WIBC overhauling on-air lineup as Garrison departs

As longtime Indianapolis radio host Greg Garrison gets set to retire, WIBC-FM 93.1 is retooling its weekday programming lineup.

Notably, the "Chicks on the Right" show is moving from afternoon drive time (4-6 p.m.) to a late-morning (9-11 a.m.) slot. Tony Katz will get two extra hours of air time. And two late-night hosts will take over the afternoon drive-time position.

Katz will continue in his morning drive-time slot (6-9 a.m.), then return to the 11 a.m.-1 p.m. slot currently held down by Garrison. Garrison announced late last month that he planned to retire from hosting a show on WIBC after a 20-year run at the station. His last show is scheduled for June 9.

Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, whose "Abdul at Large" show airs from 6-7 p.m., has decided to step away from his daily show to spend more time on his website, indypolitics.org, and other business interests, WIBC Program Director David Wood said. Shabazz will continue to host a weekend show and be a regular contributor to wibc.com.

Filling the 4-7 p.m. slot vacated by the Chicks and Shabazz will be the "The Hammer & Nigel Show," which now runs weeknights from 9-11 p.m.

Garrison's departure provided WIBC, which is owned by locally based Emmis Communications Corp., an opportunity to restructure its entire conservative talk lineup.

“There is no replacing an icon like Greg," Wood said in written remarks. "You ask, ‘what is the best way to serve, inform and entertain our growing audience?’ What we arrived at is a lineup that offers familiar personalities with the addition of energetic voices that will continue to engage listeners in spirited conversation and conservative viewpoints,”

"The Dana Show," hosted by Dana Loesch, will continue to run from 1-4 p.m. and Chad Benson will stay in 7-9 p.m. spot. The 9 p.m.-midnight slot will feature a "mashup" of daily highlights.

“The Chicks had expressed interest in an earlier time slot that allowed them to better manage their growing online presence,” Wood said about the reshuffled lineup. “Tony Katz coming back on from 11-1 will allow us to syndicate his show via Network Indiana and possibly other outlets. And "Hammer & Nigel," the newcomers to our daytime lineup, have become popular voices on WIBC, as frequent guest hosts for the Chicks and the nationally syndicated 'Chad Benson Show.'”

"Hammer & Nigel" features local radio veterans Jason Hammer and Nigel Laskowski, who've been paired on WIBC since 2010. Laskowski previously hosted local shows on WRZX-FM (now WOLT) and RadioNow 93.1. He's also worked for Emmis stations in Terre Haute and Austin, Texas.

Hammer has served a variety of on-air and off-air roles with Emmis, including a stint as WIBC promotions director.