The Ergonomics of Reading

The last ten to fifteen years have presented one of the most challenging periods for the printing industry. In less than 10 years, the way people consume news has changed faster and more radically than ever in the history of news. The influence of the internet, and the spread of new gadgets such as palmtops, multifunctional mobile phones and ever-shrinking laptops, has drawn a large question mark on the future of the printed daily. Clearly, the TV and the radio still play an important role in the way that people absorb information. However, newspapers are no longer the sole providers of written news, and increasingly face stronger, faster and more modern competitors under the big umbrella of the Internet.