Last updated November 11, 2026
The best places to get Detroit news in 2026 are the city’s two daily papers (the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News), its four big TV newsrooms, WDET and WWJ on the radio, and a handful of free nonprofit newsrooms and newsletters such as BridgeDetroit, Outlier Media, Chalkbeat Detroit and Axios Detroit. For event guides and practical local explainers, our own Detroit Weekly News leads the list. Which ones you need depends on what you want: breaking news, neighborhood issues, schools, business or something to read with your morning coffee.
The local media map also changed a lot this year. The News and the Free Press ended their 36-year joint operating agreement in December 2025, and USA Today Co., which already owned the Free Press, bought The Detroit News in a deal completed Jan. 31, 2026. Both papers still publish separately, but if you haven’t looked at where your news comes from in a while, now is a good time.
TV is still where most Detroiters start. In a 2023 University of Michigan Detroit Metro Area Communities Study, 74% of residents said they typically get news from television, followed by online sources (41%), social media (35%), radio (30%) and print (22%).
Quick picks
If you want… | Start with | Cost |
|---|---|---|
Breaking news and weather | WDIV Local 4, WXYZ 7, FOX 2, CBS Detroit | Free |
In-depth daily reporting | Detroit Free Press, The Detroit News | Subscription (some free articles) |
Neighborhood and city hall issues | BridgeDetroit, Outlier Media | Free |
Schools | Chalkbeat Detroit | Free |
Black Detroit perspectives | Michigan Chronicle | Free online, weekly print |
Arts, food, nightlife and alt takes | Detroit Metro Times | Free |
News while driving | WWJ Newsradio 950, WDET 101.9 FM | Free |
A 5-minute morning briefing | Axios Detroit, Daily Detroit | Free (optional membership) |
Things to do, events and local guides | Detroit Weekly News | Free |
Table of Contents
The 15 best places to get Detroit news
Our pick for local guides
1. Detroit Weekly News
Full disclosure: this is our site, so we’ve put it first. Detroit Weekly News is an independent Detroit news and guides site, not connected to The Detroit News newspaper. We publish every day with a focus on news you can use: event guides posted weeks ahead, weekend plans, game-day and neighborhood guides, and practical explainers on everyday Detroit life, with sources linked in each story. For breaking news and big investigations, pair us with a daily paper or TV station below.
- Best for: things to do, events and seasonal guides, practical local explainers
- Cost: free, no paywall
- How to follow: website, updated daily
Newspapers
2. Detroit Free Press
The Free Press (freep.com) is one of the deepest sources of Detroit news, from city hall and courts to the auto industry and all four pro teams. It has won 10 Pulitzer Prizes, and its investigative and sports desks are its strongest. Its owner, USA Today Co., also bought The Detroit News in January 2026, but the two newsrooms remain separate.
- Best for: investigations, politics, sports, autos
- Cost: digital subscription; a limited number of articles are free
- How to follow: website, app, email newsletters, print
3. The Detroit News
Founded in 1873, The Detroit News (detroitnews.com) has won three Pulitzers and is known for strong auto, business and state politics coverage, with a historically conservative editorial page. USA Today Co. completed its purchase of the paper on Jan. 31, 2026, and says the News and Free Press will keep separate newsrooms and voices. Reading both is the easiest way to see two editorial views on the same story.
- Best for: autos, business, Lansing politics, opinion
- Cost: digital subscription; some articles free
- How to follow: website, app, newsletters, print
4. Michigan Chronicle
The Michigan Chronicle marks its 90th year in 2026, making it one of the oldest Black-owned newspapers in the state. It covers city hall, business, culture and civic life through the lens of Black Detroit, with daily stories online and a weekly print edition. Its reporters won several 2026 SPJ Detroit awards.
- Best for: Black business, politics and culture
- Cost: free online; free weekly print edition at locations around the city
- How to follow: website, social media, print
5. Detroit Metro Times
Detroit’s alt-weekly since 1980, Metro Times mixes investigative news with the city’s best arts, music, food and nightlife coverage. Its print edition moved from weekly to every two weeks in June 2025 and is still free.
- Best for: arts, restaurants, concerts, watchdog stories
- Cost: free
- How to follow: website, newsletters, free print issues every two weeks
TV stations
Local TV remains the go-to for breaking news, traffic, and weather. Fox 2, Local 4 and Channel 7 were the stations Detroiters named most often in the University of Michigan survey. All four below stream newscasts for free on their websites and apps.
6. WDIV Local 4 (NBC)
ClickOnDetroit, Local 4’s website, is strong on weather, consumer help, and live coverage of big events.
- Best for: weather, live coverage, consumer stories
- Cost: free
7. WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC)
Owned by E.W. Scripps, WXYZ covers investigations and community stories across Metro Detroit.
- Best for: investigations, suburban coverage
- Cost: free
8. FOX 2 Detroit
FOX 2 has more than a million Facebook followers and long morning and evening news blocks, so it’s quick with breaking crime, traffic, and weather updates.
- Best for: breaking news, morning show
- Cost: free
9. CBS Detroit
CBS Detroit streams local newscasts free online and in the CBS News app, which is handy if you don’t have cable.
- Best for: cord-cutters, streaming news
- Cost: free
Radio
10. WDET 101.9 FM
WDET is Detroit’s NPR station and a community service of Wayne State University. The Metro digs into one local issue at a time, and the Detroit Evening Report is a three-minute daily roundup of the news residents need to know.
- Best for: thoughtful local conversation, public affairs
- Cost: free (listener supported)
11. WWJ Newsradio 950
WWJ calls itself Detroit and Michigan’s only all-news station and has been on the air since 1920. Expect traffic and weather on a regular cycle, plus auto beat reporting. CBS News Radio ended in May 2026, so national updates no longer come from CBS, but WWJ’s local news continues.
- Best for: traffic, quick updates, commuters
- Cost: free on AM 950 or the Audacy app
Nonprofit and digital newsrooms
12. BridgeDetroit
Launched in 2020 by the nonprofit Center for Michigan, BridgeDetroit covers city government, housing, neighborhoods, and economic mobility based on what residents say matters to them. There’s no paywall: its daily newsletter and website are free, and it also publishes voter guides.
- Best for: city council, housing, elections
- Cost: free (donations optional)
- How to follow: daily newsletter, website, social video
13. Outlier Media
Outlier Media started in 2016 as a text-message service and now pairs it with investigative reporting. Text “Detroit” to 67485 to get answers on housing, utilities, and other everyday problems, or to reach a reporter directly. It also publishes practical civic guides and absorbed the Detour Detroit newsletter.
- Best for: renters, utility and tax questions, accountability reporting
- Cost: free
14. Chalkbeat Detroit
Chalkbeat Detroit is the go-to source for Detroit Public Schools Community District news and Michigan education policy. Its free newsletter arrives every weekday morning.
- Best for: parents, teachers, school board races
- Cost: free
Newsletters and podcasts
15. Axios Detroit
Axios Detroit sends a free weekday newsletter that usually runs 900 to 1,100 words, about a four-minute read, covering politics, development, food and things to do. Readers can become paying members, but the newsletter itself is free.
- Best for: a fast morning catch-up
- Cost: free (optional membership)
Also worth bookmarking: Daily Detroit, a daily podcast and newsletter; Crain’s Detroit Business for business news, Bridge Michigan for statewide policy, and Detroit Public TV for long-form local programming.
How to build your Detroit news routine (without paying for everything)
You don’t need all 15. Most people are well covered with one source from each of three layers:
- A fast layer for what’s happening now. Pick one TV station’s app for alerts, or keep WWJ on in the car.
- A daily briefing. Axios Detroit, the BridgeDetroit newsletter or the Daily Detroit podcast gives you the day’s local news in a few minutes.
- A depth layer for the stories that affect you. Subscribe to one daily paper, or follow the nonprofit newsroom that covers your interest: Chalkbeat for schools, Outlier for housing and utilities, the Michigan Chronicle for Black Detroit.
Tips for following local news for free
- Use the nonprofits first. BridgeDetroit, Outlier Media, Chalkbeat Detroit, WDET, and Bridge Michigan publish everything without a paywall.
- Sign up for newsletters. Even the subscription papers offer free email newsletters with headlines and some full stories.
- Stream TV news. All four major stations post newscasts and clips free online.
- Pick up free print. Metro Times and the Michigan Chronicle are free at coffee shops, libraries, and stores around the city.
- Text for answers. If you need help with a rent, tax, or utility problem rather than a headline, text “Detroit” to 67485 for Outlier Media.
Newcomers and visitors
New to the city? A daily briefing plus one TV app covers most of what you need in your first months. For things to do, Metro Times and Axios Detroit are the most useful, and our guide to the best things to do in Detroit and the Detroit museum guide can fill in your weekends.
Detroit news FAQ
What is the most trusted source of Detroit news?
There isn’t one answer. Most Detroiters rely on local TV first, and Fox 2, Local 4, and Channel 7 were the outlets residents named most often in the University of Michigan survey. For deeper reporting, the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News have 13 Pulitzer Prizes between them, and nonprofits like BridgeDetroit and Outlier Media focus on issues residents say matter most.
Are The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press the same company now?
They share an owner but not a newsroom. USA Today Co. completed its purchase of The Detroit News on Jan. 31, 2026, and says both papers will keep separate newsrooms, editorial voices, and websites.
Where can I get Detroit news for free?
BridgeDetroit, Outlier Media, Chalkbeat Detroit, WDET, WWJ, the four TV station websites, Metro Times, the Michigan Chronicle, Axios Detroit and Detroit Weekly News are all free to read or listen to.
What channels carry local news in Detroit?
FOX 2 (WJBK), WDIV Local 4 (NBC), WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC) and CBS Detroit (WWJ-TV 62). Our Detroit TV channel guide lists them by network.
What is the best radio station for Detroit news?
For nonstop news, traffic, and weather, WWJ Newsradio 950. For longer conversations about local issues, WDET 101.9 FM, Detroit’s NPR station.
The bottom line
You’ll stay well informed with three habits: one fast source for breaking news, one daily briefing and one in-depth outlet for the topics you care about. Detroit’s news scene is still shifting after the end of the newspaper agreement, so we’ll keep this list updated. For guides to what’s happening around the city, check back with Detroit Weekly News each day.
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