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.
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The news turned to deaths in East London, violence in Oslo and protests in Quito (Ecuador). South Africa's coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was harsher than usual.
Deaths & injuries, cause not given
222 of its 448 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. East London accounted for 120 of South Africa's 222 stories about harm, carried by 224 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (160 stories). Poisoning was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Conflict & violence
73 of its 101 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Oslo accounted for 70 of Norway's 73 stories about harm, carried by 260 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (64 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Protests & strikes
21 of its 31 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Quito accounted for 20 of Ecuador's 21 stories about harm, carried by 82 outlets. 20 of Quito's 20 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
Rights & justice
72 of its 308 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (21 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
6 more places the news pointed at
Conflict & violence
304 of its 662 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Kyiv accounted for 189 of Ukraine's 304 stories about harm, carried by 351 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Deaths & injuries, cause not given
28 of its 54 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (25 stories).
Health
37 of its 91 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Conflict & violence
Reports of abductions ran at about 4 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
Disasters & accidents
Kabul accounted for 40 of Afghanistan's 94 stories about harm, carried by 42 outlets. Cholera was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.
Protests & strikes
3 of Rabat's 3 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).
Also named far more than usual:
outbreaks in Switzerland (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in China (15 of its stories, about three times its usual); cholera in Afghanistan (10 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); polio in UK (28 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heatstroke in Canada (11 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Read the day's briefing
Switzerland's news mentioned outbreaks about 4 times as often as usual. 23 in every 100 of the day's 37,585 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In South Africa, 50% of the news was about people being harmed, where 30% is usual. On 26 June 2021, a year earlier, the share was 25 in every 100, against 23 today. This week the news turned most often to Ecuador, on 6 of 7 days.
- 23 in every 100 of the day's 37,585 news stories were about people being harmed (usually 22).
- South Africa: 222 of its 448 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%.
- Norway: 73 of its 101 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%.
- Ecuador: 21 of its 31 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%.
- Spain: 72 of its 308 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%.
- Mentions of outbreaks ran about 4 times their usual in Switzerland's news.
- Mentions of flooding ran about three times their usual in China's news.
- Across the world, the words of the day's news were harsher than usual.
- A year earlier, on 26 June 2021, 25 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 23 today.
- This week the news turned most often to Ecuador, on 6 of 7 days.
Written by code from the day's numbers.
The day in three measures
harshwarm
The words in the day's stories were harsher than usual.
Filled dot: today. Ring: usual.
● Angerabout as usual
● Warmthabout as usual
● Griefabout as 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 · 18 Oct – 24 Oct
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How to read these numbers →
These are counts of stories, not counts of suffering. Most of what happens to people is never reported at all.