A great---and often overlooked---way to watch live TV is to use YouTube. Since the company began to offer live streaming in May 2013, several TV networks have started to offer 24/7 feeds of their channels.
Here are some of the best live channels on YouTube that every cord cutter should be using.
Note: Do not confuse the channels in this article with those offered through YouTube TV, YouTube's OTA streaming subscription service.
1. Sky News
Sky News is a UK-based 24/7 news channel that's been on the air for almost 30 years.
The YouTube channel is the international version of the network. The content is identical to that which broadcasts in the UK, but there are no British ads. Instead of ads, you'll see frequent global weather updates.
The channel primarily reports on world headlines, business, sport, entertainment, and other trending stories.
2. NASA Live
NASA Live is a US government-funded TV channel. It offers a mix of live feeds from satellites, educational content, and pre-recorded space-themed TV shows. You will also find live footage of spacewalks, launches, and press conferences.
Because NASA TV is a public domain channel, anyone can broadcast it. However, the YouTube channel is an official feed from the government agency.
The channel is on air 24/7.
3. Bloomberg Global News
Bloomberg is one of the most famouse names in the business sector. If you want to keep abreast of market information, financial news, economic reports, and the latest political headlines, this is the channel for you.
Bloomberg is the only one of the major business channels that makes its content freely available. The others---such as CNBC and Fox Business Network---require a cable or satellite subscription.
You'll also find plenty of on-demand content in Bloomberg's YouTube archives, making it easy to catch up on your favorite show if you missed it.
4. Talking Tom and Friends
Here's one for the kids. For the uninitiated, Talking Tom and Friends started life as an app which featured anthropomorphic animal characters repeating things said by the user.
After early success, the franchise grew. There are now 10 TV episodes, almost 60 minis, and more than 45 shorts. All the video content is replayed on a randomized loop on the official YouTube TV channel.
The channel's guidance says the content is only suitable for children who are at least six years old.
5. Al Jazeera
The Qatar-based Al Jazeera is one of the largest news organizations in the world. The network has bureaus in more than 80 countries.
Thanks to agreements with CNN and the BBC, content that's been sourced and recorded by Al Jazeera is heavily used in western media. The network also owns beIN Sports. It broadcasts premium sporting events across much of Europe and the US
The English-language channel went live in 2006. It quickly signed up several big names from the world of journalism, including David Frost and Josh Rushing.
Despite some prejudices, Al Jazeera has fostered a reputation for offering balanced and fair reporting on global news.
6. FashionTV
If you want to keep up with the latest catwalk trends and global fashion news, you need to watch FashionTV. The channel boasts 400 million daily viewers around the world.
Typical content includes videos from fashion shows, interviews with models, footage from exclusive fashionista parties, and behind the scenes content from the world's runways.
You also get exclusive videos from the world's biggest fashion events, including the Madrid Fashion Week, Paris Haute Couture, and the Milan Fashion Week.
7. France 24
France 24 is a state-owned TV channel located in Paris.
The content offers a 50/50 split between live news and pre-recorded magazine shows. The subject matter of the magazine shows varies between global stories and programs focused on France and French issues.
In addition to the English-language feed linked above, the channel also broadcasts in French, Spanish, and Arabic.
8. QVC
QVC is the largest television shopping channel in the world. It's been on the air for more than 30 years and is broadcast in US, UK, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, and China. The YouTube version of the channel is available globally.
You won't often find products from mainstream retailers, but if you're looking for kitchen utensils, garden tools, jewelry, and unbranded clothing, you can find some great deals.
9. Milenio
If you would like to keep up with news south of the border, check out the official Milenio channel.
Milenio started life as a newspaper in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey in the 1970s. In 2008, the company launched Milenio Televisión. The channel is on air 24/7 and broadcasts a mix of news, analysis, and specialist programming.
The company also produces newscasts for the greater Los Angeles area. They are available on-demand in the YouTube channel's video archives.
10. Peppa Pig
We'll leave you with another channel for the children in your life. Peppa Pig is a popular kids TV show that follows the life of Peppa, George, and a large ensemble of other farm animals.
Since first hitting British TV screens in 2004, the series now includes more than 200 episodes. There was even a 15-minute short film which grossed more than $2.5 million. The show is syndicated across most of Europe and North America, as well as in many parts of Asia.
The official Peppa Pig YouTube channel screens episodes on repeat around the clock. If you're ever stuck for ways to entertain your kid, you can't go far wrong with this one.
Other Ways to Watch Live TV Beyond YouTube
These YouTube live channels will provide you with a solid mix of news, education, entertainment, and kids' programming. Best of all, they're entirely legal. You can occasionally find streams from networks like BBC and ABC, but they're not official; YouTube removes them within minutes.
Of course, there are lots of other ways that cord cutters can access legal streams of live TV. We've previously looked at many of them. Depending on your setup, you can use some of the best Kodi add-ons, unofficial Plex channels, or free Roku channels.