Document:

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                                                                   Exhibit 10.50

                             2001 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                                       OF
                         MONITRONICS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

     1. Purpose. This plan (the "Plan") adopted effective as of April 27, 2OOl,
                                                                      --
is designed to encourage key employees and consultants of MONITRONICS
INTERNATIONAL, INC. (the "Company"), as well as key employees and consultants
of any after-acquired subsidiary corporation, to acquire a proprietary interest
in the Company and thus share in the future success of the Company's
business. This Plan is intended as a means, not only of attracting and retaining
outstanding management personnel and consultants who are in a position to make
important and direct contributions to the success of the Company, but also of
promoting a closer identity of interests between the Company's employees and its
shareholders.

     2. Stock Options. Options granted under this Plan shall be Nonstatutory
Stock Options ("Options") under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the "Code").

     3. Scope and Duration of the Plan. There will be reserved for sale upon the
exercise of Options granted under this Plan Two Hundred Fifty Thousand (250,000)
shares of the Company's authorized but unissued voting common stock. If an
Option expires or terminates for any reason without having been fully exercised,
the unpurchased shares will be available for other Options under the Plan.
Unless this Plan is terminated earlier pursuant to Section 15 hereof, it shall
terminate ten (10) years from its effective date and no Option shall be granted
after that date: provided, however, that termination of this Plan will have no
effect on the Options previously granted.

     4. Administration. The Plan shall be administered by the Board of Directors
of the Company. Directors shall be eligible for the grant of Options hereunder.

     The Board of Directors has the responsibility to adopt such rules and
regulations as it deems necessary or desirable for the proper administration of
this Plan. Any decision or action taken or to be taken by the Board of
Directors, arising out of or in connection with the construction,
interpretation, and administration of this Plan shall, to the extent permitted
by law, be within its absolute discretion, but subject to the express provisions
of this Plan. Decisions of the Board of Directors shall be conclusive and
binding upon all recipients of Options and any person claiming under or through
any recipient of an Option.

     5. Eligible Employees. Options may be granted to directors and key
employees of the Company and future subsidiary corporations who otherwise comply
with the requirements of this Plan, The Board of Directors has the authority,
subject to the terms of this Plan, to determine key employees to whom Options
shall be granted, the number of shares to be covered by each Option, form of
payment, the time or times at which Options shall be granted, and the terms and
provisions of the instruments evidencing Options. The term "key employee" shall
include officers, executives and supervisory personnel of the Company. In
determining the key employees and consultants to whom Options shall be granted
and the number of shares to be issued on the exercise of an Option, the
Committee shall take into account the duties of the key employees and
consultants, their present

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and potential contributions to the success of the Company and its subsidiary
corporations, and such other factors as the Committee deems relevant to
accomplish the purpose of this Plan.

     6. Exercise Price. Subject to the provisions of Section 5 above, the price
of the shares of common stock to be issued on exercise of Options shall be not
less than the fair market value of such shares on the date an Option is granted,
as determined by the Board of Directors in the exercise of its sole and
exclusive judgment, which shall be binding upon all parties. If the Company's
common stock shall become listed on the National Association of Securities
Dealers Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ"), the fair market value shall be
deemed to be the closing sales price of the Company's common stock on NASDAQ on
the date the Option is granted, or if no sale of the Company's common stock
shall have been made on that date, on the next preceding day on which there
was a sale of such stock. If the Company's common stock shall become listed on
an established stock exchange, the fair market value shall be deemed to be the
closing sales price of the stock on such exchange on the date the Option is
granted, or if no sale of the Company's stock shall have been made on such day,
then on the next preceding day on which there was a sale of such stock. Subject
to the foregoing, the Board of Directors, in fixing the Option price, shall have
full authority and discretion and their good faith judgment in establishing fair
market value and in establishing the purchase price shall be conclusive.

     7. Term of Options. The term of each Option shall be determined by the
Board of Directors, but shall not be for more than ten (10) years from the date
the Option is granted.

     8. Exercise of Options. An Option may vest and be exercised on such terms
and conditions as the Board of Directors shall determine, subject to the
requirements of this Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Director,
the price of the shares purchased pursuant to an Option shall be paid in full at
the time of exercise in cash or in such other consideration as the Board of
Directors deems appropriate, including, without limitation, shares of common
stock of the Company valued at fair market value (in the manner prescribed in
Section 6 above) as of the date of exercise of the Option. No Option may be
exercised during the optionee's lifetime unless the optionee is then an employee
or consultant of the Company or a subsidiary corporation; provided that, in the
event the optionee's employment terminates for reasons other than death or
disability, the Option may be exercised during the three (3) month period
following the termination of employment. Thereafter, the Option shall terminate
and be at an end. In the case of disability or death, the Board of Directors may
extend the Option for up to one (1) year. Notwithstanding the foregoing. Options
granted to Directors may be exercisable for a period of up to seven (7) years
following the date such Director ceases to be a Director of the Company.

     Whether an authorized leave of absence, disability, or temporary absence
from employment for any other reason constitutes termination of employment for
the purposes of this Plan shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

     9. Additional Restrictions Upon Exercise of Options. Options may be
exercisable either in whole or in part. No less than one hundred (100) shares
common stock may be purchased at any one time unless the number purchased is the
total number of shares at that time purchasable under the Option. The Board of
Directors may impose such other restrictions upon the exercise of

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the Option or the transfer shares of common stock acquired upon the exercise
of the Option as the Committee deems necessary to comply with federal and state
securities law.

     10. Nontransferability of Options. During the lifetime of the optionee,
the Option shall be exercised only by the optionee. An Option granted under this
Plan is not transferable by the optionee by operation of law or otherwise,
except that in the event of death of the optionee while in the employ of the
Company or a subsidiary, an Option granted hereunder may be exercised (subject
to the time restrictions set forth in Section 7 hereof) at any time within one
(1) year after death, by the duly appointed personal representative of the
optionee, or by any person or persons who shall acquire such Option directly
from the optionee by bequest or inheritance.

     11. Adjustments for Changes in Capitalization. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Plan, each instrument evidencing an Option may contain such
provision as the Board of Directors determines to be appropriate, if any, for
the adjustment of the number and class of shares of common stock covered by the
Option, the Option price, and the number of shares of common stock as to which
the Option shall be exercisable at any time, in the event of changes in the
outstanding shares of common stock of the Company by reason of stock dividends,
split-ups, recapitalizations, mergers, consolidations, reorganizations, or
liquidations. In the event of any such change in the outstanding shares of
common stock of the Company, the aggregate number of shares available under
this Plan shall be appropriately adjusted.

     12. Events Accelerating Exercise of Options. If the shares of common stock
of the Company are changed into or exchanged for shares of stock of another
unrelated corporation or are converted to cash pursuant to a plan of merger,
partial or complete liquidation or dissolution, each Option then outstanding (to
the extent this Plan is not continued, as adjusted in the manner specified in
Section 11 by the successor entity) shall be exercisable, with respect to all
the shares of common stock covered thereby and without regard to the time the
Option has been outstanding, beginning with the date the Board of Directors
approves or authorizes such change or conversion, and ending two (2) days prior
to the effective date of such change or conversion.

     13. Loans to Holders of Options. The Company may, in the sole discretion of
the Board of Directors, directly or indirectly, lend money or credit to any
employee for the purpose of assisting an optionee in purchasing shares of
common stock to be issued upon the exercise of an Option granted under this
Plan.

     14. Employment Rights; Noncompetition Covenants. Nothing in this Plan or
any instrument evidencing an Option shall confer upon any employee any right to
continue in the employment of the Company or a subsidiary corporation, nor be
construed to interfere in any way with the right otherwise available to the
Company or a subsidiary corporation to terminate the employee's employment at
any time for any reason. The Board of Directors may condition each grant of an
Option upon the recipient's agreement to execute and be bound by a
noncompetition covenant following termination of such recipient's employment by
the Company voluntarily by such recipient, or by the Company with or without
cause, as the Board of Directors may determine in each individual instance.

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     15. Amendment/Termination. The Board of Directors may amend or terminate
this Plan from time to time in such respects as it may deem advisable; provided
that the following revisions or amendments shall require approval at a duly held
shareholders' meeting of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the
outstanding shares of the Company entitled to vote;

          (1) Any increase in the number of shares subject to the Plan, other
     than in connection with an adjustment under Section 12;

          (2) Any change in the designation of the class of employees or
     consultants eligible to be granted Options; or

          (3) Any material increase in the benefits accruing to participants in
     this Plan.

     16. Rights as a Shareholder. An optionee, or permitted transferee of an
Option upon the death of an optionee, shall have no rights as a stockholder
with respect to any shares of common stock covered by an Option until the date
of the issuance of a stock certificate to and for such shares. No adjustment
shall be made for dividends (ordinary or extraordinary, whether in cash,
securities, or other property) or distributions or other rights for which the
record date is prior to the date such stock certificate is issued, except as
provided in Section 12 above.

     17. Investment Purpose. Common stock acquired upon the exercise of an
Option granted under this Plan may only be resold in the event such stock is
registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or if, in the opinion
of responsible counsel for the Company, such stock can be resold without such
registration. Unless a registration statement with respect to such stock
covering the holder of such Option is then in effect, each certificate issued
pursuant to the exercise of such Option shall contain a legend to this effect.

     18. Other Provisions. The Option Agreements authorized under this Plan may
contain such other provisions, including without limitation, restrictions upon
the exercise of Options, as the Board of Directors shall deem advisable.

     19. Indemnification of Board. In addition to such other rights of
indemnification as they may have as Directors, the Board of Directors shall be
indemnified by the Company against the reasonable expenses, including attorneys'
fees actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any
action, suit or proceeding, or in connection with any appeal therein, to which
they or any of them may be a party by reason of any action taken or failure to
act under or in connection with this Plan or any Option granted hereunder, and
against all amounts paid by them in settlement thereof (provided such settlement
is approved by the Company), or paid by them in satisfaction of a judgment in
any such action, suit or proceeding, except in relation to matters as to which
it shall be adjudged in such action, suit, or proceeding that such Director is
liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duties; provided
that within sixty (60) days after the Institution of any such action, suit or
proceeding, the Director shall, in writing, offer the Company the opportunity,
at its own expense, to defend the same.

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     This Plan is executed effective as of April 27, 2001.
                                                 --

                                            MONITRONICS INTERNATIONAL,
                                            INC.

                                            By: /s/ James R. Hull
                                                --------------------------------
                                                James R. Hull, President and
                                                Chief Executive Officer

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                                                                   Exhibit 10.51

                         MONITRONICS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     The Employment Agreement (the "Agreement") is executed on and effective as
of September 1, 2003 (the "Effective Date") by and between Monitronics
International, Inc, a Texas corporation (the "Corporation"), and Michael R.
Meyers ("Employee").

                                    RECITAL:
                                    --------

     The Corporation and the Employee desire to enter into an employment
agreement on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this
Agreement.

                                   AGREEMENTS:
                                   -----------

     The Employee and the Corporation agree as follows:

1.   Employment. The Corporation hereby employs the Employee and the Employee
hereby accepts employment with the Corporation, on the terms and conditions set
forth in the Agreement.

2.   Term. The term of the Employee's employment under this Agreement shall
commence with the date hereof and terminate on August 31, 2006, provided, such
employment shall be renewable, commencing on September 1, 2006 and each
September 1 thereafter, for successive one year periods expiring on August 31 of
the following year, unless written notice of nonrenewal is given by the
Corporation to the Employee on or before August 1, 2006 or August 1 during any
subsequent renewal period (the Employee's term of employment is referred to as
the "Employment Period"). If the Corporation terminates the Agreement, it will
be deemed to be a termination without "Cause", subject to section 6(c), unless
the Agreement is then being reviewed and renegotiated in good faith by the
Corporation.

3.   Duties. The Employee will faithfully and to the best of his ability perform
the duties of Chief Financial Officer, Vice President and Assistant Secretary of
the Corporation or any other duties assigned to him by the board of directors of
the Corporation (the "Board of Directors") from time to time.

4.   Compensation.

     (a) Base Salary. The Employee shall receive a base salary of $230,000 (the
"Base Salary") (such Base Salary shall be payable in regular and equal
semi-monthly installments). The Base Salary will be increased annually at a rate
determined by the Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors during the
Employment Period.

     (b) Incentive Compensation. The Board of Directors and Chief Executive
Officer shall evaluate the Employee's performance annually. The Employee shall
be eligible for such bonuses as the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion,
deems appropriate.

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     (c) Indemnification. The Employee shall be entitled to indemnification as
an officer and director of the Corporation to the same extent as the other
executive officers and directors of the Corporation.

     (d) Stock Options. At the first date following the date of this Agreement
that the Company grants any employee of the Company stock options to purchase
shares of the Company's common stock, the Company will also grant the Employee
additional stock options.

5.   Fringe Benefits.

     (a) Generally. The Employee shall receive such fringe benefits as are made
available by the Board of directors to executive officers of the Corporation and
such other benefits as the Board of Directors may from time to time, in its sole
discretion, make available to the Employee.

Vacation. The Employee shall be entitled to receive three (3) weeks paid
vacation annually, or more if the Corporation's vacation policy so provides,
provided that the Employee may take no more than two (2) consecutive weeks of
vacation at a time.

6.   Termination of Employment.

     (a) Termination for Cause. During the term of this Agreement, the
Corporation shall be entitled to terminate the Employee's employment at any time
*(subject to the 10-day notice period provided in paragraph 6(b) in the event of
Nonperformance by Employee) with Cause immediately upon written notice to the
Employee specifying the Cause, and the date of termination. For this purpose,
"Cause" shall mean (i) the Employee's death or disability as defined in the
disability insurance policy to be obtained by the Corporation for Employee or,
in the absence thereof, a disability which in the reasonable opinion of the
Board of Directors renders the Employee unable in any material respect to
perform his duties under this Agreement for a period of at least six consecutive
months, (ii) any act by Employee which renders or could reasonably be expected
to render Employee or the Corporation ineligible to obtain any material license
or other material authorization necessary to conduct the business of the
Corporation, (iii) any wrongful act to enrich Employee at the expense of the
Corporation, (iv) any act or failure to act by or of the Employee constituting
gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct in the course of employment, (v)
Employee's commission of a felony, or (vi) Employee's repeated failure to follow
lawful and reasonable directions given by or on behalf of the Board of
Directors. A voluntary termination by Employee shall be deemed to be a
termination for "Cause." In the event of termination for Cause, payments for
Base Salary shall be prorated to the date of termination and the Corporation
shall have no further liability to the Employee.

     (b) Termination for Nonperformance by Employee. During the term of this
Agreement, the Corporation shall be entitled to terminate the Employee's
employment at any time upon ten days prior notice for a material adverse
deviation between the Corporation's actual results from operation or financial
condition as compared with the Corporation's business plan or future plans
approved on an annual basis by the Board of Directors ("Nonperformance by

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Employee"). In the event of a termination for Nonperformance by Employee, as the
Employee's sole remedy against the Corporation, the Corporation shall continue
to pay the employee his semi-monthly installments of Base Salary, and provide
for health insurance at the cost of the Corporation, for a period equal to the
greater of six months or until the next anniversary date of this Agreement.

     (c) Termination Without Cause. If this Agreement is terminated by the
Corporation for any reason other than for Cause or Nonperformance by Employee,
or if the Agreement is terminated by the Corporation for what the Corporation
believes is Cause and it is ultimately determined that the Employee was
terminated without Cause, as the Employee's sole remedy against the Corporation,
the Corporation shall continue to pay the employee his semi-monthly installments
of Base Salary, and provide for health insurance at the cost of the Corporation,
for a period equal to the greater of nine months or until the next anniversary
of this Agreement and the Employee shall have such vesting rights as may be
provided under the Employee's Restricted Stock Ownership Agreement dated April
19, 2002 with the Corporation.

     (d) Duty to Mitigate; Restrictions of Ability to Pay. After any termination
to which section 6(b) or section 6(c) applies, the Employee shall as promptly as
practicable use his good faith best efforts to gain new employment or equivalent
salary and benefits. The corporation's post-termination payment obligations
under section 6(b) or section 6(c) shall terminate upon Employee's first day of
new employment.

7.   Inventions and Improvements. Concurrently with the execution and delivery
of this Agreement, as a condition to Employee's employment, the Employee and the
Corporation shall enter into the Proprietary Information Agreement attached as
Exhibit B.

8.   Nondisclosure; Non-solicitation.

     (a) In the Employee's position of employment, he will have access to
confidential information and trade secrets ("Confidential Information")
pertaining to, or arising from, the business of the Corporation. The Employee
acknowledges that such Confidential Information is unique and valuable to the
Corporation's business and that the Corporation would suffer irreparable injury
if this information were divulged to those in competition with the Corporation.
Therefore, the Employee agrees to keep in strict secrecy and confidence, both
during and after the period of his employment, any and all information which the
Employee acquires, or to which the Employee has access, during employment with
the Corporation, that has not been publicly disclosed by the Corporation or that
is not a matter of common knowledge by the Corporation's competitors. The
Confidential Information covered by this Agreement shall include, but shall not
be limited to, information relating to any inventions, processes, formulae,
plans, devices, compilations of information, technical data, distribution
methods, arrangements entered into with suppliers and customers, including but
not limited to pricing information, terms of purchase and sale, proposed
expansion plans of the Corporation, marketing and pricing strategies and trade
secrets of the Corporation.

     (b) Except with prior written approval of the Corporation, during or after
the Employee's employment under this Agreement the Employee will neither (i)
disclose any

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Confidential Information to any person except authorized personnel of the
Corporation, or its subsidiaries or affiliated companies, nor (ii) use
Confidential Information in any way. Upon termination of the Employee's
employment, whether voluntary or involuntary the Employee will promptly return
to the Corporation all documents, records or other memorializations including
copies of documents and any notes which the Employee has prepared, that contain
Confidential Information or relate to the Corporation's business.

     (c) Without the prior written consent of the Corporation, during the term
of Employee's employment by the Corporation and for twelve months after
termination of Employee's employment, neither the Employee nor any entity owned
or controlled by the Employee will, for the Employee's benefit or the benefit of
any third party, directly solicit the employment of any employee of the
Corporation, or any of its subsidiaries or affiliated companies or influence or
induce any such employee to leave or decline employment by the Corporation, or
any of its subsidiaries or affiliated companies. Employee shall not be
prohibited from hiring a former employee of the Corporation as long as such
employee's employment with the Corporation has been terminated (whether by the
Corporation or by such employee) for at least one year.

9.   Noncompetition.

     (a) During the term of this Agreement and for a period of two years
following termination of this Agreement for any reason, except for termination
without Cause, the Employee will not and will cause any Affiliate (as defined
below) of the Employee (collectively, the "Bound Parties") not to, directly or
indirectly manage, operate, control, participate or engage in, or become
interested in or connected with in any way (including, without limitation, as a
partner, stockholder, investor, owner, director, officer, employee, agent or
consultant, except the ownership of five percent or less of the outstanding
capital stock or partnership interests of a publicly traded corporation or
partnership), or lend any money to or guaranty any obligations of (except for
the ownership of five percent or less of the outstanding debt securities of a
publicly traded corporation or partnership), any person, business, firm or
entity (each a "Person") engaged in any security alarm monitoring services
business or any other related or similar activity within, based in, or into, the
Protected Market. The "Protected Market" means the United States of America and
Canada. The term "Affiliate" means any person directly or indirectly
controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, the person with
respect to whom the term "Affiliate" is used. The Bound Parties shall not be
bound by any covenant not to complete if Employee's employment (i) was
terminated by the Corporation without Cause or (ii) if the Employment Period is
not renewed by the Corporation, unless Employee refuses to accept an offer by
the Corporation to renew the Employment Period on terms substantially similar to
those in effect immediately prior to the expiration of the Employment Period.

     (b) As consideration for the Bound Parties' agreement not to compete with
the Corporation as provided in this Agreement, the Corporation has entered into
and consummated the transactions contemplated in the Asset Purchase Agreement
dated this date between the Corporation and My Alarm, Inc., an Iowa corporation,
and the Stock Purchase Agreement dated this date between the Corporation and the
Purchasers (as defined therein).

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     (c) This Agreement is necessary for the protection of the legitimate
business interests of the Corporation. The scope of this Agreement in time,
geography and types and limits of activities is reasonable.

     (d) Because of the confusion to the customers of the Corporation and to the
public that a breach of this Agreement would create, the Corporation will not
have an adequate remedy at law if any of the Bound Parties breaches this
Agreement. The Corporation will be entitled to apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for an injunction prohibiting any violations of the provisions of
this Agreement, and a restraining order and/or injunction may issue against any
of the Bound Parties, in addition to any other rights the Corporation may have.
The Bound Parties hereby waive the claim or defense that an adequate remedy at
law exists, and none of the Bound Parties will urge in any such action or
proceeding that any such remedy at law exists

10.  Specific Performance. In the event of any controversy concerning the rights
or obligations of the parties under this Agreement, such rights or obligations
shall be enforceable in a court of equity by a decree of specific performance.
Such remedy, however, shall be cumulative and nonexclusive and shall be in
addition to any other remedy to which the parties may be entitled. If either
party successfully prosecutes an action to enforce its rights under this
Agreement, such party shall be entitled to receive attorney's fees and costs in
addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled.

11.  Waiver. The failure of either party to insist, in any one or more
instances, upon performance of the terms or conditions of this Agreement shall
not be construed as a waiver or a relinquishment of any right granted under this
Agreement or of the future performance of any other remedy to which it may be
entitled.

12.  Notices. Any notice to be given under this Agreement shall be deemed
sufficient if addressed in writing, and delivered by registered or certified
mail or delivered personally, in the case of the Corporation to its principal
business office and in the case of the Employee, to his address appearing on the
records of the Corporation, or to such other address as he may have designated
in writing to the Corporation.

13.  Severability. In the event that any provision shall be held to be invalid
or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever, it is agreed such invalidity or
unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement and the
remaining covenants, restrictions and provisions hereof shall remain in full
force and effect and any court of competent jurisdiction may so modify the
objectionable provision as to make it valid, reasonable and enforceable.

14.  Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended with the prior written
consent of the Board of Directors and by an agreement in writing signed by all
of the parties hereto.

15.  Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws but not the law of conflicts of the State of
Texas.

16.  Benefit. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of
and shall be enforceable by and against the Corporation, its successors and
assigns, and Employee, his heirs, beneficiaries and legal representatives. It is
agreed that the rights and obligation of the Employee may not be assigned or
delegated except as specifically set forth in this Agreement.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Employment Agreement as
of the Effective Date.

EMPLOYEE:

/s/ MICHAEL R. MEYERS
------------------------------
Michael R. Meyers

CORPORATION:

Monitronics International, Inc.

By: /s/ JAMES R. HULL
    ---------------------------
    James R. Hull
    President

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