Temple TX TV Stations: Every Channel, the KCEN Story and Antenna Tips

Temple TX TV stations and tower distances

Every English-language network reaches Temple from the north, and none of the towers is more than 17 miles away.

On your TV	Network	Station	Tower from Temple
6.1	NBC	KCEN-TV, Temple	14 mi, north-northeast
10.1	CBS	KWTX-TV, Waco	16 mi, north
10.2	Telemundo	KWTX-TV	16 mi, north
25.1	ABC	KXXV, Waco	17 mi, north
44.1	FOX	KWKT-TV, Waco	15 mi, north
46.1	The CW	KNCT, Belton	16 mi, north
62.1	Univision	KAKW-DT, Killeen	46 mi, west-southwest

Channel numbers from the RabbitEars Waco market list, checked October 19, 2026; distances we computed from the stations' listed coordinates. For broadcast channels and subchannels, see our Waco, Temple and Bryan TV stations guide.

KCEN, the station Temple built

KCEN signed on November 1, 1953, the first TV station in the Waco-Temple-Killeen area. Its founder was Frank W. Mayborn, publisher of the Temple Daily Telegram and owner of KTEM radio.

Mayborn could have called it KTEM-TV. He chose KCEN, for "Central Texas," because he expected Temple, Killeen and Waco to become one TV market. He put the studio and transmitter near Eddy, roughly halfway between Temple and Waco.

In 1981, KCEN switched on a 1,924-foot tower that stretched its coverage to almost 29,000 square miles. In 2016, it announced a move off the Eddy site into the former First Baptist Church complex in downtown Temple, finished in early 2017. The station said Bell County, the largest and fastest-growing county it served, should have a station based there. Nexstar has owned KCEN since March 19, 2026, through its purchase of Tegna.

Antenna setup in Temple and Belton

At 14 to 17 miles, Temple sits close enough that an indoor or attic antenna often pulls in every network. Point it north. Because all five network towers sit in the same direction, there's no need to compromise on aim.

The one thing to check is VHF. NBC 6 broadcasts on VHF 9 and CBS 10 on VHF 10, and flat antennas built mainly for UHF tend to miss them. A model that lists VHF-High, channels 7 to 13, solves it. Belton sits a few miles further out, 20 to 21 miles from the towers, aimed north-northeast. For a check at your exact address, use the FCC's DTV reception map.

Bell County and Milam County towns

Distances grow quickly south and east of Temple, and past about 30 miles an outdoor antenna makes sense.

Town	To the network towers	Aim
Troy	7 to 9 mi	North
Morgan's Point Resort	14 to 17 mi	Northeast
Little River-Academy	21 to 24 mi	North
Rogers	24 to 28 mi	North to north-northwest
Salado	28 to 30 mi	North-northeast
Holland	29 to 32 mi	North
Cameron	32 to 39 mi	North-northwest

Killeen and Harker Heights sit further west, with a different aiming problem; our Killeen and Fort Hood TV guide covers them.

Austin's stations are a long shot from here. Their towers are about 60 miles south-southwest of Temple, and even Salado and Holland are 45 or more miles away.

Telemundo and Univision in Temple

Telemundo is easy in Temple and Univision is not. Telemundo rides on KWTX as 10.2, from the same tower as CBS 10. Univision 62, KAKW, broadcasts from Williamson County, about 46 miles west-southwest of Temple, on VHF 13.

KAKW programs for Austin, so the Univision news on 62 is Austin's. Reaching it with an antenna that also gets the northern towers usually takes a second antenna or a rotator. Many Temple homes simply get Univision through a streaming service or IPTV.

Watching without cable

With the towers this close, most Temple households start with an antenna and add a service only for what it can't get.

• An antenna with VHF, often $25 to $40 for an indoor model at Temple's distances.
• A streaming service, such as YouTube TV at $82.99 a month.
• IPTVZ, at $29.99 for 3 months or $74.99 for a year on one device.

Search the IPTVZ panel for Temple and KCEN comes up as "NBC 6 Temple." The Waco-licensed CBS, ABC and FOX stations sit nearby in the US section. So does Univision Austin, the channel a north-facing antenna in Temple tends to miss. See our guides to IPTV in Waco, Killeen and Bryan and leaving Spectrum in Central Texas for the costs.

Looking beyond Bell County? Our Texas local channels guide maps all 19 of the state's TV markets.

Temple TV FAQ

What channel is NBC in Temple TX?

NBC is KCEN-TV on channel 6.1. It's licensed to Temple, with studios on North 3rd Street downtown.

What channel is CBS in Temple?

CBS is KWTX-TV, channel 10.1, from Waco. Telemundo shares the signal as 10.2.

What channel is FOX in Temple?

FOX is KWKT-TV, channel 44.1. Its tower is about 15 miles north of Temple.

Does Temple have its own TV station?

Yes, KCEN, NBC 6. It has been licensed to Temple since 1953, and its newsroom moved downtown in 2017.

Which way should I point an antenna in Temple?

North. All the English-language network towers sit 14 to 17 miles north of the city.

How can I watch ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX in Temple without cable?

An antenna aimed north gets all four free: ABC 25, NBC 6, CBS 10 and FOX 44. Live-TV streaming services and IPTVZ carry them over the internet instead.

Why can't I get Univision in Temple?

Univision 62 transmits on VHF 13 from about 46 miles west-southwest, well off the line to the northern towers. Streaming or IPTV is the simpler route.

The short version

• Temple gets NBC 6, CBS 10, ABC 25, FOX 44 and CW 46, plus Telemundo 10.2.
• KCEN, NBC 6, was founded in Temple in 1953 and is based downtown.
• All the network towers are 14 to 17 miles north, so aim north.
• Pick an antenna with VHF for NBC and CBS.
• Univision 62 is far away and off to the west-southwest; IPTVZ carries Univision Austin.

Temple is one of the simpler places in Central Texas to cut the cord. An antenna covers the networks, and the free trial shows what IPTVZ adds before you choose an IPTVZ plan.