, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 23 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?
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