We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
42 of its 94 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Kathmandu accounted for 35 of Nepal's 42 stories about harm, carried by 69 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 10 times the usual rate (16 stories). Poisoning was named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about twice its own usual.
116 of its 228 stories (51%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Tehran accounted for 55 of Iran's 116 stories about harm, carried by 108 outlets. 39 of Tehran's 55 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
65 of its 151 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (33 stories). Storms were named in 21 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
Sanaa accounted for 15 of Yemen's 20 stories about harm, carried by 56 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
107 of its 301 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (41 stories). Flooding was named in 38 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with drownings.
520 of its 1,841 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (31 stories). Snowstorms were named in 52 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with extreme cold, storms and hypothermia.
31 of its 52 stories (60%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of arrests ran at about 9 times the usual rate (19 stories).
5 of its 10 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (5 stories).
30 of its 51 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Kigali accounted for 20 of Rwanda's 30 stories about harm, carried by 40 outlets.
Respiratory illness was named in 41 of its stories about harm, about 9 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: flooding in Malaysia (38 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); covid in Indonesia (16 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Israel (30 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); snowstorms in US (634 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); snowstorms in Canada (52 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 Dec. 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 15,275 stories about harm among 74,671 counted on 21 Dec.
Mentions of flooding ran about 4 times their usual in Malaysia's news. of the day's 74,671 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 19. A year earlier, on 21 December 2021, 27 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 today. Nepal's news was 45% about people being harmed, against a usual 26%.
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 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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