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Hall of Fame 1992Dietrich DirksVideo |
Dietrich Dirks was born July 14, 1902 near Auburn, Nebraska. Later he and his family moved to Hildreth, south of Kearney.
"D" graduated from Hildreth High School. then, he majored in business administration at the University of Nebraska, graduating in 1924. While student director of the UNL Glee Club, he helped introduce "There is No Place Like Nebraska." A quartet of which he was a member (wearing white pants and using megaphones) sang the song at the first public appearance during a football game in the fall of 1924.
Dietrich's first "real" job was Program Director at KFAB Radio, then in Lincoln. After a year, he was named manager and did play-by-play football. He later managed KFAB, KOIL and KFOR when all three were owned by Central States Company (before FCC rules prohibited such an arrangement).
"D" was one of the founders of the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and the first president in 1934 and 1935.
Continuing his broadcast career, he moved to Sioux City to help build KTRI. He then became president and general manager of KCOM in Sioux City. Then, in 1954, he started Sioiux city's first television station, KTIV, where he pioneered many new developments in the fast growing television industry. He retired as KTIV's general manager in 1972.
"D" served on the board of directors of the National Association of Broadcasters, member of the Executive Committee, and chair of the NAB Research and Sales Management Committees.