We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
659 of its 1,239 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 7 times the usual rate (23 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 33 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
20 of its 54 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (11 stories). Hunger was named in 10 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.
98 of its 274 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. 34 of Lesbos' 41 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (39 stories).
34 of its 73 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories).
444 of its 738 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Seoul accounted for 224 of South Korea's 444 stories about harm, carried by 443 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate (20 stories). Cholera was named in 14 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
283 of its 576 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Mecca accounted for 181 of Saudi Arabia's 283 stories about harm, carried by 448 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (47 stories). Cholera was named in 61 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with malaria.
344 of its 522 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 50%. Tehran accounted for 194 of Iran's 344 stories about harm, carried by 235 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 5 times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
24 of its 91 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 10%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
147 of its 311 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
35 of its 116 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: cholera in Saudi Arabia (61 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); dengue in Bangladesh (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); snowstorms in Canada (48 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); hiv in US (283 of its stories, about three times its usual); cholera in South Korea (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 27 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 29,050 stories about harm among 124,163 counted on 27 Feb.
No day had a higher share of stories about people being harmed since 5 January 2020. Stories about people being harmed made up 23 in every 100 of the day's 124,163 stories, above the usual 21. Mentions of the cholera ran more than ten times their usual in Saudi Arabia's news. On the side of help, reports of vaccination ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. the news turned to Italy for the second day running.
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 23 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 much 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?
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