Fisher Communications Target of Takeover Bid

By Chris Ariens 

A Canadian real estate trust company is not backing down in its bid to acquire Seattle-based Fisher Communications. Fisher, which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year, owns 20 TV stations in 10 Western markets, including flagship KOMO (ABC) in Seattle and Fisher Plaza (left) which is used for some exterior shots for ABC’s “Gray’s Anatomy.”

Huntingdon Real Estate Investment Trust of Vancouver, offered the equivalent of $23.99 per share for Fisher: an 18% premium above Fisher’s Dec. 3 stock price. According to the Puget Sound Business Journal.

Huntingdon officials said they originally broached the buyout offer to Fisher CEO Colleen Brown and Fisher’s board in a Dec. 6 letter. In a Jan. 3 letter to Brown and the board, Huntingdon officials said they were “astonished” that the board rejected Huntingdon’s offer just four days later.

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Fisher’s other stations include KATU (ABC) in Portland, KLEW (CBS) in Spokane and KBAK (CBS) and KBFX (FOX) in Bakersfield.

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