We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
402 of its 920 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Kyiv accounted for 246 of Ukraine's 402 stories about harm, carried by 345 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (118 stories). Power cuts were named in 50 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
70 of its 97 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Las Tejerias accounted for 34 of Venezuela's 70 stories about harm, carried by 114 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 6 times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Tehran accounted for 115 of Iran's 229 stories about harm, carried by 133 outlets. 104 of Tehran's 115 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
162 of its 521 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (44 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
42 of its 56 stories (75%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Mandalay accounted for 24 of Myanmar's 42 stories about harm, carried by 47 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (30 stories). Covid was named in 24 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
67 of its 166 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
50 of its 71 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 60%. Port-au-Prince accounted for 26 of Haiti's 50 stories about harm, carried by 49 outlets. 16 of Port-au-Prince's 26 stories were about protests or strikes.
77 of its 309 stories (25%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Hunger was named in 25 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories). Haemorrhagic fever was named in 13 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Nablus accounted for 33 of Palestine's 53 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets. 19 of Nablus' 33 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: tropical storm in Mexico (42 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); covid in Myanmar (24 of its stories, about three times its usual); hunger in Saudi Arabia (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); haemorrhagic fever in Uganda (13 of its stories, about three times its usual); storms in Australia (16 of its stories, about three times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 12 Oct. 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 16,783 stories about harm among 83,005 counted on 12 Oct.
The news turned to Ukraine for the third day running. 20 in every 100 of the day's 83,005 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Mexico's news, mentions of tropical storm ran about 8 times their usual. On 12 October 2021, a year earlier, the share was 25 in every 100, against 20 today. Ukraine's news was 44% about people being harmed, against a usual 38%.
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 20 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 about as 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?
Unlock a year of trends, free. Follow up to 5 countries, with a bell when their news changes, and 👍 vote for Pro — ten years of the archive, any period, daily alerts.
Create a free accountSign in · a username, an email and a password.