UK Today
Encyclopedia
UK Today was a BBC television news
programme shown on the digital satellite and digital terrestrial
versions of BBC One
. It consisted of a round up of stories from the BBC's various local news programmes where it had not initially been possible to show regional variations
. The programme was eventually replaced by digital feeds of each regional news service, finishing in 2001 in Scotland
, Northern Ireland
and Wales
and 2002 in England
.
.
Lack of English variations on Satellite was due to a single broadcast feed being able to cover the entirety of England (in reality it could cover much of north and western Europe) whilst on digital terrestrial it was due to the regional broadcast centres in England not yet being equipped to 'opt in and out' of the digital network when digital terrestrial broadcasts began in 1998.
This presented a problem with two obvious solutions - either just show the BBC South East version of the channels (already used as a 'sustaining feed' in case of failure at the regional centres), or create new programming to fill the gaps. The decision was taken to go with the second option, although any non-news programming (such as the regional political slot) was filled by the South East region.
Despite the name, UK Today very rarely broadcast to the whole of the UK as BBC1 Scotland, BBC1 Northern Ireland, and BBC1 Wales were available with their own news programming from the very start of digital enjoying their own satellite feeds and being fully equipped for digital terrestrial. Only BBC2 would carry UK Today to the whole of the UK.
In 2000, BBC Breakfast
, a simulcast programme between BBC One and BBC News 24 was launched. Regional opt-outs on BBC News 24 carried UK Today across the UK.
Bulletins were originally broadcast from within the BBC News 24 studio (N8), though the set was later moved to the same studio as the BBC One news bulletins (N6).
. In 2002 the satellite version of BBC One England started carrying the London region's programme, BBC London News
, although an interactive service did allow viewers to select one of four alternate regional programmes, including South Today
and North West Tonight for the main 6:30 news bulletin. In May 2003 all regional services were made available to satellite viewers by effectively broadcasting seventeen separate feeds of BBC1, one for each region. (see BBC UK regional TV on satellite
)
technique made it technically and economically much harder to provide variations without either equipping each regional centre with costly equipment or using the same method as for BBC1 and suffering reduced picture quality as a result. Consequently, short BBC London bulletins continued to be broadcast throughout England on BBC Two.
In 2004, all regional news bulletins were moved to BBC One and in 2006, the last remaining regional programme, The Super League Show, shown in some northern regions was also moved. Although it is still technically possible for most regions to opt-out on analogue, any variation in programming is rare. The teletext
service Ceefax
, does still carry regional content on BBC Two, however. During the Commonwealth Games
in 2006, BBC Breakfast was shown on BBC Two, so regional opt-outs on the digital variant in England were replaced by a newspaper review for digital viewers. During the Wimbledon tennis competitions of 2008, a scheduled news bulletin was moved to BBC Two. As some regions had already switched to digital-only TV, these areas received BBC London News instead of their local news.
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
programme shown on the digital satellite and digital terrestrial
Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom
Digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom encompasses over 100 television, radio and interactive services broadcast via the UK's terrestrial television network and receivable with a standard television aerial...
versions of BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
. It consisted of a round up of stories from the BBC's various local news programmes where it had not initially been possible to show regional variations
Regional variations (television)
A regional variation generally refers to times when a radio station or television station simultaneously broadcasts different programmes, continuity or adverts to different parts of its coverage area...
. The programme was eventually replaced by digital feeds of each regional news service, finishing in 2001 in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and 2002 in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
When the BBC started digital broadcasts, the various English regional versions of BBC One and Two were not available. BBC1 carried variants only for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, whilst no variations were broadcast for BBC Two where it had instead been decided to carry four variants of the new BBC ChoiceBBC Choice
BBC Choice was a BBC TV station which launched on 23 September 1998 and closed on 9 February 2003. It was the first British TV channel to broadcast exclusively in digital format, and was the first new channel from the BBC since BBC Two launched in 1964...
.
Lack of English variations on Satellite was due to a single broadcast feed being able to cover the entirety of England (in reality it could cover much of north and western Europe) whilst on digital terrestrial it was due to the regional broadcast centres in England not yet being equipped to 'opt in and out' of the digital network when digital terrestrial broadcasts began in 1998.
This presented a problem with two obvious solutions - either just show the BBC South East version of the channels (already used as a 'sustaining feed' in case of failure at the regional centres), or create new programming to fill the gaps. The decision was taken to go with the second option, although any non-news programming (such as the regional political slot) was filled by the South East region.
Despite the name, UK Today very rarely broadcast to the whole of the UK as BBC1 Scotland, BBC1 Northern Ireland, and BBC1 Wales were available with their own news programming from the very start of digital enjoying their own satellite feeds and being fully equipped for digital terrestrial. Only BBC2 would carry UK Today to the whole of the UK.
In 2000, BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast is the morning television news programme simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. It is presented live from BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, and contains a mixture of news, sport, weather, business and feature items...
, a simulcast programme between BBC One and BBC News 24 was launched. Regional opt-outs on BBC News 24 carried UK Today across the UK.
Bulletins were originally broadcast from within the BBC News 24 studio (N8), though the set was later moved to the same studio as the BBC One news bulletins (N6).
Gradual Demise
UK Today was gradually replaced on BBC1 as regional centres were upgraded for digital terrestrial broadcasting and the non-England versions of BBC Two went digital on both satellite and terrestrial in 2001, replacing the four regional variants of BBC ChoiceBBC Choice
BBC Choice was a BBC TV station which launched on 23 September 1998 and closed on 9 February 2003. It was the first British TV channel to broadcast exclusively in digital format, and was the first new channel from the BBC since BBC Two launched in 1964...
. In 2002 the satellite version of BBC One England started carrying the London region's programme, BBC London News
BBC London News
For other uses of the BBC London brand, see BBC London .BBC London News is the BBC's regional television news programme for the English region encompassing London and surrounding suburbs...
, although an interactive service did allow viewers to select one of four alternate regional programmes, including South Today
South Today
South Today is the BBC's regional television news programme for East Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Berkshire, West Sussex and the western fringes of Surrey...
and North West Tonight for the main 6:30 news bulletin. In May 2003 all regional services were made available to satellite viewers by effectively broadcasting seventeen separate feeds of BBC1, one for each region. (see BBC UK regional TV on satellite
BBC UK regional TV on satellite
The BBC broadcasts all of the BBC One and BBC Two regional variations on digital satellite television from the SES Astra satellites at 28.2° east; providing local news programmes and other regional programming with local continuity and presentation for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
)
Today
Due to the minimal regional broadcasting on BBC Two in England, it was not seen as cost-effective to create digital versions of these regions. On Satellite, this would have meant as many individual feeds of BBC2 as BBC1 whilst in the case of digital terrestrial, a decision to encode all BBC services other than BBC1 using the more efficient statistical multiplexingStatistical multiplexing
Statistical multiplexing is a type of communication link sharing, very similar to dynamic bandwidth allocation . In statistical multiplexing, a communication channel is divided into an arbitrary number of variable bit-rate digital channels or data streams. The link sharing is adapted to the...
technique made it technically and economically much harder to provide variations without either equipping each regional centre with costly equipment or using the same method as for BBC1 and suffering reduced picture quality as a result. Consequently, short BBC London bulletins continued to be broadcast throughout England on BBC Two.
In 2004, all regional news bulletins were moved to BBC One and in 2006, the last remaining regional programme, The Super League Show, shown in some northern regions was also moved. Although it is still technically possible for most regions to opt-out on analogue, any variation in programming is rare. The teletext
Teletext
Teletext is a television information retrieval service developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. It offers a range of text-based information, typically including national, international and sporting news, weather and TV schedules...
service Ceefax
Ceefax
Ceefax is the BBC's teletext information service transmitted via the analogue signal, started in 1974 and will run until April 2012 for Pages from Ceefax, while the actual interactive service will run until 24 October 2012, in-line with the digital switchover.-History:During the late 60s, engineer...
, does still carry regional content on BBC Two, however. During the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
in 2006, BBC Breakfast was shown on BBC Two, so regional opt-outs on the digital variant in England were replaced by a newspaper review for digital viewers. During the Wimbledon tennis competitions of 2008, a scheduled news bulletin was moved to BBC Two. As some regions had already switched to digital-only TV, these areas received BBC London News instead of their local news.