The Times Square New York ball drop is shown on multiple major TV channels and streaming options each New Year’s Eve, with ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” being the main traditional broadcast from Times Square.

Main TV Channels (U.S.)

  • ABC airs “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest,” which features live coverage of the Times Square ball drop and performances leading up to midnight.
  • CNN airs “New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen,” also counting down from Times Square with views of the ball drop.
  • NBC and CBS typically run their own New Year’s Eve specials, but the most iconic and directly associated Times Square ball drop coverage is on ABC’s special.

Streaming And Online Options

  • A free, official, commercial‑free livestream of the full Times Square ball drop celebration is available at TimesSquareNYC.org starting in the early evening on New Year’s Eve.
  • The ball drop is also streamed on social platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) through official Times Square accounts, and can be watched via live TV streaming services (YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, DirecTV, Fubo) that carry ABC, CNN, and other networks.

Quick “How To Watch” Checklist

  1. For the classic New York ball drop experience, tune into ABC in prime time for “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” and stay through midnight.
  1. If you prefer cable news style commentary, switch to CNN’s “New Year’s Eve Live” from Times Square.
  1. If you don’t have cable or antenna TV, open the official Times Square livestream on TimesSquareNYC.org for a direct view of the ball drop.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.