# KBTX News — user reviews > 101 indexed App Store user reviews of KBTX News by Gray Television Group, Inc., rated 2.40/5 from 305 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kbtx-news/id420427970/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kbtx-news/id420427970.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 74 · 4★ 16 · 3★ 30 · 2★ 35 · 1★ 150 ## What do users think of KBTX News? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 📰 Reliable local news coverage for Brazos Valley - 🔔 Useful breaking news notifications - 🌤️ Accurate weather reporting - 👨‍💼 Professional and dedicated news staff - 🚗 Helpful traffic alerts and updates **Cons** - 📢 Excessive and intrusive advertisements - 🔊 Loud auto-playing audio/video ads - 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezes - 📱 Poor user interface and navigation - ⚠️ Outdated app design - ❌ Non-functional share and contact buttons - 🔴 Persistent unread notification badge - 📰 More national news than local content - ⚙️ Requires location services to function - 🎯 Clickbait and low-quality content mixed with news - ✏️ Poor grammar and spelling in articles - ⏱️ Slow app loading and performance - 🔄 Outdated articles shown before new ones - 🎬 Video playback issues **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes on launch or when opening articles - App freezes when reading news stories - Cannot get past opening/splash screen - Location services required despite user preference - Unread notification badge cannot be cleared - Share button non-functional - Contact/email button non-functional - White screen appears while reading articles - Video ads cannot be closed (foreign language ads) - App reloads when rotating phone to landscape - Weather section not displaying properly - Alerts sent but articles unavailable when clicked - App takes over audio from other apps - Notifications for disabled categories still appear - Images not scalable or viewable in full screen - Wi-Fi connectivity issues while cell data works **Most requested features** - Ad-free premium subscription option - Ability to disable or mute auto-playing ads - AirPlay support for smart TV streaming - Weather widget/section in main app - Better article sorting (newest first) - Improved image viewing (zoom and full-screen) - Dark mode option - Customizable notification categories - Search functionality that works properly ## Newest reviews (16 of 101) ### 2/5 — Update was a step backwards *2026-03-23, version 5.0.2* I agree 100% with the “used to be good” review. Ever since the last update the ads are so frequent and loud that I want to delete the app. Local residents really want local stories. Plus there is now a red (unread item) alert showing on the app that I cannot seem to find to clear or remove. Please fix this app! ### 1/5 — KBTX ap *2026-03-19, version 5.0.2* Whatever they did recently with the advertisement ads is awful ! They used to be smaller so you could differentiate between news & ads but now they are the same size - too many & annoying because if you are NOT careful- you will accidentally click on THINKING you are moving to next story - but instead - you have clicked on an annoying ad then the spam starts :( I used to like reading on mobile but may rethink ### 1/5 — Terrible update *2026-03-18, version 5.0.2* Latest update launches lots of ads including videos you can’t shut off! ### 1/5 — New Format Disappoints *2026-03-14, version 5.0.2* The latest update of the news app really disappoints. There are far too many “click-bait” options that aren’t news or local or pertinent to what should be offered. The actual structure of news content is also difficult to navigate through. The previous format was much better and far more user-friendly. ### 2/5 — Used to be good *2026-03-13, version 5.0.2* Once you get past the LOUD ad to get into the app, it was a decent app. But with the latest update, not only does it have more annoying ads, but the layout is so tiny it’s hard to read. There’s more national news than local news. I already get national news from a better, easier to read app. I cone to this one for the local news. Also the share button and the contact us email do not work when I tried them. Do better Kbtx ### 2/5 — Bad change *2026-03-12, version 5.0.2* It was better the way it was. There aren’t too many choices for local news online and this one is slanted way left. Sources are mostly CNN which has a low audience. Now the site is clunky and disorganized. You need to fire the person you paid to do this site. ### 1/5 — Upgrade was downgrade *2026-03-10, version 5.0.0* Meh ### 1/5 — Bug with notifications *2026-03-07, version 5.0.0* It always shows a notification number on the app, even after opening, or even with notifications turned off in the app. ### 1/5 — KBTX ap *2026-03-07* Whatever they did recently with the advertisement ads is awful ! They used to be smaller so you could differentiate between news & ads but now they are the same size - too many & annoying because if you are NOT careful- you will accidentally click on THINKING you are moving to next story - but instead - you have clicked on an annoying ad then the spam starts :( I used to like reading on mobile but may rethink ### 1/5 — Too many ads! *2026-03-07, version 5.0.0* Ads pop up first thing when app is opened. Very irritating! ### 1/5 — New App is Death by a Thousand Ads *2026-03-05, version 5.0.0* The new redesigned app is atrocious. It’s buggy and death by a thousand ads. I like our local news. I hate this app with a burning passion. Gray Media DESTROYED this app, and should do better. ### 2/5 — Invasive Popup Ads *2026-01-02, version 4.0.17* I like receiving the local news notifications but the ads that pop up are invasive. ### 1/5 — Ads are out of control *2025-10-08, version 4.0.17* The auto enabled audio/video advertisements are really loud, annoying, and, unprofessional. You will find yourself casually checking the news and then disturbing the entire room with a loud blasting advertisement jingle. ### 1/5 — Hands Off Protest *2025-04-06, version 4.0.16* Not a mention of the largest nationwide protests against a sitting President in decades. I’m done with your “news”, and will be deleting all Apps and connections to your “news”. ### 1/5 — KBTX News app *2025-03-24, version 4.0.16* My iOS is up to date. My location service is turned on. I cannot get past the first page. Does anyone have any suggestions? ### 1/5 — White out *2025-01-29, version 4.0.16* Can’t read a full article without screen going white probably due the ads you have decided to put into your app. So until this is fixed, have to go read news elsewhere. That’s a shame. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Not very good *2026-06-16, version 5.0.6* The old app was better. Now when you listen to live stream you get more of the commercials than the actual newscast. This app is more confusing. Switching to another app. Sorry KBTX ### 1/5 — Update crashes constantly *2026-06-13, version 5.0.5* The app used to be easy to navigate and worked well. Now the live player is unstable. At first it plays, but if I touch the screen to make it full screen or mute/unmute it either goes to black or starts another 30 second ad. You have to watch the small version and be careful not to touch your screen in order to watch the live broadcast. ### 1/5 — New update *2026-05-18, version 5.0.4* Doesn't work anymore on my iPhone 14 Pro ### 1/5 — Bad app *2026-05-17, version 5.0.4* This ad is useless. Always behind time and lately not working at all. You get a notification and can’t open the story on the app. Why bother. Who ever does you web site needs to go bad to school! ### 1/5 — Worst yet *2026-03-26, version 5.0.2* Unable to pause, stop, or mute commercials. Impossible to read the news stories because of the interruptions. ### 1/5 — Terrible App *2026-03-25, version 5.0.2* Terrible app from a liberal leftist “news” source. ### 1/5 — New app 👎🏼 *2026-03-24, version 5.0.2* The new app is not user friendly. Font/layout is poor. Lacks ability to share content. Do you not want us to share?The previous wasn’t perfect but was better. Wait time seems bogged down and waiting to get into app is a turn off. I don’t watch on TV and will stop viewing online at this rate. Sorry. ### 1/5 — Font *2026-03-23, version 5.0.2* I just don’t like the new update to the app. 3/22/26. It takes too long to load. The font is smaller than before. Ads are terrible upon going in to the app. The older version was better. I think yall know. You’ve got to !?!? ### 1/5 — Ridiculously loud auto play ads *2026-03-22, version 5.0.2* Why are the ads so extremely loud and autoplay when you open the app? I hate the update it is terrible. Good bye. ### 1/5 — Changes Suck *2026-03-20, version 5.0.2* The update to this app have really made it unusable. I get notifications all the time, cannot stop the sounds and you can’t turn off the sound on their minimum 30 second commercials. This makes is impossible to use during the work day. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Rosco *2025-10-31, version 4.0.17* Why do the government democrat and Republican party get paid like the regular people during this government shutdown ### 5/5 — Cows *2025-01-25, version 4.0.16* It is amazing!!😃 you will always be up to date!!!! ### 5/5 — An appreciative person among the many dialing in anytime 24/7 *2024-11-28, version 4.0.15* Very important channel for the Brazos valley. County wide many of us depend on KBTX news & weather. Thank you for the many decades this station has been on our radios, TV, online, & newspapers. The public may not always the many dedicated personnel working in the many elements but we see them-at times live @the time news is breaking. We have favorite persons that stay out front for years-then they’re gone. Despite any changes KBTX is always on the airways to help us through each day. Thank all of you for your dedication, endurance,being in our lives daily even several times a day. ### 5/5 — Good App *2023-05-31, version 4.0.7* Really enjoy this App. One of my Favorite! ### 5/5 — Linda Evans *2021-01-11* Always depend on KBTX giving me the best coverage for College Station. Covering day to day events. Emergency’s to be aware of in our area or something to be prepared for in the near future. Road up dated and hazards. Accidents occurring in our area and nearby locations . I sensately appreciate the operation of KBTX each day. Staffing are pleasant and present the news in a very professional manor. Fantastic channel of my needs daily. I can depend on it to be trust worthy and dependable at all times! Thanks for being the best news I’ve enjoyed and appreciated since moving to College Station 20 years ago . Keep up the good work! Thank you, ### 5/5 — Traffic notifications *2018-01-15* I got this app primarily for its traffic notifications feature. My coworkers always seemed to be well informed about when to avoid traffic jams on 6. When they told me about this app I got it. I am happy with the notifications and get to work on time by avoiding 6 when I need to. I don’t use the other aspects of the app as often, but when I do they seem to work well. ### 4/5 — Annoying ads *2025-09-08, version 4.0.17* Though I’m happy with the app overall, I find the ads on the opening launch page annoying- the ones that have audio esoecially. Makes it impossible to check the news in a quiet setting. ### 4/5 — Flashing words *2018-10-25* I don’t go into the app every day but I recently notice y’all have words flashing on your videos which is very distracting. I feel like that would not be good for someone who has epilepsy. So can you remove that please!!!! Thanks ### 3/5 — great source of news but buggy app *2026-06-15, version 5.0.5* i often get glitched out of the app, and i am frustrated that when i click a notification to a specific news story, im not taken to it on the app. i have to search it myself. i hope these bugs get fixed. ### 3/5 — Notifications *2024-09-28, version 4.0.14* I love getting breaking news notifications, but it is very annoying when I get Sports News notifications when I have it turned off. Sports News is not breaking news. Breaking news is car accidents, political, missing people, major events. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-10.*