James Mates
Encyclopedia
James Mates is a British newsreader and journalist.
Mates is currently employed by ITN where he presents on ITV News
whilst also being senior correspondent.
Michael Mates
. He currently lives in London with his wife Fiona and three children (Leo, Flora, and Charles.) They married in May 1991.
, an independent school
in the market town of Marlborough in Wiltshire
which his children now attend, leaving at the age of 16 to take A levels at Farnham College
in Farnham
in Surrey
, followed by the University of Leeds
, from which he graduated in 1983, with an Honours degree in International History and Politics. During that time he had spent his 1981 summer vacation working as a researcher for John Tower
on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Mates was made a general reporter at ITN in 1986.
Amongst his first assignments on becoming a reporter was to cover the Zeebrugge ferry disaster. He spent five weeks in Zeebrugge in 1987 during the operation to raise the capsized ferry 'Herald of Free Enterprise'.
Another major assignment was to cover the UK's failed extradition attempt from Ireland of Father Patrick Ryan
in 1989. The failure was attributed to prejudicial comments made in parliament by his father, Michael Mates
, which implied that Ryan was a terrorist. Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher
, compounded the damage done by Mates' comments at PMQs on 29 November 1988. In October 1989, the Irish government refused the extradition request on the grounds that Ryan would not get a fair trial in Britain.
In 1989, he was made Tokyo correspondent of the World News on Channel 4's first early morning service, Channel Four Daily.
In 1991, Mates was North of England correspondent for ITV
, and later that year became Moscow Correspondent until 1993.
During his time as Moscow correspondent one of James Mates' reports, on the use of ice as an anaesthetic in a Russian hospital, was awarded the Prix du Press Club de France at the 7th International Scoop & News Festival of Angers
, France
. The same story, together with a report on the Russian economy, won Mates a silver medal at the 35th Annual Film & Television Festival of New York
.
From 1993 until 1996, Mates was ITN's Diplomatic Editor.
His many assignments have numbered Kosovo
, where he was during the NATO invasion of the country; former Yugoslavia where he covered the 1996 refugee crisis; Moscow during President Yeltsin's
attempt to put down the uprising in Chechnya
; and Rwanda
where he reported on the Central African Republic 's genocidal civil war. As the only television journalist left in the capital Kigali in 1994, Mates watched the city fall to the rebel army of the Rwandan Patriotic Front. He also reported on the slaughter of countless soldiers and civilians and the plight of the 700,000 refugees who fled the carnage. ITV News won a BAFTA for its coverage of the genocide.
He also won a joint Silver Medal from New York for his 1996 coverage of the refugee crisis in former Yugoslavia.
Just before covering the war in Rwanda, Mates had been in South Africa reporting on the first-ever democratic elections in the country, which culminated in Nelson Mandela
's inauguration as President.
Mates was Washington
correspondent between 1997 and 2001.
In 2001, Mates was awarded the title of Senior Correspondent for ITV News.
In September 2001 Mates played a key role in ITV News
coverage of the events of September 11th, reporting from New York
Mates is currently employed by ITN where he presents on ITV News
ITV News
ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. Since 1955, ITV's news bulletins have been produced by Independent Television News . The channel's news coverage has won awards from the Royal Television Society, Emmy Awards and BAFTAs. Between 2004 and 2008, the...
whilst also being senior correspondent.
Personal life
James Mates is the son of Conservative party politicianConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Michael Mates
Michael Mates
Michael John Mates is a Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for the constituency of East Hampshire from 1974 to 2010.He has been a member of the Privy Council since February 2004.-Education:...
. He currently lives in London with his wife Fiona and three children (Leo, Flora, and Charles.) They married in May 1991.
Education and early career
Mates was educated at Marlborough CollegeMarlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
, an independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in the market town of Marlborough in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
which his children now attend, leaving at the age of 16 to take A levels at Farnham College
Farnham College
Farnham College is a sixth form college in Farnham, Surrey, UK. It is located on a single campus in a residential area just to the south of Farnham town centre, and is now a foundation college...
in Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, followed by the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, from which he graduated in 1983, with an Honours degree in International History and Politics. During that time he had spent his 1981 summer vacation working as a researcher for John Tower
John Tower
John Goodwin Tower was the first Republican United States senator from Texas since Reconstruction. He served from 1961 until his retirement in January 1985, after which time he was the chairman of the Reagan-appointed Tower Commission that investigated the Iran-Contra Affair. He was George H. W...
on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
TV career
Mates joined ITN in 1983 as an editorial trainee and was appointed scriptwriter in the ITV newsroom two years later.Mates was made a general reporter at ITN in 1986.
Amongst his first assignments on becoming a reporter was to cover the Zeebrugge ferry disaster. He spent five weeks in Zeebrugge in 1987 during the operation to raise the capsized ferry 'Herald of Free Enterprise'.
Another major assignment was to cover the UK's failed extradition attempt from Ireland of Father Patrick Ryan
Father Patrick Ryan
Father Patrick Ryan, an Irish Catholic priest, left the Pallottine order in 1973 after refusing a transfer to a parish church in England.A decade later, and alleged by British intelligence of being an IRA volunteer, Fr Ryan was accused of involvement in IRA activities...
in 1989. The failure was attributed to prejudicial comments made in parliament by his father, Michael Mates
Michael Mates
Michael John Mates is a Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for the constituency of East Hampshire from 1974 to 2010.He has been a member of the Privy Council since February 2004.-Education:...
, which implied that Ryan was a terrorist. Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, compounded the damage done by Mates' comments at PMQs on 29 November 1988. In October 1989, the Irish government refused the extradition request on the grounds that Ryan would not get a fair trial in Britain.
In 1989, he was made Tokyo correspondent of the World News on Channel 4's first early morning service, Channel Four Daily.
In 1991, Mates was North of England correspondent for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, and later that year became Moscow Correspondent until 1993.
During his time as Moscow correspondent one of James Mates' reports, on the use of ice as an anaesthetic in a Russian hospital, was awarded the Prix du Press Club de France at the 7th International Scoop & News Festival of Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The same story, together with a report on the Russian economy, won Mates a silver medal at the 35th Annual Film & Television Festival of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
From 1993 until 1996, Mates was ITN's Diplomatic Editor.
His many assignments have numbered Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, where he was during the NATO invasion of the country; former Yugoslavia where he covered the 1996 refugee crisis; Moscow during President Yeltsin's
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
attempt to put down the uprising in Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
; and Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
where he reported on the Central African Republic 's genocidal civil war. As the only television journalist left in the capital Kigali in 1994, Mates watched the city fall to the rebel army of the Rwandan Patriotic Front. He also reported on the slaughter of countless soldiers and civilians and the plight of the 700,000 refugees who fled the carnage. ITV News won a BAFTA for its coverage of the genocide.
He also won a joint Silver Medal from New York for his 1996 coverage of the refugee crisis in former Yugoslavia.
Just before covering the war in Rwanda, Mates had been in South Africa reporting on the first-ever democratic elections in the country, which culminated in Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
's inauguration as President.
Mates was Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
correspondent between 1997 and 2001.
In 2001, Mates was awarded the title of Senior Correspondent for ITV News.
In September 2001 Mates played a key role in ITV News
ITV News
ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. Since 1955, ITV's news bulletins have been produced by Independent Television News . The channel's news coverage has won awards from the Royal Television Society, Emmy Awards and BAFTAs. Between 2004 and 2008, the...
coverage of the events of September 11th, reporting from New York