RUSSIA
UKRAINE
WAR
How has the global media covered the war in Ukraine?
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, initiating the largest military mobilization in Europe since World War II. The effects of this invasion have been felt around the world and media coverage has been influential in shaping public opinion surrounding it.
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM ANALYZING GLOBAL MEDIA?
This analysis seeks to deconstruct regional biases and trends that influence news coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war. Through the following interactive visualizations, we unpack online news and broadcast media coverage of the war from various geographical locations worldwide.
Data for this study was sourced from the GDELT project, which “monitors the world's news media from nearly every corner of every country in print, broadcast, and web formats, in over 100 languages, every moment of every day.”
EXPLORING THE GLOBAL ONLINE NEWS COVERAGE
Let’s delve into how the online news cycle covering Ukraine has changed since the beginning of the war and understand which regions have had the highest frequency of news covering Ukraine.
A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE GLOBAL ONLINE NEWS COVERAGE
How often is Ukraine mentioned in online news since January 2022?
UNDERSTANDING THE TRENDS IN NEWS COVERAGE
Let's dig deeper and explore how critical events in the war influenced the volume of online news coverage of Ukraine.
PERCENT OF GLOBAL NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT UKRAINE
How often is 'Ukraine' mentioned in online media globally since January 2022?
This chart looks specifically at broadcast news data and the percent of airtime dedicated to the coverage of topics surrounding Ukraine.
Relevant Events
HOW DO TELEVISION NEWS NETWORKS DIFFER IN THEIR COVERAGE OF THE WAR?
Television news coverage differs between news outlets. We looked at the airtime volume dedicated to covering the war across seven major news channels, including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, BBC, Russia Today, Al-Jazeera, and DW News. In the chart below we see that the percentage of airtime dedicated to topics concerning the Russia-Ukraine war shifted across time based on network.
NEWS COVERAGE BY VARIOUS TV CHANNELS
VIDEOS
Here you can explore snippets of coverage from the different news channels broadcasted on February 24th.
Russia Today
BBC News
FOX News
CNN
MSNBC
Deutsche Welle
Al Jazeera
GLOBAL ISSUES SURROUNDING THE WAR
The war in Ukraine has had impacts on issues around the globe. Let’s explore how the media covered different issues concerning the war as the conflict developed.
RELEVANT UKRAINE TOPICS
What is the media focusing on when talking about Ukraine?
HOW DOES THE TONE OF ARTICLES VARY ACROSS TIME?
News coverage varies not only in quantity but also in tone. Both factors might affect overall attitudes and sentiments toward the war. Using sentiment analysis, we looked at the relative strength of negative tone in articles about the war.
TONE BY COUNTRY OVER TIME
How negatively, on average, do articles from different countries talk about the Russia-Ukraine war?
Click the play button
BRINGING IT BACK TO WHY THIS MATTERS
We have seen how news coverage varies across media outlets, countries, and time. These patterns inevitably affect our perceptions of the “truth.” What we read on the news was someone’s choice: it’s a product of opinion, geopolitical context, and potentially much more. The information doesn’t necessarily reflect the priorities of victims on the ground.
WAR CASUALTIES VS NEWS COVERAGE
Has the trend in online news coverage correlated with the death toll?
This chart highlights the gap between what gets covered in the media and the ground reality of the victims of war, a tragedy that is less emphasized by the media.
Click and drag on the chart to view the total number of casualties within a selected time period.
A HUMAN TOLL
Ultimately, news media outlets are in the business of informing the public about current events. In translating facts into articles, journalists imbue content with opinions informed by national priorities. Our analysis of news coverage has helped us gain greater insight into when facts are communicated, and more importantly how they are communicated.
Here are some ways you can help those affected by the war:
IRC: Help Families Survive Winter in UkraineUNICEF: Help Children Around the World
Ukraine Humanitarian Fund
AUTHORS
STEVEN MORSE
ANA MERLA
