We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
67 of its 300 stories (22%) were about people being harmed, usually 12%. Mecca accounted for 54 of Saudi Arabia's 67 stories about harm, carried by 94 outlets. Reports of people killed ran at about 5 times the usual rate (43 stories). Heatstroke was named in 18 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with heatwave.
17 of its 20 stories (85%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Reports of arrests 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.
20 of its 29 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 48%. Tripoli accounted for 17 of Libya's 20 stories about harm, carried by 29 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
66 of Beijing's 119 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of evacuations ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories). Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
52 of its 149 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people affected ran at about 4 times the usual rate (13 stories). Illness was named in 31 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
Moscow accounted for 133 of Russia's 222 stories about harm, carried by 203 outlets. Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (24 stories). Outbreaks were named in 33 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with respiratory illness. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Reports of arrests ran at about twice the usual rate (44 stories). Earthquake was named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about twice as fearful as the world's.
10 of its 15 stories (67%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (6 stories).
22 of its 32 stories (69%) were about people being harmed, usually 41%. Reports of people displaced ran at about twice the usual rate (9 stories).
Also named far more than usual: illness in Norway (31 of its stories, about three times its usual); covid in Indonesia (10 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); earthquake in Pakistan (29 of its stories, about 6 times its usual); house fires in Ireland (17 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); storms in New Zealand (11 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 Jun. 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 17,449 stories about harm among 94,998 counted on 4 Jun.
Saudi Arabia's news mentioned the heatstroke more than ten times as often as usual. 18 in every 100 of the day's 94,998 news stories were about people being harmed, as usual. In Saudi Arabia, 22% of the news was about people being harmed, where 12% is usual. On 4 June 2024, a year earlier, the share was 17 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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