Report: WLS’ Drew Hayes Returning to KABC In LA

After three tumultuous years as operations director of news/talk WLS 890 AM, Drew Hayes is leaving the Cumulus Media station here to fill the company’s programming vacancy in Los Angeles.

According to Robert Feder at timeoutchicago.com, Hayes is expected to be named program director Tuesday of news/talk KABC 790-AM in L.A. — a post he previously held under Walt Disney Co./ABC ownership. The position has been vacant since another former Chicagoan, Jack Silver, left last June.

At WLS, Hayes’ job as operations director is not expected to be filled. Tracy Slutzkin, who was promoted from assistant program director to program director under Hayes in September 2010, will continue in her role.

The latest run was the second tour of duty at the Big 89 for the New York native and onetime WMAQ talk show host. In 1989, Hayes was one of the architects of the news/talk format at WLS, where he headed programming and operations for seven years. He left in 1996 to serve as general manager of ESPN Radio in Bristol, Connecticut, and later program director of KABC. He returned to Chicago in 2001 as operations director for several CBS Radio stations, including all-news WBBM-AM (780), sports/talk WSCR-AM (670) and former FM talker WCKG, which collapsed and died on his watch.

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