Newspapers websites are complementing their printed editions rather than stealing readers away from them, a study has found. The study kills the myth that the rise of new media has come wholly at the expense of traditional formats.

Apparently readers regard newspapers and their websites as even more absorbing, dynamic and reputable than they did two years ago. The study by industry body The News- paper Works indicates that ach format fulfilled different needs for readers. Most of those readers who use both the print and online editions  agreed that printed newspapers are a relaxing reading experience. Conversely, 80 per cent said they use newspaper websites to get a quick fix of news and information.

Although the survey's methodology did not explore how many people had given up one medium for the other, the Newspaper Works concluded that the combination of the two mediums had made newspapers more relevant and strengthened the medium.

The chief executive of The Newspaper Works, Tony Hale, said: "Newspapers have a great reputation as the trusted source of news and the medium which sets the news agenda and keeps people up to date. It's a reputation which has been enhanced by the digital age and, by evolving, newspapers have carved out a stronger and more relevant position in the modern media landscape."