We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
5,103 of its 7,159 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 64%. Jerusalem accounted for 926 of Israel's 5,103 stories about harm, carried by 1,290 outlets. Cholera was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Herat accounted for 103 of Afghanistan's 160 stories about harm, carried by 197 outlets. Hunger was named in 11 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
22 of its 38 stories (58%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. 6 of Guatemala City's 7 stories were about protests or strikes.
Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
442 of its 712 stories (62%) were about people being harmed, usually 56%. Gaza accounted for 336 of Palestine's 442 stories about harm, carried by 344 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
23 of its 89 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (8 stories).
Reports of abductions ran at about 10 times the usual rate (9 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (35 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Bangkok accounted for 42 of Thailand's 74 stories about harm, carried by 48 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (10 stories).
Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (32 stories). Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Haiti (21 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); hurricane in Mexico (21 of its stories, about three times its usual); train derailment in India (158 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); diphtheria in Nigeria (30 of its stories, about three times its usual); extreme cold in UK (11 of its stories, about 8 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 24,033 stories about harm among 117,385 counted on 12 Oct.
On the side of help, reports of people freed or reunited ran at about 4 times the usual rate. Stories about people being harmed made up 20 in every 100 of the day's 117,385 stories, above the usual 19. Abductions were reported at about 4 times the usual rate, most often about Israel and the US. For the second day running, the news turned to Israel. Haiti's news mentioned the earthquake about 6 times as often as usual.
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 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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