diff --git a/internal/cmd/mail_channel.go b/internal/cmd/mail_channel.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3b357baa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/cmd/mail_channel.go
@@ -0,0 +1,391 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+	"text/tabwriter"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/beads"
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/style"
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/workspace"
+)
+
+// Channel command flags
+var (
+	channelJSON        bool
+	channelRetainCount int
+	channelRetainHours int
+)
+
+var mailChannelCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "channel [name]",
+	Short: "Manage and view beads-native channels",
+	Long: `View and manage beads-native broadcast channels.
+
+Without arguments, lists all channels.
+With a channel name, shows messages from that channel.
+
+Channels are pub/sub streams where messages are broadcast to subscribers.
+Messages are retained according to the channel's retention policy.
+
+Examples:
+  gt mail channel              # List all channels
+  gt mail channel alerts       # View messages from 'alerts' channel
+  gt mail channel list         # Alias for listing channels
+  gt mail channel show alerts  # Same as: gt mail channel alerts
+  gt mail channel create alerts --retain-count=100
+  gt mail channel delete alerts`,
+	Args: cobra.MaximumNArgs(1),
+	RunE: runMailChannel,
+}
+
+var channelListCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "list",
+	Short: "List all channels",
+	Args:  cobra.NoArgs,
+	RunE:  runChannelList,
+}
+
+var channelShowCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "show <name>",
+	Short: "Show channel messages",
+	Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+	RunE:  runChannelShow,
+}
+
+var channelCreateCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "create <name>",
+	Short: "Create a new channel",
+	Long: `Create a new broadcast channel.
+
+Retention policy:
+  --retain-count=N  Keep only last N messages (0 = unlimited)
+  --retain-hours=N  Delete messages older than N hours (0 = forever)`,
+	Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+	RunE: runChannelCreate,
+}
+
+var channelDeleteCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "delete <name>",
+	Short: "Delete a channel",
+	Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+	RunE:  runChannelDelete,
+}
+
+func init() {
+	// List flags
+	channelListCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&channelJSON, "json", false, "Output as JSON")
+
+	// Show flags
+	channelShowCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&channelJSON, "json", false, "Output as JSON")
+
+	// Create flags
+	channelCreateCmd.Flags().IntVar(&channelRetainCount, "retain-count", 0, "Number of messages to retain (0 = unlimited)")
+	channelCreateCmd.Flags().IntVar(&channelRetainHours, "retain-hours", 0, "Hours to retain messages (0 = forever)")
+
+	// Main channel command flags
+	mailChannelCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&channelJSON, "json", false, "Output as JSON")
+
+	// Add subcommands
+	mailChannelCmd.AddCommand(channelListCmd)
+	mailChannelCmd.AddCommand(channelShowCmd)
+	mailChannelCmd.AddCommand(channelCreateCmd)
+	mailChannelCmd.AddCommand(channelDeleteCmd)
+
+	mailCmd.AddCommand(mailChannelCmd)
+}
+
+// runMailChannel handles the main channel command (list or show).
+func runMailChannel(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		return runChannelList(cmd, args)
+	}
+	return runChannelShow(cmd, args)
+}
+
+func runChannelList(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	b := beads.New(townRoot)
+	channels, err := b.ListChannelBeads()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("listing channels: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if channelJSON {
+		enc := json.NewEncoder(os.Stdout)
+		enc.SetIndent("", "  ")
+		return enc.Encode(channels)
+	}
+
+	if len(channels) == 0 {
+		fmt.Println("No channels defined.")
+		fmt.Println("\nCreate one with: gt mail channel create <name>")
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	w := tabwriter.NewWriter(os.Stdout, 0, 0, 2, ' ', 0)
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "NAME\tRETENTION\tSTATUS\tCREATED BY")
+	for name, fields := range channels {
+		retention := "unlimited"
+		if fields.RetentionCount > 0 {
+			retention = fmt.Sprintf("%d msgs", fields.RetentionCount)
+		} else if fields.RetentionHours > 0 {
+			retention = fmt.Sprintf("%d hours", fields.RetentionHours)
+		}
+		status := fields.Status
+		if status == "" {
+			status = "active"
+		}
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s\t%s\t%s\t%s\n", name, retention, status, fields.CreatedBy)
+	}
+	return w.Flush()
+}
+
+func runChannelShow(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	channelName := args[0]
+
+	townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	b := beads.New(townRoot)
+
+	// Check if channel exists
+	_, fields, err := b.GetChannelBead(channelName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("getting channel: %w", err)
+	}
+	if fields == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("channel not found: %s", channelName)
+	}
+
+	// Query messages for this channel
+	messages, err := listChannelMessages(townRoot, channelName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("listing channel messages: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if channelJSON {
+		if messages == nil {
+			messages = []channelMessage{}
+		}
+		enc := json.NewEncoder(os.Stdout)
+		enc.SetIndent("", "  ")
+		return enc.Encode(messages)
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("%s Channel: %s (%d messages)\n",
+		style.Bold.Render("📡"), channelName, len(messages))
+	if fields.RetentionCount > 0 {
+		fmt.Printf("  Retention: %d messages\n", fields.RetentionCount)
+	} else if fields.RetentionHours > 0 {
+		fmt.Printf("  Retention: %d hours\n", fields.RetentionHours)
+	}
+	fmt.Println()
+
+	if len(messages) == 0 {
+		fmt.Printf("  %s\n", style.Dim.Render("(no messages)"))
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	for _, msg := range messages {
+		priorityMarker := ""
+		if msg.Priority <= 1 {
+			priorityMarker = " " + style.Bold.Render("!")
+		}
+
+		fmt.Printf("  %s %s%s\n", style.Bold.Render("●"), msg.Title, priorityMarker)
+		fmt.Printf("    %s from %s\n",
+			style.Dim.Render(msg.ID),
+			msg.From)
+		fmt.Printf("    %s\n",
+			style.Dim.Render(msg.Created.Format("2006-01-02 15:04")))
+		if msg.Body != "" {
+			// Show first line as preview
+			lines := strings.SplitN(msg.Body, "\n", 2)
+			preview := lines[0]
+			if len(preview) > 80 {
+				preview = preview[:77] + "..."
+			}
+			fmt.Printf("    %s\n", style.Dim.Render(preview))
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func runChannelCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	name := args[0]
+
+	if !isValidGroupName(name) { // Reuse group name validation
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid channel name %q: must be alphanumeric with dashes/underscores", name)
+	}
+
+	townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	createdBy := os.Getenv("BD_ACTOR")
+	if createdBy == "" {
+		createdBy = "unknown"
+	}
+
+	b := beads.New(townRoot)
+
+	// Check if channel already exists
+	existing, _, err := b.GetChannelBead(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if existing != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("channel already exists: %s", name)
+	}
+
+	_, err = b.CreateChannelBead(name, nil, createdBy)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("creating channel: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Update retention settings if specified
+	if channelRetainCount > 0 || channelRetainHours > 0 {
+		if err := b.UpdateChannelRetention(name, channelRetainCount, channelRetainHours); err != nil {
+			// Non-fatal: channel created but retention not set
+			fmt.Printf("Warning: could not set retention: %v\n", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("Created channel %q", name)
+	if channelRetainCount > 0 {
+		fmt.Printf(" (retain %d messages)", channelRetainCount)
+	} else if channelRetainHours > 0 {
+		fmt.Printf(" (retain %d hours)", channelRetainHours)
+	}
+	fmt.Println()
+	return nil
+}
+
+func runChannelDelete(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	name := args[0]
+
+	townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	b := beads.New(townRoot)
+
+	// Check if channel exists
+	existing, _, err := b.GetChannelBead(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if existing == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("channel not found: %s", name)
+	}
+
+	if err := b.DeleteChannelBead(name); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("deleting channel: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("Deleted channel %q\n", name)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// channelMessage represents a message in a channel.
+type channelMessage struct {
+	ID       string    `json:"id"`
+	Title    string    `json:"title"`
+	Body     string    `json:"body,omitempty"`
+	From     string    `json:"from"`
+	Created  time.Time `json:"created"`
+	Priority int       `json:"priority"`
+}
+
+// listChannelMessages lists messages from a beads-native channel.
+func listChannelMessages(townRoot, channelName string) ([]channelMessage, error) {
+	beadsDir := filepath.Join(townRoot, ".beads")
+
+	// Query for messages with label channel:<name>
+	args := []string{"list",
+		"--type", "message",
+		"--label", "channel:" + channelName,
+		"--sort", "-created",
+		"--limit", "0",
+		"--json",
+	}
+
+	cmd := exec.Command("bd", args...)
+	cmd.Env = append(os.Environ(), "BEADS_DIR="+beadsDir)
+
+	var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
+	cmd.Stdout = &stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = &stderr
+
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		errMsg := strings.TrimSpace(stderr.String())
+		if errMsg != "" {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s", errMsg)
+		}
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	var issues []struct {
+		ID          string    `json:"id"`
+		Title       string    `json:"title"`
+		Description string    `json:"description"`
+		Labels      []string  `json:"labels"`
+		CreatedAt   time.Time `json:"created_at"`
+		Priority    int       `json:"priority"`
+	}
+
+	output := strings.TrimSpace(stdout.String())
+	if output == "" || output == "[]" {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(stdout.Bytes(), &issues); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("parsing bd output: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	var messages []channelMessage
+	for _, issue := range issues {
+		msg := channelMessage{
+			ID:       issue.ID,
+			Title:    issue.Title,
+			Body:     issue.Description,
+			Created:  issue.CreatedAt,
+			Priority: issue.Priority,
+		}
+
+		// Extract 'from' from labels
+		for _, label := range issue.Labels {
+			if strings.HasPrefix(label, "from:") {
+				msg.From = strings.TrimPrefix(label, "from:")
+				break
+			}
+		}
+
+		messages = append(messages, msg)
+	}
+
+	// Sort by creation time (newest first)
+	sort.Slice(messages, func(i, j int) bool {
+		return messages[i].Created.After(messages[j].Created)
+	})
+
+	return messages, nil
+}