Chico Local Channels: How to Watch Free & Without Cable

Last updated: September 21, 2026

Here is every local channel in the Chico market, whether you can pull it in free with an antenna, and which live TV streaming services carry it. Click any channel for the full free-and-without-cable rundown.

ChannelAntenna (Free)Streaming services
ABC YesGood Fubo (free trial) Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV (free trial)
NBC KNVN · Ch 24 YesGood DirecTV Stream (free trial) Fubo (free trial) Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV (free trial)
Univision KUCO · Ch 27.1 YesGood Fubo (free trial)
UniMás KKTF YesGood Fubo (free trial)
ABC KRCR · Ch 7 YesGood Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV (free trial)
The CW KHSL-DT2 · Ch 12.2 YesGood YouTube TV (free trial)
CBS KHSL · Ch 12 YesGood Fubo (free trial) Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV (free trial)
FOX KCVU · Ch 20 YesGood DirecTV Stream (free trial) Fubo (free trial) Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV (free trial)

Antenna reception is free with a one-time antenna purchase. Services tagged “free trial” let you watch at no cost during the trial window; the rest require a paid subscription from day one.

Every Station in the Chico Market

The streaming lineup above only covers the channels the live TV services carry. Over the air there is more: public television, independents, religious broadcasters and the low-power stations that carry the diginets. Here is the full market.

Full-power

StationWhat it carriesOwnerOn air since
KRCR-TV 7UHF7.1 ABC, 7.2 FoxSinclair Broadcast Group1956
KIXE-TV 9VHFPBSNorthern California Educational Television Association, Inc.1964
KHSL-TV 12UHF12.1 CBS, 12.2 The CWAllen Media Group1953
KCVU 20UHFRoarSinclair Broadcast Group1990
KNVN 24UHF24.1 NBC, 24.2 TelemundoMaxair Media, LLC1985

Low-power

StationWhat it carriesOwnerOn air since
KKRM-LD 11 / KRDT-CD 23
KXVU-LD 17VHFAntenna TVSinclair Broadcast Group2006
KXCH-LD 19
KRVU-LD 21 / KZVU-LD 22MyNetworkTVSinclair Broadcast Group
KDRC-LD 26UHFtheDove Media, Inc.1997
KUCO-LD 27UnivisionSinclair Broadcast Group2002
KKTF-LD 30UHFUniMásSinclair Broadcast Group2003
K33HH-D 33UHFBetter Life Television2001

Defunct

StationWhat it carriesOwnerOn air since
KRDN-LP 5

Station details come from public FCC filings and each station’s own record. Subchannel lineups change more often than main channels do.

The Cheapest Way to Get All Four Networks in Chico

An antenna is the only free answer, and in this market it gets you all of them. If you want them streamed instead, Fubo at $79.99 a month is the cheapest service that carries every one of the 4 network stations here.

ServicePriceCarries all 4
Sling TV$45.99/mo0 of 4
DirecTV Stream$59.99/mo2 of 4
Fubo$79.99/moYes
Hulu + Live TV$82.99/moYes
YouTube TV$82.99/moYes

Prices are the current base plans and change often. Local carriage is checked at signup by ZIP code.

How Far Are the Chico Transmitters?

Most of the dial transmits from 74 miles or more out, so a roof-mounted directional antenna is the honest answer if you want the whole market. The towers sit in 3 different directions (northeast, north, northwest), so either point at the cluster you care about most or use a rotor. KIXE-TV broadcasts on VHF, which the small flat antennas sold as "HDTV antennas" are bad at. Check the box says VHF and UHF.

StationDistanceDirectionBand
KHSL-TV 12.1 CBS16 milesnortheastUHF
KXVU-LD Antenna TVlow power17 milesnortheastVHF
KCVU Roar17 milesnortheastUHF
KKTF-LD UniMáslow power17 milesnortheastUHF
KNVN 24.1 NBC38 milesnorthUHF
KDRC-LDlow power73 milesnorthwestUHF
KIXE-TV PBS74 milesnorthwestVHF
KRCR-TV 7.1 ABC74 milesnorthwestUHF
K33HH-Dlow power197 milesnorthUHF

Measured from downtown Chico in a straight line. Hills, buildings and how high your antenna sits matter as much as the distance.

Sports in the Chico Market

Regional sports networks carried here, which is where most local games actually live:

NetworkServices confirmed to carry it
NBC Sports Bay AreaFubo and Hulu + Live TV
NBC Sports CaliforniaFubo and Hulu + Live TV
NBC Sports California PlusFubo
NBC Sports California Plus 3Fubo

Chico Market at a Glance

Market rank#136 of 210 US TV markets
Stations on the air14
Networks carried over the air12, including ABC, Fox, PBS, CBS, The CW, Roar, NBC, Telemundo
Station groupsSinclair Broadcast Group, Northern California Educational Television Association, Inc., Allen Media Group, Maxair Media, LLC, theDove Media, Inc., Better Life Television
Oldest stationon air since 1953
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