Local Channels in Wisconsin: Every TV Market, Station and Way to Watch

Wisconsin TV markets and their channels

Each Wisconsin TV market has its own ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX stations, and Nielsen calls each market a DMA, short for designated market area. Two corners watch Minnesota markets. Hudson and River Falls belong to the Twin Cities, and Superior shares a market with Duluth. Our guide to local channels by state explains how markets work nationwide. Our Illinois guide covers the Chicago and Rockford stations just south of the state line.

We took the numbers below on November 2, 2026 from the broadcast records on RabbitEars. They show what each station sends to your TV, and we compared them with the list of Wisconsin TV stations.

Market	Main Wisconsin cities	ABC	CBS	NBC	FOX
Milwaukee	Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, Kenosha	12	58	4	6
Green Bay-Appleton	Green Bay, Appleton, Oshkosh	2	5	26	11
Madison	Madison, Janesville, Baraboo	27	3	15	47
Wausau-Rhinelander	Wausau, Stevens Point, Rhinelander	9	7	12	7.3
La Crosse-Eau Claire	La Crosse, Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls	19 / 18	8	13	25 / 48
Minneapolis-St. Paul	Hudson, River Falls	5	4	11	9
Duluth-Superior	Superior	10	6.2	6	21

Milwaukee's CBS sits on 58 because channel 6 switched to FOX back in 1994. Green Bay keeps classic low numbers such as ABC 2 and CBS 5, though all four network stations there broadcast on UHF behind the scenes.

Spanish-language TV is strongest in Milwaukee, where Telemundo Wisconsin is on 63. The Twin Cities market has Telemundo on 17 and Univision on 21.

Wisconsin networks with two channel numbers

In northern and western Wisconsin, one network often reaches viewers through two stations, each with its own number. Knowing both helps when one signal is weak:

Market	Network	Channels	Why two
La Crosse-Eau Claire	FOX ("Fox 25/48")	25 La Crosse, 48 Chippewa Falls	Two transmitters cover the two halves of the market
La Crosse-Eau Claire	ABC	19 La Crosse, 18 Eau Claire	Two separate ABC stations
Wausau-Rhinelander	ABC ("Newsline 9")	9 Wausau, 4 Crandon	WMOW in Crandon carries ABC for the Northwoods
Wausau-Rhinelander	FOX ("Fox Wausau")	7.3, also 33	A CBS 7 subchannel, plus low-power WZAW
Duluth-Superior	CBS	6.2	CBS rides on NBC station KBJR, while channel 3 now carries The CW

A subchannel is a second stream from the same station, numbered like 7.3. In Wausau, for example, a weak VHF 7 signal costs you both CBS and FOX, while low-power WZAW on 33 still brings in FOX.

Why some Wisconsin channels won't come in

VHF, the band that covers channels 2 to 13, causes most antenna trouble in Wisconsin. Compact indoor antennas pick it up poorly, and the Northwoods' distances make it worse:

Market	Station on VHF	Shows as	Broadcasts on
Madison	WISC (CBS)	3	VHF 11, with UHF fill-ins
Wausau-Rhinelander	WSAW (CBS, with FOX on 7.3), WAOW (ABC), WMOW (ABC)	7, 9, 4	VHF 7, 9, 13
La Crosse-Eau Claire	WKBT (CBS)	8	VHF 8
Minneapolis-St. Paul	KMSP (FOX)	9	VHF 9
Duluth-Superior	WDIO (ABC)	10	VHF 10
Milwaukee	WMVS (Milwaukee PBS)	10	VHF 8

Our finding: Milwaukee and Green Bay-Appleton have all four networks on UHF, so a basic antenna is usually enough there. Wausau is the opposite: CBS, FOX and ABC all depend on VHF 7 and 9. Only NBC 12 uses UHF.

The fix is an antenna with VHF elements, mounted high and aimed using the FCC reception map. In Madison, for example, a small window antenna often finds NBC 15, ABC 27 and FOX 47 but loses CBS 3.

Ways to watch local channels in Wisconsin

Spectrum is the largest cable company in Wisconsin, with smaller local cable systems in some towns. Cable bills add a broadcast TV fee on top of the plan. The main ways to get your locals compare like this:

Option	What it costs	Wisconsin locals	Watch out for
Antenna	One-time purchase	Every station in range	VHF stations up north, and long distances
Cable (mainly Spectrum)	Spectrum Stream TV Signature from $100 a month for the first year	All main locals	Fees on top of the plan price, as our monthly cable cost guide shows
Live-TV streaming	YouTube TV $82.99 a month; DIRECTV Entertainment $89.99	The big-market stations in most ZIP codes	Smaller markets like Wausau or La Crosse may be incomplete
Free station apps	Free	Local news	News only
IPTVZ	From $29.99 for 3 months, $74.99 for 12	Stations from Milwaukee, Green Bay, Madison, Wausau, La Crosse and more	Needs a steady connection, about 15 Mbps per HD screen

Prices from spectrum.com, YouTube TV and DIRECTV, checked October 17, 2026. Over 12 months, IPTVZ comes to about $6.25 a month. For more options, see the cheapest live TV with local channels, or compare the two approaches in IPTV vs cable.

Wisconsin local channels on IPTVZ

IPTVZ carries stations from every market serving Wisconsin. We matched each one in our panel catalogue of October 16, 2026 by call sign, so the table reflects the station's current network:

Market	Confirmed on IPTVZ
Milwaukee	NBC 4, FOX 6, ABC 12, CBS 58
Green Bay-Appleton	ABC 2, CBS 5, FOX 11, NBC 26
Madison	CBS 3, NBC 15, ABC 27, FOX 47
Wausau-Rhinelander	CBS 7, ABC 9, FOX 33
La Crosse-Eau Claire	CBS 8, NBC 13, ABC 18, ABC 19, FOX 25
Minneapolis-St. Paul	CBS 4, ABC 5, FOX 9, NBC 11
Duluth-Superior	NBC 6, FOX 21

Search the IPTVZ channel list for any station by name. Since IPTV runs over the internet, a Packers fan who moves south can keep watching Green Bay news.

Wisconsin sports on TV in 2026-27

The end of FanDuel Sports Network sent both Milwaukee teams to new TV homes:

• Bucks: the full 2026-27 season returns to free over-the-air TV on My24, channel 24.1 in Milwaukee. A statewide network of partner stations was still being assembled, per Awful Announcing.
• Brewers: MLB produced their 2026 local games for Brewers.TV, sold by the month or the season, and ten games aired free over the air. Check the 2027 plan before Opening Day.
• Packers: most Sunday afternoon games air on the local FOX station, such as FOX 11 in Green Bay and FOX 6 in Milwaukee.
• Badgers: Big Ten games are spread across FOX, CBS, NBC and Big Ten Network.

IPTVZ carries the Wisconsin network stations that air NFL games, plus ESPN and the national sports networks. Our guide to the cheapest way to watch the NFL prices a full season. New to streaming TV? The explainer on how IPTV works covers the basics.

Local channels in Wisconsin FAQ

How many TV markets serve Wisconsin?

Seven. Five are based in the state: Milwaukee, Green Bay-Appleton, Madison, Wausau-Rhinelander and La Crosse-Eau Claire. Western Wisconsin also watches Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Superior shares the Duluth market.

What channel is FOX in La Crosse and Eau Claire?

FOX is on 25 around La Crosse and on 48 around Eau Claire. The two stations brand together as "Fox 25/48."

What channel is CBS in Duluth and Superior?

CBS is on 6.2, a subchannel of NBC station KBJR. Channel 3 now carries The CW.

Why can't I get CBS 3 in Madison with an indoor antenna?

WISC shows as 3 but broadcasts mainly on VHF 11, which small indoor antennas handle poorly. Its UHF fill-in signals help in some areas, so rescan before buying a bigger antenna.

Where can I watch the Bucks in 2026-27?

Free over the air on My24, channel 24.1 in Milwaukee, with partner stations planned around the state.

Do I need cable for local channels in Wisconsin?

No. All the network stations broadcast free over the air, and they also come with streaming services and IPTV. The Brewers are the part that may need a team stream.