If you have an Amazon Fire TV streaming device, you may now have access to local news channels in your viewing area. For free.
Amazon announced Wednesday that it has expanded its “Amazon News” platform to include 158 cities. That’s up from 88 when Amazon last updated the available markets in March 2021.
This announcement means more U.S. streamers can get updates on local news, weather and sports without having to buy a digital antenna, pay for cable or subscribe to a live TV streaming service.
And for users who relied on Locast for local news content, this could be an especially welcome alternative.
Important note: This is for local news content only. You’re not getting access to all of the content your local TV stations provide.
Markets With Local News on Amazon Fire TV
Not only has Amazon expanded the number of U.S. cities that are served from 88 to 158, but it also has made some additions within markets to give streamers more choice.
Amazon has doubled the number of local stations available from 126 to 259. That means some markets may enjoy local news content from as many as two or three stations.
Let’s take a quick look at the U.S. cities that now have access to the Amazon Fire TV News platform. I have sorted them by new and previously existing markets.
New Local News Options on Amazon Fire TV
These markets now have access to the following local news outlets as a part of the expansion announced by Amazon.
(Note: Some are new markets, others are expansions within existing Amazon Fire TV news markets)
- Albany, Ga. — WALB News
- Albuquerque, N.M. — Very New Mexico by KOAT
- Alexandria, La. — Newschannel 5
- Amarillo, Texas — News Channel 10,
- Anchorage, Alaska — KTUU News 2
- Baltimore, Md.— Very Baltimore by WBAL-TV
- Bangor, Maine — WABI TV5 News
- Baton Rouge, La. — WAFB 9 News
- Biloxi, Miss. — WLOX News
- Birmingham, Ala. — WBRC FOX 6 and Very Alabama by WVTM
- Bismarck, N.D. — KFYR News
- Boston, Mass. — WHDH-TV and Very Boston by WCVB
- Bowling Green, Ky. — WBKO News
- Bridgeport, W.Va. — 5 News
- Bryan, Texas — KBTX News 3
- Burlington/Plattsburgh, Vt. — Channel 3 News and Very Champlain Valley by NBC 5
- Cape Girardeau, Mo. — Heartland News
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa — KCRG TV9 News
- Charleston, S.C. — Live 5 News
- Charlotte, N.C. — WBTV News 3
- Charlottesville, Va. — NBC29 News
- Cheyenne, Wy. — Wyoming News Now
- Cincinnati, Ohio — Fox19 Now and Very Cincinnati by WLWT
- Cleveland, Ohio — 19 News
- Colorado Springs, Colo. — 11 News
- Columbia, S.C. — WIS News 10
- Columbus, Ga. — WTVM Newsleader 9
- Davenport, Iowa — KWQC News
- Des Moines, Iowa — Very Iowa by KCCI
- Detroit, Mich. — WDIV
- Dothan, Ala. — WTVY News 4
- Eau Claire, Wis. — WEAU 13 News
- Evansville, Ind. — 14 News
- Fairbanks, Alaska — Fairbanks News
- Fargo, N.D. — Valley News Live
- Fort Smith/Fayetteville, Ark. — Very Arkansas by 40/29
- Gainesville, Fla. — WCJB TV20 News
- Grand Junction, Colo. — KJCT News 8 and KKCO 11 News
- Green Bay, Wis. — Action 2 News
- Greenville, N.C. — WITN News
- Greensboro, N.C. — Very Carolina by WXII
- Greenville, S.C. — Very Carolina by WYFF 4
- Harrisonburg, Va. — WHSV News
- Hastings, Neb. — Local4 News
- Hazard, Ky. — WYMT Mountain News
- Honolulu, Hawaii — Hawaii News Now
- Houston, Texas — KPRC
- Huntington, W.Va. — WSAZ NewsChannel 3
- Huntsville, Ala. — WAFF 48 News
- Jackson, Miss. — WLBT 3 News and Very Jackson by 16 WAPT
- Jacksonville, Fla. — WJXT
- Jonesboro, Ark. — Region 8 News
- Kansas City, Kan. — Very Kansas City by KMBC/KCWE
- Knoxville, Tenn. — WVLT News
- Lake Charles, La. — 7 News
- Lansing, Mich. — News 10
- Lancaster, Penn. — Very Pennsylvania by WGAL
- Laredo, Texas — KGNS News
- Lawton, Okla. — 7 News
- Lexington, Ky. — WKYT News
- Lincoln, Neb. — 10/11 Now
- Louisville, Ky. — WAVE 3 News and Very Louisville by WLKY
- Lubbock, Texas — KCBD 11
- Madison, Wis. — 15 News
- Manchester, N.H. — Very New Hampshire by WMUR
- Memphis, Tenn. — WMC Action News 5
- Meridian, Miss. — Newscenter 11
- Miami, Fla. — WPLG and WSVN-TV
- Milwaukee, Wis. — Very Milwaukee by WISN 12
- Monroe, La. — KNOE 8 News
- Monterey, Calif. — Very Central Coast, CA by KSBW
- Montgomery, Ala. — WSFA 12 News
- Moselle, Miss. — WDAM 7 News
- Myrtle Beach, S.C. — WMBF News
- Negaunee, Mich. — TV 6 News
- New Orleans, La. — FOX 8 News and Very New Orleans by WDSU
- North Augusta, S.C. — News 12
- North Mankato, Minn. — KEYC News Now
- North Platte, Neb. — News 2
- Oklahoma City, Okla. — Very Oklahoma by KOCO
- Omaha, Neb. — WOWT 6 News and Very Omaha by KETV
- Orlando, Fla. — WKMG and Very Orlando by WESH 2
- Ottumwa, Iowa — KYOU News
- Panama City Beach, Fla. — NewsChannel 7
- Parkersburg, W.Va. — WTAP News
- Pittsburgh, Penn. — Very Pittsburgh by WTAE
- Pollok, Texas — KTRE East Texas News
- Portland, Maine — Very Maine by WMTW
- Presque Isle, Maine — NewsSource 8
- Raleigh-Durham, N.C. — WRAL
- Rapid City, S.D. — KEVN Black Hills FOX and KOTA Territory News
- Reno, Nev. — KOLO 8 News Now
- Richmond, Va. — 12 News
- Roanoke, Va. — WSLS and WDBJ7 News
- Rockford, Ill. — 23 News
- Sacramento, Calif. — Very Sacramento by KCRA
- San Antonio, Texas — KSAT
- Sarasota, Fla. — ABC7
- Savannah, Ga. — WTOC News and Very Savannah by WJCL
- Scottsbluff, Neb. — NBC Nebraska
- Sherman, Texas — News 12
- Shreveport, La. — KSLA News 12
- Sioux Falls, S.D. — Dakota News Now
- South Bend, Ind. — 16 News Now
- Springfield, Mo. — KY3 News
- Tallahassee, Fla. — Eyewitness News
- Tampa Bay, Fla — Very Tampa Bay by WMOR
- Toledo, Ohio — 13ABC Action News
- Topeka, Kan. — 13 News
- Tucson, Ariz. — News 13
- Twin Falls, Idaho — KMVT News
- Tyler, Texas — KLTV East Texas News and KLTVSP East Texas News
- Waco, Texas — KWTX News 10
- Watertown, N.Y. — 7 News
- Wausau, Wis. — NewsChannel 7
- West Palm Beach, Fla. — Very South Florida by WPBF 25
- Wichita, Kansas — Eyewitness News
- Wilmington, N.C. — WECT News
Existing Local News Options on Amazon Fire TV
These television markets already were enjoying local news access via Amazon Fire TV prior to the latest announcement:
- Atlanta, Ga.
- Austin, Texas
- Bakersfield, Calif.
- Baltimore, Md.
- Beaumont, Texas
- Billings, Mont.
- Boise, Idaho
- Boston, Mass.
- Buffalo, N.Y.
- Butte-Bozeman, Mont.
- Charlotte, N.C.
- Chicago, Ill.
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Cleveland, Ohio
- College Station, Texas
- Colorado Springs, Colo.
- Columbia, S.C.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Corpus Christi, Texas
- Dallas, Texas
- Davenport, Iowa
- Dayton, Ohio
- Denver, Colo.
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Detroit, Mich.
- Fayetteville, Ark.
- Fort Myers, Fla.
- Grand Rapids, Mich.
- Great Falls, Mon.
- Green Bay, Wis.
- Greensboro, N.C.
- Harrisburg, Pa.
- Hartford, Conn.
- Helena, Mont.
- Houston, Texas
- Huntsville, Ala.
- Indianapolis, Ind.
- Jacksonville, Fla.
- Knoxville, Tenn.
- Lafayette, La.
- Lansing-Jackson, Mich.
- Lexington, Ky.
- Little Rock, Ark.
- Los Angeles, Calif.
- Louisville, Ky.
- Macon, Ga.
- Memphis, Tenn.
- Miami, Fla.
- Midland, Texas
- Milwaukee, Wis.
- Minneapolis, Mont.
- Missoula, Mont.
- Moosic, Pa.
- Nashville, Tenn.
- New Orleans, La.
- New York, N.Y.
- Norfolk, Va.
- Omaha, Neb.
- Orlando, Fla.
- Philadelphia, Pa.
- Phoenix, Ariz.
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Portland, Ore.
- Richmond, Va.
- Sacramento, Calif.
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- San Angelo, Texas
- San Antonio, Texas
- San Diego, Calif.
- San Francisco, Calif.
- Santa Barbara, Calif.
- Seattle, Wash.
- Spokane, Wash.
- St. Louis, Mo.
- Tallahassee, Fla.
- Tampa, Fla.
- Temple, Texas
- Toledo, Ohio
- Tulsa, Okla.
- Tyler, Texas
- Waco, Texas
- Washington, D.C.
- West Palm Beach, Fla.
How Can I Access Local News on My Amazon Fire TV Device?
So you found out that you live in one of the eligible TV markets … now what?
Well, all you have to do is access the News app from the “Free” section of your Amazon Fire TV device.
I have included a photo of what that probably looks like on your screen:
The app will use your location to detect the local news streams closest to you.
If this is the first time that you’ve accessed the app, it may start a setup process of having you choose your preferred news options to curate national news to go along with your local feed.
The local feeds that you receive will vary by market.
For example, I got the local CBS affiliate’s content in Nashville. But I could also access surrounding markets to get streams from local NBC, ABC and Fox affiliates.
Some markets now have more than one option, while others may be restricted to news from just one of your local channels. It all comes down to which news corporations Amazon has partnered with to this point.
Warning: This Is Not a Live Stream of Your Local Channels
When I first heard the news about Amazon streaming local TV news content, my mind immediately went to network programming.
Could I see my favorite shows or sports games on this platform for free? Unfortunately, the answer to that is, “No.”
Instead, what I found was a mix of curated on-demand news and limited live stream news options.
As you can see in the picture above, at the time I was using the app there was only on-demand content available from one station in Nashville. But I could livestream content from stations in nearby markets including Atlanta and Memphis.
Other Free Content Available on the Amazon News Platform
As great as free access to local news seems, that’s really only a fraction of the content that Amazon News offers.
Amazon also integrates a curated national news experience on its News app. All for free.
Here are some of the national brands that you can add to your live streaming experience on the News app:
- ABC News
- CBS News
- Reuters
- Bloomberg
- USA Today
- Newsy
When you set up your News app, Amazon prompts you to select your favorites from a menu of free channel offerings:
Once selected, they are meshed together with your local news streaming options to replicate what feels pretty close to a linear television experience. You can channel surf just like you would on cable TV.
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