According to the BBC, "Outside Source aims to open up the news process, enabling people to discover the latest on the stories that matter to them.

An hour-long World Service Radio show is the first element of the pan-Global News format to be brought to air.

On 30 March 2020, the format of the programme was drastically changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic moving from the balcony studio overlooking the newsroom into Studio C, where BBC World News is based, whilst Broadcasting House was operating with a reduced staffing capacity for social distancing.

It's expected that the programme will return to the balcony on 21 June for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, after Ros Atkins had announced on Twitter that the 17th June show would be the last one from Studio C.[3] Although the touchscreen itself, which has formed a major part of OS since it first launched in 2014, will not be returning as part of the main format, with Atkins stating in a Twitter reply, "I'm afraid it's time has come (on OS at least).

The programme also launched on 1 January 2020 replacing Nightly Business Report with the series finale ending a 40-year run.