The Stream Report
Posts
Local News Options in Cord-Cutting

Local News Options in Cord-Cutting

Is Local News Still On the Menu?

September 1, 2020

As hot as cord-cutting is right now, a large part of their increasing prices come from local broadcast networks. ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and others charge a lot for providers to carry the services. This is why Philo remains on the cheaper end; no sports and no locals means an altogether cheaper option. But most of the content available on local broadcast networks is available on-demand elsewhere. So what are people turning to local broadcast channels for? Local news. On that end, there are plenty of alternatives.

Streamer's Spotlight: Getting Local News After Cutting the Cord

Despite falling numbers, network TV news is still the

most common source

of local news for most people in the US. Local broadcast networks tend to be the best source given their close connection to the area and their dedicated coverage.

Unfortunately, local broadcast networks are still not completely available on cable alternative streaming services for live TV. Those that advertise their network TV channels tend to avoid saying outright that there's an asterisk in there: availability changes by zip code. If you live in City X, you might get ABC. If you live in City Y, you might get FOX. And if you live in City Z, you might get none at all.

For local news junkies, that's bad news when cutting the cord. Traditional cable TV providers will give you all of them. Still, if you're intent on cutting the cord (and we hope you are), there are cheap alternatives to still get local news.

OTA HDTV Antenna

Bunny ears may be a thing of the past, but over-the-air TV is still widely available. It also comes in much better quality with HDTV broadcasts now the norm. OTA antennas are now much more sophisticated. Most can get dozens of OTA channels in crystal clear quality, even without a signal booster. The Mohu Leaf is popular, but there are plenty of others with great ratings.

NewsON and Local Now

No hyperbole here, NewsON and Local Now are some of the best apps available for local news. If you've cut the cord but still want local news broadcasts, you can't go wrong with either of these two apps. Most local news channels will live stream their morning and evening newscasts on their websites. Local Now and NewsON will scrape and stream that content for you. You'll find apps available on most TV-connected streaming devices, like the Amazon Fire TV and Roku.

Locast

Locast is free, though if you want it without all of the ads you're going to have to give them a donation. Still, if you can get Locast in your area, it's an excellent solution. Just download the app to your most-used device and keep watching local network TV and news, even without a cable TV subscription or any other equipment.