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, a role he kept until 1993. During his time as Moscow correspondent one of 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 City. Between 1993 and 1996 Mates was ITN's Diplomatic Editor.