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Fisher Communications, Inc.
FormerlyFisher Companies Inc. (1971-2001)
Company typePublic
Nasdaq: FSCI
IndustryBroadcasting, Television, Radio
PredecessorFisher Flouring Mills Co.
Founded1910; 115 years ago (1910) (as Fisher Flouring Mills Co.)
1971; 54 years ago (1971) (as Fisher Companies)
DefunctAugust 8, 2013 (2013-08-08)
FateAcquired by Sinclair
SuccessorSinclair Broadcast Group
HeadquartersSeattle, Washington, United States
Key people
Colleen Brown (president & CEO)
Michael D. Wortsman (chair)
Robert I. (Rob) Dunlop (EVP & Ops)[1]
Revenue$164.0M (Increase 6.8%) 2011[1]
$36.4M (Increase 273.8%) 2011[1]
Number of employees
784 (Increase5.3%) 2011[1]
Before they were in broadcasting, the Fisher fortune rested on the Fisher Flour Mill on Seattle's Harbor Island, founded 1910.
Fisher Plaza, the company's headquarters.

Fisher Communications, Inc. was a media company in the United States. Based in Seattle, Washington, the company primarily owned a number of radio and television stations in the Western United States. It was the last company in the Seattle area to own a local TV station before being acquired by Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2013. Prior to 2001, it was a conglomerate with businesses in broadcasting, flour milling and real estate.

History

[edit]
See also KNWN (AM)

Fisher Companies, Inc.'s Fisher Communications by 1998 owned 25 radio stations and 2 TV stations. Fisher Companies also owned a flour milling and food distribution company and real estate development subsidiary.[2]

In 1999 Retlaw Enterprises (a company owned by the relatives of Walt Disney) sold its remaining 11 television stations to Fisher Communications, including all of the related assets to those properties[3] for $215 million in cash.[2] Its broadcasting unit, until the 2000s, was Fisher Broadcasting. Also that year, Fisher is launching its own entertainment division, Fisher Entertainment, to be headed by Alan Winters, a syndication executive.[4]

Fisher began to sell many of its properties in the mid-2000s, including real estate, its longtime flour milling operation, and its stake in Safeco.[5][6] By 2011, Fisher Communications was down to 10 radio stations.[1] On April 11, 2013, Fisher (which by then owned 20 television stations and only three radio stations) announced that it would be acquired by the Sinclair Broadcast Group.[5] However, the deal was subject to financial scrutiny; the law firm Levi & Korsinsky notified Fisher shareholders with accusations that Fisher's board of directors were breaching fiduciary duties by "failing to adequately shop the Company before agreeing to enter into the transaction", and Sinclair was underpaying for Fisher's stock.[7] Shortly after the announcement, a lawsuit was filed by a Fisher shareholder;[8] the suit was settled in July 2013,[9] on August 6 Fisher's shareholders approved the merger.[10] The FCC granted its approval of the sale of August 7.[11] On August 8, Sinclair announced that the sale was completed.[12]

Former stations

[edit]
  • Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and city of license.
  • Two boldface asterisks appearing following a station's call letters (**) indicate a station built and signed on by Fisher Communications.
Stations owned by Fisher Communications
Media market State Station Purchased Sold Notes
Bakersfield California KBAK-TV 2008 2013
KBFX-CD 2008 2013
Fresno–Visalia KJEO 1999 2000
Augusta Georgia WFXG 1999 2003
Columbus WXTX 1999 2003
Boise Idaho KBOI-TV 1999 2013
KYUU-LD 2006 2013
Idaho Falls–Pocatello KIDK 1999 2013
KXPI-LD 2006 2013
Lewiston KLEW-TV 1999 2013 [A]
Billings Montana KBLG 1994 2006
KRKX 1994 2006
KRZN ** 1998 2006
KYYA 1994 2006
Butte KAAR 1994 2006
KMBR 1994 2006
KXTL 1994 2006
Great Falls KAAK 1994 2011
KIKF ** 2001 2011
KINX ** 2002 2011
KQDI 2001 2011
KQDI-FM 2001 2011
KXGF 1994 2011
Missoula KBQQ 2003 2006
KGGL 1994 2006
KGRZ 1994 2006
KXDR 1998 2006
KYLT 1991 2006
KZOQ-FM 1996 2006
Bend Oregon KABH-CA 2006 2013 [B][a]
Coos Bay KCBY-TV 1999 2013 [C]
KMCB 2013 2013 [D][a]
Eugene KVAL-TV 1999 2013
KMTR 2013 2013 [a]
Portland KATU ** 1962 2013
KOTK 1996 2003
KUNP 2006 2013
KWJJ-FM 1996 2003
Roseburg KPIC 1999 2013 [C]
KTCW 2013 2013 [D][a]
Ellensburg Washington KWWA-CA 2007 2008 [E]
Kennewick KVVK-CD 2007 2013 [E]
Pasco KEPR-TV 1999 2013 [A]
Seattle–Tacoma KOMO ** 1926 2013
KOMO-FM 2009 2013 [a]
KOMO-TV ** 1953 2013
KPLZ-FM 1994 2013
KUNS-TV 2006 2013
KVI 1994 2013
Wenatchee KAPP 1994 2006 [b]
KWWW-FM 1992 2006
KWWX 1992 2006
KYSN 1994 2006
KZPH 1997 2006
Yakima KIMA-TV 1999 2013
KUNW-CD 2007 2013
Walla Walla KORX-CA 2007 2013 [E]
  1. ^ a b c d e Owned by a third party and operated by Fisher.
  2. ^ Known as KXAA prior to 2000.
  1. ^ a b Semi-satellite of KIMA.
  2. ^ Satellite of KUNP.
  3. ^ a b Satellite of KVAL.
  4. ^ a b Satellite of KMTR.
  5. ^ a b c Satellite of KUNW.

Contract dispute

[edit]

On December 17, 2008, Fisher Communications' contract expired with Dish Network. As a result of this contract dispute, stations owned by Fisher Communications were no longer available to Dish Network subscribers. Dish Network claimed that Fisher is asking for over an 80% increase.[13] The Fisher stations that returned to Dish Network are: KOMO and KUNS in Seattle.; KATU and KUNP in Portland.; KIMA in Yakima, Washington.; KVAL in Eugene, Oregon.; KBCI (now KBOI) in Boise, Idaho; KIDK in Idaho Falls, Idaho; and KBAK and KBFX in Bakersfield, California. Dish Network restored the service to their customers at 10:25 p.m. PST on June 10.[14]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e "Fisher Communications." Company Profile. Hoover's, Inc., 2012. Answers.com July 20, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Vrana, Debrora (November 19, 1998). "Fisher Cos. Is Expected to Buy Retlaw's 11 TV Stations". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  3. ^ "8-K For 7/1/99". Fisher Communications Inc. filings. secinfo.com. Retrieved October 20, 2007.
  4. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (March 30, 1999). "Fisher taps Winters". Variety. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Allison, Melissa (April 11, 2013). "KOMO owner Fisher Communications agrees to sale". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  6. ^ Fisher Communications Agrees to Purchase Two Bakersfield Television Stations
  7. ^ "SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Notifies Investors of Claims of Breaches of Fiduciary Duty by the Board of Fisher Communications, Inc. in Connection With the Sale of the Company to Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc". Press release. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  8. ^ "Fisher Communications, Inc. (FSCI) Investor Lawsuit to Stop Takeover by Sinclair Broadcast Group Announced by Shareholders Foundation". Press release. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  9. ^ "Fisher Reaches Settlement In Shareholder Suit". All Access. July 29, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  10. ^ "Fisher Shareholders Approve Sale To Sinclair". NetNewsCheck. August 6, 2013. Archived from the original on September 8, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  11. ^ "Application Search Details: File Number: BTCCDT-20130425ACH". fcc.gov. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  12. ^ "Sinclair Broadcast Group Closes On Fisher Communications Acquisition". All Access. August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  13. ^ "Feud Between DISH Network and Fisher Communications Cuts Local Affiliate Stations". nbcrightnow.com. December 29, 2008. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  14. ^ "KATU, Fisher stations return to DISH Network". KATU News. June 11, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
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