If you’re hoping to cut the cord, but don’t want to give up your local broadcast networks like NBC, CBS, FOX, and others, YouTube TV may be an option to consider. Not only is this service among the fastest-growing in the country, but it’s also now available nationwide with a large number of local channels in most major regions. Here’s more information on YouTube TV local channels that you may be able to receive.
What YouTube TV local channels are available?
YouTube TV has just one subscription package available to customers, which gives you 100+ channels, including popular sports, entertainment, and news networks. You’ll also get a selection of local broadcast networks, depending on your location.
That last point is important, as you’ll find that the local broadcast channels you get will vary. You may be able to get a full load of popular broadcast networks, but you may also find that you only get a small number of them. As a whole, YouTube TV has broadcast rights in varying markets for the following local TV networks:
- ABC
- NBC
- CBS
- PBS (select regions)
- FOX
- The CW
- MyNetworkTV
- Telemundo
- Univision
- Unimas
YouTube TV, unfortunately, does not have any broadcast rights for some of the other major local broadcasters, like MeTV for example.
How do I check my local channel list for YouTube TV?
There’s no dedicated page for YouTube TV’s local broadcast TV list. However, you can check on the local channel availability for any zip code. Simply head over to YouTube TV then scroll down and enter your zip code (if it's not already there --- YouTube TV scans your location from your browser and IP address and inputs a zip code automatically). In that section, click the "See All Channels". The first section will show you all of the local channels you can get from YouTube TV in your area.
YouTube TV guide - What's on YouTube TV?
Once you know what local channels you can get from YouTube TV, you may also want to explore the channel schedules for each network. YouTube TV offers one through its app, but you may want to use our free channel guides as a quick and easy supplement.
Source: Flixed
You can access our channel guides in one of three ways:
- Through the Flixed TV Guide section for YouTube TV
- Through the individual channel guides for national networks such as FOX, NBC, CBS, or ABC
- Through our city-specific channel guide sections. We have 60+ city-specific channel guides are available (and growing), including for New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Dallas
You can access our streaming service and channel-specific TV guides using any device with a web browser. And you don't need a YouTube TV account at all! Just load up the Flixed TV guide to see what's currently playing, or adjust the settings to see what's coming up later in the day or later in the week. And if you want more information about this streaming service, you can take a look at our full YouTube TV review here.
Live TV recording for local channels
By default, YouTube TV offers an unlimited cloud DVR with a 9-month expiration date on videos you save to the cloud. This is a fairly extensive DVR and in fact the best on the market. You can record your local channels live as well, and watch your favorite shows for up to 9 months after you record them. You can find more information about the YouTube TV DVR here.
There may be some restrictions on your local channel recordings, however. YouTube TV is not entirely forthcoming on how many restrictions exist and on what channels, but you may find that some of your recordings do not allow fast-forwarding, especially through ads. You may also find that some sports broadcasts do not allow recording. According to YouTube TV, however, these kinds of DVR restrictions are rare.
How do I get local channels not available on YouTube TV?
If you checked your channel availability for YouTube TV and found it lacking, you have other options to get the local channels you want. One easy option is to use a digital over-the-air (OTA) antenna. Using an antenna, you can pick up OTA broadcasts for free with no subscription required, and there are no restrictions on the recordings if you use an OTA DVR from a company like Tablo. For more information about over-the-air TV, take a look at the below Flixed article:
Eric Liston • Author
Eric Liston is a content writer based in Columbus, Ohio. Since 2015, he’s been writing about technology, cord-cutting, and helping everyday people save money. He also has expertise writing about medicine, dentistry, insurance, and a variety of other industries. No matter what he’s writing, his focus is always on simplifying complex concepts and making them approachable for everyone. When he’s not slamming away on his keyboard at his home office, you’ll find Eric reading sci-fi novels, improving his disc golf game (he just hit his first 400-foot drive) and playing video games on his gaming PC.
Lisa Holden • Editor
Lisa Holden is an editor and creative based in Houston, TX. Lisa holds a BA in African-American Studies from Temple University and has spent her career working in news publications and magazines, even founding a magazine herself. She began working as an editor for Flixed in 2023. When she’s not editing or working on one of her many creative endeavors (whenever that is), she enjoys traveling to new places and biking on sunny days.
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