A visual convergence of print, television, and the internet: charting 40 years of design change in news presentation

Changes in the visual presentation of news media provide insight into the complex, dynamic relationships that exist between print, television, and the internet. This study explores the longitudinal visual development of five major newspapers, seven network and cable news programs, and twelve news websites by examining the progression of structural and graphic design elements that contribute to the trend of ‘scannable’ information presentation. The analysis is broken down by decade, beginning in 1960 and ending in 2002, and the findings indicate that a visual convergence of media has become more pronounced over the decades as the acceleration of information has increased over time. Implications of this study regarding interdisciplinary research are explored and future research avenues are discussed in the conclusion.