We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
89 of its 148 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Tehran accounted for 47 of Iran's 89 stories about harm, carried by 96 outlets. 24 of Tehran's 47 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
50 of its 78 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (31 stories). Drownings were named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
Kabul accounted for 77 of Afghanistan's 192 stories about harm, carried by 104 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (15 stories). Landslides were named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flooding and heavy rain. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
11 of Hong Kong Island's 13 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
Baghdad accounted for 69 of Iraq's 126 stories about harm, carried by 146 outlets. Illness was named in 25 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Tunis accounted for 72 of Tunisia's 100 stories about harm, carried by 177 outlets. 42 of Tunis' 72 stories were about protests or strikes. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
27 of its 60 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (8 stories).
12 of its 20 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
92 of its 369 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 10 times the usual rate (8 stories).
Also named far more than usual: illness in Iraq (25 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hunger in South Korea (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); tropical storm in Japan (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); malaria in Germany (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); avalanche in Pakistan (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 27 Jul. 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 19,646 stories about harm among 84,879 counted on 27 Jul.
For the second day running, the news turned to Iran. Stories about people being harmed made up 23 in every 100 of the day's 84,879 stories, as usual. Mentions of drownings ran about 5 times their usual in Libya's news. On 27 July 2020, a year earlier, the share was 29 in every 100, against 23 today. Iran stood out: 60% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 45%.
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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