We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
140 of its 280 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Riyadh accounted for 69 of Saudi Arabia's 140 stories about harm, carried by 109 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (65 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
25 of its 50 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Tropical storm was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
133 of its 303 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (21 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Minsk accounted for 134 of Belarus' 170 stories about harm, carried by 303 outlets. 119 of Minsk's 134 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (10 stories).
104 of its 228 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Accidents were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
46 of its 121 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (30 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
437 of its 1,025 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Power cuts were named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
90 of its 204 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Tehran accounted for 53 of Iran's 90 stories about harm, carried by 245 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).
61 of its 122 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of refugees ran at about 7 times the usual rate (11 stories).
32 of its 71 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of refugees ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories).
Also named far more than usual: respiratory illness in Ukraine (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); accidents in Sri Lanka (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); cyclone in Bangladesh (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); power cuts in South Africa (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); snowstorms in US (59 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 8 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 26,956 stories about harm among 98,396 counted on 8 Sep.
It was the second day running that the news turned to Saudi Arabia. of the day's 98,396 news stories, 27 in every 100 were about people being harmed, below the usual 29. A year earlier, on 9 September 2019, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 27 today. Saudi Arabia's news was 50% about people being harmed, against a usual 31%.
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?
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.