Scott confirmed as ITV News sports editor
ITN this morning confirmed the news, broken on sportsjournalists.co.uk yesterday, that Steve Scott is to head up the sports coverage across ITV’s news output.
In a surprise move, following the independent television news provider’s original recruitment for a sports correspondent, ITN says that Scott will be its sports editor, with former Setanta staffer Natalie Pirks as its sports reporter.
An ITV News spokesman said, “Steve is a respected and experienced broadcaster and presenter who’s passionate about sport and will offer a new dimension to sports coverage on ITV News. As a former Africa correspondent he will be particularly well positioned to cover the World Cup.”
The apparent upgrading of the appointment may be an attempt by ITN to give Scott parity with his BBC counterpart, David Bond, the former Daily Telegraph sports editor who is due to take up his position later this month. It may also reflect Scott’s seniority and salary requirements, with industry insiders speculating that with his ITV South West and weekend ITV newsreading portfolio, plus the Night Watch programme, he may have been him on a handsome six-figure income.
Pirks worked at ITN’s headquarters in Grays Inn Road for 
two years as Setanta Sports News’ England reporter. In that time, the Bournemouth University multi-media journalism graduate (pictured right) also covered non-league football and darts. Previously, she worked on BBC’s Grandstand, on Radio 1 and at BBC London.
Since Setanta’s collapse last year, Pirks has worked as ITV News’s sports producer.
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