How to Watch CBS 2 Chicago (WBBM) For Free & Without Cable

Last updated: June 15, 2026

CBS 2 is the oldest television station in Chicago and, for a long stretch in the late seventies and eighties, the most watched. WBBM is a CBS owned-and-operated station broadcasting out of Block 37 in the Loop on channel 2, and it carries everything the network throws at the market: NFL on CBS, the NCAA tournament, 60 Minutes, and a late local newscast that still pulls a crowd. You don't need cable for any of it. The over-the-air signal is free with an antenna, and if you'd rather stream, CBS 2 shows up on most of the live TV services in town. One thing worth knowing: CBS likes to nudge you toward Paramount+ for on-demand, but it's the live local feed you actually want for news and Sunday football.

Chicago is about as easy as over-the-air TV gets. Almost every full-power station transmits from a single cluster downtown, most of it off the Willis Tower, and the land around the city is famously flat. Point a basic antenna toward the Loop and you will usually pull in the major networks without much trouble. The signal thins out as you push past the collar counties toward the Wisconsin and Indiana lines, where an amplified or outdoor antenna starts to matter.

Streaming CBS 2 Without Cable

With a free trial: Fubo and YouTube TV all carry CBS 2 and let you watch free during the trial period before any charge.

No free trial, but they carry it: Hulu + Live TV also include CBS 2, though you pay from the first day.

Every Local Channel in Chicago

Here is the full Chicago lineup, whether each channel is available free with an antenna and how well it comes in, plus the streaming services that carry it.

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.

Last updated: June 15, 2026