We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 11 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 8,015 stories about harm among 37,350 counted on 11 Sep.
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.
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 21 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 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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