ITN to open ITV News bureau in Dubai

ITN is to open a new ITV News bureau in Dubai under its newly appointed international correspondent John Irvine, and will downgrade its presence in South Africa. Irvine, ITV News's former Washington correspondent, will have a role covering stories across the Indian subcontinent, Africa and the Gulf region. The South Africa bureau will be closed but ITV News will retain a production presence in Johannesburg. The Dubai bureau is ITV News's first new operation overseas since the opening of its China bureau in 2006. Irvine's appointment to the newly created position is part of a reshuffle of the broadcaster's foreign correspondents after a review of its international operations. ITN's former South Africa correspondent Martin Geissler replaces Robert Moore as Europe correspondent, with Moore switching to the Washington job, a role he previously held between 2001 and 2006. John Ray becomes Middle East correspondent, having overseen the launch of ITN's China operations in advance of the Beijing Olympics, with the UK editor, Angus Walker, taking his first foreign role as China correspondent. The ITV News deputy editor, Jonathan Munro, said: "We have some of the most experienced and talented correspondents in the business who have won a host of awards between them. "This new line-up 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." • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".