We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
194 of its 231 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Kabul accounted for 157 of Afghanistan's 194 stories about harm, carried by 321 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at about 5 times the usual rate (136 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
47 of its 77 stories (61%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Havana accounted for 25 of Cuba's 47 stories about harm, carried by 95 outlets. 21 of Havana's 25 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories).
48 of its 277 stories (17%) were about people being harmed, usually 8%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Cholera was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
38 of its 106 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Brussels accounted for 32 of Belgium's 38 stories about harm, carried by 59 outlets.
230 of its 388 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Tehran accounted for 91 of Iran's 230 stories about harm, carried by 169 outlets. 83 of Tehran's 91 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about three times as angry as the world's.
45 of its 95 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's.
34 of its 50 stories (68%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. Jenin accounted for 19 of Palestine's 34 stories about harm, carried by 25 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
18 of its 31 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 39%. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
66 of its 251 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).
Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Hurricane was named in 30 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with storms and respiratory illness.
Also named far more than usual: hurricane in US (2054 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); natural hazards in Ireland (18 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hurricane in UK (30 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); storms in India (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 30 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 16,569 stories about harm among 79,065 counted on 30 Sep.
Reports of people falling ill ran at about three times the usual rate, most often about India and the US. 21 in every 100 of the day's 79,065 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In the US's news, mentions of the hurricane ran about 4 times their usual. On 30 September 2021, a year earlier, the share was 25 in every 100, against 21 today. Afghanistan's news was 84% about people being harmed, against a usual 57%.
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 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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