We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
1,640 of its 1,894 stories (87%) were about people being harmed, usually 74%. Kabul accounted for 1,518 of Afghanistan's 1,640 stories about harm, carried by 1,161 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (19 stories). Train derailment was named in 36 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
72 of its 82 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Sarajevo accounted for 72 of Bosnia's 72 stories about harm, carried by 217 outlets. 46 of Sarajevo's 72 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.
206 of its 385 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Seoul accounted for 164 of South Korea's 206 stories about harm, carried by 269 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (111 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
174 of its 575 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (78 stories). Heatwave was named in 27 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
160 of its 208 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Gaza accounted for 124 of Palestine's 160 stories about harm, carried by 108 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (117 stories). Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
44 of its 87 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 8%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (28 stories). Natural hazards were named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
328 of its 816 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. 168 of Moscow's 277 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (214 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
869 of its 1,117 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 70%. Abaco accounted for 572 of the Bahamas' 869 stories about harm, carried by 655 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (19 stories). Wildfires were named in 53 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with food poisoning, oil spill and cholera.
65 of its 87 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. 35 of Addis Ababa's 38 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
64 of its 89 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. 47 of Port-au-Prince's 47 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: landslides in Japan (97 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); drownings in Italy (60 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in Australia (111 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); outbreaks in Norway (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); natural hazards in North Korea (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 8 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 19,754 stories about harm among 82,561 counted on 8 Sep.
Help and hope: reports of peace efforts ran at about three times the usual rate. of the day's 82,561 news stories, 24 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 22. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about the US and the Bahamas. Mentions of landslides ran about 7 times their usual in Japan's news. A year earlier, on 8 September 2018, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 24 today. This week the news turned most often to the Bahamas, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 5 of them.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
Countries with at least 50 stories that day.
Stories, not people.
Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 24 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.
Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 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?
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.