We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
68 of its 92 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Paphos accounted for 29 of Cyprus' 68 stories about harm, carried by 32 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (26 stories). Earthquake was named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
212 of its 321 stories (66%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Kabul accounted for 99 of Afghanistan's 212 stories about harm, carried by 106 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 8 times the usual rate (44 stories). Hunger was named in 72 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with flooding.
Almaty accounted for 96 of Kazakhstan's 166 stories about harm, carried by 179 outlets. 74 of Almaty's 96 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories). Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.
19 of its 25 stories (76%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (8 stories).
64 of its 87 stories (74%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. Tigray accounted for 51 of Ethiopia's 64 stories about harm, carried by 67 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (35 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
68 of its 203 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Storms were named in 19 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.
158 of its 552 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Respiratory illness was named in 30 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
40 of its 84 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (15 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (19 stories). Illness was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
27 of its 38 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (17 stories).
Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Thailand (26 of its stories, about three times its usual); train derailment in North Korea (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); illness in Poland (16 of its stories, about three times its usual); storms in Switzerland (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); respiratory illness in Italy (30 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 11 Jan. 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 23,562 stories about harm among 84,745 counted on 11 Jan.
In Afghanistan's news, mentions of the hunger ran about 4 times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 28 in every 100 of the day's 84,745 stories, as usual. Cyprus' news was 74% about people being harmed, against a usual 39%. On 11 January 2021, a year earlier, the share was 27 in every 100, against 28 today.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
Countries with at least 50 stories that day.
Stories, not people.
Each country shaded by how much of its news was about people being harmed, against the world's 28 in 100 that day. Stronger colour: further above. A country with few stories is drawn closer to the world's. Click a country.
Stories, not people. Countries with at least 50 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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