Don Fitzpatrick, RIP

You may not recognize the name right away, but if you work in the business, you know (and depend on) the site he created, <a target="_blank" href=http://www.tvspy.com>www.tvspy.com</a>.

Don's death was announced today, at the age of 56. Back in the eighties, long before Radio-Info or Inside Radio or NERW were even a gleam in anyone's eye, Don pretty much invented the idea of broadcasting industry message boards and news sites, creating the "Rumorville" (later changed to "ShopTalk") e-mail newsletter way back in 1983.

There's a tribute to him on his site. No word yet on whether ShopTalk, still a daily institution in the industry, will continue.<P ID="signature">______________
Tower Site Calendar 2006 ON SALE! - <a target="_blank" href=http://www.fybush.com/nerw.html#calendar>www.fybush.com</a></P>

> You may not recognize the name right away, but if you work
> in the business, you know (and depend on) the site he
> created, www.tvspy.com.
>
> Don's death was announced today, at the age of 56. Back in
> the eighties, long before Radio-Info or Inside Radio or NERW
> were even a gleam in anyone's eye, Don pretty much invented
> the idea of broadcasting industry message boards and news
> sites, creating the "Rumorville" (later changed to
> "ShopTalk") e-mail newsletter way back in 1983.
>
> There's a tribute to him on his site. No word yet on whether
> ShopTalk, still a daily institution in the industry, will
> continue.
>
Funny thing... I had forgotten my subscription to ShopTalk, and it had stopped for the longest time. Just a few weeks ago, it sprung back into life. Funny how life is...<P ID="signature">______________
"Radio is like musical chairs. When the music stops, I sit down and say something."</P>

> > You may not recognize the name right away, but if you work
> > in the business, you know (and depend on) the site he
> > created, www.tvspy.com.
> > Don's death was announced today, at the age of 56. Back in
> > the eighties, long before Radio-Info or Inside Radio or
> > NERW were even a gleam in anyone's eye, Don pretty much
> > invented the idea of broadcasting industry message boards and news
> > sites, creating the "Rumorville" (later changed to
> > "ShopTalk") e-mail newsletter way back in 1983.
> >
> > There's a tribute to him on his site. No word yet on
> whether ShopTalk, still a daily institution in the industry, will
> > continue.

> Funny thing... I had forgotten my subscription to ShopTalk,
> and it had stopped for the longest time. Just a few weeks
> ago, it sprung back into life. Funny how life is...

Don Fitzpatrick was YEARS ahead of his time with "Rumorville." I still read "Shop Talk" as often as I can; sites like "NewsBlues" and "TV Newser" have Fitz to thank for paving the way.