We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
40 of its 50 stories (80%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Port-au-Prince accounted for 27 of Haiti's 40 stories about harm, carried by 57 outlets. 14 of Port-au-Prince's 27 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people injured ran at about 6 times the usual rate (19 stories). Earthquake was named in 22 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
360 of its 770 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 31%. Moscow accounted for 292 of Russia's 360 stories about harm, carried by 693 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (10 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
68 of its 98 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Bucharest accounted for 63 of Romania's 68 stories about harm, carried by 84 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (24 stories).
31 of its 46 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. the Gulf of Mexico accounted for 20 of Cuba's 31 stories about harm, carried by 18 outlets. Tropical storm was named in 24 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with storms.
95 of its 215 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Idalia accounted for 55 of Mexico's 95 stories about harm, carried by 232 outlets. Tropical storm was named in 69 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with storms, cyclone and landslides.
390 of its 1,740 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (124 stories). Helicopter crash was named in 67 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
23 of its 28 stories (82%) were about people being harmed, usually 65%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 4 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
114 of its 355 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Harare accounted for 75 of Zimbabwe's 114 stories about harm, carried by 337 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.
41 of its 63 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Outbreaks were named in 35 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
89 of its 210 stories (42%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (48 stories).
Also named far more than usual: tropical storm in Mexico (69 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in North Korea (35 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in Philippines (25 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); helicopter crash in Australia (67 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); road crashes in Ireland (15 of its stories, about three times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 27 Aug. 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 10,402 stories about harm among 52,636 counted on 27 Aug.
Mentions of tropical storm ran about 4 times their usual in Mexico's news. of the day's 52,636 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Haiti stood out: 80% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 51%. A year earlier, on 27 August 2022, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 20 today. This week the news turned most often to Russia, on 3 of 7 days.
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 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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