Improving the Digital Presentation of Conflict Reporting

How advertising placement, hyperlinks and visual storytelling affect readers’ understanding of international conflict news.

Figure 1. Screenshot of the BBC News website layout used in conflict reporting. Source: BBC News (2026), screenshot by author.

The BBC report “Thousands attend funeral after killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader” covers a key geopolitical event, but its digital presentation has flaws that could be improved to enhance reader comprehension and ethical storytelling.

Advertising and emotional tone

First, the placement of commercial advertising raises concerns. As shown in Figure 2, an advertisement appears directly below an emotionally sensitive image of mourners. In digital journalism, layout decisions can influence how audiences interpret the tone of a story. As Bradshaw (2023) explains, online journalism must balance commercial pressures with editorial integrity.

Figure 2. Screenshot illustrating the placement of a commercial advertisement immediately below an emotionally sensitive image in the BBC article on the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader. Source: BBC News (2026), screenshot by author.

Hyperlinks and digital storytelling

Second, the article makes limited use of hypertextual storytelling. Digital journalism allows readers to explore background context through links to related reporting or explanatory material. Eldridge, Franklin and Eldridge (2017) argue that hyperlinks are central to online journalism because they connect readers to deeper layers of information.

Visual context in conflict reporting

Third, the story could benefit from stronger visual storytelling. Maps or timelines are widely used in digital news to explain complex conflicts and help readers quickly understand the sequence of events.

Figure 2. Map showing confirmed strike locations across Iran. Source: BBC Verify, BBC Persian, ISW and AEI-CTP (2026).

Finally, the article could also include multimedia explainers. Short videos can summarise complex geopolitical developments and provide accessible background context. According to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism Digital News Report (2024), audiences increasingly expect visual and multimedia storytelling in online news.

Example of multimedia explainer

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References

Bradshaw, P. 2023, The Online Journalism Handbook: Skills to Survive and Thrive in the Digital Age, 3rd edn, Routledge.

Eldridge, S.A., Franklin, B. & Eldridge, S.A. 2017, The Routledge Companion to Digital Journalism Studies, Routledge.

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism 2024, Digital News Report 2024, viewed 11 March 2026, https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2024.

BBC News 2026, Thousands attend funeral after killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, viewed 11 March 2026, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c178z0p902vo.