We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
314 of its 400 stories (78%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Lisbon accounted for 303 of Portugal's 314 stories about harm, carried by 594 outlets. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (257 stories). Train derailment was named in 196 of its stories about harm, about 4 times usual, with flu. Its coverage was about three times as grief-stricken as the world's.
98 of its 250 stories (39%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Jakarta accounted for 58 of Indonesia's 98 stories about harm, carried by 58 outlets. 45 of Jakarta's 58 stories were about protests or strikes. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (50 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
21 of its 25 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 42%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (20 stories). Ebola was named in 19 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual, with outbreaks.
83 of its 150 stories (55%) were about people being harmed, usually 38%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (53 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's. Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
198 of its 236 stories (84%) were about people being harmed, usually 62%. Jalalabad accounted for 67 of Afghanistan's 198 stories about harm, carried by 142 outlets. Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (35 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
84 of its 134 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 55%. Jammu accounted for 48 of Kashmir's 84 stories about harm, carried by 27 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (11 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
28 of its 40 stories (70%) were about people being harmed, usually 53%. Port-au-Prince accounted for 24 of Haiti's 28 stories about harm, carried by 136 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as warm as the world's.
184 of its 914 stories (20%) were about people being harmed, usually 13%. Reports of people killed ran at about 4 times the usual rate (137 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's.
Reports of people displaced ran at about three times the usual rate (29 stories). Earthquake was named in 17 of its stories about harm, about 6 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
32 of its 51 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 33%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Also named far more than usual: ebola in Congo (22 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); landslides in Sudan (22 of its stories, about three times its usual); hurricane in Mexico (32 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); illness in Brazil (18 of its stories, about three times its usual); covid in Ireland (20 of its stories, about three times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 Sep. 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 17,231 stories about harm among 96,313 counted on 4 Sep.
In Portugal, 78% of the news was about people being harmed, where 22% is usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 18 in every 100 of the day's 96,313 stories, as usual. Help and hope: reports of vaccination ran at about twice the usual rate. For the second day running, the news turned to Portugal. A year earlier, on 4 September 2024, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, 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 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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