<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-03-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001034669</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FISHER COMMUNICATIONS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FSCI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001367065</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Goldfarb Matthew</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FISHER COMMUNICATIONS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>140 FOURTH AVE. N., SUITE 500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SEATTLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>98109</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-03-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>114</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5541</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares issued for board retainer and meeting fees earned in Q1 2013.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The total number of shares reported contains de minimis corrections to the reporting person's previous Form 4's filed on May 14, 2012 reporting 1,551 shares of restricted stock units issued and October 23, 2012 reporting 557 restricted stock units issued when 1,552 and 558 shares were actually issued.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Christopher J. Bellavia, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-04-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
