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The headline refers to an August 16, 2024 expansion—not a new August 2026 announcement. Pluto TV reported the addition of 17 local FOX station feeds to its free, ad-supported U.S. lineup during August 2024. The streams covered selected metropolitan markets, not every American city, and their current availability should be checked in Pluto TV’s live guide.
What Pluto TV added
This was a collection of local FOX station feeds rather than 17 new national news networks. The original report presented the expansion as a way to give viewers free access to local news, weather, traffic, election coverage and other market-specific programming ahead of the November 5, 2024 U.S. election.
The word “tons” came from promotional headline language. The precise number reported was 17 stations, with FOX 6 Milwaukee identified as launching later in August.
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- FOX 5 Atlanta
- FOX 7 Austin
- FOX 32 Chicago
- FOX 4 Dallas–Fort Worth
- FOX 2 Detroit
- FOX 26 Houston
- FOX 11 Los Angeles
- FOX 6 Milwaukee — reported as launching later in August
- FOX 9 Minneapolis–St. Paul
- FOX 5 New York
- FOX 35 Orlando
- FOX 29 Philadelphia
- FOX 10 Phoenix
- FOX 2 San Francisco
- FOX 13 Seattle
- FOX 13 Tampa Bay
- FOX 5 Washington, D.C.
These are local FOX station feeds—not FOX News
A local FOX affiliate and FOX News are different services. The stations above serve individual broadcast markets and produce local reporting. FOX News is a national cable news network. LiveNOW from FOX is another separate digital news product.
The available announcement does not establish that every Pluto feed carried the station’s complete over-the-air schedule. A stream may consist primarily of local newscasts, a curated local-news schedule, or selected programming rather than the full linear broadcast signal. Viewers should not assume that Pluto provides every network show, syndicated program, sporting event or commercial carried by the corresponding antenna station.
How to watch
- Open Pluto TV in a browser or launch the supported app on a smart TV, phone, tablet or streaming device.
- Open Live TV.
- Browse or search the News category.
- Look for the relevant local FOX station feed.
- Start streaming without creating a traditional pay-TV subscription.
Pluto’s interface and channel placement can change. Do not rely on a permanent channel number. The current Pluto TV live-TV guide is the better source for confirming what appears in a particular market and on a particular device.
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Is Pluto TV really free?
Yes. Pluto TV’s core service is presented as free and funded by advertising. Its official pages promote free live channels and on-demand programming, including local and national news.
Free does not mean ad-free or universally available. Pluto requires an internet connection, may show different listings by location or platform, and cannot guarantee access to a particular local station. Its lineup can also change after a launch announcement.
Can Pluto TV replace an antenna or cable?
| Need | Pluto TV | Antenna | Paid live TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Free, with advertising | Usually a one-time equipment cost | Monthly subscription |
| Internet required | Yes | No | Usually yes |
| Local coverage | Selective and market-dependent | Depends on reception and tower distance | Depends on provider, contracts and ZIP code |
| Complete local schedule | Not guaranteed | Often available from the broadcast station | Often available where local affiliates are carried |
| DVR | Limited or platform-dependent | Requires separate equipment | Common on supported plans |
Compared with an antenna
Pluto TV is easier for viewers who already have reliable internet and do not want to install equipment. It also adds national news and entertainment channels through a cable-style guide.
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An antenna remains better for full over-the-air access to local network programming, including shows and sports that may not appear in a Pluto station feed. It can also continue working during an internet outage, assuming the television and antenna equipment have power. Pluto TV should not be treated as a guaranteed replacement for broadcast emergency alerts.
Compared with paid live-TV services
Paid live-TV platforms generally offer broader channel packages, cloud DVR features and, in some ZIP codes, local ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC affiliates. They cost more and local availability varies, so no provider should be assumed to carry a particular affiliate without checking the viewer’s address.
For most cord-cutters, Pluto TV is best understood as a free supplemental source of local news, not a complete replacement for an antenna, cable package or paid live-TV service.
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Who benefits most?
- Viewers in or near one of the listed metropolitan markets.
- People who want occasional local breaking news, weather or traffic without another monthly bill.
- Households that already use a smart TV, browser, phone or streaming device.
- Viewers who accept advertising and do not need a full broadcast schedule or robust DVR.
Someone living near a named city may still be outside the stream’s licensing area. Travelers can also see different local programming after changing location. A local feed may carry national segments, a limited schedule, delayed coverage or replacement programming outside local newscasts.
If the expected station is missing
- Confirm that you are using the U.S. Pluto TV service.
- Open Live TV instead of relying only on home-page recommendations.
- Search the News category by the station’s call-sign branding.
- Try Pluto TV in a browser and update or reload the app on your streaming device.
- Restart the app or reload the live-TV guide.
- Check whether the station is licensed for your location.
- Use the station’s own website or app as a fallback.
- If complete local broadcast access matters, consider an antenna.
Other free and paid options
Station-owned websites and apps can be useful when a Pluto feed is unavailable. Tubi and The Roku Channel are other free, ad-supported services with live channels and on-demand programming, though their local lineups vary.
Services such as NewsON may provide participating local-station coverage. Free national-news channels—including CBS News, NBC News, ABC News Live and Bloomberg—can supplement local reporting but do not automatically provide news from your own city.
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For viewers who need broader local-channel coverage, DVR features or premium programming, a paid live-TV service may be a better fit. Paramount+, for example, is a subscription service distinct from Pluto TV and may offer live local CBS stations in qualifying U.S. markets. Availability and pricing depend on the current plan and location.
Current-status note
The 17-station rollout was reported on August 16, 2024, and its election context concerned November 5, 2024. Pluto TV still advertises free live programming that includes local and national news, but the official pages do not independently confirm that all 17 FOX feeds remain available today. Check the live guide for your market before relying on a specific station.
Paramount describes Pluto TV as a free, ad-supported FAST service built around curated live linear channels and on-demand content, including news categories. That model explains both the convenience and the limitation: Pluto offers a cable-like discovery experience, but its lineup and local rights can change.
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