President Donald Trump speaks with reporters on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC … More
If you’re like me and wanted to watch live cable news coverage during the past 24 hours or so of anything from Israel’s attack on Iran (and Iran’s reciprocal bombing of Tel Aviv) to the protests over ICE raids happening in Los Angeles and other cities — plus other major events like President Trump’s military parade in Washington D.C., or the manhunt in Minnesota for a shooter who killed a state lawmaker by impersonating law enforcement — you may have found yourself pausing for a second.
Specifically, pausing to try and figure out what subscriptions and apps you actually pay for — and, more importantly, which of them, if any, include a way to stream live news as it’s unfolding.
The news cycle has certainly been unrelenting over the past few days. Figuring out how to keep up with it all, however, is not the easy proposition that it once was when, if you had a cable box, all you needed to do was flip on the TV and change the channel to CNN, MSNBC, or Fox to get instantly plugged into the story. The fact of the matter, today, is that with so many people having cut the cord, the answer to “Can I watch this live?” depends on what apps you’ve got and how much you’re willing to spend.
If you pay for live TV
The best option for a news junkie who doesn’t want to pay for cable is to pay instead for a service like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, or Fubo. All three of the major cable news channels — CNN, MSNBC, and Fox — are available to stream live through those platforms. You’ll get the channel’s full lineup, in real time, from Anderson Cooper to Bret Baier, Rachel Maddow and everything in between.
Live news options without cable or live TV
If you’re not paying for cable or any kind of live-TV streaming service, your options narrow dramatically. Here’s what to know, as of June 2025.
CNN
Currently, CNN is the only one of the big three cable news providers that offers any kind of live news stream outside of a traditional TV package. You can access the network’s “CNN Max” service if you also subscribe to HBO Max.
The catch: CNN Max offers a live feed, but it’s not the full CNN channel feed. Rather, it’s a curated mix of live breaking news and some original programs — CNN-lite, as it were. You won’t see Anderson Cooper or Jake Tapper doing their regular thing according to their normal live schedule, but at least it’s something.
MSNBC
As of this writing, MSNBC does not offer a standalone live streaming option. You can’t access it through NBC’s streaming service Peacock, nor is there a separate app or subscription that gets you the channel without also paying for either cable or a live TV bundle like YouTube TV or Hulu Live.
Fox News
Same as with MSNBC. Both the Fox News app as well as FoxNews.com require a TV provider login. Fox Nation is a separate app that includes things like opinion shows and documentaries, but not the actual Fox News Channel live feed – which is what you’d want if you’re looking for real-time news coverage, particularly of things like the major world events that have dominated news coverage over the last several days.
The bottom line for news junkies
If you don’t pay for cable or a live-TV app, then (again, as of June 2025) CNN via HBO Max is the only option for getting some kind of live news from a mainstream cable network. Even then, it’s not the full version of CNN but rather a streamlined feed. Still, it’ll keep you loosely connected to the news cycle.
Unfortunately, the shift to streaming still hasn’t fully caught up with how people want to watch the news. Until more standalone live streaming options emerge, cord-cutters like me who don’t want to pay for cable or a live TV subscription will keep asking themselves the same question every time news breaks: “Where can I actually watch this live?”
