We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
328 of its 721 stories (45%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Porticello accounted for 219 of Italy's 328 stories about harm, carried by 514 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 7 times the usual rate (245 stories). Hurricane was named in 33 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
93 of its 270 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (32 stories). Outbreaks were named in 31 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
62 of its 195 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 10%. Bucharest accounted for 52 of Romania's 62 stories about harm, carried by 96 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at more than ten times the usual rate (39 stories).
Vienna accounted for 105 of Austria's 113 stories about harm, carried by 335 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about three times as fearful as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
23 of its 36 stories (64%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. the Red Sea accounted for 23 of Djibouti's 23 stories about harm, carried by 32 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about 6 times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
31 of its 106 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 20%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Outbreaks were named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual.
30 of its 94 stories (32%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (13 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Philippine accounted for 133 of the Philippines' 201 stories about harm, carried by 22 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (29 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
15 of its 16 stories (94%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (6 stories).
14 of its 26 stories (54%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories).
Also named far more than usual: flooding in Bangladesh (102 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); outbreaks in Denmark (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); flooding in Ireland (34 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); covid in Taiwan (10 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); volcanic eruption in New Zealand (19 of its stories, more than ten times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 22 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 18,448 stories about harm among 102,839 counted on 22 Aug.
For the fourth day running, the news turned to Italy. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 102,839 stories, as usual. Italy's news was 45% about people being harmed, against a usual 19%. On 23 August 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.
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 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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