Monday, March 12, 2012

Haze is back rocking, rolling with changes

When Patti Haze signs on Monday at WXCD-FM (94.7), she'll havemore on her mind than the titles of the classic rock hits on her playlist.

Don't be surprised if she includes occasional updates on theantics of her new daughter along with the time and temperature.

"Where you can work it in, you can work it in," said Haze, whosenew show will air from 3 to 8 p.m. weekdays on CD-94.7. "You know,I've always been able to pick my spots."

Haze, a 21-year Chicago radio veteran, returned from China lastmonth with Molly Fei Fei, a bright and active 2-year-old she adoptedthrough an international agency.

"She is just fabulous," Haze said. "It's amazing how you'rematched - because this kid is a ham! She loves music, she sings, shedances all the time. I can't believe how lucky I am."

On Aug. 29, Haze and her fiance, lawyer Ray O'Malley, will tiethe knot. "My philosophy is why take 20 years when you can do it allin six weeks?" Haze said with a laugh when she pondered all thechanges in her life.

Haze has been off the air since May when WCKG-FM (105.9) pulledthe plug on the evening talk show she co-hosted with Mary Pat LaRue.

"I had a great time doing talk. The audience loved what wedid," Haze said. "But I've been in this business long enough and I'msavvy enough to know how all this stuff works. It's unfortunate thatwe didn't get a chance to do more. We had a great time. But it'stime to do something different again.

"I have no problem playing rock 'n' roll. It's what I'm knownfor. I'm really looking forward to it. It's what I do. It's who Iam.

"But doing talk made me realize I'm more than a one-trick pony.I can do a whole lot of stuff. I think that bodes well for thefuture of my career 10 years from now." Dialing: WCKG selling program airtime on weekends Now you can have your own show on the same Chicago station as HowardStern, Jonathon Brandmeier and Steve Dahl. Starting Sept. 5, WCKGwill begin selling blocks of airtime on weekends for program-lengthcommercials and talk shows. Look for a stampede of lawyers,psychics, financial advisers and home-repair experts to buy their wayonto "The Package."

Mike Disney, vice president and general manager of the CBS-ownedstation, said the move is designed to create a new source of revenuewhile eliminating most music programming on weekends. WCKG willcontinue to air "best of" Brandmeier and Dahl shows on Saturdays and"Breakfast With the Beatles" on Sundays. In a first for urban-contemporary radio, top-rated WGCI-AM/FM(1390/107.5) has announced plans to sponsor its own music awardsshow. Artists will compete in 15 categories - including rhythm &blues, rap, blues, jazz and gospel - with winners to be chosen by thepublic. WGCI's first Urban Radio Music Awards will be presented Nov.14 at the Chicago Theatre. Are two Madisons better than one? The Madison hired this week tohost middays at WNND-FM (100.3) is not the same Madison who has beenhosting weekends at WRCX-FM (103.5). Windy 100's Madison, whose realname is Miriam Milliken, hails from WMVX-FM in Cincinnati. Rock103.5's Madison, whose real name is Wendy Rickman, previously workedat WKQX-FM (101.1). To avoid confusion, the Windy 100 jock will callherself Lisa Madison. Walter Payton is returning for a second year as football analyst atWSCR-AM (1160). He'll turn up with Norm Van Lier and Doug Buffone at7:30 a.m. Mondays, starting Aug. 24. And he'll host the Score'sweekly football luncheons with Dan Jiggetts and Mike North at noonTuesdays, starting Aug. 25. Ted Stecker, former operations manager and program chief at thedefunct "Kicks Country," has landed as operations director at KTST-FMand KXXY-FM in Oklahoma City. Get well wishes to Johanna Zorn, executive producer at WBEZ-FM(91.5), who is recovering from emergency surgery Saturday atNorthwestern Memorial Hospital.

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