Ethiopia and Eritrea were one country until the latter gained independence in 1993, with Ethiopia's blessing.

Eritrea broadcasts a patriotic poem (in Tigrigna)

Both countries have a long tradition of operating clandestine and unofficial radio stations, as well as being targeted by them.

Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, the official national broadcaster in Eritrea, used to broadcast on behalf of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front, the victorious liberation movement.

Ethiopian troops head to the front

Before the latest fighting, Ethiopian and Eritrea were also the targets of radio broadcasts from abroad by various factions opposed to their respective governments.

Three separate anti-Eritrean stations, for example, are believed to all use the same transmitter in Sudan.

At the beginning of February a new anti-Eritrean station calling itself "Voice of Peace and Democracy of Eritrea" was intercepted broadcasting on the same shortwave frequencies used by the state broadcaster in Tigray region in northern Ethiopia.

Power of the spoken word

In the Horn of Africa, where oral traditions are still strong and where the spoken word, rather than the written word, has deep emotive power, radio and TV can be powerful media in the hands of governments keen to rally public support.

Ethiopian children in a town near the front line

Both sides have used the airwaves to lambast each other, and the Internet to promote the justice of their cause to a global audience.

Both the Ethiopian and Eritrean state radios have extended their broadcasting hours, added new language services and interspersed their programmes with lengthy musical interludes, especially of patriotic and martial music, poetry and messages of congratulations from the public.

Eritrean state radio replaced its normal broadcasts with long programmes of patriotic songs and messages of congratulations interspersed with brief news items broadcast in different languages - Tigrigna, Arabic, Tigre, all the local vernaculars and even English, a practice adopted by the radio at times of crisis.

Ethiopian singer rallies the troops (in Amharic)

Ethiopian TV has shown video clips of well-known musicians and poets in morale-boosting tours of the war fronts, singing and reciting battle songs and poetry that often have deep historical resonance.

Eritrean radio, meanwhile, called for a repeat of Eritrea's previous victory over its Ethiopian rulers. A patriotic poem, broadcast on 10th February, said in part: "Oppress the fool if he is drunk with aggression, remind him of the past, if he would like to end his reign..."

War of words on the Internet

Pan-African Internet news sites such as Africa News Online (www.africanews.org) carry daily statements by officials from both warring countries.

Ethiopia offers audio recordings of press briefings held at its Washington embassy via the latter's web site, www.tidalwave.net/ethiopia

Another site, Eritrea Online (www.primenet.com/ephrem), as well as carrying official statements, contains up-to-date photos from the frontlines, analysis, and statements by humanitarian groups involved in trying to end the fighting.

The battle for the hearts, minds and pockets of the large Ethiopian and Eritrean exile communities has also led to a spate of fake e-mails and postings aimed at spreading disinformation and sapping the opponents' morale.