Best IPTV Services for News: CNN, Fox News, MS NOW, Locals

Short answer: if you want every major news network in one place, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV carry CNN, Fox News, MS NOW (the former MSNBC), CNBC and your local stations in a single base plan. Sling Blue covers the big three cable news networks for about half the price, but local news is patchy. And if you only watch one network, you may not need a bundle at all: CNN, Fox News and MS NOW now each sell their own streaming subscription for $7 to $20 a month.

What changed for news viewers in 2025–26

News on streaming has shifted more in the past year than in the previous five, and many guides haven't caught up.

• MSNBC is now MS NOW. The network renamed on November 15, 2025, ahead of Comcast spinning its cable networks off into a new company, Versant, which also owns CNBC. Same anchors, same channel position on the live TV services; the name in the guide is what changed. Its shows also left Peacock.
• CNN sells its own streaming subscription. Since October 2025, CNN has offered a direct subscription for $6.99 a month that includes the live channel, without a cable or streaming TV login.
• Fox launched Fox One. Fox's streaming service, at $19.99 a month, bundles Fox News, Fox Business, Fox's sports networks and your local Fox station.
• MS NOW followed. Its "membership" launched on September 9, 2026 at $7.99 a month or $79.99 a year, including a live stream of the channel.

The upshot: a full live TV bundle is no longer the only legal way to watch cable news without cable. For a one-network household, it may be the expensive way.

News channels by service

Line-ups as of October 2026 for each service's main base plan. Packages and carriage deals change, so confirm with each service's channel finder before you subscribe.

Smaller networks such as Bloomberg TV, Newsmax, NewsNation and the Weather Channel are carried unevenly, often on one service but not another, or in a higher tier. If one of those is your main channel, check it specifically. Philo has historically left out the big cable news networks and local stations entirely, which is why it isn't in the table.

Ranked for news viewers

1. YouTube TV. The most complete news line-up in one base plan, with local stations in nearly every market, which matters for local evening news and severe weather. The unlimited DVR is useful for news viewers in a specific way: record the evening programs and the Sunday shows and watch them on your own schedule. Its multiview feature can show several channels at once on supported TVs, which is handy on election nights.

2. Hulu + Live TV. Essentially the same news channels as YouTube TV, plus Hulu's library and Disney+. Choose it over YouTube TV only if the bundle extras are worth something to you; for news alone, it costs more for the same channels.

3. Sling Blue. CNN, Fox News and MS NOW for roughly $50 a month, the cheapest bundle that carries all three. The trade-offs are real: local channels only in some markets and only some networks, CNBC and Fox Business depend on package and add-ons, and the DVR is limited unless you pay for more. Pair it with an antenna and it's an excellent value setup.

4. DirecTV. Full news coverage with strong local carriage, at a higher price. The pick for someone who also wants regional sports or likes a cable-style channel guide.

5. Fubo. Built for sport, and has historically lacked CNN. Fine for Fox News and MS NOW viewers, a poor fit for a CNN household.

The single-network subscriptions

If your household mostly watches one network, compare the bundle against going direct.

The arithmetic is striking. Even all three together come to under $35 a month, less than half the price of a full bundle. What you give up: local stations other than Fox, CNBC and the smaller networks, one guide for everything, and a shared DVR. Each app works separately, and features such as recording vary.

Our view: for a news-focused household that doesn't watch live sport beyond what an antenna gets, two direct subscriptions plus an antenna is the best-value setup available in 2026.

Local news

Local news is where streaming bundles differ most, and where the cheapest answer is often the best one.

An antenna is still king. Your local ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS stations broadcast free over the air in most of the country. A $25 to $60 indoor antenna picks them up in many homes, with no streaming delay, which matters during severe weather when minutes count.

Station apps and free streams. Many local stations stream their newscasts free on their own apps and websites, and on free services such as NewsON and Haystack News. Coverage varies by station.

Network streaming news channels. ABC News Live, CBS News 24/7 and NBC News NOW are free, round-the-clock streaming channels. CBS also runs local CBS News streaming channels in several big markets.

Inside the bundles. YouTube TV has the widest local carriage. Sling Blue carries only Fox and NBC stations, and only in some markets.

International news

For world news in English, the best options are mostly free and don't need a bundle.

• DW News (Germany), France 24 English, NHK World-Japan and Al Jazeera English stream live free through their own apps and websites, and several appear on free ad-supported services.
• BBC News has a US presence through BBC's own channels and selected carriage; availability varies by service.
• Bloomberg TV covers global markets and is carried on some bundles and on free services in a limited form.
• Foreign-language news is available through Sling's international packs and through broadcasters' own licensed US subscriptions.

If world news is a priority, set up a "news" collection in your streaming device's home screen with these free apps alongside your bundle. It's an underused trick that gives you more coverage than any single service.

Free news streams

You can build a decent news diet without paying anything:

What free can't give you is the cable news networks' live prime-time shows. For those, you need a bundle or the networks' own subscriptions.

Three setups that work

The all-in news household (about $83 a month). YouTube TV. Every major network, local stations, a DVR for the evening shows and multiview for big nights.

The cable news on a budget household (about $50 a month). Sling Blue plus an antenna for local channels. All three big cable news networks, all local stations, and money left over.

The one-network household ($7 to $20 a month). The network's own subscription plus an antenna, and free streaming news channels for everything else. The cheapest way to keep your favorite anchors.

Quick answers

Which live TV service is best for news? YouTube TV carries CNN, Fox News, MS NOW, CNBC, Fox Business and local stations in nearly every market in one base plan. Hulu + Live TV is close behind with similar news channels.

What's the cheapest way to get CNN, Fox News and MSNBC? Sling Blue carries all three for about $50 a month. Buying the networks' own subscriptions separately costs about $35 a month for all three.

What happened to MSNBC? It was renamed MS NOW on November 15, 2025 and is owned by Versant, the cable-network company spun off from Comcast. It's still on the major live TV services under the new name.

Can I stream CNN without cable? Yes. CNN's own streaming subscription, at $6.99 a month since October 2025, includes the live channel without a TV provider login.

Is Fox News on Fox One? Yes. Fox One, at $19.99 a month, includes Fox News, Fox Business, your local Fox station and Fox's sports networks.

How can I watch local news without cable? An antenna for your local stations, free station apps, or a live TV service with local carriage such as YouTube TV.

Does Philo have news channels? Philo has historically left out CNN, Fox News, MS NOW and local stations, so it's a poor choice for news viewers.

Channel line-ups vary by package and market and can change with carriage agreements. Prices are base monthly rates before taxes and fees and may differ with promotions. Checked October 2026.