TV channels & antenna towers in Bloomington, Illinois

Bloomington has 25 TV transmitters within 70 miles, carrying ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CW and ION. About 13 stations should come in at fair strength or better with a suitable antenna. The closest tower is WYZZ-TV (Fox), 15 miles to the NW.

Open Bloomington in the live finder

25TV transmitters within 70 miles

7networks over the air

15 mito the closest tower

78,292population

Network channels in Bloomington

Station	Channel	Distance	Point antenna	Est. signal	Licensed to
FOXWYZZ-TVFox	43	15 mi	319° NW	Strong	Bloomington, IL
CBSWMBD-TVCBS	31	30 mi	290° WNW	Good	Peoria, IL
MeTVWHOIMeTV	19.6	31 mi	289° WNW	Good	Peoria, IL
CWWEEK-TVCW	25.3	31 mi	289° WNW	Good	Peoria, IL
IONWCQA-LDION	16.4	37 mi	195° SSW	Poor	Springfield, IL
NBCWANDNBC	17	38 mi	167° SSE	Good	Decatur, IL
CWWBUICW	23	38 mi	167° SSE	Good	Decatur, IL
CBSWCIACBS	3	39 mi	132° SE	Good	Champaign, IL
ABCWICSABC	20	53 mi	208° SSW	Good	Springfield, IL
FOXWRSP-TVFox	55	53 mi	208° SSW	Good	Springfield, IL
ABCWICDABC	15	64 mi	116° ESE	Fair	Champaign, IL
FOXWCCUFox	27	64 mi	116° ESE	Weak	Urbana, IL

Over-the-air TV in Bloomington

With roughly 78,300 residents, Bloomington is a city in Illinois. Within 70 miles of the town center we count 25 licensed TV transmitters: 14 full-power, 1 Class A and 10 low-power. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 13 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 10 at good or strong strength.

1 of them is within 25 miles of Bloomington, 13 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 11 are more than 45 miles out. Three of the 12 network stations in range are licensed to Peoria, so most of the network channels you will find here come from Peoria's stations.

For the networks, the best local options are ABC on channel 20 (WICS), CBS on channel 31 (WMBD-TV), NBC on channel 17 (WAND), Fox on channel 43 (WYZZ-TV), CW on channel 25.3 (WEEK-TV), ION on channel 16.4 (WCQA-LD) and MeTV on channel 19.6 (WHOI). 3 full-power stations in range have no network listed in our data; these are typically public television, religious, shopping or independent stations.

Which way to point your antenna in Bloomington

The main network towers around Bloomington are in different directions: CBS 290° WNW (30 mi), NBC 167° SSE (38 mi) and Fox 319° NW (15 mi). Aim at the farthest one you want first, or use a multi-directional antenna.

Three network stations, WMBD-TV, WHOI and WEEK-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 30 miles west of Bloomington (290° WNW). Aim there first: one setting covers all of them.

Of the 10 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Bloomington at fair strength or better, 30% arrive from the west; the rest are spread across four other directions.

All of the main network towers are within their radio horizon as seen from Bloomington, so signals arrive fairly directly and a well-placed antenna should hold them steadily.

Antenna and amplifier advice for Bloomington

The farthest main network tower for Bloomington is WAND (NBC), 38 miles away with a good estimated signal. That is why we suggest an amplified indoor or attic antenna here.

WICS (ABC), 53 miles southwest, is the exception: the nearest listed affiliate of its network is far enough away to need an outdoor antenna. Some local stations in our data carry no network tag, so check the other stations table below before buying a bigger antenna just for that one.

WYZZ-TV is only 15 miles away with a strong signal. Signals that strong can overload an amplifier, so start without one and add it only if distant channels are missing. Read when an amplifier helps.

Other stations near Bloomington

Full-power independents, low-power stations and translators that relay a bigger station's signal.

Station	Distance	Point antenna	Est. signal	Licensed to
W27EQ-DLow power	27 mi	291° WNW	Fair	Peoria, IL
WTVPFull power	32 mi	288° WNW	Good	Peoria, IL
WILL-TVFull power	35 mi	151° SSE	Fair	Urbana, IL
WLCF-LDLow power	37 mi	170° S	Weak	Decatur, IL
WSIO-LDLow power	40 mi	297° WNW	Poor	Peoria, IL
W07DD-DLow power	43 mi	121° ESE	Poor	Champaign, IL
WBXC-CDClass A	47 mi	123° ESE	Poor	Champaign/Urbana, IL
W27EL-DLow power	48 mi	123° ESE	Poor	Champaign, IL
WCIXFull power	55 mi	210° SSW	Poor	Springfield, IL
W31EH-DLow power	57 mi	217° SW	Poor	Springfield, IL
W27ES-DLow power	57 mi	217° SW	Poor	Springfield, IL
W23EW-DLow power	58 mi	209° SSW	Poor	Springfield, IL
WEAE-LDLow power	58 mi	214° SW	Poor	Springfield, IL

How Bloomington compares with the rest of Illinois

With 13 stations at fair strength or better, Bloomington ranks 481st of 766 places in Illinois: fewer than the typical Illinois town (17). Its nearest major network tower is 15 miles away, against a state median of 24 miles.

54% of Illinois's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an amplified indoor or attic antenna.

Setting up an antenna in Bloomington: step by step

Mount the antenna in the attic or high on the wall facing the towers, keeping the cable to the TV as short as you can.
Point it toward 167° SSE, the direction of WAND (NBC), 38 miles away. Closer stations usually come in even off-axis.
Run a full channel scan on your TV (usually Settings → Channels → Auto program; the name varies by brand).
Expect around 13 stations, each with a few subchannels. If one you want is missing, turn the antenna 5–10° toward it and scan again.
Rescan every few months, or whenever a channel disappears; stations occasionally change frequency.

Frequently asked questions

What channel is ABC in Bloomington, IL?

ABC is on channel 20 from WICS, broadcasting from 53 miles SSW of Bloomington. Estimated signal: good.

What channel is CBS in Bloomington, IL?

CBS is on channel 31 from WMBD-TV, broadcasting from 30 miles WNW of Bloomington. Estimated signal: good.

What channel is NBC in Bloomington, IL?

NBC is on channel 17 from WAND, broadcasting from 38 miles SSE of Bloomington. Estimated signal: good.

What channel is Fox in Bloomington, IL?

Fox is on channel 43 from WYZZ-TV, broadcasting from 15 miles NW of Bloomington. Estimated signal: strong.

What channel is CW in Bloomington, IL?

CW is on channel 25.3 from WEEK-TV, broadcasting from 31 miles WNW of Bloomington. Estimated signal: good.

How many channels can I get with an antenna in Bloomington?

25 transmitters within 70 miles of Bloomington; around 13 of them are likely to be receivable with amplified indoor or attic antenna. Each station usually carries several subchannels, so the total channel count after a scan is higher.

Which direction should I point my TV antenna in Bloomington?

What kind of antenna do I need in Bloomington?

Amplified indoor or attic antenna (25–45 miles). Towers are at medium range. An amplified indoor antenna can work; an attic-mounted antenna is the safer choice. The towers are spread over about 152° of the compass, so a multi-directional antenna or a rotator will help. Picking up ABC from up to 53 miles away would take an outdoor antenna.

Do I need an antenna amplifier in Bloomington?

Is there an app to find TV towers in Bloomington?

Yes. The free RCA Signal Finder app for iPhone and Android uses your phone's GPS and compass to show which way each tower is from where you stand.

TV channels in nearby Illinois cities

More: all TV stations in Illinois · Midwest region · antenna buying guide · how to aim an antenna. Distances are straight-line from the center of Bloomington; signal estimates ignore terrain.