Mike Smartt

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Mike Smartt OBE was the founder and editor-in-chief of BBC News Online, the BBC's Internet news service. With Project Director Bob Eggington he led the team which launched the service in 1997, and held the post of editor-in-chief of BBC News Interactive, which also encompassed interactive television news, until 2004. During this time, News Online won all four interactive news BAFTA awards (the category was scrapped after the fourth win) and most of the world's online news prizes, including the US-based so-called Webby "internet Oscars" on a number of occasions.

Originally, many had doubts about the feasibility of the web service, including Smartt's friend and BBC World Editor John Simpson, who described the project as sounding "quite nerdy". At 2003 European Online Journalism Awards, he received an award for outstanding contribution to online journalism in Europe, and in 2004 he was made an OBE for services to broadcasting.

Before being placed in charge of the launch of the online service, he was, for 20 years, a correspondent for BBC Television News covering many major news stories at home and abroad. He also presented all the service's main TV news bulletins. During the 1970s and early 1980s he was a reporter and presenter of BBC North's (Leeds) regional TV news programme, Look North.

In 2003, commenting on the emergence of blogging, Smartt had little confidence in their longevity: "Dissemination of information is great, but how much of it is trustworthy? They are an interesting phenomenon, but I don't think they will be as talked about in a year's time."

Today, Smartt says blogging has developed greatly beyond its initial application – much of which resembled an online version of “Dear diary” – though plenty of that remains. Many professionals – like the BBC’s political editor Nick Robinson – have embraced blogging as a new form of instant, perpetual journalism. And many amateur bloggers rival established writers through their efforts.

Smartt, who spent more than 30 years at the BBC, was succeeded by Pete Clifton at News Interactive. He now consults, lectures and writes about journalism and interactive news and is also editor-in-chief of World Press Photo's Online magazine Enter.