How consumers use media has always been an interesting topic. However, it never really got the attention of those at the top of newspaper organizations. One of the better studies was this one:
The Center for Media Design at Ball State University conducted the Middletown Media Studies in 2003-2004. These investigations tracked the ways in which ordinary Americans residing in and around Muncie engage with the many new forms of media available in the twentieth century. More details are available in the CMD Reports and White Papers listing.
Here’s a copy of a paper about the study in the International Digital Media & Arts Association Journalism from Spring 2004.
Here’s a link to Ball State’s documents about the project.