Southwest Florida News Live Streams
Tune in for continuous live coverage of Southwest Florida events, delivered straight to your screen.
Find every local station’s official live stream and app in the guide below.
Stay Informed with SWFL’s Latest News Now
Dive into live coverage from Wink News and discover the latest updates affecting Southwest Florida residents. Stay connected with live coverage from Southwest Florida’s local stations.
Every Fort Myers-Naples News Station and How to Stream It
You can watch SWFL local news live through each station’s free app, its website, streaming devices such as Roku and Fire TV, or a free over-the-air antenna. The Fort Myers-Naples market is served by four commercial news stations, WINK (CBS), WBBH (NBC), WZVN (ABC) and WFTX (Fox), plus public broadcaster WGCU. This guide lists each station, how to stream it, and how to follow coverage when a hurricane is coming.
We are The DiBe Group, brokered by eXp Realty. New Estero residents often ask us which local channels to follow for weather and traffic, so we put the answers in one place. Station apps and streaming options change, so check each station’s official app store listing for current features.
Fort Myers and Naples News Stations at a Glance
| Station | Network | Brand | Antenna channel | Free app |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WINK-TV (Fort Myers) | CBS | WINK News | 11 | WINK News app |
| WBBH-TV (Fort Myers) | NBC | Gulf Coast NBC / Gulf Coast News | 20 | Gulf Coast News – Fort Myers app |
| WZVN-TV (Naples) | ABC | Gulf Coast ABC / Gulf Coast News | 26 | Gulf Coast News – Fort Myers app |
| WFTX-TV (Cape Coral) | Fox | Fox 4 | 36 (channel 4 on most cable systems) | Fox 4 Now app |
| WGCU (Fort Myers) | PBS; sister radio station WGCU-FM 90.1 is NPR | WGCU | 30 | Check WGCU’s website |
Channel numbers above are virtual channels for antenna viewers. Cable, satellite and live TV streaming services use their own channel numbers.
WINK News (CBS): Live Stream and App
WINK News streams live newscasts through its free WINK News app, published by Fort Myers Broadcasting Co. According to the app’s Apple App Store listing, the app offers live newscasts, breaking news alerts, local weather and coverage of Fort Myers, Naples, Cape Coral, Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte.
WINK-TV signed on in 1954, broadcasts on virtual channel 11 and is owned by the Fort Myers Broadcasting Company. Its subchannels include 11.2, carrying Antenna TV and MyNetworkTV, and 11.3, a radar channel with WINK-FM audio.
If a live player on any website does not load, the station’s own app is usually the most reliable way to watch.
Gulf Coast News (NBC2 and ABC7): Live Stream and App
WBBH and WZVN, long known locally as NBC2 and ABC7, rebranded as Gulf Coast NBC and Gulf Coast ABC in February 2025, with newscasts under the Gulf Coast News name. According to NewscastStudio, the two stations share a building and many operations under a local marketing agreement dating to 1994, and their website is gulfcoastnewsnow.com.
WBBH is owned by Hearst Television, which bought it from Waterman Broadcasting in 2023, and WZVN is owned by Montclair Communications. WBBH broadcasts on virtual channel 20 from Fort Myers, and WZVN on channel 26 from Naples.
To stream, download the free Gulf Coast News – Fort Myers app from Hearst Television. Its App Store listing describes live streaming newscasts, customizable breaking news alerts and First Alert Storm Team forecasts.
Fox 4 (WFTX): Live Stream and App
Fox 4 streams newscasts through its free Fox 4 Now mobile app and a separate Fox 4 streaming app for TV devices. According to Fox 4’s website, the mobile app is available for iPhone, iPad and Android and includes breaking news, weather, traffic and live-streaming video. The streaming app is available on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV and offers live newscasts and digital exclusives.
WFTX-TV is licensed to Cape Coral and first broadcast on October 15, 1985. It is owned by the E.W. Scripps Company. The station broadcasts over the air on channel 36 but is branded Fox 4 because most cable viewers receive it on channel 4.
WGCU Public Media (PBS and NPR)
WGCU is the region’s public broadcaster and is owned by the Board of Trustees of Florida Gulf Coast University in Estero. The television station is a PBS member on virtual channel 30, and its sister station, WGCU-FM 90.1, is an NPR member station.
WGCU radio is a useful option during storms, since radio keeps working on batteries when power and internet are out. Read more about the university in our FGCU overview.
Other Ways to Watch Without Cable
If you do not have cable, you still have several ways to watch local news live.
- Antenna: A digital antenna picks up local stations for free. Reception depends on your location and the direction of the broadcast towers.
- Station apps: All four commercial stations offer free apps with live newscasts during broadcast times.
- Streaming devices: Search for each station’s app on Roku, Fire TV or Apple TV.
- Live TV streaming services: Paid services may include local channels. Check availability by ZIP code before you subscribe.
- Station websites: Stations often stream newscasts and breaking news coverage on their own websites as well as in their apps.
Following Hurricane Coverage in Southwest Florida
When a tropical storm or hurricane threatens Southwest Florida, local stations usually switch to extended live coverage. Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. Plan how you will follow the news before a storm, not during one.
Tips for staying informed during a storm
- Have more than one source. Download at least two station apps, and keep a battery-powered or hand-crank radio for when power and cell service fail.
- Charge everything early. Phones, tablets and battery packs run down quickly when you are streaming coverage.
- Know your evacuation zone. Coverage often refers to zones, not neighborhoods. Look yours up before the season starts.
- Turn on push alerts. Station apps and county systems can alert you even when you are not watching.
- Follow official sources for decisions. TV coverage is fast, but evacuation orders come from county emergency management.
Our hurricane guide for Southwest Florida home buyers has more on preparing your home, and our Estero Florida guide covers local services.
Sign Up for Emergency Alerts: AlertLee and Alert Collier
The fastest way to get official emergency warnings is to register with your county’s free alert system. Lee County’s system is called AlertLee, and Collier County’s is called Alert Collier.
Lee County: AlertLee and the LeePrepares app
AlertLee is Lee County Emergency Management’s mass notification system. According to Lee County, you sign up at AlertLee.com, and alerts can cover severe weather, evacuation notices, boil water notices, fires, floods and missing persons, delivered by phone, text or email.
The Village of Estero notes that registration takes about two to three minutes and that the system includes only published landline numbers, so residents with cell phone or VoIP numbers need to register to receive alerts. Lee County’s free LeePrepares app for iPhone and Android adds an evacuation zone map, shelter list and preparedness guidance.
Lee County also points residents to its LeePublicSafety page on Facebook for preparedness updates and to United Way 2-1-1 as a resource line. Before and after a storm, those official channels are the best place to confirm shelter openings, curfews and boil water notices that TV stations will also be reporting. Add them to your phone’s favorites now so they are easy to find when you need them.
Collier County: Alert Collier
If you live or work in Naples or elsewhere in Collier County, sign up at AlertCollier.com. Collier County says you can also text COLLIERFL to 888777 for emergency-only text messages, and you can register up to five addresses for location-based alerts.
Federal alert systems
Lee County notes that it can also issue warnings through FEMA’s IPAWS system, which includes the Emergency Alert System on TV and radio, Wireless Emergency Alerts on cell phones and NOAA Weather Radio. Keep Wireless Emergency Alerts turned on in your phone settings.
Frequently Asked Questions About SWFL News Live Streams
What are the local news channels in Fort Myers and Naples?
WINK (CBS, channel 11), WBBH Gulf Coast NBC (channel 20), WZVN Gulf Coast ABC (channel 26), WFTX Fox 4 (channel 36, or 4 on most cable) and WGCU (PBS, channel 30).
Can I watch WINK News live for free?
Yes. The free WINK News app streams live newscasts, and the station broadcasts free over the air on channel 11.
What happened to NBC2 and ABC7 in Fort Myers?
In February 2025, WBBH and WZVN rebranded as Gulf Coast NBC and Gulf Coast ABC, with newscasts under the Gulf Coast News name. They stream through the Gulf Coast News – Fort Myers app.
How do I sign up for Lee County emergency alerts?
Register at AlertLee.com or through the LeePrepares app. Cell phone and VoIP numbers are not included automatically, so you need to sign up.
Why is Fox 4 on channel 36 with an antenna?
WFTX broadcasts over the air on channel 36, but most local cable systems carry it on channel 4, which is where the Fox 4 name comes from.
Moving to Southwest Florida?
Staying informed is part of living here. For help buying or selling in Estero, Fort Myers or Naples, call or text Sal DiBenedetto, licensed real estate broker with The DiBe Group, brokered by eXp Realty, at 239-256-5005, or browse Estero homes for sale and our Estero newcomer hub.