Does HBO Max have local broadcast channels?
Does HBO Max have local broadcast channels?
What you need to know about streaming ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and other channels, and whether HBO Max carries any of them.
Being able to track down the programming on local broadcast channels shouldn’t be as difficult as it is. Local channels like ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, NBC, and PBS offer news programming that regional audiences won’t find anywhere else, not to mention live sports and primetime entertainment.
Subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) streaming services occasionally carry local broadcast channels, but not every streamer offers access. Where does HBO Max stand on the issue? We’ll tell you everything you need to know about watching live content on HBO Max below.
What you need to know about watching local broadcast channels on HBO Max
Can you watch local broadcast channels on HBO Max?
No, there is no local broadcast channel access on HBO Max. The streamer has a wide range of on-demand entertainment available, but it does not include any streams of ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, or other channels.
What live content is available on HBO Max?
Customers with ad-free HBO Max subscriptions can watch live sports from TNT, TBS, and truTV through the Bleacher Report Sports hub. The service also has real-time simulcasts of HBO, HBO 2, HBO Signature, HBO Comedy, and HBO Zone.
What alternatives to HBO Max are available for watching local channels?
Live TV streaming services
Live TV streaming services are, in general, much better for watching local broadcast channels than on-demand streamers like HBO Max. There are multiple streamers that allow viewers to watch ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC all in the same package, and we’ll give a brief explainer of each here.
DIRECTV offers ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, NBC, and PBS in all of its Signature channel packages. The lowest-priced of these is the ENTERTAINMENT plan for $90 per month, but viewers who want a more streamlined package can choose from the MyNews and MySports Genre Packs. The MyNews plan has ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC in a bundle of 10+ channels for $45 per month, and the MySports plan has the same channels in a package of 20+ networks for $65 per month.
Fubo carries ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, and NBC in its Pro and Elite packages, but the streamer does not offer PBS in any markets. The Pro plan starts at $89 per month before taxes and fees. Viewers can find ABC, CBS, and Fox in the Fubo Sports plan, which costs $65 per month for 20+ channels, but does not have NBC.
Hulu + Live TV has just one channel package with 90+ networks, including ABC, CBS, The CW, NBC, and PBS in most markets. All plans starting at $90 per month include Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select, and access to ESPN Unlimited through the ESPN app.
Sling TV carries ABC, Fox, and NBC in a small number of markets, but doesn’t offer CBS anywhere. The streamer restricts local channel access to mostly large American markets, and offers them in the Select and Blue plans. Sling Select starts at $20 per month for 10+ channels, while Sling Blue costs $46 per month for 30+ channels. A local channel surcharge of $5 to $10 per month is included with all plans that receive local channels with Sling.
YouTube TV has ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox, NBC, and PBS in its core package, costing $83 per month. Many of its genre plans, such as the Sports plan or packages including Entertainment channels, will also offer local channels; these packages start at $55 per month.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| ABC | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| CBS | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| Fox | + $19 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NBC | + $19 | + $11 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| PBS | + $39 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| The CW | + $39 | + $59 | + $60 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
On-demand streamers
There are some on-demand services that offer different levels of access to local broadcast channels, though it’s not consistent across every platform.
Disney+ offers all subscribers news content from eight ABC stations in large American markets. This is not a full stream of ABC; the channel’s sports and entertainment content is not available to watch with these streams. Disney+ starts at $12 per month.
Fox One allows viewers to stream news, entertainment, and sports from their local Fox station, as well as content from other Fox brands like Fox News and Fox Business Network. A subscription starts at $20 per month, and it can also be bundled with ESPN Unlimited and Fox Nation.
Paramount+ offers access to a live stream of CBS in all markets, including sports, news, and primetime programming, in its Premium plan. This plan costs $14 per month or $140 per year, and includes ad-free playback of the Paramount+ and SHOWTIME catalogs, live sports, and more.
Peacock allows subscribers to stream their local NBC station with its Premium Plus plan, which is mostly ad-free and includes the full inventory of live sports available on the service. It costs $20 per month, or $200 per year.
Can you watch local channels with an over-the-air antenna?
Absolutely, you can. Over-the-air antennas may conjure images of tube TVs in wood-paneled basements, but they’re still a highly useful piece of technology in 2026. With the one-time purchase of an antenna, you can watch local broadcast channels sourced from stations up to 50 miles away or farther.
Shop for antennas from major retailers below:
- Shop antennas from Amazon.
- Shop antennas from Best Buy.
- Shop antennas from Target.
- Shop antennas from Walmart.
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