How to watch local channels and news on Roku devices (2023)

“How can I watch local TV channels on my Roku device?” 

This is one of the most common questions we field from Roku customers, especially cord cutters. Channels featuring local news and weather are no longer the missing piece to your streaming experience—there are more options than ever before! 

In this guide, we’ll teach you how to watch: 

• Local news for free on The Roku Channel 
• Live and local news and sports 
• Weather coverage 
• Local radio stations 
• Local channels for free with an antenna 

1. How to watch local news for free on The Roku Channel

The Roku Channel offers over 60 local news stations spanning major metropolitan areas, including local affiliates from FOX, CBS, ABC, and NBC. There’s even a “Local News Near You” row in the Live TV Zone, followed by a row of news from across the country. 

To find your local news channels, fire up your Roku device and either: 

• Select the Live TV option on the Home Screen Menu 
• Open the Live TV tile on your Roku TV home screen; click the left arrow button 
• Open The Roku Channel; click the left arrow button to access the lefthand navigation menu; scroll down and select Live TV 

 2. How to watch live and local news and sports on Roku devices

In addition to streaming free local news on The Roku Channel, your Roku device offers a number of local news options in the Streaming Store. 

Channels like NewsON and Haystack News are must-haves if you want to stream live and local news. With both of these channels, simply input your city or zip code to get a stream of relevant news, weather, and traffic from your favorite local news anchors. 

What’s cool about these channels are that you can switch to different locations around the country. So, if you’re missing your hometown newscasters while you’re hundreds of miles away, these are the channels for you. 

Additionally, be sure to browse the News & Weather category of the Roku Streaming Store and look for more ways to watch local channels. Today there are 100+ free local news channels including KHOU Houston, FOX25 Boston and WSB Atlanta. 

As for regional sports networks, your best bet is to try to a Live TV service. For a monthly subscription fee, alternatives to cable like fuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, or Sling TV offer access to various local channels as well as RSNs throughout the country.  

Also, Our Sports experience on your Home Screen Menu is designed to make it easier to stream the sports you love, all in one place. Be sure to check it out to see what local sports games are live or upcoming in your area. 

3. Watch live and local weather channels on Roku devices

While the channels mentioned earlier cover local weather, it’s time to highlight some channels that are must-adds for any true weather junkie: WeatherNation, The Weather Network, and The Weather Channel. All of these channels will allow you to input your location for personalized coverage, so whether you’re looking for a quick local forecast or breaking weather stories across the nation, these channels will keep you informed. 

And last but not least, FOX Weather and WeatherNation offer 24/7 live feeds for free on The Roku Channel. 

4. How to listen to local radio stations

Missing your hometown DJs? There are a number of channels on the Roku platform that will bring radio streams right to your living room, like iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and Radio.com. Each of these channels deliver local radio stations, popular podcasts, news, sports talk, and more. You can even listen to out-of-town stations by choosing different locations. 

If one of the thousands of radio stations available through these channels doesn’t work for you, check out one of the hundreds of channels available in the Music and Podcasts section of the Roku channel store or our curated list of music channels on the Roku platform. 

5. How to watch local channels for free with an antenna on Roku TVs

A lot of Roku users might not realize how simple it is to watch broadcast TV for free. How? With an HDTV antenna! We’re gonna drop some details below, but for more in-depth info, visit our Roku TV antenna page. Now, to get started: 

• Simply connect an HDTV antenna to your Roku TV. 
• Next, follow the easy on-screen steps to scan for local channels. 
• Then, start watching your local stations for free! It’s really that simple. 

Haven’t used an antenna in a while? No sweat. Today’s HDTV antennas are not the bunny-ears-and-tinfoil of the past. They’re smaller, inexpensive and allow you watch local broadcasts from up to 100 miles away, depending on the antenna. Of course, the number of stations you get can change by location, so your mileage may vary with an antenna based on where you live. 

With Roku TV’s built-in features for Live TV and HD antenna, it’s easy to cut back on pricy contracts without cutting back on the features that cable offers. Features like local network integration into the Live TV Channel Guide, the ability to search both live and streaming channels, or live TV pause when you connect a compatible USB drive to your TV help make Roku TVs a part of a complete cord cutting setup. 

Ready to level up your streaming experience? Check out the first-ever smart TV made by Roku. 

Happy Streaming! 

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