ITV News to open new Dubai bureau

ITN has confirmed plans to establish a new ITV News bureau in Dubai as part of changes to its network of foreign correspondents.

The Dubai bureau, which is ITV News's first new international operation since the opening of its China bureau in 2006, will be headed by John Irvine.

Transferring from ITV's Washington bureau, Irvine will use the Dubai base to cover all stories from across the Indian subcontinent, Africa and the Gulf region.

ITN's other overseas changes include the ITV News bureau in South Africa being closed down and all coverage shifting to a production base in Johannesburg.

Robert Moore will replace Irvine as the news broadcaster's Washington correspondent, a role that he previously held between 2001 and 2006.

Martin Geissler will move into Moore's previous role of Europe correspondent, while John Ray will handle Middle East coverage after he successfully helped launch ITN's China base ahead of the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

UK Editor Angus Walker will take on his first foreign role when he becomes the new China correspondent. ITN said that the majority of the changes will take place in early September.

"We have some of the most experienced and talented correspondents in the business who have won a host of awards between them," said ITV News deputy editor Jonathan Munro.

"This new lineup will refresh our on-screen reporting and play to the strengths of our correspondents.

"The strategic decision to open the Dubai bureau will improve our longer term newsgathering and ability to get teams on the ground for breaking stories in a wide area from Pakistan to Southern Africa."