We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
110 of its 186 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Tehran accounted for 46 of Iran's 110 stories about harm, carried by 149 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at more than ten times the usual rate (51 stories). Flooding was named in 56 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heavy rain and drought. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
106 of its 200 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Colombo accounted for 82 of Sri Lanka's 106 stories about harm, carried by 313 outlets. 74 of Colombo's 82 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (49 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
29 of its 47 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Tripoli accounted for 28 of Libya's 29 stories about harm, carried by 37 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 9 times the usual rate (21 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
47 of its 98 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Earthquake was named in 13 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tsunami.
18 of its 20 stories (90%) were about people being harmed, usually 52%. Bamako accounted for 18 of Mali's 18 stories about harm, carried by 16 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
49 of its 124 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 7 times the usual rate (22 stories). Wildfires were named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
48 of its 143 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
60 of its 183 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Tunis accounted for 16 of Tunisia's 17 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets. 15 of Tunis' 16 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).
Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (7 stories). Drought was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Also named far more than usual: outbreaks in Switzerland (26 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); illness in Netherlands (19 of its stories, about three times its usual); wildfires in Spain (22 of its stories, about three times its usual); wildfires in Greece (22 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); hunger in Ukraine (62 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 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 9,504 stories about harm among 42,215 counted on 23 Jul.
Iran's news mentioned flooding more than ten times as often as usual. 23 in every 100 of the day's 42,215 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On the side of help, reports of aid and relief ran at about twice the usual rate. Iran stood out: 59% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 38%. On 23 July 2021, a year earlier, the share was 24 in every 100, against 23 today.
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 harsher 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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