This thesis is a study in the change of the use of audiovisual elements between the 1991 Gulf War news coverage and the 2003 Iraq War news coverage. The purpose of this study was to analyze audiovisual elements in war coverage from the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq War in order to better understand critics' complaints that the news coverage of the 2003 Iraq War was sensationalized through the use of techniques more commonly associated with the entertainment industry. Specifically, this paper examines the use of descriptions, parasocial relationships, sound effects, music, and superimposed graphics to understand how war coverage has changed between the two wars. The results indicate that portions of the substantive content of the news coverage have been replaced with superficial content.