Ever tried to find a simple local channel in Washtenaw County and ended up scrolling through 400 random shopping networks? You're not alone. The ann arbor tv guide is a notoriously tangled web. Because we sit right between Detroit's massive broadcast towers and the signals drifting up from Toledo, our "local" listings are a chaotic hybrid of both markets. Honestly, it’s a mess.
If you're using an antenna, you're catching signals from Southfield and downtown Detroit. If you're on Xfinity or AT&T U-verse, your lineup is a carefully curated (and often frustrating) mix of Michigan and Ohio affiliates.
The Great Signal Split: Detroit vs. Toledo
Ann Arbor doesn't really have its own "Big Four" stations. Instead, we borrow. Most people here consider WDIV (NBC 4), WXYZ (ABC 7), and WJBK (FOX 2) their home base. These are the Detroit staples. But depending on which side of I-94 you live on, your "local" weather might suddenly start talking about the Glass City.
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Here is how the terrestrial broadcast landscape actually looks for most of us in the 48103 to 48108 zip codes:
- WJBK (FOX 2): The Detroit powerhouse. If you want the "The Pulse" or local morning news that actually mentions the Diag, this is it.
- WDIV (NBC 4): This is where you find "Local 4 News." It’s a signal that usually hits Ann Arbor with zero effort.
- WPXD (ION 31): One of the few major stations actually licensed to Ann Arbor, though it mostly runs procedural marathons like NCIS or Chicago Fire.
- WTVS (PBS 56): The primary Detroit public television station, but many residents still keep an eye on WGTE (PBS 30) out of Toledo for variety.
It is kind of weird when you think about it. You can be sitting at Zingerman’s and your TV guide is telling you about a traffic jam on I-75 in Ohio.
The Ann Arbor TV Guide for Cable and Fiber Users
If you’ve ditched the rabbit ears for a wire, things get even more specific. Xfinity dominates most of the city, especially in the student-heavy areas near the University of Michigan.
In 2026, the cable lineups have shifted a bit. You’ve likely noticed that the lower-numbered channels—the ones we used to call "basic cable"—are increasingly cluttered with digital subchannels. On Comcast/Xfinity, you’ll find the core Detroit locals on channels 2 through 7, but the High Definition (HD) versions are tucked away in the 1000s.
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Expert Tip: If you're looking for the most "local" content possible, you have to check out CTN (Community Television Network). These are channels 16, 17, 18, and 19 on cable. It’s where you’ll see City Council meetings, local high school sports, and those quirky public access shows that make Ann Arbor feel like Ann Arbor.
Breaking Down the Digital Subchannels
The real secret to the modern ann arbor tv guide isn't the main channels. It's the "point-fours" and "point-fives." These are the free over-the-air channels that cable companies often hide or bury.
- 4.2 (H&I): Heroes and Icons. Basically, a 24/7 Star Trek machine.
- 7.2 (Bounce): Great for classic soul and cinema.
- 20.1 (WMYD): The "MyTV" affiliate that carries a lot of syndicated sitcoms and the occasional Detroit sports overflow.
Honestly, the sheer volume of these subchannels is why your guide feels like it takes twenty minutes to scroll through. You’ve got MeTV, Cozi TV, Grit, and Laff all competing for space. It’s a nostalgia trip, but it makes finding the 6:00 PM news a chore.
Why Your Guide Might Be "Wrong"
We get a lot of "ghosting" in our listings. Because Ann Arbor is on the fringe of the Detroit market, some automated TV guides—especially those built into "Smart" TVs—will default to the Toledo lineup if your zip code is 48108 (the south side).
This results in your ann arbor tv guide showing listings for WTOL (CBS 11) instead of WWJ (CBS 62). While both are CBS, the local news and commercials are completely different. If you want to see the Michigan Wolverines highlights, you're going to be pretty annoyed if your TV thinks you live in Ohio.
Streaming and Local Blackouts
Streaming has complicated the guide even more. If you use YouTube TV, Fubo, or Hulu + Live TV in Ann Arbor, your guide is determined by your IP address.
Sometimes, if your internet provider routes your data through a server in another city, your "local" channels will vanish. You might end up seeing news from Grand Rapids or even Chicago. If this happens, you usually have to go into the app settings and "update current playback area" while on your mobile phone to prove you're actually in Washtenaw County.
Actionable Steps for a Better Viewing Experience
If you're tired of a messy ann arbor tv guide, there are a few things you can do right now to clean it up.
First, if you are an antenna user, do a "Full Scan" but then go into your TV's "Channel Manager." Manually delete the shopping channels (like QVC or HSN) and the religious networks that you don't watch. This will reduce your "scroll time" by about 60%.
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Second, if you're on cable, use the "Favorites" feature. It’s 2026; nobody has time to flip through 200 channels to find one station. Tag WXYZ, WDIV, WJBK, and WTVS as your favorites. Most remotes now have a "Guide" button that can be toggled to only show your favorite channels.
Finally, for the most accurate daily schedule, don't rely on the built-in TV software. Use a dedicated localized site like TitanTV or the Channel Master listings specifically for zip code 48104. These sites allow you to filter out the Toledo noise and focus purely on the Detroit/Ann Arbor signals that actually reach your living room.
The landscape is only going to get more crowded with ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) rollout continuing to add 4K options and more subchannels to the airwaves. Keeping your guide organized is the only way to stay sane.