Locast has launched in its 34th market, expanding to Columbus, Ohio today. The free live, local channel streaming service is bringing 45 local TV channels to 2.5 million residents in the Columbus area which includes Bucyrus, Chillicothe, Marion, Mt. Vernon, and Washington Court House.
Locast offers local broadcast TV via the internet for free, though the service will frequently ask for a $5 donation until that donation is set up by the user. Locast says that offering the channels is a public service offering news, weather, sports, entertainment, and emergency information to viewers via internet connected devices.
University students in Columbus can also qualify for the Locast Cares Program, allowing them to stream channels without the donation request interruptions. The Locast Cares Program is open to the first 25,000 applicants and is available for one year. Students, first responders, and low income households can apply at locast.org/cares.
“Especially in areas where over-the-air broadcast reception can be unreliable, Columbus residents can use Locast to watch their local TV channels via the internet on their phones, tablets, laptops or streaming media devices,” the organization wrote in a press release.
The channels available in the Columbus area include WCMH NBC 4, WSYX ABC 6, WBNS CBS 10, WTTE FOX 28, PBS, PBS Kids, as well as DABL, Telemundo, Antenna, CourtTV, Movies, MeTV, TrueCrime, CW, Circle, BOUNCE, Quest, LAFF, COMET, HSN, GRIT, Charge!, and more.
Locast is accessible to viewers in 20 counties in the Columbus DMA including Coshocton, Crawford, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Guernsey, Hardin, Hocking, Knox, Licking, Madison, Marion, Morgan, Morrow, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, and Union.