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Free TV for college kids? It’s easier to get than you think

Every college student should know about this life hack

You can watch the big game for free with an antenna. (Pexels.)

Are you dropping your child off at college in their dorm or apartment for the first time? You’ll want to make sure they have every thing they’ll need to be a functioning college student, and that includes free TV.

Free TV sounds like a myth or unbelievable, but it’s actually really easy to access, and all you need is an antenna to get the job done. That’s why the Free TV Project wants to make sure that kids going away to college are taking advantage of this opportunity.

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TheFreeTVProject.org was created to educate viewers about free television and help them select the antenna that best meets their needs. All you have to do is input your address or zip code and learn what antenna is best for your home. You can also find out how many and which channels you can get for free with an antenna.

The purchase of antennas are currently on the rise, so there are plenty of folks that are taking advantage of free TV with antennas. So why shouldn’t college kids? If anyone needs to save a few bucks each month, it’s them.

The Consumer Technology Association estimates than nearly one in three U.S. homes are equipped with an antenna, an increase from pre-pandemic levels when only one in four homes were users. That trend is likely to gain momentum as more consumers get “plus fatigue” or grow tired of paying more for connected TV services such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, etc.

As someone who was once a very broke college student, having TV, let alone free TV, was an aspirational goal to have.

Sure, I had cable when I lived in the dorms my freshmen year of school, but once I lived off-campus with four other equally broke roommates, I was going to have to pay if I wanted to watch any of my favorite cable stations. What was I going to do without my “Real Housewives” or “Jersey Shore?”

I also went to college when streaming was just starting to take off, so I wasn’t paying for a bunch of different streaming networks.

What I wish I had known at the time then was that having free TV was just waiting for me, and all I needed was an antenna.

If your kid is going away to school, make sure they are up to date with all the latest news app. In case of a weather emergency, have them download the WSLS Weather app. You never know when a tornado or flooding emergency will pop up, and having your college student up to date will give you peace of mind. Just click here to get the app.

Turn on notifications for all of WDIV’s news apps so you know what’s going on in your community.

So what are you waiting for? If you’re going to college this fall, or you know someone who is, get an antenna! To figure out what kind of antenna you should get, click or tap here.


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About the Author
Jack Roskopp headshot

Jack is a Digital Content Editor with a degree in creative writing and French from Western Michigan University. He specializes in writing about movies, food and the latest TV shows.