We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
77 of its 287 stories (27%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Mecca accounted for 60 of Saudi Arabia's 77 stories about harm, carried by 125 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at more than ten times the usual rate (16 stories). Covid was named in 45 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with flooding and storms.
119 of its 166 stories (72%) were about people being harmed, usually 61%. Jenin accounted for 55 of Palestine's 119 stories about harm, carried by 47 outlets. 28 of Jenin's 55 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
150 of its 345 stories (43%) were about people being harmed, usually 36%. Jerusalem accounted for 71 of Israel's 150 stories about harm, carried by 74 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about 4 times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
32 of its 69 stories (46%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Freetown accounted for 28 of Sierra Leone's 32 stories about harm, carried by 25 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories).
442 of its 1,600 stories (28%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (15 stories). Polio was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.
345 of its 1,553 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of refugees ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories). Gas explosion was named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with heatwave and heatstroke.
Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (43 stories). Drownings were named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (287 stories). Helicopter crash was named in 17 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.
Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (20 stories). Flu was named in 19 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual, with earthquake and bird flu. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
37 of its 66 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Heavy rain was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
Also named far more than usual: hunger in Somalia (22 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); tropical storm in Belize (14 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); heavy rain in Barbados (12 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); drownings in Spain (12 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flu in Vietnam (19 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 23 Jun. 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 20,757 stories about harm among 111,785 counted on 23 Jun.
In Saudi Arabia's news, mentions of Covid ran about 4 times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 19 in every 100 of the day's 111,785 stories, as usual. Saudi Arabia's news was 27% about people being harmed, against a usual 14%. On 23 June 2022, a year earlier, the share was 21 in every 100, against 19 today.
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 19 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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