NOW TRENDING: New Daytime TV Experience is a ‘Blast’ according to Executive Producer Maureen FitzPatrick ’79

Reprinted from Traditions, Winter 2017-2018
March 28, 2018

Derham Hall Profile: Maureen FitzPatrick '79

“We did something that has never been done before.”

The recent launch of a brand new format for live, multi-platform news and entertainment programming saw Derham Hall’s Maureen FitzPatrick ’79 at the helm.

Daily Blast Live is an innovative new model for a fast-paced, team-hosted show that is produced live for 3.5 hours every day. One or more segments of the program are broadcast live in 36 local TV markets around the country. Most markets are on the air for a one-hour time slot. Locally, Daily Blast Live can be seen on KARE-11 at 1 p.m. weekdays. The show is produced in Denver.

In addition to being available on television in the 36 markets, Daily Blast Live streams live on social media channels around the clock, providing trending stories delivered by the digital team 24/7. The show can be found on Facebook and YouTube Live. Through social media and a dedicated DBL app, the audience has the opportunity to react to breaking news and viral topics in real time.

What is distinctive about DBL is the audience interaction that is intentionally part of the programming. DBL’s diverse host team shares their expertise, opinions, and reflections on the day’s news, trending topics, and viral, shareable content, generating buzz in real time and encouraging the audience to engage.

“We are always ‘on,’ with both broadcast and digital teams hard at work for our viewers,” explained FitzPatrick.

As Senior Executive Producer, FitzPatrick was excited to push the boundaries of what had been done previously in television. With more than 25 years of television production experience and three Emmy nominations to her credit, FitzPatrick brings both experience and an innovative spirit to DBL.

Prior to Daily Blast Live, FitzPatrick produced such shows as Judge Judy’s Hot Bench, which became the third highest-rated show in daytime. In addition, she has worked on programs including The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Whose Line is it Anyway, and numerous other game shows and sitcoms. Before her television producing days, she was a comedienne at Chicago’s Second City and the producer of the award-winning Illegitimate Players theater company.

FitzPatrick knows she is lucky to work in such a creative environment. “When you start something new, you don’t really know what you are doing, but you build on so many parts of your experience,” said FitzPatrick. “In my case, the theater, comedy, and TV background all helped me launch this new show, which is an innovative blend of broadcasting and social media.”

“My career path has been one of taking risks,” FitzPatrick noted. “I believe in Eleanor Roosevelt’s words: Do something every single day that scares you.”

Pushed to be Creative

She reflects back on her education and believes that if she hadn’t been pushed creatively in her early years, she would not be able to do this job today.

For instance, she points to pivotal experiences at Derham Hall, where she first felt like she took creative risks and it paid off. Inspired by Saturday Night Live, which debuted while she was in high school, she and several other girls were encouraged by the nuns to write and perform comedy for the student body. “Seeing women in comedy was a game-changer,” recalled FitzPatrick, who found inspiration in these rising female stars. “But just as important, my teachers and my friends made it acceptable to try, and encouraged me early on to work hard at it.”

FitzPatrick feels blessed to have been at Derham Hall, where she first experienced strong women who guided her creative talents. While the classroom learning was critical, the environment to support her learning in other ways was also very impactful and gave her confidence to use those talents professionally.

"I am impressed that the excellence I experienced never faltered and seems to get better every year," reflected FitzPatrick. "Cretin-Derham Hall seems to be ahead of its time to provide the best education for its students."

Find Your Passion

“My hope for the CDH students today is simple: Jump into things you are passionate about,” she advised. “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes… we all make mistakes and fall on our faces. It just gives you a chance to find a way to improve.”

She also credits technology as a launching point for so much creative thinking. She points out that today’s students have only known a world with social media. These tools put creativity in the hands of students at a very young age.

“Students can take their phones and change the world,” she challenged. “Find a not-for-profit or something you are passionate about and try to reach people with your message.”

Work Ethic Is Key

Even in her role of Executive Producer, she tries to nurture creativity among her staff members, who are already among the best in the industry.

“As I build a staff, I look for something special — I call it the Midwest work ethic — which I think comes from your early upbringing.” She seeks creative people who want to do a good job and want to get better. “We need team players who are more concerned about the end product than themselves.”

As her career has progressed, she credits the help of her mentors in TV and theater who went before her and broke the glass ceilings in the industry. “I got where I am today because strong women celebrated my strengths and pushed me. I have been challenged every step of the way.”

Maureen FitzPatrick and her husband, Doug Armstrong, live in Los Angeles, and she commutes to Denver each week where Daily Blast Live is produced. With their busy schedule, she does not get home to St. Paul often, but enjoys being able to stay in touch with her Derham Hall friends.

This article and more are featured in the Winter 2017-2018 issue of the CDH magazine, Traditions.