UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC. 20549

Form 10-Q

 

[X]

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2014

OR

[ ]

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from            to           

 

Commission file number:1-6383

 

MEDIA GENERAL, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Commonwealth of Virginia

54-0850433

(State or other jurisdiction of

(I.R.S. Employer 

incorporation or organization)

Identification No.)

 

 

333 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA

23219

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

 

(804) 887-5000

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

 

N/A

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year,

if changed since last report.)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Yes          X          No               

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

Yes          X          No               

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

 

Larger accelerated filer                               

Accelerated filer                                          X      

Non-accelerated filer                                     

Smaller reporting company                                  

      

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes                     No          X     

 

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer's classes of common stock as of July 31, 2014.

Voting Common shares (no par value): 

88,063,271

Non-Voting Common shares (no par value):    

689,337

 

 
 

 

 

MEDIA GENERAL, INC.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORM 10-Q REPORT

June 30, 2014

 

     

Page

Part I.

Financial Information

 

     

 

 

Item 1.

Financial Statements

 

     

 

   

Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets – June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013

1

     

 

   

Consolidated Condensed Statements of Comprehensive Income – Three and six months ended June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2013

3

     

 

   

Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows –Six months ended June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2013

4

     

 

   

Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements

5

     

 

 

Item 2.

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

18

     

 

 

Item 3.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk

26

     

 

 

Item 4.

Controls and Procedures

26

     

 

Part II.

Other Information

 

     

 

 

Item 2.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

27 

     

 

 

Item 6.

Exhibits

27

     

 

   

(a)  Exhibits

 

     

 

Signatures

 

 

28

 

 
 

 

 

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements

 

 

Media General, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited, In thousands, except shares)

 

 

ASSETS

 

   

June 30,

   

December 31,

 
   

2014

   

2013

 

Current assets:

               

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 18,166     $ 71,618  

Trade accounts receivable (less allowance for doubtful accounts 2014 - $2,694; 2013 - $2,772)

    108,744       110,283  

Current deferred tax asset

    9,989       7,506  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

    12,653       13,889  

Total current assets

    149,552       203,296  
                 

Property and equipment, net

    273,910       285,467  

Deferred tax asset, long-term

    31,338       42,711  

Other assets, net

    45,129       35,477  

Definite lived intangible assets, net

    226,977       239,642  

Broadcast licenses

    573,300       573,300  

Goodwill

    541,475       541,475  

Total assets (a)

  $ 1,841,681     $ 1,921,368  

 

 

See accompanying notes.

 

(a) Consolidated assets as of June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $38.8 million and $41.1 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. See Note 1.

 

 
1

 

 

Media General, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited, In thousands, except shares)

 

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

 

   

June 30,

   

December 31,

 
   

2014

   

2013

 

Current liabilities:

               

Trade accounts payable

  $ 16,791     $ 11,783  

Accrued salaries and wages

    13,754       14,183  

Deferred proceeds related to sale of property

    24,535       -  

Other accrued expenses and other current liabilities

    39,473       42,656  

Current installments of long-term debt

    2,400       11,217  

Current installments of obligation under capital leases

    151       153  

Total current liabilities

    97,104       79,992  
                 

Long-term debt

    849,400       905,783  

Obligations under capital leases, excluding current installments

    1,098       1,156  

Retirement and postretirement plans

    105,648       155,309  

Other liabilities

    31,225       43,891  

Total liabilities (b)

    1,084,475       1,186,131  
                 

Commitments and contingencies

               
                 

Stockholders' equity:

               

Preferred stock (no par value):

               

authorized 50,000,000 shares; none outstanding

    -       -  

Common stock (no par value):

               

Voting common stock, authorized 400,000,000 shares; issued 88,063,271, and 87,695,495

    569,494       557,754  

Non-voting common stock, authorized 400,000,000 shares; issued 689,337, and 828,885

    10,381       12,483  

Accumulated other comprehensive income

    5,668       5,668  

Retained earnings

    173,247       161,076  

Total stockholders' equity attributable to Media General

    758,790       736,981  

Noncontrolling interests

    (1,584 )     (1,744 )

Total stockholders' equity

    757,206       735,237  

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

  $ 1,841,681     $ 1,921,368  

 

 

See accompanying notes.

 

(b) Consolidated liabilities as of June 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013, include total liabilities of VIEs of $9.2 million and $10.6 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the Company. See Note 1.

 

 
2

 

 

Media General, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(Unaudited, In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

   

Three Months Ended

   

Six Months Ended

 
   

June 30,

   

June 30,

   

June 30,

   

June 30,

 
   

2014

   

2013

   

2014

   

2013

 
                                 

Net operating revenue

  $ 154,111     $ 55,782     $ 298,029     $ 105,827  

Operating costs:

                               

Operating expenses, excluding depreciation expense

    50,818       19,575       101,433       38,787  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    41,930       14,283       84,262       28,747  

Amortization of program license rights

    4,947       2,527       9,910       4,982  

Corporate and other expenses

    7,633       2,220       14,211       4,581  

Depreciation and amortization

    16,440       4,644       32,635       9,135  

Loss (gain) related to property and equipment, net

    992       (43 )     221       (43 )

Merger-related expenses

    4,825       4,387       9,577       4,387  

Corporate severance expense

    4,489       4       4,489       4  

Total operating costs

    132,074       47,597       256,738       90,580  

Operating income

    22,037       8,185       41,291       15,247  

Other expense:

                               

Interest expense

    (9,616 )     (2,080 )     (19,606 )     (4,220 )

Debt modification and extinguishment costs

    (85 )     -       (183 )     -  

Other, net

    85       21       -       (80 )

Total other expense

    (9,616 )     (2,059 )     (19,789 )     (4,300 )
                                 

Income before income taxes

    12,421       6,126       21,502       10,947  

Income tax expense

    (5,529 )     (2,679 )     (9,171 )     (4,481 )

Net income

    6,892       3,447       12,331       6,466  
                                 

Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests (included above)

    106       (259 )     160       (354 )

Net income attributable to Media General

  $ 6,786     $ 3,706     $ 12,171     $ 6,820  
                                 

Other comprehensive income

    -       -       -       -  

Total comprehensive income

  $ 6,892     $ 3,447     $ 12,331     $ 6,466  
                                 

Other comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interest

    -       -       -       -  

Total comprehensive income attributable to Media General

  $ 6,786     $ 3,706     $ 12,171     $ 6,820  
                                 

Earnings per common share (basic and diluted):

                               

Net earnings per common share (basic)

  $ 0.08     $ 0.08     $ 0.14     $ 0.14  

Net earnings per common share (assuming dilution)

  $ 0.08     $ 0.06     $ 0.14     $ 0.11  

 

 

See accompanying notes.

 

 
3

 

 

Media General, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited, In thousands)

 

   

Six Months Ended

 
   

June 30,

   

June 30,

 
   

2014

   

2013

 

Cash flows from operating activities:

               

Net income

  $ 12,331     $ 6,466  

Adjustments to reconcile net income:

               

Deferred income tax expense

    8,890       4,109  

Depreciation and amortization

    32,635       9,135  

Provision for doubtful accounts

    588       296  

Amortization of program license rights

    9,910       4,982  

Non-cash interest expense

    243       391  

Loss (gain) related to property and equipment, net

    221       (43 )

Stock-based compensation

    171       -  

Debt modification and extinguishment costs

    183       -  

Change in assets and liabilities:

               

Program license rights, net of liabilities

    (10,199 )     (5,419 )

Trade accounts receivable

    951       (6,559 )

Company owned life insurance (cash surrender value less policy loans including repayments)

    (1,309 )     -  

Trade accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities

    453       (295 )

Contributions to retirement plans

    (47,480 )     (384 )

Other, net

    (4,769 )     3,656  

Net cash provided by operating activities

    2,819       16,335  

Cash flows from investing activities:

               

Capital expenditures

    (8,372 )     (5,928 )

Payment/deposit for acquisition of station assets

    (8,340 )     (14,323 )

Collateral refunds related to letters of credit

    980       -  

Deferred proceeds related to sale of property

    24,535       -  

Proceeds related to property and equipment, net

    1,072       79  

Net cash provided (used) by investing activities

    9,875       (20,172 )

Cash flows from financing activities:

               

Principal borrowings under revolving credit facility

    10,000       -  

Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility

    (10,000 )     -  

Repayment of borrowings under Media General Credit Agreement

    (64,000 )     -  

Repayment of borrowings under Shield Media Credit Agreement

    (1,200 )     -  

Principal borrowings under WLAJ-TV LLC Term Loan

    -       10,000  

Repayment of borrowings under Senior Credit Facility

    -       (8,600 )

Debt issuance costs

    (1,320 )     (289 )

Other, net

    374       (121 )

Net cash (used) provided by financing activities

    (66,146 )     990  

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

    (53,452 )     (2,847 )

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

    71,618       24,244  

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

  $ 18,166     $ 21,397  
                 

Cash paid for interest

  $ 20,871     $ 3,589  

 

 

See accompanying notes.

 

 
4

 

 

MEDIA GENERAL, INC.

 

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Unaudited)

 

 

Note 1: Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying unaudited consolidated condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and with applicable quarterly reporting regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. They do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements and, accordingly, should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related footnotes included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation of interim financial information have been included.

 

On November 12, 2013, Media General, Inc. (“Legacy Media General”), and New Young Broadcasting Holding Co., Inc. (“Young”) were combined in a tax-free, all-stock merger transaction. The combined company (“Media General” or the “Company”) retained the Media General name and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. The merger was accounted for as a reverse acquisition in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805, Business Combinations. For financial reporting purposes, Young was the acquirer and the continuing reporting entity. Consequently, the consolidated financial statements of Media General, the legal acquirer and a continuing public corporation in the transaction, have been prepared with Young as the surviving entity. Accordingly, the consolidated financial statements reflect the results of operations and cash flows for only Young for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013.

 

The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries and certain variable interest entities (“VIE”) for which the Company is considered to be the primary beneficiary. Significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. In determining whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of a VIE for financial reporting purposes, the Company considers whether it has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE and whether it has the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive returns that would be significant to the VIE.  Assets of consolidated VIE’s can only be used to settle the obligations of that VIE.  As discussed in Note 3, the Company consolidates the results of WXXA-TV LLC (“WXXA”) and WLAJ-TV LLC (“WLAJ”) pursuant to the VIE accounting guidance. All the liabilities are non-recourse to the Company, except for the debt of WXXA and WLAJ which the Company guarantees. The Company is also the primary beneficiary of the VIE that holds the Supplemental 401(k) Plan’s investments and consolidates the plan accordingly.

 

Certain prior-year balances have been reclassified to conform to the presentation adopted in the current fiscal year.

 

On November 12, 2013, each outstanding share of Young common stock and each issued and outstanding warrant to purchase Young common stock was converted into the right to receive 730.6171 shares of no par value voting common stock. Shares of common stock (and the associated price-per-share) for periods prior to November 12, 2013, have been restated to reflect the applicable number of shares of no par value voting common stock. Warrants for prior periods have been restated to reflect the right to receive the applicable number of shares of no par value voting common stock. Earnings per share and share information presented in the consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, include Young’s common shares and share equivalents multiplied by the exchange ratio: 730.6171 shares of Media General for each share and share equivalent of Young. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, common shares and share equivalents are presented for the combined company.

 

 
5

 

 

Note 2: Mergers and Acquisitions

 

Pending Merger with LIN Media LLC

 

In March of 2014, the Company and LIN Media LLC (“LIN”) announced an agreement to combine the two companies under a newly formed holding company to be named Media General and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. Under the merger agreement, LIN shareholders are to receive consideration of cash ($763 million in the aggregate) and shares of voting common stock (approximately 50.5 million shares in the aggregate). In addition, each outstanding share of voting common stock and non-voting common stock of Media General will be converted into one share of voting common stock or non-voting common stock of the new holding company. Together, the Company and LIN own or operate 74 stations across 46 markets. As described further below, station divestitures in certain markets will be required in order to address regulatory considerations. The transaction has been approved by both the Media General Board of Directors and the LIN Board of Directors. As set forth in the merger agreement, the closing of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of a number of conditions including, but not limited to, the approval of various matters relating to the transaction by Media General and LIN shareholders, the approval of the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and certain third party consents. Media General and LIN will convene special shareholder meetings on August 20, 2014, to vote on the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in early 2015. The Company incurred $3.3 million and $6.8 million of investment banking, legal and accounting fees and expenses in the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, respectively, related to the pending merger with LIN.

 

Media General and LIN will be required to swap or otherwise divest certain television stations in certain markets as part of the process of obtaining regulatory approvals for the transaction. Such markets include the Birmingham, AL; Green Bay, WI; Mobile, AL; Providence, RI; and Savannah, GA markets, in which Media General and LIN both own television stations. Media General and LIN have not yet determined which stations in these markets will be divested, or whether such stations will be swapped or sold for cash.

 

The Company may replace, in whole or in part, the divested revenues and cash flow in these markets by agreeing to swap one or more stations owned by Media General and/or LIN with one or more stations owned by other broadcast companies. Discussions with counterparties are ongoing but no agreements have been consummated. Any such swaps may be consummated directly with the counterparty or may be structured in multiple transactions and qualify as “like-kind exchanges” under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Company may also divest one or more stations in these markets by selling such stations for cash, the proceeds from which likely would be used for general corporate purposes, including reducing indebtedness.

 

Pending Acquisition of WHTM-TV

 

In June of 2014, the Company entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with Sinclair Television Group, Inc. (“Sinclair”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to purchase the assets of WHTM-TV, a television station located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that is currently owned by Allbritton Communications (“Allbritton”), from Sinclair for approximately $83.4 million in cash. The completion of the transaction under the Purchase Agreement is subject to customary closing conditions for transactions of this type, including regulatory approvals, and is also subject to the closing of Sinclair’s separate transaction with Allbritton. Upon entering into the Purchase Agreement, the Company placed $8.3 million in escrow pending completion of the acquisition, which was recorded in other assets on the consolidated condensed balance sheet as of June 30, 2014.

 

 
6

 

 

Legacy Media General Merger

 

As described in Note 1, Legacy Media General and Young were combined in an all-stock merger transaction on November 12, 2013. The merger was accounted for as a reverse acquisition with Young as the acquirer solely for financial accounting purposes. Accordingly, Young’s cost to acquire Legacy Media General has been allocated to the acquired assets, liabilities and commitments based upon their estimated fair values. The pre-merger operations of Legacy Media General consisted of 18 network-affiliated broadcast television stations (and associated websites) primarily located in the southeastern United States. The purchase price of Legacy Media General was calculated based on the number of unrestricted Class A and B common shares outstanding (27,985,795 in aggregate) immediately prior to the merger multiplied by the closing price on November 11, 2013 of $15.06. In addition, the purchase price included the portion of performance accelerated restricted stock and stock options earned prior to the merger ($12.7 million in aggregate). The initial allocated fair value of acquired assets and assumed liabilities is summarized as follows:

 

(In thousands)

       

Current assets acquired

  $ 89,425  

Property and equipment

    183,362  

Other assets acquired

    24,563  

FCC broadcast licenses

    359,400  

Definite lived intangible assets

    214,080  

Goodwill

    487,223  

Deferred income tax assets recorded in conjunction with the acquisition

    49,725  

Current liabilities assumed

    (66,372 )

Long-term debt assumed

    (701,408 )

Pension and postretirement liabilities assumed

    (165,904 )

Other liabilities assumed

    (39,908 )

Total

  $ 434,186  

 

Current assets acquired included cash and cash equivalents of $17.3 million and trade accounts receivable of $64.4 million.

 

The amount allocated to definite-lived intangible assets represents the estimated fair values of network affiliations of $154.7 million, advertiser relationships of $58 million and favorable lease assets of $1.4 million. These intangible assets will be amortized over their weighted-average estimated remaining useful lives of 15 years for network affiliations, seven years for the advertiser relationships and 10 years for favorable lease assets. Acquired property and equipment will be depreciated on a straight-line basis over the respective estimated remaining useful lives.

 

The initial allocation presented above is based upon management’s estimate of the fair values using valuation techniques including income, cost and market approaches. In estimating the fair value of the acquired assets and assumed liabilities, the fair value estimates are based on, but not limited to, expected future revenue and cash flows, expected future growth rates and estimated discount rates. Network affiliations and advertiser relationships were primarily valued using an excess earnings income approach. The broadcast licenses represent the estimated fair value of the FCC license using a “Greenfield” income approach. Under this approach, the broadcast license is valued by analyzing the estimated after-tax discounted future cash flows of an average market participant. Property and equipment was primarily valued using a cost approach. Acquired program license rights will be amortized to operating expense over the estimated broadcast period in an amount equal to the relative benefit that is expected to be derived from the airing of the program, or on a straight line basis over the life of the program where the expected useful life is one year or less.

 

 
7

 

 

Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the consideration transferred over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired and liabilities assembled and represents the future economic benefits expected to arise from other intangible assets acquired that do not qualify for separate recognition, including assembled workforce and non-contractual relationships, as well as expected future synergies. Approximately $164 million of the goodwill recognized is expected to be tax deductible.

 

The initial purchase price allocation is based upon all information available to the Company at the present time and is subject to change, and such changes could be material.

 

The Company incurred $1.5 million and $2.8 million of legal, accounting and other professional fees and expenses in the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, respectively, related to the Legacy Media General merger. The expenses incurred in the second quarter were primarily attributable to the secondary offering described in Note 8. The Company incurred $4.4 million of legal, accounting and other professional fees and expenses in both the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, related to the Legacy Media General merger.

 

Net operating revenues of Legacy Media General included in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, were $94 million and $183 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014. Operating income of Legacy Media General included in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, was $5.7 million and $14.1 million, respectively, for the same periods.

 

The following table sets forth unaudited pro forma results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, assuming that the Legacy Media General merger, the consolidation of the Shield Media entities described in Note 3 and the refinancing described in Note 4, occurred as of January 1, 2012:

 

   

Three Months

   

Six Months

 
   

Ended

   

Ended

 

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

 

June 30, 2013

   

June 30, 2013

 

Net operating revenue

  $ 137,802     $ 262,141  

Income from continuing operations

    5,199       3,304  

Income from continuing operations attributable to Media General

    5,277       3,271  
                 

Income from continuing operations per share - basic and assuming dilution

    0.06       0.04  

 

The pro forma financial information presented above is based on historical results of operations, adjusted for the allocation of the purchase price and other acquisition accounting adjustments, and is not necessarily indicative of what the combined company’s results would have been had the transactions occurred as of January 1, 2012. The pro forma amounts include adjustments to depreciation and amortization expense due to the increased value assigned to property and equipment and intangible assets, adjustments to stock-based compensation expense due to the revaluation of stock options and performance accelerated restricted stock and the issuance of deferred stock units to certain executive officers, adjustments to interest expense to reflect the refinancing of the Company’s debt and the related tax effects of the adjustments. Pro forma results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, exclude merger-related expenses for the combined company of $11.6 million ($7.2 million of which was incurred by Legacy Media General).

 

Note 3: Variable Interest Entities

 

Shield Media LLC and Shield Media Lansing LLC, through their respective subsidiaries, WXXA and WLAJ, have Joint Sales Agreements (“JSA”) and Shared Service Agreements (“SSA”) in place with the Company. Under these agreements the Company provides a variety of operational services for WXXA-TV and WLAJ-TV (the “Shield Stations”) as is described in more detail below.

 

 
8

 

 

The Company has options to acquire the Shield Stations at any time, subject to FCC consent, until the expiration of the applicable JSA. The FCC requires that the station licensee maintain independent control over the programming and operations of the station until an assignment of the station license has been approved by the FCC and consummated. In addition, the Company has entered into agreements with the Shield Stations to provide a variety of services, including: the sale of advertising time, marketing and promotion, news production, assistance with monitoring, maintenance, repair and replacement of the licensee’s technical equipment and facilities, providing traffic, accounting, bookkeeping and related administrative functions, access to the Company’s local towers, equipment and facilities and the maintenance and operation of websites for the Shield Stations. Although the licensee retains exclusive management and control over the stations’ programming, personnel and finances, including the total responsibility for all programming to be broadcast over the station, the Company believes that the services provided pursuant to the sales and shared service agreements provide the Company with contractual rights involving those activities of WXXA and WLAJ that most significantly impact the economic performance of each entity. In both the Albany and Lansing markets, the Company owns and operates another station. The agreements provide the Company’s local stations, along with WXXA and WLAJ, the ability to achieve operational efficiencies and economies of scale which improve cash flow.

 

An order that the FCC adopted in March of 2014, will require changes to the Company’s arrangements with the Shield Stations. In that order, the FCC concluded that JSAs should be “attributable” for purposes of the media ownership rules if they permit a television licensee to sell more than 15% of the commercial inventory of a television station owned by a third party in the same market. Stations with JSAs that would put them in violation of the new rules will have two years from the date on which the rules became effective (June 19, 2014) to amend or terminate those arrangements or to obtain a waiver of the rule. Accordingly, absent further developments or the grant of a waiver, the Company will be required to modify or terminate its existing JSAs within such two-year period.

 

Based on accounting guidance related to consolidation of VIEs, the Company is the primary beneficiary of these agreements and therefore consolidates the Shield Stations. Under the terms of the agreements, the Company sells the stations’ inventory, collects all cash receipts and also incurs operating costs associated with the operations of the Shield Stations. In return, the Company is paid a 30% JSA fee from the ad sales collected and is also paid an SSA fee for providing the operation services. In addition, in a given period, if expenses incurred by WXXA and WLAJ exceed their revenue share and the Shield Stations are not in a position to pay the Company the JSA and/or SSA fees, the Company would be at a loss for their services. Finally, if at any time either WXXA or WLAJ is in default of its loan, the Company, as the guarantor of the Shield Station loans, would be the responsible party.

 

In March of 2013, WLAJ, a wholly owned subsidiary of an unrelated party, Shield Media Lansing LLC, entered into an asset purchase agreement to purchase the assets (including the FCC license) of the WLAJ-TV television station in Lansing, MI, from Sinclair Broadcast Group (“SBG”). Concurrent with this agreement, the Company entered into the JSA and SSA with WLAJ referred to above to provide sales, operational and administrative services to WLAJ. The initial terms of the JSA and SSA are eight years, and the agreements can be automatically renewed for successive two year renewal terms. WLAJ paid $14.3 million in cash to purchase the station assets which was partially financed through a $10 million term loan which was jointly guaranteed by the Company and Shield Media Lansing LLC. The acquisition was also funded from the proceeds from an asset purchase agreement in which the Company purchased certain non-license assets of WLAJ-TV from an advance of $5.4 million. The balance of the proceeds from the term loan and the asset purchase agreement between WLAJ and the Company, after SBG was paid, went toward transaction fees and working capital.

 

 
9

 

 

The financial results of WLAJ since March 1, 2013, have been consolidated by the Company in accordance with the VIE accounting guidance, and the purchase price of $14.3 million was allocated to the acquired assets and assumed liabilities based on estimated fair values upon the effective date of the transaction. The allocated fair value of acquired assets and assumed liabilities was determined using techniques similar to those described in Note 2 and is summarized as follows:

 

(In thousands)

       

Property and equipment

  $ 2,468  

Broadcast licenses

    7,700  

Definite-lived intangible assets

    2,100  

Goodwill

    2,366  

Other liabilities

    (310 )

Total

  $ 14,324  

 

The amount allocated to definite-lived intangible assets represents the estimated fair values of network affiliations of $1.7 million and advertiser relationships of $0.4 million.

 

The results of operations for the six months ended June 30, 2013, include the results of WLAJ since March 1, 2013. Net operating revenues of WLAJ included in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, were $1.5 million and $2.8 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014; operating income was $0.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively, for the same periods. Net operating revenues of WLAJ included in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, were $1.2 million and $1.5 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013; operating income was $0.1 million for both the quarter and year to date periods.

 

As indicated above, the Company also provides certain sales, operational and administrative services to WXXA under the JSA and SSA which have remaining terms of seven years, and may be automatically renewed for successive two year renewal terms. Net operating revenues of WXXA included in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, were $3.1 million and $6.1 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014; operating income was $0.2 million and $0.4 million, respectively, for the same periods. Net operating revenues of WXXA included in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, were $2.7 million and $5.3 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013; operating income was $0.2 million and $0.4 million, respectively, for the same periods.

 

 
10

 

 

The carrying amounts and classification of the assets and liabilities of the Shield Stations which have been included in the consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013 were as follows:

 

   

June 30,

   

December 31,

 

(In thousands)

 

2014

   

2013

 

Assets

               

Current assets

               

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 2,310     $ 4,110  

Trade accounts receivable (less allowance for doubtful accounts 2014 - $119; 2013 - $105)

    3,596       3,831  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

    552       671  

Total current assets

    6,458       8,612  

Property and equipment, net

    2,196       2,996  

Other assets, net

    1,350       697  

Definite lived intangible assets, net

    3,247       3,400  

Broadcast licenses

    22,400       22,400  

Goodwill

    2,730       2,730  

Total assets

  $ 38,381     $ 40,835  

Liabilities

               

Current liabilities

               

Trade accounts payable

  $ 872     $ -  

Other accrued expenses and other current liabilities

    1,929       2,180  

Current installments of long-term debt

    2,400       2,400  

Total current liabilities

    5,201       4,580  

Long-term debt

    28,400       29,600  

Other liabilities

    6,364       8,399  

Total liabilities

  $ 39,965     $ 42,579  

 

 

Note 4: Debt and Other Financial Instruments

 

Long-term debt at June 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013, was as follows:

 

(In thousands)

 

2014

   

2013

 
                 

Media General Credit Agreement

  $ 821,000     $ 885,000  

Shield Media Credit Agreement

    30,800       32,000  

Total debt

    851,800       917,000  
                 

Less: scheduled current maturities

    (2,400 )     (11,217 )
                 

Long-term debt excluding current maturities

  $ 849,400     $ 905,783  

 

Media General Credit Agreement

 

In July of 2013, Legacy Media General entered into a credit agreement with a syndicate of lenders which provided the Company with an $885 million term loan and a $60 million revolving credit facility. Following consummation of the Legacy Media General merger transaction, the Company fully borrowed the term loan and repaid the existing debt of Legacy Media General and Young. The term loan matures in seven years and bears interest at LIBOR (with a LIBOR floor of 1%) plus a margin of 3.25%. The margin could decrease to 3% based on the Company’s leverage ratio, as defined in the agreement. The revolving credit facility has a term of five years and bears interest at LIBOR plus a margin of 2.75% and is subject to a 0.5% commitment fee. The credit agreement is guaranteed by the Company and its subsidiaries and is secured by liens on substantially all of the assets of the Company. The credit agreement contains a leverage ratio covenant, which involves debt levels and a rolling eight-quarter calculation of EBITDA, as defined in the agreement. Additionally, the agreement contains restrictions on certain transactions including the incurrence of additional debt, capital leases, investments, additional acquisitions, asset sales and restricted payments (including dividends and share repurchases) as defined in the agreement.

 

 
11

 

 

The Company repaid $29 million and $64 million of principal on the term loan in the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, respectively. The early repayment of debt resulted in debt modification and extinguishment costs of $0.1 million and $0.2 million in the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, respectively, due to the accelerated recognition of deferred debt-related items.

 

In April of 2014, the Company entered into an amendment to its credit agreement. The terms of the amendment will become effective upon the successful completion of the merger with LIN. The amendment permits the Company to obtain additional financing consistent with a commitment letter from Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”) amended and restated in April 2014. The commitment letter provides for an aggregate $1.6 billion senior secured credit facility, consisting of an incremental $90 million revolving credit facility and incremental term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $1.5 billion, the proceeds of which will be used to pay the cash consideration in the LIN merger, to pay fees and expenses in connection with the merger and to refinance certain existing indebtedness of LIN. In addition to permitting the incremental financing, the amendment to the credit agreement modifies the leverage ratio covenant requirements as well certain other covenants and transaction restrictions, as defined in the agreement. The Company paid a $1.3 million non-refundable amendment fee to the participating lenders in April of 2014 which was recorded in other assets on the consolidated condensed balance sheet.

 

Shield Media Credit Agreement

 

Shield Media LLC (and its subsidiary WXXA) and Shield Media Lansing LLC (and its subsidiary WLAJ) (collectively, “Shield Media”), companies that control subsidiaries with which the Company has joint sales and shared services arrangements for two stations as described in Note 3, entered into a new credit agreement with a syndicate of lenders, dated July 31, 2013. On November 12, 2013, Shield Media fully borrowed $32 million of term loans and repaid the existing term loans of WXXA and WLAJ. The new Shield Media term loans mature in five years and bear interest at LIBOR plus a margin of 3.25%. The term loans are payable in quarterly installments which start at 1.875% of the initial principal balance with the remainder due upon maturity. The Shield Media term loans are guaranteed by the Company and are secured by liens on substantially all of the assets of the Company, on a pari passu basis with the Media General credit agreement.

 

The Shield Media loans have a fixed charge coverage ratio (a ratio of fixed charges (interest, debt payments, capital expenditures and taxes) to EBITDA, calculated on a rolling eight-quarter basis, as defined in the agreement). The agreement also has restrictions on transactions similar in nature to those in the Media General credit agreement, but scaled to Shield Media’s smaller size.  Additionally, the agreement has more specific covenants regarding the operation of the Shield Media business and requires that each Shield Media holding company that controls a Shield Media station limit its activities to performance of its obligations under the Shield Media credit documents, and activities incidental thereto, including owning a Shield Media station and the performance of its obligations under and activities related to the shared services agreement. Both the Media General and Shield Media credit agreements contain cross-default provisions.

 

 
12

 

 

Fair Value

 

The following table includes information about the carrying values and estimated fair values of the Company’s financial instruments at June 30, 2014, and December 31, 2013:

 

   

June 30, 2014

   

December 31, 2013

 
   

Carrying

   

Fair

   

Carrying

   

Fair

 

(In thousands)

 

Amount

   

Value

   

Amount

   

Value

 

Assets:

                               

Investments

                               

Trading

  $ 391     $ 391     $ 281     $ 281  

Liabilities:

                               

Long-term debt:

                               

Media General Credit Agreement

    821,000       824,079       885,000       894,956  

Shield Media Credit Agreement

    30,800       30,800       32,000       32,000  
                                 

 

Trading securities held by the Supplemental 401(k) Plan are carried at fair value and are determined by reference to quoted market prices. The fair value of the Media General Credit Agreement was determined by reference to the most recent trading price and the fair value of the Shield Media Credit Agreement was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis and an estimate of the current borrowing rate. Under the fair value hierarchy, the Company’s trading securities fall under Level 1 (quoted prices in active markets), the Media General Credit Agreement falls under Level 2 (other observable inputs) and the Shield Media Credit Agreement falls under Level 3 (unobservable inputs).

 

 

Note 5: Taxes on Income

 

The effective tax rate was 44.5% in the second quarter of 2014 as compared to 43.7% in the second quarter of 2013 and 42.7% in the first six months of 2014 as compared 40.9% in the equivalent prior-year period.  The increase in both periods was due primarily to increased merger-related expenses, a significant portion of which will not be deductible for tax purposes.  The tax expense in both years was predominantly non-cash due to the Company’s interim net loss for tax purposes and significant net operating loss carryover.  Current tax expense was approximately $0.2 million in the second quarter of each year and was approximately $0.3 million and $0.4 million in the first six months of 2014, and 2013, respectively; it was attributable to state income taxes.

 

 
13

 

 

Note 6: Earnings Per Share

 

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted income per share for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, and 2013.

 

   

Three Months Ended

June 30,

2014

   

Three Months Ended

June 30,

2013

 

(In thousands, except

 

Income

   

Shares

   

Per Share

   

Income

   

Shares

   

Per Share

 

per share amounts)

 

(Numerator)

   

(Denominator)

   

Amount

   

(Numerator)

   

(Denominator)

   

Amount

 
                                                 

Net income attributable to Media General

  $ 6,786                     $ 3,706                  
                                                 

Undistributed earnings attributable to participating securities

    (43 )                     -                  
                                                 

Basic EPS

                                               

Income available to common stockholders

  $ 6,743       88,473     $ 0.08     $ 3,706       47,803     $ 0.08  
                                                 
                                                 

Effect of dilutive securities: stock options and warrants

            519                       12,390          
                                                 

Diluted EPS

                                               

Income available to common stockholders

  $ 6,743       88,992     $ 0.08     $ 3,706       60,193     $ 0.06  

 

   

Six Months Ended

June 30,

2014

   

Six Months Ended

June 30,

2013

 

(In thousands, except

 

Income

   

Shares

   

Per Share

   

Income

   

Shares

   

Per Share

 

per share amounts)

 

(Numerator)

   

(Denominator)

   

Amount

   

(Numerator)

   

(Denominator)

   

Amount

 
                                                 

Net income attributable to Media General

  $ 12,171                     $ 6,820                  
                                                 

Undistributed earnings attributable to participating securities

    (84 )                     -                  
                                                 

Basic EPS

                                               

Income available to common stockholders

  $ 12,087       88,399     $ 0.14     $ 6,820       47,803     $ 0.14  
                                                 
                                                 

Effect of dilutive securities: stock options and warrants

            512                       12,390          
                                                 

Diluted EPS

                                               

Income available to common stockholders

  $ 12,087       88,911     $ 0.14     $ 6,820       60,193     $ 0.11  

 

For the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, there were 60,193,351 total outstanding securities consisting of 47,802,816 shares of common stock and 12,390,535 warrants. The warrants were exercisable on a one-for-one basis for shares of common stock. In November of 2013, these warrants were converted to shares of no par value voting common stock in connection with the Legacy Media General merger.

 

 
14

 

 

Note 7: Retirement and Postretirement Plans

 

Prior to the Legacy Media General merger, the Company only had the KRON/IBEW Local 45 Pension Plan which covers the IBEW Local 45 employees of KRON-TV. The Company froze benefit accruals under this plan in 2005. All employees who earned seven full years of vested service as of October 2005 are 100% vested in the pension benefits earned. If an employee had not yet earned seven full years of vested service, he or she is considered partially vested and, provided employment with the Company continues, can continue to earn credit for years of service.

 

In conjunction with the Legacy Media General merger, the Company assumed Legacy Media General’s retirement and postretirement plans as of November 12, 2013. Legacy Media General has a funded, qualified non-contributory defined benefit retirement plan which covers substantially all Legacy Media General employees hired before 2007 and non-contributory unfunded supplemental executive retirement and ERISA excess plans which supplement the coverage available to certain executives. These retirement plans are frozen. Legacy Media General also has a retiree medical savings account plan which reimburses eligible employees who retire for certain medical expenses. In addition, Legacy Media General has an unfunded plan that provides certain health and life insurance benefits to retired employees who were hired prior to 1992. The Company made a $45 million contribution to the Legacy Media General retirement plan in January 2014 (following a $5 million contribution in December 2013).

 

The following table provides the components of net periodic benefit cost (income) for the Company’s benefit plans for the second quarters and first six months of 2014 and 2013:

 

   

Three Months Ended

 
   

Pension Benefits

   

Other Benefits

 
   

June 30,

   

June 30,

   

June 30,

 

(In thousands)

 

2014

   

2013

   

2014

 

Service cost

  $ 43     $ 43     $ 18  

Interest cost

    5,554       143       277  

Expected return on plan assets

    (6,762 )     (156 )     -  

Amortization of net loss

    -       9       -  

Net periodic benefit cost (income)

  $ (1,165 )   $ 39     $ 295  

 

   

Six Months Ended

 
   

Pension Benefits

   

Other Benefits

 
   

June 30,

   

June 30,

   

June 30,

 

(In thousands)

 

2014

   

2013

   

2014

 

Service cost

  $ 85     $ 85     $ 40  

Interest cost

    11,060       286       538  

Expected return on plan assets

    (13,433 )     (312 )     -  

Amortization of net loss

    -       18       -  

Net periodic benefit cost (income)

  $ (2,288 )   $ 77     $ 578  

 

Defined Contribution Plans

 

For the six months ending June 30, 2014, all eligible and participating employees of the Company’s 401(k) and Supplemental 401(k) plans received a company match of up to a maximum of 4% of their compensation as defined by the plans. Effective July 1, 2014, the Company amended the plans to reduce the maximum effective company matching contribution to 3% of participant compensation as defined by the plans. Participants will receive a 50% matching contribution on employee contributions up to the first 6% of employee compensation as defined by the plans.

 

 
15

 

 

Note 8: Stockholders’ Equity

 

The following table shows the components of the Company’s stockholders’ equity as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2014:

 

                   

Accumulated

                         
                   

Other

           

Non-

   

Total

 
   

Common Stock

   

Comprehensive

   

Retained

   

Controlling

   

Stockholders'

 

(In thousands)

 

Voting

   

Non-Voting

   

Income

   

Earnings

   

Interest

   

Equity

 

Balance at December 31, 2013

  $ 557,754     $ 12,483     $ 5,668     $ 161,076     $ (1,744 )   $ 735,237  

Net income

    -       -       -       12,171       160       12,331  

Conversion of non-voting to voting common stock

    2,102       (2,102 )     -       -       -       -  

Exercise of stock options

    472       -       -       -       -       472  

Performance accelerated restricted stock

    (34 )     -       -       -       -       (34 )

Director deferred stock units

    7,361       -       -       -       -       7,361  

Stock-based compensation

    1,889       -       -       -       -       1,889  

Other

    (50 )     -       -       -       -       (50 )

Balance at June 30, 2014

  $ 569,494     $ 10,381     $ 5,668     $ 173,247     $ (1,584 )   $ 757,206  

 

The Directors’ Deferred Compensation Plan was amended in April of 2014 so that future deferred stock unit (“DSU”) awards will only be payable in shares of voting common stock. Additionally, existing directors waived their right to receive cash for past awards. Accordingly, the outstanding liability was transferred to voting common stock and the Company ceased recording further adjustments for changes in fair value of the DSU.

 

In accordance with the terms of a registration rights agreement entered into at the time of the Legacy Media General merger, the former Young equityholders who are party to the registration rights agreement have the right to demand registration of their shares for sale in underwritten offerings, subject to certain limitations, and the right to participate in registered underwritten offerings conducted by the Company. The Company conducted a registered underwritten offering in May of 2014 in which 4,845,447 shares of the Company’s voting common stock were sold at a price of $15.50 per share. In conjunction with the offering, 139,548 shares of non-voting common stock were converted to voting common stock. The Company did not receive any of the proceeds of this offering.

 

The following table shows the components of the Company’s stockholders’ equity as of and for the six months ended June 30, 2013:

 

                   

Accumulated

                         
                   

Other

           

Non-

   

Total

 
   

Common Stock

   

Comprehensive

   

Retained

   

Controlling

   

Stockholders'

 

(In thousands)

 

Voting

   

Non-Voting

   

Loss

   

Earnings

   

Interest

   

Equity

 

Balance at December 31, 2012

  $ 133,000     $ -     $ (987 )   $ 154,936     $ 42     $ 286,991  

Net income (loss)

    -       -       -       6,820       (354 )     6,466  

Balance at June 30, 2013

  $ 133,000     $ -     $ (987 )   $ 161,756     $ (312 )   $ 293,457  

 

 

Note 9: Other

 

In May of 2014, the Company sold its KRON-TV building in San Francisco to a third party for $24.5 million of net cash proceeds. The Company has leased the space back from the third party through December 31, 2014, with no rental payments required. The Company is required to defer the gain on the sale until the end of the lease term. The Company anticipates recording a gain in the range of $10 million in the fourth quarter. The Company has entered into a sublease for studio and office space in San Francisco and expects to physically move its television operations to the new location in the fourth quarter of 2014.

 

 
16

 

 

In April of 2014, the Company adopted a plan to restructure certain corporate and shared service operations intended to save $10 million in operating costs annually. The Company recorded severance expense of $4.5 million in the second quarter and expects to record a total of $0.7 million and $0.2 million of accelerated performance-accelerated restricted stock and stock option expense, respectively, in 2014 to implement the plan. Accrued severance costs are included in the “Accrued expenses and other liabilities” line item on the consolidated condensed balance sheet. Following severance payments of $0.7 million, the remaining severance liability related to the corporate restructuring was approximately $3.8 million as of June 30, 3014.

 

In the second quarter of 2014, the Company wrote off the value of certain broadcast equipment and other assets that will no longer be utilized as planned and cannot be recovered through sale which resulted in a loss of $1 million, reflected in the “Loss (gain) related to property and equipment, net” line on the statements of comprehensive income for the three months ended June 30, 2014. In March of 2014, the Company received just under $1 million of insurance proceeds as settlement for a damaged antenna used by the Company’s television station in Richmond, Virginia. In the first quarter of 2014, the Company wrote down the value of certain held-for-sale real property in Florence, South Carolina, to its estimated fair value less costs to sell of $0.2 million; the Company recorded a loss of $0.2 million. These items resulted in a combined loss of $0.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2014.

 

 
17

 

 

Item 2.     Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

OVERVIEW

 

Media General, Inc. is a leading local television broadcasting and digital media company, providing top-rated news, information and entertainment in strong markets across the U.S. The Company owns or operates 31 network-affiliated broadcast television stations (12 with CBS, nine with NBC, seven with ABC, one with FOX, one with CW and one with MyNetworkTV) and their associated digital media and mobile platforms, in 28 markets. These stations reach approximately 16.5 million, or approximately 14%, of U.S. TV households. Sixteen of the 31 stations are located in the top 75 designated market areas. Media General first entered the local television business in 1955 when it launched WFLA in Tampa, Florida as an NBC affiliate. The Company subsequently expanded its station portfolio through acquisition.

 

In November of 2013, Media General, Inc. (“Legacy Media General”) and New Young Broadcasting Holding Co., Inc. (“Young”) merged, combining Legacy Media General’s 18 stations and Young’s 13 stations.  Although Legacy Media General was the legal acquirer, the transaction was accounted for as a reverse merger whereby Young acquired Legacy Media General for accounting purposes only. As a result, the financial statements reflect only Young’s historical results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013.

 

In March of 2014, the Company entered into a merger agreement with LIN Media LLC (“LIN”). On a combined basis, Media General and LIN currently own or operate a total of 74 stations across 46 markets, reaching approximately 26.5 million, or approximately 23%, of U.S. TV households. As described in Note 2 of Item 1, the Company will be required to swap or otherwise divest of certain of these stations in order to address regulatory considerations. The new combined company will be well diversified across broadcast networks and geographic footprint and will have strong news and digital operations. Its increased size will create significant operating synergies including opportunities to obtain incremental revenues and more favorable syndicated programming arrangements. Moreover, the new entity will have a strong balance sheet and significant free cash flow. As discussed further in the Liquidity and Capital Resources section below, the Company has secured a commitment for long-term financing which is expected to reduce the effective interest rate for the combined company, based on current interest rates. As set forth in the merger agreement, the closing of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of a number of conditions including, but not limited to, the approval of various matters relating to the transaction by Media General and LIN shareholders, the approval of the Federal Communications Commission, clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and certain third party consents. Media General and LIN will convene special shareholder meetings on August 20, 2014, to vote on the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in early 2015.

 

 

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

As discussed earlier, results of operations for 2013 include only the results of Young while the results of operations for 2014 are reflective of both Legacy Media General and Young (the “Combined Company”).

 

The Company recorded net income attributable to Media General of $6.8 million and $12.2 million ($0.08 and $0.14 per diluted share) in the second quarter and first six months of 2014, compared to $3.7 million and $6.8 million ($0.06 and $0.11 per diluted share) in the equivalent periods of 2013. Net income attributable to Media General for the second quarter of both 2014 and 2013, included over $4 million of investment banking, legal, accounting and other professional fees and expenses related to the pending merger with LIN (reflected in the current-year expense) and the Legacy Media General merger (reflected in both years), a significant portion of which are not deductible for tax purposes. The first six months of 2014 and 2013 included merger-related expenses of $9.6 million and $4.4 million, respectively. The Company’s 2014 results included several operating costs that were essentially absent in the prior year, including $4.5 million of severance expense in the second quarter and first half of the current year. Additionally, the Company recorded a loss of $1 million (due to the write off of certain equipment and other assets that cannot be utilized or recovered through sale) in the second quarter and a loss of $0.2 million in the year-to-date period of 2014.

 

 
18

 

  

REVENUES

 

The following chart provides a comparison of the Company’s major revenue categories, as reported on the statement of comprehensive income, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, and 2013. The revenues generated in 2014 represent the Combined Company’s 31 stations during the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, as compared to the 2013 revenues which are comprised exclusively of Young’s 13 stations.

 

   

Three Months Ended

           

Six Months Ended

         
   

June 30,

   

June 30,

    Percent    

June 30,

   

June 30,

    Percent  

(In thousands)

 

2014

   

2013

   

Change

   

2014

   

2013

   

Change

 

Local (gross)

  $ 81,140     $ 33,593       142 %   $ 157,518     $ 64,106       146 %

National (gross)

    35,041       15,540       125 %     69,156       28,454       143 %

Political (gross)

    9,339       446       NM       13,774       818       NM  

Retransmission (gross)

    35,004       10,146       245 %     68,965       19,484       254 %

Digital (gross)

    6,519       2,021       223 %     11,921       3,662       226 %

Barter and other revenue (gross)

    6,767       2,015       236 %     14,465       4,521       220 %
                                                 

Agency commissions

    (19,699 )     (7,979 )     147 %     (37,770 )     (15,218 )     148 %
                                                 

Net operating revenue

  $ 154,111     $ 55,782       176 %   $ 298,029     $ 105,827       182 %

 

NM = Not Meaningful

 

 

Non-GAAP Revenue Comparison

 

To allow for meaningful investor assessment of comparable period-over-period results, the following chart presents the non-GAAP adjusted net operating revenue for the Combined Company’s 31 stations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013. These Combined Company revenues were derived by adding Legacy Media General’s revenues for the second quarter and first half of 2013, to the revenues reported above (which consist exclusively of Young’s stations) during those equivalent 2013 periods. The Company provides these non-GAAP financial results for the Combined Company because it believes these metrics will better allow investors, financial analysts and others to evaluate year-over-year changes in the financial results of the Company’s existing-station structure. Legacy Media General contributes more than half of the television stations and revenues of the Combined Company and has a significant impact on comparisons as indicated by the preceding and following charts.

 

 
19

 

 

   

Three Months Ended

           

Six Months Ended

         
   

June 30,

   

June 30,

    Percent    

June 30,

   

June 30,

    Percent  

(In thousands)

 

2014

   

2013

   

Change

   

2014

   

2013

   

Change

 

Local (gross)

  $ 81,140     $ 79,698       1.8 %   $ 157,518     $ 151,825       3.7 %

National (gross)

    35,041       40,245       -12.9 %     69,156       73,768       -6.3 %

Political (gross)

    9,339       1,485       528.9 %     13,774       2,364       482.7 %

Retransmission (gross)

    35,004       23,474       49.1 %     68,965       46,314       48.9 %

Digital (gross)

    6,519       4,908       32.8 %     11,921       8,971       32.9 %

Barter and other revenue (gross)

    6,767       7,402       -8.6 %     14,465       15,086       -4.1 %
                                                 

Agency commissions

    (19,699 )     (19,410 )     1.5 %     (37,770 )     (36,542 )     3.4 %
                                                 

Net operating revenue, as adjusted

  $ 154,111     $ 137,802       11.8 %   $ 298,029     $ 261,786       13.8 %

 

 

Net operating revenue for the Combined Company was up 12% and 14% in the second quarter and first half of 2014 as compared to the prior-year equivalent periods due primarily to strong growth in Retransmission, Political and Digital revenues. Local and National advertising experienced the carry-over benefit from the first quarter Winter Olympics in Sochi in their year-to-date results. The Combined Company’s aggregate Winter Olympics revenue was $11.6 million in the first quarter of 2014 (a nearly 50% increase in combined company Winter Olympics revenue from 2010). Despite this influx of revenue, National revenue was down 6.3% in the year-to-date period due primarily to weakness in the retail and financial categories; National was down approximately 13% in the second quarter as most of the major categories produced revenues below their 2013 second-quarter level. Local revenues rose approximately 2% and 4% in the second quarter and first half of 2014 due in part to the solid performance in the telecom category; growth in the home improvement category contributed to the quarterly improvement and stellar automotive advertising augmented the year-to-date increase. Political revenue for the Combined Company was up more than five fold in the second quarter due to competitive gubernatorial and Senate races in several states, as well as strong issue spending. Political revenue was up nearly five times the prior-year level in the first half of 2014 bolstered by a competitive race in Florida’s 13th congressional district in the first quarter. Retransmission and digital revenue continued their strong growth, increasing approximately 49% and 33%, respectively, in both the second quarter and first half of 2014.

 

 

OPERATING COSTS

 

Operating costs as reported on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income increased $84.5 million and $166.2 million in the second quarter and first six months of 2014 from the prior-year equivalent periods due overwhelmingly to the addition of Legacy Media General’s operating costs in the current year, severance expense at the corporate level and merger-related costs (particularly in the year-to-date period) as previously described. Corporate and other expenses were higher in both the second quarter and first half of 2014 due to the presence of Legacy Media General’s corporate infrastructure. The increase was mitigated by the absence of certain Young corporate expenses and modest net periodic income relating to Legacy Media General’s retirement and postretirement plans. Depreciation and amortization expense was up approximately two and a half times over the prior year’s second quarter and first six months. The increase reflects the presence of the Legacy Media General assets including $214 million of definite-lived intangible assets and $183 million of property and equipment recorded at fair value in purchase accounting.

 

 
20

 

 

On a Combined Company basis, operating costs increased $7.4 million (6%) and $20.9 million (9%) in the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, as compared to those similar periods in 2013, due in large part to severance expense at the corporate level and increased depreciation and amortization, partially offset by lower corporate and other expenses and merger-related costs. Additionally, higher Retransmission revenues resulted in additional fees for reverse compensation paid to networks. Station expenses were also higher due to merit increases and a moderate rise in benefit costs.

 

 

INTEREST EXPENSE

 

Interest expense in the second quarter and first half of 2014 increased by $7.5 million and $15.4 million, respectively, from the corresponding periods of 2013 due to the assumption of Legacy Media General’s debt. However, the Company’s effective interest rate decreased in both periods of 2014 due to the November 2013 refinancing described in the Liquidity and Capital Resources section below. The Company’s effective interest rate dropped from 5.1% in the second quarter and 5.3% in the first half of 2013 (both based on approximately $162 million of average outstanding debt) to 4.4% in both equivalent periods of 2014 (based on average debt outstanding of $870 million and $893 million, respectively).

 

In the first half of 2014, the Company repaid $64 million of principal on the Media General term loan (and $1.2 million on the Shield loans). The Company far exceeded its quarterly requirement of making $2.8 million of aggregate principal payments in both the first and second quarter of 2014.

 

 

INCOME TAXES

 

The effective tax rate was 44.5% and 43.7% in the second quarter of 2014 and 2013, respectively, and 42.7% and 40.9% in the first half of the current and prior year. The increase was due primarily to merger-related expenses, a significant portion of which will not be deductible for tax purposes.  The tax expense in both years was predominantly non-cash due to the Company’s interim net loss for tax purposes and significant net operating loss carryover.  Current tax expense was approximately $0.2 million in the second quarter of each year and was approximately $0.3 million and $0.4 million in the first six months of 2014 and 2013, respectively; it was attributable to state income taxes.

 

 

OTHER

 

The Company has certain plans in place, primarily the Directors’ Deferred Compensation Plan, the Supplemental 401(k) Plan and certain executive retention arrangements, which are designed to align the interests of the participants with those of the shareholders. The Directors’ Deferred Compensation Plan was amended in April 2014 so that future awards will only be payable in shares of common stock. Additionally, existing directors waived their right to receive cash for past awards. This eliminated variable accounting for awards under the Directors’ Deferred Compensation Plan.

 

The Company also maintains a Deferred Compensation Plan for certain employees. Unlike a 401(k) plan, this obligation resides with the Company, and earnings are credited to each participant’s account based on the performance of participant-directed hypothetical equity and bond funds rather than actual investment activity. Historically, the Company directed investments associated with its company-owned life insurance policies to mirror investments used to determine the liability under the Deferred Compensation Plan. However, when amounts are borrowed under the company-owned life insurance policies, the Company is exposed to the market volatility related to its Deferred Compensation Plan liability. A 10% change in the value of the investments used to determine the Deferred Compensation Plan liability as of quarter-end would have raised or lowered the liability and corporate and other expenses by approximately $0.5 million.

 

 
21

 

 

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

 

The Company’s primary source of liquidity is its cash flow from operations, but it also has access to a $60 million revolving credit facility and cash on its balance sheet. The Company had a $60 million revolving credit agreement (with no outstanding balance) and $18 million of cash on its balance sheet as of June 30, 2014. The Legacy Media General merger transaction has enhanced the Company’s ability to generate cash, particularly in even-numbered years when Political and Olympic revenues are most prominent.

 

The Company generated $2.8 million of cash from operating activities in the first half of 2014 as improvements in operating performance were largely offset by $47 million of contributions the Company made to its retirement plans, the majority of which occurred in the first quarter of 2014. The Company generated $16.3 million of cash from operating activities in the year-ago period.

 

The Company generated cash from its investing activities of $9.9 million during the first six months of 2014. Capital expenditures of $8.4 million and an $8.3 million deposit related to the pending acquisition of WHTM in Harrisburg were more than offset by net cash proceeds of $24.5 million from the sale of the Company’s KRON studio and office building in San Francisco. Concurrently with the sale of that building, the Company leased the space back from the third party through the end of the year with no rental payments required. The Company is required to defer the gain on this sale until the end of the lease term. The Company anticipates recording a gain in the range of $10 million upon lease termination. The Company used cash of $14.3 million to acquire the assets of WLAJ in the first quarter of 2013 and spent $5.9 million on capital projects in the first half of 2013.

 

The $66 million of cash used by financing activities in the six months ended June 30, 2014, primarily resulted from principal payments of $64 million on the Media General term loan and $1.2 million on the Shield Media term loans. In the year-ago period, the Company borrowed $10 million to finance the WLAJ acquisition (and spent $0.3 million on debt issuance costs associated with the financing) and repaid $8.6 million on its senior credit facility. These transactions combined to yield net cash flow from financing activities of $1 million in the first half of 2013.

 

 

Debt Agreements

 

At June 30, 2014, the Company had the following debt facilities (presented with maturity dates). All of this debt arose as part of a refinancing consummated immediately following the Legacy Media General merger on November 12, 2013.

 

Media General Term Loan (7/31/2020)

$821 million

LIBOR + 3.25% with a 1% LIBOR floor

     

Media General Revolver (7/31/2018)

$60 million available

LIBOR + 2.75%; 0.5% commitment fee

 

None drawn

 
     

Shield Media Term Loans (7/31/2018)

$30.8 million

LIBOR + 3.25%

 

The loans described above were used to repay all debt outstanding for both Legacy Media General and Young at the time of the merger. Additionally, the Company used the funds to pay accrued interest on the loans, fees related to the debt being issued, fees related to the transaction and for pension plan contributions in December 2013 and January 2014. As the loans that were repaid were at much higher interest rates, the Company’s annual cash interest commitment was reduced by approximately $36 million based on rates in effect at the time of the transactions.

 

 
22

 

 

Because the Company repaid $64 million of principal on the Media General term loan in the first half of 2014 (all of which can be applied to future required amortization), the current portion of long-term debt represents principal payments of $2.4 million on the Shield Media term loans that are due in the coming year. The Media General loans are guaranteed by its subsidiaries, and the Company has pledged substantially all of its assets as collateral for the loans. The Shield Media loans are guaranteed by the Company, and the Company has pledged substantially all of its assets as collateral for the loans, on a pari passu basis with the Media General credit agreement.

 

The Media General loans contain a leverage ratio covenant, which involves debt levels and a rolling eight-quarter calculation of EBITDA, as defined in the agreement. At June 30, 2014, the ratio was 4.21X compared to a maximum allowable ratio of 5.50X. Additionally, the agreement has restrictions on certain transactions including the incurrence of additional debt, capital leases, investments, additional acquisitions, asset sales and restricted payments (including dividends and share repurchases) as defined in the agreement.

 

The Shield Media loans have a fixed charge coverage ratio (a ratio of fixed charges (interest, debt payments, capital expenditures and taxes) to EBITDA, calculated on a rolling eight-quarter basis, as defined in the agreement). At June 30, 2014, the ratio was 3.12X compared to a minimum allowable ratio of 1.00X. The Company expects the fixed charge coverage ratio will decline each quarter through the fourth quarter of 2015 when a full eight quarters of interest and principal payments will be reflected in the calculation. The agreement also has restrictions on transactions similar in nature to those in the new Media General credit agreement, but scaled to Shield Media’s smaller size. Additionally, the agreement has more specific covenants regarding the operation of the Shield Media business and requires that each Shield Media holding company that controls a Shield Media station limit its activities to the performance of its obligations under the Shield Media credit documents, and activities incidental thereto, including owning a Shield Media station and the performance of its obligations under and activities related to the shared services agreement. Both the Media General and Shield Media credit agreements contain cross-default provisions.

 

In April of 2014, the Company entered into an amendment to its credit agreement. The terms of the amendment will become effective upon the successful completion of the merger with LIN. The amendment permits the Company to obtain additional financing consistent with a commitment letter from RBC (amended and restated in April 2014). The commitment letter provides for an aggregate $1.6 billion senior secured credit facility, consisting of an incremental $90 million revolving credit facility and incremental term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $1.5 billion, the proceeds of which will be used to pay the cash consideration in the LIN merger, fees and expenses in connection with the merger and to refinance certain existing indebtedness of LIN. In addition to permitting the incremental financing, the amendment to the credit agreement modifies the leverage ratio covenant requirements as well certain other covenants and transaction restrictions, as defined in the agreement. The Company paid a $1.3 million non-refundable amendment fee to the participating lenders in April of 2014. In August of 2014, the Company initiated a process for an incremental term loan of $75 million to facilitate the acquisition of WHTM.

 

 

OUTLOOK

 

The combination of Legacy Media General and Young has created benefits and opportunities that translated into a strong operating performance in the second quarter and first half of 2014. The merger has achieved financing synergies and facilitated increased cash flow generation which enabled the Company to pay down debt significantly ahead of schedule and contribute approximately $50 million (including $5 million contributed in the fourth quarter of 2013) to Legacy Media General’s retirement plan. The Company’s leverage is now among the lowest in the industry. The Company also reaped benefits from the Winter Olympics on its NBC stations and March Madness on its CBS stations and looks forward to strong spending in political races across the country. The Company operates in the battleground states of Iowa, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. The Company expects to benefit from contested Senate races in eight states, from contested gubernatorial races in seven states and from a number of contested races for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

 

 
23

 

 

The 2013 merger with Young has also allowed Media General to become an acquirer in the ongoing consolidation of the broadcast television industry. At the end of the second quarter, the Company entered into an agreement with the Sinclair Television Group to purchase WHTM, a station in the capital-city market of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Additionally, the announced combination of Media General and LIN will more than double the size of the Company and create the second largest pure-play local television company in the United States based on 2012/2013 average Adjusted EBITDA. After the merger with LIN, the new Media General will have a strong balance sheet and the ability to generate stronger cash flows than either company could achieve on its own. The Company has a financing commitment in place which it anticipates will lower the effective interest rate for the new Media General. The merger with LIN is expected to be completed in early 2015, subject to regulatory approvals, the approval of both companies’ shareholders and other customary closing conditions.

 

Non-GAAP Financial Metrics

 

As described previously on pages 19 and 20, the Company has presented net operating revenues, as adjusted, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013.  Additionally, the Company has discussed operating costs, as adjusted for those equivalent periods on page 21. A reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial metrics to net operating revenue and total operating costs as reported on the consolidated statements of operations is provided below. The purpose of the Adjustments column is to include Legacy Media General revenues and expenses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013.

 

   

Three Months Ended June 30, 2013

   

Six Months Ended June 30, 2013

 

(In thousands)

 

As Reported

   

Adjustments

   

As Adjusted

   

As Reported

   

Adjustments

   

As Adjusted

 

Local (gross)

  $ 33,593     $ 46,105     $ 79,698     $ 64,106     $ 87,719     $ 151,825  

National (gross)

    15,540       24,705       40,245       28,454       45,314       73,768  

Political (gross)

    446       1,039       1,485       818       1,546       2,364  

Retransmission (gross)

    10,146       13,328       23,474       19,484       26,830       46,314  

Digital (gross)

    2,021       2,887       4,908       3,662       5,309       8,971  

Barter and other revenue (gross)

    2,015       5,387       7,402       4,521       10,565       15,086  
                                                 

Agency commissions

    (7,979 )     (11,431 )     (19,410 )     (15,218 )     (21,324 )     (36,542 )
                                                 

Net operating revenue, as adjusted

  $ 55,782     $ 82,020     $ 137,802     $ 105,827     $ 155,959     $ 261,786  

 

 
24

 

 

   

Three Months Ended June 30, 2013

   

Six Months Ended June 30, 2013

 

(In thousands)

 

As Reported

   

Adjustments

   

As Adjusted

   

As Reported

   

Adjustments

   

As Adjusted

 

Operating costs:

                                               

Operating expenses, excluding depreciation expense

  $ 19,575     $ 28,608     $ 48,183     $ 38,787     $ 57,949     $ 96,736  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

    14,283       23,208       37,491       28,747       45,755       74,502  

Amortization of program license rights

    2,527       2,804       5,331       4,982       5,466       10,448  

Corporate and other expenses

    2,220       9,086       11,306       4,581       16,817       21,398  

Depreciation and amortization

    4,644       6,077       10,721       9,135       12,039       21,174  

Loss (gain) related to property and equipment, net

    (43 )     111       68       (43 )     68       25  

Merger-related expenses

    4,387       7,171       11,558       4,387       7,171       11,558  

Corporate severance expense

    4       (2 )     2       4       (29 )     (25 )

Total operating costs, as adjusted

  $ 47,597     $ 77,063     $ 124,660     $ 90,580     $ 145,236     $ 235,816  

 

* * * * * * * *

 

Certain statements in this quarterly report that are not historical facts are “forward-looking” statements, as that term is defined by the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include statements related to accounting estimates and assumptions, expectations regarding the pending merger and acquisition, regulatory approvals and approval by shareholders, interest rates, the impact of technological advances including consumer acceptance of mobile television and expectations regarding the effects of retransmission fees, network affiliate fees, pension and postretirement plans, capital spending, general advertising levels and political advertising levels, the effects of changes to FCC regulations and FCC approval of license applications. Forward-looking statements, including those which use words such as the Company “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates,” “intends,” “projects,” “plans,” “may” and similar words, including “outlook”, are made as of the date of this filing and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. The reader should understand that it is not possible to foresee or identify all risk factors. Consequently, any such list should not be considered a complete statement of all potential risks or uncertainties.

 

Various important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s forward looking statements, estimates or projections including, without limitation:  failure to complete the merger transaction, the economic climate for debt refinancing, regulatory approvals, changes in advertising demand, changes to pending accounting standards, changes in consumer preferences for programming and delivery method, changes in relationships with broadcast networks, changes in relationships with cable and satellite providers, the performance of pension plan assets, health care cost trends, regulatory rulings including those related to ERISA and income tax law, natural disasters, the effects of retransmission agreements and integration efforts on the Company’s results of operations and its financial condition. Actual results may differ materially from those suggested by forward-looking statements for a number of reasons including those described in Item 1A “Risk Factors” of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

 

 
25

 

 

Item 3.          Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk.

 

The Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, provides disclosures about market risk. As of June 30, 2014, there have been no material changes in the Company’s market risk from December 31, 2013.

 

 

Item 4.          Controls and Procedures

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

The Company’s management, including the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, performed an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of June 30, 2014. Based on that evaluation, the Company’s management, including the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of June 30, 2014.

 

Change in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

 

The merger of Legacy Media General and Young was completed on November 12, 2013, and represented a change in internal control over financial reporting. The Company is in the process of evaluating and adapting its existing controls and procedures as part of its ongoing integration activities following the merger transaction. The Company began reporting from one accounting system in the first quarter of 2014.

 

 
26

 

 

PART II.     OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 2.          Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

 

The following table provides information with respect to shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligations upon the release of restrictions on Performance Accelerated Restricted Stock awarded under the Company’s Long-Term Incentive Plan during the three months ended June 30, 2014:

 

Date

 

Total Number of

Shares Purchased

   

Average Price Per

Share

 

June 30

    2,814     $ 20.53  

 

 

Item 6.          Exhibits

  

(a)

Exhibits

     
 

10

Media General, Inc., Directors’ Deferred Compensation Plan, amended and restated as of April 30, 2014

     
 

10.1

Form of Deferred Stock Unit Agreement under the Media General Inc., 1995 Long-Term Incentive Plan

     
 

10.2

Media General, Inc., Supplemental 401(k) Plan, amended and restated as of July 1, 2014

     
 

10.3

Asset Purchase Agreement for the Sale of Television Station WHTM-TV by and among Sinclair Television Group, Inc. and Media General Operations, Inc.

     
 

31.1

Section 302 Chief Executive Officer Certification

     
 

31.2

Section 302 Chief Financial Officer Certification

     
  32     

Section 906 Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Certification

 

 

 

101

The following financial information from the Media General, Inc. Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014, formatted in XBRL includes: (i) Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets at June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, (ii) Consolidated Condensed Statements of Comprehensive Income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2013, (iii) Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows for the six months ended June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2013, and (iv) the Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements.

 

 
27

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

 

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.

 

 

 

MEDIA GENERAL, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE:     August 8, 2014  

/s/ George L. Mahoney

 

 

George L. Mahoney

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE:     August 8, 2014  

/s/ James F. Woodward  

 

 

James F. Woodward

 

 

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer  


28


ex10.htm

Exhibit 10

 

MEDIA GENERAL, INC.

DIRECTORS’ DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN

 

Amended And Restated as of April 30, 2014

 

1.     Purpose. The purpose of the Media General, Inc. Directors’ Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) is to encourage and enable each member of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Media General, Inc. (the “Company”) who is not and has never been an employee of the Company (a “Director”) to increase his or her proprietary interest in the Company and to align his or her interests more closely with the shareholders of the Company through the receipt of Deferred Stock Units representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the annual compensation payable to each Director for his or her services to the Board.

 

2.     Definitions.

 

 

a)

“Act” shall mean The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

 

b)

“Annual Director’s Fee” shall mean the annual retainer fee paid quarterly by the Company to each Director, which fee may be modified from time to time, and which shall include all Director compensation, including attendance at Board and committee meetings. For any Director who shall have failed to attend at least 75 percent of the Board meetings in the prior fiscal year, the Annual Director’s Fee shall exclude the amount otherwise payable on the first Quarterly Payment Date.

 

 

c)

“Award Value” shall mean the average of the closing trading prices of a share of Common Stock on the exchange on which the Common Stock then is traded for the last ten trading days of the prior calendar year, as reported in The Wall Street Journal.

 

 

d)

“Beneficiary” shall mean that person or trust designated by a Director in writing to the Secretary of the Company to receive any benefits that may become due under this Plan following the death of such Director.

 

 

e)

“Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

 

f)

“Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee as appointed from time to time by the Board, and which shall consist of two or more “non-employee directors” as that term is defined in Rule 16b-3 of the Act.

 

 

g)

“Common Stock” shall mean the Voting Common Stock of the Company.

 

 

h)

“Deferred Stock Unit” shall mean a hypothetical share of Common Stock, and each Deferred Stock Unit credited to a DSU Account shall be deemed to have the same value, calculated from time to time, as a share of Common Stock.

  

 
 

 

 

 

i)

“Dividend Account” shall mean the book entry account established and maintained for each Director to record the conversion of Dividend Equivalents into Deferred Stock Units in accordance with Section 5 of the Plan.

 

 

j)

“Dividend Equivalents” shall mean an amount of hypothetical cash dividends on Common Stock upon which Deferred Stock Units are credited to a Dividend Account and which are determined by (i) multiplying the Company’s quarterly dividend per share by the number of Deferred Stock Units in a DSU Account as of the Record Date, and (ii) by dividing that amount by the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock as of the Dividend Payment Date.

 

 

k)

“Dividend Payment Date” shall mean that date upon which the Company’s quarterly dividends are payable.

 

 

l)

“DSU Account” shall mean the book entry account established and maintained solely to record and measure the future benefits to be distributed based upon the collective record of a Director’s Stock Unit Account and Dividend Account.

 

 

m)

“Effective Date” shall mean January 1, 1997.

 

 

n)

“Fair Market Value” shall mean the average of the closing trading prices, as reported in The Wall Street Journal of a share of Common Stock on the exchange on which the Common Stock then is traded for the ten trading days immediately preceding the date on which the determination of value is made.

 

 

o)

“Quarterly Payment Date” shall mean each of the four dates established by the Company for payment of the Annual Director’s Fee, and which shall be the dates on which Deferred Stock Units will be credited to the Stock Unit Account and the Dividend Account.

 

 

p)

“Record Date” shall mean the date upon which ownership of Common Stock entities such owner to receive quarterly dividends.

 

 

q)

“Retirement” shall mean the effective date of the termination of the services of a Director for any reason which also constitutes a “separation from service” with the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

 

 

r)

“Stock Unit Account” shall mean the book entry account established and maintained for each Director to record the Deferred Stock Units to be credited to a Director pursuant to Section 4 of the Plan.

 

3.     Administration. The Plan is an unfunded deferred compensation arrangement and shall be administered, interpreted and construed by the Committee, provided that the Secretary of the Company shall be authorized to take such ministerial actions as may be necessary to effectuate the instructions of the Committee and the Plan. All elections permitted or required under the Plan will be made by filing a written notice thereof with the Secretary of the Company.

  

 
 

 

 

4.     Deferrals; Further Elections. A minimum of fifty percent (50%) of each Director’s Annual Director’s Fee shall be paid by the Company in Deferred Stock Units. Each Director annually may elect to defer the balance of his or her Annual Director’s Fee in Deferred Stock Units for the following year by filing a written notice of such election with the Secretary of the Company not later than December 31 of the prior calendar year. With respect to the year of a Director’s election to the Board, the Director shall, with respect to the portion of the Annual Director’s Fee attributable to services for such year performed after the deferral election date, file any such deferral election promptly upon the commencement of services to the Board (but in no event later than 30 days thereafter). The amount of Deferred Stock Units to be credited to a Director’s Stock Unit Account shall be determined for each Quarterly Payment Date during the calendar year by dividing (a) the portion of the Annual Director’s Fee to be deferred in Deferred Stock Units by (b) the Award Value. Any portion of an Annual Director’s Fee to be paid in cash without deferral also shall be paid on the Quarterly Payment Date.

 

5.     Dividend Equivalent Award. Directors shall not be entitled to any rights of a holder of Common Stock by reason of DSU Accounts credited with Deferred Stock Units, except that Deferred Stock Units credited to Dividend Accounts shall be increased by Dividend Equivalents determined and credited as of each Dividend Payment Date.

 

6.     Settlement of Account Balance. The aggregate number of Deferred Stock Units credited to a Director’s DSU Account with respect to a particular year will be distributed according to such Director’s election, subject to Board or Committee approval as may be required by Rule 16b-3 under the Act, and which, to be effective, must be submitted in writing to the Secretary of the Company not later than December 31 of the calendar year prior to the year to which the services are performed (or, with respect to the year that a Director is elected to the Board, within 30 days after such Director’s commencement of services to the Board). In the absence of a timely election with respect to a particular year, a Director’s Deferred Stock Units with respect to such year will be settled in a single Common Stock distribution as of his or her Retirement date.

 

A Director may elect to have his or her Deferred Stock Units credited with respect to any particular year settled (i) in a single distribution of Common Stock as of his or her Retirement date or (ii) in annual installments of Common Stock over a period not to exceed ten years, in each case in accordance with the election procedures described above. Distributions with respect to Deferred Stock Units outstanding as of the date of this amendment and restatement shall be made in the form of Common Stock in accordance with the terms of this Section 6, subject to the consent of any Director that had previously elected to receive such distributions in cash; provided, that, the foregoing shall not change the schedule of distributions previously elected by the Director relating to such Deferred Stock Units.

 

 

a)

If the election is to receive a single distribution of Common Stock from a DSU Account, the number of shares of Common Stock to be distributed shall equal the number of Deferred Stock Units with respect to which distributions are being made on the Director’s Retirement date.

  

 
 

 

 

 

b)

If the election is to receive annual installments of Common Stock, the number of shares of Common Stock distributable over the installment period shall be determined annually as follows: (a) the number of Deferred Stock Units with respect to which such distribution is being made (such calculation to include increases in the Dividend Account by reason of Dividend Equivalents) shall be divided by (b) the number of installment payments remaining in the designated installment term (including the current installment payment date). Any fractional shares relating to such Deferred Stock Units shall be retained in the Director’s DSU Account until the date of the last installment payment, at which time any fractional shares shall be paid in cash based upon the closing price of the Common Stock on the trading day immediately preceding any such annual installment payment date, as the same is reported in The Wall Street Journal.

 

If a Director dies before Deferred Stock Units with respect to which an election to receive a distribution upon death in accordance with the procedures described herein has been made, the balance will be distributed to such Director’s Beneficiary in accordance with such election. If a Director dies without designating a Beneficiary, or if the designated Beneficiary predeceases the Director, such amount will be distributed to the executor or administrator of such Director’s estate, in the manner previously designated by the Director.

 

7.     Nonassignability and General Rights. Neither participation in, nor the right to receive any payments under, the Plan will give any Director or Beneficiary a proprietary interest in the Company or any of its assets. A Director or Beneficiary will for all purposes be deemed to be a general creditor of the Company and shall not have any security interest in, or lien against, any assets. The rights of a Director or Beneficiary under the Plan cannot be assigned or pledged and will not be subject to the claims of creditors of the Director or Beneficiary.

 

8.     Modification/Termination. The Board will have the right to modify this Plan from time to time, with shareholder approval to the extent required by Rule 16b-3, or to terminate the Plan entirely; provided, however, that no modification or termination of the Plan will operate to annul an election already in effect for the fiscal year in which such modification or termination is effective, or to adversely affect the rights of a Director or Beneficiary to receive distributions as provided herein.

 

9.     General Restrictions. The issuance of Common Stock or the delivery of certificates therefor to or for the benefit of Directors hereunder shall be subject to the requirement that, if the listing, registration or qualification of such shares upon any securities exchange or under any state or federal law, or the consent or approval of any governmental body, shall be necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, such issuance and delivery thereunder, such issuance or delivery shall not take place unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent or approval shall have been effected promptly and in a manner acceptable to the Company.

  

 
 

 

 

10.     Change in Capital Structure. In the event of any change in the Common Stock by reason of any stock dividend, spin-off, split, combination of shares, exchange of shares, warrants or rights offering to purchase Common Stock at a price below its fair market value, reclassification, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other change in capitalization, appropriate adjustment shall be made by the Committee in the number and kind of Deferred Stock Units subject to the Plan and any other relevant provisions of the Plan, whose determination shall be binding and conclusive on all persons.

 

11.     Governing Law. The Plan shall be construed and enforced pursuant to the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 

12.     Term. The Plan shall remain in effect until amended or terminated by action of the Board as provided herein.


ex10-1.htm

Exhibit 10.1

 

MEDIA GENERAL, INC.

 

1995 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

 

DEFERRED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

 

This DEFERRED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of [●], 2014 (the “Grant Date”), by and between Media General, Inc., a Virginia corporation (the “Parent”), and _______ (the “Grantee”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company maintains the Media General Inc. 1995 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Plan”) pursuant to which it may grant, among other things, Other Stock-Based Awards (as defined in the Plan); and

 

WHEREAS, in recognition of the Grantee’s service to the Company, the Company desires to grant deferred stock units to the Grantee as provided herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other valid consideration, the amount and sufficiency of which are acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.     Grant of Stock Units. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company hereby grants to the Grantee ________ deferred stock units (the “Stock Units”). Each Stock Unit represents the right of the Grantee to receive one share of voting common stock of the Company (the “Common Stock”) as set forth in Section 3 hereof. The Stock Units shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall govern. For the avoidance of doubt, the Stock Units shall be subject to adjustment pursuant to the terms of the Plan (including, without limitation, Section 9 thereof).

 

2.     Restrictions on Transfer. The Stock Units granted pursuant to this Agreement may not be sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of and may not be pledged or otherwise hypothecated.

 

3.     Vesting/Settlement. The Stock Units shall vest as follows: (i) fifty percent (50%) of the Stock Units shall vest on the second anniversary of the Grant Date and (ii) fifty percent (50%) of the Stock Units shall vest on the third anniversary of the Grant Date. The Company shall issue to Grantee (or, if applicable, the Grantee’s estate or personal representative) shares of Common Stock with respect to the Grantee’s vested Stock Units within thirty (30) days following the applicable vesting date. The Grantee shall not be deemed for any purpose to be the owner of any of the shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Stock Units unless and until (i) the Company shall have issued the Shares to the Grantee and (ii) the Grantee’s name shall have been entered as a holder of record on the books of the Company.

 

4.     Termination. The Stock Units shall continue to vest in accordance with the schedule set forth above following the Grantee’s termination of services with the Company for any reason.

  

 
 

 

 

5.     Miscellaneous.

 

(a)     Tax Withholding. The Company shall have the right to deduct from any amount payable under this Agreement any taxes or other amounts required by applicable law to be withheld. The Grantee agrees to indemnify the Company against any federal, state and local withholding taxes for which the Company may be liable in connection with the Grantee’s acquisition, ownership or disposition of any Common Stock.

 

(b)     Binding Effect & Adjustment. This Agreement shall be binding and conclusive upon each successor and assign of the Company. The Grantee’s obligations hereunder shall not be assignable to any other person or entity. All obligations imposed upon Grantee and all rights granted to Grantee and to the Company shall be binding upon Grantee's heirs and legal representatives.

 

(c)     Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a writing executed by each of the parties hereto.

 

(d)     Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia without regard to its conflict of laws rules. This Agreement shall also be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the terms of the Plan.

 

(e)     No Right to Continued Service. Nothing herein confers on the Grantee any rights with respect to the continuance of service with the Company as a member of the Board or otherwise, nor will it interfere with any right the Company would otherwise have to terminate the terms of the Grantee's service at any time.

 

(f)     Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is or becomes or is deemed invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any relevant jurisdiction, or would disqualify this Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan, it shall be stricken and the remainder of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(g)     Defined Terms. Any term used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meaning as in the Plan. Any conflict between this Agreement and the Plan will be resolved in favor of the Plan. Any disputes or questions of right or obligation which shall result from or relate to any interpretation of this Agreement shall be determined by the Committee. Any such determination shall be binding and conclusive upon the Grantee and any person or persons claiming through the Grantee as to any rights hereunder.

 

(h)     Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

[signature page follows]

  

 
 

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

 

 

 

MEDIA GENERAL, INC. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: 

 

 

 

 

Name: 

[Grantee] 

 

 

Title: 

 


ex10-2.htm

Exhibit 10.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEDIA GENERAL, INC.


SUPPLEMENTAL 401(k) PLAN

 

 

 


Amended and Restated as of
July 1, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

       
       
 

 

   Page

ARTICLE I

INTRODUCTION

1

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS

2

 

2.01

Administrator

2

 

2.02

Affiliated Company

2

 

2.03

Beneficiary

2

 

2.04

Board of Directors

2

 

2.05

Code

2

 

2.06

Company

2

 

2.07

Compensation

3

 

2.08

Effective Date

3

 

2.09

Eligible Employee

3

 

2.10

Employee

3

 

2.11

Employer

3

 

2.12

401(k) Plan

3

 

2.13

Investment Funds

4

 

2.14

Matching Contribution

4

 

2.15

Matching Contribution Account

4

 

2.16

Normal Retirement Date

4

 

2.17

Participant

4

 

2.18

Participating Employer

4

 

2.19

Plan

4

 

2.20

Plan Compensation

4

 

2.21

Plan Year

5

 

2.22

Separation from Service

5

 

2.23

Stock

5

 

2.24

Stock Fund

5

 

2.25

Supplemental Contribution

5

 

2.26

Supplemental Contribution Account

5

 

2.27

Trust

5

 

2.28

Trust Fund

6

 

2.29

Trustee

6

 

2.30

Valuation Date

6

ARTICLE III

ADMINISTRATION

7

 

3.01

Administrator

7

 

3.02

Powers of Administrator

7

 

3.03

Examination of Records

8

 

3.04

Nondiscriminatory Exercise of Authority

8

 

3.05

Reliance on Tables, etc.

8

 

3.06

Indemnification of Administrator and Trustee

8

  

 

 

 

 

3.07

Costs of Administration

8

 

3.08

Fiduciary Discretion

8

ARTICLE IV

PARTICIPATION

9

 

4.01

Participation

9

 

4.02

Compensation Reduction Election

9

 

4.03

Notice to Participants

9

ARTICLE V

DEFERRALS AND MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

11

 

5.01

Supplemental Contributions

11

 

5.02

Compensation Reduction Election Form

11

 

5.03

Matching Contributions

11

ARTICLE VI

TRUST FUNDS

13

 

6.01

Unfunded Plan

13

 

6.02

Appointment of Trustee

13

 

6.03

Investment Funds Within the Trust Fund

13

 

6.04

Acquisition of Stock

13

 

6.05

Investment of Contributions and Earnings

14

 

6.06

Protection of Trustee and Limitation of Liability

14

ARTICLE VII

PARTICIPANT ACCOUNTS

15

ARTICLE VIII

DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS

16

 

8.01

Payment of Accounts

16

 

8.02

Payments to Beneficiary

17

 

8.03

Beneficiary Designation

17

 

8.04

Benefits Non-Assignable

17

 

8.05

Claims Procedure

17

 

8.06

Anti-Acceleration

17

 

8.07

Special Election

18

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

19

 

9.01

Amendment

19

 

9.02

Liability Upon Termination of the Plan

19

ARTICLE X

MISCELLAENOUS

20

 

10.01

Governing Law

20

 

10.02

Notices and Elections

20

 

10.03

Binding Effect

20

 

10.04

Severability

20

 

10.05

Gender and Number

20

 

10.06

Titles and Captions

20

 

10.07

Omnibus Provisions

20

 

 
ii 

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

ARTICLE I


INTRODUCTION

 

The purpose of the Media General, Inc. Supplemental 401(k) Plan (the "Plan") is to provide supplemental retirement savings to the Eligible Employees under the Plan, through a program of compensation reduction deferrals (that are matched, in part, by employer contributions, in accordance with the terms of the Plan). This Plan is specifically designed to allow a select group of key executives, whose pay exceeds the compensation limit of section 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”) and whose elective deferral contributions to the MG Advantage 401(k) Plan are thereby limited under the provisions of the Code, to defer compensation under this Plan by means of compensation reductions (and otherwise receive the benefit of partial employer matching provided under the Plan).

 

The Plan is intended to be a plan that is unfunded and maintained by the Company for the purpose of providing deferred compensation for a select group of management or highly compensated employees as described in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), as amended.

 

Effective January 1, 2008, the Plan is amended to conform the written terms of the Plan to the requirements of Code section 409A. The Plan has been operated in good faith compliance with the requirements of Code section 409A for periods starting January 1, 2005, and through December 31, 2008. Effective January 1, 2008, the Plan is intended to comply with final regulations under Code section 409A. All questions concerning the Plan should be interpreted in light of the Company’s intention to conform to the applicable requirements of ERISA and Code section 409A.

 

Effective January 1, 2011, the Plan is amended and restated to reflect changes in the Plan’s matching contribution formula effective April 1, 2009, and January 1, 2011. Effective January 1, 2014 and July 1, 2014, the Plan is amended and restated to reflect additional changes to the Plan’s matching contribution formula.

 

 
 

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

ARTICLE II

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Wherever used herein, the following terms have the following meanings (unless a different meaning is clearly required by the context):

 

2.01      Administrator

 

Administrator means the Company or other person, entity or committee appointed to administer the Plan, in accordance with Article III.

 

2.02     Affiliated Company

 

Affiliated Company means (a) any corporation (other than the Company) that is a member of a controlled group of corporations (as defined in Code section 414(b)) with the Company, (b) any trade or business (other than the Company), whether or not incorporated, that is under common control (as defined in Code section 414(c)) with the Company, and (c) any trade or business (other than the Company) that is a member of an affiliated service group (as defined in Code section 414(m)) of which the Company is also a member, provided that, the term "Affiliated Company" shall not include any corporation or unincorporated trade or business prior to the date on which such corporation, trade or business satisfies the affiliation or control tests of (a), (b) or (c) above.

 

2.03     Beneficiary

 

Beneficiary means the person or persons entitled under Article VIII to receive benefits under the Plan upon the death of the Participant.

 

2.04     Board of Directors

 

Board of Directors means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

2.05     Code

 

Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. Reference to any section or subsection of the Code includes references to any comparable or succeeding provisions of any legislation that amends, supplements, or replaces such section or subsection.

 

2.06     Company

 

Company means Media General, Inc., a Virginia corporation, and any successor to all or a major portion of its assets or business that assumes the obligations of the Company.

  

 
2

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

2.07     Compensation

 

Compensation means compensation as defined under the 401(k) Plan, without regard to any reduction in compensation by reason of any compensation reduction agreement in effect between a Participant and a Participating Employer (and without any limitations otherwise imposed under the Code). Otherwise, as to compensation for Plan purposes, see "Plan Compensation" below.

 

2.08     Effective Date

 

Effective Date means August 1, 1987. The Plan was amended and restated, effective November 17, 1994, April 29, 2004, January 1, 2008 and January 1, 2011. The most recent amendment and restatement is effective January 1, 2014.

 

2.09     Eligible Employee

 

Eligible Employee means:

 

  (a) an Employee of the Company or a Participating Employer;
     

 

(b)

whose Compensation (base annual salary and target bonus) exceed the compensation dollar limit imposed under Code section 401(a)(17) each year; and

 

 

(c)

who otherwise is selected by the Company to participate in this Plan in accordance with the provisions of the Plan (and who has not thereafter become ineligible to participate).

 

2.10     Employee

 

Employee means any person who is employed by an Employer, but excludes any person who is employed as an independent contractor.

 

2.11     Employer

 

Employer means the Company and any Participating Employer that shall adopt this Plan. When used in the Plan, the term "Employer" shall refer to the specific Employer of the Employee(s) or Participant(s) under consideration, rather than to all of the Employers in the aggregate, unless the context requires otherwise.

 

2.12     401(k) Plan

 

401(k) Plan means the MG Advantage 401(k) Plan.

  

 
3

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

2.13     Investment Funds

 

Investment Funds means the hypothetical investments of a Participant’s Account made in accordance with the Participant’s investment direction pursuant to Section 6.05. The Investment Funds shall be selected by the Administrator and may be changed from time to time.

 

2.14     Matching Contribution

 

Matching Contribution means, in the case of any Participant, any unfunded matching contribution allocation made for the benefit of the Participant by a Participating Employer under Section 5.03.

 

2.15     Matching Contribution Account

 

Matching Contribution Account means, for any Participant, the unfunded Plan recordkeeping account described in Section 7.01 to which Matching Contributions for the Participant's benefit (and earnings attributable thereto) are credited under the Plan.

 

2.16     Normal Retirement Date

 

Normal Retirement Date means the date on which the Participant attains age 65 (the "Normal Retirement Age").

 

2.17     Participant

 

Participant means each Eligible Employee who participates in the Plan, in accordance with Article IV hereof.

 

2.18     Participating Employer

 

Participating Employer means the Company and any Affiliated Company that has adopted the Plan with the approval of the Company's Board of Directors.

 

2.19     Plan

 

Plan means the Media General, Inc. Supplemental 401(k) Plan as set forth herein, together with any and all amendments and supplements hereto.

 

2.20     Plan Compensation

 

Plan Compensation means the excess (if any) of:

 

(a)     the Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year, as defined above and under the 401(k) Plan, without regard to any reduction in compensation by reason of any compensation reduction agreement in effect between a Participant and a Participating Employer (and without any limitation otherwise imposed under the Code); over

  

 
4

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

(b)     the annual tax-qualified plan compensation limitation set forth under Code section 401(a)(17), as adjusted for that Plan Year.

 

2.21     Plan Year

 

Plan Year means the calendar year.

 

2.22     Separation from Service

 

Separation from Service means either: (i) the complete cessation of the performance of services by the Participant for the Company for whatever reason, or (ii) a diminished level of services where the Participant is expected to perform services at a level equal to 20% or less of the average level of service provided during the immediately preceding 36 months.

 

2.23     Stock

 

Stock means the Class A common stock of the Company.

 

2.24     Stock Fund

Stock Fund means the investment fund holding Stock and cash.

 

2.25     Supplemental Contribution

 

Supplemental Contribution means, in the case of any Participant, that portion of a Participant's Plan Compensation that is deferred under the Plan in accordance with Article V hereof.

 

2.26     Supplemental Contribution Account

 

Supplemental Contribution Account means, for any Participant, the unfunded Plan recordkeeping account described in Section 7.01 to which Supplemental Contributions for the Participant's benefit (and earnings attributable thereto) are credited under the Plan.

 

2.27     Trust

 

Trust means the trust of trusts, if any, that may be established between the Company and a Trustee for the convenience of the Company, in connection with the Company's maintenance and operation of the Plan. All assets of any such trust shall be held solely for the benefit of, the Company; or, otherwise, shall be held in trust subject to the claims of the Company's creditors. The Plan shall remain solely an unfunded promise of the Company to pay benefits to Plan participants.

  

 
5

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

2.28     Trust Fund

 

Trust Fund means any property held in trust by the Trustee for the benefit of the Company (or held in trust, subject to the claims of the Company's creditors).

 

2.29     Trustee

 

Trustee means any person or persons appointed as Trustee pursuant to Section 6.02, any successor trustee or trustees, and any additional trustee or trustees.

 

2.30     Valuation Date

 

Valuation Date means, except as provided in Section 9.02 or unless the Plan Administrator determines otherwise, each business day of each Plan Year after the Effective Date.

 

 
6

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

ARTICLE III

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

3.01     Administrator

 

The Plan will be administered by the Company or by any person, entity or committee appointed from time to time by the Board of Directors to serve at its pleasure. A Participant may be appointed to serve as Administrator at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Except as may be directed by the Company, no person serving as Administrator will receive any compensation for his services as Administrator. The Company shall provide the Trustee with a written certification stating the name or names of the Administrator (or the designated persons authorized to direct the Trustee on behalf of the Administrator). The Trustee shall be entitled to rely upon such certification as to the identity of the Administrator (and any designated authorized persons) until the Company otherwise notifies the Trustee.

 

3.02     Powers of Administrator

 

The Administrator will have full and exclusive power and discretion to administer the Plan, including as to all of its details. For this purpose, the Administrator's power will include, but will not be limited to, the following authority:

 

(a)     to make and enforce such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or proper for the efficient administration of the Plan or as required to comply with applicable law;

 

(b)     to interpret the Plan, its interpretation thereof in good faith to be final and conclusive as to any Employee, former Employee, Participant, former Participant and Beneficiary;

 

(c)     to decide all questions concerning the Plan;

 

(d)     to compute the amount of benefits which will be payable to any Participant, former Participant or Beneficiary in accordance with the provisions of the Plan, and to determine the person or persons to whom such benefits will be paid;

 

(e)     to authorize the payment of Plan benefits;

 

(f)     to keep such records and submit such filings, elections, applications, returns or other documents or forms as may be required under the Code and applicable regulations, or under state or local law and regulations; and

 

(g)     to appoint such agents, counsel, accountants, consultants and recordkeepers as may be required to assist in administering the Plan.

  

 
7

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

3.03     Examination of Records

 

The Administrator will make available to each Participant such Plan records as pertain to the Participant, for examination at reasonable times during normal business hours.

 

3.04     Nondiscriminatory Exercise of Authority

 

Whenever, in the administration of the Plan, any discretionary review or action by the Administrator is required, the Administrator shall exercise such authority in a nondiscriminatory manner (so that all persons who are similarly situated will receive substantially the same treatment).

 

3.05     Reliance on Tables, etc.

 

In administering the Plan, the Administrator will be entitled, to the extent permitted by law, to rely conclusively on all tables, valuations, certificates, opinions and reports that are furnished by any trustee, counsel, accountant, consultant, recordkeeper or other professional who is employed or engaged by the Administrator or the Company.

 

3.06     Indemnification of Administrator and Trustee

 

The company agrees to indemnify and defend, to the fullest extent of the law, any Employee or former Employee who in good faith serves or has served in the capacity of Administrator, as a member of a committee designated as Administrator or as an authorized person acting on behalf of the Administrator, against any liabilities, damages, costs and expenses occasioned by having occupied any fiduciary position in connection with the Plan.

 

The Company agrees to indemnify and defend, to the fullest extent of the law, any claims against the Trustee arising from actions taken by the Trustee pursuant to instructions from the Company or the Administrator; or, if the Trustee may not act in the absence of such instructions, its failure to act in the absence of such instructions.

 

3.07     Costs of Administration

 

All reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Administrator and the Trustee in administering the Plan and Trust will be paid by the Company.

 

3.08     Fiduciary Discretion

 

In discharging the duties assigned to it under the Plan, the Committee and each other fiduciary with respect to the Plan has the discretion to interpret the Plan; adopt, amend and rescind rules and regulations pertaining to its duties under the Plan; and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the discharge of its duties under the Plan. Each fiduciary's discretionary authority is absolute and exclusive if exercised in a uniform and

 

 
8

 

 

nondiscriminatory manner with respect to similarly situated individuals. The express grant in the Plan of any specific power to a fiduciary with respect to any duty assigned to it under the Plan must not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the fiduciary to discharge its duties. A fiduciary's decision is final and conclusive unless it is established that the fiduciary's decision constituted an abuse of its discretion.

  

 
9

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

ARTICLE IV


PARTICIPATION

 

4.01     Participation

 

An Eligible Employee may become a Participant for the Plan Year by delivering an executed Compensation Reduction Election to the Administrator in accordance with the procedures set forth in the following Plan section.

 

4.02     Compensation Reduction Election

 

(a)     Amount of Supplemental Contributions. A Participant may elect to defer a dollar amount (in $1 increments) of his Plan Compensation under the Plan. The minimum deferral for a Plan Year is $500 and the maximum amount is fifty percent (50%) of the Participant’s base annual salary.

 

(b)     Elections. Except as provided in subsection (c), a Participant may make an election to defer Plan Compensation for each Plan Year only if such election is made no later than December 31 of the prior Plan Year, or by such earlier date as may be announced by the Administrator. Such election shall remain in effect for the entire Plan Year. Each Compensation Reduction Election shall be made on a form provided by the Administrator and shall specify such additional information as the Administrator may require.

 

(c)     First Year of Eligibility. In the first Plan Year in which an Eligible Employee becomes eligible to participate in the Plan, the Eligible Employee must make an initial compensation reduction election within 30 days after he or she becomes eligible to participate in the Plan. Such election shall only be valid with respect to Compensation paid for services rendered after the date of the initial deferral election.

 

4.03     Notice to Participants

 

The Administrator will inform each Employee who becomes eligible to participate in the Plan of his eligibility to participate and his requirement to execute a Compensation Reduction Election.

  

 
10

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

ARTICLE V

 

DEFERRALS AND MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS

 

5.01     Supplemental Contributions

 

For each Participant, who has in effect for any pay period an effective Compensation Reduction Election and otherwise is receiving Plan Compensation from a Participating Employer during such pay period, the Employer will reduce the Participant's Plan Compensation by (and the Company will record as a Supplemental Contribution) the amount (or percentage) of Plan Compensation specified in such Participant's Compensation Reduction Election. Each unfunded Supplemental Contribution will be credited to the Participant's Supplemental Contribution Account, in accordance with Section 7.02. Supplemental Contributions shall be withheld only from a Participant’s regular base pay, and not from bonus payments or other special payments made during the Plan Year.

 

5.02     Compensation Reduction Election Form

 

A Compensation Reduction Election is a written agreement between a Participant and his Participating Employer that satisfies the requirements of this Section 5.02 and Section 4.02. Each election will provide that the Participant's Plan Compensation will be reduced by the amount specified in the election. Each election will be in a form prescribed or approved by the Administrator.

 

5.03     Matching Contributions

 

The Participating Employer shall provide to the Company, with respect to each Participant's Matching Contribution Account for each Plan Year, an amount equal to the lesser of:

 

(a)     one hundred percent (100%) of the amount of the Participant's Supplemental Contribution for the Plan Year; or

 

(b)     effective January 1, 2014 through June 30, 2014, three percent (3%) of the Participant's Plan Compensation for the portion of the Plan Year beginning January 1, 2014 and ending June 30 2014, plus 50 percent (50%) of the amount of the Participant’s Supplemental Contributions for the same period that exceed three percent (3%) of the Participant’s Plan Compensation for the same period but that do not exceed five percent (5%) of the Participant’s Plan Compensation for the same period; effective July 1, 2014, 50 percent (50%) of the amount of the Participant’s Supplemental Contributions for the portion of the Plan Year beginning July 1, 2014 and ending December 31, 2014, up to six percent (6%) of the Participant’s Plan Compensation for the same period; and effective January 1, 2015, 50 percent (50%) of the amount of the Participant’s Supplemental Contributions for the Plan Year, up to six percent (6%) of the Participant’s Plan Compensation.

 

 
11

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

The Administrator shall estimate the unfunded Matching Contributions that will need to be recorded by the Company for the Participant during the Plan Year (based on the Participant's Compensation Reduction Election and expected Plan Compensation). Unless the Company determines otherwise, the Administrator then shall allocate the proposed Matching Contribution for the Plan Year for all Participants on a pro rata basis each pay period until such proposed Matching Contribution for the Plan Year is exhausted. The appropriate portion of the proposed Matching Contribution for the Plan Year, as determined above, will be credited to the Participant's unfunded Matching Contribution Account at the same time that the Participant's Supplemental Contributions are credited (after each pay period).

 

Following the end of each Plan Year, the Administrator shall adjust each Participant's final Matching Contributions for the completed Plan Year (to the final correct amount), by making a credit to, or deduction from, such Participant's Matching Contribution Account (generally by January 31 of the following year).

 

If a Participant Separates from Service prior to the end of the Plan Year, however, the Administrator generally shall proceed with final adjustment of the separated Participant's Matching Contributions (by making a final credit to, or final deduction from, such Participant's Matching Contribution Account by the last day of the month that next follows the Participant's Separation from Service).

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5.03, no Matching Contributions shall be made by the Company or credited under the Plan for the period beginning on the first day of the Company’s first full payroll period starting on or after April 1, 2009, and ending with the last pay period that begins prior to December 31, 2010.

  

 
12

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

ARTICLE VI

 

TRUST FUND

 

6.01     Unfunded Plan

 

The Plan shall be and remain unfunded for federal income tax purposes and for purposes of Title I of ERISA. The Plan shall constitute only an unfunded promise by the Company to make future Plan benefit payments. Nevertheless, for the convenience of the Company, a trust fund may be established to invest certain Company assets for the purpose of paying certain benefits. Any such trust shall be subject to the claims of the Company's creditors. No Participant or Beneficiary shall have any right, title, or interest in, or to, any trust asset.

 

6.02     Appointment of Trustee

 

The Company may appoint, by written notice, one or more individuals or corporations to act as Trustee under the Plan; and, may remove and appoint a successor to any such person or persons at any time. The Trustee, and any Successor Trustee, shall be entitled to written notice from the Company, stating the date on which the removal is effective. Written notice of removal, resignation or appointment shall be provided to all Trustees under the Plan. The Company may enter into a separate trust agreement with the Trustee and make such amendments to such trust agreement or such further agreements as the Company, in its sole discretion, may deem necessary or desirable.

 

6.03     Investment Funds Within the Trust Fund

 

(a)     All contributions to a Trust and all investments thereunder shall be held by the Trustee in the applicable Trust Fund. The Trust Fund shall be invested in the Stock Fund and such other Investment Funds as may be selected from time to time by the Administrator. All cash held by the Trustee is to be invested in the Stock Fund or other Investment Funds as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

(b)     The Trustee, as directed by the Company, shall have the right to vote stock held in the Trust Fund, personally or by proxy, and to delegate the Trustee's powers and discretions with respect to stock to a proxy.

 

6.04     Acquisition of Stock

 

The Trustee shall purchase the Stock required for the Trust from such sources, and at such prices, as the Trustee shall determine in its sole discretion.

  

 
13

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

6.05     Investment of Contributions and Earnings

 

(a)     All amounts credited to a Participant's Supplemental Contribution Account and Matching Contribution Account shall be hypothetically invested in the Stock Fund on the Plan's records, as provided under the Plan's provisions.

 

(b)     Upon the attainment of age 55, a Participant shall be entitled to direct the investment of his Supplemental Contribution and Matching Contribution Accounts in such Investment Funds designated by the Administrator from time to time in accordance with procedures announced by the Administrator.

 

6.06     Protection of Trustee and Limitation of Liability

 

Each Trustee shall be fully protected in acting upon any instrument, certificate, or document believed by it to be genuine. The Trustee agrees to hold in trust and administer the Trust Fund subject to the terms and conditions of the Company, including as set forth under the Plan. The Trustee's responsibility shall be limited to holding and investing the assets of the Fund in its possession.

  

 
14

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

ARTICLE VII


PARTICIPANT ACCOUNTS

 

7.01     Accounts

 

The Administrator shall maintain on its books for each Participant a Supplemental Contribution Account and a Matching Contribution Account. The Trustee may establish and maintain such subaccounts as it deems necessary or desirable to fulfill the provisions of the Plan.

 

7.02     Adjustments of Accounts

 

The Administrator shall, as of each Valuation Date:

 

(a)     First, with respect to each Participant, reduce the balance of his Supplemental Contribution Account (until exhausted) and then the balance of his Matching Contribution Account, by the aggregate amount of all withdrawals and distributions provided to the Participant (or his Beneficiary) since the preceding Valuation Date;

 

(b)     Second, credit each Participant's Supplemental Contribution Account with the sum of the Supplemental Contributions made for his benefit for the period ending on such Valuation Date;

 

(c)     Third, credit each Participant's Matching Contribution Account with the Matching Contributions made for his benefit for the period ending on such Valuation Date; and

 

(d)     Fourth, adjust the respective balances of each Participant's Supplemental Contribution Account and Matching Contribution Account, to reflect the hypothetical earnings, losses and current fair market value allocable to such accounts, whether by reference to any Trust established by the Company for its convenience or otherwise.

 

In adjusting each unfunded account under subsection (d) above to track the current value of assets in a Trust Fund, the Administrator will allocate to each account (in proportion to the balances therein immediately prior to such adjustment) an amount equal to the gain and loss (realized and unrealized) on the assets of the Trust Fund, valued at fair market value (including any costs of operating the Trust). In the case of each Participant (including any former Participant or Beneficiary), the Plan shall continue to maintain the unfunded accounts described herein, and adjust such accounts in the manner set forth above, until such Participant's Accounts are distributed in their entirety.

  

 
15

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

ARTICLE VIII


DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS

 

8.01     Payment of Accounts

 

(a)     Timing of Payments. Upon the Participant's Separation from Service, each Participant will be entitled to receive a distribution of his Supplemental Contribution Account and Matching Contribution Account. A Participant may elect, at the time he completes his Compensation Reduction Election for a Plan Year, to have such Plan Year’s Account paid or begin to be paid:

 

(i)     on the first day of the month following the six-month anniversary of the Participant’s Separation from Service;

 

(ii)     on the first day of the month following the first anniversary of the Participant’s Separation from Service; or

 

(iii)     on the first day of the month following the second anniversary of the Participant’s Separation from Service.

 

In the event a Participant fails to make an election under this subsection, his Plan Year’s Account shall be paid or begin to be paid on the first day of the month following the six-month anniversary of the Participant’s Separation from Service.

 

(b)     Form of Payment. A Participant may elect, at the time he completes his Compensation Reduction Election for a Plan Year to have such Plan Year’s Account paid in a lump sum or in annual installments of two to ten years. In the event a Participant fails to make an election under this subsection, his payment shall be made in a lump sum in cash.

 

(c)     Deemed Payment Date. Payment made on a date or event specified in this Plan section or Plan section 8.02 shall be treated as made upon such date or event if it is made by the end of the calendar year in which such date or event occurs, or, if later, by the 15th day of the third month following such date or event.

 

(d)     Change in the Time or Form of Payments. A Participant may change his or her election to a subsequent payout by submitting a new payment election form to the Administrator. Such election may not take effect until at least 12 months after the date on which the election is made, the election must be made at least 12 months before the payment is scheduled to be made, and the payment with respect to which such election is made must be deferred for a period not less than five years from the date the payment would otherwise be made or commence. The payment election form most recently accepted by the Administrator shall govern the payout of the benefits.

  

 
16

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

8.02     Payments to Beneficiary

 

If the Participant dies prior to receiving all Payments due him under the Plan, the Company (or the Trustee, at the direction of the Company) shall distribute all payments then due the Participant to the Participant's Beneficiary (at the time provided for in the Plan and in the amount that would have been provided to the Participant had he survived).

 

8.03     Beneficiary Designation

The Participant may from time to time, by signing a form approved by the Administrator, designate any legal or natural person or persons (who may be designated contingently or successively) to whom payments are to be made if the Participant dies before receiving payment of all amounts due hereunder. A beneficiary designation form will be effective only after the signed form is filed with the Administrator while the Participant is alive (and such designation will cancel, immediately upon filing, all beneficiary designations signed and filed previously). If the Participant fails to designate a Beneficiary as provided above, or if all designated Beneficiaries of the Participant die before the Participant or before complete payment of all amounts due hereunder, the Company shall pay any unpaid amounts to the Participant's estate.

 

8.04     Benefits Non-Assignable

 

Benefits payable to, or for the benefit of, a Participant or Beneficiary shall not be assignable and shall not be subject to the claims of creditors of such Participant or Beneficiary.

 

8.05     Claims Procedure

Any claim by a Participant or his Beneficiary for benefits shall be submitted to the Administrator. The Administrator shall be responsible for deciding whether such claim properly relates to benefits provided by the Plan and for providing a final decision with respect to such claim. In addition, the Administrator shall provide a full and fair review of the claim, in accordance with the procedures required by ERISA.

 

For all purposes under the Plan, the decision with respect to a claim (if no review is requested) or the decision with respect to a claim review (if review is requested) shall be final, binding and conclusive on all interested parties.

 

8.06     Anti-Acceleration

 

Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, no change submitted on an election form shall be accepted by the Company if the change accelerates the time over which distributions shall be made to the Participant (except as other permitted under Code section 409A). The Company shall deny any change made to an election if the Company determines that the change violates the requirement under Code section 409A.

  

 
17

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

Notwithstanding the preceding, the Company, in its discretion, may accelerate distributions under the Plan in accordance with each of the payment events contained in Treasury Regulation section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ii) through (xiv).

 

8.07     Special Election

 

A Participant may elect, prior to December 31, 2008, to have his Account paid in the time

and form described in Plan sections 8.01(a) and (b). Such election shall not apply to amounts otherwise payable in the year the election is made nor cause amounts to be paid in the year the election is made that would not otherwise be payable in that year. Subsequent changes to the time or form of payment of such cash amount shall be made only in accordance with Code Section 409A.

 

 
18

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

ARTICLE IX


AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

9.01     Amendment     

 

The Company reserves the right to amend, modify or terminate the Plan, in whole or in part, at any time or for any reason. Any such amendment, modification or termination of the Plan shall be made by a resolution adopted by the Board of Directors, provided, however, that any such amendment applicable to a Participant’s Account must satisfy Treasury Regulation section 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ix). Neither the termination of the Plan nor any amendment to the Plan, however, shall retroactively reduce any benefit payable to the Participant or Beneficiary (to the extent that such benefit was accrued and vested prior to the amendment, modification or termination).

 

9.02     Liability Upon Termination of the Plan

 

Upon completion of account distributions to all Participants (by the Company or any Trustee), the Plan will terminate, the Company and the Administrator will be relieved from all liability under the Plan, and no Participant or other person will have any further claims rights or other rights thereunder.

  

 
19

 

 

Media General, Inc.

Supplemental 401(k) Plan

Amended and Restated as of July 1, 2014

 

ARTICLE X


MISCELLANEOUS

 

10.01     Governing Law

 

This Plan shall be construed in accordance with applicable federal law and, to the extent otherwise applicable, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 

10.02     Notices and Elections

 

All notices required to be given in writing and all elections required to be made in writing under any provision of the Plan shall be invalid unless made on such forms as may be provided or approved by the Administrator and, in the case of a notice or election by a Participant or Beneficiary, unless executed by the Participant or Beneficiary giving such notice or making such election. Notices and elections shall be deemed given or made when received by any member of the committee that serves as Administrator.

 

10.03     Binding Effect

 

The Plan shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company, its successors and assigns, and the Participant and his heirs, executors, administrators and legal representatives.

 

10.04     Severability

 

If any provision of the Plan should for any reason be declared invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect.

 

10.05     Gender and Number

 

In the construction of the Plan, the masculine shall include the feminine or neuter and the singular shall include the plural and vice-versa in all cases where such meanings would be appropriate.

 

10.06     Titles and Captions

 

Titles and captions and headings herein have been inserted for convenience of reference only and are to be ignored in any construction of the provisions hereof.

 

10.07     Omnibus Provisions

 

(a)     Any benefit, payment or other right provided by the Plan shall be provided or made in a manner, and at such time, in such form and subject to such election procedures (if any), as complies with the applicable requirements of Code section 409A to avoid a plan failure described in Code section 409A(a)(1), including without limitation, deferring payment until the occurrence of a specified payment event described in Code section 409A(a)(2). Notwithstanding any other provision hereof or document pertaining hereto, the Plan shall be so construed and interpreted to meet the applicable requirements of Code section 409A to avoid a plan failure described in Code section 409A(a)(1).

 

(b)     It is specifically intended that all elections, consents and modifications thereto under the Plan will comply with the requirements of Code section 409A (including any transition or grandfather rules thereunder). The Company is authorized to adopt rules or regulations deemed necessary or appropriate in connection therewith to anticipate and/or comply the requirements of Code section 409A (including any transition or grandfather rules thereunder and to declare any election, consent or modification thereto void if non-compliant with Code section 409A.

 

 

20

 


ex10-3.htm

Exhibit 10.3

 

 

 

 

ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

for the SALE of TELEVISION STATION

 

WHTM-TV

 

by and among

 

Sinclair Television Group, Inc.

on the one hand,

 

and

 

Media General Operations, Inc.

 

on the other hand

 

 

June 19, 2014

 

 

 
 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.01

Definitions

1

Section 1.02

Terms Generally

8

     

ARTICLE II

PURCHASE AND SALE

     

Section 2.01

Purchase and Sale

8

Section 2.02

Excluded Assets

10

Section 2.03

Assumed Liabilities

11

Section 2.04

Excluded Liabilities

12

Section 2.05

Assignment of Contracts and Rights

13

Section 2.06

Purchase Price

13

Section 2.07

Escrows

13

Section 2.08

Closing

14

Section 2.09

General Proration

15

Section 2.10

Multi-Station Contracts.

18

     

ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER

     

Section 3.01

Company Existence and Power

19

Section 3.02

Company Authorization; Voting Requirements.

19

Section 3.03

Governmental Authorization

19

Section 3.04

FCC and Programming Distribution Matters

19

Section 3.05

Taxes

21

Section 3.06

Tangible Personal Property

22

Section 3.07

Real Property

22

Section 3.08

Contracts

23

Section 3.09

Environmental

25

Section 3.10

Intangible Property

25

Section 3.11

Employees; Labor Matters; Employee Benefit Plans

26

Section 3.12

Insurance

29

Section 3.13

Compliance with Law; Permits

29

Section 3.14

Litigation

29

Section 3.15

Financial Statements

29

Section 3.16

No Undisclosed Liabilities

29

Section 3.17

Absence of Changes

30

Section 3.18

No Brokers

30

Section 3.19

Related Party Transactions

30

Section 3.20

All Assets

30

  

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER

     

Section 4.01

Existence and Power

30

Section 4.02

Corporate Authorization

31

Section 4.03

Governmental Authorization

31

Section 4.04

Noncontravention

31

Section 4.05

Absence of Litigation

31

Section 4.06

Qualifications

32

Section 4.07

Brokers

32

Section 4.08

Financing

32

Section 4.09

Projections and Other Information

32

Section 4.10

Solvency

33

     

ARTICLE V

COVENANTS OF SELLER

     

Section 5.01

Operations Pending Closing

33

Section 5.02

No Negotiation

36

Section 5.03

No-Hire.

36

Section 5.04

Interim Reports..

37

     

ARTICLE VI

COVENANTS OF BUYER

     

Section 6.01

Access to Information

37

Section 6.02

Accounts Receivable

37

Section 6.03

Termination of Rights to the Names and Marks.

39

Section 6.04

Insurance Policies.

39

Section 6.05

No-Hire.

39

     

ARTICLE VII

JOINT COVENANTS

     

Section 7.01

Commercially Reasonable Efforts; Further Assurances

40

Section 7.02

Confidentiality

41

Section 7.03

Certain Filings; Further Actions

42

Section 7.04

Control Prior to Closing

42

Section 7.05

Public Announcements

42

Section 7.06

Notices of Certain Events

42

Section 7.07

Retention of Records; Post-Closing Access to Records

43

Section 7.08

Cooperation in Litigation

43

     

ARTICLE VIII

PENSION, EMPLOYEE AND UNION MATTERS

     

Section 8.01

Employment

45

  

 
ii 

 

 

Section 8.02

Savings Plan

46

Section 8.03

Employee Welfare Plans

46

Section 8.04

Vacation

46

Section 8.05

Sick Leave

46

Section 8.06

No Further Rights

47

Section 8.07

Flexible Spending Plan.

47

Section 8.08

Payroll Matters

47

Section 8.09

WARN Act

48

     

ARTICLE IX

TAX MATTERS

     

Section 9.01

Bulk Sales

48

Section 9.02

Transfer Taxes

49

Section 9.03

FIRPTA Certificate

49

Section 9.04

Taxpayer Identification Numbers

49

Section 9.05

Taxes and Tax Returns

49

Section 9.06

Purchase Price Allocation

49

     

ARTICLE X

CONDITIONS TO CLOSING

     

Section 10.01

Conditions to Obligations of Buyer and Seller

50

Section 10.02

Conditions to Obligations of Seller

50

Section 10.03

Conditions to Obligations of Buyer

51

     

ARTICLE XI

TERMINATION

     

Section 11.01

Termination

52

Section 11.02

Notice of Breach.

54

Section 11.03

Effect of Termination.

54

     

ARTICLE XII

SURVIVAL; INDEMNIFICATION

     

Section 12.01

Survival

54

Section 12.02

Indemnification by Buyer

55

Section 12.03

Indemnification by Seller

56

Section 12.04

Notification of Claims

57

Section 12.05

Net Losses; Subrogation; Mitigation

58

Section 12.06

Computation of Indemnifiable Losses

58

Section 12.07

Exclusive Remedies

58

  

 
iii 

 

 

ARTICLE XIII

GENERAL PROVISIONS

     

Section 13.01

Expenses

59

Section 13.02

Notices

59

Section 13.03

Headings

60

Section 13.04

Severability

60

Section 13.05

Entire Agreement

60

Section 13.06

Successors and Assigns

60

Section 13.07

No Recourse

61

Section 13.08

No Third-Party Beneficiaries

61

Section 13.09

Amendments and Waivers

61

Section 13.10

Governing Law; Jurisdiction

62

Section 13.11

Specific Performance

62

Section 13.12

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

62

Section 13.13

Counterparts

62

Section 13.14

No Presumption

62

Section 13.15

Disclosure Schedules

63

     

Exhibit A-1

Form of Bill of Sale

 

Exhibit A-2

Form of Assignment and Assumption of FCC Licenses

 

Exhibit A-3

Form of Assignment of Intangible Property

 

Exhibit A-4

Form of Assignment and Assumption Agreement

 

Exhibit A-5

Form of Assignment and Assumption of Real Property

 

  

 
 iv

 

 

ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

This ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) dated as of June 19, 2014 is by and among Sinclair Television Group, Inc., a Maryland corporation, (the “Seller”), and Media General Operations, Inc. (“Buyer”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, (i) Seller, as the buyer, and (ii) Barbara B. Allbritton, individually (“BBA”), Robert L. Allbritton, individually (“RLA”), BBA and RLA as independent co-executors of the Estate of Joe L. Allbritton, BBA and RLA as trustees of the Barbara B. Allbritton 2008 Marital Trust, RLA, Paul Bonner and John R. Allender as trustees of the Robert Lewis Allbritton 1996 Trust, Allholdco, Inc., a Delaware corporation, have entered into a Purchase Agreement dated July 28, 2013 (the “Allbritton Purchase Agreement”), to purchase the equity interests of Perpetual Corporation (“Perpetual Corp.”) and Charleston Television, LLC;

 

WHEREAS, Perpetual Corp., together with certain of its wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Allbritton Company”), own and operate, directly or indirectly, WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (the “Station”); and

 

WHEREAS, following the closing of the transaction contemplated by the Allbritton Purchase Agreement (the “Allbritton Transaction”), pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, Seller desires to, or cause its Affiliates to, sell and transfer to Buyer, and Buyer desires to purchase from Seller, certain of the assets used in the operation of the Station and transfer certain of the liabilities related thereto.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement, Buyer and Seller hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.01     Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Accounting Firm” means (a) an independent certified public accounting firm in the United States of national recognition mutually acceptable to Seller and Buyer or (b) if Seller and Buyer are unable to agree upon such a firm, then the regular independent auditors for Seller and Buyer shall mutually agree upon a third independent certified public accounting firm, in which event, “Accounting Firm” shall mean such third firm.

 

Accounts Receivable” means all accounts receivable (other than accounts receivable relating to Tradeout Agreements or film and program barter agreements), and all rights to receive payments under any notes, bonds and other evidences of indebtedness and all other rights to receive payments, arising out of sales occurring in the operation of the Station prior to the Effective Time for services performed (e.g., the actual broadcast of commercials sold) or delivered by the Station prior to the Effective Time.

 

 
 

 

  

Action” means, any legal or administrative claim, suit, action, complaint, charge, arbitration or other proceeding by or before any Governmental Authority.

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, any Person or member of a group of Persons acting together that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by or is under common control with, the specified Person. As used in this definition, the term “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”) shall mean the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

Allbritton Closing” shall mean the closing of the Allbritton Transaction pursuant to the Allbritton Purchase Agreement.

 

Ancillary Agreements” means the Escrow Agreement and any other certificate, agreement, document or other instrument to be executed and delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

Antitrust Laws” means the Sherman Act, as amended, the Clayton Act, as amended, the HSR Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, as amended, and all other federal, state and foreign, if any, Laws that are designed or intended to prohibit, restrict or regulate actions having the purpose or effect of monopolization or restraint of trade or lessening of competition through merger or acquisition.

 

ASCAP” means the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

 

Balance Sheet Date” means March 31, 2013.

 

Bargaining Agreement” means the collective bargaining agreements set forth on Schedule 3.11(a).

 

BMI” means Broadcast Music Incorporated.

 

Business” shall mean the business and operation of the Station.

 

Business Day” means any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which banks are required or authorized by Law to be closed (or actually closed) in the City of New York.

 

Buyer Principal Liaisons” means and include James Woodward and Andrew Carington and any of their respective successors.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents” means those items which would be required by GAAP to be included as “cash” or “cash equivalents” on a consolidated balance sheet of the Seller as of the Effective Time.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

 
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Communications Act” means, collectively, the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and the Children’s Television Act of 1990 (including FCC Rules and any other rules and regulations promulgated under each of the foregoing), in each case, as in effect from time to time.

 

“Confidentiality Agreement” means the non-disclosure agreement between Seller and Buyer, dated as of April 24, 2014.

 

Contracts” means contracts, agreements, leases, non-governmental licenses, sales and purchase orders and other agreements (including Real Property Leases, Revenue Leases and employment agreements), written or oral (including any amendments or modifications thereto).

 

Copyrights” means all copyrights and copyright applications and registrations therefor owned by Seller, the Allbritton Company or any of their respective Affiliates and used exclusively in connection with the Business.

 

Effective Time” means 12:01 a.m., New York City time, on the Closing Date.

 

Employee(s)” means, individually or collectively, the full-time, part-time and per diem persons employed by Seller or any of its Affiliates (including Allbritton Company) immediately prior to the Closing who are then engaged in the operation of the Station, including those listed on Schedule 3.11(b) , other than Excluded Employees.

 

Environmental Laws” means any Law in effect on the date of this Agreement whether local, state, or federal relating to: (a) Releases or threatened Releases of Hazardous Materials into the environment; (b) the use, treatment, storage, disposal, handling, discharging or shipment of Hazardous Material; (c) the regulation of storage tanks; or (d) otherwise relating to pollution or protection of human health, occupational safety and the environment.

 

ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

Estimated Adjustment” means, with respect to the Estimated Settlement Statement, an amount equal to the Buyer Prorated Amount minus the Seller Prorated Amount, which amount shall be expressed as a positive or negative number.

 

Excluded Employee(s)” means, any employee of Seller, the Allbritton Company or their respective Affiliates whose principal work location is not the Station or whose employment responsibilities relate substantially to the corporate operations of Seller or Other Seller Stations, in each case as of immediately prior to the Closing, and the employees denoted on Schedule 3.11(b) as “Excluded Employees”.

 

FCC” means the Federal Communications Commission.

 

FCC Consent” means the FCC’s initial consent to the assignment of each of the FCC Licenses identified on Schedule 3.04(a) from Seller or its Affiliate to Buyer or its Affiliate.

 

 
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FCC Licenses” means the licenses, permits and other authorizations, including any temporary waiver or special temporary authorization and any renewals thereof or any transferable pending application therefor, relating to the Station, issued by the FCC, each of which existing as of the date hereof is identified on Schedule 3.04(a).

 

FCC Rules” means the published rules and policies of the FCC.

 

Final Adjustment” means, with respect to the Final Settlement Statement, an amount equal to the Buyer Prorated Amount minus the Seller Prorated Amount, which amount shall be expressed as a positive or negative number.

 

GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles as in effect on the Balance Sheet Date, consistently applied.

 

Governmental Authority” shall mean and include any court or tribunal or administrative, governmental or regulatory body, agency, commission, board, legislature, instrumentality, division, department, public body or other authority of any nation or government or any political subdivision thereof, whether foreign or domestic and whether national, supranational, state or local.

 

Governmental Consents” shall collectively mean the FCC Consent and HSR Clearance, if necessary.

 

Governmental Order” means any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, stipulation, determination or award entered by or with any Governmental Authority.

 

Hazardous Material” means hazardous or toxic wastes, chemicals, substances, constituents, pollutants or related material, whether solids, liquids, or gases, defined or regulated under § 101(14) of CERCLA; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq.; the Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 2601 et seq.; the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 300(f) et seq.; the Clean Air Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401 et seq.; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.; the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 11001 et seq.; the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, 29 U.S.C. §§ 651 et seq.; or any similar applicable federal, state or local Environmental Laws.

 

HSR Act” means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Income Taxes” means income, franchise, doing business and similar taxes.

 

Indebtedness” means, with regard to any Person, any liability or obligation, whether or not contingent, (a) in respect of borrowed money or evidenced by bonds, monies, debentures, or similar instruments or upon which interest payments are normally made, (b) for the payment of any deferred purchase price of any property, assets or services (including pursuant to capital leases) but excluding trade payables and Program Rights Obligations, (c) guaranties, direct or indirect, in any manner, of all or any part of any Indebtedness of any Person, (d) all obligations under acceptance, standby letters of credit or similar facilities, (e) all matured obligations to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any membership interests, shares of capital stock or other ownership or profit interest or any warrants, rights or options to acquire such membership interests, shares or such other ownership or profit interest, (f) all accrued interest of all obligations referred to in (a) – (e) and (g) all obligations referred to in (a) – (f) of a third party secured by any Lien on property or assets.

 

 
4

 

  

Intellectual Property” means all intellectual property rights in or arising from any of the following: call letters, Trademarks, trade names, service marks, patents, inventions, Trade Secrets, know-how, Internet domain names, websites, web content, databases, software programs or applications (including user-applications), Copyrights, programs and programming material, jingles, slogans and logos and all goodwill, if any, associated therewith.

 

IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

Knowledge of Seller” means the actual personal knowledge of Robert L. Allbritton, Frederick J. Ryan, Jr., Stephen P. Gibson, Jerald N. Fritz, David D. Smith, David B. Amy, Barry M. Faber or Christopher Ripley; provided, however, that with respect to the representations set forth in Sections 3.04(c), 3.07(d), 3.07(f), 3.09 and 3.11, "Knowledge of Seller" shall also include the actual personal knowledge of the general manager or chief engineer (or Person holding a similar position, but not any contract employee or consultant) of the Station.

 

Law” means any United States (federal, state, local) or foreign law, constitution, treaty, statute, ordinance, regulation, rule, code, order, judgment, injunction, writ or decree.

 

Lien” means, with respect to any property or asset, any mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, easement, right of way, restrictive covenant, encroachment, security interest or encumbrance of any kind whatsoever, whether voluntarily incurred or arising by operation of Law or otherwise, in respect of such property or asset.

 

Market” means the Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York, PA Nielsen Designated Market Area.

 

Material Adverse Effect” means any event, state of facts, circumstance, development, change, effect or occurrence (an “Effect”) that, individually or in the aggregate with any other Effect, has had or would reasonably be expected to have a materially adverse effect on (a) the business, properties, assets, financial condition or results of operations of the Station, or (b) the ability of Seller to perform its obligations under this Agreement, excluding in all respects any Effects resulting from (i) conditions in the economy of the United States generally, including changes in the United States or foreign credit, debt, capital or financial markets (including changes in interest or exchange rates) or the economy of any town, city or region or country in which the Stations conduct business, (ii) general changes or developments in the broadcast television industry, (iii) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the announcement of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the compliance with the terms of this Agreement or the taking of any action required by this Agreement or consented to by Buyer, (iv) earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, natural disasters or global, national or regional political conditions, including hostilities, military actions, political instability, acts of terrorism or war or any escalation or material worsening of any such hostilities, military actions, political instability, acts of terrorism or war existing or underway as of the date hereof, (v) any failure, in and of itself, by Seller, the Allbritton Company or the Station to meet any internal or published projections, forecasts or revenue or earnings predictions for any period ending on or after the date of this Agreement (provided, however, that the underlying causes of such failure (subject to other provisions of this definition shall not be excluded), (vi) any breach by Buyer of its obligations under this Agreement or (vii) changes in Law or GAAP or the interpretation thereof.

 

 
5

 

  

Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer pension plan, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Allbritton Company or any of its Affiliates, prior to the Allbritton Closing, or Seller or any of its Affiliates, following the Allbritton Closing, contribute or are required to contribute to, as it relates to the Station, or under which the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their respective Affiliates have or may have any liability or obligation under, on behalf of current or former employees of the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their respective Affiliates, as it relates to the Station.

 

Other Seller Stations” means any broadcast station or business unit of Seller or the Allbritton Company other than the Station.

 

Permitted Liens” means, as to any Station Asset, (a) Liens for Taxes not yet due and payable or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceeding and for which appropriate reserves have been established on the books and records of Seller, Albritton Company or their respective Affiliatesin accordance with GAAP, (b) the terms and conditions of any Real Property Leases, (c) zoning and similar Laws that are not materially violated by any existing improvement or that do not prohibit the use of the real property covered by any Real Property Lease as currently used in the operation of the Station; (d) any right reserved to any Governmental Authority to regulate the affected property (including restrictions stated in any permits); (e) in the case of any leased Station Asset, (i) the rights of any lessor under the applicable lease agreement or any Lien granted by any lessor, (ii) any statutory Lien for amounts that are not yet due and payable or are being contested in good faith and for which appropriate reserves have been created on the books and records of the Seller, Albritton Company or their respective in accordance with GAAP, (iii) any subleases, and (iv) the rights of the grantor of any easement or any Lien granted by such grantor on such easement property; (f) easements, rights of way, restrictive covenants and other encumbrances, encroachments or other similar matters affecting title that do not materially adversely affect title to the property subject thereto or materially impair the continued use of the property in the ordinary course of operating the Station as currently operated; (g) inchoate materialmens’, mechanics’, workmen’s, repairmen’s or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business for amounts that are not yet due and payable or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which appropriate reserves have been created on the books and records of the Seller, Albritton Company or their respective Affiliates in accordance with GAAP and that are not resulting from any breach, violation or default by the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their respective Affiliates of any Assumed Contract or applicable Law; (h) Liens that will be discharged prior to or simultaneously with the Closing; (i) any state of facts an accurate survey would show, provided same does not render title unmarketable or prevent the Real Property being utilized in substantially the same manner as currently used; and (j) pledges or deposits to secure obligations under workers’ compensation Laws or similar Laws or to secure public or statutory obligations and which pledges or deposits are reflected on the books and records of the Seller, Albritton Company or their respective Affiliates to the extent required by GAAP.

 

 
6

 

  

Person” means any natural person, general or limited partnership, corporation, limited liability company, firm, association, trust or other legal entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

 

Post-Closing Tax Period” means any Tax period (or portion thereof) beginning and ending after the Effective Time.

 

Pre-Closing Tax Period” means any Tax period (or portion thereof) ending on or prior to the Effective Time.

 

Program Rights” means all rights of the Station to broadcast television programs or shows as part of the Station’s programming, including all film and program barter agreements, sports rights agreements, news rights or service agreements, affiliation agreements and syndication agreements.

 

Program Rights Obligations” means all obligations in respect of the purchase, use, licenses or acquisition of programs, programming materials, films and similar assets used in the ordinary course of the operation of the Station consistent with past practice which relate to the utilization of the Program Rights.

 

Release” means any release, spill, emission, leaking, dumping, injection, pouring, deposit, disposal, discharge, dispersal, leaching or migration into the environment (including ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or within any building, structure, facility or fixture.

 

Revenue Leases” means those leases, subleases, licenses or other occupancy agreements used in the operation of the Station (including any and all assignments, amendments and other modifications of such leases, subleases, licenses and other occupancy agreements), pertaining to the use or occupancy of the Owned Real Property or Leased Real Property (including but not limited to towers or space on towers) where Seller the Allbritton Company or any of their respective Affiliates holds an interest as landlord, licensor, sublandlord or sublicensor.

 

SESAC” means the Society of European Stage Authors & Composers.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person who is not a natural person, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, trust or other entity of which securities or other ownership interests representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the equity or fifty percent (50%) or more of the ordinary voting power (or, in the case of a limited partnership, fifty percent (50%) or more of the general partnership interests) are, as of such date, owned by such Person or one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or by such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

 

 
7

 

  

Tax” or “Taxes” means all federal, state, local or foreign income, excise, gross receipts, ad valorem, sales, use, employment, franchise, profits, gains, property, transfer, payroll, intangible or other taxes, fees, stamp taxes, duties, charges, levies or assessments of any kind whatsoever (whether payable directly or by withholding) imposed by a Governmental Authority, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts imposed with respect thereto.

 

Tax Returns” means all returns and reports (including elections, declarations, disclosures, schedules, estimates and information returns) required to be supplied to a Tax authority relating to Taxes.

 

Trade Secrets” mean all proprietary information of Seller, the Allbritton Company, or any of their respective Affiliates that is not generally known and is used exclusively in the Business, as to which reasonable efforts have been made to prevent unauthorized disclosure, and which provides a competitive advantage to those who know or use it.

 

Trademarks” shall mean all trade names, trademarks, service marks, trade dress, jingles, slogans, logos, other source or business identifiers, trademark and service mark registrations and trademark and service mark applications owned by the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their respective Affiliates and used exclusively in the Business, including those set forth on Schedule 3.10, and the goodwill appurtenant thereto.

 

Tradeout Agreement” means any Contract, other than film and program barter agreements, pursuant to which the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their respective Affiliates has agreed to sell or trade commercial air time or commercial production services of the Station in consideration for any property or service in lieu of or in addition to cash.

 

Transfer Taxes” means all excise, sales, use, value added, registration stamp, recording, documentary, conveying, franchise, property, transfer, gains and similar Taxes, levies, charges and fees.

  

 

Section 1.02     Terms Generally. (a) Words in the singular shall be held to include the plural and vice versa and words of one gender shall be held to include the other gender as the context requires, (b) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole (including the Schedules and exhibits hereto) and not to any particular provision of this Agreement unless the context expressly conveys otherwise, (c) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement means “including, without limitation,” unless otherwise specified, and (d) the conjunctive shall include the disjunctive and vice versa.

 

ARTICLE II 

PURCHASE AND SALE

 

Section 2.01 Purchase and Sale. Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, Buyer agrees to purchase from Seller and Seller agrees to sell, convey, transfer, assign and deliver, or cause to be sold, conveyed, transferred, assigned and delivered, to Buyer at the Closing, free of all Liens other than

 

 
8

 

  

Permitted Liens, all of the right, title and interest of the Seller and its Affiliates in, to and under all of the assets, Contracts and properties, whether tangible or intangible, other than the Excluded Assets, in each case as and to the extent acquired by Seller pursuant to the Allbritton Transaction and in each case as and to the extent located at the Station or used exclusively in the operation of the Station, consisting of the following assets, Contracts and properties, as the same shall exist on the date of this Agreement and not disposed of in accordance with Section 5.01 5.01 and all similar assets, Contracts and properties acquired by Seller or its Affiliates between the date hereof and the Closing to the extent located at or used exclusively in the Operation of the Station (collectively, the “Station Assets”):

 

(a)          All Owned Real Property and Real Property Leases;

 

(b)         all Tangible Personal Property;

 

(c)         all rights under all Contracts used in the operation of the Station to which the Allbritton Company or any of its Affiliates is a party that (i) are listed on Schedule 3.08(a), (ii) are not required by the terms thereof to be listed on Schedule 3.08(a) to the extent used exclusively in connection with the operation of the Station, (iii) may result from the television broadcasting industry-wide negotiations with SESAC, ASCAP and BMI, (iv) are referenced in other subsections to this Section 2.01 or the corresponding Section in the Schedules, or (v) are entered into after the date hereof by the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their Affiliates to pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions of Section 5.01 the extent used exclusively in connection with the operation of the Station (collectively, the “Assumed Contracts”) with the understanding that Assumed Contracts shall in no event include Excluded Contracts;

 

(d)         all prepaid expenses and deposits (other than prepaid Income Taxes) to the extent that Seller receives an appropriate credit in the Buyer Prorated Amount;

 

(e)         all of the rights, claims, credits, causes of action or rights of set-off of the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their respective Affiliates against third parties relating to the Station Assets, including unliquidated rights under manufacturers’ and vendors’ warranties, in each case only to the extent Buyer or any of its Affiliates incurs Losses relating thereto and occurring after the Effective Time;

 

(f)          all Intangible Property;

 

(g)         all Internet web sites and related agreements, content and databases and domain name registrations used exclusively in the operation of the Station, as set forth on Schedule 3.10;

 

(h)         the FCC Licenses, along with all material transferable municipal, state and federal franchises, licenses, permits, franchises, certificates, approvals and other authorizations issued by any Governmental Authority other than the FCC used exclusively in the operation of the Station (collectively, the “Permits”);

 

 
9

 

  

(i)          all prepayments under advertising sales contracts for committed air time for advertising on the Station that has not been aired prior to the Closing Date;

 

(j)          to the extent relating exclusively to the operation of the Station, all information and data, sales and business records, books of account, files, invoices, inventory records, general financial, accounting and real and personal property and sales and use Tax records (but excluding all other Tax records), personnel and employment records for Transferred Employees (to the extent permitted by Law) and all engineering information, sales and promotional literature, manuals and data, sales and purchase correspondence, lists of present and former suppliers and lists of present and former customers, quality control records and manuals, blueprints, litigation and regulatory files, and all other books, documents and records (including, without limitation, all electronic data relating to the Station, including current and historical electronic data relating to the Station’s traffic and historical financial information wherever that information is located);

 

(k)         to the extent relating exclusively to the operation of the Station, all management and other systems (including computers and peripheral equipment), databases, computer software, computer disks and similar assets, and all licenses and rights in relation thereto; and

 

(l)          all other items listed on Schedule 2.01(l).

 

Section 2.02     Excluded Assets. The following assets and properties of Seller and its Affiliates (the “Excluded Assets”) shall not be acquired by Buyer and are excluded from the Station Assets:

 

(a)         all of the Cash and Cash Equivalents of the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their Affiliates;

 

(b)         all bank and other depository accounts of the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their Affiliates;

 

(c)         insurance policies relating to the Station, and all claims, credits, causes of Action or rights, including rights to insurance proceeds, thereunder;

 

(d)         all interest in and to refunds of Taxes relating to Pre-Closing Tax Periods or the other Excluded Assets;

 

(e)         any cause of action or claim relating to any event or occurrence prior to the Effective Time (other than as specified in Schedule 2.02(e));

 

(f)          all Accounts Receivable;

 

(g)         intercompany accounts receivable and intercompany accounts payable of Seller and its Affiliates;

 

 
10

 

  

(h)         all (i) books, records, files and papers, whether in hard copy or computer format, relating to the preparation of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) all minute books and company records the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their Affiliates and (iii) duplicate copies of records of the Station;

 

(i)          all rights of Seller arising under this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements or the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby;

 

(j)          any Station Asset sold or otherwise disposed of prior to Closing as permitted hereunder;

 

(k)         Contracts that are not Assumed Contracts including, but not limited to, Contracts identified on Schedule 2.02(k) (collectively, the “Excluded Contracts”);

 

(l)          other than as specifically set forth in Article VIII, any Employee Plan and any assets of any Employee Plan sponsored by Seller, Allbritton or any of its Affiliates;

 

(m)         all Tax records, other than real and personal property and sales and use Tax records;

 

(n)         those assets which are listed on Schedule 2.02(n);

 

(o)         all of Seller’s rights, title and interest in and to (i) Seller’s name, service names and trade names (including, without limitation, the name “Sinclair Broadcast Group”), (ii) all URLs and internet domain names consisting of or containing any of the foregoing; and (iii) any variations or derivations of, or marks confusingly similar to, any of the foregoing; and

 

(p)         all real and personal, tangible and intangible assets of Seller and its Affiliates that are used in connection with the operation of the Station but are neither located at nor used exclusively with respect to the Station;

 

(q)         any rights under any non-transferable shrink-wrapped or click-wrapped licenses of computer software and any other non-transferable licenses of computer software used in the operation of the Station;

 

(r)          all capital stock or other equity securities of Seller or Subsidiaries of Seller or its Affiliates and all other equity interests in any entity that are owned beneficially or of record by Seller or its Affiliates.

 

(s)         all other assets of the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their Affiliates to the extent not used exclusively in the operation of the Station, including any assets of Seller used in the operations of WHP-TV and/or WLYH-TV.

 

Section 2.03     Assumed Liabilities. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, at the Effective Time, Buyer will assume, pay and perform only the following liabilities of Seller (the “Assumed Liabilities”):

 

 
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(a)          the liabilities and obligations arising with, or relating to, the operation of the Station, including the owning or holding of the Station Assets, on and after the Effective Time; and

 

(b)          any liability or obligation to the extent of the amount of credit received by Buyer under Section 2.09(a); and

 

(c)          all liabilities and obligations relating to the Business or the Purchased Assets arising out of Environmental Laws, whether or not presently existing, except for liabilities and obligations that are required to be disclosed on Schedule 3.09, but which are not so disclosed;

 

(d)          all liabilities with respect to Transferred Employees and Employee Plans, in each case which are expressly assumed under Article VIII.

 

Section 2.04     Excluded Liabilities. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, Buyer shall assume only the Assumed Liabilities and neither Buyer nor any of its Affiliates shall assume any other liability or obligation of Seller or any of its Affiliates of whatever nature, whether presently in existence or arising hereafter. All such other liabilities and obligations shall be retained by and remain obligations and liabilities of Seller or its Affiliates (all such liabilities and obligations not being assumed being herein referred to as the “Excluded Liabilities”), and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 2.03, none of the following shall be Assumed Liabilities for the purposes of this Agreement:

 

(a)         any liability or obligation under or with respect to any Assumed Contract, Permit, Governmental Order, or Real Property Lease required by the terms thereof to be discharged prior to the Effective Time or as set forth on Schedule 2.04(a);

 

(b)         any liability or obligation for which the Allbritton Company, Seller or any of their respective Affiliates has already received or will receive the partial or full benefit of the Station Asset to which such liability or obligation relates, but only to the extent of such benefit received;

 

(c)         the liability related to the Indebtedness of Seller or any of its Affiliates, including, without limitation, as set forth on Schedule 2.04(c);

 

(d)         any liability or obligation relating to or arising out of any of the Excluded Assets;

 

(e)         any liability with respect to Excluded Employees and Employees who are not Transferred Employees;

 

(f)          any Tax liability or obligation (i) relating to Pre-Closing Tax Periods (except as expressly provided for in Section 9.02), (ii) imposed on or payable by or with respect to Seller (except as expressly provided in Section 9.02), or (iii) for which Seller is otherwise liable pursuant to Section 9.05;

 

 
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(g)         any liability to indemnify, reimburse or advance amounts to any officer, member, Employee or agent of Seller, or any Affiliate thereof, other than any liability to any Transferred Employee incurred on or after the applicable Employment Commencement Date;

 

(h)         the liabilities and obligations arising or with respect to the operation of the Station, including the owning or holding of the Station Assets, prior to the Effective Time (excluding any liability or obligation expressly assumed by Buyer hereunder); and

 

(i)          any liability of Seller under this Agreement or any document executed in connection therewith, including the Ancillary Agreements.

 

Section 2.05    Assignment of Contracts and Rights. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, this Agreement shall not constitute an agreement to assign any Station Asset or any claim or right or any benefit arising thereunder or resulting therefrom if such assignment, without the consent of a third party thereto, would constitute a breach or other contravention of such Station Asset or in any way adversely affect the rights of Buyer or Seller or any of their respective Affiliates thereunder. Seller and Buyer shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such consents after the execution of this Agreement until each such consent is obtained. If any such consent is not obtained prior to the Closing Date, Seller and Buyer shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such consent as soon as possible after the Closing Date. Seller and Buyer will cooperate in a mutually-agreeable arrangement under which Buyer will obtain the benefits and assume the obligations thereunder in accordance with this Agreement, including sub-contracting, sub-licensing, occupancy and use agreements or sub-leasing to Buyer or its Affiliates and enforcement by Seller for the benefit of Buyer or its Affiliates, as applicable, of any and all rights of Seller and its Affiliates against a third party thereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of Seller, Buyer or any of their respective Affiliates shall be required to pay consideration to any third party to obtain any consent.

 

Section 2.06    Purchase Price. In consideration for the sale of the Station Assets, Buyer shall, at the Closing, in addition to assuming the Assumed Liabilities, pay to Seller the sum of $83.4 million, which includes a transfer of rights to the Escrow Deposit as set forth in Section 2.07 (the “Purchase Price”), by wire transfer of immediately available federal funds pursuant to wire instructions that Seller shall provide to Buyer.

 

Section 2.07    Escrow

 

(a)        Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, Buyer shall deliver to [_____________] (the “Escrow Agent”), the amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the Purchase Price to be held as an earnest money deposit (“Escrow Deposit”) pursuant to an Escrow Agreement of even date herewith (the “Escrow Agreement”). The Escrow Deposit (less any interest earned thereon prior to Closing or termination of this Agreement, which shall be paid to Buyer) shall be paid to Seller as partial payment of the Purchase Price due at the Closing to Seller, or shall otherwise be released to Buyer or Seller in accordance with Section 11.04(b) and Section 11.04(c) hereof.

 

 
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(b)         Seller and Buyer shall each instruct the Escrow Agent to disburse the Escrow Deposit and all interest thereon, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Escrow Agreement and shall not, by any act or omission, delay or prevent any such disbursement.

 

Section 2.08     Closing.

 

(a)         The consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the Closing) shall take place at a location agreed upon by Buyer and Seller on a date which shall not be later than the fifth (5th) Business Day following the date of the later of (x) the FCC Consent has been obtained and (y) the HSR Clearance has been obtained, if necessary, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of all of the closing conditions set forth in Article X hereof (other than those required to be satisfied at Closing, but subject to the satisfaction or waiver of such conditions at Closing) (such date, the “Closing Date”).

 

(b)         Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the parties hereto shall consummate the following closing transactions at the Closing:

 

  (i)     Buyer shall deliver to Seller:

 

(1)     the certificate described in Section 10.02(a);

 

(2)     the documents described in Section 10.02(d);

 

(3)     the cash Purchase Price in accordance with Section 2.06 by wire transfer of immediately available federal funds; and

 

(4)     such other documents and instruments as Seller reasonably determines to be necessary to sell the Station Assets and for the Buyer to assume the Assumed Liabilities.

 

  (ii)     Seller shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to Buyer:

 

(1)     the certificate described in Section 10.03(a);

 

(2)     the documents described in Section 10.03(d);

 

(3)     a duly executed Bill of Sale, substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 annexed hereto;

 

(4)     a duly executed special warranty deed for each Owned Real Property from Seller or its Affiliate;

 

(5)     such other documents and instruments as Buyer reasonably determines to be necessary for it acquire the Station Assets and assume the Assumed Liabilities.

 

 
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  (iii)     Seller and Buyer shall execute and deliver to each other:

 

(1)     a duly executed Assignment and Assumption of FCC Licenses, substantially in the form of Exhibit A-2 annexed hereto;

 

(2)     a duly executed Assignment and Assumption of Intangible Property, substantially in the form of Exhibit A-3 annexed hereto, if any owned and registered Intangible Property is included in the Station Assets;

 

(3)     a duly executed Assignment and Assumption Agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit A-4 annexed hereto;

 

(4)     a duly executed Assignment and Assumption Agreement for the Real Property Leases, substantially in the form of Exhibit A-5 annexed hereto, or, in the event that necessary consents to assignment have not been obtained prior to the Closing, appropriate subleases, occupancy or use agreements pursuant to Section 2.05 hereof; and

 

(5)     such other documents as set forth in Section 10.02 and Section 10.03.

 

Section 2.09     General Proration.

 

(a)         All Station Assets that would be classified as current assets in accordance with GAAP, and all Assumed Liabilities that would be classified as current liabilities in accordance with GAAP, shall be prorated between Buyer and Seller as of the Effective Time, including by taking into account the elapsed time or consumption of an asset during the month in which the Effective Time occurs (respectively, the “Prorated Station Assets” and the “Prorated Assumed Liabilities”). Such Prorated Station Assets and Prorated Assumed Liabilities relating to the period prior to the Effective Time shall be for the account of Seller and those relating to the period on and after the Effective Time for the account of Buyer and shall be prorated accordingly. In accordance with this Section 2.09, (i) Buyer shall be required to pay to Seller the amount of any Prorated Station Asset previously paid for by Seller or Allbritton Company, to the extent Buyer will receive a current benefit on and after the Effective Time with the understanding that such amount should not have been recognized as an expense in accordance with GAAP prior to the Effective Time (the “Buyer Prorated Amount”); and (ii) Seller shall be required to pay to Buyer the amount of any Prorated Assumed Liabilities to the extent they arise with respect to the operation of the Station prior to the Effective Time and are not assumed or paid for by Seller (the “Seller Prorated Amount”). Such payment by Buyer or Seller, as the case may be, shall be made within ten (10) Business Days after the Final Settlement Statement becomes final and binding upon the parties.

 

(b)         The prorations contemplated by this section shall include all FCC regulatory fees, utility expenses, liabilities and obligations under Contracts (including all Contracts relating to Program Rights), rents and similar prepaid and deferred items, reimbursable expenses and all other expenses and obligations, such as deferred revenue and prepayments and sales commissions, attributable to the ownership and holding of the Station Assets or the operation of the Station that straddles the period before and after the Effective Time. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.09, (i) there shall be no proration with respect to Tradeout Agreements for the sale of time for goods or services assumed by Buyer, and (ii) proration with respect to Taxes shall be governed exclusively by Section 9.05.

 

 
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(c)          Thirty percent of accrued vacation and personal time for Transferred Employees that is assumed by Buyer and actually granted to Transferred Employees shall be included as a credit to Buyer in the prorations. There shall be no proration for sick leave.

 

(d)         At least three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, Seller shall provide Buyer with a good faith estimate of the prorations contemplated by this Section 2.09 (the “Estimated Settlement Statement”). Any payment required to be made by either party pursuant to such preliminary estimate shall be made by the appropriate party at the Closing in accordance therewith. Seller will afford Buyer reasonable access to all records and work papers used in preparing the Estimated Settlement Statement, and Buyer shall notify Seller of any good faith disagreement with such calculation within two (2) Business Days of receiving the Estimated Settlement Statement. At the Closing, (i) Buyer shall be required to pay to Seller the amount equal to the Estimated Adjustment if the Estimated Adjustment is a positive number or (ii) Seller shall be required to pay to Buyer the amount equal to the absolute value of the Estimated Adjustment if the Estimated Adjustment is a negative number.

 

(e)         Within ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, Buyer shall prepare and deliver to Seller a proposed proration of assets and liabilities in the manner described in this Section 2.09 (the “Settlement Statement”) setting forth the Seller Prorated Amount and the Buyer Prorated Amount, together with a schedule setting forth, in reasonable detail, the components thereof.

 

(f)          Seller shall provide reasonable access to such employees, books, records, financial statements, and its independent auditors as Buyer reasonably believes is necessary or desirable in connection with its preparation of the Settlement Statement.

 

(g)         During the sixty (60)-day period following the receipt of the Settlement Statement, Seller and its independent auditors shall be permitted to review and make copies reasonably required of (i) the financial statements relating to the Settlement Statement, (ii) the working papers relating to the Settlement Statement, (iii) the books and records relating to the Settlement Statement, and (iv) any supporting schedules, analyses and other documentation relating to the Settlement Statement.

 

(h)         The Settlement Statement shall become final and binding upon the parties (and thereby deemed to be the “Final Settlement Statement”) on the 120th day following delivery thereof, unless Seller gives written notice of its disagreement with the Settlement Statement (the “Notice of Disagreement”) to Buyer prior to such date. The Notice of Disagreement shall specify in reasonable detail the nature of any disagreement so asserted. If a Notice of Disagreement is given to Buyer within such 120-day period, then the Settlement Statement (as revised in accordance with clause (i) or (ii) below) shall become the Final Settlement Statement on the earlier of (i) the date Buyer and Seller resolve in writing any differences they have with respect to the matters specified in the Notice of Disagreement or (ii) the date any disputed matters are finally resolved in writing by the Accounting Firm as provided herein.

 

 
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(i)          Within ten (10) Business Days after the Settlement Statement becomes the Final Settlement Statement, (i) Buyer shall be required to pay to Seller the amount, if any, by which the Final Adjustment is higher than the Estimated Adjustment or (ii) Seller shall be required to pay to Buyer the amount, if any, by which the Estimated Adjustment is higher than the Final Adjustment, as the case may be. All payments made pursuant to this Section 2.09(i) must be made via wire transfer in immediately available funds to an account designated by the recipient party, together with interest thereon at the prime rate (as reported by The Wall Street Journal or, if not reported therein, by another mutually-agreeable source) as in effect from time to time from the Effective Time to the date of actual payment.

 

(j)          Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that Seller delivers a Notice of Disagreement, Seller or Buyer, as applicable, shall within ten (10) Business Days of the receipt of the Notice of Disagreement make payment to the other by wire transfer in immediately available funds of such undisputed amount owed by Seller or Buyer to the other, as the case may be, together with interest thereon, calculated as described above.

 

(k)         During the thirty (30)-day period following the delivery of a Notice of Disagreement to Buyer that complies with the preceding paragraphs, Buyer and Seller shall seek in good faith to resolve in writing any differences they may have with respect to the matters specified in the Notice of Disagreement. During such period (i) Buyer and its independent auditors, at Buyer’s sole cost and expense, shall be, and Seller and its independent auditors, at Seller’s sole cost and expense, shall be, in each case permitted to review and make copies reasonably required of (w) the financial statements reflecting the operation of the Station, in the case of Buyer, and Buyer, in the case of Seller, relating to the Notice of Disagreement, (x) the working papers of Seller, in the case of Buyer, and Buyer, in the case of Seller, and such other party’s auditors, if any, relating to the Notice of Disagreement, (y) the books and records of Seller, in the case of Buyer, and Buyer, in the case of Seller, relating to the Notice of Disagreement, and (z) any supporting schedules, analyses and documentation relating to the Notice of Disagreement; and (ii) Seller, in the case of Buyer, and Buyer, in the case of Seller, shall provide reasonable access, upon reasonable advance notice and during normal business hours, to such employees of such other party and such other party’s independent auditors, as such first party reasonably believes is necessary or desirable in connection with its review of the Notice of Disagreement.

 

 
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(l)           If, at the end of such thirty (30)-day period, Buyer and Seller have not resolved such differences, Buyer and Seller shall submit to the Accounting Firm for review and resolution any and all matters that remain in dispute and that were properly included in the Notice of Disagreement. Within sixty (60) days after selection of the Accounting Firm, Buyer and Seller shall submit their respective positions to the Accounting Firm, in writing, together with any other materials relied upon in support of their respective positions. Buyer and Seller shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Accounting Firm to render a decision resolving the matters in dispute within thirty (30) days following the submission of such materials to the Accounting Firm. The determination of the Accounting Firm shall be final and binding on the parties and enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction. Except as specified in the following sentence, the cost of any arbitration (including the fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm) pursuant to this Section 2.09 shall be borne by Buyer and Seller in inverse proportion as they may prevail on matters resolved by the Accounting Firm, which proportional allocations shall also be determined by the Accounting Firm at the time it renders its determination. The fees and expenses (if any) of Buyer’s independent auditors and attorneys incurred in connection with the review of the Notice of Disagreement shall be borne by Buyer, and the fees and expenses (if any) of Seller’s independent auditors and attorneys incurred in connection with their review of the Settlement Statement shall be borne by Seller.

 

Section 2.10     Multi-Station Contracts. In the event that one or more Other Seller Stations is party to, or has rights or obligations with respect to, an Assumed Contract (a “Multi-Station Contract”), the rights and obligations under such Multi-Station Contract that are assigned to and assumed by Buyer (and included in the Purchased Assets and Assumed Liabilities, as the case may be) shall include only those rights and obligations under such Multi-Station Contract that are applicable to the Station. The rights of each Other Seller Station with respect to such Contract and the obligations of each Other Seller Station to such Contract shall not be assigned to and assumed by Buyer (and shall be Excluded Assets and Excluded Liabilities, as applicable). For purposes of determining the scope of the rights and obligations of the Multi-Station Contracts, the rights and obligations under each Multi-Station Contract shall be equitably allocated among (1) the Station, on the one hand, and (2) the Other Seller Stations, on the other hand, in accordance with the following equitable allocation principles:

 

(a)         any allocation set forth in the Multi-Station Contract shall control;

 

(b)         if there is no allocation in the Multi-Station Contract as described in clause (a) hereof, then any reasonable allocation previously made by Allbritton Company, Seller or their Affiliates in the ordinary course of business and disclosed on Schedule 2.10(b) shall control;

 

(c)         if there is no reasonable allocation as described in clause (b) hereof, then the quantifiable proportionate benefits and obligations to be received and performed, as the case may be, by Seller and Buyer and their respective Affiliates after the Effective Time (to be determined by mutual good faith agreement of Seller and Buyer) shall control; and

 

(d)         if there are no quantifiable proportionate benefits and obligations as described in clause (c) hereof, then reasonable accommodation (to be determined by mutual good faith agreement of Seller and Buyer) shall control.

 

(e)         Subject to any applicable third-party Consents, such allocation and assignment with respect to any Multi-Station Contract shall be effectuated, at the election of Seller, by termination of such Multi-Station Contract in its entirety with respect to the Station and the execution of new contracts with respect to the Station or by an assignment to and assumption by Buyer of the related rights and obligations under such Multi-Station Contract. The parties shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain any such new contracts or assignments to, and assumptions by, Buyer in accordance with this Section 2.10 and Section 2.05; provided, that, completion of documentation of any such allocation under this Section 2.10 is not a condition to Closing unless such Multi-Station Contract is listed on and disclosed on Schedule 10.03(e).

 

 
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ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER

 

Seller represents and warrants to Buyer as follows:

 

Section 3.01     Seller Existence and Power. Seller is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its organization. Seller is qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where such qualification is necessary, except where the failure to so qualify would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Immediately following the Allbritton Closing, Seller shall have the requisite power and authority to own and hold the Station Assets and to operate the Station as currently operated.

 

Section 3.02     Seller Authorization; Voting Requirements.

 

(a)         The execution and delivery by Seller of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements (to which Seller is or will be a party), the performance by Seller of its obligations hereunder and thereunder and the consummation by each Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby are within each Seller’s limited liability company powers and have been duly authorized and approved by all requisite limited liability company action by each Seller, and no other organizational action on the part of each Seller is necessary to authorize and approve the execution, delivery and performance by each Seller of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements (to which Seller is or will be a party) and the consummation by Seller of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

 

(b)         This Agreement has been, and the Ancillary Agreements (to which Seller is or will be a party) will be, duly executed and delivered by Seller. This Agreement (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Buyer) constitutes, and each Ancillary Agreement (to which Seller is or will be a party) will constitute when executed and delivered by a Seller, the legal, valid and binding obligation of Seller, enforceable against Seller in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or other similar Laws affecting or relating to enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).

 

Section 3.03     Governmental Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by Seller of this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement (to which Seller is or will be a party) and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby require no material action by or in respect of, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental Authority other than (a) the FCC consent and DOJ approval to the Allbritton Transaction and (b) the Governmental Consents.

 

Section 3.04     FCC and Programming Distribution Matters.

 

 
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(a)          Schedule 3.04(a) sets forth a true and complete list of the FCC Licenses and the holders thereof, which FCC Licenses constitute all of the FCC Licenses of the Station. The FCC Licenses are in full force and effect and have not been revoked, suspended, canceled, rescinded or terminated, and have not expired. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.04(a), the FCC Licenses (i) have been issued for the full terms customarily issued by the FCC for each class of station and (ii) are not subject to any condition, except for those conditions appearing on the face of the FCC Licenses and conditions generally applicable to each class of station.

 

(b)         The Station has been operated in compliance with the Communications Laws and the FCC Licenses in all material respects and have paid or caused to be paid all FCC regulatory fees due in respect of the Station. All material registrations and reports required to have been filed with the FCC relating to the FCC Licenses have been filed and the construction of all facilities or changes contemplated by any of the FCC Licenses or construction Permits issued to modify the FCC Licenses have been completed. There is not pending, nor, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened, any action by or before the FCC to revoke, suspend, cancel, rescind or materially adversely modify any of the FCC Licenses (other than proceedings to amend FCC rules of general applicability), nor is there issued or outstanding, by or before the FCC, any order to show cause, notice of violation, notice of apparent liability, or order of forfeiture against the Station or the Seller, the Allbritton Company or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the Station that would reasonably be expected to result in any such action. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.04(b) and other than proceedings affecting broadcast stations generally, there are no material applications, petitions, proceedings or other material actions or complaints pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened before the FCC relating to the Station. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.04(b) and except for tolling agreements entered into pursuant to the Allbritton Transaction or Section 7.01(b), neither the Seller nor the Allbritton Company has (i) entered into a tolling agreement or otherwise waived any statute of limitations relating to the Station during which the FCC may assess any fine or forfeiture or take any other action or (ii) agreed to any extension of time with respect to any FCC investigation or proceeding.

 

(c)          Except as set forth on Schedule 3.04(c), immediately following the Allbritton Closing, Seller will be qualified under the Communications Laws to transfer, or cause to be transferred, the FCC Licenses to Buyer. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.04(c), to the Knowledge of Seller, there are no facts or circumstances relating to the Station, the Allbritton Company or Seller that would reasonably be expected to (i) result in the FCC’s refusal to grant the FCC Consent, (ii) materially delay the receipt of the FCC Consent. Seller has no reason to believe that the FCC Applications might be challenged or might not be granted by the FCC in the ordinary course due to any fact or circumstance relating to the Seller, the Allbritton Company, the Business or the FCC Licenses.

 

(d)         None of Seller, the Allbritton Company is, with respect to the Station, a party to any local marketing agreement, time brokerage agreement, joint sales agreement or other similar agreement (collectively, a “Sharing Agreement”).

 

 
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(e)         Schedule 3.04(e) contains, as of the date hereof, (i) a list of all retransmission consent agreements or any other carriage agreement, with multi-channel video programming distributors, including cable systems, telephone companies and direct broadcast satellite systems (together, “MVPDs”) with more than 10,000 subscribers with respect to the Station, and (ii) a list of the MVPDs that, to the Knowledge of Seller, carry the Station and have more than 10,000 subscribers with respect to each such Station outside such Station’s Market. The Allbritton Company is a party to retransmission consent agreements with respect to each MVPD with more than 10,000 subscribers in any of the Station’s Markets. To the Knowledge of Seller, since October 1, 2011 and until the date hereof, except as set forth on Schedule 3.04(e), (x) no headend with more than 10,000 subscribers covered by an MVPD in any of the Station’s Markets has provided written notice to Seller or the Allbritton Company of any material signal quality issue or has failed to respond to a request for carriage or, to the Knowledge of Seller, sought any form of relief from carriage of the Station from the FCC and (y) neither Seller nor the Allbritton Company has received any written notice from any MVPD with more than 5,000 subscribers in any of the Station’s Markets of such MVPD’s intention to delete the Station from carriage or to change the Station’s channel position.

 

Section 3.05     Taxes.

 

(a)         Except as set forth on Schedule 3.05(a), all material Tax Returns have been filed (including, but not limited to, sales and use returns) required to be filed with respect to the Station Assets, all such Tax Returns are correct and complete in all material respects and prepared in substantial compliance with all applicable Laws, and Seller has or will have timely paid all such Taxes due and owing by it with respect to the Station Assets (whether or not shown on any Tax Return) except which either (i) constitute Excluded Liabilities or (ii) are disclosed on Schedule 3.05(a). None of the Station Assets are subject to any Lien in favor of the United States pursuant to Section 6321 of the Code for nonpayment of federal Taxes, or any Tax Lien in favor of any state or municipality pursuant to any comparable provision of state or local Law, or any other U.S. federal, state or local Tax Law under which transferee liability might be imposed upon Buyer as a buyer of the Station Assets.

 

(b)         There are no material Liens against the Station Assets in respect of any Taxes, other than with respect to Taxes not yet due and payable.

 

(c)         There is no material Action pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened by any Governmental Authority for assessment or collection of any Taxes of any nature affecting the Station Assets.

 

(d)         Except as set forth on Schedule 3.05(d), Seller currently is not the beneficiary of any extension of time within which to file any material Tax Return relating to the Station Assets or the Business.

 

(e)         To the Knowledge of Seller, there is no material dispute or claim concerning any Tax liability relating to the Station Assets or Seller’s operation of the Station which has been claimed or raised by any Governmental Authority in writing.

 

(f)          Seller has not (i) waived any statute of limitations in respect of material Taxes relating to the Station Assets or the operation of the Station or (ii) agreed to any extension of time with respect to a material Tax assessment or deficiency which extension is currently in effect relating to the Station Assets or the operation of the Station.

 

 
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Section 3.06     Tangible Personal Property.

 

(a)         Schedule 3.06(a) contains a list of all material items of equipment, transmitters, antennas, cables, towers, vehicles, furniture, fixtures, spare parts and other tangible personal property of every kind and description that will be owned or held for use, immediately following the Allbritton Closing, by the Seller or its Affiliates in connection with the Business, except for any retirements or dispositions thereof made between the date hereof and the Closing in accordance with Article V (the “Tangible Personal Property”). Except as set forth on Schedule 3.06(a), immediately prior to the Closing, the Seller or its Affiliates will have good and valid title to the Tangible Personal Property free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens).

 

(b)        Except as set forth on Schedule 3.06(b), all material items of Tangible Personal Property are in good operating condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted and have been maintained in accordance with normal industry practice.

 

(c)         Immediately following the Allbritton Closing, no Person other than Seller or its Affiliates will have any rights to use any of the Tangible Personal Property, whether by lease, sublease, license or other instrument, other than set forth on Schedule 3.06(c).

 

Section 3.07     Real Property.

 

(a)         Schedule 3.07(a) contains a list of all real property (including any appurtenant easements, buildings, structures, fixtures and other improvements thereon) that is owned in fee simple by the Allbritton Company, and immediately following the Allbritton Closing will be owned in fee simple by the Seller or its Affiliates, in each case, in connection with the Business (collectively, the “Owned Real Property”).

 

(b)        Schedule 3.07(b) contains a list of all material contracts, agreements and leases (collectively, “Real Property Leases”) pursuant to which the Allbritton Company, and immediately following the Allbritton Closing Seller or its Affiliates, leases, licenses or sublicenses real property (including any appurtenant easements, buildings, structures, fixtures and other improvements thereon) in connection with the Business (collectively, the “Leased Real Property” and, together with the Owned Real Property, the “Real Property”) as lessee, licensee or sublicensee, as applicable.

 

(c)         Except as set forth on Schedule 3.07(c), the Allbritton Company has, and immediately prior to the Closing Seller or its Affiliate will have, good and marketable fee simple title to the Owned Real Property, in each case free and clear of Liens, other than Permitted Liens. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.07(c), immediately prior to the Closing, Seller will not be obligated under, nor will be a party to, any option, right of first refusal or other contractual right to purchase, acquire, sell, assign or dispose of any of the Owned Real Property or any portion thereof or interest therein.

 

 
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(d)         With respect to the Real Property, there is no (i) pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened condemnation, eminent domain or taking proceeding or (ii) to the Knowledge of Seller, private restrictive covenant or governmental use restriction (including zoning) on all or any portion of the Real Property that prohibits or materially interferes with the current use of the Real Property.

 

(e)         Except as set forth on Schedule 3.07(e), none of Seller, the Allbritton Company, within the past two (2) years, has received any written notice of any material violation of any material Law affecting the Owned Real Property or the Real Property Leases or the Station’s use thereof.

 

(f)         Within the past two (2) years, neither Seller nor the Allbritton Company has received any written notice of any existing plan or study by any Governmental Authority or by any other Person that challenges or otherwise adversely affects the continuation of the use or operation of any Owned Real Property or Real Property Leases and Seller has no knowledge of any such plan or study with respect to which it has not received written notice. Except as set forth in the Revenue Leases, to the Knowledge of Seller, there is no Person in possession of any Owned Real Property other than the Seller or the Allbritton Company. Except as identified in Schedule 3.07(f), no Person has any right to acquire any interests in any of the Owned Real Property.

 

Section 3.08     Contracts.

 

(a)         Schedule 3.08(a) sets forth, as of the date hereof, a true and complete list of the following Contracts related to the Business to which Allbritton Company or its Affiliate is a party or Seller or its Affiliate will be a party immediately following the Allbritton Closing:

 

  (i)         any Contract under which the aggregate payments or receipts for the past twelve (12) months exceeded, or for the following twelve (12) months is expected to exceed, $150,000;

 

  (ii)        any Contract under which payments by or obligations of Seller, relating to the Business, will be increased, accelerated or vested by the occurrence (whether alone or in conjunction with any other event) of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or under which the value of the payments by or obligations of Seller, relating to the Business, will be calculated on the basis of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, whether pursuant to a change in control or otherwise;

 

  (iii)       any contract for Program Rights that involves cash payments or cash receipts in excess of $100,000 over the remaining term of such contract;

 

  (iv)       any network affiliation agreement;

 

  (v)        any retransmission consent agreement with any MVPD with more than 10,000 subscribers in the Station’s Market;

 

  (vi)       reserved;

 

 
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  (vii)      any Real Property Lease;

 

  (viii)     any Contract relating to the Business, that relates to the guarantee (whether absolute or contingent) by Seller, the Allbritton Company of (x) the performance of any other Person (other than their respective Affiliates) or (y) the whole or any part of the Indebtedness or liabilities of any other Person (other than their respective Affiliates);

 

  (ix)       reserved;

 

  (x)       any Contract that contains any power of attorney authorizing the incurrence of an obligation on the part of the Seller, the Allbritton Company relating to the Business;

 

  (xi)       reserved;

 

  (xii)      reserved;

 

  (xiii)     reserved;

 

  (xiv)    any Contract that grants any Person an option or a right of first refusal, right of first offer or similar preferential right to purchase or acquire any Station Asset;

 

  (xv)      any Contract involving the purchase or sale of Real Property that has not closed as of the date hereof;

 

  (xvi)     any Contract entered into after January 1, 2013 relating to the acquisition or disposition of any material portion of the Business (whether by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets or otherwise);

 

  (xvii)    any Contract involving construction, architecture, engineering or other agreements relating to uncompleted construction projects, in each case that involve payments in excess of $100,000;

 

  (xviii)   any Contract involving compensation to any Transferred Employee (as defined in Section 8 hereof), or any Contract with an independent contractor or consultant engaged to perform services to the Business in excess of $100,000 per year (provided, however, that for purposes of this Section 3.8(a)(xviii), the term Contract shall not include at-will Contracts that can be terminated upon 30 days’ notice without penalty or additional payment);

 

  (xix)     any Contract with a Governmental Authority (other than ordinary course Contracts with Governmental Authorities as a customer) which imposes any material obligation or restriction on the Seller, the Allbritton Company as it relates to the Business; and

 

  (xx)      any Contract relating to the use of a Station’s digital bit stream other than in connection with broadcast television services.

 

 
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The contracts, agreements and leases required to be disclosed pursuant to this Section 3.08(a) are collectively referred to herein as the “Material Contracts”.

 

(b)         Each of the Material Contracts is in full force and effect and binding and enforceable upon the Allbritton Company, and will be immediately following the Allbritton Closing binding and enforceable upon Seller and, to the Knowledge of Seller, the other parties thereto, subject in each case to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or other similar Laws affecting or relating to enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity). Prior to the Allbritton Closing, the Allbritton Company has performed their obligations under each of the Material Contracts in all material respects and are not in material default thereunder, and to the Knowledge of Seller, no other party to any of the Material Contracts is in default thereunder in any material respect.

 

Section 3.09    Environmental. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.09, and except as would not reasonably be expected to result in the owner or operator of the Station or the Real Property incurring liability under any applicable Environmental Law (a) to the Knowledge of Seller, the Station is and has been in compliance with all Environmental Laws applicable to the Station and the Real Property, which compliance includes obtaining, maintaining and complying in all material respects with all Permits, licenses or other authorizations required by Environmental Law and (b) no Actions are pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened against the Allbritton Company or Seller, the Station or the Real Property alleging a violation of or liability under Environmental Laws. To the Knowledge of Seller, no conditions exist at the Station or any Real Property that would reasonably be expected to result in the owner or operator of the Station or the Real Property incurring liability under Environmental Laws. Seller has made available to Buyer copies or summaries of all current material non-privileged environmental assessments, audits, investigations or other similar environmental reports relating to the Station or the Real Property that are in the possession, custody or control of Seller or the Allbritton Company. To the Knowledge of Seller, there have been no Releases of Hazardous Materials at, from, to, on or under any Owned Real Property that give rise to an affirmative reporting or cleanup obligation under Environmental Law. There are no underground storage tanks at the Owned Real Property and Station does not utilize any underground storage tanks at the Real Property subject to the Real Property Leases.

 

Section 3.10    Intangible Property. Schedule 3.10 contains a description of all material Intellectual Property that will be owned or licensed, immediately following the Allbritton Closing, by the Seller or its Affiliate in connection with the Business or is registered or the subject of an application for registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (or any equivalent foreign office) (collectively, the “Intangible Property”). Except as set forth on Schedule 3.10, (i) to the Knowledge of Seller, the Allbritton Company’s use prior to the Allbritton Closing, and Seller’s use following the Allbritton Closing, of the Intangible Property does not infringe upon any third party’s Intellectual Property in any material respect, (ii) to the Knowledge of Seller, none of the Intangible Property is being infringed or misappropriated by any third party, (iii) no Intangible Property is the subject of any pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened Action claiming infringement of any third party’s Intellectual Property and (iv) in the past three (3) years, neither Seller nor the Allbritton Company has received any written claim asserting that its use of any Intangible Property is unauthorized or violates or infringes upon the Intellectual Property of any third party or challenging the ownership, use, validity or enforceability of any Intangible Property. To the Knowledge of Seller, (a) the Allbritton Company is the owner of or has the valid right to use the Intangible Property free and clear of Liens, other than Permitted Liens, in the applicable jurisdictions in which such Intangible Property is currently being used and (b) and Seller will have such rights immediately following the Allbritton Closing.

 

 
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Section 3.11     Employees; Labor Matters; Employee Benefit Plans.

 

(a)         Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11(a), the Allbritton Company, and, following the Allbritton Closing, the Seller as it relates to the Station, has complied in all material respects with all labor and employment Laws, including those which relate to wages, hours, and conditions of employment, discrimination in employment, collective bargaining, equal opportunity, harassment, immigration status, disability, workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation, occupational health and safety and the collection and payment of withholding. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11(a), as of the date hereof and since January 1, 2012, there has been no unfair labor practice charge against the Station pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened before the National Labor Relations Board, any state labor relations board or any court or tribunal, nor has any written complaint pertaining to any such charge or potential charge been delivered to Seller or the Allbritton Company. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11(a), there is no strike, dispute, request for representation, slowdown, or stoppage pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened in respect to the Station. Other than the collective bargaining agreements set forth on Schedule 3.11(a) (the “Bargaining Agreements”), neither the Seller, Allbritton Company nor the Station is a party to any collective bargaining, union or similar agreement with respect to its respective Transferred Employees, and to the Knowledge of Seller, other than the labor union parties to the Bargaining Agreements, no union represents or claims to represent or is attempting to organize such Transferred Employees. The Seller’s and Allbritton Company’s classification of each of its employees as exempt or nonexempt has been made in accordance with Law in all material respects.

 

(b)         Seller has made available to Buyer a list, dated as of no earlier than June 15, 2014, of all Transferred Employees, including the names, current rate of compensation, employment status (i.e., active, disabled, on authorized leave), department, title, whether covered by a collective bargaining agreement and whether full-time or part-time. Such list, redacted to delete current rate of compensation, is attached as Schedule 3.11(b).

 

 
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(c)         Schedule 3.11(c) contains a list setting forth each employee benefit plan, program or arrangement currently sponsored, maintained or contributed to by the Allbritton Company prior to the Allbritton Closing or will be maintained or contributed by the Seller following the Allbritton Closing, or with respect to which the Station or may have any actual or contingent liability or obligation (including any such obligations under any terminated plan or arrangement), including employee benefit plans, as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA, Multiemployer Plans, deferred compensation plans, stock option or other equity compensation plans, stock purchase plans, phantom stock plans, bonus plans, fringe benefit plans, life, health, dental, vision, hospitalization, disability and other insurance plans, employee assistance program, severance or termination pay plans and policies, and sick pay and vacation plans or arrangements, whether or not described in Section 3(3) of ERISA. Each and every such plan, program, agreement or arrangement is hereinafter referred to as an “Employee Plan”. With respect to each Employee Plan, Seller has provided or made available to Buyer the following (i) copies of all written Employee Plans (including all trust agreements, insurance or annuity contracts, investment management agreements, record keeping agreements and other material documents or instruments relating thereto), and in the case of any Employee Plan that is not in written form, an accurate description of all material terms, (ii) the three (3) most recent Annual Reports (Form 5500 Series) and accompanying schedules, if any, and the most recent actuarial report (to the extent applicable), (iii) the current summary plan description, if any exists, (iv) the most recent determination letter from the IRS, if any, with respect to each such Employee Plan which is intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code, (v) all material correspondence from the IRS or the Department of Labor, and (vi) copies of non-discrimination testing results for the three most recent plan years. As of the Closing, the Transferred Employees shall cease to be eligible to participate in all Employee Plans.

 

(d)         Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11(d), with respect to each Employee Plan, as applicable: (i) each has been established and is being operated in all material respects in compliance with its terms and all applicable Laws, including ERISA and the Code; (ii) no Actions or disputes are pending, or to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened that, if successful, would reasonably be expected to result in liability of $150,000 or more; (iii) no audits, inquiries, reviews, proceedings, claims, or demands are pending with any governmental or regulatory agency; (iv) there are no facts which could give rise to any material liability in the event of any such investigation, claim, Action, audit, review, or other proceeding; (v) all premiums, contributions, or other payments required to have been made by Law or under the terms of any Employee Plan or any Contract or agreement relating to any Employee Plan as of the Allbritton Closing or the Closing, as applicable, have been made; (vi) all material reports, returns and similar documents required to be filed with any Governmental Authority or distributed to any plan participant have been duly and timely filed or distributed; (vii) no “prohibited transaction” has occurred within the meaning of the applicable provisions of ERISA or the Code; and (viii) there have been no acts or omissions by the Allbritton Company or Seller, as applicable, that have given or could give rise to any material fines, penalties, taxes or related charges under Sections 502(c), 502(i), 502(l), 502(m) or 4071 of ERISA or Section 511 or Chapter 43 of the Code, or under any other applicable Law, for which Allbritton Company or Seller may be liable.

 

(e)         No Employee Plan provides for any payment by the Allbritton Company or Seller, as applicable, that would result in the payment of any compensation or other payments that would not be deductible under the terms of Section 280G of the Code after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(f)          Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11(f), neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall: (i) result in the acceleration of the time of payment or vesting or creation of any rights of any current or former employee, manager, director or consultant to compensation or benefits under any Employee Plan or otherwise that would be payable by Allbritton Company or Seller; (ii) result in any payment becoming due, or increase the amount of any compensation due, in each case, to any current or former employee, manager, or consultant of Allbritton Company or Seller, as applicable; or (iii) increase any benefits otherwise payable under any Employee Plan.

 

 
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(g)         Except as set forth on Schedule 3.11(g), (i) neither Allbritton Company nor Seller contributes to or is required to contribute, or has any liability or obligation, to any Multiemployer Plan, (ii) neither Allbritton Company nor Seller has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any liability under Title IV of ERISA, and (iii) no Employee Plan is (w) subject to Section 412 of the Code or Title IV of ERISA, (x) is a “multiple employer plan” within the meaning of Section 210 of ERISA or Section 413(c) of the Code, (y) is a “multiple employer welfare arrangement” as such term is defined in Section 3(40) of ERISA, or (z) provides group health or death benefits following termination of employment, other than to the extent required by Part 6 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA or Section 4980B of the Code or by a comparable state Law. With respect to any Multiemployer Plans set forth on Schedule 3.11(g): (A) all contributions required to be made with respect to Transferred Employees have been timely paid; (B) the Allbritton Company or Seller have not incurred and is not expected to incur, directly or indirectly, any withdrawal liability under ERISA with respect to any such plan (whether by reason of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement or otherwise); (C) neither the Allbritton Company nor Seller has withdrawn, partially withdrawn, or received any notice of any claim or demand for withdrawal liability or partial withdrawal liability against any of them; (D) no such plan is (or is expected to be) insolvent or in reorganization and no accumulated funding deficiency (as defined in Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code), whether or not waived, exists or is expected to exist with respect to any such plan nor any such plan is or reasonably expected to be “at-risk” under Section 430 of the Code; and (E) neither the Allbritton Company nor Seller has any actual or contingent liability under Section 4204 of ERISA.

 

(h)         With respect to each Employee Plan intended to qualify under Section 401(a) of the Code: (i) the IRS has issued a favorable determination letter or opinion letter or advisory letter (copies of which have been provided to Buyer) upon which the Allbritton Company or Seller, as applicable, are entitled to rely under IRS pronouncements, that such plan is, and such plan and its related trust are in fact, qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code and the related trusts are exempt from federal Income Tax under Section 501(a) of the Code; and (ii) no such determination letter, opinion letter or advisory letter has been revoked nor has revocation been threatened, nor has any amendment or other action or omission occurred with respect to any such plan since the date of its most recent determination letter, opinion letter or advisory letter, or application therefor, in any respect which would adversely affect its qualification, or materially increase its costs.

 

(i)          Each Employee Plan that constitutes a nonqualified deferred compensation plan subject to Section 409A of the Code has been operated and administered in compliance, in both form and operation, with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and the treasury regulations and other generally applicable guidance published by the IRS thereunder, and, to the extent not inconsistent therewith, the Employee Plan’s terms. Neither Allbritton Company nor Seller, as applicable, is a party to, or otherwise obligated under, any Employee Plan or otherwise, which provides for a gross up of Taxes imposed by Section 409A of the Code.

 

 
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Section 3.12     Insurance. Schedule 3.12 lists (a) all insurance policies maintained by the Allbritton Company covering the Station or the Business, prior to the Allbritton Closing, and (b) the premiums and coverages of such policies as of the date of this Agreement. All such policies are in full force and effect. There is no material claim pending under any such insurance policy as to which coverage has been questioned, denied or disputed by the underwriters of such insurance policy, and neither Seller nor the Allbritton Company has received any written threatened termination of any of such insurance policies.

 

Section 3.13     Compliance with Law; Permits. Subject to Section 3.04 and Schedule 3.04(a) with respect to the FCC Licenses, and except as set forth on Schedule 3.13, (a) the Allbritton Company or Seller have complied in all material respects with all Laws and all decrees, judgments and orders of any Governmental Authority in respect of the operation of the Business and (b) there are no Actions (exclusive of investigations by or before the FCC) pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened against the Allbritton Company or Seller with respect to the Station, except for those affecting the television broadcast industry generally. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.13, (i) the Seller, immediately following the Allbritton Closing, will hold all the Permits, (ii) all such Permits are valid and in full force and effect and (iii) the Allbritton Company is in material compliance with the terms of all Permits. To the Knowledge of Seller, there is no Action pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened regarding the suspension, revocation, or cancellation of any Permits.

 

Section 3.14     Litigation. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.14, as of the date hereof, there is no Action pending or, to the Knowledge of Seller, threatened against the Allbritton Company or the Seller relating to the Business (a) that would reasonably be expected to result in damages in excess of $250,000 or (b) which would reasonably be expected to affect Seller’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or otherwise impede, prevent or materially delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

Section 3.15     Financial Statements. Schedule 3.15 sets forth copies of the following financial statements from Allbritton Company’s internal reporting system relating solely to the Business (such financial statements, collectively, the “Financial Statements”): (a) the unaudited balance sheet and statement of operations as of and for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012 and (b) the unaudited balance sheet and statement of operations as of and for the six (6) months ended March 31, 2013. The Financial Statements have been derived from the books and records of the Allbritton Company and fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations of the Allbritton Company as of the dates thereof and for the periods indicated therein in conformity with GAAP (except insofar as such unaudited Financial Statements may omit footnotes and may be subject to potential year-end adjustments that are not expected, either individually or in the aggregate, to be material).

 

Section 3.16     No Undisclosed Liabilities. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.16, none of the Allbritton Company or Seller, as it relates to the Business, has any liabilities or obligations of any kind or nature, whether known or unknown, absolute or contingent, accrued or unaccrued which would be required to be disclosed on a balance sheet of the Business prepared in accordance with GAAP or the notes thereto, except for liabilities which are (a) reflected or reserved for in the Financial Statements, (b) included in the calculation of the Estimated Settlement Statement or Final Settlement Statement, (c) current liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business since the Balance Sheet Date, (d) contractual and similar liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business and not required to be disclosed on a balance sheet of the Business prepared in accordance with GAAP or the notes thereto, (d) liabilities arising under applicable Law and not required to be disclosed on a balance sheet of the Business prepared in accordance with GAAP or the notes thereto or (e) contemplated by this Agreement.

 

 
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Section 3.17     Absence of Changes. Since the Balance Sheet Date, there have not been any events, changes or occurrences or state of facts that, individually or in the aggregate, have had or would reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect. Since the Balance Sheet Date, the Station has been operated in all material respects in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and there has not been in respect of the Business any damage, destruction or loss, whether or not covered by insurance, with respect to any of its property and assets having a replacement cost of more than $100,000, in each case, which damage, destruction or loss has not been (or, as of the Closing, will not be) remedied.

 

Section 3.18     No Brokers. Except for the services of Moelis & Company to Seller, for which the applicable fee shall be paid by Seller, no broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other third party has been employed or retained by Seller in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or is or may be entitled to any broker’s, finder’s, financial advisor’s or other similar fee or commission, or the reimbursement of expenses, in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Seller.

 

Section 3.19     Related Party Transactions. As it relates to the Business, except as set forth on Schedule 3.19 and other than employment arrangements, the Allbritton Company, prior to the Allbritton Closing, and Seller, following the Allbritton Closing, is and are not currently party to any material Contract with any their respective Affiliates as it relates to the Station..

 

Section 3.20     All Assets. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.20, Buyer, upon the Closing, will acquire all right, title and interest in all assets (including all Real Property) used exclusively or held for exclusive use in the Business as conducted as of the date hereof free and clear of all Liens, other than Permitted Liens.

 

ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER

 

Buyer represents and warrants to Seller as follows:

 

Section 4.01     Existence and Power. Buyer is a corporation duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the State of Virginia and has all company powers and all governmental licenses, authorizations, permits, consents and approvals required to carry on its business as now conducted.

 

 
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Section 4.02     Corporate Authorization.

 

(a)         The execution and delivery by Buyer of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements (to which Buyer will be a party), the performance by Buyer of its obligations hereunder and thereunder and the consummation by Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby are within Buyer’s company powers and have been duly authorized by all requisite organizational action on the part of Buyer.

 

(b)         This Agreement has been, and each Ancillary Agreement (to which Buyer is or will be a party) will be, duly executed and delivered by Buyer. This Agreement (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Seller) constitutes, and each Ancillary Agreement (to which Buyer is or will be a party) will constitute when executed and delivered by Buyer, the legal, valid and binding obligation of Buyer, enforceable against Buyer in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or other similar Laws affecting or relating to enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding at law or in equity).

 

Section 4.03     Governmental Authorization. The execution, delivery and performance by Buyer of this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby require no action by or in respect of, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental Authority other than (a) the FCC consent and DOJ approval to the Allbritton Transaction and (b) the Governmental Consents.

 

Section 4.04      Noncontravention. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by Buyer and each Ancillary Agreement to which Buyer will be a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not (a) violate or conflict with the organizational documents of Buyer, (b) assuming compliance with the matters referred to in Section 4.03, conflict with or violate any Law or Governmental Order applicable to Buyer, (c) require any consent or other action by or notification to any Person under, constitute a default under, or give to any Person any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of any right or obligation of Buyer or to a loss of any benefit relating to Seller to which Buyer is entitled under, any provision of any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, lease, license, permit, franchise or other agreement or instrument to which Buyer is a party or by which any of Buyer’s assets is or may be bound or (d) result in the creation or imposition of any Lien (except for Permitted Liens) on any asset of Buyer, except, in the cases of clauses (b), (c) and (d), for any such violations, consents, actions, defaults, rights or losses as have not had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on Buyer or on Buyer’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements.

 

Section 4.05      Absence of Litigation. There are no Actions pending against or to the knowledge of Buyer, threatened, against Buyer before any Governmental Authority that in any manner challenges or seeks to prevent, enjoin, alter or delay materially the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

 
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Section 4.06    Qualifications. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.06, Buyer is legally, financially and otherwise qualified under the Communications Act and FCC Rules to acquire the FCC Licenses and own and operate the Station. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.06, (a) there are no facts known to Buyer that would disqualify Buyer as the assignee of the FCC Licenses or as owner and operator of the Station, (b) no waiver or exemption, whether temporary or permanent, of the Communications Act or FCC Rules is necessary for the FCC Consent to be obtained, (c) Buyer has no reason to believe that the FCC Application will be challenged or will not be granted by the FCC in the ordinary course due to any fact or circumstance relating to Buyer or any of its Affiliates or any of their respective officers, directors, shareholders, members or partners, and (d) no waiver of or exemption, whether temporary or permanent, from any provision of the Communications Act or FCC Rules is necessary for the FCC Consent to be obtained. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.06, Buyer is legally, financially and otherwise qualified under the Antitrust Laws to acquire the Station Assets and own and operate the Station.

 

Section 4.07    Brokers. There is no broker, finder, investment banker or other intermediary that has been retained by or is authorized to act on behalf of Buyer who is entitled to any fee or commission from either Buyer or any of its Affiliates upon consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements for which Seller could become liable.

 

Section 4.08    Financing. At Closing, Buyer will have sufficient cash, available lines of credit or other sources of immediately available funds to enable it to make payment of the Purchase Price, all related fees and expenses in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other amounts to be paid by it in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

 

Section 4.09    Projections and Other Information. Buyer acknowledges that, with respect to any projections, forecasts, business plans, budget information and similar documentation or information relating to Seller and the operation of the Station that Buyer has received from Seller or any of its Affiliates, (a) there are uncertainties inherent in attempting to make such projections, forecasts, plans and budgets, (b) Buyer is familiar with such uncertainties, (c) Buyer hereby accepts full responsibility for making its own evaluation of the adequacy and accuracy of all estimates, projections, forecasts, plans and budgets so furnished to it, and (d) Buyer does not have, and will not assert, any claim against Seller or any of its members, officers, Employees, Affiliates or Representatives, or hold Seller or any such Persons liable, with respect thereto. Buyer represents that neither Seller nor any of its Affiliates nor any other Person has made any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of any information regarding Seller, or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement not expressly set forth in this Agreement, and neither Seller nor any of its Affiliates or any other Person will have or be subject to any liability to Buyer or any other Person resulting from the distribution to Buyer or its Representatives or Buyer’s use of, any such information, including any confidential memoranda distributed on behalf of Seller relating to Seller or other publications or data room information provided to Buyer or its Representatives, or any other document or information in any form provided to Buyer or its Representatives in connection with the sale of the Station Assets and the transactions contemplated hereby. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing in this Section 4.09 will in any way limit Buyer’s rights (including under Section 10.03(a) and Article XII) with respect to the express representations and warranties of Seller in this Agreement.

 

 
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Section 4.10     Solvency. Buyer is not entering into the transactions contemplated hereby with the intent to hinder, delay or defraud either present or future creditors. Immediately after giving effect to all of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the payment of the Purchase Price and payment of all related fees and expenses, Buyer and its Affiliates will be Solvent. For purposes of this Section 4.10, the term “Solvent” with respect to any Person means that, as of any date of determination, (a) the amount of the fair saleable value of the assets of such Person exceeds, as of such date, the value of all liabilities of such Person, including contingent and other liabilities, as of such date, as such quoted terms are generally determined in accordance with the applicable federal Laws governing determinations of the solvency of debtors, (b) such Person will not have, as of such date, an unreasonably small amount of capital for the operation of the business in which they are engaged or proposed to be engaged following such date, and (c) such Person will be able to pay its liabilities, including contingent and other liabilities, as they mature. For purposes of this definition, “not have an unreasonably small amount of capital for the operation of the business in which it is engaged or proposed to be engaged” means that the Person will be able to generate enough cash from operations, asset dispositions or refinancing, or a combination thereof, to meet their financial obligations as they become due.

 

ARTICLE V

COVENANTS OF SELLER

 

Section 5.01    Operations Pending Closing. Between the date hereof and the Closing, except as (a) set forth in this Agreement, (b) contemplated by the applicable subsection of Schedule 5.01, or (c) required by applicable Law or the regulations or requirements of any regulatory organization applicable to Seller or the Allbritton Company, as the case may be, unless Buyer otherwise consents in writing which request for consent shall be directed to and promptly considered in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Section 5.01 by the Buyer Principal Liaisons and which consent shall (i) not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed in the case of clauses (c), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (m), (o), (p), (s), (t), (v), (w) or (y), and (ii) which may otherwise be withheld in Buyer’s sole discretion, Seller shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Allbritton Company, prior to the Allbritton Closing, and Seller shall, following the Allbritton Closing and prior to the Closing:

 

(a)         operate the Station in the ordinary course and in all material respects in accordance with the Communications Laws, the FCC Licenses and with all other applicable Laws;

 

(b)         not cause or permit, or agree or commit to cause or permit, by act or failure to act, any of the FCC Licenses to expire or to be revoked, suspended or adversely modified, or take or fail to take any action that would cause the FCC or any other Governmental Authority to institute proceedings (other than proceedings of general applicability) for the suspension, revocation or adverse modification of any of the FCC Licenses listed on Schedule 3.04(a);

 

 
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(c)         other than in the ordinary course of business or for the purpose of disposing of obsolete or worthless assets, not (i) sell, lease, license or dispose of or agree to sell, lease, license or dispose of any material assets unless replaced with similar items of substantially equal or greater value and utility or (ii) create, assume or permit to exist any Liens upon their assets, except for Permitted Liens;

 

(d)         not dissolve, liquidate, merge or consolidate with any other entity;

 

(e)         maintain, repair and replace the Tangible Personal Property, including any Tangible Personal Property which has been damaged prior to Closing, and maintain, repair and replace the Real Property, including any improvements thereon, which has been damaged prior to Closing, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(f)          reserved;

 

(g)         (i) upon reasonable written advance notice, give Buyer and its representatives reasonable access at reasonable, mutually agreed-upon times during normal business hours to the Station, and furnish Buyer with information relating to the Business that Buyer may reasonably request, provided, however, that such access rights shall not be exercised in a manner that interferes with the Business and (ii) otherwise provide such reasonable assistance and cooperation as may be requested by Buyer from time to time prior to the Closing Date to reasonably facilitate the transition of the Business, including facilities, operations and applicable data, to Buyer upon and effective as of the Effective Time;

 

(h)         except as otherwise required by Law, not enter into, renew or renegotiate any employment agreement with a Transferred Employee providing for annual compensation in excess of $100,000, any severance agreement or any labor, or union agreement or plan, including any Collective Bargaining Agreement, that will be binding upon Buyer after the Closing;

 

(i)          not hire or terminate the employment of any Station general manager or any other Transferred Employee with annual aggregate non-equity compensation, including target bonuses, in excess of $100,000, excluding any terminations for “cause” as reasonably determined by Sellers;

 

(j)          except in the ordinary course of business or in connection with the Allbritton Company’s obligations with respect to Transferred Employees, not (i) materially increase the compensation or benefits payable to any Transferred Employee, or (ii) modify any severance policy applicable to any Transferred Employee that would result in any material increase in the amount of severance payable to any such Transferred Employee (or would materially expand the circumstances in which such severance is payable);

 

(k)         reserved;

 

(l)          use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the Station’s MVPD carriage existing as of the date of this Agreement;

 

 
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(m)        except for agreements and contracts which can be terminated by the Seller or Allbritton Company, as applicable, without penalty upon notice of ninety (90) days or less, not (i) enter into any agreement or contract that would have been a Material Contract were Seller or Allbritton Company, as applicable, a party or subject thereto on the date of this Agreement unless such agreement or contract (x) is entered into in the ordinary course of business and (y) does not involve payments by Seller or Allbritton Company, as applicable, of greater than $250,000 during any twelve (12) month period, (ii) amend in any material respect any Material Contract unless such amendment (x) is effected in the ordinary course of business, (y) does not increase the amount of payments to be made by Seller or Allbritton Company, as applicable, during any twelve (12) month period by $250,000 or more or (iii) terminate or waive any material right under any Material Contract other than in the ordinary course of business (excluding the expiration of any Material Contract in accordance with its terms) (it being understood that if any such entry into, or amendment or termination of any such agreement or contract is permitted pursuant to this Section 5.1(m) as a result of the references to acts taken in the ordinary course of business, but such action would otherwise be prohibited by any other provision of this Section 5.1, then this Section 5.1(m) shall not be interpreted to permit such action without the prior written consent of Buyer as contemplated hereby);

 

(n)         not enter into any Contract constituting a Sharing Agreement with respect to the Station;

 

(o)         not change any accounting practices, procedures or methods (except for any change required under GAAP or applicable law) or maintain its books and records, in each case in a manner other than in the ordinary course of business;

 

(p)         reserved;

 

(q)         maintain its qualifications to maintain the FCC Licenses with respect to the Station and not take any action that will materially impair such FCC Licenses or such qualifications;

 

(r)          promote the programming of the Station (both on-air and using third party media) in the ordinary course of business, taking into account inventory availability;

 

(s)         not adopt, enter into or become bound by any new Employee Plan or amend, modify or terminate any Employee Plan, except (i) to comply with applicable Law, (ii) in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices without any additional post-Closing material liability to the Seller or Allbritton Company, as applicable, or (iii) as otherwise contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(t)          keep in full force and effect the material insurance policies set forth on Schedule 3.12 (or other insurance policies comparable in amount and scope);

 

(u)         reserved;

 

 
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(v)        not make or rescind any election relating to Taxes, settle or compromise any claim, action, suit, litigation, proceeding, arbitration, investigation, audit or controversy relating to Taxes, for any taxable period ending on or after September 30, 2012, or change any of its methods of reporting income or deductions on its Income Tax Returns, or the classifications of its existing property and assets, in each case, to the extent such action would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect Buyer or its Affiliates after the Closing;

 

(w)       not (i) enter into or agree or commit to enter into any new Tradeout Agreement relating to the Station with a value in excess of $40,000, and, $200,000 in the aggregate, prior to Closing that will not be fully performed prior to the Closing or (ii) make any guarantee of commercial ratings other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice.

 

(x)         (i) utilize the Program Rights only in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (ii) not sell or otherwise dispose of any such Program Rights;

 

(y)         not extend credit to advertisers other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;

 

(z)         timely make retransmission consent elections with all MVPDs located in or serving the Station’s Markets; and

 

(aa)       not agree, commit or resolve to take any actions inconsistent with the foregoing.

 

Section 5.02    No Negotiation. Until such time as this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 11.01, Seller, its Affiliates, and their respective members, officers, investment bankers and agents shall cease any discussions or negotiations with, and shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit, initiate, encourage or entertain any inquiries or proposals from, discuss or negotiate with, provide any nonpublic information to or consider the merits of any inquiries or proposals from any Person (other than Buyer) relating to the sale of all or a significant portion of the Station Assets (whether by sale of assets, equity, or otherwise); provided, that if Buyer and Seller, acting reasonably and in good faith, jointly determine that the FCC Consent or HSR Clearance (if necessary) is not likely to be obtained by the Outside Date identified in Section 11.01(b)(i) because of circumstances that do not involve a breach by either party of any representation, warranty, covenant, or other obligation under this Agreement, the parties shall execute a document suspending the applicability of this section. Seller shall notify Buyer of any such inquiry or proposal referenced herein within three (3) Business Day of receipt or the Knowledge of Seller of the same.

 

Section 5.03     No-Hire. During the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the first (1st) anniversary of the Closing Date, Seller, and its Affiliates will not, directly or indirectly, solicit to employ or hire any Employee who is contemplated to be or is a Transferred Employee, unless Buyer first terminates the employment of such employee, such employee voluntarily terminates without inducement by Seller or its Affiliates, or Buyer gives its written consent to such employment or offer of employment; provided, however, that Seller or its Affiliates shall be permitted to make a general solicitation for employment not targeted to any Employee of Seller who is contemplated to be or is a Transferred Employee and shall not be prohibited from employing any such employee pursuant to such a general solicitation.

 

 
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Section 5.04     Interim Reports. Within forty-five (45) days after the end of each calendar month during the period from the date hereof through the Closing, if applicable, Seller shall provide or use commercially reasonable efforts to cause Allbritton Company to provide, to Buyer the unaudited balance sheet for the Station as of the end of such month and the related combined unaudited statement of operations for such month ended for the Station. Such reports shall be prepared on the same basis as the Financial Statements. Seller shall also provide to Buyer weekly pacing reports for each of the Station promptly following the end of each week during the period from the date hereof through the Closing.

 

ARTICLE VI

COVENANTS OF BUYER

 

Section 6.01     Access to Information. After the Closing Date, upon reasonable notice, Buyer will promptly provide Seller and its agents reasonable access to its properties, books, records, employees and auditors, at the sole cost and expense of Seller, solely to the extent necessary to permit Seller to determine any matter relating to its rights and obligations (or those of its Affiliates) hereunder and the Allbritton Purchase Agreement, or to any period ending on or before the Closing Date; provided, that Seller will hold, and will cause its agents to hold, in confidence, all confidential or proprietary information to which it has had access to pursuant to this Section 6.01; provided further, that such access shall not unreasonably interfere with Buyer’s business or operations.

 

Section 6.02     Accounts Receivable.

 

(a)         Seller shall deliver to Buyer, on or promptly after the Closing Date, a statement of the Accounts Receivable. Buyer shall use commercially reasonable efforts (without receipt of any additional consideration from Seller) to collect the Accounts Receivable during the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the 180th day thereafter (the “Collection Period”), in the same manner that Buyer uses to collect its own accounts receivable; provided, that Buyer shall be not commence any Action to effect collection or employ any collection agency, legal counsel, or other third party, or take any other extraordinary means of collections or pay any expenses to third parties to collect the Accounts Receivable without obtaining the written authorization of Seller, and, even if Seller provides such written authorization, Buyer shall have no obligation to commence any such Action. Buyer shall send all payments received on the Accounts Receivable to Seller by check or, at Buyer’s election, deposit such payments by wire transfer of immediately available funds (without offset) into an account designated by Seller (the “Seller Account”), in either case within fifteen (15) Business Days of receipt. On the twentieth (20th) day of each calendar month during the Collection Period (and, if the Collection Period ends on a day other than the last day of a calendar month, within twenty (20) days after expiration of the Collection Period), Buyer shall furnish Seller with a list (the “Aging Report”) to show the amounts received by Buyer with respect to the Accounts Receivable during the preceding calendar month (or, if the Collection Period ends on a day other than the last day of a calendar month, the month in which the Collection Period expired) and the amount remaining outstanding under each particular Account Receivable. Any payment received by Buyer during the Collection Period from a customer of the Station that was or is also a customer of Seller and that is obligated with respect to any Accounts Receivable, shall be deposited (without offset) by Buyer in the Seller Account (each such payment, a “Specified Payment” and, collectively, the “Specified Payments”), unless the customer disputes such Accounts Receivable in writing. If during the Collection Period a dispute arises with regard to an account included among the Accounts Receivable, Buyer shall promptly advise Seller thereof and shall return that account to Seller. Any payments that are made directly to Seller during the Collection Period relating to the Accounts Receivable shall be retained by Seller. Buyer shall not discount, offset, adjust or otherwise compromise any Accounts Receivable; provided, that if any Transferred Employee is due a commission for such collected payments due to a pre-Effective Time sale order, then Buyer shall have the right to use that collected payment to pay the owed commissions to such Transferred Employees and then remit the remainder of the collected Accounts Receivable to Seller (with documentation reflecting the payment of commissions to such Transferred Employees). Buyer shall be responsible to notify third parties to commence paying Buyer for accounts receivables relating to after the Effective Time.

 

 
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(b)         Each Specified Payment received by Seller from Buyer pursuant to Section 6.02(a) that is not specifically designated in writing as a payment of a particular invoice or invoices shall be applied by Seller to the Accounts Receivable for such customer outstanding for the longest amount of time until paid in full, and any portion of each such Specified Payment that remains (each such portion, a “Remitted Payment,” and, collectively, the “Remitted Payments”) shall be promptly remitted by Seller to Buyer.

 

(c)         Seller shall send all Remitted Payments by check, or at Seller’s election, shall deposit all Remitted Payments (without offset) into an account identified by Buyer in immediately available funds by wire transfer within fifteen (15) Business Day following the receipt by Seller thereof. On the twentieth day of each calendar month during the Collection Period (and, if the Collection Period ends on a day other than the last day of a calendar month, within twenty (20) days after expiration of the Collection Period), Seller shall furnish Buyer with a list of the amounts received directly by Seller with respect to the Accounts Receivable during the preceding calendar month (or, if the Collection Period ends on a day other than the last day of a calendar month, the month in which the Collection Period expired), and Buyer shall use that information in the submission of the Aging Reports to be supplied to Seller pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section.

 

(d)         Buyer and Seller shall each be entitled during the sixty (60)-day period following expiration of the Collection Period to inspect and audit the records maintained by the other party pursuant to this Section 6.02, upon reasonable advance notice and during normal business hours.

 

(e)         Following the expiration of the Collection Period, neither Buyer nor Seller shall have any further obligations under this Section 6.02, except that Buyer shall promptly pay over to Seller any amounts subsequently paid to it with respect to any Accounts Receivable. Within twenty (20) days after expiration of the Collection Period, Buyer shall deliver to Seller all files, records, notes and any other materials relating to the Accounts Receivable. Upon expiration of the Collection Period, Seller may pursue collections of all remaining Accounts Receivable, and Buyer shall otherwise cooperate with Seller (at the sole cost and expense of Seller and without taking any actions not required under Section 6.02(a) above) for the purpose of collecting any outstanding Accounts Receivable.

 

 
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(f)          Buyer acknowledges that Seller may maintain all established cash management lockbox arrangements in place at the Effective Time for remittance until such time as Seller deems it appropriate to close such lockboxes. The Aging Reports submitted by Buyer to Seller under subsection (a) of this Section will reflect all Seller lockbox receipts, and Seller will cooperate with Buyer to keep the Aging Reports current.

 

(g)         Seller shall promptly pay over to Buyer any monies received by Seller through its lockbox that are intended as a payment on Buyer’s receivables.

 

(h)         If either party fails to timely remit any amounts collected and required to be paid to the other party pursuant to this Section 6.02, such amount shall bear interest at the prime rate (as reported by The Wall Street Journal or, if not reported therein, by another mutually-agreeable source) as in effect from time to time from the date any such amount was due until the date of actual payment.

 

(i)          All amounts received by Seller (other than amounts representing Remitted Payments) pursuant to this Section 6.02 shall not be required to be refunded or repaid by Seller for any circumstance.

 

Section 6.03    Termination of Rights to the Names and Marks. As soon as practicable after the Closing Date (and in any event within ninety (90) days thereafter), Buyer shall, and shall cause each of its Affiliates, to cease and discontinue all uses of, and delete or remove from all products, signage, vehicles, properties, technical information and promotional materials, the names and marks set forth on Schedule 6.03.

 

Section 6.04      Insurance Policies. All of the insurance policies with respect to the Station may be cancelled by Seller as of the Closing Date, and any refunded premiums shall be retained by Seller. Buyer will be solely responsible for acquiring and placing its casualty insurance, business interruption insurance, liability insurance and other insurance policies for the Station, including the Station Assets and Assumed Liabilities, for periods on and after the Effective Time.

 

Section 6.05     Title Commitments; Surveys. Buyer shall have the responsibility to obtain, at its sole option and expense, (a) commitments for owner’s and lender’s title insurance policies on the Owned Real Property and commitments for lessee’s and lender’s title insurance policies for all Real Property that is leased pursuant to a Real Property Lease (collectively, the “Title Commitments”), and (b) an ALTA survey on each parcel of Real Property (the “Surveys”); provided, however, that Seller shall provide Buyer with any existing Title Commitments and Surveys in the possession of Seller, the Allbritton Company, to the extent Buyer is able to do so. The Title Commitments will evidence a commitment to issue an ALTA title insurance policy insuring good, marketable and indefeasible fee simple (or leasehold, if applicable) title to each parcel of the Real Property contemplated above for such amount as Buyer directs. Seller shall reasonably cooperate with Buyer in obtaining such Title Commitments and Surveys, provided that neither Seller nor the Allbritton Company shall be required to incur any cost, expense or other liability in connection therewith. If the Title Commitments or Surveys reveal any Lien on the title other than Permitted Liens, Buyer shall notify Seller in writing of such objectionable matter as soon as Buyer becomes aware that such matter is not a Permitted Lien, and Seller agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to remove such objectionable matter as required pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

 
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Section 6.06     No-Hire. Except as pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, during the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the first (1st) anniversary of the Closing Date, Buyer, and its Affiliates will not, directly or indirectly, solicit to employ or hire any employee of Seller or its Affiliate whose primary work location is in the Market, unless Seller first terminates the employment of such employee, such employee voluntarily terminates without inducement by Buyer or its Affiliates, or Seller gives its written consent to such employment or offer of employment; provided, however, that Buyer or its Affiliates shall be permitted to make a general solicitation for employment (including in the Market) not targeted to any employee of Seller and shall not be prohibited from employing any such employee pursuant to such a general solicitation

 

 

ARTICLE VII

JOINT COVENANTS

 

Section 7.01     Commercially Reasonable Efforts; Further Assurances.

 

(a)         Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Buyer and Seller will each use commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and do, or cause to be done, all efforts reasonably necessary or desirable under applicable Law to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(b)         In furtherance and not in limitation of Section 7.01(a), Buyer and Seller shall prepare and file with the FCC as soon as practicable but in no event later than five (5) Business Days after the date hereof the requisite applications (collectively, the “FCC Application”) and other necessary instruments or documents requesting the FCC Consent and thereupon prosecute the FCC Application with all reasonable diligence to obtain the requisite FCC Consent; provided, that, except as set forth in the following sentence, neither Buyer nor Seller shall be required to pay consideration to any third party to obtain the FCC Consent. Buyer and Seller shall each pay one-half (1/2) of the FCC filing fees relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, irrespective of whether the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated. Buyer and Seller shall each oppose any petitions to deny or other objections filed with respect to the FCC Application to the extent such petition or objection relates to such party. Except as set forth on Schedule 7.01, neither Seller nor Buyer shall take any intentional action, or intentionally fail to take any action, which would reasonably be expected to materially delay the receipt of the FCC Consent. To the extent necessary, Seller shall promptly enter into a tolling agreement or other arrangement if requested by the FCC with respect to any complaints regarding the FCC Licenses, and, subject to the indemnification obligation set forth in Section 12.03(a)(iii), Buyer shall accept liability in connection with any enforcement Action by the FCC with respect to such complaints as part of such tolling or other arrangement provided that it is understood and agreed that Buyer shall be entitled to indemnification from any such liability under Section 12.03(a)(iii) as if it were an Excluded Liability. If the Closing shall not have occurred for any reason within the original effective period of the FCC Consent, and neither party shall have terminated this Agreement under Article XI, Buyer and Seller shall jointly request an extension of the effective period of the FCC Consent. No extension of the FCC Consent shall limit the right of either party to exercise its rights under Article XI.

 

 
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(c)         Within five (5) Business Days after the date of this Agreement, Buyer and Seller shall make all required filings (if necessary) with the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) and the United States Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) pursuant to the HSR Act, with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby (including a request for early termination of the waiting period thereunder), and shall thereafter promptly respond to all requests received from such agencies for additional information or documentation. Expiration or termination of any applicable waiting period under the HSR Act is referred to herein as the “HSR Clearance”. Any filing fees payable under the HSR Act relating to the transactions contemplated hereby shall be borne one-half (1/2) by each the Buyer and Seller. Any costs of experts engaged by Buyer to assist in obtaining the HSR Clearance shall be borne by Buyer.

 

(d)         In connection with the efforts referenced in Section 7.01(a), and Section 7.01(b), to obtain the FCC Consent and HSR Clearance (if necessary), Buyer and Seller shall (i) cooperate in all respects with each other in connection with any filing or submission and in connection with any investigation or other inquiry, including any proceeding initiated by a private party, and (ii) keep the other party informed in a timely manner and in all material respects of any material communication received by such party from, or given by such party, to the FCC, FTC, DOJ or any other Governmental Authority (including the provision of copies of any pleadings, documents, or other communications exchanged with the FCC, FTC, DOJ or any other Governmental Authority) and the material non-confidential portions of any communications received or given by a private party with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby), (iii) permit the other party to review any material non-confidential portions of any communication given or to be given by it to the FCC, FTC, DOJ and any other Governmental Authority with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, and (iv) consult with each other in advance of and be permitted to attend any meeting or conference with, the FCC, FTC, DOJ or any such other Governmental Authority or, in connection with any proceeding by a private party, with any other Person, in each case regarding any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

Section 7.02     Confidentiality. Buyer and Seller (or Affiliates thereof) are parties to the Confidentiality Agreement with respect to Seller, Buyer and the Station. To the extent not already a direct party thereto, Buyer and Seller hereby assume (and agrees to cause each assignee to assume) the Confidentiality Agreement and agrees to be bound by the provisions thereof. Without limiting the terms of the Confidentiality Agreement, subject to the requirements of applicable law, all non-public information regarding Seller, Buyer and their Affiliates and their business and properties that is disclosed in connection with the negotiation, preparation or performance of this Agreement (including, without limitation, all financial information provided by Seller to Buyer) shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed to any other Person, except Buyer’s representatives and lenders for the purpose of consummating the transaction contemplated by this Agreement.

 

 
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Section 7.03    Certain Filings; Further Actions. Seller and Buyer shall cooperate with one another (a) in determining whether any Action by or in respect of, or filing with, any Governmental Authority is required, or any Actions, consents, approvals or waivers are required to be obtained from parties to any Assumed Contracts, in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (b) in taking such actions or making any such filings, furnishing information required in connection therewith and seeking timely to obtain any such actions, consents, approvals or waivers; provided, that Seller and Buyer shall not be required to pay consideration to obtain any such consent, approval or waiver.

 

Section 7.04    Control Prior to Closing. This Agreement and, without limitation, the covenants in Article V, are not intended to and shall not be construed to transfer control of the Station or to give Buyer any right, directly or indirectly, to control, supervise or direct, or attempt to control, supervise or direct, the personnel, programming or finances, or any other matter relating to the operation of the Station prior to the Closing, and Seller or Allbritton Company, as applicable, shall have ultimate control and supervision of all aspects of Station operations up to the time of the Closing.

 

Section 7.05    Public Announcements. The parties shall agree on the terms of any press release, if any, that announces the transactions contemplated hereby and each party will obtain the other party’s prior written consent before issuing any press release or making any public announcement regarding this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, that either party shall be permitted without the consent of the other to issue any press releases or public statements which may be required by applicable Law or any listing agreement with any national securities exchange; provided further, that prior to the issuance of such press release or public statement, the other party shall be provided notice and an opportunity to comment on such press release or public statement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 7.05, the parties acknowledge that this Agreement and the FCC Application will be filed with the FCC and a local public notice will be broadcast on the Station and published in a local newspaper pursuant to applicable FCC Rules.

 

Section 7.06    Notices of Certain Events. From the date hereof until the earlier to occur of the Closing Date or the termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article XI, on the one hand, and Buyer, on the other hand, shall each promptly notify the other of:

 

(a)         any notice or other communication from any Governmental Authority in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement;

 

(b)         in the case of Seller, (i) the occurrence or non-occurrence of any event which, to the Knowledge of Seller, has caused any representation or warranty made by it herein to be untrue or inaccurate in any material respect at any time on or after the date hereof and prior to the Closing and (ii) any material failure on the part of Seller to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition or agreement set forth herein to be complied with or satisfied by Seller hereunder on or after the date hereof and prior to the Closing; and

 

 
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(c)         in the case of Buyer, (i) the occurrence or non-occurrence of any event which, to its knowledge and the knowledge of its chief executive officer and chief operating officer (or persons holding similar positions), has caused any representation or warranty made by it herein to be untrue or inaccurate, in any material respect at any time on or after the date hereof and prior to the Closing and (ii) any material failure on the part of Buyer to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition or agreement set forth herein to be complied with or satisfied by Buyer hereunder on or after the date hereof and prior to the Closing.

 

Section 7.07     Retention of Records; Post-Closing Access to Records.

 

(a)         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Seller and its Affiliates may retain and use, at their own expense, copies of all documents or materials transferred hereunder, in each case, which (i) are used in connection with the businesses of Seller or its Affiliates, other than the operation of the Station, (ii) Seller or any of its Affiliates in good faith determines that it is reasonably likely to need access to in connection with the defense (or any counterclaim, cross-claim or similar claim in connection therewith) of any Action against or by Seller or any of its Affiliates pending or threatened as of the Closing Date, or (iii) Seller or any of its Affiliates in good faith determines it is reasonably likely to need access to in connection with any filing, report, or investigation to or by any Governmental Authority subject, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), to the reasonable agreement of the parties as to maintaining the confidentiality of any such materials and information.

 

(b)         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, for a period of three (3) years after the Closing Date, Seller and its Affiliates shall maintain, and provide Buyer and its Representatives reasonable access to, those records of Seller and its Affiliates insofar as they relate to the Station Assets that relate to periods prior to the consummation of the Closing, during normal business hours and on at least ten (10) Business Days’ prior written notice (or such shorter time period as necessitated by the urgency of the underlying facts and circumstances). If Seller or any of its Affiliates shall desire to dispose of any of such books and records prior to the expiration of such three (3)-year period in accordance with the record retention policies of Seller then in effect, Seller shall, prior to such disposal, give Buyer ten (10) Business Days’ prior notice to enable Buyer, at Buyer’s expense, to segregate and remove such books and records as Buyer may select, subject to destruction of correspondence and other similar documents in the ordinary course, in accordance with customary retention policies and applicable Law.

 

Section 7.08    Cooperation in Litigation. Buyer and Seller shall (and shall cause their respective Affiliates to) reasonably cooperate with each other at the requesting party’s expense in the prosecution or defense of any Action arising from or related to the operation of the Station and involving one or more third parties. 

 

 
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The party requesting such cooperation shall pay the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (excluding internal costs) incurred in providing such cooperation (including reasonable legal fees and disbursements) by the party providing such cooperation and by its Affiliates and its and their officers, members, directors, employees and agents.

 

 
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ARTICLE VIII

EMPLOYEE MATTERS

 

Section 8.01     Employment. On or before the Closing Date, Buyer shall offer employment as of the Closing Date to each Employee employed immediately prior to the Closing Date, including those listed on Schedule 3.11(b), who is not on authorized or unauthorized leave of absence, sick leave, short or long-term disability leave, military leave or layoff with recall rights (“Active Employees”). Employees who are on authorized leave of absence, sick leave, short or long-term disability leave, military leave or layoff with recall rights (collectively, “Inactive Employees”) shall be offered employment by Buyer only if they return to active employment immediately following such absence within six (6) months of the Closing Date, or such later date as required under applicable Law. For the purposes hereof, all Active Employees, or Inactive Employees, who accept Buyer’s offer of employment and commence employment on the applicable Employment Commencement Date are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Transferred Employees.” The “Employment Commencement Date” as referred to herein shall mean (i) as to those Transferred Employees who are Active Employees hired upon the Closing Date, the Closing Date, and (ii) as to those Transferred Employees who are Inactive Employees, the date on which the Transferred Employee begins employment with Buyer. Buyer shall employ at-will those Transferred Employees and who do not have employment agreements with Seller initially at a monetary compensation (consisting of base salary, and, as applicable, commission rate and normal bonus opportunity) materially comparable to those provided to similarly situated employees of Buyer immediately prior to the Employment Commencement Date. The initial terms and conditions of employment for those Transferred Employees who have employment agreements with Seller shall be as set forth in such employment agreements; provided, that Buyer may require such Transferred Employees to execute comparable new employment agreements with Buyer as a condition of employment. From the Employment Commencement Date until at least one (1) year after the Closing Date, Buyer shall provide each Transferred Employee employed by Buyer with compensation that, in the aggregate, is no less favorable than the compensation provided to the Transferred Employees immediately prior to the Effective Time and employee benefits that, in the aggregate, are no less favorable than the employee benefits provided by Buyer to similarly situated employees of Buyer, provided that sales commissions and bonuses based on performance may be less to the extent of changes in performance by such Transferred Employee, to the extent such sales commissions and bonuses are based thereon; provided, however, that, except as set forth in Section 8.05, Buyer shall not be obligated to provide Transferred Employees credit for past time with respect to sick leave. Buyer agrees that Buyer shall provide severance benefits to the Transferred Employees on terms that are at least favorable to those provided to similarly situated employees of Buyer. To the extent permitted by Law, Buyer shall give Transferred Employees full credit for purposes of eligibility waiting periods and vesting, and for benefit accrual (other than benefit accrual under a defined benefit pension plan) under the employee benefit plans or arrangements or severance practices maintained by the Buyer or its Affiliates in which such Transferred Employees participate for such Transferred Employees’ service with the Seller or its Affiliates or predecessors.

 

 
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Section 8.02     Savings Plan. Buyer shall cause a tax-qualified defined contribution plan established or designated by Buyer (a “Buyer’s 401(k) Plan”) to accept rollover contributions from the Transferred Employees of any account balances distributed to them by Seller’s or Allbritton Company’s 401(k) Plan. Buyer shall allow any such Transferred Employees’ outstanding plan loan to be rolled into Buyer’s 401(k) Plan. The distribution and rollover described herein shall comply with applicable Law, and each party shall make all filings and take any actions required of such party by applicable Law in connection therewith. Buyer’s 401(k) Plan shall credit Transferred Employees with service credit for eligibility and vesting purposes for service recognized for the equivalent purposes under Seller’s or Allbritton Company’s 401(k) Plan.

 

Section 8.03     Employee Welfare Plans. Seller shall retain responsibility for and continue to pay all medical, life insurance, disability and other welfare plan expenses and benefits for each Transferred Employee with respect to claims incurred under the terms of the Employee Plans by such Employees or their covered dependents prior to the Employment Commencement Date. Expenses and benefits with respect to claims incurred by Transferred Employees or their covered dependents on or after the Employment Commencement Date shall be the responsibility of Buyer, subject to the terms and conditions of Buyer’s welfare plans. With respect to any welfare benefit plans maintained by Buyer for the benefit of Transferred Employees on and after the Employment Commencement Date, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, Buyer shall (a) cause there to be waived any eligibility requirements or pre-existing condition limitations to the same extent waived generally by Buyer with respect to its employees and (b) give effect, in determining any deductible and maximum out-of-pocket limitations, amounts paid by such Transferred Employees with respect to similar plans maintained by Seller.

 

Section 8.04     Vacation. Buyer will assume all liabilities for unpaid, accrued vacation and personal time of each Transferred Employee as of the Employment Commencement Date, giving service credit under Buyer’s vacation and personal time policy for service with Seller and Allbritton Company, and shall permit Transferred Employees to use their vacation and personal time entitlement accrued as of the Closing Date in accordance with Buyer’s policy for carrying over unused vacation and personal time. To the extent that, following the Closing Date Buyer’s policies do not permit a Transferred Employee to use any accrued and unused vacation and personal time for which Buyer has assumed the liabilities hereunder (other than as a result of such Transferred Employee’s failure to use such vacation and personal time despite his or her eligibility to do so, without adverse consequences, under Buyer’s policies), Buyer will pay such Transferred Employee for any such vacation and personal time. Service with Seller and Allbritton Company shall be taken into account in determining Transferred Employees’ vacation and personal time entitlement under Seller’s vacation and personal time policy after the Closing Date. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, no Transferred Employee shall be entitled to receive duplicate credit for the same period of service.

 

Section 8.05     Sick Leave. Buyer will assume all liabilities for unpaid, accrued sick leave of each Transferred Employee as of the Employment Commencement Date, giving service credit under Buyer’s sick leave for service with Seller and Allbritton Company, and Buyer shall grant credit to Transferred Employees for all unused sick leave accrued by such Transferred Employee on the basis of their service during the current calendar year as employees of Seller and Allbritton Company in accordance with Seller’s or Allbritton Company’s policy on sick leave.

 

 
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Section 8.06     No Further Rights. Without limiting the generality of Section 13.08, nothing in this Article VIII, express or implied, is intended to confer on any Person (including any Transferred Employees and any current or former Employees of Seller) other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, benefits, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Article VIII. Accordingly, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VIII, this Agreement is not intended to create a Contract between Buyer, Seller and any of their respective Affiliates on the one hand and any Employee of Seller on the other hand, and no Employee of Seller may rely on this Agreement as the basis for any breach of contract claim against Buyer or Seller.

 

Section 8.07     Flexible Spending Plan. As of the Employment Commencement Date, Seller shall transfer, or use commercially reasonable efforts to cause to be transferred, from the Employee Plans that are medical and dependent care account plans (each, a “Seller FSA Plan”) to one or more medical and dependent care account plans established or designated by Buyer (collectively, the “Buyer FSA Plan”) the account balances (positive or negative) of Transferred Employees, and Buyer shall be responsible for the obligations of the Seller FSA Plans to provide benefits to the Transferred Employees with respect to such transferred account balances at or after the Employment Commencement Date (whether or not such claims are incurred prior to, on or after such date). Each Transferred Employee shall be permitted to continue to have payroll deductions made as most recently elected by him or her under the applicable Seller FSA Plan. As soon as reasonably practicable following the end of the plan year for the Buyer FSA Plan, including any grace period, Buyer shall promptly reimburse Seller for benefits paid by the Seller FSA Plans to any Transferred Employee prior to the Employment Commencement Date to the extent in excess of the payroll deductions made in respect of such Transferred Employee at or prior to the Employment Commencement Date but only to the extent that such Transferred Employee continues to contribute to the Buyer FSA Plan the amount of such deficiency. This Section 8.07 shall be interpreted and administered in a manner consistent with Rev. Rul. 2002-32.

 

Section 8.08     Payroll Matters. Seller and Buyer shall utilize the following procedures for preparing and filing Internal Revenue Service Forms W-2 (Wage and Tax Statements), as described in Revenue Procedure 2004-53 for Transferred Employees:

 

(a)         (i) Seller shall provide all required Forms W-2 to (x) all Transferred Employees reflecting wages paid and taxes withheld by Seller prior to the Employment Commencement Date, and (y) all other Employees and former Employees of Seller who are not Transferred Employees reflecting all wages paid and taxes withheld by Seller, and (ii) Buyer (or one of its Affiliates) shall provide all required Forms W-2 to all Transferred Employees reflecting all wages paid and taxes withheld by Buyer (or one of its Affiliates) on and after the Employment Commencement Date.

 

 
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(b)         Seller and Buyer shall adopt the “alternative procedure” of Revenue Procedure 2004-53 for purposes of filing Internal Revenue Service Forms W-4 (Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate) and W-5 (Earned Income Credit Advance Payment Certificate). Under this procedure, Seller shall provide to Buyer all Internal Revenue Service Forms W-4 and W-5 on file with respect to each Transferred Employee and any written notices received from the Internal Revenue Service under Reg. § 31.3402(f)(2)-1(g)(5) of the Code, and Buyer will honor these forms until such time, if any, that such Transferred Employee submits a revised form.

 

(c)         With respect to garnishments, tax levies, child support orders, and wage assignments in effect with Seller on the Employment Commencement Date for Transferred Employees and with respect to which Seller has notified Buyer in writing, Buyer shall honor such payroll deduction authorizations with respect to Transferred Employees and will continue to make payroll deductions and payments to the authorized payee, as specified by a court or order which was filed with Seller on or before the Employment Commencement Date, to the extent such payroll deductions and payments are in compliance with applicable Law, and Seller will continue to make such payroll deductions and payments to authorized payees as required by Law with respect to all other Employees of Seller who are not Transferred Employees. Seller shall, as soon as practicable after the Employment Commencement Date, provide Buyer with such information in the possession of Seller as may be reasonably requested by Buyer and necessary for Buyer to make the payroll deductions and payments to the authorized payee as required by this Section 8.08(c).

 

Section 8.09     WARN Act. Buyer shall not take any action on or after the Effective Date that would cause any termination of employment of any Employees by Seller that occurs before the Closing to constitute a “plant closing” or “mass layoff” under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act of 1988, as amended (the “WARN Act”) or any similar state or local Law, or to create any liability to Seller for any employment terminations under applicable Law. The Assumed Liabilities shall include all liabilities with respect to any amounts (including any severance, fines or penalties) payable under or pursuant to the WARN Act or any similar state or local Law with respect to any Employees who do not become Transferred Employees as a result of Buyer’s failure to extend offers of employment or continued employment as required by Section 8.01 or in connection with events that occur from and after the Closing, and Buyer shall reimburse Seller for any such amounts.

 

ARTICLE IX

TAX MATTERS

 

Section 9.01     Bulk Sales. Seller and Buyer hereby waive compliance with the provisions of any applicable bulk sales law and no representations, warranty or covenant contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to have been breached as a result of such non-compliance; provided, that subject to Section 9.02, Seller shall be liable for any liability arising from such non-compliance solely in accordance with Buyer’s right to indemnification in accordance with Article XII.

 

 
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Section 9.02     Transfer Taxes. All Transfer Taxes arising out of or in connection with the transactions effected pursuant to this Agreement shall be shared equally by Seller and Buyer. The party which has the primary responsibility under applicable Law for the payment of any particular Transfer Tax, shall prepare the relevant Tax Return and notify the other party in writing of the Transfer Taxes shown on such Tax Return. Such other party shall pay the party that paid the Transfer Tax an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of such Transfer Taxes by check or wire transfer of immediately available funds no later than the date that is the later of (i) five (5) Business Days after the date of such notice or (ii) two (2) Business Days prior to the due date for such Transfer Taxes. Seller and Buyer shall cooperate in the preparation, execution and filing of all Transfer Tax Returns and shall cooperate in seeking to secure any available exemptions from such Transfer Taxes.

 

Section 9.03     FIRPTA Certificate. Seller shall deliver to Buyer on the Closing Date, duly completed and executed certificates of non-foreign status pursuant to section 1.1445-2(b)(2) of the Treasury regulations sufficient to exempt Buyer from the requirements of Code Section 1445(a). The sole remedy, including for purposes of Section 10.03 and Article XI or Article XII for failure to provide any such certificate shall be to permit Buyer to make any withholdings as are required pursuant to Section 1445 of the Code.

 

Section 9.04     Taxpayer Identification Numbers. The taxpayer identification numbers of Buyer and Seller are set forth on Schedule 9.04.

 

Section 9.05     Taxes and Tax Returns. Seller shall be liable for payment of and shall prepare and properly file on a timely basis true, complete and accurate Tax Returns and other documentation for any and all Taxes incurred with respect to the Station Assets and the operation of the Station for any Pre-Closing Tax Period, and Buyer shall be liable for payment of and shall prepare and properly file on a timely basis true, complete and accurate Tax Returns and other documentation for any and all Taxes incurred with respect to the Station Assets and the operation of the Station for any Post-Closing Tax Period. Buyer shall prepare and properly file, consistent with past practice, all Tax Returns for any taxable period beginning before and ending after the Effective Time (a “Straddle Period”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9.05, all real property Taxes, personal property Taxes and similar ad valorem obligations levied with respect to the Station Assets for any Straddle Period shall be apportioned between Seller, on the one hand, and Buyer, on the other hand, based on the number of days of such period up to the Effective Time and the number of days of such period after the Effective Time, and Seller shall be liable for the proportionate amount of such Taxes that is attributable to the portion of the Straddle Period up to the Effective Time, and Buyer shall be liable for the proportionate amount of such Taxes that is attributable to the portion of the Straddle Period beginning after the Effective Time.

 

Section 9.06     Purchase Price Allocation. Within 270 days after the Closing Date, Seller provide to Buyer an allocation of the applicable portions of the Purchase Price among the Station Assets in accordance with Section 1060 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (and any similar provisions of state, local, or foreign Law, as appropriate) and Buyer and Seller shall use such allocation in the filing of any and all Tax Returns and other relevant documents with any other Governmental Authority. Seller shall provide Buyer with any comments on such schedule within fifteen (15) Business Days after the date thereof, and Buyer and Seller agree to negotiate in good faith regarding the allocation of the Purchase Price (unless Buyer does not provide any comments within the time period set forth herein, in which case Seller’s proposed allocation shall be deemed final). If the parties are unable to reach agreement with respect to such allocation then the parties shall have no further obligation under this Section 9.06 and each party shall make its own determination of such allocation for financial and Tax reporting purposes.

 

 
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ARTICLE X

CONDITIONS TO CLOSING

 

Section 10.01   Conditions to Obligations of Buyer and Seller. The obligations of Buyer and Seller to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment or waiver, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions:

 

(a)         No provision of any applicable Law and no Governmental Order shall prohibit the consummation of the Closing.

 

(b)         The Allbritton Closing shall have occurred.

 

(c)         The HSR Clearance shall have been obtained, if necessary.

 

(d)         The FCC Consent shall have been granted.

 

Section 10.02   Conditions to Obligations of Seller. The obligation of Seller to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment or waiver, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following further conditions:

 

(a)         The representations and warranties of Buyer made in this Agreement shall be true and correct, disregarding all qualifiers and exceptions relating to materiality or material adverse effect, as of the date of this Agreement and (except to the extent such representations and warranties speak as of an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct, disregarding all qualifiers and exceptions relating to materiality or material adverse effect, as of such earlier date) as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date except, in both cases, (i) for changes expressly contemplated by this Agreement, or (ii) where any failure to be true and correct, individually or in the aggregate, has not had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, a material adverse effect on the ability of Buyer to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement.

 

(b)         Buyer shall have performed in all material respects all obligations required to be performed by it under this Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date.

 

(c)         Seller shall have received a certificate dated as of the Closing Date from Buyer, executed by an authorized officer of Buyer, to the effect that the conditions set forth in this Section 10.02(a) have been satisfied.

 

 
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(d)         Seller shall have received the following documents:

 

  (i)     the certificate of incorporation (or equivalent organizational document) for Buyer, certified by the Secretary of State of the applicable jurisdiction of organization;

 

  (ii)     a certificate of good standing by the Secretary of State of Buyer’s jurisdiction of organization dated within ten (10) days of the Closing;

 

  (iii)     a certificate of an officer of Buyer, given by such officer on behalf of Buyer and not in such officer’s individual capacity, certifying as to the bylaws (or equivalent governing document) of Buyer and as to resolutions of the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of Buyer authorizing the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

 

(e)         Buyer shall have tendered the Purchase Price, pursuant to Section 2.08(b)(i), and made, or stand ready at Closing to make, the deliveries contemplated in Section 2.08(b)(i) and Section 2.08(b)(iii) and each Ancillary Agreement.

 

Section 10.03   Conditions to Obligations of Buyer. The obligations of Buyer to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be subject to the fulfillment or waiver, at or prior to the Closing, of each of the following further conditions:

 

(a)         The representations and warranties of Seller made in this Agreement shall be true and correct, disregarding all qualifiers and exceptions relating to materiality or Material Adverse Effect, as of the date of this Agreement and (except to the extent such representations and warranties speak as of an earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties shall have been true and correct, disregarding all qualifiers and exceptions relating to materiality or Material Adverse Effect, as of such earlier date) as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of the Closing Date, except, in both cases, (i) for changes expressly contemplated or permitted by this Agreement, or (ii) where any failure to be true and correct, individually or in the aggregate, has not had, and would not reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)         Seller shall have performed in all material respects all obligations required to be performed by it under this Agreement on or prior to the Closing Date.

 

(c)         Buyer shall have received a certificate dated as of the Closing Date from Seller, executed by an authorized officer of Seller, to the effect that the conditions set forth in this Section 10.03(a) have been satisfied.

 

(d)         Buyer shall have received the following documents:

 

  (i)     the certificate of formation (or equivalent organizational document) for Seller, certified by the Secretary of State of the applicable jurisdiction of organization;

 

  (ii)     a certificate of good standing dated within ten (10) days of the Closing by the Secretary of State of each jurisdiction in which Seller is organized or qualified to do business as to their good standing; and

 

  (iii)     a certificate of an officer of Seller, given by each such officer on behalf of such Person and not in such officer’s individual capacity, certifying as to the operating agreement of such Person and as to resolutions of the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of such Person authorizing this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.

 

 
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(e)         Seller shall have obtained (and in the case of an affirmative consent) and delivered the consents to assignment listed on Schedule 10.03(e).

 

(f)          Seller shall have delivered to Buyer termination statements on Form UCC-3 or other appropriate releases, which when filed will release any and all Liens relating to the Indebtedness of Seller upon such payment to Seller’s lender.

 

(g)         Seller shall have made, or stand ready at Closing to make, the deliveries contemplated in Section 2.08(b)(ii) and Section 2.08(b)(iii) and each Ancillary Agreement.

 

ARTICLE XI

TERMINATION

 

Section 11.01   Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing as follows:

 

(a)         by the mutual written consent of Seller and Buyer;

 

(b)         either by Seller or by Buyer:

 

  (i)     if the Closing shall not have occurred on or before the twelve (12) month anniversary of the date of this Agreement (the “Outside Date”) so long as the terminating party is not then in breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement to the extent that would give the other party the right not to close pursuant to Section 10.02 or Section 10.03, as the case may be;

 

  (ii)     if the FCC denies the FCC Application and FCC counsel for Seller and Buyer agree that the FCC Consent is not likely to be obtained by the Outside Date; and

 

  (iii)     if there shall be any Law that prohibits consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or if a Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction shall have issued a Government Order enjoining or otherwise prohibiting consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and such Government Order shall have become final and non-appealable.

 

(c)          by Seller:

 

  (i)     upon a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of Buyer set forth in this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of Buyer shall have become untrue, in either case such that the condition set forth in Section 10.02(a) would not be satisfied, unless such breach or untruth can be cured prior to Closing and after receipt of written notice thereof, Buyer proceeds in good faith to cure such breach or untruth as promptly as practicable; provided, that Seller shall not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11.01(c) if Seller is then in breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement to an extent which would give Buyer the right not to close pursuant to Article X;

 

 
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  (ii)     if all of the conditions set forth in Section 10.01 and Section 10.03 have been satisfied (other than those conditions that by their nature cannot be satisfied other than at the Closing, including the condition set forth in Section 10.03(d)) and Buyer fails to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement within the earlier of (i) two (2) Business Days after the date the Closing should have occurred pursuant to Section 2.08 and (ii) the later of the date the Closing should have occurred pursuant to Section 2.08 and one (1) Business Day before the Outside Date, and Seller stood ready, willing and able to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement during such period; and

 

(d)          by Buyer:

 

  (i)     upon a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of Seller set forth in this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of Seller shall have become untrue, in either case such that the condition set forth in Section 10.03(a) would not be satisfied, unless such breach or untruth can be cured prior to Closing and after receipt of written notice thereof, Seller proceeds in good faith to cure such breach or untruth as promptly as practicable; provided, that Buyer shall not have the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11.01(d) if Buyer is then in breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement to an extent which would give Seller the right not to close pursuant to Article X; or

 

  (ii)     if all of the conditions set forth in Section 10.01 and Section 10.02 have been satisfied (other than those conditions that by their nature cannot be satisfied other than at the Closing) and Seller fails to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement within the earlier of (i) two (2) Business Days after the date the Closing should have occurred pursuant to Section 2.08 and (ii) the later of the date the Closing should have occurred pursuant to Section 2.08 and one (1) Business Day before the Outside Date, and Buyer stood ready, willing and able to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement during such period.

 

(e)          Automatically upon the termination of the Allbritton Purchase Agreement pursuant to the terms thereof.

 

(f)          The party desiring to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11.01 (other than pursuant to Section 11.01(a)) shall give written notice of such termination to the other party.

 

 
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Section 11.02  Notice of Breach. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article, (a) neither Seller nor Buyer shall be entitled to provide notice of termination pursuant to Section 11.01(c) or 11.01(d) unless Seller or Buyer, as the case may be, has provided the other party notice of the particular breach that would warrant termination of this Agreement and thirty (30) days to cure such breach; and (b) notwithstanding anything in subsection (a) to the contrary, in no event shall Buyer have any cure period for any failure to pay the Purchase Price in accordance with Section 2.06.

 

Section 11.03   Effect of Termination.

 

(a)         In the event of a termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 11.01 or Section 11.03, this Agreement (other than Section 7.02, Article XI, Article XII, and Article XIII, which shall remain in full force and effect) shall forthwith become null and void, and neither party hereto (nor any of their respective Affiliates, members, directors, officers or employees) shall have any liability or further obligation, except as provided in Sections 11.04(b), (c) and (d) below. A termination of this Agreement shall not terminate the confidentiality rights and obligations of the parties set forth in Section 7.02 hereof.

 

(b)         If this Agreement is terminated by Seller pursuant to Section 11.01(c)(i) or Section 11.01(c)(ii), then Seller shall be entitled to the Escrow Deposit as liquidated damages, and the parties to the Escrow Agreement shall immediately deliver joint written instructions to the Escrow Agent directing such disbursement. Seller shall, in addition, be entitled to prompt payment on demand from Buyer of the reasonable attorneys’ fees actually incurred by Seller in enforcing its rights under this Agreement. The parties understand and agree that the amount of liquidated damages represents Seller’s reasonable estimate of actual damages and does not constitute a penalty. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the liquidated damages amount is reasonable in light of the substantial but indeterminate harm anticipated to be caused by material breach or default under this Agreement, the difficulty of proof of loss and damages, the inconvenience and non-feasibility of otherwise obtaining an adequate remedy, and the value of the transactions to be consummated hereunder. For the avoidance of doubt, the parties hereto expressly acknowledge and agree that this Section 11.04 in no way limits or restricts Seller’s ability to exercise their rights to specific performance pursuant to Section 13.11 at any time prior to the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms.

 

(c)         If this Agreement is terminated prior to the Closing under the provisions of this Article XI for any reason other than by Seller pursuant to Section 11.01(c)(i) or (ii), Seller and Buyer shall deliver joint written instructions to the Escrow Agent directing the disbursement of the Escrow Deposit (with all interest earned thereon) to Buyer.

 

ARTICLE XII

SURVIVAL; INDEMNIFICATION

 

Section 12.01   Survival. The representations and warranties of the parties hereto contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement or in any certificate or other writing furnished pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall survive in full force and effect until ten days before the the first anniversary of the Allbritton Closing Date; provided, that (a) the representations and warranties in the first and third sentences of Section 3.01, the first sentence of Section 4.01, and the representations and warranties in Section 3.02, and Section 4.02 shall survive in perpetuity, and (b) the representations and warranties in Section 3.09 shall survive for the applicable 

 

 
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 statute of limitations plus 60 days. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 12.01, none of the covenants and agreements shall survive the Closing except to the extent any covenants and agreements contemplate performance after the Closing, such covenants and agreements shall survive until performed. No claim may be brought under this Agreement unless written notice describing in reasonable detail the nature and basis of such claim is given on or prior to the last day of the applicable survival period. In the event such notice is given, the right to indemnification with respect thereto shall survive the applicable survival period until such claim is finally resolved and any obligations thereto are fully satisfied.

 

Section 12.02   Indemnification by Buyer.

 

(a)         Subject to Section 12.01, Buyer shall indemnify against and hold harmless Seller, its Affiliates and their respective employees, officers, members, and Representatives (collectively, the “Seller Indemnified Parties”) from, and will promptly defend any Seller Indemnified Party from and reimburse any Seller Indemnified Party for, any and all losses, damages, costs, expenses, liabilities, obligations and claims of any kind (including any Action brought by any Governmental Authority or Person and including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses reasonably incurred) (collectively, “Losses”), which any Seller Indemnified Party may at any time suffer or incur, or become subject to, as a result of or in connection with:

 

   (i)     Buyer’s breach of any of its representations or warranties contained in this Agreement (each such breach, a “Buyer Warranty Breach”);

 

   (ii)     any breach or nonfulfillment of any agreement, obligation, or covenant of Buyer under the terms of this Agreement; and

 

   (iii)     the Assumed Liabilities (which include assumption of the Assumed Contracts).

 

(b)         Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, Buyer shall not be required to indemnify and hold harmless any Seller Indemnified Party pursuant to Section 12.02(a): (i) unless such Seller Indemnified Party has asserted a claim with respect to such matters within the applicable survival period set forth in Section 12.01 and (ii) only if and only to the extent the aggregate amount of Seller Indemnified Parties’ Losses resulting from Buyer Warranty Breaches is in excess of $500,000 (the “Deductible”); provided, that the cumulative indemnification obligation of Buyer under this Section 12.02(b) shall in no event exceed ten percent (10%) of the Purchase Price (the “Cap”); provided further, that neither the Deductible nor the Cap shall apply in the case of any indemnification under clause (ii) and (iii) of Section 12.02(a)provided further, that in the case of any indemnification under clauses (ii) and (iii) of Section 12.03(a) that the cumulative indemnification obligation of Buyer under this Section 12.03(b) shall in no event exceed the amount of the Purchase Price.

 

 
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(c)         Notwithstanding Section 12.02(b) above, on and as of the date that is six (6) months following the Allbritton Closing, the Cap shall be reduced to an amount equal to (x) five percent (5%) of the Purchase Price plus (y) the amount of any claims by the Seller Indemnified Parties for indemnification under this Agreement outstanding and unpaid as of such date, if any, pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement. On the date that is twelve (12) months following the Allbritton Closing, the Cap shall be reduced to the amount of any claims by the Seller Indemnified Parties for indemnification under this Agreement outstanding and unpaid as of such date, if any, pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

Section 12.03   Indemnification by Seller .

 

(a)         Subject to Section 12.01, Seller, jointly and severally, shall indemnify against and hold harmless Buyer, its Affiliates, and each of their successors and permitted assigns, and their respective employees, officers, directors and Representatives (collectively, the “Buyer Indemnified Parties”) from, and will promptly defend any Buyer Indemnified Party from and reimburse any Buyer Indemnified Party for, any and all Losses which such Buyer Indemnified Party may at any time suffer or incur, or become subject to, as a result of or in connection with:

 

  (i)     Seller’s breach of, any of the representations or warranties contained in this Agreement (each such breach, a “Seller Warranty Breach”);

 

  (ii)     any breach or nonfulfillment of any agreement or covenant of Seller under the terms of this Agreement; and

 

  (iii)     the Excluded Liabilities and the Excluded Assets.

 

(b)         Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary, Seller shall not be required to indemnify and hold harmless any Buyer Indemnified Party pursuant to Section 12.03(a): (i) unless such Buyer Indemnified Party has asserted a claim with respect to such matters within the applicable survival period set forth in Section 12.01 and (ii) only for the aggregate amount of Buyer Indemnified Parties’ Losses resulting from Seller Warranty Breaches in excess of the Deductible; provided, that the cumulative indemnification obligation of Seller for Seller Warranty Breaches shall in no event exceed the Cap; provided further, that neither the Deductible nor the Cap shall apply in the case of any indemnification under clauses (ii) and (iii) of Section 12.03(a); provided further, that in the case of any indemnification under clauses (ii) and (iii) of Section 12.03(a) that the cumulative indemnification obligation of Seller under this Section 12.03(b) shall in no event exceed the Purchase Price received by Seller.

 

(c)         Notwithstanding Section 12.02(b) above, on and as of the date that is six (6) months following the Allbritton Date, the Cap shall be reduced to an amount equal to (x) five percent (5%) of the Purchase Price plus (y) the amount of any claims by the Buyer Indemnified Parties for indemnification under this Agreement outstanding and unpaid as of such date, if any, pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement. On the date that is twelve (12) months following the Allbritton Date, the Cap shall be reduced to the amount of any claims by the Buyer Indemnified Parties for indemnification under this Agreement outstanding and unpaid as of such date, if any, pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

 
56

 

  

Section 12.04   Notification of Claims.

 

(a)         A party entitled to be indemnified pursuant to Section 12.02 or Section 12.03 (the “Indemnified Party”) shall promptly notify the party liable for such indemnification (the “Indemnifying Party”) in writing of any claim or demand that the Indemnified Party has determined has given or could give rise to a right of indemnification under this Agreement; provided, that a failure to give prompt notice or to include any specified information in any notice will not affect the rights or obligations of either party hereunder except and only to the extent that, as a result of such failure, any party that was entitled to receive such notice was damaged as a result of such failure. Subject to the Indemnifying Party’s right to defend in good faith third party claims as hereinafter provided, the Indemnifying Party shall satisfy its obligations under this Article XII within thirty (30) days after the receipt of written notice thereof from the Indemnified Party.

 

(b)         If the Indemnified Party shall notify the Indemnifying Party of any claim pursuant to Section 12.04(a), the Indemnifying Party shall have the right to employ counsel of its choosing to defend any such claim asserted by any third party against the Indemnified Party for so long as the indemnifying party shall continue in good faith to diligently defend against such claim. The Indemnified Party shall have the right to participate in the defense of any such claim at its own expense. The Indemnifying Party shall notify the Indemnified Party in writing, as promptly as possible (but in any case five (5) Business Days before the due date for the answer or response to a claim) after the date of the notice of claim given by the Indemnified Party to the Indemnifying Party under Section 12.04(a) of its election to defend in good faith any such third party claim. So long as the Indemnifying Party is defending in good faith any such claim asserted by a third party against the Indemnified Party, the Indemnified Party shall not settle or compromise such claim without the written consent of the Indemnifying Party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, and the Indemnified Party shall make available to the Indemnifying Party or its agents all records and other material in the Indemnified Party’s possession reasonably required by it for its use in contesting any third party claim. Regardless of whether the Indemnifying Party elects to defend any such claim, the Indemnified Party shall have no obligation to do so. In the event (i) the Indemnifying Party elects not to defend such claim; or (ii) the Indemnifying Party elects to defend such claim but fails to diligently defend such claim in good faith, the Indemnified Party shall have the right to conduct the defense thereof and to settle or compromise such claim or action without the consent of the Indemnifying Party, except that with respect to the settlement or compromise of such a claim, the Indemnified Party shall not settle or compromise any such claim without the consent of the Indemnifying Party (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), unless the Indemnifying Party is given a full and complete release of any and all liability by all relevant parties relating thereto and has no obligation to pay any damages.

 

 
57

 

  

Section 12.05   Net Losses; Subrogation; Mitigation.

 

(a)         Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the amount of any Losses incurred or suffered by an Indemnified Party shall be calculated after giving effect to (i) any insurance proceeds received by the Indemnified Party (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such Losses and (ii) any recoveries obtained by the Indemnified Party (or any of its Affiliates) from any other third party, in each case, net of the costs and expenses incurred in obtaining such proceeds and recoveries. Each Indemnified Party shall exercise commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such proceeds, benefits and recoveries (collectively, “Proceeds”). If any such Proceeds are received by an Indemnified Party (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to any Losses after an Indemnifying Party has made a payment to the Indemnified Party with respect thereto, the Indemnified Party (or such Affiliate) shall pay to the Indemnifying Party the amount of such Proceeds (up to the amount of the Indemnifying Party’s payment). With respect to any Losses incurred or suffered by an Indemnified Party, the Indemnifying Party shall have no liability for any Losses to the extent that the same Losses have already been recovered by the Indemnified Party from the Indemnifying Party(because the Indemnified Party may only recover once in respect of the same Loss).

 

(b)         Upon making any payment to an Indemnified Party in respect of any Losses, the Indemnifying Party shall, to the extent of such payment, be subrogated to all rights of the Indemnified Party (and its Affiliates) against any third party in respect of the Losses to which such payment relates. Such Indemnified Party (and its Affiliates) and Indemnifying Party shall execute upon request all instruments reasonably necessary to evidence or further perfect such subrogation rights.

 

(c)         Buyer and Seller shall use commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate any Losses, whether by asserting claims against a third party or by otherwise qualifying for a benefit that would reduce or eliminate an indemnified matter; provided, that neither party shall be required to use such efforts if they would be detrimental in any material respect to such party.

 

Section 12.06   Computation of Indemnifiable Losses. Any calculation of Losses for purposes of this Article XII shall be (a) reduced to take account of any net Tax benefit actually realized by the Indemnified Party arising from the deductibility of any such Loss in the year such Loss is incurred; and (b) increased to take account of any net Tax liability actually realized by the Indemnified Party arising from the receipt or accrual of any indemnity obligation hereunder; provided, that the mitigation provisions hereof shall not require either party to take any action with respect to any Tax filing or claim, even if such filing or claim would likely result in a net Tax benefit. To the extent permitted by applicable Law, all indemnity payments made pursuant to this Agreement shall be treated by the parties hereto as an adjustment to the Purchase Price.

 

Section 12.07   Exclusive Remedies. In the event the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated, the indemnification provisions of this Article XII shall be the sole and exclusive remedies of Buyer and Seller for any breach of the representations or warranties or nonperformance of any covenants and agreements of Buyer or Seller contained in this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, and neither party shall have any liability to the other party under any circumstances for special, indirect, consequential, punitive or exemplary damages or lost profits, diminution in value or any damages based on any type of multiple of earnings of any Indemnified Party; provided, that nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve or limit the liability of either party from any liability or Losses arising out of or resulting from fraud or intentional breach in connection with the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements; provided, that, notwithstanding any statement in this section to the contrary, in no event shall either party’s liability to other for any cause exceed the amount of the Purchase Price.

 

 
58

 

  

ARTICLE XIII 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 13.01   Expenses. Except as may be otherwise specified herein, all costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel, financial advisors and accountants, incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses, whether or not the Closing shall have occurred.

 

Section 13.02   Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly delivered and received (a) on the date of personal delivery, (b) on the date of transmission (with written confirmation of receipt), if sent by facsimile, or (c) one (1) Business Day after having been dispatched via a nationally-recognized overnight courier service, to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 13.02):

 

If to Seller:

 

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.

 

10706 Beaver Dam Road

 

Cockeysville, Maryland 21030

 

Attention: President

 

With a copy: attention: General Counsel

 

Fax: (410) 568-1537 

 

 

If to Buyer: 

 

 

Media General, Inc.

 

333 E. Franklin Street

 

Richmond, VA 23219

 

Attention: President

 

With a copy: attention: General Counsel

 

Fax: (804) 887-7021 

 

 
59

 

 

Section 13.03   Headings. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

Section 13.04   Severability. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced because of the application of any Law or the regulations and policies of any Governmental Authority or the decision by any Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction (including any court), all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner adverse to either party hereto. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.

 

Section 13.05   Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements constitute the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, between Seller and Buyer with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, except as otherwise expressly provided herein.

 

Section 13.06   Successors and Assigns.

 

(a)         This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Neither party may assign its rights under this Agreement without the other party’s prior written consent; provided, that Buyer may assign all or any portion of its rights and obligations hereunder to an Affiliate [or an EAT] of Buyer upon written notice to Seller if, but only if, (i) such assignment is made before the filing of the FCC Application and any filling required under the HSR Act, (ii) the assignee can make the representations and warranties of Buyer in Section 4.06 hereof without any qualification or exception and without any need for waiver of the multiple ownership rules in the FCC Rules, (iii) Buyer determines that such third party is eligible pursuant to the Communications Act, FCC Rules, HSR Act, and any other Antitrust Law to be the assignee of the designated Station Assets, (iv) Buyer shall remain liable for all of its obligations hereunder, and (v) Buyer provides Seller with a copy of any document executed by such assignee within ten (10) Business Days of execution.

 

 
60

 

  

(b)         Each of Seller and Buyer shall have the right to assign its respective rights under this Agreement (but without release of its respective obligations herein and without release of the other party’s obligations herein) to a third party who may act as a “qualified intermediary” or an “exchange accommodation titleholder” with respect to this Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Section 1031 of the Code, the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, and any corresponding state or local income Tax Laws (such assignment and related transactions, a “Like-Kind Exchange”). If either party elects to engage in a Like-Kind Exchange, the party so electing (the “Electing Party”) shall notify the other party of its election in writing no later than five (5) days prior to the Closing, identifying those Purchased Assets that it intends to qualify as part of the Like-Kind Exchange. The Electing Party shall bear its own expenses in connection with any such election to engage in a Like-Kind Exchange. Each of Seller and Buyer, as the case may be, shall cooperate fully with the Electing Party, and take any action reasonably requested in writing by the Electing Party, in connection with enabling the transactions to qualify in whole or in part as a Like-Kind Exchange; provided, however, that such actions do not impose any liabilities, including any unreimbursed monetary obligations or costs, on Seller or Buyer and does not release Buyer or Seller from its obligations under this Agreement, as the case may be, and that the Electing Party shall promptly reimburse the other party for any third-party costs reasonably incurred in connection with such election, including as the result of any subsequent review of such election by any Governmental Authority or any attendant Tax consequences.

 

Section 13.07   No Recourse. Notwithstanding any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement, neither Seller nor Buyer, nor any Person acting on either party’s behalf, may assert any Action against any employee, officer, director, member, Representative or trustee of the other party or stockholder, member or trustee of such other party in connection with or arising out of this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

Section 13.08   No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, this Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their permitted assigns and nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any legal or equitable right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

Section 13.09   Amendments and Waivers.

 

(a)         This Agreement may not be amended or modified except by an instrument in writing signed by Seller and Buyer.

 

(b)        At any time prior to the Closing, either party may (i) extend the time for the performance of any obligation or act required by the other party hereto, (ii) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties of the other party hereto contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto, or (iii) waive compliance by the other party hereto with any of the agreements or conditions contained herein. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party to be bound thereby.

 

(c)         No failure or delay by either party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by applicable Law.

 

 
61

 

  

Section 13.10   Governing Law; Jurisdiction. The construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Law of the State of Delaware without regard to its principles of conflict of Law. The exclusive forum for the resolution of any disputes arising hereunder shall be the Delaware Chancery Court, and each party hereto irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such Action and irrevocably waives the reference of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any such Action. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither party will bring any Action, whether in law or in equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against the lenders of Seller or Buyer relating to this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including but not limited to any dispute arising out of any commitment letter or the performance thereof, in any forum other than the Delaware Chancery Court or, if under applicable Law exclusive jurisdiction is vested in the Federal courts, the United States District Court located in Delaware (and appellate courts thereof).

 

Section 13.11  Specific Performance. The parties agree that, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to contrary, each party would suffer irreparable damage for which monetary damages, even if available, would not be an adequate remedy in the event that the other party fails to fulfill its obligation under this Agreement to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in accordance with its terms. In such event, the non-breaching party shall be entitled (in addition to any other remedy available at law or equity) to specific performance and other equitable relief to enforce the other party’s obligation to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement without posting bond or other security. In the event that the non-breaching party seeks a decree of specific performance or other equitable relief to enforce the other party’s obligation to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the other party shall waive the defense that the non-breaching party has an adequate remedy at law. In addition to the foregoing, the non-breaching party shall be entitled to prompt payment on demand from the other party of the reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by the non-breaching party in enforcing its rights under this Section.

 

Section 13.12   WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO ANY FINANCING FOR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

Section 13.13   Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original but both of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement by facsimile or e-mail shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.

 

Section 13.14   No Presumption. This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring construction or interpretation against the party drafting or causing any instrument to be drafted.

 

 
62

 

  

Section 13.15   Disclosure Schedules.

 

(a)         The matters reflected in the disclosure schedules (the “Schedules”) shall not be deemed to constitute an acknowledgment by Seller that the matter is required to be disclosed by the terms of this Agreement and may include certain items and information solely for informational purposes.

 

(b)         If and to the extent any information required to be furnished in any section of the Schedules is contained in the Agreement or in any section of the Schedules, such information shall be deemed to be included in all sections of the Schedules to the extent that the relevance of any such information to any other section of the Schedules is readily apparent from the text of such disclosure. Seller has disclosed the information contained in the Schedules solely for purposes of the Agreement, and no information contained therein shall be deemed to be an admission by any party thereto to any third party of any matter whatsoever, including any violation of Law or breach of any agreement referenced therein. The headings of the Schedules are for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed to alter or effect the description of the sections of these Schedules as set forth in the Agreement.

 

 

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

 
63

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

Sinclair Television Group, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ David B. Amy

 

 

 

Name: David B. Amy  

 

 

 

Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief  

 
    Operating Officer  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


meg20140630_10q.htm

 Exhibit 31.1

 

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-14(a) and RULE 15d-14(a)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

 

I, George L. Mahoney, certify that:

 

1.     I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Media General, Inc.;

 

2.

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.

Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.

The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

 

a)

designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this quarterly report is being prepared;

 

 

b)

designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

 

c)

evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

 

d)

disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting: and

 

5.

The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

 

a)

all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

 

b)

any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

Date:     August 8, 2014          

 

/s/ George L. Mahoney 

 

 

George L. Mahoney 

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer 

 

 

 


meg20140630_10q.htm

Exhibit 31.2

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-14(a) and RULE 15d-14(a)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

 

I, James F. Woodward, certify that:

 

1.     I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Media General, Inc.;

 

2.

Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

 

3.

Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

 

4.

The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

 

 

a)

designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this quarterly report is being prepared;

 

 

b)

designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

 

c)

evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

 

 

d)

disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

 

5.

The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

 

 

a)

all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

 

 

b)

any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

Date:     August 8, 2014          

 

/s/ James F. Woodward 

 

 

James F. Woodward 

 

 

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer 

 

 

 

 


meg20140630_10q.htm

Exhibit 32

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

 

 

 

 

In connection with the Quarterly Report of Media General, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2014, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), we, George L. Mahoney, Chief Executive Officer, and James F. Woodward, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

 

 

 

1.     The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

 

 

 

2.     The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ George L. Mahoney 

 

 

George L. Mahoney 

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer 

 

 

August 8, 2014  

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ James F. Woodward 

 

 

James F. Woodward 

 

 

Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer  

 

August 8, 2014  

 

 


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meg-20140630.xsd
Attachment: EXHIBIT 101.SCH


meg-20140630_cal.xml
Attachment: EXHIBIT 101.CAL


meg-20140630_def.xml
Attachment: EXHIBIT 101.DEF


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Attachment: EXHIBIT 101.LAB


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