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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Most of the day's attention went to the earthquake in Papua New Guinea, rights and justice in Stockholm and evacuations in the US. Afghanistan's coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Across the world, the tone of the words was harsher than usual.
Disasters & accidents
94 of its 103 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Kainantu accounted for 41 of Papua New Guinea's 94 stories about harm, carried by 244 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at more than ten times the usual rate (68 stories). Earthquake was named in 91 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tsunami and landslides. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Rights & justice
37 of its 110 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Stockholm accounted for 22 of Sweden's 37 stories about harm, carried by 150 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.
Health
Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (52 stories). Tropical storm was named in 59 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Conflict & violence
Kabul accounted for 79 of Afghanistan's 116 stories about harm, carried by 219 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
6 more places the news pointed at
Rights & justice
134 of its 394 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (22 stories). Flooding was named in 28 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Disasters & accidents
34 of its 70 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 34%. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Earthquake was named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with tsunami.
Rights & justice
240 of its 718 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Protests & strikes
4 of Tigray's 8 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
Protests & strikes
Jenin accounted for 13 of Palestine's 19 stories about harm, carried by 15 outlets. 7 of Jenin's 13 stories were about protests or strikes.
Disasters & accidents
Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Dengue was named in 25 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
Also named far more than usual:
earthquake in Indonesia (20 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); flooding in South Africa (28 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Malaysia (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); dengue in Pakistan (25 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); avalanche in Ukraine (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Read the day's briefing
In Papua New Guinea, 91% of the news was about people being harmed, where 22% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 21 in every 100 of the day's 37,350 stories, as usual. Mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual in Papua New Guinea's news. On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate. On 11 September 2021, a year earlier, the share was 32 in every 100, against 21 today. This week the news turned most often to Canada, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.
- 21 in every 100 of the day's 37,350 news stories were about people being harmed (usually 21).
- Papua New Guinea: 94 of its 103 stories (91%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%.
- Sweden: 37 of its 110 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%.
- US: Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (52 stories).
- Afghanistan: Kabul accounted for 79 of Afghanistan's 116 stories about harm, carried by 219 outlets.
- Help and hope: reports of people freed or reunited ran at about twice the usual rate.
- Mentions of the earthquake ran more than ten times their usual in Papua New Guinea's news.
- Mentions of flooding ran about 4 times their usual in South Africa's news.
- Across the world, the words of the day's news were harsher than usual.
- A year earlier, on 11 September 2021, 32 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 21 today.
- This week the news turned most often to Canada, on 4 of 7 days; help rose on 1 of them.
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 one and a half times 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.