A study was conducted to determine (1) if the gratifications sought and obtained model were applicable to local television news viewing, and (2) if the scales constructed from factor analyses of gratifications sought and obtained could predict television news viewing. The focus of the study was a new television station in central Illinois that offered itself as an alternative to commercial television and promised to feature religious and family programs. Prior to the station's broadcast debut, approximately 300 residents of the area were surveyed to ascertain their media use habits, opinions of commercial television, and demographics. The dependent measure was the perceived need for the proposed station in terms of its religious and family programs. A second survey took place following the station's debut, with approximately 250 respondents supplying data concerning gratifications served by the news offered by the station. Data were gathered relating to their gratifications sought from news in general, and from the stations' news in particular. Results revealed that respondents thought there was a need for the station, but that its programing did not meet that need. News viewers were similar to general viewers in their opinions. Findings suggest that the gratifications sought and obtained model is not applicable to local news viewing and that gratifications sought and obtained are not valid predictors of news viewing behavior in general. (FL)