With local TV stations now streaming their live news in so many different places, it can be hard to keep up.
Since this item was first posted a few years ago, there have been many changes:
- FOX owned-and-operated stations launched a new FOX Local app to stream their news and local programming.
- The NewsON platform now includes stations owned by Allen Media, CBS, Scripps, and Sinclair.
- The VUit app was replaced by Zeam.
- Services including Freevee, LocalNow, Pluto TV, and Roku Live TV (not to be confused with the platform itself) added simulcasts of some streams on their own lineups.
A 2022 study by Leichtman Research Group found that 87% of U.S. TV households have at least one internet-connected TV device, and 46% of U.S. adults use it daily. It’s no wonder that so many TV stations make their local newscast streams available via free channels on Roku and Fire TV, the dominant platforms.
Most Upper Midwest TV stations stream their newscasts live on connected TV apps in some form without a login required. Some have their own free standalone apps while others are only available within free national apps. Most are now available on multiple apps.
Here’s a summary of where to find free, live local TV news streams from the Upper Midwest:
| Market | Station | Owner | App(s) |
| Bismarck | KFYR | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Cedar Rapids-Waterloo | KGAN | Sinclair | NewsON |
| Cedar Rapids-Waterloo | KCRG | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Des Moines | WOI | Tegna | Standalone, NewsON |
| Des Moines | KCCI | Hearst | LocalNow, NewsON |
| Duluth | KBJR | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Duluth | WDIO | Hubbard | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON |
| Eau Claire | WQOW | Allen | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON |
| Eau Claire-La Crosse | WEAU | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Fargo | WDAY | Forum | Standalone, NewsON |
| Fargo | KVLY/KXJB | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Green Bay | WBAY | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Green Bay | WLUK | Sinclair | NewsON |
| Green Bay | WGBA | Scripps | Standalone, NewsON |
| Kearney (Tri Cities) | KHGI | Sinclair | NewsON |
| La Crosse | WXOW | Allen | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON |
| La Crosse-Eau Claire | WKBT | MMM | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON, Zeam |
| Lincoln-Tri Cities | KOLN/KGIN | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Lincoln-Tri Cities | KSNB | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Madison | WISC | MMM | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON, Zeam |
| Madison | WMTV | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Madison | WKOW | Allen | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON |
| Mankato | KEYC | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Marquette | WLUC | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Marquette | WBUP | MMM | Zeam |
| Marquette | WZMQ | Lilly | Zeam |
| Milwaukee | WTMJ | Scripps | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON |
| Milwaukee | WITI | FOX | FOX Local, Pluto, Roku Live TV |
| Milwaukee | WISN | Hearst | LocalNow, NewsON |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | WCCO | CBS | CBS News, Freevee, LocalNow, NewsON, Pluto, Roku Live TV, Zeam |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | KSTP | Hubbard | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | KMSP | FOX | FOX Local, Freevee, Pluto, Roku Live TV |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | KARE | Tegna | Standalone, NewsON, Tubi |
| Nebraska | NCN | Flood | Standalone |
| North Platte | KNOP | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Omaha | KMTV | Scripps | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON |
| Omaha | WOWT | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Omaha | KETV | Hearst | LocalNow, NewsON |
| Ottumwa | KTVO | Sinclair | NewsON |
| Quad Cities | KWQC | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Quad Cities | WQAD | Tegna | Standalone, NewsON |
| Rapid City | KOTA | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Rapid City | KEVN | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Rochester | KIMT | Allen | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON |
| Rochester | KAAL | Hubbard | LocalNow, NewsON |
| Rochester | KTTC | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Sioux City | KTIV | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Sioux Falls | KSFY/KDLT | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Waterloo-Cedar Rapids | KWWL | Allen | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON |
| Wausau | WSAW | Gray | Standalone, Zeam |
| Wausau | WAOW | Allen | Standalone, LocalNow, NewsON |
This list does not distinguish between services available on Roku and Fire, the two dominant platforms, because searches found virtually every station that was available on one platform was also on the other.
It is important to remember that this is a list of free streams that do not require a login to an account. Many local TV stations are also available via paid streaming services, or via network apps for viewers who log into their subscription TV provider.
You may have noticed that Nexstar stations do not appear on this list. That’s not an oversight — most Nexstar stations only offer delayed streams of their newscasts through their websites (though KTLA Los Angeles is an exception).
This item was first posted in July 2022 and was updated in August 2024.
Disclosure: Jon Ellis was an employee of Gray Media Group at the time this item was posted. The statements and views expressed in this posting are his own and do not reflect those of Gray Media Group.