You’re sitting on the couch in Waco, remote in hand, just trying to find the game or the evening news. It should be simple, right? But the Waco Texas TV schedule feels like a moving target lately. Between the "big four" networks shuffling their daytime lineups and the explosion of digital subchannels you didn't even know you had, keeping track is a whole job.
Honestly, the Waco-Temple-Bryan market is a bit of an oddball. We’re tucked between the Dallas and Austin giants, which means our local broadcast signals have to work harder to cut through the noise. Whether you’re a lifelong local or you just moved here for a job at Baylor, figuring out what’s on KWTX versus KCEN can get confusing fast.
Why the Waco Texas TV Schedule is More Complex Than You Think
Most people assume that if they have a TV, they have the schedule. Not true.
Waco operates on a unique grid because we share a market with Temple and Killeen. This means "local" news might be coming from a studio down the street or a transmitter thirty miles away. If you’re looking for the Waco Texas TV schedule today, you have to account for the fact that KWTX (CBS) and KXXV (ABC) are the heavy hitters in town, but KCEN (NBC) actually broadcasts out of Temple.
The Heavy Hitters: Where to Find the Big Networks
If you're looking for the standard prime-time hits, here is the basic layout of the land. No fancy charts here, just the facts.
KWTX Channel 10 is your home for CBS. They’ve been the dominant force in Central Texas news for decades. If you’re looking for NCIS or 60 Minutes, this is where you land. Their schedule usually kicks off with News 10 in the early morning, followed by the national CBS Mornings feed.
KCEN Channel 6 brings you NBC. Since they are based in Temple, their local news has a slightly broader "Central Texas" feel. You’ll find The Today Show here in the mornings and Saturday Night Live on the weekends.
KXXV Channel 25 is the ABC affiliate. They’ve rebranded a few times, currently leaning heavily into the "Central Texas News Now" identity. This is where you’ll catch World News Tonight and the NBA games when they aren't on cable.
KWKT Channel 44 is our FOX station. It’s the place for NFL Sunday doubleheaders and The Masked Singer. Interestingly, they also carry a lot of syndicated sitcoms in the late afternoon—think Young Sheldon or Modern Family reruns before the 9 PM news.
The "Secret" Channels You're Probably Missing
Digital antennas have changed everything. If you haven't rescanned your TV in the last six months, you are literally losing out on free content.
Each major station in the Waco Texas TV schedule now has subchannels. These are the ".2" or ".3" stations. For example, KWTX 10.2 carries Telemundo for our Spanish-speaking community, while 10.3 is MeTV. If you love classic westerns or MASH* reruns, 10.3 is your goldmine.
Over at KCEN 6.2, you’ll find Quest, which is mostly "manly" reality shows about gold mining or logging. 6.3 is the True Crime Network. It’s basically 24/7 Forensic Files. It’s addictive. Don't say I didn't warn you.
KNCT Channel 46 is the CW affiliate. For a long time, KNCT was the PBS station out of Central Texas College, but times changed. Now, if you want Superman & Lois or those wacky golf tournaments they've been airing, you need to find 46.1.
Sports and the Waco Market
Being in Waco means you’re in a constant tug-of-war between Dallas and Houston sports.
The Waco Texas TV schedule reflects this. Most Sundays, the local FOX and CBS affiliates will prioritize the Dallas Cowboys. However, if the Houston Texans are playing a high-stakes game, things get interesting.
Baylor fans have it the hardest. While local news covers the Bears extensively, the actual games are often moved to ESPN+ or "Big 12 Now." You won't always find the Bears on local broadcast unless it’s a massive matchup against someone like Texas or Kansas.
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How to Get the Best Reception in Central Texas
Waco’s geography is relatively flat, but if you’re living in the "Land of the Lakes" area or out toward Woodway, those hills can mess with your signal.
If you’re using an antenna to catch the Waco Texas TV schedule, you need one that handles both UHF and VHF. A lot of the cheap "leaf" antennas you see on Amazon only do UHF well. Since KWTX and KCEN broadcast on high-VHF frequencies (channels 10 and 9 respectively), a flat paper-thin antenna might give you a digital "stutter."
Basically, if your screen is freezing during Jeopardy!, it’s not the station. It’s your antenna. Try moving it to a north-facing window. Most of the towers are located near Moody or in the rural areas between Waco and Temple.
Streaming the Local Schedule
A lot of people are cutting the cord. I get it. Cable is expensive.
If you’re trying to find the Waco Texas TV schedule on a streaming service, you’ve got options, but they aren't all equal. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV both carry our local Waco channels. You’ll get KWTX, KXXV, KCEN, and KWKT.
Sling TV is the tricky one. They usually only offer FOX and NBC in select markets, and often Waco isn't one of them. If you go with Sling, you might need that antenna I mentioned earlier to fill the gaps for ABC and CBS.
Don't forget the station-specific apps. KWTX and KCEN both have free streaming apps for Roku and Fire TV. They won't show you The Voice or Survivor, but they will stream the local news live for free. It’s a great way to stay updated on Central Texas weather without a subscription.
The 2026 Shift: ATSC 3.0
Something weird is happening with the Waco Texas TV schedule as we move through 2026. It's called NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0).
Essentially, stations are upgrading their signals to 4K. The catch? Your old TV might not be able to "read" the new signal without a converter box. For now, they are "simulcasting," meaning they send out the old signal and the new one at the same time. But keep an ear out—within a few years, the way we watch local TV in Waco is going to change fundamentally.
Actionable Tips for Navigating Waco TV
If you want to master the local airwaves, follow these steps.
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First, rescan your digital tuner tonight. Seriously. Stations like 44.2 (MyNetworkTV) or 25.3 (Court TV) change their metadata frequently. A rescan ensures your guide is actually accurate.
Second, check the weather. In Central Texas, a heavy storm can knock out the microwave links between the studio and the transmitter. If your favorite show is replaced by a "Signal Lost" screen, it’s usually a local hardware issue, not a national outage.
Third, use TitanTV or the TV Guide app specifically for the 76701 zip code. Generic "National" schedules will lie to you. They don't account for the 30-minute local news blocks that Waco stations insert at 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM, and 6:00 PM.
Finally, if you’re a sports fan, bookmark the "Rescheduled Programming" pages on the KCEN or KWTX websites. When a game goes long, they often push the prime-time shows (like 60 Minutes) to a later slot or a subchannel. Knowing where to look will save you from missing the start of your favorite show.
The Waco Texas TV schedule isn't just a list of shows; it's a reflection of our local culture. From the high school football highlights on Friday nights to the morning agricultural reports, it’s how we stay connected to the Brazos Valley. Keep your antenna pointed south-southeast toward the towers, keep your streaming apps updated, and you’ll never miss a beat.