Brownsville TV Stations: Every Channel and How to Get It Clean

Every station a Brownsville TV can get

A Brownsville antenna can pull in about a dozen Valley stations and seven or more from Matamoros and Reynosa. The "signal from" column is what decides whether you get each one.

Channel	Network	Station	Signal from
4.1	The CW	KGBT-TV	Western Cameron County
5.1	ABC	KRGV-TV	Santa Maria, VHF 13
21.1	PBS	KMBH-CD	La Feria area
23.1, 23.2	NBC, CBS	KVEO-TV	Santa Maria
40.1	Telemundo	KTLM	Repeaters, main tower near Rio Grande City
48.1	Univision	KNVO	Near Donna, about 38 miles
67.1	FOX	KXFX-CD	McAllen Road, Brownsville
6.1, 7.1, 8.1	Multimedios, Azteca 7, Vallevisión	Matamoros stations	Matamoros, across the river
1.1	Azteca Uno	XHMTA Matamoros	Matamoros

From the RabbitEars Harlingen market list and station records, October 19, 2026. Our Rio Grande Valley TV stations guide explains why CBS moved to 23.2 and The CW to 4.1.

Why Brownsville is a long way from the towers

Most Valley stations broadcast from western Cameron County, about 25 miles west-northwest of downtown Brownsville. That's a fine distance for a good antenna and a stretch for a cheap flat one.

• ABC 5, NBC and CBS 23, PBS 21 and The CW 4: about 25 miles, toward Santa Maria and La Feria.
• Univision 48 and UniMás: about 38 miles, near Donna.
• Telemundo 40's main tower: about 83 miles, near Rio Grande City, too far for most antennas.
• FOX 67: the exception. Its KXFX-CD repeater broadcasts from McAllen Road inside Brownsville.

So in Brownsville, FOX is usually the easiest US network to receive, and ABC the hardest. ABC's VHF 13 signal from 25 miles away needs an antenna built for VHF, ideally outdoors or in the attic.

Matamoros, across the river

The Matamoros stations are Brownsville's strongest free signals, because their transmitters sit just across the Rio Grande. They carry Mexico's main networks and Matamoros's own local news.

Channel	Network	Station
1.1, 1.2	Azteca Uno, adn40	XHMTA Matamoros
6.1 to 6.4	Multimedios, Milenio TV, CCTV Spanish, MVS TV	XHVTV Matamoros
7.1	Azteca 7	XHOR Matamoros
8.1	Televisa "Vallevisión"	XHAB Matamoros
9.1	Las Estrellas	XERV Reynosa
2.1, 2.2	Las Estrellas, Canal 5	XHTAM

Vallevisión on 8.1 is Televisa's local station for Matamoros and the Valley. Mexico uses the same ATSC digital standard as the US, so these channels appear in a normal scan. Our guide to Spanish and Mexican TV in the Valley covers each network in detail.

Antenna tips for Brownsville

The best Brownsville setup is a VHF and UHF antenna aimed west-northwest, mounted as high as you can. The Matamoros and FOX 67 signals are strong enough to come in from almost any direction.

1. Choose an antenna rated for VHF-High (channels 7 to 13). Without it, ABC 5 KRGV is likely to be missing.
2. Aim west-northwest, toward Harlingen, for ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS and The CW.
3. Go up. An attic or roof mount makes the biggest difference at 25 miles.
4. Scan, then check 5.1 and 23.1. If both come in, everything closer will too.
5. Add an amplifier only if needed. Near the river, Matamoros signals can be strong enough to overload a cheap amplified antenna.

Typing a Brownsville address into the FCC's DTV reception map shows which US stations rate green, yellow or red there.

Getting Telemundo 40 in Brownsville

Telemundo 40 KTLM's main tower is about 83 miles from Brownsville, so most Brownsville viewers get it through a repeater. KTLM runs translators in Harlingen and Weslaco, plus KSOY-LD in McAllen.

If Telemundo won't come in, check the Harlingen translator, which is closer, with your antenna aimed west-northwest. Our Harlingen TV stations guide lists what broadcasts from that side of the Valley. For Spanish-language news without the antenna fuss, Univision 48 and the Matamoros stations are the easier picks in Brownsville.

Brownsville on the local news

Brownsville's own license is KVEO, NBC 23, which also runs the Valley's CBS newscasts on 23.2. KRGV 5, FOX's newsroom, Telemundo 40 and Univision 48 cover Brownsville as part of the whole Valley.

The biggest local story of recent years sits about 20 miles east of downtown. It's SpaceX's Starbase launch site at Boca Chica, which became its own city in 2025. Valley stations cover launches regularly, and many Brownsville households watch them on local TV as much as online.

Brownsville TV without cable

Without cable, Brownsville households use an antenna, a live-TV streaming service or IPTV. Spectrum is the cable company in most of Brownsville.

• An antenna, $25 to $60 once, with the setup above.
• YouTube TV or a similar app, once a 785xx ZIP lookup confirms it carries KVEO and KRGV.
• IPTVZ, $74.99 for 12 months on one device.

Our panel catalogue of October 16, 2026 lists NBC 23 Brownsville KVEO, FOX 67 Brownsville KXFX, ABC KRGV, a Valley CBS channel and Telemundo KTLM. Univision 48 KNVO is on the panel too. It also has a 23-channel Matamoros section, with Vallevisión, Azteca Uno, Azteca 7, Las Estrellas and Canal 5. Our guide to leaving Spectrum in McAllen and Brownsville prices the switch.

Brownsville TV FAQ

What channel is NBC in Brownsville?

Channel 23.1. KVEO-TV holds the Brownsville license, and since 2020 the Valley's CBS programming has run on its 23.2 subchannel.

What channel is ABC in Brownsville?

ABC is KRGV, channel 5.1. It broadcasts on VHF 13 from about 25 miles west-northwest, so use an antenna rated for VHF.

What channel is FOX in Brownsville?

FOX Rio Grande Valley is channel 67.1. In Brownsville it comes from KXFX-CD, a repeater with its tower inside the city.

Can I watch Mexican TV in Brownsville?

Yes. Matamoros stations such as Azteca Uno 1.1, Multimedios 6.1, Azteca 7 on 7.1 and Vallevisión on 8.1 come in strongly over the air.

Why can't I get Telemundo in Brownsville?

Telemundo 40's main tower is about 83 miles away near Rio Grande City. Aim your antenna west-northwest to catch its Harlingen translator instead.

Where is KRGV TV based?

In Weslaco, in the middle of the Valley. KRGV, ABC 5, is licensed there and covers Brownsville in its news, with its signal coming from the main Valley towers to the west-northwest.

Which way should I point my antenna in Brownsville?

West-northwest, toward Harlingen, for the Valley's main stations. FOX 67 and the Matamoros stations are close enough to come in from most directions.

The short version

• Every Valley network reaches Brownsville, but from very different distances.
• Most towers are about 25 miles west-northwest; FOX 67 broadcasts from inside the city.
• ABC 5 needs a VHF antenna, and Telemundo usually comes from a repeater.
• Matamoros stations are the strongest free signals in town.
• Past the antenna's limits, $74.99 buys a year of IPTVZ on one TV.

At the end of the Valley, the antenna has to work harder than anywhere else in the market. If yours won't, the IPTVZ free trial takes a day. Our guide to antenna reception in Texas covers the long-distance fixes, and IPTV in the Valley explains the internet route.