The 20th century was the century of mass media. Newspapers, radio, television and the internet have shaped media communication. Books have faced increasing competition from other media. At the dawn of the 21st century, a booming book market stands in contrast to a wave of digitalisation and virtualisation across all media. Digital media offer content in an interactive and richly designed format. Texts, videos, audio elements, graphics and images are integrated. Texts can be disseminated, shared and discussed via social media. Algorithms on the internet enable tailored experiences for all readers. They can access the information they need with just a few clicks and do not have to leaf through a book or a newspaper.