The general synopsis is that much programming so far is unaffected . There's been some disruption to live output, especially news programmes, but we have a slightly better service so far than was expected. Breakfast News, running in News 24 format, managed 30 minutes an hour of live news this morning, more than anticipated. There's been good performance from the Radio 5Live team. News 24 operated overnight without visible problems. A core news service is planned throughout the day.

On TV there's been no dead air on any channels and live programmes have been replaced as planned. In the Regions, lunchtime opts will be affected but the Regions are confident of achieving the planned updates at 6.25 this evening and that most of the significant diarised stories across the UK will be covered today.

In News Online , a presence has been maintained and the major News pages kept updated. No major issues were reported overnight.

Revised schedules for today's output are on most of the individual programme websites.

Many programmes are in normal production. EastEnders is shooting. Funland , Smoking Room , Waking the Dead and Love Soup are all shooting as normal.

Attendance generally across the BBC is higher than expected. The strike is not "rock solid" as is being claimed and our analysis at midday is that nearly 60% of staff on average have turned up for work although the picture is mixed around the BBC.

Mark Thompson has given an interview to BBC News. The BBC's policy is to give our own news outlets interviews first wherever possible.

Press coverage this morning is moderate in tone . The Guardian leader, which might be expected to support the strike, says that no amount of righteousness on the picket line should distract from the truth that the BBC has a duty to trim the fat. Describing the strike as 'unnecessary' The Guardian also says however that Mark Thompson has not made a compelling case for the scale or speed of the 4000 job cuts.

Public reaction so far to the strike, judged by spontaneous postings to News Online's bulletin board, has also been mixed and does not demonstrate 'overwhelming public support' for the strike.

Rebuts to a couple of stories running this morning:

• We have not put any ISDN lines to reporters' homes so they can report without coming into work
• We haven't been 'bussing' in staff.

Pickets generally have been amicable and staff have reciprocated in turn.

The BBC's response to the dispute remains that we want the unions to return to the table for talks as soon as possible.