How to watch night two of the Democratic National Convention for free—and without cable

By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer
Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

    Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

    Photo of Barack Obama
    Former U.S. President Barack Obama will speak at the DNC on Tuesday.
    ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images

    After Joe Biden sang his swan song Monday, former President Barack Obama takes center stage on Tuesday at the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC). That could give a big boost to Democratic presidential candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris, who will be campaigning in Wisconsin earlier in the day.

    Obama and Harris have a long history, going back to 2008, when she knocked on doors for him in Iowa. And the former president remains incredibly popular within the party. Many are hoping this will be a passing-of-the-torch moment.

    Coverage of the convention will be widespread, but here’s what you need to know if you plan on watching.

    When is the 2024 Democratic National Convention taking place?

    The DNC will run from Aug. 19 through Aug. 22.

    Who will be speaking at the 2024 DNC Tuesday?

    Here’s who you can expect on Tuesday…

    Former President Barack Obama

    Former first lady Michelle Obama

    Second gentleman Doug Emhoff

    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer

    Sen. Tammy Duckworth

    Sen. Bernie Sanders

    New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

    John Giles, the mayor of Mesa, Ariz., and a Republican

    Who will be speaking at the 2024 DNC the rest of the week?

    Wednesday

    Vice presidential nominee Tim Walz

    Former President Bill Clinton

    Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi

    Thursday

    Vice President Kamala Harris

    Which TV channels are airing the 2024 DNC?

    Three of the major broadcast networks, along with PBS, are scheduled to carry parts of the convention. Fox, however, will only do so in select markets, as it turns over programming to its local affiliates at 10 p.m. local time. Here’s how things will shake out with the other channels:

    CBS: Stations will have live coverage starting at 10:00 p.m. ET all four days.

    NBC: Stations will broadcast from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. the first two nights of the convention, and from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. the final two nights.

    ABC: Coverage will run from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. the first two nights of the convention, and from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. the final two nights.

    PBS: Nightly coverage will run from 8:00 p.m. through 11:00 p.m.

    Fox News: Coverage will air during its regular prime-time lineup of shows. A one-hour special will air nightly at 10:00 p.m.

    CNN: The network plans live coverage starting at 8:00 p.m. each night.

    MSNBC: The network will air coverage from 8:00 p.m. to midnight.

    Are any channels airing the entire DNC uninterrupted?

    C-SPAN is the place for political junkies to catch all the action, with uninterrupted coverage all four days.

    When will Kamala Harris address the 2024 Democratic National Convention?

    Harris will accept the party’s nomination formally on Thursday.

    Can I stream the Democratic National Convention live online if I don’t have a cable subscription?

    You can. The DNC will livestream the convention on a number of platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter/X. Prefer another option? You’ve got a panoply of choices.

    Disney+

    Disney’s bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ no longer has a free trial, so you’ll have to pay $15 per month for all three combined (or $25 per month for no ads on Hulu).

    Including Live TV in the bundle bumps the price to $77 per month ($90 with no ads).

    Hulu with Live TV

    The free trial on this service is no longer offered, as well. It will now cost you $77 per month.

    YouTube TV

    After up to a two-week trial, you can expect monthly charges of $73.

    Sling TV

    Dish Network’s Sling lower-tiered “Orange” plan will run you $40 per month. Adding the more comprehensive “Blue” plan bumps the cost to $55 per month. The seven-day free trial has disappeared, unfortunately.

    DirecTV Stream

    Formerly known as DirecTV Now, AT&T TVNow, and AT&T TV, this oft-renamed streaming service will run you $80 per month and up after the free-trial option.

    Fubo TV

    This sports-focused cord-cutting service carries broadcast and news networks in most markets. There’s a seven-day free trial, followed by monthly charges of $80 and up, depending on the channels you choose.

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