South Today - Oxford Opt-out

Oxford Opt-out

Since 16 October 2000, BBC South has produced a distinct news service for the area served by the Oxford transmitter. Previously, the area was covered by Newsroom South East, which also served Greater London and the South East. As part of a three-tier restructure of regional coverage, the Oxford transmitter area was transferred to the BBC South region and began dedicated opt-out bulletins within South Today. A year later, London and the South East split into two distinct regions: BBC London and BBC South East.

The opt-out programme is presented by Geraldine Peers on weekdays. Originally, South Today Oxford was broadcast from BBC South's studios in Southampton and presented by Heather McCarthy and Caroline Richardson on a rotating basis. Peers became the main anchor of the opt-outs in 2001 and studio production of the bulletins was transferred to a new television studio in Oxford in 2004.

On 21 April 2008, the South Today Oxford opt-out service was renamed as BBC Oxford News (referred to on-screen as BBC Oxford). New titles and graphics were introduced as part of an on-screen overhaul across the BBC's national, international and regional news services. From 29 October 2012, this has been re-branded back to South Today.