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Local Now (stylized as "local now") is an American over-the-top internet television service owned by The Weather Group, LLC, a subsidiary of Allen Media Group.[1][2] A spinoff of The Weather Channel, Local Now primarily provides a cyclic playlist of weather, news, sports, entertainment and lifestyle segments, incorporating localized content through feeds geared to a user-specified area.

Key Information

Originally developed as a hybrid TV Everywhere service intended for subscribers of virtual multichannel video programming distributors (vMVPD), after it was acquired by Entertainment Studios in 2018, Local Now converted to a free-to-access model and has since expanded into a hybrid advertiser-supported streaming service, adding advertising video on demand (AVOD) content through digital linear channels and a selection of VOD programming supplied by Entertainment Studios, and various news providers and independent content distributors.

Local Now's programming is streamed live on the network's website; through apps for Amazon Fire TV, Android, iOS, and Roku devices; and linear pay television via Dish Network (as an app on internet-connected Hopper set-top boxes), YouTube TV, FuboTV and Sling TV. The service is operated from The Weather Channel's corporate headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia by a skeleton crew of three staff members.[citation needed]

History

[edit]

On September 9, 2015, in published reports regarding The Weather Channel's planned overhaul of its programming schedule that would refocus on forecast-based news shows and weather-related reality/documentary programs as well as pending layoffs of around 50 of TWC's 1,400 employees, sources within The Weather Company (then the corporate parent of The Weather Channel) revealed that the consortium would launch a localized weather, news and traffic service intended for over-the-top streaming services offering tiered "skinny bundles" of cable-originated television channels.[3][4]

The service, which was named Local Now, would maintain a format similar to that of Weatherscan, a digital cable and satellite network featuring localized weather forecasts and traffic reports, which original TWC parent Landmark Communications launched in 1999. Developed as part of its plan to place emphasis on its internet and mobile properties, The Weather Company intended to distribute Local Now to OTT providers in lieu of or in conjunction with The Weather Channel.[5][6]

In preparation for the service's launch, The Weather Channel reached agreements with various information service providers to offer content for Local Now to supplement its in-house weather data and video content. Initial partners included the Associated Press, which provides headlines and video for its local and then showbiz news segments; Sportradar, a sports information agency which provides sports scores and schedules for its local sports segment; INRIX, which provides real-time incident data sourced from intelligent transportation systems; and TrafficLand, a traffic video integration service that provides footage from cameras maintained by state departments of transportation.[7] The Weather Channel collaborated with Arris Global Services to provide technological management services for Local Now, handling design and integration, test validation, deployment, customized HTML software development and managed services. Local Now utilizes integration of the company's transcoders and Anevia's ViaMotion+ packaging software, and was the first service to implement CPE virtualization technology from ActiveVideo (a cloud video provider operated as joint venture of ARRIS and Charter Communications).[8][9]

Local Now launched on January 25, 2016, initially exclusive to subscribers of Sling TV that, at minimum, receive its base "Best of Live TV" tier, with support for Amazon Fire TV, Android devices (including Android TV), and Google Chromecast. The service was designed with younger news consumers in mind, allowing a viewer to get constantly updated local news, weather, sports and traffic information in a condensed format at any time of the day. As noted by Freddy Flaxman, chief operating officer of The Weather Group (which became The Weather Channel's corporate parent after IBM purchased The Weather Company's digital assets in January 2016), this allows Local Now to better compete in a media landscape where consumers are increasingly consuming local news content via the Internet and smartphone apps, instead of waiting to watch long-form newscasts that air between one and five times per day on most major network affiliates and some independent stations.[10][11][12]

On March 4, 2016, Local Now launched a channel on Roku, which provides live streams of the service's national and local feeds to OTT subscribers who use Roku's digital media players.[13][14][15] On May 13, 2016, The Weather Channel announced that it would unveil standalone Local Now mobile apps for Apple and Android devices, which would extend access to the channel to cable and satellite subscribers who receive TWC.[16][17] The apps, which were made available on the Apple App Store and Google Play on June 8, provide live streams of Local Now's 226 local feeds and The Weather Channel, accessible by entering an authenticated login from a participating conventional or over-the-top MVPD provider (those who do not subscribe to a participating provider can view the Local Now feeds via a 30-day free trial, in which users must enter their email address in the login dialog to send a linked message to their account which grants them access).[18][19][20][21][22][23]

On December 14, 2016, The Weather Group announced a multi-year distribution agreement with fuboTV, in which Local Now and The Weather Channel would be included as part of an expanded service set to launch in early 2017, designed to compete with Sling TV and other OTT competitors such as PlayStation Vue and DirecTV Now, that would offer 70+ broadcast and cable networks.[24][25][26]

On February 28, 2017, as part of Google's unveiling of YouTube TV, the company announced – through a carriage agreement with NBCUniversal – that Local Now and The Weather Channel would be among the channels included as part of the over-the-top MVPD service's initial lineup when it launched in select major U.S. cities that spring. YouTube TV did not include Local Now in its channel offerings at launch, and would not begin carrying the service until December 11, 2018.[27][28][29][30][31] On March 27, 2017, The Weather Channel signed an agreement with OTT financial news channel Cheddar to provide daily business news updates for Local Now.[32] On October 11, 2017, Dish Network began offering Local Now via an application on all generations of its internet-connected Hopper DVR set-top boxes; severe weather notifications provided by Local Now/The Weather Channel were also made available based on the user location.[33] The following month on November 29, Xumo began offering the service as a premium digital channel through its Channel Plus tier for LG Electronics devices on channel IP-126.[34]

On March 22, 2018, Entertainment Studios (owned by comedian and producer Byron Allen) announced its intent to acquire The Weather Channel's television assets from an NBCUniversal/Blackstone Group partnership. The actual value is undisclosed, but was reported to be around $300 million; the channel's non-television assets, which were separately sold to IBM two years prior, were not included in the sale.[1][2] On May 24, 2018, The Weather Group announced it had reached a content partnership with Tronc-owned news syndication service Tribune Content Agency (TCA) to provide supplementary community-focused content for the service's local news segments.[35] On July 18, The Weather Group announced it had reached a content partnership with Yelp to provide recommendations, reviews, images, and videos of top local restaurants and bars in each Local Now market for the network's "Tasty Stuff" segment.[36]

Distribution and market coverage

[edit]

Although a spinoff of The Weather Channel, Local Now is formatted as a general news and weather channel. Because of the distribution structure of over-the-top subscription television, Local Now utilizes a version of TWC's IntelliStar unit – installed at The Weather Channel's uplink site in Atlanta – that are configured differently from that used by The Weather Channel and Weatherscan, allowing for the recycling of segments featured in one news block seamlessly into another and routine updating of segments to each of the localized feeds. Local Now's automated model – which leverages The Weather Channel's existing infrastructure and technology, and employs only three staff members – allows Local Now to be offered at a fraction of the retransmission rates charged by local broadcast stations. Users of the Local Now website and mobile app, and subscribers of over-the-top MVPD providers carrying the channel, are able to access their local feed based on ZIP code, by their IP address via geolocation, or by manual selection, allowing subscribers to access a feed from another city when they travel outside of their home market.[10][11][12]

As of April 2017, Local Now programs 226 individual feeds covering 207 of the 210 U.S. media markets that provide local news, weather and traffic content tailored to those communities (the St. Joseph, Missouri, Presque Isle, Maine and Zanesville, Ohio markets are served by the Kansas City, Bangor and Columbus area feeds by default), with 15 of them operating as subfeeds offering hyperlocal content to individual regions of the New York City, Atlanta, Denver and Dallas markets.[13][32] Most markets are served by a single local feed, though Local Now plans to eventually launch additional subfeeds for most markets to "deliver a greater degree of [aggregated content of] local relevance" than can be incorporated within a local television newscast due to the market's geographical size and time constraints.[11]

Programming and content

[edit]

Local Now relies on information sourced from The Weather Channel and other content partnerships that the service maintains with the Associated Press, Reuters, Foursquare, American City Business Journals, Stadium, Cheddar,[32] Pointslocal, SportRadar, the Internet Video Archive, TrafficLand,[7] INRIX, Nextdoor, Fresco, FlightAware, the Tribune Content Agency[35] and Yelp.[36] In addition to supplying forecast data and other featured content, The Weather Channel also provides simulcasts of its live, wall-to-wall coverage in the event that a severe weather event, winter storm or landfalling tropical system affects the United States (accompanied by a red lower-tenth banner denoting the live TWC simulcast). Unlike TWC, which carries the Local on the 8s segments during storm coverage, Local Now suspends all regularly featured segments – including local forecasts – during the TWC simulcasts, with time allocated to commercial breaks on TWC filled by a slide denoting that the simulcast will return following the break.

The channel originally featured a lower display line (LDL) similar to that seen on TWC at the bottom one-tenth of the screen, to display continuous weather information and inform viewers of current and forthcoming segments in tab form and the current time (the tab highlighting the segment being aired at the time cycled between the segment's title and a countdown clock). The national feed's LDL showed current conditions (denoting the sky condition, and cycling through the temperature, wind data and if applicable, apparent temperature) and daypart forecasts for 20 major U.S. cities, and the current time in all four time zones in the Contiguous U.S. The localized versions – which were keyed over the national LDL – cycled through current conditions and forecasts for cities within proximity of the metropolitan area, with the time bar corresponding to the local time zone. As part of a graphical overhaul on February 20, 2017, the LDL was replaced by a progress bar counting down the runtime of the current segment, which had previously appeared atop the LDL; the progress bar was eventually removed on March 1, 2018.

On June 26, 2018, Local Now began employing Sasha Rionda (a veteran anchor/reporter who previously worked for E!, CNN International and CNN en Español, among other news credits) as an on-air anchor to conduct certain national news and entertainment segments and provide occasional field reports. (The addition of Rionda coincided with a refresh of the app that allowed increased content selection functionality, chaptering functions, and advanced notifications and alerts.)[37]

Cycle products

[edit]

The service maintains a "wheel" schedule that cycles in randomized intervals of, depending on the collective length of the included segments, between 15 and 20 minutes in length. (Originally, these cycles started at approximately the top of each hour, though since June 26, 2018, the segment cycles start immediately upon the user accessing an appropriate local feed.) Some segments – particularly weather and sports segments – featured in the cycle are routinely updated throughout the hour, while others – particularly news and entertainment segments – are updated every three to six hours. Each content cycle includes the following regular segments (listed in order of broadcast):

Segment Description Duration
(seconds)

Weather segments

[edit]
Weather Now Incorporating forecast data supplied by The Weather Channel and modeled after the parent network's "Local on the 8s" segments, the segment – which leads each flavor cycle – details current weather conditions for the local area and the surrounding region (consisting of a sidebar of conditions from the city's main observation site, accompanying a map of observations for cities within a 125-to-200-mile (201 to 322 km) radius), as well as for four population centers within a radius between 50 and 75 miles (80 and 121 km) of the metropolitan area (aired as a separate flavor segment, "Around the Area," displayed in a text/icon layout similar in format to the "Latest Observations" product featured on Local on the 8s prior to April 2013). Separate radar loops are also shown, showing the movement of precipitation over the past three hours within respective radii of between 50 and 75 miles (80 and 121 km) and 75 and 100 miles (121 and 161 km) of the metropolitan area. As with Local on the 8s, the segment incorporates the IntelliStar's Vocal Local narration function, which assembles pre-recorded narration tracks (which are voiced by longtime TWC meteorologist Jim Cantore) for the current temperature and sky conditions. Originally, it was titled as "Weather Right Now". 90
Today's Weather The segment – which follows the "News Now" feature – consists of a descriptive forecast (comprising detailed weather conditions, temperature and wind) for each period for the following 12- to 36-hour period (with the timeline of the forecast period set at specific times, usually around 3:00 a.m. or 3:00 p.m., with some intermediate updates depending on when The Weather Channel updates its forecasts for its television and digital platforms), and daypart forecasts for four population centers within a radius between 50 and 75 miles (80 and 121 km) of the metropolitan area (under the "Around the Area" format also used in the "Weather Right Now" segment). As with the later Weather segment, the segment incorporates the IntelliStar's Vocal Local narration function, which assembles pre-recorded narration tracks (which are voiced by longtime TWC meteorologist Jim Cantore). An adapted version for the national feed – which maintains the same format as The Weather Channel's national satellite version of "Local on the 8s" – features regional composite satellite-radar loops for the Northeastern, Southeastern, South Central, North Central, Northwestern and Southwestern United States, and a roundup of TWC-sourced forecasts for 12 major cities within the corresponding regions.

Until June 26, 2018, the segment also featured a seven-day forecast product for the main city (which was split off into a separate segment that assumed the "Next 7 Days" originally used for the "Weather" segment from Local Now's inception), and formerly included city-specific video forecasts outlining weather for the day ahead – consisting of weather conditions for the surrounding area and daypart-based hourly forecasts for the metropolitan area – presented by The Weather Channel's meteorologists during the morning and late afternoon dayparts.

Extended Forecast Introduced on June 26, 2018 and separated from the present "Weather" forecast segment, This segment consists of a seven-day forecast product for the main city. It was originally called "Next 7 Days". 30
Weather Alerts Airing only in the event that an alert is in effect, this segment overviews current watches, warnings and/or advisories issued by the local National Weather Service forecast office for the local area (with the exception of severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings). Weather alerts – featuring detailed information sourced directly from NWS alert products – that have been issued for the local viewing area (including severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings) are also shown on a crawl that appears above the countdown progress bar, when active. 30
Weather Across America Introduced on April 6, 2017, and originally a presenter-led segment, it features a summarical high-resolution computer model forecast for the Contiguous United States and individual regional forecasts for the day ahead. When at times it's not presenter-led, the graphic is shown region-by-region with an accompanying forecast sidebar of each region's cities, similar in fashion to The Weather Channel's national "Local on the 8s" segments. 90
Breaking Now Introduced on April 6, 2017, the segment – which features content repurposed from TWC and Weather.com – provides in-depth coverage and analysis of expected hazardous weather threats from The Weather Channel's meteorologists. 60–90
Allergy & Air Quality Available in most markets, this segment shows the allergens, breathing index, and pollutants, as well as the air quality across the metro area. 30
Running Outlook Available in most markets, this segment shows the metro area's running outlook for the day and/or the next day. 15 or 30
Driving Forecast This segment shows the city's or metro area's driving conditions for the next 24 hours and the 4 days to follow based on the weather forecasts. 30

News segments

[edit]
News Now A national and international news segment featuring video sourced by the Associated Press, which immediately follows the "Weather Right Now" segment. Originally titled 60 Now! until June 25, 2018, the segment began with a format focused strictly on video content; as a result of a network refresh on June 26, 2018, the highlighted stories began to be presented by either voice-only narration or an on-air presenter (depending on the daypart, with the anchored segments airing during the afternoon and evening hours). 90
Local News A segment summarizing the top five major local news and sports headlines from the Associated Press and the Tribune Content Agency. While shown in the form of textual graphics instead of being presented by a news anchor, a longer version of the segment shown in select larger markets incorporates extended narration of the highlighted stories from a computer-generated voiceover as well as AP-supplied video and still photographs. On November 19, 2018, Local Now reformatted the segment to provide more localized news content, initially rolling out the revised format in the top 25 U.S. markets (including New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, Atlanta, Miami–Fort Lauderdale, Boston and Washington, D.C.).[38] 60–120
Travel Conditions Available in most markets, this segment features an outline map of highway and thoroughfare congestion throughout the area (denoted in order of severity as green for unobstructed flow, yellow for moderate congestion, and red for heavy congestion); a randomized summary of current average speeds for three local inbound and outbound routes, active accidents and road closures. During the peak morning and late-afternoon/evening drive times, the segment's congestion maps are accompanied on feeds serving many large and mid-sized metropolitan areas by an on-staff announcer – either from the Total Traffic & Weather Network or a local radio station partner – providing updated traffic conditions. Until 2022, the outline map was originally accompanied by a sidebar of delayed imagery by traffic cameras from up to six area intersections (available only in the approximately 45 states where TrafficLand had access to DOT camera imagery).

In most markets, the segment also includes average delay times for flights arriving and departing from local airports; in smaller markets, this information may pertain to a distant regional or international airport.

45–60
Sports It is a feature summarizing the five sports headlines of regional interest from the Associated Press showing in the same form as the news segment, followed by a "rundown" list of real-time sports scores and schedules (organized by league and accompanied by the logos of each team) compiled by Sportradar.

Through a content partnership with Local Now, on April 26, 2017, the segment also began to feature video clips of sports highlights and expert analysis from 120 Sports (later Stadium) pertaining to local and nearby major league sports teams, preceding the text-based sports news summaries. Each clip is 1–5 minutes in length.

120 or over
Business News Introduced on May 16, 2017 as "Mind Your Own Business", usually airing as the closing segment of each flavor, leading into "Weather Right Now" segment, it is a business news segment featuring national financial headlines provided by a Cheddar staff member. 60
Flu Report This segment shows the city's or metro area's Flu Index as well as the aches and pains. 30

Entertainment and leisure segments

[edit]
Showbiz Now Introduced on June 2, 2017 under the title 60 Show Biz!, a showbiz news segment featuring video sourced by the Associated Press. 90
Screening Room Introduced on June 26, 2018, it is a segment showcasing trailers for current film releases as well as a summary of major films set to release within the next two months. 120 or over
Restaurant Reviews Introduced on April 6, 2017, this segment starts with three or four different "today's top picks" - the most well-known in the area that are highly recommended - with the first two being accompanied by a comment/review, followed by a list of the top ten restaurants and bars within the metropolitan area to visit for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as ranked by Foursquare City Guide and through recommendations and reviews compiled by Yelp. Until 2018, the segment was originally named "Tasty Stuff". 90
Body & Mind Introduced on November 19, 2018, the segment highlights exercise tips, recipes and advice on healthy living.[38] 90
Mom Life Introduced on November 19, 2018, the segment – hosted by veteran television entertainment reporter and reality show host Adrianna Costa – follows her journey of motherhood and provides parenting advice.[38] 90
Winning Numbers This segment gives a rundown of latest lottery results in the state the viewers are watching from. 90 or 120
Book Reviews Introduced in late 2021, this segment showcases books that were recently published, and were given reviews based on the ratings scale of Rave, Positive, Mixed, and Pan. 90
This Day in History Introduced in late 2021, this segment highlights three historic moments of the day. 30 or 45
Volunteer Match Introduced in late 2021, this segment gives a rundown of volunteering opportunities within the metro area. 60
Golfing Outlook Introduced in late 2022, this segment gives the city's golfing outlook based on the forecasts for the day and the next 4 days to follow. 60

Slogans

[edit]
  • Just the Facts, Please (2016–2017)
  • Places, People, Stuff (2017–2018)
  • Stream On / Stream Your City (advertising; 2018–present)

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Local Now

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Local Now is a free, ad-supported over-the-top (OTT) streaming television service owned by Allen Media Group, offering localized news, weather forecasts, movies, TV shows, and a wide array of channels tailored to over 225 U.S. markets. Operated through The Weather Group—a subsidiary of Allen Media Group—Local Now delivers content via proprietary software and artificial intelligence to personalize streams based on users' locations, including hyperlocal news from major networks and independent sources. The platform features more than 225 daily news streams, thousands of Hollywood movies, and over 400 channels spanning genres such as national news, live courtroom programming, comedy, nature documentaries, sports, and entertainment. Available without any login or subscription on devices including , , , Android, iOS, Samsung, Vizio, and smart TVs from Sony, Hisense, and others, Local Now has generated billions of viewing minutes since its inception, emphasizing accessible, non-sensationalized headlines alongside premium content partnerships with entities like , , , and .

History

Launch and early years

Local Now was founded in 2016 by , a digital meteorology media company and subsidiary following 's acquisition of its product, technology, and digital assets on January 29, 2016. The service was designed as an over-the-top streaming platform delivering hyper-local content, including real-time , , , , and lifestyle segments tailored to viewers' geographic locations. Announced on the same day as the deal, Local Now aimed to provide short-form, automated newscasts without on-air talent, cycling through localized updates every five minutes. The service launched initially as an ad-free channel on March 3, 2016, exclusive to subscribers of Sling TV's base "Best of Live TV" package, marking the first pay-TV integration for such geo-targeted local content from . Availability expanded the next day to devices, offering live streams of national and local feeds to over-the-top viewers. By mid-2016, a dedicated rolled out for and Android, enabling broader access by allowing users to input credentials from compatible TV providers for personalized, location-based streams. Early distribution also included apps for and select smart TVs, emphasizing seamless integration across connected devices. In its formative period, Local Now focused on leveraging The Weather Company's extensive data resources to blend weather forecasts with complementary local information, creating dynamic, viewer-specific cycles without traditional commercials. Pilot implementations began in limited markets before rapid scaling; by April 2017, the platform had grown to program over 200 individual feeds, covering nearly all 210 designated market areas in the United States for comprehensive national rollout. A notable early milestone included partnerships for device integration, enhancing accessibility for cord-cutters.

Ownership changes and expansions

In 2018, , through its subsidiary Entertainment Studios, acquired The Weather Group, the parent company of and the Local Now streaming service, from a including Blackstone Group, , and for approximately $300 million. This transaction marked a significant shift in ownership, integrating Local Now into Allen Media Group's portfolio of media assets and enabling further development under The Weather Group, LLC. Following the acquisition, Local Now underwent substantial expansions, evolving into a prominent (FAST) platform with a focus on content delivery. By late 2022, the service had partnered with to stream live local content from stations across more than 300 markets, enhancing its coverage of , , and programming nationwide. This built on its earlier footprint, which already spanned over 200 U.S. media markets since its initial launch, but emphasized broader FAST integration and content partnerships to drive accessibility on connected TV devices. Key developments in 2025 further accelerated growth through major content partnerships. In June 2025, Local Now integrated 23 channels from , including news outlets like Headlines, sports networks such as , and entertainment options spanning and genres, broadening its appeal beyond local feeds. Complementing this, on July 2, 2025, four additional channels—WBTV Crime Scenes, WBTV Family Unscripted, WBTV Unique Lives, and B/R Sports Network—were added, focusing on specialized and programming to attract niche audiences. On September 3, 2025, three channels from —Live Now from Fox, , and —were incorporated. Later, on October 9, 2025, five more channels from , including LiveNOW from FOX, , and , were added, providing live national news, sports, and entertainment to enhance user retention. These expansions contributed to rapid user growth, with Local Now reaching over 15 million monthly as of 2023, fueled by strategic national content licensing deals that diversified its offerings and increased engagement on FAST platforms. Post-acquisition strategic shifts prioritized the FAST model, emphasizing ad-supported and partnerships to position Local Now as a leading streaming service without subscription barriers.

Ownership and operations

Current ownership structure

Local Now is owned by The Weather Group, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of , following the 2018 acquisition of by . , founded by in 1993, operates a diverse media portfolio that includes 28 local television stations affiliated with major networks such as ABC, , , and , alongside digital assets like streaming services and 10 24-hour HD networks. In August 2025, agreed to sell 10 of these stations to Gray Media for $171 million, with the transaction expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025 pending regulatory approval. Byron Allen serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of , overseeing its overall strategy and operations. At The Weather Group, operational oversight for Local Now and streaming integration is led by President Tom O'Brien, who manages the integration of weather, , and entertainment content across platforms. As of November 2025, there have been no major ownership disputes or structural changes to The Weather Group or Local Now since the 2018 acquisition. Local Now benefits from synergies within 's ecosystem, particularly through content sourcing from its local TV stations to enhance hyper-localized programming.

Business model and revenue

Local Now operates as a (FAST) service, providing access to its content without subscription fees and generating primarily through . This model allows the platform to deliver localized , , and across more than 225 U.S. designated market areas () while monetizing viewer engagement via targeted ads. The platform employs various ad formats, including pre-roll and mid-roll video advertisements, as well as display banners, integrated into content breaks to maintain a balanced viewing experience. Leveraging geolocation technology, Local Now enables hyper-local targeting, such as promotions tied to regional conditions or DMA-specific interests, which enhances ad for national and local sponsors like automotive dealers. This approach aligns with industry standards for FAST services. Revenue is predominantly derived from , accounting for the majority of income through programmatic sales that blend national and local budgets, supplemented by content licensing and distribution deals with partners like and . Collaborations with ad technology firms, including a multi-year with Magnite for programmatic buying and optimization with PubMatic, facilitate efficient ad delivery and revenue growth. As of 2025, these streams have enabled scaling to over 400 channels, with programmatic innovations driving increased monetization efficiency. Under Allen Media Group's ownership since the 2018 acquisition of , Local Now underwent a strategic shift post-2020, emphasizing expansion of ad inventory through original content production and synergies with group assets like Pattrn. This focus on "FAST 2.0" has sustained operations by prioritizing hyper-local and programmatic access, contributing to significant business growth over the past several years.

Distribution and availability

Supported platforms and devices

Local Now is available as a free over-the-top (OTT) streaming app on a variety of connected TV platforms, including , , , , Samsung Smart TV, SmartCast, Hisense, smart TVs, Dish, , , , , Altice, and MobiTV devices such as the X1 TV Box, Stream Box, and Flex streaming TV Box. These platforms have supported the service since its launch in 2021, enabling users to access live , , and channels without requiring a cable subscription. For mobile viewing, Local Now offers dedicated apps for and Android devices, allowing users to stream content on smartphones and tablets. The apps provide the same core features as the TV versions, including on-demand movies and live programming, and are compatible with a wide range of devices running recent operating system versions. In addition to apps, Local Now supports access via its official , localnow.com, where users can stream live content and browse on-demand libraries directly from desktops, laptops, or mobile browsers. This web-based option ensures broad compatibility across operating systems without the need for app downloads. While Local Now is not compatible with certain devices such as , PlayStation, , or , its availability on major OTT and mobile platforms covers the majority of modern streaming ecosystems. Market-specific customizations, such as localized channel lineups, may vary slightly by platform but maintain consistent core functionality.

Market coverage and localization

Local Now covers over 225 markets across the United States, including all 210 Designated Market Areas (DMAs), providing full national availability through its free ad-supported streaming platform as of 2025. This extensive reach includes both major urban centers and smaller markets, ensuring broad accessibility for local content delivery. The service launched in March 2016 as a geo-targeted offering exclusive to subscribers, initially available in select top markets such as New York, , , and to test hyper-local news, weather, and traffic features. Expansion following the 2018 acquisition of resulted in coverage of all 210 U.S. media markets by 2021. Localization is achieved primarily through IP address detection and geofencing technology, which automatically identifies a user's approximate to deliver tailored feeds with city-specific updates, events, and . Users can further customize their experience by entering a during signup or app setup, enabling precise personalization even if IP-based detection is inaccurate due to VPNs or network variations. This dual approach ensures relevant content without requiring constant GPS access, though device services may be prompted for enhanced accuracy. As of 2025, Local Now remains available exclusively within the , with no announced plans for international expansion, focusing instead on deepening domestic hyper-local capabilities. Implementing location-based services has required adherence to data privacy regulations, particularly the (CCPA), which grants California residents rights to access, delete, or of personal information sharing, including geolocation data collected via IP addresses or user inputs. Local Now complies by not selling personal data and providing mechanisms for verifiable requests, while limiting collection to what's necessary for service functionality and obtaining user consent where applicable.

Programming and content

Core format and cycle products

Local Now employs a 24/7 linear over-the-top (OTT) streaming format that delivers personalized content through automated, short-loop cycles tailored to the viewer's geographic location, integrating elements of local news, weather, traffic, sports, and entertainment. These cycles utilize pre-produced modular segments, such as brief weather updates and news summaries, which are dynamically assembled in real time using customizable HTML-based software to ensure content relevance and freshness across more than 220 U.S. markets without relying on live production in every locale. The service's "cycle products" refer to these localized, rotating content blocks that blend hyper-local data with national feeds, powered by automation technologies originating from The Weather Company's early development phase under ownership. This approach allows for seamless updates based on time-of-day, conditions, and user-specific algorithms, maintaining a balanced mix where local elements form a significant portion alongside and programming. For instance, segments like location-specific reports or 5-minute forecasts rotate within the loops to provide continuous, non-repetitive viewing. Since its launch in , Local Now's core format has evolved from initial static-like loops in select markets to more interactive, user-personalized cycles by the early 2020s, incorporating enhanced dynamic assembly post-acquisition by in 2018. This progression includes integration with platforms like ActiveVideo CloudTV for , enabling scalability to over 490 total channels by 2023 and over 400 channels as of 2025 while preserving the automated, loop-based structure unique to its local focus.

Local news and weather segments

Local Now's local news and weather segments form the core of its hyper-localized streaming experience, delivering geo-targeted updates based on the viewer's through proprietary curation technology. These segments emphasize real-time relevance, drawing from partnerships with established broadcasters and providers to aggregate content without conducting original reporting. The service covers over 225 U.S. markets, ensuring broad accessibility for urban and rural audiences alike. Weather segments provide hourly forecasts powered by data from , featuring interactive radar maps, alerts, and lifestyle tie-ins such as pollen counts and UV indices to contextualize daily activities. Updates occur every 15 minutes, allowing users frequent checks on conditions like , , and speeds tailored to their . This frequency integrates with the platform's cyclic format, prioritizing actionable insights over extended analysis. News segments deliver 10-15 minute blocks of curated local headlines, sourced from Allen Media Group's 32 owned television stations—following 2025 transactions including the sale of 10 stations in August and acquisition of one in September—and third-party affiliates including CBS Stations and Fox networks. Content focuses on practical topics such as traffic disruptions, community events, and public safety incidents, with aggregation emphasizing timely curation rather than in-depth investigation. In peak viewing hours, these news cycles refresh every 30 minutes, rotating through feeds from partners like News12 and E.W. Scripps to maintain engagement. A distinctive element is the use of AI-generated summaries for smaller markets without direct station affiliates, enabling automated curation of headlines from broader feeds to simulate hyper-local relevance. This AI integration, combined with , geo-fences content to the user's precise area, enhancing personalization across the platform's FAST channels.

Entertainment and national content

Local Now's entertainment programming includes , , and trivia-focused loops designed to engage viewers with light-hearted, informative content. These segments highlight topics such as local events, dining recommendations, and cultural highlights, providing a break from heavier news cycles. The service incorporates national content through full linear channels and on-demand libraries, featuring classics like TV, which streams archived episodes of the iconic , and NOW for 24/7 national news coverage. Additionally, it offers thousands of movies and TV shows drawn from libraries, including comedies, dramas, and documentaries such as Mandingo and . In recent expansions, Local Now integrated five Fox channels in October 2025, including for entertainment and community programming, for weather updates, for live sports highlights, LiveNOW from FOX for breaking news, and for celebrity updates. Earlier, in July 2025, it added four Warner Bros. Discovery channels focused on and genres, such as WBTV Crime Scenes and WBTV Family Unscripted, as part of a broader rollout of 23 channels from the studio that began in June. The platform balances its offerings with approximately equal emphasis on on-demand movies and TV episodes alongside live linear channels, totaling over 400 channels and thousands of titles, interrupted by targeted ad breaks to support its free access model. Content curation emphasizes an eclectic mix of genres—ranging from comedies and dramas to uplifting documentaries—while deliberately steering clear of sensationalist or distressing headlines to maintain a positive viewing .

Branding

Visual identity and logos

Local Now's original logo was introduced in 2016. Following Allen Media Group's acquisition of in 2018, Local Now underwent a rebrand in 2020. This visual identity is applied consistently across Local Now's apps, website, and connected TV interfaces, ensuring unified recognition in streaming environments.

Slogans and marketing

Local Now's marketing efforts emphasize its role as a free, ad-supported streaming service delivering personalized and to cord-cutters. The primary slogan since 2016, "Free TV made for you!", underscores the platform's accessibility and customization based on user location and preferences. The service uses the "Headlines that won't ruin your day" to position its news segments as positive and non-sensational, a phrase in use since at least 2020. Promotional strategies leverage Allen Media Group's extensive network for social media campaigns on platforms like and , targeting adults aged 25-54 in urban and suburban markets seeking affordable alternatives to cable. Key partnerships with device manufacturers have driven visibility, including a 2024 collaboration with to pre-install and expand Local Now's FAST channels, reaching millions of streaming households. These feel-good, accessibility-focused messages have supported user growth amid rising OTT adoption for local content, with the service contributing to broader industry trends showing increased viewing on free streaming apps.

References

  1. https://www.weathergroup.com/brands/local-now
  2. https://allenmedia.tv/
  3. https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/byron-allen-launches-local-now-ad-supported-streaming-service
  4. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.weathergroup.localnow&hl=en_US
  5. https://www.weathergroup.com/newsroom/allen-media-groups-local-now-expands-streaming-content-with-5-fox-channels
  6. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ibm-closes-deal-to-acquire-the-weather-companys-product-and-technology-businesses-300212259.html
  7. https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/how-the-weather-channel-is-now-delivering-news-sports-and-traffic/
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  11. https://www.amazon.com/Local-Now-Weather-Traffic-Sports/dp/B01MQTVN2T
  12. https://digiday.com/media/weather-channel-scaling-local-news-online/
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  20. https://www.weathergroup.com/about
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  22. https://afrotech.com/amg-sell-tv-stations-gray-media-deal
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  24. https://www.weathergroup.com/leadership/tom-obrien
  25. https://allenmedia.tv/byron-allen-hails-billion-dollar-streaming-gift-of-local-now-and-expands-pattrn-another-byproduct-of-weather-channel-purchase/
  26. https://www.magnite.com/blog/the-local-approach-with-local-now/
  27. https://pubmatic.com/blog/partner-perspectives-local-now-on-bringing-local-content-to-the-fast-era/
  28. https://deadline.com/2021/04/byron-allen-hails-billion-dollar-streaming-gift-of-local-now-and-expands-pattrn-another-byproduct-of-weather-channel-purchase-1234740416/
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  30. https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/local-now-app-faqs
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  33. https://thestreamable.com/video-streaming/local-now
  34. https://localnow.com/about
  35. https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/all-223-local-now-markets-launched-as-fast-channel-on-vizios-watchfree/
  36. https://localnow.com/resources/html/privacy_policy.html
  37. https://www.commscope.com/press-releases/2016/arris-collaborated-with-the-weather-channel-to-power-local-now-ott-streaming-service/
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  43. https://allenmedia.tv/allen-media-group-closes-70-million-purchase-of-wjrt-tv-from-gray-tv/
  44. https://localnow.com/channels/johnny-carson-tv
  45. https://localnow.com/movies
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  47. https://logos.fandom.com/wiki/Local_Now
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  49. https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2025/local-news-goes-over-the-top-ott-app-viewing-is-growing-in-us-markets/
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