Connect Insight will carry out a series of focus groups and in-depth interviews, which will include web-surfing sessions, and is expected to release the results by the end of February.

The study will examine the use of different areas of local news websites, such as videos, blogs and podcasts as well as looking into how local media fits in with the larger online media landscape.

The study, called The Wanted Ads Digital, will complement the Locally Connected planning tool that the Newspaper Society launched in November.

Keith Donaldson, the Newspaper Society’s head of research and insight, said: “Locally Connected has enabled us to see and quantify the unduplicated reach that local media websites add to the print product. Building on this, The Wanted Ads Digital will provide valuable insights into why people log on to their local media websites as opposed to any other news outlets, and how they can use them.”

Connect Insight was one of three companies to apply for the contract.