Ardyth Diercks Named President/General Manager at WUSA-TV at Washington, D.C.
ARLINGTON, VA – Ardyth “Ardy” Diercks has been named president and general manager of WUSA-TV, the Gannett-owned CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C. This is part of a restructuring and an expansion of her duties as a senior vice president of Gannett Television. Diercks will replace Dick Reingold, who has resigned to assemble a Washington-based group to acquire medium and small market stations at this time of special opportunity in the television industry.
The announcement was made by Craig Dubow, president of Gannett Broadcasting.
“Ardy and I have worked together for more than 18 years. Ardy brings a wealth of experience, strategic thinking, clear direction, and a contagious enthusiasm. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity for both her and the WUSA staff. It is an exceptional fit,” Dubow said.
For the past three years Diercks has focused on her corporate responsibilities, overseeing the operation of a group of Gannett’s television stations. She was president and general manager of KSDK-TV, Gannett’s NBC affiliate in St. Louis from January 1996 to March 1998. Prior to that she was president and general manager of KVUE-TV, the ABC affiliate in Austin, Texas, from October 1994. She joined KVUE in September of 1992 as vice president/general manager. Prior to that, Diercks was vice president/programming and station relations at KPNX-TV, Gannett’s NBC affiliate in Phoenix. She served as general executive at Gannett Broadcasting corporate headquarters from 1987-1988 in Arlington, Va. Diercks began her career with Gannett at KUSA-TV in Denver in 1983.
Diercks currently serves on the National Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors. Active in community service in her home markets, Diercks recently served on the board of directors of the St. Louis United Way, the St. Louis Regional Commerce and Growth Association (RCGA) and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. She held a membership on the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois organization and the Missouri Women’s Forum.
She and her husband Al have two children, Kristin and Andrew, and will be relocating from St. Louis, Missouri.
Gannett Television’s stations are: WUSA (CBS-Washington, DC); WXIA (NBC-Atlanta); KARE (NBC-Minneapolis); WTSP (CBS-Tampa); WKYC (NBC-Cleveland); KPNX (NBC-Phoenix), KNAZ (NBC-Flagstaff), KMOH (NBC-Kingman); KUSA (NBC-Denver); KXTV (ABC-Sacramento); KSDK (NBC-St. Louis); WZZM (ABC-Grand Rapids); WGRZ (NBC-Buffalo); WFMY (CBS-Greensboro); WJXX (ABC-Jacksonville); WTLV (NBC-Jacksonville); KTHV (CBS-Little Rock); WBIR (NBC-Knoxville); WCSH (NBC-Portland); WLBZ (NBC-Bangor); WLTX (CBS-Columbia); and WMAZ (CBS-Macon).
In addition to its television operations, Gannett publishes 98 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nations largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also publishes USA WEEKEND, a newspaper magazine. In the United Kingdom, Gannett subsidiary Newsquest plc publishes nearly 300 titles, including 15 daily newspapers.