Mike Smartt OBE was the founder and editor-in-chief of BBC News Online, the BBC's Internet news service. He began the service in 1996, and held the post of editor-in-chief of BBC News Interactive until his retirement in 2003. Originally, many had doubts about the feasibility of the web service, including Smartt's friend and fellow BBC reporter 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 a correspondent for BBC television.
Smartt, who spent more than 30 years at the BBC, was succeeded by Pete Clifton at News Interactive.
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