CNN International's plan to start live daily news programming from Abu Dhabi is getting closer to becoming a reality as its new broadcasting facility is shaping up in the capital.

This move signals the global network's expanded on-the-ground commitment to the Middle East and marks CNN's first regularly scheduled daily live show from the region.

The development is part of ongoing plans for CNN's new broadcast and production centre set to open in the Abu Dhabi Media Zone in early 2009. In addition to a daily local primetime newscast, the centre will provide the infrastructure of expanded newsgathering activities in the region. It enhances CNN's existing representation in the Middle East, which currently comprises news operations in Amman, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Dubai and occupied Jerusalem. It is part of the company's ongoing newsgathering expansion, which over this year has seen more than 50 additional staff and more newsgathering operations in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

CNN's Abu Dhabi operation complements its presence in Dubai and will be the fourth international broadcast centre alongside those in London, Hong Kong and Mexico City; and US production centres in Atlanta, Washington DC, New York and Los Angeles.

"Our UAE expansion is one of our boldest editorial undertakings of recent years and one that builds on our existing newsgathering heritage in the region," said Tony Maddox, MD CNN International. "For a global news organisation, the Middle East was the logical choice for an investment of this scale. Our new operation in Abu Dhabi will enable us to continue to meet and exceed the demands of our audiences at a time when many of our competitors are having to retrench."

The expansion cements CNN's desire for a broad presence across the UAE spectrum at a time when the Middle East is making headlines in the political, business and cultural arenas that are having a genuine impact on world affairs.

"With a successful long-standing operation in Dubai, the natural next step is to have a base in the capital," said Maddox. "We have long covered the Middle East comprehensively and now we will have the on-the-ground infrastructure to serve, support and facilitate that coverage to the next level through these complementary operations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. This initiative allows us to put news from the Middle East at the heart of our output in a proper reflection of the role the region is playing on the world stage, and is a significant part of our ongoing newsgathering expansion."

In addition to the launch of live daily news programming, CNN will also move the production of its popular Middle East focused feature shows Inside the Middle East and Marketplace Middle East to the UAE.