It's a question many of us ponder when looking for a new live TV streaming service: "Can I still catch my favorite local channels, like PBS, without a cable box?" For those considering Sling TV, the answer isn't a simple yes or no. It's a bit more nuanced, and understanding the details can save you some subscription headaches.
When you look at Sling TV's offerings, you'll find a few different plans, each with its own channel lineup. The core Sling Orange and Sling Blue plans, which are designed to be budget-friendly, generally don't include PBS. In fact, the reference material explicitly states that "Higher-priced plans exclude CBS and PBS." This is a key point to remember if PBS is a must-have for you.
However, Sling TV does have a more comprehensive package, the Sling Orange + Sling Blue combo. This plan, priced at $50 per month, aims to offer a wider array of channels, including many popular broadcast networks. But even with this premium option, the mention of PBS being excluded from certain plans, including the Blue and the Orange + Blue combo, suggests it's not a standard inclusion.
It's worth noting that Sling TV also has a separate service called Sling Freestream. This is a completely free offering with over 500 channels, but it's a different beast from the paid Sling TV service. While it might offer some local channels, it's not the same as getting PBS through the main Sling TV subscription.
So, if your heart is set on watching PBS through Sling TV, you'll likely be disappointed. The service focuses on providing a diverse selection of cable channels and some major broadcast networks (like ABC, NBC, and FOX) in its higher-tier plans, but PBS seems to be consistently left out of the equation. It's always a good idea to check the most current channel lineup directly on Sling TV's website before subscribing, as these things can sometimes change, but based on the information available, PBS isn't part of the deal.
