Yemen
42 of its 48 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 66%. Marib accounted for 19 of Yemen's 42 stories about harm, carried by 44 outlets. Its coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's.
What the world's news said happened to people.
Counts of coverage, not of suffering
We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
The day's news pointed at violence in Marib, refugees in Poland and the hurricane in Jersey. Yemen's coverage was about 4 times as angry as the world's. Over the whole world, the tone was much softer than usual.
Part of lifeHealth
56 in 100 of the stories about harm · much more than usual
Country that rose mostJamaica
55 in 100 of its 143 stories, usually 32
RegionOceania
35 in 100 of its stories, usually 28
Tone of the words
Much softer than usual
across the world's stories about harm
What the world's news was about today
how these are picked →Poland
50 of its 141 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. 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.
Jersey
25 of its 85 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Hurricane was named in 15 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with flooding.
Qatar
35 of its 117 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories).
6 more places the news pointed at
South Africa
380 of its 893 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Spain
96 of its 388 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (14 stories). Flooding was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual.
Australia
655 of its 1,907 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. HIV was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
US
9,834 of its 25,932 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (341 stories). Tornadoes were named in 579 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with power cuts.
Indonesia
69 of its 139 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of people injured ran at about 4 times the usual rate (10 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Afghanistan
Kabul accounted for 851 of Afghanistan's 1,255 stories about harm, carried by 834 outlets. Hunger was named in 26 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with snowstorms. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Germany (14 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Spain (10 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); tornadoes in US (579 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); dengue in India (29 of its stories, about three times its usual); hunger in Afghanistan (26 of its stories, about three times its usual).
30 in 100 stories were about harm
usually 26; 30 the day beforeStories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 2 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 26,001 stories about harm among 86,688 counted on 2 Sep.
Read the day's briefing
Jersey's news mentioned the hurricane more than ten times as often as usual. 30 in every 100 of the day's 86,688 news stories were about people being harmed, above the usual 26. On 2 September 2020, a year earlier, the share was 27 in every 100, against 30 today. Yemen stood out: 88% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 66%.
- 30 in every 100 of the day's 86,688 news stories were about people being harmed (usually 26).
- Yemen: 42 of its 48 stories (88%) were about people being harmed, usually 66%.
- Poland: 50 of its 141 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%.
- Jersey: 25 of its 85 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%.
- Qatar: 35 of its 117 stories (30%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%.
- Mentions of the hurricane ran more than ten times their usual in Jersey's news.
- Mentions of outbreaks ran about 4 times their usual in Germany's news.
- Across the world, the words of the day's news were much softer than usual.
- A year earlier, on 2 September 2020, 27 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 30 today.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
Where harm was most of the news all →
Ethiopia70 in 100 of its 76 stories · usually 52 · mostly conflict & violence Syria64 in 100 of its 66 stories · usually 54 · mostly conflict & violence North Korea64 in 100 of its 55 stories · usually 36 · mostly health Afghanistan64 in 100 of its 1,975 stories · usually 71 · mostly conflict & violence Bangladesh62 in 100 of its 172 stories · usually 50 · mostly healthCountries with at least 50 stories that day.
Where people protested
Washington US151 stories about protests or strikes, of its 870 Kabul Afghanistan84 stories about protests or strikes, of its 851 Texas US43 stories about protests or strikes, of its 252 London UK42 stories about protests or strikes, of its 320 Los Angeles US37 stories about protests or strikes, of its 180Stories, not people.
Where harm was most of the news
feelings in full →A quarter or more above the world's share
Near the world's or lessNo stories
Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 30 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.
Most of its news about harm
● Afghanistan 64 in 100 of its 1,975 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Bangladesh 62 in 100 of its 172 stories · mostly health ● Ethiopia 70 in 100 of its 76 stories · mostly conflict & violence ● Philippines 54 in 100 of its 591 stories · mostly health ● Colombia 60 in 100 of its 86 stories · mostly health ● Syria 64 in 100 of its 66 stories · mostly conflict & violenceStories, not people. Countries with at least 50 stories.
The day in three measures
Parts of life 30 days →
Health56% 14,333 stories · much more than usual (usually 49%) Disasters & accidents15% 3,767 stories · about as usual Rights & justice12% 3,108 stories · less than usual (usually 15%) Conflict & violence7% 1,935 stories · less than usual (usually 10%) Displacement4% 1,082 stories · about as usual Shelter & services2% 624 stories · about as usual Deaths & injuries, cause not given2% 566 stories · about as usual Food & livelihood2% 408 stories · about as usualOf the stories about people being harmed, what part of life each was about. The mark is usual.
Harm reported 30 days →
Stories reporting people killed5,509 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people affected2,149 at about the usual rate Stories reporting arrests1,380 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people injured1,028 at about two-thirds of the usual rate · most about the US and Afghanistan Stories reporting evacuations651 at about the usual rate Stories reporting refugees270 at about the usual rate Stories reporting abductions195 at about one and a half times the usual rate · most about Nigeria and the US Stories reporting people displaced120 at about the usual rate Stories reporting people falling ill21 at about the usual rateStories that report it, not people: we count what reporters wrote, not what happened.
How it felt 30 days →
harshwarm
The words in the day's stories were much softer than usual. Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.
● Angera little less than usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefa little less than usual
● Fearabout as usual
From the words reporters used across the whole day, never one story. Fear is the weakest of the four measures. How?
The weekly briefing · 19 Oct – 25 Oct
The week in human impact
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These are counts of stories, not counts of suffering. Most of what happens to people is never reported at all.