Mike Smartt
Encyclopedia
Mike Smartt OBE
is a journalist and broadcaster, and 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". Later Simpson conceded that News Online had become one of the main outlets for his work. At the 2003 European Online Journalism Awards, Smartt 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 editorial charge of the launch of the online service, he was, for 20 years, a correspondent for BBC Television News covering major news stories at home and abroad. He was also, during the late-1980's, a main co-presenter on the BBC Six O'Clock News
and the BBC Nine O'Clock News
and an occasional presenter of all the other BBC News output on TV.
Mike started his career at the Corporation at "BBC Radio Humberside
" in the early 1970s as a News Producer and very occasional rock music DJ, following some years learning the craft of journalism on newspapers. During the late 1970s and early 1980s he was the BBC's staff reporter and a presenter of BBC North's (Leeds) regional TV news programme, Look North.
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 Photos Online magazine Enter.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is a journalist and broadcaster, and was the founder and editor-in-chief of BBC News Online
BBC News Online
BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. The website is the most popular news website in the United Kingdom and forms a major part of BBC Online ....
, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
'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". Later Simpson conceded that News Online had become one of the main outlets for his work. At the 2003 European Online Journalism Awards, Smartt received an award for outstanding contribution to online journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and in 2004 he was made an OBE for services to broadcasting.
Before being placed in editorial charge of the launch of the online service, he was, for 20 years, a correspondent for BBC Television News covering major news stories at home and abroad. He was also, during the late-1980's, a main co-presenter on the BBC Six O'Clock News
BBC Six O'Clock News
The BBC News at Six is the evening news programme broadcast each night on British television channel BBC One and the BBC News channel at 18:00. For a long period the News at Six was the most watched news programme in the UK but since 2006 it has been over taken by the BBC News at Ten...
and the BBC Nine O'Clock News
BBC Nine O'Clock News
The BBC Nine O'Clock News was the flagship BBC News programme launched on 14 September 1970, which ran until 15 October 2000, when it was controversially moved to BBC News at Ten....
and an occasional presenter of all the other BBC News output on TV.
Mike started his career at the Corporation at "BBC Radio Humberside
BBC Radio Humberside
BBC Radio Humberside is a BBC Local Radio service covering the area of the former English county of Humberside, which was returned to North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire the East Riding of Yorkshire and the City of Kingston upon Hull on 1 April 1996....
" in the early 1970s as a News Producer and very occasional rock music DJ, following some years learning the craft of journalism on newspapers. During the late 1970s and early 1980s he was the BBC's staff reporter and a presenter of BBC North's (Leeds) regional TV news programme, Look North.
Smartt, who spent more than 30 years at the BBC, was succeeded by Pete Clifton
Pete Clifton
Pete Clifton is a British media executive with MSN UK and the former head of BBC News Interactive.-Career:Clifton was previously the editor of Ceefax, and before joining the BBC was a news and sports reporter at the Chronicle and Echo in Northampton, a sports journalist at the Exchange Telegraph...
at News Interactive. He now consults, lectures and writes about journalism and interactive news and is also editor-in-chief of World Press Photos Online magazine Enter.