YouTube TV is currently the exclusive live TV streaming provider for PBS and PBS Kids that currently costs $49.99 a month.
YouTube TV got some of the local PBS channels back in December 2019 and more are set to come this year too. But at this time, other than YouTube TV, there is no other live TV streaming service provider that has PBS or its local stations.
The best way right now to stream your local PBS is going to be through a service called Locast. Locast is a service that enables you to watch your local TV stations such as ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX, as well as PBS.
What makes this different is that in a traditional sense, cord-cutters normally get an over-the-air antenna for this. However, Locast has found a way to do it through the internet for free since it is a non-profit organization and under current law in the United States, companies that are considered non-profits can broadcast live local stations for free.
In order to get PBS and you other local stations, the first thing that you have to do is be in one of the select markets that Locast is available in. It is available right now in both big and small regions of the country, with the biggest being New York City and the smallest being Rapid City, South Dakota.
If you are in one of those markets, you will be in luck because you are able to stream your local stations for completely free.
While Locast is a free service to use, each time you switch the channel to a different station, you will see a 15-second ad promoting the service. You can avoid this if you want to by donating $5 a month to Locast, which will then allow you to not get the ads from Locast. You will still get ads from local stations.
To see which market you would be in, you can use this DMA map that will tell you which market you are in and which local TV stations you could expect to receive. However, remember again that Locast is not in every TV market at this time.
Locast is available to be streamed on the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Apple TV and Mac. If you don’t have an Apple TV but have an Amazon Fire TV or Roku streaming device, Locast does have apps for both of those products.
