There are two main ways to find news channels on Roku. Some live channels are already built in through The Roku Channel and its Live TV guide, and you can add free broadcaster apps such as Sky News, DW, France 24, Al Jazeera and TRT World from the Roku Streaming Store. Most of what’s on offer is free, though a few apps have paid tiers, and what you see depends on your country. This guide explains how to add each type, which international news options Roku itself lists, and what to check before you pay for anything.
Key facts (as of October 2026)
- The Roku Channel has a free Live TV guide with news channels built in.
- Free broadcaster apps on Roku include Sky News, DW, France 24, Al Jazeera and TRT World.
- What you can install depends on your country.
Two ways to get news channels on Roku
It helps to know the difference before you start searching. Roku now calls the things you install “apps” (older guides say “channels”), and some live news streams come with the device without any install.
- Built-in live channels. The Roku Channel comes with current Roku devices and carries free, ad-supported live streams, including several news feeds. In the US, these channels also show up in the Live TV Channel Guide.
- Broadcaster apps. Networks such as Sky News, DW, France 24, Al Jazeera and TRT World publish their own apps in the Roku Streaming Store. You add them once and they sit on your home screen.
Most people use both. The built-in feeds are good for quick channel surfing, and the broadcaster apps tend to have the full live stream plus recent clips and programs.
How to add a news app to Roku
Roku’s official help page gives three ways to add an app. Whichever one you use, the app is linked to your Roku account, so it appears on every Roku device signed in to that account.
On the Roku device
- Press Home on your Roku remote.
- Scroll down and select Store.
- Choose Apps, then browse a category or use search. Typing the network name (“DW” or “Al Jazeera”) is usually fastest.
- Highlight the app and press OK to see its details.
- Select Add app. If the app is a paid one, you’ll see an option to start a trial or subscribe.
From the Roku mobile app
- Open the Roku app on your phone and go to Store, or search for the network.
- Tap the app to open its information page.
- Tap Add app and follow the prompts.
From a web browser
- Go to the Roku Channel Store website and sign in.
- Search for the news app you want and select Details.
- Select Add app.
If you set up a Roku account PIN, you’ll have to enter it before you can add apps. Apps added from your phone or a browser can take a little while to show up on the TV. To speed that up, go to Settings > System > System update and select Check now.
International news apps Roku lists
Roku’s own blog post on international apps names six free world news apps. Where an app actually works depends on the publisher’s rights in your country, so search the Store from your own device to check.
These international news channels on Roku are the official apps Roku itself lists.
| App | Based in | Price on Roku | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sky News | UK | Free | 24-hour UK and world news, plus video catch-up |
| France 24 | France | Free basic app; a paid premium app also exists | Live and on-demand world news; check which version you’re installing |
| DW | Germany | Free | Deutsche Welle’s international service |
| Al Jazeera | Qatar | Free | International news network |
| i24NEWS | Israel | Free | International news network |
| TRT World | Turkey | Free | English-language news from Istanbul |
About France 24: users on Roku’s community forum have asked why some Roku TVs show a France 24 “Premium” app that costs money while the stream is free elsewhere. A Roku community expert replied that app developers set their own prices, not Roku. Before you pay, read the app’s details page and look for a free listing from the same publisher. For background on each network, see our guides to watching DW News in English, France 24 English live and Al Jazeera English live.
Free live news inside The Roku Channel
You don’t need to install anything for The Roku Channel’s news feeds. Open The Roku Channel from your home screen and go to its Live TV row. If you’re already watching a live channel, press left on the remote’s directional pad and the guide opens.
The Roku Channel is the quickest way to get free news channels on Roku without installing anything.
In the guide, move up or down to change channels and left or right to see what’s on later. Roku says you can look up to seven days ahead, and pressing Replay takes you back to the current time.
The Roku Channel added Sky News in February 2023. A February 2025 Cord Cutters News list of the US live line-up included these English-language news and weather channels, among others:
- Sky News, Euronews English, CBC News Explore and Reuters
- ABC News Live, CBS News 24/7, NBC News NOW and Fox Live Now
- Scripps News, The Hill TV, USA Today and Newsmax2 (N2)
- Fox Weather, AccuWeather Now and WeatherNation
FAST line-ups (free, ad-supported streaming TV) change all the time, so channels can be added or dropped without notice. As of October 2026, use the guide on your own device for the current list. That US list didn’t include BBC, Al Jazeera, DW, France 24 or TRT World, so for those, install the broadcaster apps listed above.
A note on regions
Roku’s support page says streaming listings in the Live TV Channel Guide are available in the United States only. Over-the-air antenna listings work in the US and the UK on Roku TV models. Outside the US, you’ll still find live content in The Roku Channel where it’s offered, but the line-up and layout are different, so the broadcaster apps matter more.
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.
Other official news apps worth adding
Beyond the international broadcasters, Roku’s guide to free news options mentions apps that pull together several sources at once:
- Haystack News offers personalized local and world news. Roku says its sources include ABC News, CBS, AP, Euronews, CBC and Bloomberg.
- NewsON carries newscasts from local US TV stations.
- CBS News has its own app for the CBS News 24/7 stream. Our CBS News 24/7 guide covers the other ways to watch it.
Cable news networks such as CNN, Fox News and MS NOW usually need a pay-TV login or a subscription for the full live channel. If you subscribe to a live TV streaming service, its Roku app gives you those channels like any other app. Our guide to watching news without cable compares those services.
Be careful with “world news” bundle apps
Some Store apps promise live feeds from many networks in one place. An independent Roku directory, for example, lists a free “World News Live” app with feeds from TRT World, Al Jazeera, France 24 and Bloomberg. It also says those feeds come from public internet sources and often go offline.
Apps like that may or may not have the networks’ permission, and they can stop working at any time. For a reliable stream, use the app the broadcaster publishes itself. You can usually tell from the developer name on the app’s details page.
Tips for a better news setup
A few minutes of setup makes news channels on Roku much easier to reach.
- Move news apps to the top. Highlight an app on the home screen, press the * (star) button and choose Move app so your news apps sit in the first row.
- Use favorites in the guide. You can switch the Live TV guide between all channels, recent channels and favorites. A favorites list cuts a long guide down to the news channels you actually watch.
- Combine with an antenna. On a US Roku TV, an HDTV antenna puts local network newscasts in the same guide as the free streaming channels.
- Keep the software updated. If an app won’t load, run Settings > System > System update before you reinstall it.
See also: how to watch Bloomberg TV free on Roku and other devices.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free BBC News app on Roku?
BBC News wasn’t among the international news apps Roku lists, and it wasn’t in the 2025 US line-up of The Roku Channel we checked. Availability changes, so search the Store on your device. Our BBC News live guide covers the official ways to watch.
Do I need to pay to watch news on Roku?
No. Roku lists Sky News, DW, Al Jazeera, TRT World, i24NEWS and France 24’s basic app as free, and The Roku Channel’s live news feeds are free with ads. You pay only for premium versions of some apps, or for live TV services that carry cable news channels.
Where is the Live TV guide on Roku?
On a Roku TV, you can open it from the home screen. On any Roku device, open The Roku Channel and go to the Live TV row, or press left on the directional pad while you’re watching a live channel.
Why can’t I find a news app in the Roku Store?
Publishers choose which countries their apps are offered in, so an app available in the US may not appear in the UK or Canada. Try searching by the network’s exact name. If it’s still missing, check the broadcaster’s own website for a list of supported devices.
Can I watch Sky News live on Roku?
Yes. Sky News is one of the international apps Roku lists as free, and in the US it also has a live channel inside The Roku Channel. That channel was added in February 2023.
Are channels added on my phone the same as on my TV?
Yes. Apps are tied to your Roku account, not one device. An app you add through the mobile app or the website shows up on every Roku device linked to the same account.
Sources
- Roku Support: How to add apps to your Roku streaming device
- Roku Support: Live TV Channel Guide
- Roku Support: Watch free movies and TV shows
- Roku Blog: Free and paid international channels on Roku
- Roku Blog: How to watch news channels for free on your Roku device
- The Desk: Roku Channel adds Sky News (February 2023)
- Cord Cutters News: The Roku Channel live channel list (February 2025)
- Roku Community: France 24 Premium discussion
