Tuning into the nightly news after dinner is a long-standing American tradition that predates TV. The news landscape looks different nowadays compared to when families crowded around the radio, with behemoth media giants like CNN, FOX, and MSNBC dominating cable news. Official reports say there’s a lot of cross-viewership between these networks, but we all know a household of diehard CNN purists. If you’re in camp CNN, going without your staple news station is simply not an option.
CNN might stand for Cable News Network, but cord-cutters can rest assured that despite the name, there are plenty of options to access CNN sans cable. Skinny bundle streaming services offer customizable content plans that include major cable news like CNN. This guide will outline all of the different ways you can watch CNN without a cable subscription.
How to Watch CNN Online Without Cable
Whether you’re here for your primetime news fix or prefer to tune in throughout the day for eye-opening political insights from shows like “Inside Politics,” “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer” and “Anderson Cooper 360°,” CNN is one of the best networks to catch up on politics and current events. Arguably the forefather of 24/7 news programming, CNN also has popular documentary content like Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown,” decade docuseries “Sixties,” “Seventies,” “Eighties,” and “Nineties,” and “Death Row Stories.”
Skinny bundle streaming services let you choose cable TV channels to include in your subscription alongside their on-demand streaming libraries. Leaner — and cheaper — than cable, these services only charge you for the channels you choose to add and are your best bet for watching CNN cable-free. Choosing a skinny bundle depends on your preference for other live and on-demand content available on the platform.
Here are all the streaming services that allow you to watch CNN without cable:
Can I Watch CNN on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, or Chromecast?
News breaks all the time, so why would you only want to watch it when you’re at home? Get the most out of CNN’s 24-hour news service by connecting one of the streaming services listed above to your favorite streaming device, like Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, iOS/Android, and your web browser. These devices let you watch on the go, wherever you are.
More to Love for CNN Fans
One-third of MSNBC viewers are also CNN viewers, which means there’s a good chance CNN fans will also enjoy MSNBC’s content. MSNBC is known for on-air personalities like Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes, and Steve Kornacki, who developed a serious online following during the 2020 vote count. It's a good place for everything from live coverage of congressional hearings to in-depth reporting on the big issues of the day. If that sounds like your cup of tea, take a look at our page on how to watch MSNBC without cable.
For a quick look at the day’s headlines, it’s worth turning to one of the evening network news broadcasts, such as NBC and CBS, which air 30-minute news programs on weekdays. If you’re a fan of Lester Holt’s gravitas, you’ll want to read our guide to watching NBC Nightly News. Our watch guide for ABC World News Tonight will give you more info about catching celebrated journalist David Muir’s nightly broadcasts.
Did “How to Watch TV without Cable” miss a major category? IPTV, such as SET TV and Gears TV. The beauty of these is they provide 1080p (not HDTV) using less than one GB per hour of data download (versus much more for streaming TV services), so I can see all the live TV I want within the 250 GB/month cap provided by my ISP.
Just as an FYI, 1080i/p (1920×1080 pixels) is “HDTV,” definitionally, and “HDTV” goes as low as 720p. “HDTV” is a standard negotiated by the “(New) Grand Alliance” and recorded/maintained by the IEEE, the official world standards organization. “New,” when it is used with the newer “Grand Alliance” that included many more players, refers to the original “Grand Alliance” of U.S. TV makers and broadcasters such as RCA/NBC, Zenith, etc., which negotiated the “NTSC” standard for color TV, keeping the 640×480, 29.97fps format from B&W TV in the U.S., so that those who “only” had B&W sets could still watch all content, just not in color. Similarly, converter boxes, including those free boxes sent out to by the federal gov’t, back in abt 2006-2009 (although the first HDTV broadcasts signals were sent along with NTSC signals, in some test markets, as early as the mid-1990s) so that (especially older) citizens who did not have HDTV-capable TVs could watch HDTV content in their NTSC TVs (especially for news and so they could get emergency broadcast warnings, etc.), by allowing 640×480 NTSC TVs to receive and display HDTV standards–generally CRT TVs, although some flat screens were made, for a few years, still using the NTSC standard—and then there’s “EDTV,” which didn’t go over very well, for obvious and other reasons, but no need to confuse things…
“HDTV,” with a 16:9 ratio and (changed from NTSC’s 4:3) officially replaced NTSC, completely, in early 2009, after 70+ years of 640×480 B&W TV and 55+ years of the color “NTSC” standard, and it’s currently the standard for broadcast channels (over air), to maintain that same news/emergency signal reception. For reference, Europe (PAL) had modified their definition/ratio thrice, over those several decades, much in the same way that 720p-1080i/p are included in the HDTV standard.
Although 4K and 8K TVs obviously exist, they aren’t officially included in the HDTV standard. They are generally referred to as “UHD” (Ultra-High Definition), with a minimum resolution of 3840×2160 (“4K” now coming from the first number, as opposed to the latter), but the standards, officially, are “4K UHD” and “8K UHD,” and continue in the 16:9 tradition — despite that both 4K and 8K TVs are considered “UHD,” as approved by the “UHD Alliance”—a similarly-named consortium of hardware and content creators—in 2016. Along with an HDR minimum, a TV must meet those standards, in order to use the official seal of the UHD alliance. To comply with official U.S. standards, all UHD TVs must be able to interpret HDTV broadcast signals, again for emergency communication purposes.
Of course, with the latest diffusions of innovation (4K and 8K) occurring quickly within a decade—after 1/2 to 3/4 of a century of 640×480, in the U.S.—it can be easy to confuse “what counts” as HDTV, but it doesn’t mean the latest widely-available technological standard, but instead refers to 720p-1080i/p only…
Hope this helps!
(Any corrections are appreciated. That was off the top of my head, and although I know the specific details about the HDTV standard, itself, are correct, dates may be slightly off, and “UHD” standards may have changed to include 16K and 32K, by the time someone in the late ‘20s and on might read this. Cheers!)
All the “not cable TVs” are creeping up to “cable TV” slowly but surely. I don’t understand why CNN and the like do not offer direct streaming for a smaller fee. I subscribe to Sling but tend to only watch CNN, and Sling is creeping also and I’m probably going to cancel and suffer CNN withdrawal until I find something less expensive to satisfy my news junkie habit.
I agree totally I have been complaining about this forever. Why must I pay for fox Or any other networks I don’t want
CNN needs to follow CBS and ABC and offer their services for $3.99 to $5.99 for a month and everyone on the blue side are independent would buy it. Even the cheap streaming services aren’t that cheap anymore $65 a month for sling which I’m dropping like a hot potato. Hulu live TV is out priced also whoa. DIRECTV enough said dish is broken. Too damn high. I’m
You said nothing of streaming CNN on Apple TV. Can it be done?
Actually, we did!
“Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, fuboTV, PlayStation Vue, DirecTV Now, and YouTube TV all work on Apple TV.”
I have Hulu Live for live stream. But is there any way to watch CNN Films, Special Reports, series that previously aired? CnnGo has all but without a cable, I cannot access to.
You can try Pluto TV and see if that will work for what you are looking for.
Yes. Free!
Just a heads up, CNN has been removed from FuboTV packages.
That sucks. As I figured out after subscribing.
Yes. Free!
I’m getting really upset! I cut the cord was going to subscribe to cnn but nooooo. Ive got every stinking channel I want but can’t get cnn. I want to know what’s going on in the world and btw tubi and them type do not show don Lemmon, Anderson Cooper and all the ones your used to seeing. If you watch cnn for 45 min a day all it does is loop back around getting nothing new even if its breaking news. I want to keep up with the war in the Ukraine but im lucky to hear 5 min of it this sux if your not going to let us pay for it make the whole day free. Why should we have to not be able to see our channel because you couldn’t make it work?
Not sure where you are getting your info, but Fubo is not carrying CNN with either package (Family or Ultra).
So in effect, cut cable ($70/month) and subscribe to online package ($40-64/month) and burn my own internet bandwidth (10-15/month minimum) – so where is the saving?
In the Bay area, my choices are Xfinity bundle – $99/month for tv/internet + $10/month for HD + 14 in taxes – totaling approx $124/month for 100Mbps internet + 140+ channels.
If I take Xfinity performance Internet – its $45/month +$30 for sling blue = $75/month – savings of $50/month. (I have roof antenna+airtv with disk for DVR for recording live tv shows) .
Another option for CNN is Pluto TV.
I suggest you report total cost of each option you recommend as “cable cutting” to get CNN. This will give a true picture of cost benefit
Cnn on pluto is not live TV. It’s a collection of clips
The live TV streaming services are just as costly as cable if you add the extras like Starz hbo showtime etc. What’s the point. These services are taking advantage. I’m not poor and I’m not rich . I don’t watch tv all day so why pay $65+. CNN was one of my favorite channels and now I am watching clips on Pluto. Its not even close to the same thing. You watch clips over and over again and 1 might be Anderson Cooper and its not the entire coverage of the topic and the rest are usually from the morning show and not what I want to watch. I am watching for free so I guess it’s fine. Why can’t CNN have a paid service for 4.99 a month so people don’t need to pay for something they don’t use. Sling is a better option because you can get 1 or all of 3 packages for a cost of $35 to $50 and you can add the extras you want but not sure if you get CNN live. I Just want CNN live coverage without anything else because I already have movie streaming services for my kids. CNN listen to us. Or don’t you care about the regular people who don’t want any of the other stuff. Otherwise I will find another news station to watch. OMG what if I decided to watch FOX.
BTW you can watch CBS news free on Pluto but not even close….
CNN you are losing a bunch of viewers and won’t be able to pay your hosts the top dollar they are getting paid. You are like the rest of them only care about $$$$$ not your viewers.Well maybe the ones who have money to burn,which is why I say you are just like the rest of them!I know I am rambling but I am mad!
I just subscribed to Xfinity/Comcast for $30 a month for internet & bought my own modem. I am primarily interested in getting CNN & YOUTUBE & local news.
I am an 86 yr old female with no one to help me wade through all the massive & confusing options for November 2022…..AARRGGHH!!
I would be grateful for anyone’s help for the least expensive way to go! Thank you!