Trying to find channel 5 news live now is a lot more complicated than it used to be. Back in the day, you just clicked a button on a plastic remote and there it was. Now? You've got to navigate a maze of local affiliates, national UK networks, and a bunch of social media clones that aren't actually news at all.
If you're in the UK, you’re likely looking for the national Channel 5 broadcast. If you’re in the US, "Channel 5" could mean anything from KTLA in Los Angeles to WCVB in Boston or KSDK in St. Louis. It depends entirely on where your feet are planted.
Let's get into the specifics. People get frustrated because they search for a live stream and end up on a shady website full of pop-up ads for "one weird trick" or a YouTube loop of a broadcast from three years ago. That's not news. That's digital clutter.
The Reality of Watching Channel 5 News Live Now in the UK
For those across the pond, Channel 5 is a massive entity owned by Paramount Global. Their news wing, 5 News, is produced by ITN. It’s snappy, it’s fast, and it’s usually airing at 5:00 PM and 6:30 PM GMT.
If you want to watch channel 5 news live now in the UK, the only truly "official" way is through the My5 app. It's free, but you have to sit through those unskippable ads that always seem to be for car insurance or laundry detergent. Honestly, the app can be a bit glitchy on older Smart TVs. Sometimes it hangs on the splash screen for no reason. If that happens, switching to a web browser usually fixes it.
Streaming via Third-Party Platforms
You don't have to use the My5 app. If you use TVPlayer or a similar aggregator, you can often find the live feed there. But here’s the kicker: licensing rights. Sometimes a specific news segment featuring sports highlights or international footage gets "blacked out" on digital streams while remaining on the literal over-the-air signal. It’s annoying. You're sitting there watching a "We'll be right back" screen while the people with rabbit-ear antennas are seeing the full report.
The "Andrew Callaghan" Confusion
We have to address the elephant in the room. If you’re under 30 and looking for channel 5 news live now, there’s a massive chance you aren't looking for local weather or traffic. You're looking for Andrew Callaghan’s "Channel 5" on YouTube.
This isn't a traditional news station. It’s gonzo journalism. It’s raw. It’s often uncomfortable. Callaghan—formerly of All Gas No Brakes—runs an independent channel that he calls Channel 5.
They don't really do "live" news in the sense of a 24-hour cycle. They drop documentary-style long-form content. If you see a "live" stream on YouTube titled "Channel 5 News Live Now" and it's showing old footage of a music festival or a fringe political rally, it’s probably a fan-run 24/7 replay loop. It’s not "live" in the chronological sense. Don't let the "Live" badge in the corner of the thumbnail fool you; check the upload date or the chat box to see if it's just a rerun.
How Local US Affiliates Handle Live News
In the United States, "Channel 5" is a frequency, not a single brand. Because of how the FCC handles licensing, every major city basically has its own version.
- KTLA 5 (Los Angeles): These guys are the kings of breaking news. Their helicopter coverage is legendary. If there’s a car chase in SoCal, you’ll find channel 5 news live now on their website or their "KTLA+" app on Roku.
- WCVB (Boston): This is an ABC affiliate. They have a very polished, traditional feel. Their "Live" button on the website is actually pretty reliable, which is rare for local news sites that usually feel like they were designed in 2012.
- KSDK (St. Louis): They use the "5 On Your Side" branding. They lean heavily into investigative stuff.
Most of these local stations have moved toward "FAST" channels—Free Ad-Supported Television. You can find them on platforms like Pluto TV, Tubi, or Haystack News. If you have a Samsung TV, check the "Samsung TV Plus" section. Most of the time, the local Channel 5 feed is pre-installed there. You don’t even have to download anything. Just scroll through the channel list until you see the logo you recognize.
Why Your Stream Keeps Buffering or Failing
It’s 2026, and we still can’t get a flawless live stream 100% of the time. It’s ridiculous, right?
🔗 Read more: Electoral Votes: Why the System Still Runs the Show in 2026
The main reason your search for channel 5 news live now might lead to a broken link is "Geoblocking." News stations have the rights to broadcast in their city or country. If you’re in Florida trying to watch London’s Channel 5, the server sees your IP address and shuts the door.
You’ve probably heard of people using VPNs to get around this. It works, but many news sites have started blocking known VPN IP ranges. It’s a cat-and-mouse game. Another issue is "rights-managed content." If the news is showing a clip from an Olympic event or a Hollywood movie trailer, they might not have the "digital sync rights" to stream that specific 30-second window over the internet. The stream will go dark, or you'll get a "Programming will resume shortly" message.
It isn't your internet. It's lawyers.
The Social Media Shortcut
Sometimes the fastest way to get channel 5 news live now isn't a website at all. It’s X (formerly Twitter) or TikTok.
Most major Channel 5 affiliates stream their "Breaking News" segments directly to Facebook Live or X. If a major storm is hitting or there’s a massive fire, the social media teams usually bypass the clunky website players and just go live where the people are.
- Open the X app.
- Search for the specific station handle (e.g., @KTLA or @5_News).
- Look for the "Live" circle around their profile picture.
This is often the lowest-latency way to watch. Website players usually have a 30-to-60-second delay. Social media streams are often closer to 5 or 10 seconds. When every second counts during a weather emergency, that difference matters.
Avoiding the Fakes
There is a weird sub-economy of "fake" news streams on YouTube. You'll search for channel 5 news live now and find a channel with a name like "NEWS LIVE 24/7" using the Channel 5 logo.
Watch out for these.
Usually, they are just playing a recording of a broadcast from earlier in the day on a loop to farm ad revenue. How do you tell? Look at the clock on the news ticker at the bottom of the screen. If it says 8:00 AM and your watch says 2:00 PM, close the tab. These channels also tend to have "robotic" voices in the chat or links in the description to "crypto opportunities." Stay away. They are just trying to capitalize on search traffic.
Essential Steps for Reliable Viewing
If you want a consistent experience every time you need the news, stop Googling it every morning. It’s a waste of time.
First, identify which "Channel 5" you actually need. Are you looking for the UK’s national updates or a specific US city? Once you know, download the specific app for that station on your phone or smart TV.
For the UK, it’s My5. For US locals, it’s usually an app named after the station (e.g., KSDK 5 On Your Side).
Second, check the "FAST" platforms. If you have a Roku or an Amazon Fire Stick, apps like NewsON are a godsend. They aggregate hundreds of local news stations into one interface. You just put in your zip code, find the Channel 5 affiliate, and hit play. It’s much more stable than trying to run a video player inside a mobile Chrome browser.
Finally, keep a backup. If the live stream is failing, most stations have a "Digital Subchannel" that broadcasts over the air. A cheap $20 digital antenna from any big-box store will get you the news even if your internet goes down. In a real emergency, the internet is usually the first thing to get throttled. The airwaves are much more reliable.
Summary of Actionable Steps
- Identify your region: Don't just search for "Channel 5." Add your city or "UK" to the search to filter out the noise.
- Use dedicated apps: Download My5 (UK) or NewsON (US) for a more stable bitrate than web browsers.
- Check the clock: Always verify the on-screen time-stamp to ensure you aren't watching a "Live" rerun.
- Social media for speed: Check the station's official X or Facebook page for breaking news clips that bypass app lag.
- Invest in an antenna: For local US news, a physical antenna is the only way to guarantee a signal during high-traffic events or internet outages.
Getting the news shouldn't feel like a chore. By using the right platforms and avoiding the "fake live" loops on social media, you can get the information you need without the headache. Keep your apps updated, and always have a secondary source ready for when the servers inevitably decide to take a nap during a major headline.