We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
351 of its 718 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 24%. Johannesburg accounted for 210 of South Africa's 351 stories about harm, carried by 374 outlets. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (45 stories). Haemorrhagic fever was named in 70 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
161 of its 554 stories (29%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people injured ran at more than ten times the usual rate (63 stories). Its coverage was about twice as grief-stricken as the world's. Anger in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
127 of its 493 stories (26%) were about people being harmed, usually 19%. Reports of evacuations ran at about 6 times the usual rate (9 stories). Volcanic eruption was named in 23 of its stories about harm, about 7 times usual, with earthquake.
Beirut accounted for 25 of Lebanon's 50 stories about harm, carried by 21 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories). Its coverage was about twice as angry as the world's.
54 of its 57 stories (95%) were about people being harmed, usually 25%. Praia accounted for 38 of Cape Verde's 54 stories about harm, carried by 134 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Fear in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
45 of its 80 stories (56%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Ushuaia accounted for 23 of Argentina's 45 stories about harm, carried by 25 outlets. Reports of evacuations ran at more than ten times the usual rate (12 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
53 of its 169 stories (31%) were about people being harmed, usually 16%. Reports of people falling ill ran at more than ten times the usual rate (5 stories). Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
Reports of abductions ran at about twice the usual rate (5 stories). Heatwave was named in 12 of its stories about harm, about 8 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
Reports of evacuations ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories). Storms were named in 13 of its stories about harm, about three times usual, with flu. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
24 of its 42 stories (57%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people injured ran at about three times the usual rate (15 stories).
Also named far more than usual: flooding in Kenya (16 of its stories, about 4 times its usual); volcanic eruption in Japan (14 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); earthquake in Mexico (10 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); heatwave in Pakistan (12 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); flu in Canada (13 of its stories, about 6 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 4 May. 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 11,530 stories about harm among 68,421 counted on 4 May.
Mentions of haemorrhagic fever ran more than ten times their usual in South Africa's news. of the day's 68,421 news stories, 17 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. Reports of aid and relief, a sign of help, ran at about one and a half times the usual rate. Evacuations were reported at about three times the usual rate, most often about South Africa and the US. For the second day running, the news turned to South Africa.
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 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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