BBC North

I would of put Oxfordshire on the Midlands. I think its a better description of the area than the South or South East.

South Today report the area better though, if it was an opt out on Midlands Today then it would be very poor with crap reporters. At least South Today do well at covering the local area.

Sometimes the Oxford opt out does actually contain a few stories relevant to Swindon, including the 'Reporter name, BBC Points West' and also I've heard the occasionally Newsroom South East one snuck in as well.

As far as I'm aware, the reporters who cover the Oxford area aren't actually based in Southampton, but work out of the BBC Oxford newsroom in Summertown. At least that's what I was told when I needed to get some info on a local story from South Today!

Obviously the programme's put together in Southampton, though. Geraldine Peers moved down there from Central South to present the Oxford sub-opt.

You're right about Midlands today - it wouldn't be any more relevant to Oxford than South Today. In fact (and this is the funny thing), the only full region that might actually be relevant to Oxford is BBC London, as Oxfordshire is a big commuter centre!

Many of the reports for the South Today Oxford opt are edited at the Summertown base of Radio Oxford. They are then played down the line to Southampton, where they are recorded onto a profile disc server. This line from Oxford to So'ton is then used to provide the live Oxford 'window' backing.

The Oxford sub-opt is then broadcast from the Southampton Studio B (aka Pres studio) with reports played in from Profile. The same gallery and studio used for the Oxford opts is (or was) used for the Southampton Breakfast opts. (And the old 1'00' and 1'15' daytime bulletins).

''Will it be in the Look East style (Headlines for both East and West and a few main stories before opting out to Hull) or in the South Today style? (Recorded balloon, recorded East headlines and 7 mins of East news before handing back to the programme)''

They are starting the pilots next week, not 100% sure of the plans, but I suspect it will be main regional news, followed by opt, and then back to Leeds, couple of features and end.

Suggestion:

BBC Leeds: Look North

BBC Newcastle: Look Further North

And if the BBC feel like expanding, they could have Look North Pole

By the way, does anyone know where the camera for the Oxford 'window' is based? It can't be at the BBC Radio Oxford studios, as they're in a fairly short building way out in Summertown.

As far as I can tell, the shot looks right down the High Street - so I'm guessing the camera's in one of the buildings at Carfax. Any ideas?

BBC South West calls it's programme Spotlight; BBC Northern Ireland calls it's programme Newsline.

These titles give no indication of the region of the UK they cover, and could just as easily be used in any region. Maybe to avoid having two Look Norths, either Newcastle or Leeds (but not both) should go for a meaningless title like these(?).

EDIT: By the way, in a previous thread about sub-opts some interesting suggestions were made for possible names...

Look East's Cambridge opt-out = 'Look East West'
South Today's Oxfordshire opt-out = 'South Today North'

(Edited by StandUpAndBeSeated at 10:24 am on Sep. 6, 2001)

So if Leeds and Hull are not going to be BBC North any more, will BBC Newcastle have a chance to change its name to BBC North - as it would make more sense than the long BBC North East & Cumbria!

I think that Oxfordshire should be renamed at BBC South Midlands Today. This is the best option!!

Do you know if the headlines during the 6 and 10 will be different for Hull viewers?

Also, will we still be 'BBC North' at 1, and at weekends, when everyone is together?

The clocks will still say `North`.
The weekend bulletins will not be opted.