We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
96 of its 235 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Colombo accounted for 66 of Sri Lanka's 96 stories about harm, carried by 29 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Cyclone was named in 18 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.
92 of its 196 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. 15 of Wan Chai's 25 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (31 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Tigray accounted for 75 of Ethiopia's 88 stories about harm, carried by 266 outlets. Hunger was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
283 of its 715 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (71 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Brussels accounted for 42 of Belgium's 48 stories about harm, carried by 67 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (7 stories).
4 of Caracas' 8 stories were about protests or strikes. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Kabul accounted for 55 of Afghanistan's 128 stories about harm, carried by 86 outlets. Illness was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
Also named far more than usual: hiv in Kenya (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); natural hazards in Indonesia (16 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Afghanistan (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); heatwave in Israel (16 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); wildfires in France (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 Dec. 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 25,668 stories about harm among 103,061 counted on 2 Dec.
For the third day running, the news turned to Sri Lanka. Stories about people being harmed made up 25 in every 100 of the day's 103,061 stories, below the usual 26. Mentions of the cyclone ran more than ten times their usual in Sri Lanka's news. On the side of help, reports of vaccination ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. On 3 December 2019, a year earlier, the share was 17 in every 100, against 25 today.
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 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.