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

         Date of Report (date of earliest event reported):  September 30, 2004




                         CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            Delaware                  001-11001              06-0619596
  (State or other jurisdiction       (Commission          (I.R.S. Employer
        of incorporation)            File Number)         Identification No.)

                                3 High Ridge Park
                           Stamford, Connecticut  06905
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                                 (203) 614-5600
               (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)



                           No Change Since Last Report
                           ---------------------------
         (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 obligations of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

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

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

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

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



ITEM 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors;
          --------------------------------------------------------------------
          Appointment of Principal Officers.
          -----------------------------------

          On September 30, 2004,  Citizens  Communications  Company announced at
          its regularly  scheduled Board of Directors  meeting that Rudy J. Graf
          was  elected   Chairman  of  the  Board.   At  this  meeting,   Maggie
          Wilderotter,  who will become President and Chief Executive Officer of
          the company on November 1, 2004,  and Jerry  Elliott,  Executive  Vice
          President  and Chief  Financial  Officer  of the  company,  were newly
          elected to the Board,  filling  vacancies created by the September 27,
          2004 resignations of Leonard and Claire Tow.

          A copy of the announcement is attached as an exhibit.



ITEM 8.01 Other Events
          ------------

          The  information  set forth under Item 5.02 "Departure of Directors or
          Principal  Officers;  Election of Directors;  Appointment of Principal
          Officers" is incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
          ---------------------------------

          (c)   Exhibits

                99.1  Press  Release  of Citizens  Communications Company  dated
                September 30, 2004.



                                   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 thereunto duly authorized.

                         CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
                                  (Registrant)


                         By: /s/ Robert J. Larson
                             --------------------------
                             Robert J. Larson
                             Senior Vice President and
                             Chief Accounting Officer

Date: September 30, 2004



                                                        Exhibit 99.1


                                                 Citizens Communications
                                                 3 High Ridge Park
                                                 Stamford, CT 06905
                                                 203.614.5600
                                                 Web site: www.czn.net
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Contact
Brigid Smith
Assistant Vice President,
Corporate Communications
203.614.5042
bsmith@czn.com


              CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCES THE ELECTION OF NEW
               CHAIRMAN AND TWO MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Stamford,  Conn., Sept. 30, 2004 - Citizens Communications  (NYSE:CZN) announced
today that at its regularly  scheduled Board of Directors  meeting held on Sept.
30,  2004,  Rudy J. Graf was  elected  Chairman of the Board.  At this  meeting,
Maggie Wilderotter, who will become President and Chief Executive Officer of the
company on Nov. 1, 2004, and Jerry  Elliott,  Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial  Officer  of the  company,  were newly  elected to the Board,  filling
vacancies created by the Sept. 27, 2004 resignations of Leonard and Claire Tow.

Most  recently,  Mr.  Graf was  interim  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  Citizens
Communications.  He has been a member of the Board of Directors  since 2000.  He
was Vice  Chairman  of the  Board  from  2001 to 2002 and  President  and  Chief
Operating  Officer  of the  company  from  1999 to  2002.  Before  that,  he was
Director, President and Chief Operating Officer of Centennial Cellular Corp.

Ms.  Wilderotter is joining  Citizens from Microsoft  Corp.,  where she was most
recently Senior Vice  President,  Worldwide  Public Sector,  responsible for its
government and education  markets  globally.  Before that,  she was  Microsoft's
Senior Vice President,  Worldwide Business Strategy. Prior to joining Microsoft,
Ms.   Wilderotter   was   President   and  Chief   Executive   Officer  of  Wink
Communications. Before that, she held senior positions with AT&T Wireless, McCaw
Cellular,  and U.S. Computer  Services,  Inc./Cable Data. From 1997 to 2002, she
was a Director of Electric Lightwave, Inc.

Mr.  Elliott joined  Citizens  Communications  in March 2002 as Chief  Financial
Officer. He was promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in
December 2002, and to Executive  Vice President and Chief  Financial  Officer in
July 2004.  Before  joining  the  company,  he was  Managing  Director of Morgan
Stanley's Communications  Investment Banking Group from July 1998 to March 2002.
Prior to that, he was a partner with the law firm of Shearman & Sterling.

More information on Citizens can be found at www.czn.net.

                                       ###