93.1 WIBC will launch a new weekday midday show Monday, Oct. 5, with Johnette Cruz and Brian Baker hosting the 9 a.m. to noon slot.
Program Director David Wood announced the pairing live on “The Hammer and Nigel Show.” The program does not yet have an official name. Cruz is already a familiar WIBC voice as a newscaster and digital reporter. Wood said her strength is deep-dive local storytelling.
“It’s super important that we still connect with the local people out here,” Cruz said.
Baker, a former WIBC host, is returning to Indiana from Georgia. His background includes financial radio and work as a television stunt driver. “We both want Indianapolis to be the hero of the story,” he said. Wood said the pairing won out after the station tested several combinations.
“What attracted me to this combination was their complementary skill set. Johnette is a great storyteller. She really digs into stories, and Brian is so multifaceted,” he said.
The 9 a.m.–noon daypart had been hosted by Rob Kendall and Casey Daniels before both left the station earlier this year. Kendall departed after contract talks stalled; Daniels exited later, leaving the slot open.