We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
157 of its 187 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Bamyan accounted for 58 of Afghanistan's 157 stories about harm, carried by 79 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (63 stories). Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
49 of its 91 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. 6 of Colombo's 11 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
40 of its 47 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Reports of abductions ran at about three times the usual rate (13 stories). Flooding was named in 14 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
36 of its 116 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Illness was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
72 of its 175 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. Bishkek accounted for 70 of Kyrgyzstan's 72 stories about harm, carried by 46 outlets. 44 of Bishkek's 70 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 5 times the usual rate (23 stories).
56 of its 128 stories (44%) were about people being harmed, usually 28%. Bratislava accounted for 35 of Slovakia's 56 stories about harm, carried by 222 outlets. 24 of Bratislava's 35 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (30 stories).
101 of its 350 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. 30 of Munich's 35 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (7 stories). Flooding was named in 20 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with landslides and storms.
254 of its 360 stories (71%) were about people being harmed, usually 63%. Gaza accounted for 211 of Palestine's 254 stories about harm, carried by 285 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (39 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
20 of its 26 stories (77%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Noumea accounted for 19 of New Caledonia's 20 stories about harm, carried by 70 outlets. 16 of Noumea's 19 stories were about protests or strikes.
59 of its 126 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 35%. Reports of refugees ran at about 7 times the usual rate (6 stories). Earthquake was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Indonesia (23 of its stories, about three times its usual); illness in Ireland (29 of its stories, about three times its usual); tsunami in Taiwan (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); flooding in Germany (20 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Japan (16 of its stories, about three times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 May. 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 10,870 stories about harm among 58,849 counted on 18 May.
Of the day's 58,849 news stories, 18 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. On 19 May 2023, a year earlier, the share was 18 in every 100, the same as today.
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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