We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
299 of its 742 stories (40%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Seoul accounted for 184 of South Korea's 299 stories about harm, carried by 389 outlets. 131 of Seoul's 184 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (90 stories).
47 of its 88 stories (53%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories). Earthquake was named in 21 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with volcanic eruption.
30 of its 41 stories (73%) were about people being harmed, usually 51%. Cetinje accounted for 28 of Montenegro's 30 stories about harm, carried by 61 outlets. Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
367 of its 1,915 stories (19%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Respiratory illness was named in 100 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks and flu. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Hypothermia was named in 16 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
31 of its 66 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 23%. Reports of arrests ran at about 4 times the usual rate (24 stories).
244 of its 921 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Accidents were named in 10 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual.
75 of its 157 stories (48%) were about people being harmed, usually 40%. Tehran accounted for 45 of Iran's 75 stories about harm, carried by 51 outlets.
Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (896 stories). Snowstorms were named in 330 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual, with plane crash.
Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: covid in Ghana (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); snowstorms in UK (108 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); snowstorms in US (330 of its stories, about 5 times its usual); accidents in Ireland (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); hypothermia in Canada (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 3 Jan. 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 16,520 stories about harm among 82,625 counted on 3 Jan.
Mentions of respiratory illness ran more than ten times their usual in China's news. of the day's 82,625 news stories, 20 in every 100 were about people being harmed, above the usual 19. South Korea stood out: 40% of its news was about people being harmed, usually 25%. On 4 January 2024, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, against 20 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 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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