Fisher Communications

History

: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.

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 for $215 million in cash.

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. By 2011, Fisher Communications was down to 10 radio stations. 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. Shortly after the announcement, a lawsuit was filed by a Fisher shareholder; the suit was settled in July 2013, on August 6 Fisher's shareholders approved the merger. The FCC granted its approval of the sale of August 7. On August 8, Sinclair announced that the sale was completed.

Final stations

• 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.

Contract dispute

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. 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.

References

References

1. Vrana, Debrora. (November 19, 1998). "Fisher Cos. Is Expected to Buy Retlaw's 11 TV Stations". [[Los Angeles Times]].
2. "8-K For 7/1/99". secinfo.com.
3. Littleton, Cynthia. (March 30, 1999). "Fisher taps Winters".
4. Allison, Melissa. (April 11, 2013). "KOMO owner Fisher Communications agrees to sale". [[The Seattle Times Company]].
5. [https://archive.today/20120715135841/http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=61026&p=irol-newsArticle&t=Regular&id=1037227 Fisher Communications Agrees to Purchase Two Bakersfield Television Stations]
6. [http://www.answers.com/topic/fisher-communications-inc "Fisher Communications."] Company Profile. Hoover's, Inc., 2012. Answers.com July 20, 2012.
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.
8. "Fisher Communications, Inc. (FSCI) Investor Lawsuit to Stop Takeover by Sinclair Broadcast Group Announced by Shareholders Foundation". Press release.
9. (July 29, 2013). "Fisher Reaches Settlement In Shareholder Suit". All Access.
10. (August 6, 2013). "Fisher Shareholders Approve Sale To Sinclair". NetNewsCheck.
11. "Application Search Details: File Number: BTCCDT-20130425ACH".
12. (August 8, 2013). "Sinclair Broadcast Group Closes On Fisher Communications Acquisition". All Access.
13. (December 29, 2008). "Feud Between DISH Network and Fisher Communications Cuts Local Affiliate Stations".
14. (June 11, 2009). "KATU, Fisher stations return to DISH Network". KATU News.