We measure how the world's news covered people being harmed — and the help and hope within it.
142 of its 292 stories (49%) were about people being harmed, usually 43%. Reports of arrests ran at about three times the usual rate (16 stories). Illness was named in 29 of its stories about harm, about 5 times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's. Warmth in its coverage rose to about one and a half times its own usual.
Reports of refugees ran at about three times the usual rate (5 stories). Earthquake was named in 21 of its stories about harm, more than ten times usual. Its coverage was about one and a half times as fearful as the world's.
11 of its 11 stories (100%) were about people being harmed, usually 27%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (8 stories).
23 of its 24 stories (96%) were about people being harmed, usually 71%. Its coverage was about one and a half times as grief-stricken as the world's.
56 of its 95 stories (59%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Lusaka accounted for 33 of Zambia's 56 stories about harm, carried by 30 outlets. Reports of arrests ran at about 6 times the usual rate (32 stories).
27 of its 72 stories (38%) were about people being harmed, usually 15%. Reports of people killed ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).
205 of its 591 stories (35%) were about people being harmed, usually 22%. Reports of people injured ran at about 8 times the usual rate (69 stories).
17 of its 27 stories (63%) were about people being harmed, usually 37%. Reports of people affected ran at about twice the usual rate (6 stories).
14 of its 30 stories (47%) were about people being harmed, usually 26%. Reports of people affected ran at about three times the usual rate (8 stories).
93 of its 226 stories (41%) were about people being harmed, usually 32%. Reports of people displaced ran at about 5 times the usual rate (5 stories).
Also named far more than usual: helicopter crash in Greece (25 of its stories, more than ten times its usual); volcanic eruption in Italy (12 of its stories, about three times its usual); flooding in Nigeria (43 of its stories, about three times its usual); road crashes in France (11 of its stories, about 8 times its usual); outbreaks in UK (54 of its stories, about 5 times its usual).
Stories about people being harmed, in every 100 stories, the 30 days to 18 Aug. 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 13,212 stories about harm among 69,158 counted on 18 Aug.
Of the day's 69,158 news stories, 19 in every 100 were about people being harmed, as usual. On 18 August 2025, a year earlier, the share was 19 in every 100, 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 19 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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