We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
68 of its 72 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Tunis accounted for 58 of Tunisia's 68 stories about harm, carried by 67 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (14 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.
42 of its 59 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Pyongyang accounted for 30 of North Korea's 42 stories about harm, carried by 101 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories). Storms were named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.
81 of its 114 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 58%. Minsk accounted for 75 of Belarus' 81 stories about harm, carried by 217 outlets. 70 of Minsk's 75 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
34 of its 80 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (24 stories). Outbreaks were named in 24 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.
218 of its 448 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (76 stories). Storms were named in 60 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with power cuts, flooding and hurricane.
69 of its 109 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. 26 of Mong Kok's 32 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (45 stories).
68 of its 149 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (26 stories). Oil spill was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
27 of its 39 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Reports of refugees ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Flooding was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
1,298 of its 3,401 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (22 stories). Dengue was named in 27 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with chikungunya.
Dhaka accounted for 67 of Bangladesh's 120 stories about harm, carried by 132 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (29 stories). Gas explosion was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
Also named far more than usual: storms in Japan (60 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Sudan (17 of its stories, about three times its usual); earthquake in Chile (15 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); oil spill in Sri Lanka (14 of its stories, about three times its usual); hunger in Pakistan (23 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 6 Sep. 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 14,486 stories about harm among 46,942 counted on 6 Sep.
Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Japan and the US. Stories about people being harmed made up 31 in every 100 of the day's 46,942 stories, above the usual 29. Tunisia's news was 94% about people being harmed, against a usual 40%. In Switzerland's news, mentions of outbreaks ran about 6 times their usual. A year earlier, on 7 September 2019, 24 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 31 today. This week the news turned most often to Belarus, on 4 of 7 days.
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?
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.