The number one reason people hesitate to cut cable is local news. KARE 11 weather during a Minnesota blizzard, WCCO morning news, Vikings games on Fox 9 — these aren't things you want to lose. The good news: you don't have to.
Here are three ways to keep your local Twin Cities channels after canceling cable.
Option 1: Over-the-Air Antenna (Free, Forever)
This is the underused solution that most people don't think about: a simple TV antenna. Local broadcast channels — KARE 11, WCCO, KSTP, Fox 9, and more — are broadcast over the air in HD, for free, and have been since TV was invented. You just need an antenna to receive them.
In the Twin Cities metro area, most homes can receive all major local channels with a basic flat indoor antenna ($25–40). The picture quality is often better than cable because it's uncompressed broadcast HD, not a compressed cable signal.
What you need: an antenna with a coaxial cable, plugged into the antenna input on your TV (labeled ANT IN or ANTENNA). Then run a channel scan in your TV settings. Most Twin Cities homes pick up 30+ channels this way.
Option 2: YouTube TV ($72.99/month)
YouTube TV includes all four major local channels (KARE 11, WCCO, KSTP, Fox 9) for the Twin Cities market. You get live streaming plus unlimited cloud DVR, so you can record the news and watch it later. Works on Roku, Fire Stick, smart TV, phone, or computer. See our full YouTube TV Minnesota guide for details.
Option 3: Hulu + Live TV ($82.99/month)
Hulu's live TV tier also includes local Twin Cities channels. The main advantage over YouTube TV is that Hulu's base subscription (with on-demand content) is bundled in, so you're not paying separately for on-demand streaming. If you already pay for Hulu's standard plan, upgrading to Hulu + Live TV may be more economical than combining YouTube TV with a separate Hulu subscription.
The Best Setup for Most Households
For pure local channel access, nothing beats an antenna for cost and reliability. If you also want cable-style live TV, YouTube TV or Hulu Live is the way to go. Many households use both — an antenna for local channels (especially during the occasional streaming service outage) and YouTube TV for everything else. The antenna pays for itself in the first month compared to cable.
Ready for Some Help?
I come to your home in Maple Grove, Plymouth, Champlin, Brooklyn Park, and surrounding northwest Twin Cities suburbs — and I won't leave until things are working and you feel confident using them.
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