8-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

November 7, 2005

Date of Report
(Date of earliest event
reported)

FISHER COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Washington	000-22439	91-0222175
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File No.)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

100 Fourth Avenue N., Suite 510, Seattle, Washington 98109

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

(206) 404-7000

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition
	Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits
SIGNATURE
Exhibit Index
EXHIBIT 99.1

Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition

     The information in this Form 8-K and the exhibit attached hereto shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, unless expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

     On November 7, 2005, Fisher Communications, Inc. issued a press release announcing financial results relating to its third quarter ended September 30, 2005. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

     (d) Exhibits

     99.1     Press release issued by Fisher Communications, Inc., dated November 7, 2005.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	FISHER COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Dated: November 7, 2005	By	/s/ Robert C. Bateman
	Robert C. Bateman
	Senior Vice President Chief Financial Officer

-3-

Exhibit Index

99.1     Press release, dated November 7, 2005.

-4-

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:           Rob Bateman, CFO of Fisher Communications, Inc. (206) 404-6776

FISHER COMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCES THIRD QUARTER 2005 RESULTS

SEATTLE—(BUSINESS WIRE)—November 7, 2005—Fisher Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSCI) today announced its financial results for the third quarter and year-to-date periods ended September 30, 2005.

Fisher Communications reported total revenue of $38.8 million in the third quarter of 2005, compared to $40.3 million in the third quarter of 2004. For the nine months ended September 30, 2005, the Company reported revenue of $109.9 million, compared to $111.5 million in the comparable nine-month period in 2004. For both the three and nine-month period comparisons, broadcasting revenue was lower in 2005 due primarily to lower political advertising as compared to 2004; these declines were offset somewhat by higher revenue at Fisher Plaza as a result of increased occupancy levels.

In comparison to the nine months ended September 30, 2004, year-to-date 2005 local broadcasting revenue increased at most stations, including the television and radio station group in Fisher’s largest markets of Seattle and Portland. Excluding political revenue, year-to-date 2005 national broadcasting revenue increased at Fisher’s ABC-affiliated stations and generally declined at Fisher’s smaller-market CBS-affiliated stations and at Fisher’s radio stations. The Company’s two ABC-affiliated stations accounted for 44% of the Company’s total year-to-date 2005 revenue.

Total operating expenses decreased 3% to $38.0 million in the three months ended September 30, 2005, as compared to the three-month period ended September 30, 2004. The decline in the third quarter of 2005 was due primarily to lower levels of depreciation as certain assets have become fully depreciated, as well as somewhat lower consulting and accounting expenses in the 2005 period as the Company is in the second year of compliance with the internal control requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and has reduced certain consulting and accounting expenses.

Operating expenses increased 1% to $114.1 million in the year-to-date period ended September 30, 2005, compared to the year-to-date period ended September 30, 2004. The increase in 2005 was due primarily to certain increased syndicated television expenses, offset in part by lower levels of depreciation as certain assets have become fully depreciated.

On October 4, 2005, the Company announced the appointment of Colleen B. Brown as President and Chief Executive Officer of Fisher Communications, effective October 10, 2005. Benjamin W. Tucker, Jr., who had held the position of Fisher Communications’ Acting President and Chief Executive Officer since January 2005, left the Company to pursue other interests in October 2005. The Company expects to recognize separation expenses of approximately $600,000 in the fourth quarter of 2005 relating to Mr. Tucker’s departure. General and administrative expenses in the first nine months of 2005 include approximately $1.0 million in severance-related expenses for the Company’s former chief executive officer, who left the Company in January 2005.

The Company had no derivative instruments during the first nine months of 2005; however, the Company had pre-tax losses on derivative instruments of $2.7 million ($1.8 million after tax) in the third quarter of 2004 and $13.2 million ($8.6 million after tax) in the nine months ended September 30, 2004. Historical derivative instruments related to prior borrowing arrangements that were replaced in 2004.

The Company reported a net loss of $790,000 in the third quarter of 2005, compared to a net loss of $5.2 million in the third quarter of 2004. For the nine months ended September 30, 2005, the Company reported a net loss of $6.9 million, compared to a net loss of $16.5 million in the comparable period in 2004.

###

Fisher Communications, Inc. is a Seattle-based integrated media company. Its nine network-affiliated television stations, and a tenth station 50% owned by Fisher Communications, are located in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, and its 27 radio stations broadcast in Washington and Montana. It also owns and operates Fisher Plaza, a facility located near downtown Seattle.

FISHER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

	Nine months ended						Three months ended
	September 30						September 30
(in thousands, except per-share amounts) Unaudited	2005			2004			2005			2004
Revenue	$	109,883		$	111,517		$	38,804		$	40,251
Costs and expenses
Cost of services sold		57,853			53,449			20,611			19,870
Selling expenses		20,659			20,857			7,330			7,343
General and administrative expenses		25,163			26,093			7,368			8,117
Depreciation and amortization		10,445			12,255			2,694			3,940
		114,120			112,654			38,003			39,270
Income (loss) from operations		(4,237	)		(1,137	)		801			981
Net loss on derivative instruments		—			(13,245	)		—			(2,700	)
Loss from extinguishment of long-term debt		—			(5,034	)		—			(5,034	)
Other income, net		2,692			2,247			911			780
Interest expense		(10,241	)		(8,321	)		(3,466	)		(2,554	)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes		(11,786	)		(25,490	)		(1,754	)		(8,527	)
Benefit for federal and state income taxes		(4,838	)		(9,121	)		(964	)		(3,315	)
Loss from continuing operations		(6,948	)		(16,369	)		(790	)		(5,212	)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes		—			(132	)		—			—
Net loss	$	(6,948	)	$	(16,501	)	$	(790	)	$	(5,212	)
Loss per share:
From continuing operations	$	(0.80	)	$	(1.90	)	$	(0.09	)	$	(0.60	)
From discontinued operations					(0.01	)
Net loss per share	$	(0.80	)	$	(1.91	)	$	(0.09	)	$	(0.60	)
Weighted average shares outstanding		8,671			8,617			8,695			8,619

FISHER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

	September 30		December 31
(in thousands) Unaudited	2005		2004
Assets
Current assets	$	53,202	$	60,601
Marketable securities, at market value		160,237		157,102
Other assets		65,970		67,876
Property, plant and equipment, net		146,329		150,293
Total assets	$	425,738	$	435,872
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Notes payable	$	—	$	53
Other current liabilities		22,077		27,367
Long-term debt		150,000		150,000
Deferred income taxes		31,690		36,133
Other liabilities		20,822		19,866
Total liabilities		224,589		233,419
Stockholders’ equity, other than accumulated other comprehensive income		99,865		103,261
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of income taxes		101,284		99,192
Total stockholders’ equity		201,149		202,453
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	425,738	$	435,872