TV channels & antenna towers in Madison, New Jersey

Madison has 79 TV transmitters within 70 miles, carrying ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CW and ION. About 43 stations should come in at fair strength or better with a suitable antenna. The closest tower is W05DJ-D, 8.7 miles to the ENE.

79TV transmitters within 70 miles
9networks over the air
8.7 mito the closest tower
16,126population

Network channels in Madison

StationChannelDistancePoint antennaEst. signalLicensed to
CBSWCBS-TVCBS2 21 mi99° E GoodNew York, NY
FOXWNYWFox5 21 mi99° E GoodNew York, NY
NBCWNBCNBC4 21 mi99° E GoodNew York, NY
TLMWNJUTelemundo47 21 mi99° E GoodLinden, NJ
IONWPXN-TVION31 21 mi99° E GoodNew York, NY
MeTVWJLPMeTV33.1 23 mi90° E FairMiddletown Township, NJ
ABCWABC-TVABC7 23 mi92° E FairNew York, NY
CWWPIXCW11 23 mi92° E FairNew York, NY
UNIWXTV-DTUnivision41 23 mi92° E GoodPaterson, NJ
IONWPXU-LDION35 24 mi91° E WeakAmityville, NY
MeTVWFMZ-TVMeTV69.3 55 mi256° WSW FairAllentown, PA
MeTVWDPN-TVMeTV2.1 66 mi221° SW PoorWilmington, DE
TLMWWSITelemundo62 66 mi221° SW FairMount Laurel, NJ
NBCWCAUNBC10 66 mi221° SW FairPhiladelphia, PA
ABCWPVI-TVABC6 66 mi221° SW WeakPhiladelphia, PA
IONWPPX-TVION61 66 mi221° SW WeakWilmington, DE
UNIWUVP-DTUnivision65 66 mi221° SW WeakVineland, NJ
CWWPHL-TVCW17 66 mi221° SW WeakPhiladelphia, PA
FOXWTXF-TVFox29 66 mi221° SW FairPhiladelphia, PA
CBSKYW-TVCBS3 66 mi221° SW FairPhiladelphia, PA

Over-the-air TV in Madison

Madison is a town of about 16,100 people in New Jersey. There are 79 licensed TV transmitters within 70 miles: 36 full-power, 9 Class A, 28 low-power and 6 translators. Based on each transmitter's power, antenna height and distance, 43 are likely to arrive at fair strength or better, and 14 at good or strong strength.

40 of them are within 25 miles of Madison, 5 sit 25 to 45 miles away and 34 are more than 45 miles out. Six of the 20 network stations in range are licensed to New York, NY, so most of the network channels you will find here come from New York's stations.

For the networks, the best local options are ABC on channel 7 (WABC-TV), CBS on channel 2 (WCBS-TV), NBC on channel 4 (WNBC), Fox on channel 5 (WNYW), CW on channel 11 (WPIX), ION on channel 31 (WPXN-TV), Telemundo on channel 47 (WNJU), Univision on channel 41 (WXTV-DT) and MeTV on channel 33.1 (WJLP). Spanish-language viewers can pick up Telemundo (good signal) and Univision (good signal). 17 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 Madison

Point your antenna E, at about 97°. The main network towers for Madison sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

Five network stations, WCBS-TV, WNYW, WNBC, WNJU and WPXN-TV, transmit from the same tower site about 21 miles east of Madison (99° E). That one direction covers every station on the site.

Of the 14 full-power and Class A network signals that reach Madison at fair strength or better, 64% arrive from the east; the rest are spread across two other directions.

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

Antenna and amplifier advice for Madison

The farthest main network tower for Madison is WABC-TV (ABC), 23 miles away with a fair estimated signal. That is why we suggest an amplified indoor or attic antenna here. Viewers who do not need that station can often manage with less.

An amplifier only helps here if you run a long cable (over about 50 feet) or split the antenna to several TVs. Otherwise better placement does more. See the amplifier guide.

Other stations near Madison

Full-power independents, low-power stations and translators that relay a bigger station's signal. Showing the closest 25 of 59; see all in the finder.

StationDistancePoint antennaEst. signalLicensed to
W05DJ-DLow power8.7 mi 77° ENEFairNew York, NY
W25FA-DLow power8.7 mi 77° ENEWeakNew York, NY
WPXO-LDLow power9.4 mi 72° ENEWeakEast Orange, NJ
WNJBFull power11 mi 205° SSWGoodNew Brunswick, NJ
WNJNFull power11 mi 205° SSWGoodMontclair, NJ
WMBQ-CDClass A21 mi 99° EPoorNew York, NY
WNETFull power21 mi 99° EFairNewark, NJ
WNWT-LDLow power21 mi 99° EFairNew York, NY
WLIWFull power21 mi 99° EGoodGarden City, NY
WMBC-TVFull power21 mi 99° EGoodNewton, NJ
WKOB-LDLow power21 mi 99° EFairNew York, NY
WNDT-CDClass A21 mi 99° EFairManhattan, NY
WRNN-TVFull power21 mi 99° EGoodNew Rochelle, NY
WWOR-TVFull power21 mi 99° EGoodSecaucus, NJ
WASA-LDLow power21 mi 99° EFairPort Jervis, NY
WNYE-TVFull power23 mi 90° EGoodNew York, NY
WXNY-LDLow power23 mi 92° EFairNew York, NY
WDYJ-LDLow power23 mi 92° EFairNew York, NY
WFUT-DTFull power23 mi 92° EGoodNewark, NJ
WTBY-TVFull power23 mi 92° EFairJersey City, NJ
WDYA-LDLow power23 mi 92° EFairNew York, NY
WDVB-CDClass A23 mi 92° EFairEdison, NJ
WNYK-LDLow power24 mi 91° EFairTeaneck, NJ
WNMF-LDLow power24 mi 91° EFairNew York, NY
WHTV-LDLow power24 mi 91° EFairNew York, NY

How Madison compares with the rest of New Jersey

With 43 stations at fair strength or better, Madison ranks 59th of 537 places in New Jersey: more than the typical New Jersey town (37). Its nearest major network tower is 21 miles away, against a state median of 26 miles.

50% of New Jersey's cities and towns get the same recommendation: an amplified indoor or attic antenna. The nearest larger city is Parsippany, 6.8 miles away.

Setting up an antenna in Madison: step by step

  1. 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.
  2. Point it toward 92° E, the direction of WABC-TV (ABC), 23 miles away. Closer stations usually come in even off-axis.
  3. Run a full channel scan on your TV (usually Settings → Channels → Auto program; the name varies by brand).
  4. Expect around 43 stations, each with a few subchannels. If one you want is missing, turn the antenna 5–10° toward it and scan again.
  5. Rescan every few months, or whenever a channel disappears; stations occasionally change frequency.

Frequently asked questions

What channel is ABC in Madison, NJ?

ABC is on channel 7 from WABC-TV, broadcasting from 23 miles E of Madison. Estimated signal: fair.

What channel is CBS in Madison, NJ?

CBS is on channel 2 from WCBS-TV, broadcasting from 21 miles E of Madison. Estimated signal: good.

What channel is NBC in Madison, NJ?

NBC is on channel 4 from WNBC, broadcasting from 21 miles E of Madison. Estimated signal: good.

What channel is Fox in Madison, NJ?

Fox is on channel 5 from WNYW, broadcasting from 21 miles E of Madison. Estimated signal: good.

What channel is CW in Madison, NJ?

CW is on channel 11 from WPIX, broadcasting from 23 miles E of Madison. Estimated signal: fair.

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

79 transmitters within 70 miles of Madison; around 43 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 Madison?

Point your antenna E, at about 97°. The main network towers for Madison sit in that direction, so a single directional antenna can pick them all up.

What kind of antenna do I need in Madison?

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.

Do I need an antenna amplifier in Madison?

An amplifier only helps here if you run a long cable (over about 50 feet) or split the antenna to several TVs. Otherwise better placement does more. See the amplifier guide.

Is there an app to find TV towers in Madison?

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 New Jersey cities

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