9. Watching Broadcast, Cable, and Satellite Channels via Streaming Video
In this chapter, you learn about streaming video apps for some of your favorite broadcast, cable, and satellite channels.
Cable and Satellite Channels Online
If you have a cable or satellite subscription, or if you subscribe to a live streaming video service, you have access to a ton of cable or satellite networks as part of your package. But what if you don’t subscribe to any of these services—how can you watch HGTV, Lifetime, or other similar channels?
Fortunately, almost all of these cable and satellite networks have streaming apps. If you have a Smart TV or streaming media player (such as Amazon Fire TV or Roku), you can install the apps for your favorite channels and watch alongside Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and other streaming services.
Broadcast Networks Online
This section examines streaming apps for the major broadcast networks. All networks have at least some of their current programming on their apps—and some networks have more than one app!
ABC
The ABC television network has separate apps for its entertainment and news divisions, and they’re both free.
The ABC app.
The ABC app is for entertainment programming and is where you can find both current programs and what ABC calls “throwback classics”—older TV shows in the ABC library. The app also lets you watch a live stream from your local ABC station, so you can get local news and other programming.
The ABC News app offers live streaming news from the ABC News Live channel, along with on-demand news content.
CBS
The CBS broadcast network does not have a free app for streaming video. Instead, it offers the CBS All Access service, which includes network programming and original content; subscriptions are available for $5.99 USD per month. There is a separate CBS Sports app, however, with content from the CBS sports division, as well as a CBS News app with live news broadcasts. The CBS News app is free; the CBS Sports app is free if you also have a subscription to CBS All Access or a local cable or satellite provider.
CBS All Access
Learn more about CBS All Access in Chapter 6, “Watching Paid Streaming Video Services.”
The CW
The CW is known for its superhero shows and shows for young adults. Its programming is available on two separate apps: The CW app and CW Seed. Current and recent programming is on The CW app, whereas CW Seed has a bunch of non-CW programming, including some that’s not available elsewhere.
The CW app.
FOX
FOX network programming—current and recent—is available on the FOX NOW app. If you want to watch the Fox News network, use the companion Fox News app. If you want financial news, use the Fox Business app. And if it’s the Fox Sports Channel you want, try the FOX Sports and FOX Sports GO apps.
The FOX NOW app.
NBC
It appears that NBC is migrating all its current programming to the Peacock app I discuss in Chapter 6. In the nonce, network programming is still available on the free NBC app. In addition, NBC News content is on the NBC News app and sports content is on the NBC Sports and NBC Sports Scores apps.
The NBC app.
PBS
PBS has been slow to the streaming game, only recently adding its local channels to the YouTube TV live streaming video service. PBS programming is available in the separate PBS app, and several PBS Kids apps offer children’s programming.
The PBS app.
All Arts
If you watch PBS, you should also check out the All Arts app. Run by PBS station WNET, it features a variety of arts and entertainment programs designed for the PBS audience.
>>>Go Further
Finding Streaming Content Online
With so many streaming channels and services available, how do you find that one program you’re looking for—and how do you know what service it’s on?
Most streaming media players offer a universal search function that lets you search a movie or TV show by name. The search results typically show which services or apps the program is currently available on and whether the content is free, available only with a subscription, or costs money to rent or buy. Click a given result, and the appropriate app or channel is launched with that program ready to roll.
Searching for a movie across all apps via Roku.
There are also several mobile apps and websites that track the content across multiple streaming video services to let you know what’s playing where. It’s easy to search these services for the movie or program you want and find out where you can watch it. The most popular of these services include JustWatch (www.justwatch.com), Reelgood (www.reelgood.com), and Yidio (www.yidio.com).
Cable and Satellite Channels Online
Many cable and satellite channels offer streaming apps that let you stream their programming, on-demand, to your streaming media player or Smart TV. These apps typically provide a library of that channel’s most popular shows. Just browse or search for a show, pick the episode you want, and start streaming.
The caveat, in most cases, is that to use the app, you must have access to that channel as part of an existing cable or satellite package. If you don’t have cable or satellite service, or if this particular channel isn’t part of your plan, either you won’t be able to watch it or you’ll have access only to a limited selection of programming. This restriction is intended to make sure that you don’t bypass available television providers to get the channel’s programming for free.
Watching Food Network programming via the Food Network app.
Know, however, that subscribing to a live streaming video service, such as Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV, may also qualify as a subscription to an existing TV provider. When you launch one of these network apps and you’re asked who your TV provider is, scroll down and look for your live streaming video service. Chances are that will let you watch these network apps for free.
Limited Content for Free
Some of these apps offer a limited amount of content without having a subscription to a TV provider but still require a link to your TV provider to view all available content.
Which networks offer free streaming apps to cable and satellite subscribers? Table 9.1 provides an (undoubtedly incomplete) list.
Table 9.1 Free Cable/Satellite Network Streaming Apps
Network |
Streaming App |
Subscription to TV Provider Needed for Full Access? |
|---|---|---|
A&E |
A&E |
Yes |
AMC |
AMC |
Yes |
BBC America |
BBC America |
Yes |
BET |
BET |
Yes |
Boomerang |
Boomerang |
No (separate subscription required) |
Bravo |
Bravo |
Yes |
Cartoon Network |
Cartoon Network |
Yes |
CNN |
CNNgo |
Yes |
Comedy Central |
Comedy Central |
Yes |
Comet TV |
Comet TV |
No |
Cooking Channel |
Cooking Channel GO |
Yes |
Destination America |
Destination America GO |
Yes |
Disney Channel |
DisneyNOW |
Yes |
Disney Junior |
DisneyNOW |
Yes |
DIY Network |
DIY Network GO |
Yes |
E! |
E! |
Yes |
EPIX |
EPIX |
Yes |
EPIX |
EPIX NOW |
No (separate subscription required) |
Food Network |
Food Network GO |
Yes |
Fox News Channel |
Fox News |
Yes |
FX |
FXNOW |
Yes |
Hallmark Channel |
Hallmark Channel Everywhere |
Yes |
Hallmark Movies |
Hallmark Movies Now |
No (separate subscription required) |
HGTV |
HGTV GO |
Yes |
History Channel |
HISTORY |
Yes |
Lifetime |
Lifetime |
Yes |
MTV |
MTV |
Yes |
Nick Jr. |
Nick Jr. |
Yes |
Nickelodeon |
NICK |
Yes |
Paramount Network |
Paramount Network |
Yes |
QVC |
QVC |
No |
Smithsonian Channel |
Smithsonian Channel |
Yes |
Sundance Channel |
Sundance Now |
No (separate subscription required) |
SyFy |
SYFY |
Yes |
TBS |
Watch TBS |
Yes |
TCM |
Watch TCM |
Yes |
Telemundo |
Telemundo |
Yes |
TLC |
TLC GO |
Yes |
TNT |
Watch TNT |
Yes |
truTV |
truTV |
Yes |
Univision |
Univision NOW |
No (separate subscription required) |
USA Network |
USA |
Yes |
VH1 |
VH1 |
Yes |
VICE |
VICE TV |
Yes |
WE tv |
WE tv |
Yes |
Disney Channels
If you have a cable or satellite subscription, you can watch programming from the various Disney channels for free on the DisneyNOW app. Otherwise, all Disney content is included as part of the Disney+ subscription service, which costs $6.99 USD per month. (Learn more about Disney+ in Chapter 6.)
Pay Networks Online
The major pay cable channels, such as HBO, Showtime, and Starz, have their own streaming video apps.
HBO
HBO has two streaming video offerings, called HBO and HBO Max. They both cost the same ($14.99 USD per month), but the HBO app only has HBO-specific content, whereas HBO Max has content from across all WarnerMedia properties, including TCM and Warner Bros. movies.
HBO Max
Learn more about HBO Max in Chapter 6.
You’re probably asking why anyone would subscribe to the HBO app when, for the same price, they can subscribe to HBO Max and get a lot more. That is a good question and one that HBO (actually, Warner—no, actually, AT&T, the big parent company) doesn’t have a good answer to.
In any case, HBO has some branding and positioning issues on its hands. To make it simple, forget the HBO app entirely. If you want HBO content (and a lot more), subscribe to HBO Max.
Showtime
Showtime is HBO’s chief competitor on cable, and it offers a similar streaming service for its original programming.
The Showtime app.
If you subscribe to Showtime via cable or satellite, you can watch programming on the Showtime Anytime app for free. Otherwise, you can subscribe to the Showtime streaming service from within the app for $10.99 USD per month. Both options offer all the movies available for viewing in a given month along with Showtime’s original programming, including The Affair, Billions, Homeland, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Ray Donovan, and The Tudors.
Starz
Starz offers a number of cable/satellite networks with a variety of licensed and original programming. If you want to watch Starz content, you can do so via the Starz streaming app.
The Starz app.
Pretty much everything that’s showing on a Starz cable or satellite network, movies and classic TV series alike, is available on the Starz streaming app. There are also some original series available, including American Gods, Black Sails, High Town, Luther, Outlander, Power, The Spanish Princess, Vida, and The White Queen.
The freestanding Starz streaming service costs $8.99 USD per month.
>>>Go Further
Streaming Pay Cable/Satellite Channels in Canada and the UK
As usual, things are different outside the United States, especially when it comes to pay cable/satellite channels. Most of the same content is available, just on different services.
HBO, Showtime, and Starz are not available separately in Canada. They are, however, available via the Crave streaming service. Monthly subscription prices for Crave range from $9.99 to $25.97 CAD. Learn more at www.crave.ca.
In the UK, you can find HBO and Showtime programming on Sky’s Now TV streaming service. Starz programming is available on the Amazon Prime Video UK service.