When it comes to watching TV without cable, the majority of TV shows people watch are on broadcast TV networks like CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, etc. TV shows on those networks are consistently in the Nielsen ratings top 10.
I looked at the top 25 Network and Cable TV viewership numbers for last week on TVbytheNumbers. Aside from sporting events (like the NCAA Final Four), only one cable TV show was in the top 25, and that was the season finale of The Walking Dead.
Ultimately, when it comes to saying goodbye to cable, getting access to your local networks and the prime time shows are a priority for many. Today, I’m going to let you know to get those local network channels over the air (OTA TV), and a few ways to stream them over the internet.
Watch Local TV Online
You no longer need a cable or satellite TV subscription to watch your local TV channels. You can now watch your local networks through the internet through streaming services that now stream local broadcast affiliates in several markets. You can even get a device like a Roku and watch them on your TV set. If you live in on near a major metro area, you can likely receive all of you local channels online. Here are some of those services:Local TV on DIRECTV NOW
Direct Now currently stream live ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, and The CW in several markets. Try this free trial to DIRECTV NOW to see which local channels are available in your area. You can get FOX, CBS, ABC, and NBC live in the following cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Oakland, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Jose, St. Paul.In addition, they also stream just about every channel you can find on pay TV. There is no contract, so there is no risk to try it out. Read our DirecTV Now Review for more information.
Local TV on FuboTV
FuboTV offers live local Fox, NBC, and CBS is select markets. This service also includes networks known for sports like FS1, FS2, beIN Sports, NBCSN, BTN, and more. You can see what’s available at FuboTV through this 1-week free trial. We cover this streaming service in depth in out Review of FuboTV.Other Local TV Options
Hulu now streams several live pay TV and local broadcast channels in various markets. Be sure to check out the local broadcast channels on Hulu to see if they are in your area.ABC on Sling TV – Sling TV offers a Broadcast Extra package that delivers ABC in select markets. Check the Sling TV link for details.
FOX and NBC on SlingTV – Sling TV offers live local FOX and NBC broadcasts to Sling TV, albeit in select markets. If interested in Sling TV, you can get a free trial to check it out.
PlayStation Vue and YouTube TV have also negotiated the live local affiliate broadcast for ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX in select markets.
CBS All Access – This service provides the local live CBS broadcast in a number of markets across the U.S. Check the link to see if the live local feed is available in your area. If interested you can check out this free trial to CBS All Access.
Watch Prime Time Network TV Online
If you aren’t in a market where the streaming services listed above offer live local channels, they still may stream content on demand. While you won’t have local news, it will cover a lot of prime time network TV. They all provide free trials and no contract so there is no risk to try them.Another way catch to prime-time network television is the combination of Hulu On-Demand and CBS All Access. This combination will provide several hit prime-time shows on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and The CW. You can try a one-week free trial from Hulu to see if you like the service. If you’re looking for PBS shows, they can be accessed through the PBS app. It is available on almost any device.
While CBS All Access, Hulu, and the PBS app is supported on most browsers, tablets, and smartphones, you probably want to watch these shows on a television. To do that, all you need is an over the top streaming device. My personal favorite and the one I use is the Roku.
These devices connect to various video services over the internet using apps (also known as channels.) They then stream the video directly to your TV.
You may not require a streaming device if you are content watching on your Mac, PC, or laptop. In that case, the following websites will allow you to stream recent episodes from your favorite network TV shows.
NBC – Click to watch full-length episodes of NBC TV shows such as “The Blacklist”, “Grimm”, “Hannibal”, and more. They are all free and available without a cable TV subscription.
ABC – Catch hit ABC shows like “Marvel’s Agents of Shield”, “Castle”, “Modern Family” and more for free and without a cable or satellite subscription. They make you wait about a week before watching the most current episode, but the full-length episodes are available for the current season of shows.
CBS – Want to watch “Big Bang Theory”, “Mike and Molly”, “The Good Wife”, and more hit CBS shows online. Then check out their website.
FOX – Fox does have a lot of programming online for free, but it appears they delay current episodes if you don’t have a valid cable or satellite TV account. Some shows seem that they are on more of a delay than others. However, if you don’t mind waiting, you can watch FOX broadcast shows on their website.
The CW – The CW is great when it comes to watching broadcast TV online. They have up to date full-length episodes of “Arrow”, “iZombie”, “The Flash”, and more. All their shows seem to be available very soon after airing.
PBS – PBS also does a great job of providing online content. Full-length episodes of every PBS show I’m interested in watching seems to be available for free without a cable TV subscription.
How To Get Free TV
With so many local affiliates in the U.S., it’s difficult to negotiate all of them into one streaming service. Therefore, a TV Antenna is the best legal solution for free TV. I’ve had many ask in the comments about getting free TV through jailbroken streaming devices or getting a jailbroken Fire Stick. I’d advise against it.While there isn’t an explicit law against it, it is a legal gray area that I feel will make an example out of some in the future. Furthermore, it violates the terms of service of many streaming services, and some are starting to deny services on these devices.
If this article didn't answer your specific question, check out the Cord Cutting Guide. It provides links to the most important articles in our over 200 pages of content to help you ditch pay TV.
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