An HLN live stream is easy to get if you already pay for TV: sign in to the CNN app with your provider, or watch through a live TV service such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV or DirecTV. There is no free 24/7 HLN stream. Before you sign up for anything, though, know what you’re getting. HLN stopped making its own live news in December 2022, and today it mostly airs “Forensic Files,” with a few hours of CNN news in the morning.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
- HLN ended its own live news shows on December 6, 2022, and now airs mostly true crime, led by “Forensic Files.”
- On a typical weekday in October 2026, HLN simulcasts CNN News Central from 7 to 10 a.m. ET and runs “Forensic Files” for most of the remaining hours.
- Live HLN streaming requires a pay-TV login in the CNN app or a live TV service; there is no free official 24/7 HLN stream.
What is HLN?
HLN is a US cable channel run by CNN from Midtown Atlanta. It launched at midnight on January 1, 1982, as CNN2, a rolling 30-minute news wheel. Within months it was renamed Headline News, and it carried that name, in several versions, for more than 25 years. It became simply HLN on December 15, 2008.
For most of its life, HLN was where you went for a quick news summary. Later it built a following with daytime trial coverage and the “Morning Express” show hosted by Robin Meade. CNN, and with it HLN, is now part of Skydance Corporation after the takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery closed in October 2026.
Reach has shrunk as people cut the cord. HLN was in about 100 million US pay-TV homes at its 2011 peak, and around 68 million as of November 2023.
What does HLN air today?
HLN today is mainly a true crime channel with a short morning news block. So if you search for an HLN live stream hoping for breaking news, you may be disappointed.
The change came fast. On December 1, 2022, CNN’s then-president Chris Licht said HLN would stop producing original live news, effective December 6. From that date, the channel’s operations were merged with Investigation Discovery. “Morning Express” and “Weekend Express” were cancelled.
Since then, HLN has kept some news on air partly because its carriage deals with cable companies require it. From December 2022 it simulcast “CNN This Morning,” and since February 26, 2024 it has carried the morning edition of “CNN News Central.”
A typical HLN day (October 2026)
This is the lineup shown in TV listings for Thursday, October 29, 2026. Times are Eastern, and special events can change the plan.
| Time (ET) | Program | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 12 a.m. – 7 a.m. | Forensic Files (back-to-back episodes) | True crime, recorded |
| 7 a.m. – 10 a.m. | CNN News Central | Live news (CNN simulcast) |
| 10 a.m. – midnight | Forensic Files (back-to-back episodes) | True crime, recorded |
Weekends follow a similar true crime pattern. HLN has also aired marathons of Warner Bros. drama series to promote the HBO Max streaming service.
Does HLN still cover trials?
Sometimes. In August 2026, HLN returned to trial coverage for the Las Vegas trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, who was accused of orchestrating the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur. A CNN newscast on August 18 promoted special coverage hosted by Laura Coates on CNN, All Access, HLN and Amazon Prime. That was CNN-produced coverage carried on HLN, not a return of HLN’s own newsroom.
How to watch an HLN live stream
You have two official ways to watch HLN live: through a TV provider login or through a live TV streaming service. Both cost money, because we found no official HLN channel on free ad-supported services.
Option 1: Stream HLN live in the CNN app
HLN lives inside the CNN app and on cnn.com. According to CNN’s help pages, you choose “Watch” or “Network TV” and then pick HLN, CNN or CNN International. Without a connected TV provider you get a one-minute free preview, and then you’re asked to sign in.
- Install the CNN app on your phone, tablet or TV device, or open cnn.com on a computer.
- Go to the live TV section and pick HLN.
- When asked, choose your cable, satellite or streaming provider and sign in.
- Once connected, the HLN live stream plays without the preview limit.
CNN All Access, CNN’s own subscription, is a separate route that covers live CNN. CNN’s help pages don’t list HLN as part of it, so treat All Access as a CNN product, not an HLN one.
Option 2: An HLN live stream through a TV streaming service
Several live TV services carry HLN as part of a channel bundle. Prices change often, so check each service’s sign-up page on the day you join.
| Service | Carries HLN? | Notes (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | Yes | Included in the base plan, along with CNN |
| Hulu + Live TV | Yes | Bundled with Hulu’s on-demand library |
| DirecTV (streaming) | Yes | Also carried on DirecTV satellite |
| Sling TV | Yes, package varies | HLN has moved between Sling’s base plans and add-ons; check Sling’s channel finder before you buy |
| Spectrum TV Stream | Listed | For Spectrum internet customers |
Once you’re signed up, you can also use that login in the CNN app. If you want the cheapest way to get news channels without a cable box, our guide to watching news without cable compares the main plans side by side.
Coming soon: the NewsLive streaming app. We’re building one subscription for live international news on Android, Roku, Fire TV and desktop. The service is under development — follow NewsLive for launch updates.
Watching the HLN live stream on your TV
The CNN app runs on the main streaming platforms, so you don’t need a cable box to put HLN on the big screen. The steps are the same as on a phone: open the app, pick HLN under live TV and sign in with your provider.
- Roku: add the CNN app from the Roku Channel Store, or use the YouTube TV or Hulu app if you watch through one of those. Our Roku news guide lists other news apps worth adding.
- Fire TV: download the CNN app from the Amazon Appstore, then sign in the same way.
- Smart TVs, Apple TV and Android TV: look for the CNN app in your TV’s app store, or use your live TV service’s own app.
Can I watch an HLN live stream outside the US?
Mostly no. HLN is made for US cable, and the CNN app’s live HLN stream works only with a US TV provider. Canada is the main exception: cable companies there can carry the US feed as an approved foreign service, though some programs are blacked out for rights reasons.
In the UK and Europe, CNN International is the channel to look for. It carries CNN’s own news, not HLN’s true crime lineup, and it’s on many pay-TV packages. Our CNN International guide, linked above, explains the options by country.
Is HLN worth it in 2026?
It depends on what you want. For a short morning news block plus wall-to-wall “Forensic Files,” HLN does the job, and it usually comes free with a cable or streaming bundle you may already have.
For live news, though, HLN isn’t the right channel anymore. CNN itself has far more live hours. Free options also exist: for example, NBC News NOW streams live news at no cost. If you’re looking for a different channel, the full list of channels we cover links every guide, and our channel guides section has the newest ones.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free HLN live stream?
No. We found no official HLN channel on free ad-supported services as of October 2026, and the CNN app only gives a one-minute preview without a TV provider login. Any site offering a free 24/7 HLN stream is not an official source.
Does HLN still have live news?
Only a little. HLN stopped producing its own news on December 6, 2022. It now simulcasts CNN News Central in the morning, about three hours on a typical weekday, and runs true crime for the rest of the day.
Why did HLN switch to Forensic Files?
CNN cut HLN’s news operation in December 2022 as part of cost cuts after the Warner Bros. Discovery merger. The channel was folded into Investigation Discovery’s operations, and true crime reruns became the core of the schedule.
Can I watch the HLN live stream on YouTube TV?
Yes. YouTube TV includes HLN in its base plan. You can watch it in the YouTube TV app or use your YouTube TV login in the CNN app.
Who owns HLN now?
HLN is run by CNN, which is now part of Skydance Corporation. Skydance completed its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery in October 2026.
Is HLN the same as CNN Headline News?
Yes, it’s the same channel. It started as CNN2 in 1982, became Headline News, then CNN Headline News, and has been called HLN since December 2008.
