At Last... Our Three-Month-Long National Nightmare Is Over

It was Wednesday, June 3, 2009 when legendary trade magazine Radio & Records shut down... maybe you read something about that. I know we did. Some 40 employees were adversely affected, including me, Steve Resnik and Keith Berman, my longtime partners in our annoyingly hilarious and often accurate morning e-mail service, Street Talk Daily.

Today, which, ironically, would have been the opening day of the R&R Convention in Philly, the artists formerly known as "those Street Talk Daily douches" have been released from their sofa-prisons and turned loose once again on an unsuspecting industry, this time under a new name. Say hello to RAMP, a.k.a. "Radio And Music Pros," which will include not only the daily e-mail you used to delete, but a sweet new web component that has endless awesome video possibilities (more on that in a minute), courtesy of our new business partner: My Damn Channel, piloted by former MTV/VH1 honcho and ex-CBS Radio President Rob Barnett, who used to enjoy having Street Talk Daily read aloud to him each morning by a rotating wheel of fawning assistants. Good times, indeed.

RAMP marks my second enterprise with seven-year Street Talk Daily "Evil Minion" Keith Berman (who has contractually insisted on retaining his hard-won title) and my third time in the saddle with industry icon Steve Resnik, who has been my sales partner for more than a decade, dating back to our tenure at the late, great Gavin Report. Scientists have long argued that this combustible mixture, on paper, should not work, and yet, inexplicably, it does.

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Hang On... Carter Still Babbling Like A Brook

At this point in many new enterprises, this is the place where you would read some obligatory focus-group-tested, bullshit-laden "mission statement" painstakingly designed to let you know how awesome and amazing [insert new company name here] will be and how fortunate mankind will be because of their existence. Sadly... depending on your point of view, you won't get one here. Hell, I'm shocked we were able to spell "obligatory," "painstakingly" or "bullshit" without a spell-check net.

If you've read our work before or if you're new to the family, it doesn't matter: Our mission, if such a thing is required here, is to accurately, honestly and respectfully report on the business of the people who comprise the radio and music industry. If truth be told, it's more than a mission; it's our passion, and our only promise to you is that we will try not to suck. Much.

With our apologies to Doc Brown... while serving an industry that operates in a constant state in flux, think of RAMP as your personal flux capacitor. --Kevin Carter

DiDia Leaves DiIsland

Music pro Mark DiDia inadvertently made the inaugural edition of RAMP appear even heavier with the news of his departure from Island Records. No stranger to the corner GM office at many fine labels, DiDia joined Island as EVP/GM at the end of January '09. He previously held similar gigs at Columbia, Capitol, Hollywood & American Recordings back in the day.

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Edgar Back To Pittsburgh: A Terrible Idea

...And by "terrible," we mean awesome, since it means Pittsburgh homeboy David Edgar can finally stop pretending he loves the Indianapolis Colts and once again wave his Steelers "Terrible Towel" without being threatened with bodily harm. After nine years with Emmis/Indy, where he rose to Director of Ops, Edgar's coming back to the 'Burgh, this time as OM of Clear Channel's six-station cluster and PD of Top 40 WKST (96.1 Kiss FM) and Oldies WWSW (3WS), effective Oct. 5. The gig has been up for grabs since Alex Tear wangled a sweet transfer to CC/Miami as OM of the cluster and PD of Y100.

"I love Emmis and appreciate everything they have done for my career," says Edgar, who spent eight of his radio wonder years in Pittsburgh at the original B94 before his move to Indy. "To now be able to work with legendary stations I used to compete against, like WDVE, Kiss and 3WS, is amazing. It's a great cluster that really connects with the city, thanks to their contracts with the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins." David Edgar Fun Fact: "In every city I've ever worked in -- DC, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh -- the local team has gone to the Super Bowl while I've lived there," Edgar says. "I hope that streak continues."

CC Sr. VP of Programming Jon Zellner, who we know personally, shared his insights on Edgar's hire: "I worked with David during my nine years at CBS, and while we had interest from many qualified candidates, David stood out because of his Pittsburgh experience and his innovative approach to programming and talent development," Zellner tells RAMP. "We can't wait to get him in the building." The building Zellner was referring to had no additional comment.

Mornings Re-Freshed In NY

The rhyming team of Jim & Kim are new to mornings at CBS AC WWFS (Fresh 102.7)/New York, moving in from "Lawn Guyland," where they spent the last eight years in mornings at Barnstable AC WKJY (KJoy 98.3)/Nassau-Suffolk. "Jim's favorite hobby is golf, so he was in, and Kim and I share the same birth date -- so it was destined," Fresh PD Brian Thomas tells RAMP. Jim Douglas and Kim Berk take over the shift vacated last week by Dave & Danni -- Dave is Dave Packer, who's been in the house since March 2007 and can be reached at 212-372-8040 or dave@davepacker.com.

Our pal Danni is an 11-year vet of CBS/New York and spent most of that time at WXRK during its K-Rock and Free FM phases, doing basically every job at some point, including overnights, middays, afternoons, nights, production, APD/MD of the FM and PD of online/HD station K-Rock2. This multitalented individual can be offered a gig at 917-860-1876 or danni923@gmail.com. "While I enjoyed working at CBS/New York, now I'm free to admit my true allegiance is to the Red Sox," she proclaims. "I don't have to pretend to love the Yankees anymore!"

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He's Kevin, He's Bean

Those lovable scamps Kevin & Bean, based out of CBS Alternative KROQ/Los Angeles, extend their syndication domination with a slew of new affiliates: Guaranty Alternative KNXX & WNXX (The X 104.5 & 104.9)/Baton Rouge; Impact Alternative KQLZ (99.1 The Virus)/Boise, ID; and RadioStar Classic Alternative WEBX (93.5 The Source)/Champaign, IL will air the show in mornings. In an interesting twist, Entercom Talk KFH-AM & FM/Wichita and River City Radio Talk KCJJ (The Mighty 1630)/Iowa City, IA will run K&B in afternoons.

Colby, Cleveland; Cleveland, Colby

Congrats to veteran programmer Colby Colb Tyner, who makes his triumphant return to Radio One, this time in exotic Cleveland as OM of Urban outlets WENZ and WZAK, Gospel WJMO-AM and Talker WERE-AM. Colb's last foray with Radio One was with WPHI (100.3 The Beat)/Philadelphia until May 2008. "This is an incredible opportunity to take on four great properties and build on their success," Colb tells RAMP. "I'm looking forward to the challenge." Mr. Colb hits Cleveland on Oct. 6.

It's Not TV... It's Video, Stupid

In addition to this wonderful, entertaining, informative, two-dimensional daily e-mail spotlighting the shenanigans of our great industry, our new partnership with My Damn Channel allows us to bust into a whole new dimension -- no, not The Twilight Zone... we're talking about video, dumbass. We know you do incredibly important world-changing work on a daily basis, and you usually film it to feed your need for recognition. Hey, why not share it on a site that can spread your antics from coast to coast? Artist visit? No problem! Your insta-fame will grow exponentially when it's seen on a website visited by millions of eyeballs every month. Send us your coolest stuff, and, if we like it, we'll post it at www.MyDamnChannel.com/RAMP, along with a link back to your online home base.

Hit us up at kcarter@MyDamnChannel.com or kberman@MyDamnChannel.com -- but please, for the love of God, send any big-ass files via YouSendIt so as not to clog our Intertubes.

The Programming Dept.

PD/morning dude Steve Rocha has left the building at Gap Rhythmic KFFM/Yakima, WA. Rik Mikals is inbound from New Northwest/Tri-Cities to replace him. Rocha spent most of his radio career at KFFM, starting as a part-timer back in the '90s (remember them?). After a brief stint at Power 99/Tri-Cities, Rocha returned in 1998 and took over the PD reins in 2002. "It was a fun ride because I was able to program the station I grew up listening to," Rocha tells RAMP. "While my departure is sort of heartbreaking, I'm excited for the other possibilities I have in the near future." Rocha can be reached at 509-307-2365 or rocha_23@hotmail.com.

Baby Poop

Congrats and much love to Universal Republic National Director of Top 40 Howie Pivar and his wife, Jen, on the Sept. 20 birth of Sawyer Nancy Pivar, who arrived at L.A.'s Northridge Hospital weighing in at 7 lbs., 9 oz. and spanning 21 inches. "She's just beautiful," Pivar tells RAMP.

Let The Lovefest Commence!

"Great. Just what we need -- more mindless dribble from two nonsensical nitwits who make Gabby Johnson look like a Nobel Prize winner.... How do I subscribe?"-Don Gosselin, Area Shut-in, Philadelphia.

"I hope there's a print version.... I need it for the bird cage." -Dan Larkin, American.

"Good luck with RAMP. I know it'll be good 'cuz I'm on pain meds." -Mark Edwards, St. Louis, 63103.

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