Antenna TV channels in Cincinnati
14 stations broadcast free TV around Cincinnati, carrying 34 channels including Subchannel An extra channel a station sends alongside its main one, like 2.2 or 2.3. More in the glossary . The full-power stations transmit from several sites, so the direction to aim depends on where you live.
Updated from FCC data
How well antenna TV works around Cincinnati
For the big networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS) that reach each home, an indoor antenna is likely enough for about 45% of people in the Cincinnati market; about 53% need an attic or roof antenna, and for about 2% reception depends on the exact spot. A typical home gets about 48 free channels from 19 stations, some from neighbouring markets.
Estimates from our terrain predictions for an antenna about 30 ft up, adjusted for indoor use. They are not yet checked against real channel scans; VHF channels never count as indoor. How we work it out
Each network's reach
| Network | Reaches | Indoor likely |
|---|---|---|
| ABC | 96% | 92% |
| CBS | 96% | 45% |
| NBC | 97% | 94% |
| FOX | 95% | 90% |
| PBS | 96% | 92% |
| The CW | 96% | 47% |
| Univision | <1% | 0% |
Share of the market's 2,143k people, across its 186 ZIP codes.
Town by town
| Town | Antenna | Point | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati ZIP 45220 | Indoor likely | south (179°, most) | 48 |
| Hamilton ZIP 45013 | Indoor likely | south-southeast (168°, most) | 48 |
| Middletown ZIP 45042 | Indoor likely | north-northeast (26°) | 48 |
| Fairfield ZIP 45014 | Indoor likely | north-northeast (29°) | 48 |
| Covington ZIP 41015 | Attic or outdoor | north (353°) | 30 |
| Florence ZIP 41042 | Attic or outdoor | northeast (37°) | 49 |
| Independence ZIP 41051 | Attic or outdoor | north (9°) | 31 |
| Oxford ZIP 45056 | Indoor likely | east-northeast (59°) | 48 |
| Erlanger ZIP 41017 | Attic or outdoor | north-northeast (24°) | 48 |
| Forest Park ZIP 45240 | Indoor likely | south (179°, most) | 48 |
| Norwood ZIP 45212 | Attic or outdoor | southwest (230°) | 43 |
| Fort Thomas ZIP 41075 | Attic or outdoor | northwest (311°) | 30 |
| Monroe ZIP 45050 | Indoor likely | north-northeast (18°) | 48 |
| Trenton ZIP 45067 | Indoor likely | south (187°, most) | 48 |
| Newport ZIP 41071 | Attic or outdoor | north-northwest (336°, most) | 48 |
For the ZIP nearest each town's centre. Tap a town for its full channel list.
What channel is each network on in Cincinnati?
| Network | Channel | Station |
|---|---|---|
 CBS | 12.1 | WKRC-TV |
 NBC | 5.1 | WLWT |
 ABC | 9.1 | WCPO-TV |
 FOX | 19.1 | WXIX-TV |
 PBS | 14.1 also 48.1, 52.1, 54.1 | WPTO |
 The CW | 12.2 | WKRC-TV |
 MyNetworkTV | 64.1 | WSTR-TV |
The best TV antenna for Cincinnati
Get an antenna rated for both VHF and UHF. For most homes an attic or outdoor antenna is the safe choice; by our estimate an indoor one is likely enough for only about 45% of people.
- 3 channels reach ordinary TVs only on VHF (WKRC-TV), and many flat indoor antennas are weak on VHF.
- The towers are spread out, so a wide-beam (multi-directional) antenna is safer than a narrow directional one.
Not sure about VHF Lower frequencies (RF 2–13). Needs an antenna with longer elements; many flat indoor antennas are weak here. More in the glossary and UHF Higher frequencies (RF 14–36). Most stations are here; almost any antenna picks it up. More in the glossary ? See the glossary. Any brand of the right type will do.
Which way to point your antenna from Hamilton, Covington, Florence and nearby
Aim at the main tower site (WPTO, WLWT, WCET and others). From the largest towns around Cincinnati:
| From | Point | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton, OH | south (173°) | 19 mi |
| Covington, KY | north (359°) | 6 mi |
| Florence, KY | northeast (37°) | 11 mi |
| Oxford, OH | south-southeast (156°) | 29 mi |
| Sharonville, OH | south-southwest (210°) | 12 mi |
| Alexandria, KY | northwest (326°) | 13 mi |
| Cheviot, OH | east-southeast (115°) | 5 mi |
| Milford, OH | west-southwest (257°) | 13 mi |
6 full-power stations transmit from elsewhere: WCPO-TV (1 mi away), WKRC-TV (1 mi away), WXIX-TV (1 mi away), WSTR-TV (5 mi away), WCVN-TV (7 mi away), WKON (44 mi away). If you live near one of them, it may need a separate aim.
Where the Cincinnati TV towers are
Map of 11 tower sites around Cincinnati. The list below has every site.
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3 stations · in the centre
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2 stations · in the centre
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1 station · 2 mi south of the centre
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1 station · 3 mi west-southwest of the centre
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1 station · 4 mi north-northwest of the centre
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1 station · 8 mi south of the centre
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1 station · 46 mi south-southwest of the centre
NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) in Cincinnati
2 stations (WSTR-TV, WCVN-TV) now send the newer NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) A newer broadcast format. Older TVs can't decode it, so stations also send the old format from a partner station. More in the glossary format. Older TVs can't decode it, so stations share: each channel that moved is also sent in the old format by a partner station (a Lighthouse (channel sharing) One station switches to NextGen TV and carries other stations' 3.0 versions; partners carry its old-format version. More in the glossary arrangement). Your TV shows the same number; at most you need a Rescan Asking your TV to search for channels again. Fixes most missing channels. More in the glossary .
WSTR-TV sends NextGen TV on RF 18
- 64.1 MyNetworkTV: ordinary TVs get it from no partner in our data
- 64.2 network unknown: ordinary TVs get it from no partner in our data
- 64.3 Charge!: ordinary TVs get it from no partner in our data
- 64.4 network unknown: ordinary TVs get it from no partner in our data
- 64.5 network unknown: ordinary TVs get it from no partner in our data
WCVN-TV sends NextGen TV on RF 22
- 54.1 PBS (KET): ordinary TVs get it from no partner in our data
- 54.2 KET2: ordinary TVs get it from no partner in our data
- 54.5 World: ordinary TVs get it from no partner in our data
Every Cincinnati station and subchannel
Including Class A and low-power stations Smaller stations with a shorter range than full-power ones. More in the glossary stations. 3 subchannels have no confirmed network; we show them as "network unknown" rather than guess.
Full power (9)
- WLWT Cincinnati, OH · UHF
- 5.1 NBC
- 5.2 MeTV
- 5.4 Story Television
- 5.5 Great
- WCPO-TV Cincinnati, OH · UHF
- 9.1 ABC
- 9.2 Court TV
- 9.3 Bounce TV
- 9.4 Ion Mystery
- 9.5 Laff
- 9.6 Busted
- 9.7 HSN
- WKRC-TV Cincinnati, OH · VHF
- 12.1 CBS
- 12.2 The CW
- 12.3 The Nest
- WPTO Oxford, OH · UHF
- 14.1 PBS
- 14.2 ThinkTV 14 Explore
- 14.3 PBS Kids
- 14.4 The Ohio Channel
- WXIX-TV Newport, KY · UHF
- 19.1 Fox
- 19.2 Heroes & Icons
- 19.3 Rock Entertainment Sports Network
- 19.4 Grit
- 19.5 Ion
- 19.6 True Crime Network
- WCET Cincinnati, OH · UHF
- 48.1 PBS
- WKON Owenton, KY · UHF
- 52.1 PBS (KET)
- WCVN-TV Covington, KY · UHF · NextGen TV
- 54.1 PBS (KET)
- 54.2 KET2
- 54.5 World
- WSTR-TV Cincinnati, OH · UHF · NextGen TV
- 64.1 MyNetworkTV
- 64.2 network unknown
- 64.3 Charge!
- 64.4 network unknown
- 64.5 network unknown
Low power (3)
Questions about antenna TV in Cincinnati
What channels are CBS, NBC, ABC and FOX on antenna in Cincinnati?
What local channels can I get with an antenna in Cincinnati?
What is the best TV antenna for Cincinnati?
Which way should I point my antenna in Cincinnati?
Do I need a new TV for NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) in Cincinnati?
For the curious: tower and licence details
- WCPO-TV · facility 59438 · RF 26 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 1000 kW · HAAT 297 m · licensed 2021-09-09 · newer construction permit granted
- WBQC-LD · facility 168413 · RF 28 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2019-11-07
- WPTO · facility 25065 · RF 29 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 500 kW · HAAT 279 m · licensed 2023-05-05
- WLWT · facility 46979 · RF 20 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 880 kW · HAAT 309.2 m · licensed 2021-09-09
- WCET · facility 65666 · RF 17 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 274 kW · HAAT 325 m · licensed 2023-05-05
- WKRC-TV · facility 11289 · RF 12 (VHF-high) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15.55 kW · HAAT 305 m · licensed 2021-09-09
- WDYC-LD · facility 68075 · RF 27 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2023-03-10
- WXIX-TV · facility 39738 · RF 15 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 235 kW · HAAT 290 m · licensed 2021-09-09
- WSTR-TV · facility 11204 · RF 18 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 325 kW · HAAT 337 m · licensed 2024-01-24
- W19FO-D · facility 794316 · RF 19 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 15 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2026-08-05
- WCVN-TV · facility 34204 · RF 22 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 39.9 kW · HAAT 132 m · licensed 2024-01-24
- W23DM-D · facility 167570 · RF 23 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 0.8 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2008-08-21
- W16EB-D · facility 167571 · RF 16 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 0.8 kW · HAAT not filed · licensed 2019-10-29
- WKON · facility 34211 · RF 24 (UHF) · ERP (effective radiated power) Transmitter power after the antenna's gain, in kilowatts. More in the glossary 28.7 kW · HAAT 231 m · licensed 2019-10-30
Where this comes from
- Stations, towers, channels and power: FCC Licensing and Management System (LMS) public database, data of .
- Networks and subchannels: our affiliations dataset, built from Wikipedia (used under CC BY-SA 4.0), the network field stations file with the FCC, and station websites; checked . Credits.
- Towns and distances: US Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 city population estimates (SUB-EST2025) and 2026 Gazetteer place coordinates; distances are straight-line from each town's Census centre point.
- Reception: Reception predictions over USGS terrain for every ZIP, FCC data 2026-11-03 00:00:00 (model 2026-11-11.4)
- Market area: Market area: counties assigned by FCC service-contour coverage of each market's full-power stations (FCC LMS market list, Census 2020).
Updated How we work this out