You’re trying to find the stream. I get it. Whether you are looking for the gritty, boots-on-the-ground reporting of Andrew Callaghan in the US, the local breaking news from KTLA in Los Angeles, or the nightly headlines from ITN on the UK's Channel 5, "Channel 5" is a bit of a crowded house. Honestly, it’s annoying how many different networks use the same number.
If you just type the name into a search bar, you might end up with a weather report for San Francisco when you actually wanted a documentary about a UK high street. Let’s clear the air.
Where to Find Channel 5 News Live Streaming Right Now
Depending on where you are sitting, "Channel 5" means something completely different.
1. Channel 5 (UK) - The ITN Broadcasts
If you are in London, Manchester, or anywhere else in the UK, you are likely looking for the news produced by ITN for Channel 5. This isn’t a 24-hour news cycle like Sky or the BBC. Instead, it’s punchy, often populist, and very visual.
Basically, to watch this live, you need the My5 app.
It's free. Mostly. You’ll have to sit through some ads, and you absolutely must have a TV license if you’re watching the broadcast live as it airs. The My5 app works on pretty much everything—Roku, Amazon Fire Sticks, iPhones, and Androids. One quirk: as of early 2026, the "Live TV" section in the app can sometimes be a bit finicky with buffering. If the live stream stutters, usually a quick cache clear or a restart of the app fixes the "license generation" error that pops up sometimes.
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2. KTLA 5 (Los Angeles)
For folks in Southern California, Channel 5 is KTLA. This is a legendary station. They were the first commercial telecaster west of the Mississippi.
You can watch KTLA Channel 5 news live streaming directly through the KTLA+ app. It’s available on Apple TV, Roku, and Fire TV. What’s cool about KTLA is their "5 Live" digital-only show. It’s a bit more relaxed than the standard 6:00 PM broadcast. If you don't want to download another app, their website (ktla.com) usually has a "Watch Live" button right at the top of the homepage that works in mobile browsers too.
3. Fox 5 New York (WNYW)
New Yorkers know Channel 5 as the home of Good Day New York. If you want to see what’s happening in the Five Boroughs, you use the FOX LOCAL app.
This is a game-changer because it’s free and doesn't require a cable login for most of the live news segments. You just pick "New York" as your city. You’ve also got the option of their YouTube channel, which frequently streams the "LiveNOW from FOX" feed, though that’s more national than local.
4. Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan
Then there’s the "other" Channel 5. This is the digital journalism project that grew out of All Gas No Brakes. It’s not a traditional "news station" with weather and sports.
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If you want to watch their content as it drops, you usually have to go through Patreon.
They do live streams occasionally for their supporters. The edited "news" segments eventually hit YouTube, but the raw, unpolished live energy is almost exclusively behind the Patreon wall. In 2025 and 2026, they’ve leaned heavily into long-form documentaries like Dear Kelly, which explored radicalization within families.
The Technical Hurdles Nobody Mentions
Streaming live news isn't always as simple as hitting play.
VPNs are a double-edged sword. If you’re a UK expat in the States trying to watch Dan Walker on Channel 5 UK, a VPN is your only hope. However, My5 has become incredibly good at spotting VPN IP addresses. You’ll often get a black screen or a "content not available in your region" message even if you’re set to a London server. Honestly, it’s a game of cat and mouse.
Data Usage. Streaming high-def news for an hour can eat about 2GB to 3GB of data. If you’re on a limited mobile plan and watching the morning news on the bus, you’ll hit your cap faster than you think. Most of the apps (like KTLA+ or My5) have a setting to lower the bitrate. Use it.
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Why Some Streams Aren't "Truly" Live
You might notice a delay. This is "latency."
When you watch a "live" stream on an app, you are usually 30 to 60 seconds behind the actual over-the-air broadcast. This matters if you’re watching for severe weather alerts or breaking police pursuits. If you see people on Twitter (or X) reacting to something "live" and it hasn't happened on your screen yet, that's why.
Actionable Steps to Get Connected
- For UK viewers: Download the My5 app and create an account. It’s mandatory now. Make sure you have your postcode ready for the "regional" version of the news.
- For US viewers (LA/NY): Skip the browser. Download the KTLA+ or FOX LOCAL app on your smart TV. The interface is much cleaner than trying to navigate a website with a remote.
- For Independent News fans: Follow the Channel 5 Patreon. It’s the only way to get the live, unedited feeds before they are scrubbed or edited for YouTube’s guidelines.
- Check your Antenna: If the internet goes down, a $20 digital antenna still picks up Channel 5 (KTLA, KPIX, or WNYW) in crystal clear HD for free. No data, no buffering, no "licensing errors."
If the stream is failing, check your "Ad-Blocker." Most news sites like Fox5NY or KTLA will intentionally break the video player if they detect you are blocking their commercials. Turn it off for that specific site to get the video to load.
Stay informed. Stay connected.