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You can watch local TV on Roku without paying for cable, but the best method depends on what you mean by “local TV.” An antenna can deliver the actual broadcast channels available at your address. Roku apps may provide local news, weather, or selected live streams, but they do not guarantee every ABC, CBS, FOX, or NBC affiliate’s complete schedule.
There is also an important hardware distinction: a Roku TV can accept an antenna directly, while a Roku Streaming Stick or standalone Roku player cannot. The seven methods below cover both types of Roku device and explain what each option actually provides.
Quick comparison
| Method | Roku hardware | What you get | Monthly TV subscription |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDTV antenna connected to Roku TV | Roku TV with Ant/Cable In | Local broadcast channels received at your address | No |
| Antenna with Tablo or another networked tuner | Any compatible Roku player or TV | Antenna channels delivered over your home network; recording may be available | No for the OTA signal; hardware is separate |
| The Roku Channel Live TV | Any Roku device | Free, ad-supported live channels and selected local-news feeds | No |
| NewsON | Any Roku device | Live and on-demand local news from participating stations | No |
| Haystack News | Any Roku device | Aggregated local, regional, national, and world news | No |
| Individual station apps | Any Roku device | Station-specific news, weather, clips, and sometimes live video | Usually no, but some content requires pay-TV authentication |
| Official station livestreams on YouTube | Any Roku device with YouTube | Selected newscasts, breaking news, weather, or special events | Usually no |
1. Connect an HDTV antenna directly to a Roku TV
This is the most complete free option when you want the local over-the-air channels broadcast in your area. It can include local network affiliates and other stations that your antenna can receive. The number and quality of channels depend on your location, antenna placement, buildings or other obstructions, and signal strength.
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- A Roku TV—not a Roku Streaming Stick or standalone Roku player
- An HDTV antenna
- A coaxial cable
- An antenna power supply if the antenna or amplifier requires one
Set up the antenna
- Connect the coaxial cable from the antenna to the TV’s Ant/Cable In port.
- Connect the antenna’s power source if it uses an amplified or powered design.
- On the Roku home screen, open Home > Live TV.
- Follow the prompts to scan for channels.
If Live TV is not shown, open Settings > TV inputs > Live TV > Set up input. Roku requires the TV to be connected to the internet to complete setup and use current Live TV features. A basic channel list may remain available without internet, but detailed guide information will not.
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- No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote. Use your voice to quickly search, play entertainment, and more.
- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
Rescan after moving the antenna
Roku does not automatically discover every channel after you reposition the antenna. Run another scan through Settings > TV inputs > Live TV > Scan for channels.
Amplifiers are not automatically an improvement. An amplifier that is not powered can block reception, while a signal that is too strong can overload the TV tuner. If reception gets worse after adding an amplifier, test the antenna without it.
Show only antenna channels
Roku TVs can combine antenna channels with streaming channels in the same guide. To remove the streaming entries from that view, select Home > Settings > TV inputs > Live TV > Hide streaming TV channels > Hide all. To restore them, repeat the path and uncheck Hide all.
If the guide shows the wrong local market, go to Home > Settings > System > Zip code, enter your ZIP code, press OK, then set up the Live TV input again and rescan.
2. Use an antenna with Tablo or another networked tuner
A Roku Streaming Stick and a standalone Roku player do not contain an over-the-air tuner, so you cannot plug an antenna into them. A networked tuner/DVR such as Tablo solves that problem by connecting the antenna to a separate device and sending the channels through your home network to the Roku app.
- Connect the antenna to the Tablo or compatible networked tuner/DVR.
- Connect that device to your home network according to its setup instructions.
- Install the device’s Roku app.
- Open the app and complete its channel scan and account or device setup.
- Watch the antenna channels through the app on your Roku.
This is still antenna television, so the broadcast signal itself does not require a monthly cable subscription. However, the tuner/DVR is separate equipment that you must purchase. Depending on the device, recording and guide features may also differ.
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- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, and it even powers from your TV alone, plugging into the back and staying out of sight. No wall outlet, no extra cords, no clutter.
- No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku device with one remote. Use your voice to quickly search, play entertainment, and more.
- Shows on the go: Take your TV to-go when traveling—without needing to log into someone else’s device.
This method is particularly useful if you have a Roku Streaming Stick or player, want to watch antenna channels on multiple TVs, or want DVR functionality.
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3. Watch free Live TV in The Roku Channel
The Roku Channel includes a free, ad-supported live-TV section. From the Roku Home screen, select Live TV, or open The Roku Channel and choose its live-TV area. While watching a live channel, press Left on the remote’s directional pad to open the Live TV Channel Guide.
The lineup includes national news, weather, entertainment, and selected local-news feeds. Roku also advertises local NBC News stations covering New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas–Fort Worth, Washington, D.C., Connecticut, and South Florida.
Do not treat this as a replacement for every local broadcast affiliate. The Roku Channel’s local offerings are market- and station-dependent, and many are local-news feeds rather than the station’s complete schedule. It may not provide your local ABC, CBS, FOX, or NBC affiliate, and the available channel lineup can change. Roku’s current pages also publish inconsistent total channel counts, so claims that the service has one fixed number of channels are unreliable.
4. Install NewsON for local newscasts
NewsON focuses on local news from participating U.S. stations. Roku describes it as offering live local TV news from nearly 200 local stations without a cable subscription or login.
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Install NewsON
- From the Roku Home screen, select Streaming Store.
- Open Top Free & TV.
- Select NewsON.
- Choose Add app.
You can then browse the stations and markets available to you. NewsON is useful for local newscasts, but it is not a complete local-TV package. Availability depends on participating stations and market rights. It does not promise every local affiliate, network sports, syndicated programming, or every newscast from every station.
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- Compact without compromises: Our sleek design won’t block neighboring HDMI ports, so you can switch from streaming to gaming with ease. Plus, it’s designed to stay hidden behind your TV, keeping wires neatly out of sight
5. Use Haystack News for local and regional coverage
Haystack News aggregates news from local, regional, national, and international sources. Haystack currently advertises more than 400 local and world news channels, although the specific feeds shown to you depend on its content partnerships.
Install Haystack News
- Open Home > Streaming Store > Top Free & TV.
- Select Haystack News.
- Choose Add app.
Haystack is best viewed as a free local-news service, not as an antenna replacement. It may provide live feeds, clips, and regional coverage, but it does not guarantee a full 24-hour feed from your specific local affiliate. Local network programming, sports rights, syndicated shows, and complete station schedules are not assured.
6. Install your local station’s Roku app
Many local stations publish their own Roku apps. These may include live news, on-demand newscasts, weather, clips, alerts, and other local material. Roku recommends searching the News & Weather section for your station’s call letters.
- Open Home > Streaming Store > Top Free & TV.
- Search for the station’s call letters or name—for example, the local FOX, CBS, ABC, or NBC affiliate.
- Select the official station app.
- Choose Add app.
Roku’s examples include KHOU Houston, FOX25 Boston, and WSB Atlanta, but app availability is not universal. A station app may provide only clips, weather, schedules, or on-demand reports. Even when a live player exists, it may be restricted to a particular market or require authentication through a participating cable or satellite provider.
Before relying on an app for a newscast, open it and check whether it actually offers a free live stream at the time you need it.
7. Watch official local-station livestreams in YouTube
Some stations stream selected newscasts, breaking-news coverage, weather, or special events on YouTube. This can be a useful free fallback, but it is controlled by the station rather than guaranteed by Roku.
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Install YouTube and find the right channel
- Open Home > Streaming Store > Top Free & TV.
- Select YouTube and choose Add app if it is not already installed.
- Search for the station by its call letters or full name.
- Choose the station’s verified or clearly official channel.
- Open the channel’s Live section when a stream is available.
Search results can include unofficial rebroadcasts, old streams, clips, or unrelated channels. A station may stream only its morning or evening newscast, and a broadcast can be interrupted or unavailable because of rights restrictions. YouTube therefore cannot guarantee the station’s full broadcast schedule or every local network program.
Use Roku voice commands to find news
In the United States, Roku documents news voice commands for streaming devices running Roku OS 9.3.0 or later. Check your version at Settings > System > About. You need a compatible voice remote or the Roku mobile app.
Try these commands:
- “Show me the news.”
- “Find the news.”
- “Play the news.”
- “Play the news on NewsON.”
The generic “play the news” command initially opens The Roku Channel and its ABC News live stream. If you use an app-specific command such as “play the news on NewsON,” Roku saves that news app as the preferred source for future generic news commands.
Only a designated news app can become the preferred source. Naming a non-news app, such as Netflix, does not change the preference. These commands are documented for U.S. Roku devices and should not be assumed to work identically in every region or on every model.
Which method should you choose?
- Want complete local broadcast access? Use an HDTV antenna connected to a Roku TV, or connect the antenna to a networked tuner such as Tablo if you use a Roku Stick or player.
- Want local news without buying antenna equipment? Try NewsON, Haystack News, The Roku Channel, a station app, or the station’s official YouTube channel.
- Want local sports or syndicated shows? Free apps are inconsistent. An antenna is more likely to provide the over-the-air broadcast, subject to your local station and reception.
- Want multiple-TV access or recording? Use a networked tuner/DVR, understanding that the hardware is an additional purchase.
Claims to avoid
Any Roku device cannot connect directly to an antenna. Only a Roku TV with an antenna/tuner input can do that; a Streaming Stick or standalone player needs a networked tuner.
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Finally, “free local news” does not necessarily mean a complete station feed. NewsON, Haystack, station apps, and YouTube can offer useful local coverage, but the schedule, rights, authentication requirements, and live availability differ by station.
FAQ
Can I plug an antenna into a Roku Streaming Stick?
No. A Roku Streaming Stick and standalone Roku player do not have an over-the-air tuner or antenna input. Use a Roku TV with an Ant/Cable In port, or connect the antenna to a networked tuner/DVR such as Tablo and watch through its Roku app.
Does Roku provide all local ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC channels for free?
No. Roku offers selected local-news feeds, station apps, and streaming channels, but complete local-network coverage is market-dependent. An antenna is the most direct way to receive the broadcast channels available at your address.
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Why are antenna channels missing from my Roku TV?
Confirm that the coaxial cable is connected to Ant/Cable In, the antenna amplifier is powered if required, and run Settings > TV inputs > Live TV > Scan for channels. Also check antenna placement, obstructions, and the ZIP code under Settings > System > Zip code.
Is NewsON a replacement for cable?
NewsON is primarily a local-news service. It can provide live or on-demand reports from participating stations, but it does not guarantee every local station, full network programming, sports, syndicated shows, or every newscast in your market.
Can I watch local TV on Roku without internet?
A Roku TV may retain a basic antenna channel list without internet, but Roku requires an internet connection to complete setup and use current Live TV features, including detailed guide data. App-based methods require internet.
How do I hide streaming channels from my antenna guide?
On a Roku TV, select Home > Settings > TV inputs > Live TV > Hide streaming TV channels > Hide all. Repeat the path and uncheck Hide all to restore the streaming channels.
The Bottom Line
For the actual local broadcast channels, use an HDTV antenna. Connect it directly to a Roku TV, or use a networked tuner such as Tablo with a Roku Streaming Stick or standalone Roku player. For free local news without antenna hardware, try The Roku Channel, NewsON, Haystack News, your station’s Roku app, and its official YouTube channel—but check each service’s market coverage and live-stream restrictions.
