Kern Dant named GM of KLKN-TV in Lincoln, NE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Standard Media Group LLC (“Standard Media”), the parent company of ABC affiliate KLKN-TV in Lincoln & Hastings-Kearney, NE, recently announced the hiring of Kern Dant as the station’s new General Manager. Dant will replace Roger Moody, who previously announced his retirement from KLKN, to be effective upon the completion of the station’s sale from Citadel Communications LLC (“Citadel”).

Deb McDermott, Standard Media CEO, said, “The Dant name should be familiar to the Lincoln broadcast community. Kern’s father, Steve, served as General Manager of KLKN when it launched as Lincoln’s ABC affiliate in 1996. Now I am excited to bring this full circle and have Kern carry on the outstanding tradition of excellence established by his father and Roger. We are delighted that Roger will remain with KLKN in an advisory role through the transition.”

Dant, a 2001 graduate of the University of Nebraska, currently serves as General Sales Manager for NBC affiliate WMC in Memphis. There, he led the reorganization of the station’s sales staff, delivering share and revenue growth across both digital and broadcast platforms.

Previously, Dant was GSM for WDTN/WBDT in Dayton, Ohio, and Local Sales Manager for KRQE/KASA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, following jobs in Kansas City, St. Louis and Portland, Oregon.

Moody, who was inducted into the Nebraska Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2018, has served the state of Nebraska through his work in radio and television for more than 45 years. He joined KLKN in 1997 as General Sales Manager before being elevated to General Manager. He, too, is a Cornhusker with a degree in journalism and mass communications.

On May 16, 2019, Standard Media and Citadel jointly announced that they had reached an agreement pursuant to which Standard Media will acquire from Citadel KLKN and WLNE-TV, the ABC affiliate for the Providence, RI – New Bedford, MA market. The transaction is expected to close on or about September 4, 2019.