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New format for incorporating live stream coverage into BBC News channel


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BBC News is apparently trialling a new method of transitioning from joint UK/international programming on its TV news channel, to streaming-led, story-specific output for UK viewers of the channel.

An example of the experimental format went out at 2.05pm today – coverage of a news conference by Reform UK.

BBC News ran a dedicated live stream of the news conference online.

The BBC News TV channel – which was showing the same live news programming on its UK and international feeds – joined the news conference less than a minute later.

The on-screen straps used for the live stream and the TV channel’s coverage matched – with the exception of the location strap, which was “LONDON” on the TV channel and “WESTMINSTER” on the stream.

Just over a minute into the news conference coverage, the UK version of the TV channel switched to the output produced by the streaming team.

The transition would’ve been fairly seamless were it not for a picture/audio freeze on the line which occurred at the same time as the switch.

The international version of the TV channel eventually left the news conference coverage. But coverage continued on the UK version of the channel until 3pm. The live stream also ended at that point.

The UK TV channel then rejoined the international version of the TV channel neatly at the top of the hour.

VIDEO: BBC News channel – joint UK/international programme gives way to coverage of a Reform UK news conference – initially broadcast on the UK and international versions of the channel but at 2.06pm, there’s a switch to coverage produced by the UK streaming team, for a UK audience only. The Reform news conference was covered until 3pm on a dedicated BBC News stream online and on the UK version of the BBC News channel. The picture/audio glitches during the first minutes of the news conference were present on both the broadcast and streamed coverage. TX DATE: 27th October 2025. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
VIDEO: this is the opening minutes of the coverage of the Reform UK news conference, as seen on a dedicated BBC News stream online. Note: the picture/audio glitches were as streamed. STREAM DATE: 27th October 2025. COPYRIGHT: BBC..
VIDEO: an edit of the final few minutes of the Reform UK news conference coverage, as seen on the UK version of the BBC News channel. TX DATE: 27th October 2025. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
VIDEO: an edit of the final few minutes of the Reform UK news conference coverage, as seen on the live BBC News stream. STREAM DATE: 27th October 2025. COPYRIGHT: BBC.

Acknowledgements

FEATURE IMAGE:
PICTURED: BBC News Live sting. COPYRIGHT: BBC.

Acknowledgements

No other acknowledgement information available.