We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
57 of its 67 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Port-au-Prince accounted for 44 of Haiti's 57 stories about harm, carried by 146 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (55 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
86 of its 265 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 39 of Mexico City's 46 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (46 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
129 of its 557 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (11 stories). Covid was named in 71 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with outbreaks. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
131 of its 209 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Kabul accounted for 72 of Afghanistan's 131 stories about harm, carried by 163 outlets. Train derailment was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.
42 of its 66 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
43 of its 48 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
49 of its 101 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Taipei accounted for 33 of Taiwan's 49 stories about harm, carried by 21 outlets. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
1,035 of its 4,159 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Flooding was named in 250 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with storms, cyclone and hurricane. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
183 of its 865 stories (21%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (42 stories). Flooding was named in 53 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.
239 of its 670 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: covid in Egypt (28 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); flooding in UK (250 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flooding in Ireland (53 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); extreme cold in Syria (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 15 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 14,197 stories about harm among 65,410 counted on 15 Feb.
For the second day running, the news turned to Haiti. Stories about people being harmed made up 22 in every 100 of the day's 65,410 stories, above the usual 20. Haiti's news was 85% about people being harmed, against a usual 38%. In France's news, mentions of Covid ran about 5 times their usual. A year earlier, on 15 February 2019, 20 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, 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 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?
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