Nexstar Names Ardyth Diercks Tenn. GM

Nexstar Broadcasting Group) announced Monday that Ardyth “Ardy” R. Diercks has been appointed VP-GM of WPTY (ABC) and WLMT (CW) Memphis (DMA 49), and WJKT (Fox) Jackson, Tenn. (DMA 176), and their associated digital services. Diercks will have responsibility for the overall station and digital e-media operations for the three stations. She succeeds Rene Laspina, who held the position since 2009, when the stations were owned by Newport Television.

Diercks’ appointment is effective immediately and she will report to Timothy Busch, EVP and Co-COO of Nexstar Broadcasting.

Diercks brings over 30 years of broadcasting experience to her new role. From 2003 until this month, Diercks was president-GM of NBCUniversal’s WTVJ Miami and management partner with its duopoly station WSCV, where she launched a wide variety of local programming for the English and Spanish speaking viewing communities.

Prior to NBCU, Diercks spent 20 years at Gannett Co. where between 1992 and 2003 she was the president-GM of KVUE, Austin, Texas; KSDK St. Louis; and WUSA Washington. From 1998 to 2003 she was SVP with responsibility for the direct oversight of 11 of the 22 television stations owned by Gannett.

Diercks earned B.S. degree from The University of Dubuque, in Iowa and received recognition as an Alumni of Distinction. She has received the NATPE Silver Circle Award for Excellence and has served on the board of directors of the National Association of Broadcasters.