If you’re thinking about cutting the cord from traditional cable or satellite TV, you may be wondering how you can still watch your local channels in 2022.
Thankfully, paying gobs of money for a cable subscription is not the only way to access your local ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS affiliates.
In this article, I’ll explore some cost-effective solutions for getting the local news, sports and network TV shows that you enjoy on your local channels:
Antenna
Live TV Streaming Service
Video Streaming Service
Amazon News and NewsON
Individual Network Apps
Option 1: Buy an Antenna
If you live in an urban or suburban setting, the simplest method for maintaining access to your local channels may be the one-time purchase of an indoor antenna.
Antennas are relatively cost-effective and provide free access to local channels broadcasting in your area.
But the quality of access to these channels is directly correlated to the power of your antenna and your distance from the towers of your local TV stations.
If you live near the stations you’re trying to get, you may need an antenna that reaches only 30-50 miles.
Mohu Leaf, which is one of the top-rated antenna brands for cord-cutters, offers a “metro” antenna for less than $25 through Amazon. It has a 25-mile range.
If you live in a more rural setting (at least 100 miles from the towers for your local channels), you’ll probably need a long-range antenna.
Amazon offers an antenna from XFTREE touting a 200-mile reach for less than $30. With more than 1,400 reviews, it had a four-star rating in May 2022.
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Aside from the cost, your main concern in a rural area is the quality of your reception.
You’ll have to worry about potential interruptions in your signal that could come from both the surrounding terrain and interfering signals from other towers.
If you need help picking out an indoor antenna, money expert Clark Howard has you covered with this instructional video.
Option 2: Subscribe to a Live TV Streaming Service
If you’re cutting the cord from traditional cable but still want to watch most of your favorite TV channels, you’re likely considering a live TV streaming service.
Many — but not all — of these services offer at least some of your local channels with your subscription.
YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV both tout access to some local channels included with their subscriptions, but the cost may be prohibitive for some. YouTube TV starts at $65 per month and Hulu + Live TV is now $70 per month.
This isn’t the cheapest solution, but it may end up being the most effective for you.
I searched my ZIP code on YouTube TV’s site and found that it carries my local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS channels and more.
But not all live TV streaming services will be this thorough.
Sling TV, which is a popular live TV streaming choice because of its $35 monthly fee, offers access only to NBC and FOX affiliates in select markets.
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And value service Philo, which offers more than 60 channels for just $25, does not carry local channels at all.
Option 3: Get What You Need From Video Streaming Services
This is a growing option for accessing content from local channels.
If you’re not keen on buying an antenna or paying for one of the live TV streaming services, you may be able to get what you need from a video streaming service.
ViacomCBS service Paramount+ (starting at $4.99 per month) and NBC’s Peaco*ck ($4.99 per month) are two relatively new players in this field. And they both offer local channel content at a fraction of the cost of a live streaming subscription.
Paramount+ includes a live stream of your local CBS affiliate with its Premium subscription package ($9.99 per month). But you can get on-demand streams of CBS content with the Essential package ($4.99) as well as some live content like NFL on CBS broadcasts. For many shows, such as 60 Minutes or NCIS, new content is often available for streaming within 24 hours of its live TV airing.
Peaco*ck offers on-demand streaming of NBC shows, including Saturday Night Live, shortly after they air. It has a live streaming section for NBC content, but it’s not the local channel.
In 2022, Peaco*ck streamed big events, including the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics, live alongside traditional television broadcasts, which made it a great cost-saving option for viewing these events.
Hulu’s on-demand service ($6.99) also makes network TV content available for on-demand consumption shortly after broadcast airing.
Option 4: Try Freebie Services Such as Amazon News and NewsON
If it’s local news you’re after, you may be able to get by with some of the programming from emerging free streaming services.
Amazon News is the latest of these to offer free news updates from local channels in 158 U.S. markets.
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To access this feature, you’ll need the Amazon News app that is located on the Fire TV streaming devices.
Once you’re on the app, you’ll be able to choose from a menu of local channel newsfeeds. Typically, you’re offered the channels that are closest to your location.
In my case, I was able to get news and weather from my local CBS affiliate for free.
Keep in mind that this is not actually a live stream of the channel’s over-the-air broadcasts. Instead, it’s highlights and clips from newscasts and other local programming.
If you’re unable to access Amazon News on your device, there is a similarly interesting option called NewsON that touts access to more than 275 local news sources across the country.
Option 5: Access Content via Individual Network Apps and Websites
My final suggestion for accessing local channel content without cable is to simply go straight to the source on the internet.
Here’s a quick list of links for the network-level apps for your local channels:
Many times you can watch free (but ad-supported) on-demand replays of your favorite shows from the networks.
And your local network affiliates may have their own apps or websites that offer clips, streams, articles and highlights from locally-produced programming.
So, in tandem with the national apps, you may be able to create a workable free content mix from your local channel without paying for anything.
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Final Thoughts
Many streamers have been in search of new sources for their local channels since Locast ceased operations in 2021. The good news is that there are several viable alternatives.
For many people, the only way to fully recreate the local channel experience that you get from cable is to sign up for a live TV streaming service.
However, the most cost-effective way to get this done is with an antenna.
If it’s just the content that you’re after and you don’t care when or how you come by it, you may be able to save some money and stress by sticking to the free content offered on apps.
How do you watch local channels for free? Let us know in our Clark.com Community!
More Clark.com Content You May Like:
How To Cut the Cord and Never Pay for Cable TV Again
Best Free Streaming Services: Movies and TV for Cord Cutters
Streaming TV Comparison: Which Service Has the Best Channel Lineup?
Some Smart TV owners are outside the range of local broadcast towers and can't use a TV antenna. You can try a live TV streaming service such as DIRECTV STREAM, Sling TV, fubo, Hulu Live TV or YouTube TV to get local channels such as NBC.
With LocalBTV, you can watch local TV stations on your smartphone or laptop, or by streaming to your TV —simply launch and you're live! LocalBTV is available in {{}} US markets with more coming soon!
Sling TV. With plans starting at just $30/mo., Sling TV offers the cheapest way to access programming from local stations. However, the service's local channel offering is slightly more limited compared to other options.
Local channels are a great outlet for staying up to date on your local news, sports, and entertainment. The best streaming services for local channels are Sling TV, Fubo TV, Hulu with Live TV, and DirecTV.
ABC News Live on The Roku Channel – If ABC is your go-to news and information source, look no further than The Roku Channel. Stream a free feed of breaking news from ABC, as well as live channels from NBC News, FOX, Newsy, and more.
While on-demand TV shows and movie access on Roku are convenient, some prefer live TV channels to catch their favorite shows, news channels, and sports events. You don't lose access to local channels when you cut the cord in favor of a Roku streaming stick. It's easy to watch local channels on your Roku device.
Stream Your Local NBC Channel & More with Peaco*ck Premium Plus. Watch local news, weather, and NBC shows LIVE, 24/7—plus get over 50 Peaco*ck Channels and tons of ad-free* shows & movies on demand. From TODAY to The Tonight Show and everything in between, stream your local NBC channel LIVE.
Overall, cord-cutting does actually save money. Cable consumers usually pay a hefty monthly bill for hundreds of channels that they never watch. But the pendulum can easily swing in the other direction.
DirecTV Stream is the best streaming service for local channels because it has fewer location restrictions and more programming options than competitors.
While you can get live channels on any Roku device, a Roku TV – HDTV with the Roku operating system – works quite well. Just connect an antenna and get all your local channels free. The amount of paid and free content you can get on Roku is staggering.
Check to make sure your remote is working properly. If your Roku is too long out-of-date, you may experience any variety of issues. Update your Roku TV, and look to see if the problem is resolved. Especially after trying out the above, rescanning for channels can sometimes fix channels not appearing.
To access “over-the-air” broadcast television, the HDTV antenna must be connected to the Live TV input of your Roku TV. Connect the coaxial cable from your HDTV antenna to the “Ant/Cable In” connector on the back of your Roku TV. Turn on your Roku TV, go to Home and select Live TV.
There are no monthly equipment rental fees with Roku. Adding a payment method lets you easily rent/buy movies on demand or subscribe to popular services like Netflix.
Like any computer, a smart TV is prone to crashing or malfunctioning. As mentioned before, if your internet is buggy, your image quality will suffer, and might even experience choppy streaming. And if your internet is slow, then sometimes your TV slows down too.
Just like radios, some TVs will pick up local channels more reliably than others. Brands known to have the best tuner sensitivity include Samsung, LG and Vizio. Brands known to have the worst tuner sensitivity include Sony, Dynex, Insignia, Toshiba and TCL.
Will I need to pay to watch my local NBC channel on Peaco*ck? Yes, for $9.99 you can watch your local NBC channel with a Peaco*ck Premium Plus subscription.
If you're a Premium Paramount+ subscriber, you can watch your local CBS station for SEC and NFL on CBS, golf, hockey, women's soccer, and more! With Essential, you can watch NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League on separate live feeds, but note that this plan does NOT include your local live CBS station.
While streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video offer extensive content libraries, they don't offer local channels. Hulu does offer local streaming through 'Hulu + Live TV' but at an expensive cost. Fortunately, there are still a few ways you can get local channels on your Amazon Fire TV Stick.
The antenna may have difficulty picking up your favorite stations over the air for several reasons. The causes mostly come down to the basic idea that the signals reaching the device aren't strong enough. You may be too far from the broadcast location, or something physically blocks the signals.
While indoor antennas can pick up channels from broadcast stations within a 20-30 mile radius, the reach of an outdoor antenna is about 60 to 80 miles.
If you live in an area with a good signal, you can cut the cord and buy an affordable TV antenna. Yep, TV antennas still exist, and if you're located in a city apartment or somewhere else with a good signal, you're just one good antenna away from free access to popular TV shows, movies, specials and sports.
If you have loose cables, you'll most likely get no signal or a spotty signal. So make sure your connections are tight at your TV and your antenna. While you're checking your connections, also take a look at your cables to make sure they aren't bent, looped, or otherwise broken.
Inquire about senior discounts: There are so many great things about growing older, like redeeming senior discounts! Many cable TV and internet providers offer a discounts for low-income seniors or AARP members.
This amount does not include the costs of internet access, though approximately 83% of those with pay TV also have internet so we can assume those costs are fixed and separate. That leaves a little over $1,200 in potential savings in a given year by ditching cable. Of course, you probably still want to watch TV.
Cable TV is less likely to be affected by the weather, but is typically more expensive than satellite TV service. Cable may be more suitable for renters and people who do not want to commit to a long-term contract. Satellite TV signal can be disrupted by bad weather, but is usually cheaper.
Is streaming really cheaper than cable? The average US household spends $109 a month on cable or satellite TV. If you go all-in with free streaming channels, like The Roku Channel and Tubi, you could save $1300+ each year. Roku users save an average of over $70 each month over cable according to a recent survey.
Some of the most common reasons for cutting the cord or not subscribing to cable or satellite TV in the first place are that viewers can find everything they want to watch on online streaming platforms (71%) and that cable and satellite TV costs too much (69%).
Outside of a few “skinny bundles,” most streaming packages are just as expensive as cable TV. We still consider streaming TV a cheaper alternative in the long-term, however, since price increases tend to be less severe with streaming services than they are with cable TV.
Unsurprisingly, the most common reason for keeping pay TV is the ability to watch live broadcasts, with 71 percent of TV subscribers saying so. Interestingly, 70 percent of pay TV subscribers also say they are paying too much for their subscriptions.
What app has live TV for free? Our favorite live TV apps are Pluto TV, Tubi, Sling Free, Roku Channel, and Crackle. For a more in-depth look at free TV apps and services, check out our Best Free Streaming Services guide.
Amazon's Fire TV is one of the best streaming devices on the market. It's perfect with Netflix and other streaming video on demand (SVOD) services, but that's not all it can do. It's also a great tool for watching live TV, including local channels.
In truth, most smart TVs have built-in antennas. And you can find this feature behind the TV. It's a port that allows you to plug a cable box into your TV. Further, the port is called an F-type connector or F-connector.
Introduction: My name is Francesca Jacobs Ret, I am a innocent, super, beautiful, charming, lucky, gentle, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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