We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
353 of its 758 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Porticello accounted for 263 of Italy's 353 stories about harm, carried by 520 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 6 times the usual rate (185 stories). Accidents were named in 51 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
96 of its 453 stories (21%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (42 stories). Flu was named in 15 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
93 of its 245 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 8%. Bucharest accounted for 79 of Romania's 93 stories about harm, carried by 186 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (18 stories).
35 of its 59 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (7 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.
164 of its 291 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Reports of people injured ran at about 7 times the usual rate (69 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
56 of its 95 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 49%. Reports of people injured ran at about twice the usual rate (35 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (19 stories). Illness was named in 33 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
182 of Kolkata's 251 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people falling ill ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
Philippine accounted for 143 of the Philippines' 227 stories about harm, carried by 33 outlets. Volcanic eruption was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
28 of Dhaka's 40 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (26 stories). Flooding was named in 20 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
Also named far more than usual: illness in Thailand (33 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); flooding in Bangladesh (20 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); storms in Ireland (13 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); volcanic eruption in Philippines (12 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); house fires in UK (55 of its stories, about 8 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 18,398 stories about harm among 102,900 counted on 21 Aug.
It was the third day running that the news turned to Italy. of the day's 102,900 news stories, 18 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Italy stood out: 47% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 17%. Mentions of flooding ran about 4 times their usual in Bangladesh's news. On 22 August 2023, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 18 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 18 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 about as 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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