One of the most popular questions we get is how to watch local news as a cord cutter. Live events and, more importantly, live news are two types of programming cord cutters are not willing to wait for. The great news is cord cutters have many options.
Option #1 Streaming Services
What if you want a streaming option or you cannot get local channels over the air?
Here are a few services you should try.
NewsON
NewsON is available on Android, iOS, and Roku. They bring you live streams of local news and even replays of your local news if you miss the live broadcast.
Want to see if NewsON has your local station? Check out our full list of stations.
STIRR
STIRR offers a ton of live and on-demand programming including local news. With STIRR you will find Sinclair-owned local TV stations streaming their local news live and on-demand for free.
Your Local TV Station’s Roku Channel
Many local TV stations now have a dedicated Roku Channel offering live and on-demand access to local news. Search for your local TV stations in the Roku Channel Store to see if they offer a Roku Channel. The odds are at least one of them will have a dedicated Roku Channel to stream your local news.
Option #2 Get an Antenna
If you are a cord cutter and have yet to try an antenna, this should be your first step. For over 90% of Americans an antenna will pick up your local stations and news.
Before you run out and buy an antenna, make sure to check out what you can get with the two main antenna types: indoor or outdoor. The last thing you want to do is spend money to find out you got the wrong antenna. Visit AntennaWeb.org and enter your address to find out what channels you can get with both antenna types.
From there you can use a device like a Tablo DVR to stream your antenna to your Roku streaming player or Roku TV.
Do you have an app you enjoy for live local news? Leave us a comment and let us know what you use.
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more news, tips, and reviews. Need cord cutting tech support? Join our Cord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Group for help.
Did you know we have a YouTube Channel? Every week we have a live Cord Cutting Q&A, and weekly Cord Cutting recap shows exclusively on our YouTube Channel!