# WCVB NewsCenter 5 - Boston — Watch Live Local News, Weather

> Boston local news, weather, sports, and community updates. (iPhone/iPad app by Hearst Television.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wcvb-newscenter-5-boston/id501410335 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Hearst Television](https://appshunter.io/developer/428240239)
- Category: News, Weather
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 15,404 App Store ratings · 137 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: +12
- Requires: iOS 16.0 · 127 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2012-02-28
- Data updated: 2026-08-28
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wcvb-newscenter-5-boston/id501410335/reviews.md

## What is WCVB NewsCenter 5?

Stay connected to Boston with the WCVB Newscenter 5 app!

Be the first to know about breaking news, weather updates, and top stories in Boston and the surrounding area. With the WCVB NewsCenter 5 app, you’ll have real-time news, sports highlights, traffic alerts, and entertainment updates – all at your fingertips. Download for free today and experience news like never before.
Trusted by nearly 400,000 users across Boston and New England, the WCVB NewsCenter 5 app is the go-to source for breaking news, weather updates, and more. Join the growing community today!

LIVE NEWS

 - Get instant push notifications for breaking news.
 - Launch full live newscasts using the Nowcast bar.
 - Catch up on the latest newscast with On Demand playback.
 - Stay updated with Boston sports results and highlights, including dedicated segments in every newscast.

REAL-TIME WEATHER

 - Stay updated with current weather conditions and hourly forecasts.
 - Plan ahead with a detailed 10-day outlook and weekend forecast.
 - Zoom in to street-level detail with an interactive radar.
 - Receive critical weather warnings and expert videocasts.

COMMUNITY FOCUSED

 - Submit news tips, photos, and videos directly to our newsroom.
 - Share stories easily via email, text, or social media.
 - Explore local New England stories with Chronicle, the region's longest-running news magazine series.
 - Stay informed with in-depth coverage of local stories and events that matter to your community.
 - Keep up with the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Bruins, Revolution and your local college and high school teams with the latest coverage and highlights.

STAY AHEAD WITH WCVB NEWSCENTER 5

Whether it's breaking news, live weather updates, or the latest from the world of sports and entertainment, the WCVB NewsCenter 5 app delivers the information that matters most to you.

DOWNLOAD NOW AND STAY CONNECTED TO YOUR COMMUNITY.

Although Hearst Television believes the majority of its news content is appropriate for a variety of ages, it is intended for individuals 18 and older.

## Key features

- Live newscasts
- Breaking news notifications
- Real-time weather forecasts
- Interactive radar
- Sports highlights
- Submit news tips

## Chart rankings

- #101 in Top Free · News (US App Store)

## What do users think of WCVB NewsCenter 5?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 👍 Great app
- 🚀 Awesome news and weather app
- 👍 Trusted news source
- 👍 Informative and interesting
- 👍 Excellent weather team

**Cons**

- 🐛 Constant crashes
- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- 🐛 Keeps going back to home page
- 🔍 Biased and political
- 🔍 Agenda-driven stories
- 💸 Too many ads
- 🔍 Lacks objectivity
- 🐛 Freezes and glitches
- 🔍 Misleading and sensationalized news
- 🔍 Unresearched information

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Constant crashes
- Returning to home page unexpectedly
- Ads blocking parts of articles
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
- Freezing and glitching issues

**Most requested features**

- Ability to swipe back to main page
- Option to filter out Trump-related notifications
- More frequent news updates
- Ability to rotate to landscape mode
- Improved navigation and user experience
- Ability to skip ads after 15 seconds
- Option to pay to remove ads

## Recent user reviews (10 of 137)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wcvb-newscenter-5-boston/id501410335/reviews.md

### 1/5 — ADS!!

*2026-08-19, version 5.15.2202*

Ads are way too loud and obnoxious.

### 1/5 — Audio always on

*2026-08-02, version 5.15.2202*

I would love to give this a five star rating however when you click on a news story it almost always has audio- and it starts to play right away.  It should give you the option to hit play instead of starting right away

### 5/5 — The Best in Boston!

*2026-07-18, version 5.15.2202*

As a long-time resident of Massachusetts, I have watched all three major TV news channels. Hands down, WCVB is the absolute best. When I need to find out what is happening I automatically turn to Channel 5. I have the app on my phone, as well. I love WCVB!

### 1/5 — Terrible

*2026-06-30, version 5.15.2202*

None of the videos play for me

### 3/5 — Like It

*2026-04-29, version 5.15.2125*

But the ads before the video clips are annoying.

### 5/5 — A great app for Massachusetts news

*2026-04-25, version 5.15.2125*

It’s a very engaging app with great coverage of all of Massachusetts. All of the anchors are lovely and affable on air.

### 5/5 — Watching the news

*2026-03-17, version 5.15.2086*

I live in South Carolina and grew up in Massachusetts and until now I continuously watch WCVB NEWS CENTER

### 5/5 — My favorite

*2026-03-14, version 5.15.2086*

I grew up watching this news and I this app it really changed my life and WCVB News Center 5 was on the scene at my mother‘s job at    QCC that year I was watching there coverage from my job that is closer to QCC there was an active shooter that’s what WCVB told me when I was watching it I want to say thank you so much for being there. I was going to come down to get my mother, but she went home. I decided to stay at my job and not to. be the one. to get shot I sent my gratitude and thanks to you. Thank you for this news app

### 5/5 — The Best of the Best…!!!

*2026-02-06, version 5.15.1997*

Best news team ever…!!! I have been a WCVB fan since the 70’s.  Always my first choice of news…. Totally reliable and spot on…. My go to choice even though I live in Western Massachusetts.

### 5/5 — Please fix

*2026-01-27, version 5.15.1997*

The video of the news coverage is not working

## Frequently asked questions about WCVB NewsCenter 5

### What does the WCVB NewsCenter 5 app do?

The WCVB NewsCenter 5 app provides users with live local news coverage, real-time weather updates, sports highlights, traffic alerts, and community-focused stories for Boston and the surrounding New England area. It aims to keep users informed about breaking news and local events.

### What are the key features of the WCVB NewsCenter 5 app?

Key features include instant push notifications for breaking news, the ability to watch full live newscasts and on-demand playback, real-time weather conditions with hourly forecasts and a 10-day outlook, an interactive radar, and critical weather warnings. It also allows users to submit news tips and share stories.

### Is the WCVB NewsCenter 5 app free to download?

Yes, the app is free to download. While the description mentions 'free today' and doesn't detail specific costs, it is categorized as 'free with in-app purchases', suggesting that some content or features might be monetized within the app.

### What kind of news and content can I expect from this app?

You can expect a comprehensive range of local content including breaking news, weather forecasts, sports results and highlights for major Boston teams and local colleges, traffic alerts, and community stories. It also features content from Chronicle, a regional news magazine series.

### Who is the target audience for the WCVB NewsCenter 5 app?

The app is intended for individuals 18 and older who are residents of Boston and the New England region. It is designed for those who want to stay informed about local news, weather, sports, and community events relevant to their area.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 5.15.2202 — 2026-06-22

Simple bug fixes and performance improvements.

### 5.15.2175 — 2026-05-20

Simple bug fixes and performance improvements.

### 5.15.2125 — 2026-04-13

Simple bug fixes and performance improvements.

### 5.15.2086 — 2026-03-10

Simple bug fixes and performance improvements.

### 5.15.2031 — 2026-02-10

Simple bug fixes and performance improvements.

## Apps similar to WCVB NewsCenter 5

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [ABC News: Live Breaking News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abc-news-live-breaking-news/id300255638) | 4.0 (5,975) | Free | News |
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| [CBS News: Live Breaking News](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbs-news-live-breaking-news/id334256223) | 3.7 (19,581) | Free | News |
| [7 News HD - Boston News Source](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/7-news-hd-boston-news-source/id366700212) | 4.7 (12,391) | Free | News |
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## More apps by Hearst Television

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All apps by Hearst Television: https://appshunter.io/developer/428240239

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*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 2026-08-28.*