We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
215 of its 354 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (94 stories). Flu was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with ebola. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
66 of its 94 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Tehran accounted for 122 of Iran's 247 stories about harm, carried by 150 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (13 stories). Flooding was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with heavy rain. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.
913 of its 1,497 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Tuberculosis was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
470 of its 1,015 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (167 stories). Ebola was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
361 of its 638 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 47%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (53 stories). Wildfires were named in 27 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with polio.
119 of its 285 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Dubai accounted for 102 of the United Arab Emirates' 119 stories about harm, carried by 43 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories).
48 of its 99 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of people displaced ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
98 of its 197 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Brussels accounted for 64 of Belgium's 98 stories about harm, carried by 60 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
64 of its 140 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Also named far more than usual: natural hazards in Malaysia (25 of its stories, about three times its usual); wildfires in Israel (27 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hunger in Thailand (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); plague in Germany (14 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); natural hazards in Japan (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 1 Apr. 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 50,509 stories about harm among 127,110 counted on 1 Apr.
Stories about people being harmed made up 40 in every 100 of the day's 127,110 stories, above the usual 35. Mentions of the flu ran about 6 times their usual in Saudi Arabia's news. A year earlier, on 2 April 2019, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 40 today. Saudi Arabia stood out: 61% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 48%. Over March, 35 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 in March 2019.
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 40 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.