We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
22 of its 24 stories (92%) were about people being harmed, usually 54%. the Congo River accounted for 15 of Congo's 22 stories about harm, carried by 25 outlets. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (18 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Kathmandu accounted for 110 of Nepal's 136 stories about harm, carried by 201 outlets. 101 of Kathmandu's 110 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
6 of its 7 stories (86%) were about people being harmed, usually 21%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).
Doha accounted for 57 of Qatar's 58 stories about harm, carried by 75 outlets. Its coverage was about one and a half times as angry as the world's.
52 of its 220 stories (24%) were about people being harmed, usually 17%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories).
Reports of people killed ran at about three times the usual rate (7 stories). Grief in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Reports of people displaced ran at about 6 times the usual rate (36 stories). Outbreaks were named in 15 of its stories about harm, about three times usual.
12 of Melbourne's 22 stories were about protests or strikes. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
119 of London's 209 stories were about protests or strikes. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Kabul accounted for 43 of Afghanistan's 64 stories about harm, carried by 76 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (14 stories).
Also named far more than usual: earthquake in Japan (19 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); outbreaks in Canada (16 of its stories, about three times its usual); outbreaks in India (15 of its stories, about three times its usual); tsunami in US (31 of its stories, about 4 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 13 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 9,589 stories about harm among 49,402 counted on 13 Sep.
In Japan's news, mentions of the earthquake ran about 4 times their usual. Stories about people being harmed made up 19 in every 100 of the day's 49,402 stories, as usual. Congo's news was 92% about people being harmed, against a usual 54%. A year earlier, on 13 September 2024, 18 in every 100 stories were about people being harmed, against 19 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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