We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
161 of its 351 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Berlin accounted for 117 of Germany's 161 stories about harm, carried by 196 outlets. 90 of Berlin's 117 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (77 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
9 of its 10 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
1,330 of its 3,507 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (24 stories). Earthquake was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
248 of its 510 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).
108 of its 155 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Minsk accounted for 99 of Belarus' 108 stories about harm, carried by 327 outlets. 93 of Minsk's 99 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
120 of its 325 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. 29 of Lampedusa's 37 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (18 stories). Hypothermia was named in 11 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with drownings.
38 of its 65 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 10 of Stockholm's 17 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (20 stories).
109 of its 182 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Jammu accounted for 59 of Kashmir's 109 stories about harm, carried by 37 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (63 stories). Building collapse was named in 19 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Reports of abductions ran at about 6 times the usual rate (6 stories). Heatwave was named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Also named far more than usual: drought in Zimbabwe (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hypothermia in Italy (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heatwave in Israel (15 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); building collapse in China (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); poisoning in US (89 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 30 Aug. 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 14,828 stories about harm among 48,316 counted on 30 Aug.
It was the second day running that the news turned to Germany. of the day's 48,316 news stories, 31 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 29. Zimbabwe's news mentioned the drought about 4 times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 31 August 2019, 24 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 31 today. In Germany, 46% of the news was about people being harmed, where 31% is usual. This week the news turned most often to Belarus, on 3 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.
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 much harsher 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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