Former BBC journalist John Sergeant was the host of last night's International Information Industry Awards and the IWR editorial team was privileged to spend some time with him.

It would be easy to imagine that a reporter that was in the Vietnam war, has interviewed world leaders like Maggie Thatcher and broken major stories day in, day out would look on the recent past of the news and information sector with rose tinted glasses, not a jot. Sergeant spoke passionately to IWR about the possibilities for information gathering, the exciting possibilities for presenting news online and in broadcast and the incredible skills that information workers today acquire.

Throughout our conversation Sergeant expressed a passionate loyalty to the BBC and a sense of anticipation about the new ways of delivering news and information that are being developed at the Beeb. Information users of all types will be re-assured that Sergeant, a keen user of premium information services, believes paper and broadcast services have a long future ahead in unison with online.

Many who attended the awards told IWR he was the best host yet and it was certainly an entertaining night listening to his tales of life in the front line of national broadcasting.