Santa Barbara Local Channels: How to Watch Free & Without Cable
Last updated: September 21, 2026
Here is every local channel in the Santa Barbara 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.
| Channel | Antenna (Free) | Streaming services |
|---|---|---|
| ABC | YesGood | Fubo (free trial) |
| CBS KEYT · Ch 3 | YesGood | Fubo (free trial) Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV (free trial) |
| NBC KSBY · Ch 6 | YesGood | DirecTV Stream (free trial) Fubo (free trial) Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV (free trial) |
| Telemundo KTAS · Ch 33.1 | YesGood | Fubo (free trial) Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV (free trial) |
| Univision KPMR · Ch 38.1 | YesGood | Fubo (free trial) |
| UniMás KTSB | YesGood | Fubo (free trial) |
| CBS KCOY · Ch 12 | YesGood | Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV (free trial) |
| The CW KSBY-DT2 · Ch 6.2 | YesGood | DirecTV Stream (free trial) Hulu + Live TV YouTube TV (free trial) |
| FOX KKFX · Ch 24 | 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 Santa Barbara 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.
Santa Barbara
| Station | What it carries | Owner | On air since |
|---|---|---|---|
| KEYT-TV 3UHF | 3.1 ABC, 3.2 CBS, 3.3 MyNetworkTV | News-Press & Gazette Company | 1953 |
| K19NJ-D 6UHF | NBC | E. W. Scripps Company | 1953 |
| KZDF-LD 8 | SBN | — | — |
| KSBB-CD 17UHF | MyNetworkTV | VistaWest Media, LLC | 1964 |
| K26FT-D 26UHF | PBS, Dark | Public Media Group of Southern California | 1964 |
| KPMR 38UHF | 38.1 Univision, 38.2 Ion Television, 38.3 UniMás | Entravision Communications | 2001 |
| KVMM-CD 41 | MovieSphere Gold | — | — |
| KBAB-LD 50UHF | PBS | Public Media Group of Southern California | 1972 |
Santa Maria
| Station | What it carries | Owner | On air since |
|---|---|---|---|
| KCOY-TV 12UHF | 12.1 Telemundo, 12.2 Fox, 12.3 The CW Plus | VistaWest Media, LLC | 1964 |
| KLFA-LD 25UHF | — | — | 1990 |
| KQMM-CD 29 | SBN | — | — |
| KDFS-CD 30 | Magnificent Movies Network, Estrella TV | — | — |
| KTSB-CD 35UHF | UniMás | Entravision Communications | 1995 |
San Luis Obispo
| Station | What it carries | Owner | On air since |
|---|---|---|---|
| K31KE-D 3UHF | 3.1 ABC, 3.2 CBS, 3.3 MyNetworkTV | News-Press & Gazette Company | 1953 |
| KSBY 6UHF | NBC | E. W. Scripps Company | 1953 |
| K16FC-D 16UHF | PBS | Public Media Group of Southern California | 1964 |
| K12QZ-D 17 | Dark | — | — |
| KKFX-CD 24UHF | 24.1 Fox, 24.2 Telemundo, 24.3 The CW Plus | News-Press & Gazette Company | 1997 |
| K50LZ-D 28UHF | Univision | Entravision Communications | 2001 |
| K17GD 17 / K28FK 28UHF | UniMás | Entravision Communications | 1995 |
| KTAS 33UHF | Estrella TV | Major Market Broadcasting | 1990 |
| KSBO-CD 42 | Timeless TV | — | — |
| KFUL-LD 57UHF | — | — | 1990 |
Lompoc
| Station | What it carries | Owner | On air since |
|---|---|---|---|
| K10OG 10UHF | UniMás | Entravision Communications | 1995 |
| KLDF-CD 17 | Timeless TV | — | — |
Paso Robles
| Station | What it carries | Owner | On air since |
|---|---|---|---|
| K26MT-D 3UHF | 3.1 ABC, 3.2 CBS, 3.3 MyNetworkTV | News-Press & Gazette Company | 1953 |
| K17GD-D 17UHF | Univision | Entravision Communications | 2001 |
| KPAO-LD 30 | Estrella TV | — | — |
Atascadero
| Station | What it carries | Owner | On air since |
|---|---|---|---|
| KASC-LP 7 | Estrella TV | — | — |
| KCCF-LD 46 | Ind. | — | — |
ATSC 3.0 stations
| Station | What it carries | Owner | On air since |
|---|---|---|---|
| KSBB-CD 17UHF | MyNetworkTV | VistaWest Media, LLC | 1964 |
Defunct
| Station | What it carries | Owner | On air since |
|---|---|---|---|
| K15DB 15UHF | TBN, Religious/Spanish | Trinity Broadcasting Network | 1967 |
| KWHY-LP / K22LM-D / K46GF-D / K47DG 22VHF | Ind., TBN | Sunset Boulevard Broadcasting Corporation | 1965 |
| K28GY-D 28UHF | PBS, TBN | Public Media Group of Southern California | 1964 |
| KMMA-CD 41 | 3ABN, Azteca América, Religious Ind., Ind., America One, TBN, Public Ind. | — | — |
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 Santa Barbara
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.
| Service | Price | Carries all 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Sling TV | $45.99/mo | 0 of 4 |
| DirecTV Stream | $59.99/mo | 2 of 4 |
| Fubo | $79.99/mo | Yes |
| Hulu + Live TV | $82.99/mo | Yes |
| YouTube TV | $82.99/mo | Yes |
Prices are the current base plans and change often. Local carriage is checked at signup by ZIP code.
How Far Are the Santa Barbara Transmitters?
Most of the dial transmits from 94 miles or more out, so a roof-mounted directional antenna is the honest answer if you want the whole market. KWHY-LP / K22LM-D / K46GF-D / K47DG broadcasts on VHF, which the small flat antennas sold as "HDTV antennas" are bad at. Check the box says VHF and UHF.
| Station | Distance | Direction | Band |
|---|---|---|---|
| KEYT-TV 3.1 ABClow power | 17 miles | northwest | UHF |
| K26MT-D 3.1 ABClow power | 17 miles | northwest | UHF |
| K31KE-D 3.1 ABClow power | 17 miles | northwest | UHF |
| K50LZ-D Univisionlow power | 17 miles | northwest | UHF |
| K17GD-D Univisionlow power | 17 miles | northwest | UHF |
| KPMR 38.1 Univisionlow power | 17 miles | northwest | UHF |
| K17GD 17 / K28FK 28 UniMáslow power | 44 miles | northwest | UHF |
| KTSB-CD UniMáslow power | 44 miles | northwest | UHF |
| KCOY-TV 12.1 Telemundolow power | 44 miles | northwest | UHF |
| KSBB-CD MyNetworkTVlow power | 44 miles | northwest | UHF |
| KSBB-CD MyNetworkTVlow power | 44 miles | northwest | UHF |
| K10OG UniMáslow power | 44 miles | northwest | UHF |
| K19NJ-D NBClow power | 85 miles | northwest | UHF |
| KSBY NBClow power | 85 miles | northwest | UHF |
| KTAS Estrella TVlow power | 85 miles | northwest | UHF |
| KKFX-CD 24.1 Foxlow power | 85 miles | northwest | UHF |
| K15DB TBNlow power | 94 miles | east | UHF |
| K28GY-D PBSlow power | 94 miles | east | UHF |
| K26FT-D PBSlow power | 94 miles | east | UHF |
| K16FC-D PBSlow power | 94 miles | east | UHF |
| KWHY-LP / K22LM-D / K46GF-D / K47DG Ind.low power | 95 miles | east | VHF |
| KBAB-LD PBSlow power | 95 miles | east | UHF |
Measured from downtown Santa Barbara in a straight line. Hills, buildings and how high your antenna sits matter as much as the distance.
Sports in the Santa Barbara Market
Regional sports networks carried here, which is where most local games actually live:
| Network | Services confirmed to carry it |
|---|---|
| NBC Sports California | Fubo |
| NBC Sports California Plus | Fubo |
| NBC Sports California Plus 3 | Fubo |
Santa Barbara Market at a Glance
| Market rank | #123 of 210 US TV markets |
| Stations on the air | 35 |
| Networks carried over the air | 25, including ABC, CBS, MyNetworkTV, NBC, SBN, PBS, Dark, Univision |
| Station groups | News-Press & Gazette Company, E. W. Scripps Company, VistaWest Media, LLC, Public Media Group of Southern California, Entravision Communications, Major Market Broadcasting |
| Oldest station | on air since 1953 |