One of the biggest concerns people have about cutting the cord is losing access to live TV. Breaking news, live sports, award shows, election coverage — these are the moments when live TV feels irreplaceable. The good news is that there's more free live TV available on Roku than most people realize, covering news, entertainment, sports, and more.
Free Live News on Roku
News is the strongest category for free live TV on Roku. Multiple major news networks stream live 24/7 at no cost:
CBS News
CBS News streams 24/7 live news coverage completely free on Roku. This is one of the best free news options available — professional, reliable, and comprehensive. The CBS News app also includes access to local CBS affiliate news in many markets, 60 Minutes episodes, and CBS News original programming. No account required.
NBC News Now
NBC News Now is available free through Pluto TV and the Peacock free tier. It streams live news coverage around the clock with NBC's full news team. The Peacock free tier also includes access to Today Show content and NBC News special coverage.
ABC News Live
ABC News Live streams 24/7 through the ABC app on Roku, providing continuous news coverage from ABC's news division. The stream includes breaking news, live events, and original ABC News programming.
Bloomberg TV
Bloomberg Television streams live through Pluto TV, providing business and financial news coverage 24/7. This is particularly valuable for investors and business professionals who want continuous market coverage.
Sky News
Sky News, the UK's leading 24-hour news channel, streams live on Pluto TV. It provides excellent international news coverage with a perspective that complements US-focused news networks.
Free Live Entertainment Channels
Beyond news, Pluto TV and The Roku Channel offer hundreds of free live entertainment channels:
Pluto TV's Live Channel Lineup
Pluto TV's 300+ live channels cover virtually every entertainment category. Highlights include:
- Pluto TV Movies — Classic and contemporary films running 24/7
- Pluto TV Comedy — Stand-up specials and comedy shows
- Pluto TV True Crime — True crime documentaries and series
- Pluto TV Westerns — Classic western films and TV shows
- Pluto TV Anime — Anime programming around the clock
- Pluto TV Classic TV — Vintage television from past decades
- MTV Pluto TV — Music videos and MTV programming
- BET Pluto TV — BET programming and movies
The Roku Channel Live TV
The Roku Channel includes 200+ free live channels covering news, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle content. Because it's built into every Roku device, it's the most convenient live TV option for Roku users.
Free Live Sports on Roku
Live sports is the hardest category to cover with free streaming, but there are some legitimate free options:
Peacock Free (Some Sports)
Peacock's free tier includes some live sports coverage, particularly Premier League soccer matches. NBC Sports content and some Olympic coverage is also available in the free tier, though the best sports content is behind the paywall.
YouTube (Live Events)
YouTube streams some live sports events for free, including select NFL games (through the NFL's YouTube channel), some college sports, and international sports events. The availability varies by sport and season.
Stadium
Stadium is a free sports network available on Pluto TV and as a standalone app that covers college sports, including football, basketball, and other collegiate athletics. It's a good option for college sports fans who don't want to pay for ESPN+.
Local Network Sports
Many major sporting events — Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, college football bowl games — air on broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox) that are available free through their respective Roku apps. If you have an antenna, you can also receive these channels over the air for free.
Free Local TV on Roku
Getting local TV channels on Roku for free depends on your market and setup:
Network apps: The ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox apps on Roku provide live streaming of local affiliates in many markets. Coverage varies by location — check each app to see if your local affiliate is available.
Locast/Local Now: Local Now (available on Pluto TV and as a standalone app) provides local news and weather content from markets across the US.
Over-the-air antenna: For the most reliable free local TV, an over-the-air antenna connected to a compatible Roku TV or antenna adapter provides crystal-clear free reception of all local broadcast channels. This is the most reliable way to get local news, weather, and sports for free.
Building Your Free Live TV Setup
For a comprehensive free live TV setup on Roku, install these apps:
- Pluto TV — 300+ live channels covering everything
- The Roku Channel — 200+ live channels built into your device
- CBS News — Best free live news option
- ABC app — Local ABC news and live streaming
- NBC app / Peacock — NBC content and some sports
- YouTube — Live events and news streams
- Xumo Play — Additional live channels
With this lineup, you have access to more live TV than most cable packages provide — completely free. The main gap is premium sports (NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA League Pass, etc.) and premium cable channels (HBO, Showtime, etc.), but for general news, entertainment, and some sports, the free options are genuinely excellent.