We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
51 of its 148 stories (34%) were about people being harmed, usually 18%. the Panama Canal accounted for 50 of Panama's 51 stories about harm, carried by 105 outlets. 26 of the Panama Canal's 50 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people affected ran at about 5 times the usual rate (9 stories). Covid was named in 12 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with hurricane and wildfires.
293 of its 453 stories (65%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Kartal accounted for 114 of Türkiye's 293 stories about harm, carried by 443 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (19 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
38 of its 69 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Kagera accounted for 20 of Tanzania's 38 stories about harm, carried by 26 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (27 stories). Ebola was named in 18 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
36 of its 66 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 29%. Catatumbo accounted for 21 of Colombia's 36 stories about harm, carried by 36 outlets. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (16 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
117 of its 198 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 44%. Kabul accounted for 63 of Afghanistan's 117 stories about harm, carried by 387 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 7 times the usual rate (72 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
96 of its 261 stories (37%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (28 stories). Flooding was named in 36 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.
95 of its 249 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 14%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (45 stories). Earthquake was named in 73 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual.
33 of its 143 stories (23%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
21 of its 42 stories (50%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (8 stories).
25 of its 44 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (9 stories).
Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Taiwan (73 of its stories, about 7 times its usual); flooding in Indonesia (36 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); flooding in Sri Lanka (11 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); extreme cold in Canada (47 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); wildfires in France (15 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 21 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 19,700 stories about harm among 99,500 counted on 21 Jan.
20 in every 100 of the day's 99,500 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. On 22 January 2024, a year earlier, the share was 18 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 much 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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