We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
22 of its 42 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Kigali accounted for 19 of Rwanda's 22 stories about harm, carried by 32 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
41 of its 114 stories (36%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. 11 of Santiago's 22 stories were about protests or strikes. Earthquake was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with tsunami. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
82 of its 341 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 6 times the usual rate (5 stories). Cyclone was named in 36 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with flooding and heavy rain. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
143 of its 382 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (21 stories). Illness was named in 65 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual.
33 of its 49 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 57%. 8 of Yangon's 14 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (6 stories). Illness was named in 10 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
160 of its 395 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 30%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (80 stories). Flooding was named in 78 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with heavy rain and drownings.
10 of its 30 stories (33%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. 3 of Sitra's 3 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories).
Kyiv accounted for 167 of Ukraine's 357 stories about harm, carried by 253 outlets. Covid was named in 47 of its stories about harm, about three times usual. 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.
12 of its 23 stories (52%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Volcanic eruption was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
11 of its 14 stories (79%) were about people being harmed, usually 46%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: flooding in Greece (78 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); hurricane in Bahamas (26 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); tuberculosis in Vietnam (37 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Tonga (12 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Myanmar (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 7 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 20,497 stories about harm among 118,549 counted on 7 Sep.
The share of stories about people being harmed was the lowest since 20 May 2023. 17 in every 100 of the day's 118,549 news stories were about people being harmed, below the usual 19. Reports of people falling ill ran at about twice the usual rate, most often about Türkiye and the US. Greece's news mentioned flooding about 7 times as often as usual. A year earlier, on 7 September 2022, 21 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 17 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 17 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 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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