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): July 8, 2004



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


            Delaware                   001-11001                06-0619596
(State or other jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation)                                            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)





ITEM 11.  Temporary Suspension of Trading Under Registrant's Employee Benefit
          -------------------------------------------------------------------
          Plan
          ----

          Citizens  Communications Company (the "Company") has elected to change
     the record keeper for the Citizens  401(k) Savings Plan (the "Plan").  As a
     result of this  change,  there  will be a  blackout  period  in which  Plan
     participants temporarily will be unable to engage in transactions involving
     the Company's common stock, $0.25 par value per share ("Common Stock"),  or
     associated derivative securities held in their individual accounts.  During
     the blackout  period,  Plan  participants  will not be able to exercise any
     rights  otherwise  available  under the Plan,  which  rights  include:  (1)
     directing  or  diversify  the  assets  held in  their  Plan  accounts,  (2)
     obtaining a loan under the Plan, or (3) obtaining a  distribution  from the
     Plan.  The blackout  period is expected to begin on July 23,  2004,  and is
     expected to end on August 4, 2004.

          Pursuant  to Section  306 of the  Sarbanes-Oxley  Act of 2002 and Rule
     104(b)(2)(i)(B) of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Regulation BTR,
     and  concurrently  with the filing of this Current  Report on Form 8-K, the
     Company  transmitted a written notice of the impending  blackout  period to
     the members of its Board of Directors and executive officers notifying them
     that during the  blackout  period,  they may not,  directly or  indirectly,
     purchase,  sell or otherwise acquire or transfer any shares of Common Stock
     or associated  derivative  securities if those  securities were acquired in
     connection  with their  service or  employment  as a director or  executive
     officer.  A copy of the notice is attached as Exhibit  99.1 to this Current
     Report on Form 8-K, and incorporated herein by reference.

          The person designated by the Company to respond to inquiries about the
     blackout period is Russ Mitten,  Citizens  Communications  Company,  3 High
     Ridge Park, Stamford, Connecticut 06905, (203) 614-5047.


                                       2




                                    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)


Date:  July 8, 2004            By:  /s/ Jerry Elliott
                                   --------------------------
                                   Jerry Elliott
                                   Senior Vice President and
                                   Chief Financial Officer



                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS
                                -----------------

Exhibit
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99.1  Notice to Directors  and Executive  Officers  of Citizens  Communications
Company dated July 8, 2004