We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
43 of its 62 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Darfur accounted for 27 of Sudan's 43 stories about harm, carried by 33 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
110 of its 211 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 45%. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (26 stories). Landslides were named in 23 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain and power cuts. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
210 of its 850 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (29 stories). Drought was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
121 of its 301 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
54 of its 83 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Heatwave was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
40 of its 87 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Lusaka accounted for 31 of Zambia's 40 stories about harm, carried by 53 outlets. Covid was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.
116 of its 406 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (52 stories). Heatwave was named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with drought.
192 of its 532 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (26 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 21 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
36 of its 62 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Tunis accounted for 25 of Tunisia's 36 stories about harm, carried by 25 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
113 of its 395 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (52 stories). Covid was named in 34 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with outbreaks.
Also named far more than usual: covid in Zambia (23 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tropical storm in Cuba (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); covid in New Zealand (34 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); ebola in Guinea (11 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heatwave in Algeria (17 of its stories, about three times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 12 Aug. 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 17,208 stories about harm among 70,972 counted on 12 Aug.
The news turned to Sudan for the second day running. 24 in every 100 of the day's 70,972 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Zambia's news, mentions of Covid ran about 5 times their usual. On 12 August 2020, a year earlier, the share was 28 in every 100, against 24 today. Sudan's news was 69% about people being harmed, against a usual 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 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?
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