Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia today said board member Dan Dienst is assuming the vacant CEO spot at the troubled self-described "provider of original how-to information."

The post has been empty since Linda Gersh, co-founder of women’s content-oriented Oxygen Media, departed last December.

MSLO, which will release third-quarter financials tomorrow, suffered a $4.5M first-half net loss as revenues collapsed 18.7 percent to $79.4M.

Dienst led Sims Metal Management after the sale of its predecessor company Metal Management and he engineered a going-private transaction with Apollo Management.

MSLO founder/non-executive chairman Martha Stewart, said in a statement that Dienst is a “highly respected and experienced public company CEO with strong operating and financial discipline and a clear track record of creating significant value for shareholders.”

MSLO has been reducing its print magazine focus and stepping up its digital/video efforts.

Its stock trades at $2.40. The 52-week range is $2.20 and $3.10.