Haney, who led “Verify” and “Legally Speaking” segments for the local NBC affiliate from 2019 until earlier this year when her contract wasn’t renewed, has delved into digital scam cultures and a wide range of local topics for TV and streaming audiences.
On the Sound of Ideas, Ideastream’s flagship news program which is broadcast on WKSU’s 89.7, Haney will have a slightly different platfrom.
“I’m honored to join Ideastream and take on the role of Sound of Ideas host,” Haney said in a press release. “I look forward to engaging with our listeners, amplifying diverse voices, and fostering meaningful dialogue that both informs and inspires.”
She follows a roster of some notable and memorable hosts, including Mike McIntyre, Rick Jackson, and, most recently, Jenny Hamel.
After working for years as a fashion model, Haney pursued legal studies, graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She went on to get degrees in political science and criminology from Ohio University, then a master’s in journalism from the University of Southern California.
In 2019, Haney joined WKYC, where she developed her “Verify” series, in which she often used invited guests to highlight a range of scams in the modern world—email phishing, AI phone calls, “fake discount” voicemails supposedly from Spectrum.
“Part of my job will be to talk about the issues you care about,” she said in a recent post. “So tell me, ‘What isn’t getting covered enough?’”
She’ll be on Monday through Thursdays at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on 89.7, on YouTube and on the Ohio Channel, or wherever podcasts are listened to.
Haney’s first show will be September 2.
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This article appears in Cleveland SCENE 10/8/25.