We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
240 of its 593 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (98 stories). Poisoning was named in 21 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
95 of its 179 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Colombo accounted for 73 of Sri Lanka's 95 stories about harm, carried by 54 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Oil spill was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain.
57 of its 89 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Tigray accounted for 40 of Ethiopia's 57 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories).
680 of its 2,163 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 5 times the usual rate (11 stories). Ebola was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with poisoning.
32 of its 41 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Covid was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
75 of its 104 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Damascus accounted for 47 of Syria's 88 stories about harm, carried by 105 outlets. Landslides were named in 11 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.
44 of its 86 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (9 stories).
79 of its 155 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Taipei accounted for 49 of Taiwan's 79 stories about harm, carried by 42 outlets.
171 of its 470 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Outbreaks were named in 36 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Malaysia (36 of its stories, about three times its usual); covid in Congo (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); cyclone in Bangladesh (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in New Zealand (19 of its stories, about 10 times its usual); covid in Afghanistan (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 28 May. 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 20,639 stories about harm among 85,789 counted on 28 May.
Of the day's 85,789 news stories, 24 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. On 28 May 2020, a year earlier, the share was 32 in every 100, against 24 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 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?
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