Experience

Drew Hayes was most recently VP/Market Manager and Program Director of KABC Radio in Los Angeles. He has programmed and managed major market News, Talk and Sports stations and the ESPN Radio Network. He began his career as a talk-show host and sportscaster, occasionally biting his tongue. He can be reached at hayesradio@gmail.com. 

I have a proven track record in talk radio specializing in strategic planning, contract negotiation talent coaching and recruitment, branding, programming and format development. As VP/Market Manager and Program Director of KABC Radio Los Angeles with P & L oversight, in addition to exceeding EBITDA goals, we leveraged our on-air, online and digital platforms to maximize political dollars.  

I have managed out-sized personalities like Dr. Drew Pinsky, Larry Elder, Dan Patrick, and Keith Olbermann, and negotiated numerous talent contracts. I have been responsible for NFL, MLB and NBA play-by-play production, and have overseen multi-million-dollar budgets.

Below is a rundown of my News, News/Talk, and Sports managerial experience:

• 1989: Conceived and executed the flip of WLS-AM from rock to talk. Even then, in heavily Democrat Chicago, there was an opening for right-of-center programming built around Rush Limbaugh, later adding Dr. Laura. Station grew from 35th to Top 10.

• 1996: Was recruited to be GM of the ESPN Radio Network. During two-year tenure, network expanded from one weekday show and 16 hours of programming on the weekends to 21 hours each weekday. Successfully integrated the radio network with the ESPN TV product, an important corporate objective.

• 1998: Left Bristol for KABC Radio in Los Angeles, a station and a city I had always hoped to experience. Lured local mega-stars John and Ken away from the PM Drive show on KFI for Morning Drive on KABC. Lineup featured Larry Elder, Dennis Prager and Al Rantel.

• 2000: Returned to Chicago to become Operations Director of Newsradio 780 WBBM and Sportstalk WSCR/The Score. In Fall 2001, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, WBBM was the #1 station overall in Chicago, besting perennial #1 stations WGN and WGCI.

• At WBBM, I led program innovations still integral to the station’s all-news clock. Enhanced our business presence, adding market updates every ten minutes, an hourly report on low gas prices, and the daily, long-form Noon Business Hour. WBBM is the flagship of the Chicago Bears Radio network, and I served as Executive Producer, responsible for all facets of the play-by-play and game day broadcasts. During this time, WSCR maintained dominance over its main competitor, ESPN’s WMVP.

• 2005:  Promoted to VP of Programming for FM Talk WCKG and WBBM-AM (relinquishing duties at WSCR), just as Howard Stern was preparing to leave the station—and radio.

• February 2010:  Returned to WLS as Operations Director. Station re-tooled to reassert position in market with original right-of-center philosophy. The station had ratings challenges, notably in PM Drive and 9a-11a. Within weeks, I recast the two dayparts, setting the station on a path to ratings growth and considerable salary savings.
  
  

• April 2010:  Added Operations Director duties at WMAL/Washington D.C. The station’s two local shows, Morning Drive and 9a-noon, were in disarray and the Program Director had been fired. Retooled and realigned the dayparts, began the process of developing additional local personalities, and hired a PD with market experience. Relaunched the morning show in May of that year and began the simulcast on the FM at the end of September.

• Returned to KABC Radio/Los Angeles in January 2013 as Operations Director, following sale of sister station KLOS, was promoted to VP/Market Manager and Program Director in charge of entire LA cluster. Renegotiated USC sports broadcast agreement. Launched Dan Bongino podcast-to-broadcast as on hour night show before his network rollout. Podcast production. Hit EBITDA goals last two years, making KABC profitable. Innovative block-programming model including podcast-to-broadcast initiative, and expanded political revenue through paid political programming. Oversaw exit from Nielsen in 2023.

As a manager, I have a solid track record of hiring good people. . . assembling a team, cultivating loyalty and purpose, and building and rebuilding stations. I take particular pride in developing talent and have had substantial success in identifying and nurturing radio talent from non-radio backgrounds. I have hired and  managed big talent like Dr. Drew, Steve Dahl, Gary Meier, Jillian Barberie and Keith Olbermann (the ESPN version!)

I have had a positive impact on the product and the culture at each stop. I embrace change, foster innovation and expect excellence. As VP/MM/PD I have become facil with budgeting, negotiating and creative revenue generation with deals that benefit the client, the programming and the bottom line. I also have an enormous capacity for work—there has been only a brief time in the past ten years when I haven’t been deployed to oversee more than one station.