On-air staffing cut at Q95, Fox Sports 1260 AM as part of iHeartMedia reorganization

Two on-air personalities at Q95 lost jobs Tuesday in the iHeartMedia corporate reorganization that brought an end to the "Query & Schultz" afternoon show on Fox Sports 1260 AM.

Pete Kilmer and Jessica Alsman will no longer be heard as part of the weekend lineup on Q95, formally known as WFBQ-FM (94.7).

They join Jake Query and Derek Schultz as Indianapolis on-air personalities affected by iHeartMedia's move to share "resources across programming, marketing, digital, podcasts, sales and sales support to provide a better experience for listeners and business partners," according to an iHeart statement.

Schultz cited "massive corporate layoffs" in a tweet announcing the end of the "Query & Schultz" show. According to a tally at radioinsight.com, iHeartMedia stations in more than 20 states lost shows and personnel.

The iHeartMedia roster of Indianapolis stations includes WFBQ-FM (94.7), WNDE-AM (1260), WOLT-FM (103.3), WZRL-FM (98.3) and 97.5 Kiss FM.

In all, iHeartMedia oversees more than 850 stations under its "iHeartRadio" banner.

The company addressed the topic of staff reductions in a statement provided to IndyStar:

"During a transition like this it’s reasonable to expect that there will be some shifts in jobs — some by location and some by function — but the number is relatively small given our overall employee base of 12,500. That said, we recognize that the loss of any job is significant; we take that responsibility seriously and have been thoughtful in the process."

In May 2019, iHeartMedia restructured its finances to reduce its debt from $16.1 billion to $5.75 billion.

Kilmer, who grew up in Noblesville and attended Butler University, initially worked at Q95 as an intern for the "Bob & Tom Show" in 1992.

Cincinnati-based Secret Communications owned Q95 during that era, and Secret sold Indianapolis stations Q95, WNDE and WRZX-FM (103.3) to New York-based SFX Broadcasting in 1996.

SFX sold the stations one year later to Texas company Capstar, which has given way to corporate names Clear Channel Communications and iHeartMedia.

Kilmer recalled overnight shifts as a 1990s employee of WRZX, now WOLT, as highlights of his tenure at iHeartMedia stations.

"The music was just everywhere," Kilmer said of modern rock songs heard on WRZX. "If you were walking around and music was playing, it would be 'X-103.' What a fun time that was."

Kilmer and two other WRZX on-air staffers lost their jobs in a January 2002 downsizing. He returned to Q95 to work night and weekend shifts in recent years.

The latest staff reduction didn't surprise Kilmer.

"It's just the way the industry is," he said. "I have nothing but positive feelings about everyone over there."

Kilmer co-owns Downtown Comics, a comic-book store with three Indianapolis locations.

Alsman, who tweeted about her job status at Q95, continues to work as a staff member at "Bob & Tom," which is not affiliated with iHeartMedia.

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Contact IndyStar reporter David Lindquist at dave.lindquist@indystar.com or 317-444-6404. Follow him on Twitter: @317Lindquist.