We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
2,016 of its 3,003 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Wuhan accounted for 1,633 of China's 2,016 stories about harm, carried by 1,747 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (18 stories). Flooding was named in 43 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
300 of its 532 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Elazig accounted for 173 of Türkiye's 300 stories about harm, carried by 387 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 10 times the usual rate (176 stories). Tsunami was named in 16 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
232 of its 293 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 59%. Baghdad accounted for 143 of Iraq's 232 stories about harm, carried by 233 outlets. 124 of Baghdad's 143 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (32 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
15 of its 19 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
31 of its 84 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
101 of its 370 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (23 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
95 of its 196 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Jammu accounted for 54 of Kashmir's 95 stories about harm, carried by 35 outlets. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.
Tehran accounted for 62 of Iran's 148 stories about harm, carried by 148 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Beirut accounted for 28 of Lebanon's 30 stories about harm, carried by 55 outlets. 26 of Beirut's 28 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.
17 of its 24 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: drought in Kenya (14 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); plane crash in Australia (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tsunami in Canada (16 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); building collapse in India (37 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); house fires in UK (25 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 25 Jan. 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 13,917 stories about harm among 65,757 counted on 25 Jan.
For the eighth day running, the news turned to China. Stories about people being harmed made up 21 in every 100 of the day's 65,757 stories, above the usual 20. People falling ill were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about China and the US. On the side of help, reports of vaccination ran at about twice the usual rate. China stood out: 67% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 28%.
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 21 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 about as 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.