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 Choice.
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).
Read more about this topic: UK Today
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