On September 1, over a dozen local TV stations dropped the popular MeTV network. Billed as "America’s #1 Classic Television Network," MeTV entertains viewers with reruns of hit shows that originally aired from the 1940s through the 1990s. Series currently on MeTV include M*A*S*H, Saved by the Bell, Star Trek, The Waltons, The Flintstones, Bonanza, The Andy Griffith Show, and many other favorites from past decades.
No official announcement has been made that we are aware of. However, MeTV is owned by Weigel Broadcasting, while most of the stations that dropped MeTV are owned by rival Sinclair Broadcasting Group, and two stations are owned by E. W. Scripps Company. At least some of the stations dropping MeTV, such as WJAR in Providence-New Bedford and have replaced it with Sinclair-owned Charge!, leading to speculation that Sinclair would prefer to carry its own network, instead of one owned by a rival broadcaster, on stations it owns. Charge! also broadcasts TV series reruns, but with an emphasis on action, adventure, and police shows like CHiPS, Knight Rider, Magnum P.I., The Commish, CSI: Miami, and CSI: New York.
If you're one of unlucky ones who has lost the MeTV broadcast, or if you never had it to begin with, the good news is that MeTV is available on Roku. But you won't find it as a standalone Roku app, as you will with Comet TV, another popular broadcast network that specializes in reruns of science fiction shows like The Outer Limits, The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Quantum Leap. To watch MeTV on Roku you will need to subscribe to either Frndly TV or Philo. Here is more information on each of these streaming services:
- Frndly TV is our top choice for budget-conscious streamers. Frndly carries 40 family-friendly channels, including MeTV, for as low as $6.99 per month. In addition to MeTV, you'll find popular cable channels like A&E, Hallmark Channel, The HISTORY Channel, and Lifetime. Frndly also includes unlimited cloud DVR recording and simultaneous viewing on multiple screens with their $7.99/month and $9.99/month plans. All plans offer a 7-day free trial. Click here to subscribe or start a free trial with Frndly TV.
- Philo is also a good low-cost choice. This sports-free streaming TV service has just one plan, for $25 per month, which includes over 60 channels that include MeTV along with another classic-TV favorite, TV Land. The service includes unlimited cloud DVR and you can simultaneously stream on multiple devices. Click here to to subscribe or start a free trial with Philo.
If you don't want to pay for a streaming TV service but you love classic TV, check out Pluto TV, which has several live channels of classic television shows. The Classic TV Comedy and Classic TV Families channels stream episodes of Taxi, The Brady Bunch, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and other great reruns, and there are several additional channels that are each dedicated to a specific show. These include Family Ties, Happy Days, The Love Boat, The Andy Griffith Show, The Addams Family, Gunsmoke, Dark Shadows, and several more.
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