Article

The typographic characteristics of the body text in Spanish digital newspapers

Received: 08-05-2018 – Accepted: 20-06-2018

https://doi.org/10.26441/RC17.2-2018-A11

Abstract

Legibility is a decisive factor to optimize the usability of digital newspapers. In order to achieve this goal and to improve the understanding of the message, it is essential to consider the typographic features of the news body text. Through a quantitative method, this study tries to analyze whether, as seen in print press, Spanish online journals show significant standards in the design of this element, both on desktop and smartphone. The investigation is completed with an analysis of the adaptive strategies of each publication by comparing the visual properties of the body text in these two devices. The research concludes that there is a subtle homogeneity in the typographic characteristics of the body text and important differ-ences in the responsive methods of these publications.

Keywords

legibility; typography; digital newspapers; body text; responsive design.

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References

Fernando Suárez-Carballo es Doctor en Comunicación por la Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca (España) y Profesor Titular de Dirección de Arte en la Facultad de Comunicación de la misma universidad. fsuarezca@upsa.es, http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7498-6595

Juan-Ramón Martín-Sanromán es Doctor en Comunicación por la Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca (España) y profesor encargado de cátedra de la asignatura Diseño Periodístico en la Facultad de Comunicación de la misma universidad. jrmartinsa@upsa.es, http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1998-4591

Fernando Galindo-Rubio es Doctor en Comunicación por la Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca y Profesor Titular de Tecnología de la Comunicación en la Facultad de Comunicación de la misma universidad. fgalindoru@upsa.es http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6203-6998