MEDIA RELEASE
Exhibit 99.1

Fisher Communications, Inc. Reports Strong Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2010 Financial Results

• Fourth Quarter TV Advertising Revenue Increased 61%

• Fourth Quarter Diluted EPS of $0.93

• Full-Year TV Advertising Revenue Increased 40%

• Full-Year 2010 EBITDA Increased 401% to $34.6 Million

SEATTLE, WA – (MARKETWIRE) – March 3, 2011 – Fisher Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSCI), a leader in local media innovation, today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010. Fisher’s fourth quarter included strong political revenue and solid core advertising growth, with net TV advertising revenue increasing by 61%.

Total revenue for the fourth quarter of 2010 was $57.6 million, an increase of 49% compared to the fourth quarter of 2009, primarily due to strong political advertising revenue and improvements in other advertising categories. Direct operating costs and selling, general and administrative expenses for the fourth quarter of 2010 increased $3.9 million, or 12%, from the fourth quarter of 2009 primarily due to an increase in variable compensation costs and costs related to a format change at KVI radio. EBITDA increased $15.3 million to $19.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2010.

The Company reported net income of $8.3 million in the quarter. This compares to net income of $1.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2009, when the Company recognized a pre-tax gain on exchange of broadcast equipment of $2.6 million and a $1.3 million pre-tax gain from net insurance reimbursements received from the Fisher Plaza electrical fire insurance claim.

For the full fiscal year, the Company reported consolidated revenue of $175.9 million, a 32% increase from 2009. Fisher’s performance was due to the strong political revenue growth and the continued local and national spot advertising recovery, combined with its ability to grow market share. Net TV advertising revenue increased by 40% for the full year and core TV advertising grew by 16%. Consolidated EBITDA increased $27.7 million, or 401%, to $34.6 million in 2010. The Company reported 2010 net income of $9.7 million, compared to a net loss of $9.3 million in 2009. 2010 net income included the $2.1 million pre-tax gain on exchange of broadcast equipment and the $3.4 million pre-tax gain from net insurance reimbursements received from the Company’s Fisher Plaza electrical fire insurance claim. The 2009 net loss included the $2.6 million pre-tax gain on exchange of broadcast equipment, a $3.0 million pre-tax gain on debt extinguishment, and a $2.7 million pre-tax loss from the Fisher Plaza electrical fire expenses, net of reimbursements.

The Company reported fourth quarter and full year 2010 net earnings (loss) per share of $0.93 and $1.10 respectively, compared to $0.12 and ($1.06), respectively, for the fourth quarter and full year 2009.

Fisher President and Chief Executive Officer Colleen B. Brown commented, “We are very pleased with our fourth quarter results, which reflect Fisher’s highest quarterly revenue during the past ten years. Our five year track record of ratings and core advertising market share growth confirms that our strategic plan to drive EBITDA growth is working.

“The continued improvements within our traditional broadcast business and digital portfolio contributed to a very strong year in terms of operational performance, profitability and cash flow. We plan to leverage these strengths as we continue to transform Fisher into a more highly diversified local media company. In 2011, we are focused on using our multi-platform offering to aggressively strengthen our position and pursue a larger share of audience and local advertising in the markets we serve.”

Financial Highlights for the Fourth Quarter of 2010

(All comparisons are made to the fourth quarter of 2009 unless otherwise noted.)

Television:

Radio:

Plaza:

Financial Highlights for Full-Year 2010

(All comparisons are made to full-year 2009 unless otherwise noted.)

Television:

Radio:

Plaza:

Balance Sheet:

Key Operating and Strategic Highlights

Fourth Quarter Conference Call

Fisher will host a conference call today at 1:00 p.m. (PST). Senior management will discuss the financial results and host a question and answer session. The dial-in number for the audio conference call is 1-800-901-5241; confirmation code 18862853. A live audio webcast of the call will be accessible to the public on Fisher’s Web site, www.fsci.com. A recording of the webcast will subsequently be archived on the Web site and available for replay for one week following the call. An audio replay of the call can be accessed for one week by dialing 1-888-286-8010 and entering confirmation code 86282116.

Definitions and Disclosures Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Information

The Company reports and discusses its operating results using financial measures consistent with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and believes this should be the primary basis for evaluating its performance.

The preceding discussion of our results includes a discussion of non-GAAP financial measures such as Television cash flow, Radio cash flow, Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) and Plaza EBITDA. These non-GAAP measures should not be viewed as alternatives or substitutes for GAAP reporting.

The Company believes the presentation of these non-GAAP measures is useful to investors because they are used by lenders to measure the Company’s ability to service debt; by industry analysts to determine the market value of stations and their operating performance; and by management to identify the cash available to service debt, make strategic acquisitions and investments, maintain capital assets and fund ongoing operations and working capital needs; and, because they reflect the most up-to-date operating results of the stations inclusive of pending acquisitions, time brokerage agreements or local marketing agreements. Management believes they also provide an additional basis from which investors can establish forecasts and valuations for the Company’s business.

Television and radio cash flow are calculated as income (loss) from operations plus amortization of program rights, depreciation and amortization, non-cash charges, Internet and corporate expenses minus gain on asset exchange, net, payments for broadcast rights, amortization of non-cash benefit resulting from a change in national advertising representation firm and non-convergence Internet revenue.

Plaza EBITDA is calculated as Plaza income (loss) from operations plus depreciation, Plaza fire expenses (reimbursements), net, minus Plaza operating expenses allocated to the TV and Radio segments.

EBITDA is calculated as income from operations plus amortization of program rights; depreciation and amortization; stock-based compensation; Plaza fire expenses (reimbursements), net; gain on exchange of assets, net; and non-cash charges minus payments for broadcast rights and amortization of non-cash benefit resulting from a change in national advertising representation firm.

For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measurements to the GAAP financial results cited in this press release, please see the supplemental tables at the end of this release.

About Fisher Communications, Inc.

Fisher Communications, Inc. is a Seattle-based communications Company that owns and operates 13 full power television stations, 7 low power television stations, and 8 radio stations in the Western United States. The Company also owns and operates Fisher Interactive Network, its online division (including over 120 online sites), Fisher Pathways, a satellite and fiber transmission provider, and Fisher Plaza, a media, telecommunications, and data center facility located near downtown Seattle.  For more information about Fisher Communications, Inc., go to www.fsci.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. Forward-looking statements include information preceded by, followed by, or that includes the words “guidance,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “could,” or similar expressions. For these statements, the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release, concerning, among other things, changes in revenue, cash flow and operating expenses, involve risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various important factors, including the impact of changes in national and regional economies, our ability to service and refinance our outstanding debt, successful integration of acquired television stations (including achievement of synergies and cost reductions), pricing fluctuations in local and national advertising, future regulatory actions and conditions in the television stations’ operating areas, competition from others in the broadcast television markets served by the Company, volatility in programming costs, the effects of governmental regulation of broadcasting, industry consolidation, technological developments and major world news events. Unless required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this news release might not occur. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. For more details on factors that could affect these expectations, please see the risk factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, which we have filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, which we expect to file with the SEC on March 8, 2011.

Contacts:
Sard Verbinnen & Co
Paul Kranhold or Ron Low
(415) 618-8750
Robin Weinberg
(212) 687-8080

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1

Fisher Communications, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Unaudited)

2

Fisher Communications, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)

3

Fisher Communications, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow
(Unaudited)

4

Fisher Communications, Inc. and Subsidiaries
GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliations
(Unaudited, in thousands)

The following table provides a reconciliation of income (loss) from operations to EBITDA in each of the periods presented:

5

The following table provides a reconciliation of television segment income (loss) from operations to television broadcast cash flow in each of the periods presented:

The following table provides a reconciliation of radio segment income (loss) from operations to radio broadcast cash flow in each of the periods presented:

6

The following table provides a reconciliation of Plaza segment income (loss) from operations to Plaza EBITDA in each of the periods presented:

The following table provides television segment revenue comparisons in each of the periods presented:

The following table provides radio segment revenue comparisons in each of the periods presented:

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