In order to determine if media dependency has effects on audience members, a study was conducted among 460 randomly chosen household heads in Syracuse, New York. The respondents were asked to answer questions designed to measure media dependency in terms of use and of reliance on the various media. The questionnaire included a measure of audience evaluation of national and local government. There is some evidence that persons dependent on newspapers were more favorably inclined toward local government than persons not newspaper dependent. Analysis of the responses to additional questions shows that media dependency is related to perception of media credibility. Systematic analysis of the public affairs materials of the various media is needed to determine exactly what it is that produces the media dependency effects. (Six tables are included.) (JF)