Document:

exv10w6

Exhibit 10.6

AMC Networks Inc. 2011 Employee Stock Plan

          1. Purpose. The purpose of the AMC Networks Inc. 2011 Employee Stock Plan is to compensate
employees of the Company and its Affiliates who are and have been largely responsible for the
management and growth of the business of the Company and its Affiliates and to advance the
interests of the Company by encouraging and enabling the acquisition of a personal proprietary
interest in the Company by employees upon whose judgment and keen interest the Company and its
Affiliates are largely dependent for the successful conduct of their operations. It is anticipated
that such compensation and the acquisition of such proprietary interest in the Company will
stimulate the efforts of such employees on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates, and strengthen
their desire to remain with the Company and its Affiliates. It is also expected that such
compensation and the opportunity to acquire such a proprietary interest will enable the Company and
its Affiliates to attract and retain desirable personnel.

          2. Definitions. When used in this Plan, unless the context otherwise requires:

          (a) “Affiliate” shall mean (i) any Entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control
with the Company or any other Affiliate and (ii) any Entity in which the Company owns at least five
percent of the outstanding equity interests of such Entity.

          (b) “Award” shall mean an Option, Right, Restricted Share or Restricted Stock Unit or other
equity based award which is granted or made under the Plan.

          (c) “Award Agreement” shall mean an agreement which may be entered into by a Participant under
the Plan and the Company, setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to Awards granted to
such Participant.

          (d) “Board of Directors” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company, as constituted at
any time.

          (e) “Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, as described
in Section 3.

          (f) “Company” shall mean AMC Networks Inc., a Delaware corporation.

          (g) “Consent” shall mean (i) any listing, registration or qualification requirement in respect
of an Award or Share with respect to any securities exchange or under any federal, state or local
law, rule or regulation, (ii) any and all written agreements and representations by the Participant
with respect to the disposition of Shares, or with respect to any other matter, which the Committee
may deem necessary or desirable to comply with the terms of any such listing, registration or
qualification requirement or to

 

 

obtain an exemption therefrom, (iii) any and all other consents, clearances and approvals in
respect of an action under the Plan by any governmental or other regulatory body or any stock
exchange or self-regulatory agency, (iv) any and all consents by the Participant to (A) the
Company’s supplying to any third party recordkeeper of the Plan such personal information as the
Committee deems advisable to administer the Plan and (B) the Company’s imposing sales and transfer
procedures and restrictions on Shares delivered under the Plan and (v) any and all other consents
or authorizations required to comply with, or required to be obtained under law.

          (h) “Entity” shall mean any business, corporation, partnership, limited liability company or
other entity.

          (i) “Fair Market Value” on a specified date shall mean the closing price for a Share on the
stock exchange, if any, on which such Shares are primarily traded, but if no Shares were traded on
such date, the average of the bid and asked closing prices at which one Share is traded on the
over-the-counter market, as reported on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated
Quotation System, or, if none of the above is applicable, the value of a Share as established by
the Committee for such date using any reasonable method of valuation.

          (j) “GAAP” shall mean accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America.

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

          (l) “Options” shall mean the stock options granted pursuant to Section 6 hereof.

          (m) “Participant” shall mean any employee or former employee of the Company or any Affiliate
who holds an outstanding Award granted under the Plan.

          (n) “Performance Criteria” shall mean a goal or goals established by the Committee and
measured over a period or periods selected by the Committee, such goal(s) to constitute a
requirement that must be met in connection with the vesting, exercise and/or payment of an Award
under the Plan as specified by the Committee. To the extent that an Award of Restricted Shares or
Restricted Stock Units or another stock based award (other than Options and Rights) is intended to
satisfy the requirements for deductibility under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, the
payment of the Award will be conditioned on the satisfaction of one or more of the performance
criteria listed below over a period or periods selected by the Compensation Committee. The
performance criteria may be determined by reference to the performance of the Company, an affiliate
or a business unit, product, production, network or service thereof or any combination of the
foregoing. Such criteria may also be measured on a per customer, subscriber, viewer (or available
viewer), basic or diluted share basis or any combination of the foregoing and may reflect absolute
performance, incremental

 

 

performance or comparative performance to other companies (or their products or services)
determined on a gross, net, GAAP or non-GAAP basis, with respect to one or more of the following:
(i) net or operating income or other measures of profit; (ii) measures of revenue; (iii) earnings
before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA); (iv) cash flow, free cash flow,
adjusted operating cash flow and similar measures; (v) return on equity, investment, assets or
capital; (vi) gross or operating margins or savings; (vii) performance relative to budget, forecast
or market expectations; (viii) market share or penetration, subscriber or customer acquisition or
retention, ratings or viewership; (ix) operating metrics relating to sales, subscriptions or
customer service or satisfaction; (x) capital spending management or product or service
deployments; (xi) achievement of strategic business objectives such as acquisitions, dispositions
or investments; (xii) a specified increase in the fair market value of the Shares; (xiii) a
specified increase in the private market value of the Company; (xiv) the Share price; (xv) earnings
per share; and/or (xvi) total shareholder return.

          (o) “Plan” shall mean this AMC Networks Inc. 2011 Employee Stock Plan, as amended from time to
time.

          (p) “Restricted Period” shall mean the period of time during which Restrictions shall apply to
a Restricted Share, as determined by the Committee pursuant to Section 9 hereof.

          (q) “Restricted Shares” shall mean the Shares awarded pursuant to Section 9 hereof that are
subject to restrictions upon their sale, assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposal or
encumbrance as determined by the Committee.

          (r) “Restricted Stock Units” shall mean awards made pursuant to Section 10 hereof, each such
unit representing an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver a Share (or cash or other property
equal in value to the Share).

          (s) “Restrictions” shall mean the restrictions upon sale, assignment, transfer, pledge or
other disposal or encumbrance on a Restricted Share as determined by the Committee in respect of an
Award of a Restricted Share pursuant to Section 9 hereof.

          (t) “Rights” shall mean stock appreciation rights granted pursuant to Section 7 hereof.

          (u) “Share” shall mean a share of AMC Networks Inc. Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per
share.

          (v) “Subsidiary” shall mean any “subsidiary corporation,” as defined in Section 424(f) of the
Internal Revenue Code.

          3. Administration. (a) The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which shall consist
of at least the minimum number of members of the Board of Directors required by Section 162(m) of
the Internal Revenue Code. Such members

 

 

shall be appointed by, and shall serve at the pleasure of, the Board of Directors. Except as
otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, the members of the Committee shall be “outside
directors” to the extent required by Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code; provided,
however, that the failure of the Committee to be so comprised shall not cause any Award to be
invalid. The Committee may delegate any of its powers under the Plan to a subcommittee of the
Committee (which hereinafter shall also be referred to as the Committee). The Committee may also
delegate to any person who is not a member of the Committee or to any administrative group within
the Company, any of its powers, responsibilities or duties. In delegating its authority, the
Committee shall consider the extent to which any delegation may cause Awards to fail to be
deductible under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.

          (b) The Committee shall have full authority, subject to the terms of the Plan (including
Section 19), to (a) exercise all of the powers granted to it under the Plan, (b) construe,
interpret and implement the Plan and all Awards and Award Agreements, (c) prescribe, amend and
rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, including rules governing its own operations,
(d) make all determinations necessary or advisable in administering the Plan, (e) correct any
defect, supply any omission and reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan, (f) amend the Plan, (g)
grant Awards and determine who shall receive Awards and the terms and conditions of such Awards,
including, but not limited to, conditioning the exercise, vesting, payout or other term or
condition of an Award on the achievement of Performance Criteria, (h) amend any outstanding Award
in any respect, including, without limitation, to (1) accelerate the time or times at which the
Award becomes vested or unrestricted or may be exercised or at which Shares are delivered under the
Award (and, without limitation on the Committee’s rights, in connection with such acceleration, the
Committee may provide that any Shares delivered pursuant to such Award shall be Restricted Shares,
which are subject to vesting, transfer, forfeiture or repayment provisions similar to those in the
Participant’s underlying Award) or (2) waive or amend any goals, restrictions, conditions or
Performance Criteria (subject to the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code,
if applicable to the Award) applicable to such Award, or impose new goals or restrictions and (i)
determine at any time whether, to what extent and under what circumstances and method or methods
(1) Awards may be (A) settled in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property,
(B) exercised or (C) canceled, forfeited or suspended or (2) Shares, other securities, cash, other
Awards or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award may be deferred either
automatically or at the election of the participant or of the Committee. The enumeration of the
foregoing powers is not intended and should not be construed to limit in any way the authority of
the Committee under the Plan which is intended, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to be
plenary. The Plan, and all such rules, regulations, determinations and interpretations, shall be
binding and conclusive upon the Company, its stockholders and all Participants, and upon their
respective legal representatives, heirs, beneficiaries, successors and assigns and upon all other
persons claiming under or through any of them.

 

 

          (c) No member of the Board of Directors or the Committee or any employee of the Company or any
of its Affiliates (each such person a “Covered Person”) shall have any liability to any person
(including, without limitation, any Participant) for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any
determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award. Each Covered Person shall
be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability or
expense (including attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such Covered Person in
connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such Covered Person may
be a party or in which such Covered Person may be involved by reason of any action taken or omitted
to be taken under the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by such Covered Person,
with the Company’s approval, in settlement thereof, or paid by such Covered Person in satisfaction
of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Covered Person; provided that,
the Company shall have the right, at its own expense, to assume and defend any such action, suit or
proceeding and, once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume the defense, the Company
shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of the Company’s choice. The foregoing right
of indemnification shall not be available to a Covered Person to the extent that a court of
competent jurisdiction in a final judgment or other final adjudication, in either case, not subject
to further appeal, determines that the acts or omissions of such Covered Person giving rise to the
indemnification claim resulted from such Covered Person’s bad faith, fraud or willful criminal act
or omission. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of
indemnification to which Covered Persons may be entitled under the Company’s Certificate of
Incorporation or By-laws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may
have to indemnify such persons or hold them harmless.

          4. Participants. Except as hereinafter provided, all employees of the Company and its
Affiliates shall be eligible to receive Awards under the Plan, except that Options that are
intended to qualify as incentive stock options within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal
Revenue Code shall be granted only to employees of the Company or a Subsidiary. Nothing herein
contained shall be construed to prevent the making of one or more Awards at the same or different
times to the same employee.

          5. Share Limitations. (a) The Committee may make Awards under this Plan for up to an
aggregate number of [TBD] Shares, which may be either treasury Shares or authorized but unissued
Shares. To the extent that (i) an Award shall be paid, settled or exchanged or shall expire, lapse,
terminate or be cancelled for any reason without the issuance of Shares, (ii) any Shares under an
Award are not issued because of payment or withholding obligations or (iii) Restricted Shares shall
revert back to the Company prior to the lapse of the Restrictions or be applied by the Company for
purposes of tax withholding obligations, then the Committee may also grant Awards with respect to
such Shares or Restricted Shares. Awards payable only in cash or property other than Shares shall
not reduce the aggregate remaining number of Shares with respect to which Awards may be made under
the Plan and Shares relating to any other Awards that are settled in cash or property other than
Shares, when settled, shall be added back to

 

 

the aggregate remaining number of Shares with respect to which Awards may be made under the
Plan. The maximum number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan shall be adjusted by the
Committee as appropriate to account for the events provided for in Section 12 hereof. Any Shares
with respect to which the Company becomes obligated to make Awards through the assumption of, or in
substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an acquired entity, shall not count
against the Shares available to be delivered pursuant to Awards under this Plan.

          (b) In no event shall any Participant be granted Awards during any one (1) calendar year for,
or that relate to, an aggregate number of Shares exceeding [2,000,000]. The maximum number of
Shares underlying Awards that may be granted to an individual in any one (1) calendar year under
the Plan shall be adjusted by the Committee as appropriate to account for the events provided for
in Section 12 hereof.

          6. Options. Options granted under the Plan shall be either incentive stock options, within
the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code, or non-qualified options, as determined by
the Committee in its sole discretion.

          (a) Terms and Conditions. The form, terms and conditions of each Option shall be determined
by the Committee and shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Such terms and conditions may
include, without limitation, provisions relating to the vesting and exercisability of such Options
as well as the conditions or circumstances upon which such Options may be accelerated, extended,
forfeited or otherwise modified. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, establish one or more
conditions to the vesting or exercise of an Option including, without limitation, conditions the
satisfaction of which are measured by Performance Criteria; provided that, if such Option is
designated as an incentive stock option, then such condition or conditions shall not be
inconsistent with Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code. Unless the Award Agreement specifies
that the Option is an incentive stock option, it shall be a non-qualified stock option. All or any
part of any Options granted to any Participant may be made exercisable upon the occurrence of such
special circumstances or events as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.

          (b) Exercise Price for Options. The exercise price per Share of the Shares to be purchased
pursuant to any Option shall be fixed by the Committee at the time an Option is granted, but in no
event shall it be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the day on which the Option is
granted. Such exercise price shall thereafter be subject to adjustment as required by the Award
Agreement relating to each Option or Section 12 hereof.

          (c) Duration of Options. The duration of any Option granted under this Plan shall be for a
period fixed by the Committee but shall, except as described in the next sentence, in no event be
more than ten (10) years. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Award Agreement may provide that, in
the event the Participant dies while the Option is outstanding, the Option will remain outstanding
until the first anniversary of the

 

 

Participant’s date of death, and whether or not such first anniversary occurs prior to or
following the expiration of ten (10) years from the date the Option was granted.

          (d) Incentive Stock Options Granted to Ten Percent Stockholders. To the extent required by
Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code, no Option which is intended to qualify as an incentive
stock option shall be granted under this Plan to any employee who, at the time the Option is
granted, owns, or is considered owning, within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue
Code, shares possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power or value of
all classes of stock of the Company or any Subsidiary, unless the exercise price under such Option
is at least one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date such
Option is granted and the duration of such option is no more than five (5) years.

          (e) Initial Exercisability Limitation. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the
time that an Option is granted) of the Shares with respect to incentive stock options granted in
any calendar year under all stock option plans of the Company or any corporation which (at the time
of the granting of such incentive stock option) was a parent or Subsidiary of the Company, or of
any predecessor corporation of any such corporation, which are exercisable for the first time by a
Participant during any calendar year shall not exceed $100,000, or, if different, the maximum
allowed under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code.

          (f) Settlement of an Option. When an Option is exercised pursuant to Section 8 hereof, the
Committee, in its sole discretion, may elect, in lieu of issuing Shares pursuant to the terms of
the Option, to settle the Option by paying the Participant an amount equal to the product obtained
by multiplying (i) the excess of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date the Option is
exercised over the exercise price of the Option (the “Option Spread”) by (ii) the number of Shares
with respect to which the Option is exercised. The amount payable to the Participant in these
circumstances shall be paid by the Company either in cash or in Shares having a Fair Market Value
equal to the Option Spread, or a combination thereof, as the Committee shall determine at the time
the Option is exercised or at the time the Option is granted.

          7. Rights. The Committee may grant to employees the right to receive such number of Rights,
as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.

          (a) Terms and Conditions. The form, terms and conditions of each Right shall be determined by
the Committee and shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Such terms and conditions may include,
without limitation, provisions relating to the vesting and exercisability of such Rights as well as
the conditions or circumstances upon which such Rights may be accelerated, extended, forfeited or
otherwise modified. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, establish one or more conditions to
the vesting or exercise of a Right including, without limitation, conditions the satisfaction of
which are measured by Performance Criteria. All or any part of any outstanding Rights granted to
any Participant may be made exercisable upon the

 

 

occurrence of such special circumstances or events as determined in the sole discretion of the
Committee.

          (b) Exercise Price for Rights. The exercise price of each Right shall be fixed by the
Committee at the time a Right is granted, but in no event shall it be less than the Fair Market
Value of a Share on the day on which the Right is granted. Such exercise price shall thereafter be
subject to adjustment as required by the Award Agreement relating to each Right or Section 12
hereof.

          (c) Duration of Rights. The duration of any Right granted under this Plan shall be for a
period fixed by the Committee but shall, except as described in the next sentence, in no event be
more than ten (10) years. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Award Agreement may provide that, in
the event the Participant dies while the Right is outstanding, the Right will remain outstanding
until the first anniversary of the Participant’s date of death, and whether or not such first
anniversary occurs prior to or following the expiration of ten (10) years from the date the Right
was granted.

          (d) Settlement of Rights. Upon the exercise of any Rights, the Participant shall be entitled
to receive from the Company an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying (i) the excess
of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date the Rights are exercised over the exercise price
of the related Right by (ii) the number of Shares to which such Rights are related. Such amount
shall be paid in cash, in Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to such amount, or a combination
of cash and Shares, as the Committee shall determine at the time the Right is exercised or at the
time the Right is granted.

          8. Exercise of Options and Rights. (a) An Option or Right shall be exercised by the delivery
to any person who has been designated by the Company for the purpose of receiving the same, of a
written notice duly signed by the Participant (or the representative of the estate or the heirs of
a deceased Participant) to such effect (or electronic notice in a manner, if any, previously
approved by the Company). Unless the Company chooses to settle an Option in cash, Shares or a
combination thereof pursuant to Section 6(f) hereof, the Participant shall be required to deliver
to the Company, within five (5) days of the delivery of the notice described above, either cash, a
check payable to the order of the Company, Shares duly endorsed over to the Company (which Shares
shall be valued at their Fair Market Value as of the date preceding the day of such exercise) or
any combination of such methods of payment, which together amount to the full exercise price of the
Shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of the Option. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence,
the Company and the Participant may agree upon any other reasonable manner of providing for payment
of the exercise price of the Option.

          (b) Except to the extent the Committee chooses to settle any Option or Right in cash pursuant
to Section 6(f) or 7(d) hereof, within a reasonable time after exercise of an Option or Right the
Company shall either issue to the Participant a

 

 

certificate representing the Shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of the Option or Right
or credit the number of such Shares to a book-entry account. To the extent the Committee chooses to
settle any Option or Right in cash pursuant to Section 6(f) or 7(d), within a reasonable time after
exercise of an Option or Right the Company shall cause to be delivered to the person entitled
thereto a payment for the amount payable pursuant to the exercise of the Option or Right.

          9. Restricted Shares. The Committee may grant to employees the right to receive such number
of Restricted Shares, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion.

          (a) Issuance; Terms and Conditions. The form, terms and conditions of each Restricted Share
shall be determined by the Committee and shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Such terms and
conditions may include, without limitation, the Restrictions upon such Restricted Shares, the dates
as of which Restrictions upon such Restricted Shares will cease, and the conditions or
circumstances upon which such Restricted Shares will be forfeited or otherwise modified. The
Committee may, in its sole discretion, establish one or more Restrictions to the vesting of a
Restricted Share that relate to the satisfaction of Performance Criteria.

          (b) Payment of Par Value. To the extent a Participant is required by law to pay to the
Company the par value of a Restricted Share, such Participant shall have forty-five (45) business
days from the date of such grant to pay to the Company, in cash or by check, an amount equal to the
par value of a Share multiplied by the number of Shares or Restricted Shares which have been
granted to the employee by the Committee. In such instances, if the Participant fails to make
payment to the Company for such Shares or Restricted Shares within forty-five (45) business days of
the grant thereof, the Company shall withhold, or shall cause to be withheld, the amount of such
payment from compensation otherwise due the employee from the Company or any Affiliate. Unless the
Committee determines otherwise, a Participant’s prior service with the Company or any of its
Affiliates shall be deemed sufficient consideration for such Restricted Shares and no payment
therefore (including, without limitation, for the par value of the Restricted Shares) shall be due
from the Participant. Subject to the provisions of Section 15 hereof, the Committee, in its sole
discretion, shall either issue to the employee a certificate representing such Restricted Shares or
credit the number of such Restricted Shares to a book-entry account upon the payment due, if any,
pursuant to this paragraph.

          (c) Restriction on Shares. In no event shall a Restricted Share be sold, assigned,
transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of or encumbered until the expiration of the Restricted
Period which relates to such Restricted Share. All or any part of any outstanding Restricted Shares
granted to any Participant may be vested in full and the Restrictions thereon shall lapse upon the
occurrence of such special circumstances or events as determined in the sole discretion of the
Committee.

 

 

          (d) Forfeiture of Restricted Shares. If Restricted Shares are forfeited pursuant to the terms
of the Plan or an Award Agreement, such Restricted Shares shall revert back and belong to the
Company. In the event that any Restricted Shares should be forfeited by the Participant, revert
back and belong to the Company, any stock certificate or certificates representing such Restricted
Shares shall be cancelled and the Restricted Shares shall be returned to the treasury of the
Company. Upon the reversion of such Restricted Shares, the Company shall repay to the employee or
(in the case of death) to the representative of the employee’s estate, the full cash amount paid,
if any, to the Company by the employee for such Restricted Shares pursuant to Section 9(b) hereof.

          (e) Right to Vote and Receive Dividends on Restricted Shares. Each Participant shall, during
the Restricted Period, be the beneficial and record owner of such Restricted Shares and shall have
full voting rights with respect thereto. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, during the
Restricted Period, all ordinary cash dividends (as determined by the Committee in its sole
discretion) paid upon any Restricted Share shall be retained by the Company for the account of the
relevant Participant. Such dividends shall revert back to the Company if for any reason the
Restricted Share upon which such dividends were paid reverts back to the Company. Upon the
expiration of the Restricted Period, all such dividends made on such Restricted Share and retained
by the Company will be paid to the relevant Participant.

          10. Restricted Stock Units. The Committee may grant employees such number of Restricted Stock
Units as it may determine in its sole discretion.

          (a) Terms and Conditions. The form, terms and conditions of each Restricted Stock Unit shall
be determined by the Committee and shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Such terms and
conditions may include, without limitation, the conditions or circumstances upon which such
Restricted Stock Unit will be paid, forfeited or otherwise modified, and the date or dates upon
which any Shares, cash or other property shall be delivered to the Participant in respect of the
Restricted Stock Units. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, establish one or more conditions
to the vesting of a Restricted Stock Unit including, without limitation, conditions the
satisfaction of which are measured by Performance Criteria. All or any part of any outstanding
Restricted Stock Unit granted to any Participant may be vested in full or paid upon the occurrence
of such special circumstances or events as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.

          (b) Settlement of Restricted Stock Units. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may instruct
the Company to pay on the date when Shares would otherwise be issued pursuant to a Restricted Stock
Unit, in lieu of such Shares, a cash amount equal to the number of such Shares multiplied by the
Fair Market Value of a Share on the date when Shares would otherwise have been issued. If a
Participant is entitled to receive other stock, securities or other property as a result of an
adjustment, pursuant to Section 12 hereof, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may instruct the
Company to pay, in lieu of such other stock, securities or other property, cash equal to the fair
market value

 

 

thereof as determined in good faith by the Committee. Until the delivery of such Shares, cash,
securities or other property, the rights of a Participant with respect to a Restricted Stock Unit
shall be only those of a general unsecured creditor of the Company.

          (c) Right to Receive Dividends on Restricted Stock Units. Unless the Committee determines
otherwise, during the period prior to payment of the Restricted Stock Unit, all ordinary cash
dividends (as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion) that would have been paid upon
any Share underlying a Restricted Stock Unit had such Shares been issued shall be paid only at the
time and to the extent such Restricted Stock Unit is vested.

          11. Grant of Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee may grant other types of equity-based or
equity-related Awards (including unrestricted Shares) in such amounts and subject to such terms and
conditions as the Committee shall determine. Such Awards may entail the transfer of actual Shares,
or payment in cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of Shares.

          12. Certain Adjustments. (a) In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether
in the form of cash, Shares, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, forward or
reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase,
share exchange, liquidation, dissolution or other similar corporate transaction or event affects
Shares such that the failure to make an adjustment to an Award would not fairly protect the rights
represented by the Award in accordance with the essential intent and principles thereof (each such
event, an “Adjustment Event”), then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may determine to be
equitable in its sole discretion, adjust any or all of the terms of an outstanding Award
(including, without limitation, the number of Shares covered by such outstanding Award, the type of
property to which the Award is subject and the exercise price of such Award). In determining
adjustments to be made under this Section 12(a), the Committee may take into account such factors
as it determines to be appropriate, including without limitation (i) the provisions of applicable
law and (ii) the potential tax or accounting consequences of an adjustment (or not making an
adjustment) and, in light of such factors or others, may make adjustments that are not uniform or
proportionate among outstanding Awards.

          (b) Fractional Shares or Securities. Any fractional shares or securities payable upon the
exercise of an Award as a result of an adjustment pursuant to this Section 12 shall, at the
election of the Committee, be payable in cash, Shares, or a combination thereof, on such bases as
the Committee may determine in its sole discretion.

          13. No Rights of a Stockholder. A Participant shall not be deemed to be the holder of, or
have any of the rights of a stockholder with respect to, any Shares subject to Options, Rights or
Restricted Stock Units unless and until the Company shall have issued and delivered Shares to the
Participant and said Participant’s name shall have been entered as a stockholder of record on the
books of the Company. Thereupon, such

 

 

Participant shall have full voting, dividend and other ownership rights with respect to such
Shares. The Company will not be obligated to issue or deliver any Shares unless and until all legal
matters in connection with the issuance and delivery of Shares have been approved by the Company’s
counsel and the Company’s counsel determines that all applicable federal, state and other laws and
regulations have been complied with and all listing requirements for relevant stock exchanges have
been met.

          14. No Right to Continued Employment. Nothing in the Plan or in any Award Agreement shall
confer upon any Participant the right to continued employment by the Company or any Affiliate or
affect any right which the Company or any Affiliate may have to terminate such employment.

          15. Issuance of Shares and Consents. If the Committee shall at any time determine that any
Consent is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the granting of any
Award, the delivery of Shares or the delivery of any cash, securities or other property under the
Plan, or the taking of any other action, then such action shall not be taken, in whole or in part,
unless and until such Consent shall have been effected or obtained to the full satisfaction of the
Committee. Any stock certificate representing Restricted Shares shall contain an appropriate legend
referring to the Plan and the Restrictions upon such Restricted Shares. Simultaneously with
delivery of any stock certificate for Restricted Shares, the Company may cause a stop transfer
order with respect to such certificate to be placed with the transfer agent of the Shares.

          16. Withholding. If the Company or an Affiliate shall be required to withhold any amounts by
reason of a federal, state or local tax laws, rules or regulations in respect of any Award, the
Company or an Affiliate shall be entitled to deduct or withhold such amounts from any payments
(including, without limitation Shares which would otherwise be issued to the Participant pursuant
to the Award; provided that, to the extent desired for GAAP purposes, such withholding shall not
exceed the statutory minimum amount required to be withheld) to be made to the Participant. In any
event, the Participant shall make available to the Company or Affiliate, promptly when requested by
the Company or such Affiliate, sufficient funds or Shares to meet the requirements of such
withholding and the Company or Affiliate shall be entitled to take and authorize such steps as it
may deem advisable in order to have such funds made available to the Company or Affiliate out of
any funds or property due to the Participant.

          17. Right of Offset. The Company shall have the right to offset against its obligation to
deliver Shares, cash or other property under any Award any outstanding amounts of whatever nature
that the Participant then owes to the Company or any of its Affiliates.

          18. Non-Transferability of Awards. Unless the Committee shall permit (on such terms and
conditions as it shall establish) an Award to be transferred to a member of the Participant’s
immediate family or to a trust or similar vehicle for the benefit of members of the Participant’s
immediate family (collectively, the “Permitted

 

 

Transferees”), no Award shall be assignable or transferable except by will or by the laws of
descent and distribution, and except to the extent required by law, no right or interest of any
Participant shall be subject to any lien, obligation or liability of the Participant. All rights
with respect to Awards granted to a Participant under the Plan shall be exercisable during the
Participant’s lifetime only by such Participant or, if applicable, the Permitted Transferees.

          19. Administration and Amendment of the Plan. The Board of Directors or the Committee may
discontinue the Plan at any time and from time to time may amend or revise the terms of the Plan or
any Award Agreement, as permitted by applicable law, except that it may not (a) make any amendment
or revision in a manner unfavorable to a Participant (other than if immaterial), without the
consent of the Participant or (b) make any amendment or revision without the approval of the
stockholders of the Company if such approval is required by the rules of an exchange on which
Shares are traded. Consent of the Participant shall not be required solely pursuant to the previous
sentence in respect of any adjustment made pursuant to Section 12(a) except to the extent the terms
of an Award Agreement expressly refer to an Adjustment Event, in which case such terms shall not be
amended in a manner unfavorable to a Participant (other than if immaterial) without such
Participant’s consent.

          20. Effective Date. The Plan shall become effective upon approval by the stockholders of the
Company.

          21. Severability. If any of the provisions of this Plan or any Award Agreement is finally
held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable (whether in whole or in part), such provision shall be
deemed modified to the extent, but only to the extent, of such invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability and the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby; provided that, if any
of such provisions is finally held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable because it exceeds the
maximum scope determined to be acceptable to permit such provision to be enforceable, such
provision shall be deemed to be modified to the minimum extent necessary to modify such scope in
order to make such provision enforceable hereunder.

          22. Plan Headings. The headings in this Plan are for the purpose of convenience only and are
not intended to define or limit the construction of the provisions hereof.

          23. Non-Uniform Treatment. The Committee’s determinations under the Plan need not be uniform
and may be made by it selectively among persons who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards
(whether or not such persons are similarly situated). Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Committee shall be entitled, among other things, to make non-uniform and selective
determinations, amendments and adjustments, and to enter into non-uniform and selective Award
Agreements, as to the persons to receive Awards under the Plan, and the terms and provisions of
Awards under the Plan.

 

 

          24. Governing Law. The Plan and any Award Agreements shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to principles of conflict of
laws.

          25. Successors and Assigns. The terms of this Plan shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns.

          26. Duration. This Plan shall remain in effect until May 16, 2021 unless sooner terminated by
the Committee or the Board of Directors. Awards theretofore granted may extend beyond that date in
accordance with the provisions of the Plan.

          27. Distribution Issuance. (a) Notwithstanding Section 3 of the Plan, the Compensation
Committee (the “Cablevision Committee”) of the Board of Directors of Cablevision Systems
Corporation (“Cablevision”) may grant Awards with respect to outstanding equity awards of
Cablevision in connection with the distribution by Cablevision to holders of its common stock of
all of the outstanding Shares (such distribution, the “Distribution”). In this capacity, the
Cablevision Committee shall have full authority to grant Awards in connection with the Distribution
and determine the recipients, terms and conditions of such Awards, and each member of the
Cablevision Committee shall be considered a “Covered Person” for purposes of Section 3(c) of the
Plan. Actions taken by the Cablevision Committee in accordance with this Section 27 which have
effect after the effective date of this Plan shall be valid even if such action is taken prior to
the effective date of this Plan.

          (b) Notwithstanding Section 6(b) and Section 7(b) of the Plan, the exercise price of each
Option and Right granted by the Cablevision Committee in connection with the Distribution may be
less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the day on which the Option or Right is granted, in
order to preserve the intrinsic value of the outstanding Cablevision equity awards prior to the
Distribution.exv10w7

Exhibit 10.7

AMC Networks Inc. 2011 Stock Plan For Non-Employee Directors

     1. Purpose. The purposes of the AMC Networks Inc. 2011 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors
are to attract and retain individuals who are not employees of the Company as members of the Board
of Directors, by encouraging them to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company which is
parallel to that of the stockholders of the Company.

     2. Definitions. The following terms shall have the respective meanings assigned to them as
used herein:

     (a) “Award” shall mean an Option, Restricted Stock Unit and other stock-based award granted
under the Plan.

     (b) “Award Agreement” shall mean an agreement which may be entered into by a Participant and
the Company, setting forth the terms and provisions applicable to Awards granted to such
Participant.

     (c) “Board of Directors” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company, as constituted at
any time.

     (d) “Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, as described
in Section 3.

     (e) “Company” shall mean AMC Networks Inc., a Delaware corporation.

     (f) “Consent” shall mean (i) any listing, registration or qualification requirement in respect
of an Award or Share with respect to any securities exchange or under any federal, state or local
law, rule or regulation, (ii) any and all written agreements and representations by the Participant
with respect to the disposition of Shares, or with respect to any other matter, which the Committee
may deem necessary or desirable to comply with the terms of any such listing, registration or
qualification requirement or to obtain an exemption therefrom, (iii) any and all other consents,
clearances and approvals in respect of an action under the Plan by any governmental or other
regulatory body or any stock exchange or self-regulatory agency, (iv) any and all consents by the
Participant to (A) the Company’s supplying to any third party recordkeeper of the Plan such
personal information as the Committee deems advisable to administer the Plan and (B) the Company’s
imposing sales and transfer procedures and restrictions on Shares delivered under the Plan and (v)
any and all other consents or authorizations required to comply with, or required to be obtained
under law.

     (g) “Fair Market Value” on a specified date shall mean the closing price for a Share on the
stock exchange, if any, on which such Shares are primarily traded, but if no Shares were traded on
such date, the average of the bid and asked closing prices at which one Share is traded on the
over-the-counter market, as reported

 

 

on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System, or, if none of
the above is applicable, the value of a Share as established by the Committee for such date using
any reasonable method of valuation.

     (h) “GAAP” shall mean accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America.

     (i) “Non-Employee Director” shall mean a member of the Board of Directors who is not a current
employee of the Company or its subsidiaries.

     (j) “Option” shall mean an option granted pursuant to Section 6.1 of the Plan.

     (k) “Participant” shall mean a Non-Employee Director who has been granted an Award under the
Plan.

     (l) “Plan” shall mean the AMC Networks Inc. 2011 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors, as
amended from time to time.

     (m) “Restricted Stock Unit” shall mean a restricted stock unit granted pursuant to Section 6.2
of the Plan, each such unit representing an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver a Share (or
cash or other property equal in value to the Share).

     (n) “Share” shall mean a share of AMC Networks Inc. Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per
share.

     3. Plan Administration.

     3.1. Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which shall consist of at
least two members of the Board of Directors who shall be appointed by, and shall serve at the
pleasure of, the Board of Directors. Except as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, the
members of the Committee shall be “non-employee directors” under Rule 16b-3 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”); provided, however, that the failure of the Committee to
be so comprised shall not cause any Award to be invalid. The Committee may delegate any of its
powers under the Plan to a subcommittee of the Committee (which hereinafter shall also be referred
to as the Committee). It is expected and permitted that members of the Committee shall be
Participants.

     3.2. Authority. The Committee shall have full authority, subject to the terms of the Plan
(including Section 12), to (a) exercise all of the powers granted to it under the Plan, (b)
construe, interpret and implement the Plan and all Awards and Award Agreements, (c) prescribe,
amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, including rules governing its own
operations, (d) make all determinations necessary or advisable in administering the Plan, (e)
correct any defect, supply any omission and

 

 

reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan, (f) amend the Plan, (g) grant Awards and determine
who shall receive Awards and the terms and conditions of such Awards, (h) amend any outstanding
Award in any respect, including, without limitation, to (1) accelerate the time or times at which
the Award becomes vested or unrestricted or may be exercised or at which Shares are delivered under
the Award (and, without limitation on the Committee’s rights, in connection with such acceleration,
the Committee may provide that any Shares delivered pursuant to such Award shall be subject to
vesting, transfer, forfeiture or repayment provisions similar to those in the Participant’s
underlying Award) or (2) waive or amend any restrictions or conditions applicable to such Award, or
impose new restrictions or conditions and (i) determine at any time whether, to what extent and
under what circumstances and method or methods (1) Awards may be (A) settled in cash, Shares, other
securities, other Awards or other property, (B) exercised or (C) canceled, forfeited or suspended
or (2) Shares, other securities, cash, other Awards or other property and other amounts payable
with respect to an Award may be deferred either automatically or at the election of the Participant
or of the Committee. The enumeration of the foregoing powers is not intended and should not be
construed to limit in any way the authority of the Committee under the Plan which is intended, to
the fullest extent permitted by law, to be plenary. The Plan, and all such rules, regulations,
determinations and interpretations, shall be binding and conclusive upon the Company, its
stockholders and all Participants, and upon their respective legal representatives, heirs,
beneficiaries, successors and assigns and upon all other persons claiming under or through any of
them.

     3.3. Liability. No member of the Board of Directors or the Committee or any employee of the
Company or any of its affiliates (each such person a “Covered Person”) shall have any liability to
any person (including, without limitation, any Participant) for any action taken or omitted to be
taken or any determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award. Each Covered
Person shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost,
liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such
Covered Person in connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such
Covered Person may be a party or in which such Covered Person may be involved by reason of any
action taken or omitted to be taken under the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by
such Covered Person, with the Company’s approval, in settlement thereof, or paid by such Covered
Person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Covered
Person, provided that the Company shall have the right, at its own expense, to assume and defend
any such action, suit or proceeding and, once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume the
defense, the Company shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of the Company’s
choice. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to a Covered Person to the
extent that a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment or other final adjudication, in
either case, not subject to further appeal, determines that the acts or omissions of such Covered
Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Covered Person’s bad faith,
fraud or willful criminal act or omission. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be
exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which Covered Persons may be entitled under the
Company’s

 

 

Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any other power
that the Company may have to indemnify such persons or hold them harmless.

     4. Eligibility. All Non-Employee Directors are eligible for the grant of Awards.
Non-Employee Directors of Cablevision Systems Corporation (“Cablevision”) are also eligible for the
grant of Shares in connection with the spin-off of the Company from Cablevision in respect of their
outstanding awards issued by Cablevision.

     5. Shares Subject to the Plan.

     5.1. Number. The aggregate number of Shares that may be subject to Awards granted under this
Plan shall not exceed [TBD], which may be either treasury Shares or authorized but unissued Shares.
To the extent that (i) an Award shall be paid, settled or exchanged or shall expire, lapse,
terminate or be cancelled for any reason without the issuance of Shares or (ii) any Shares under an
Award are not issued because of payment or withholding obligations, then the Committee may also
grant Awards with respect to such Shares. Awards payable only in cash or property other than
Shares shall not reduce the aggregate remaining number of Shares with respect to which Awards may
be made under the Plan and Shares relating to any other Awards that are settled in cash or property
other than Shares, when settled, shall be added back to the aggregate remaining number of Shares
with respect to which Awards may be made under the Plan. The maximum number of Shares that may be
issued under the Plan shall be adjusted by the Committee as appropriate to account for the
adjustments provided for in Section 5.2 hereof. Any Shares with respect to which the Company
becomes obligated to make Awards through the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding
awards previously granted by an acquired entity, shall not count against the Shares available to be
delivered pursuant to Awards under this Plan.

     5.2. Adjustment in Capitalization. In the event that any dividend or other distribution
(whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities, or other property), recapitalization,
forward or reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination,
repurchase, share exchange, liquidation, dissolution or other similar corporate transaction or
event affects Shares such that the failure to make an adjustment to an Award would not fairly
protect the rights represented by the Award in accordance with the essential intent and principles
thereof (each such event, an “Adjustment Event”), then the Committee shall, in such manner as it
may determine to be equitable in its sole discretion, adjust any or all of the terms of an
outstanding Award (including, without limitation, the number of Shares covered by such outstanding
Award, the type of property to which the Award is subject and the exercise price of such Award). In
determining adjustments to be made under this Section 5.2, the Committee may take into account such
factors as it determines to be appropriate, including without limitation (i) the provisions of
applicable law and (ii) the potential tax or accounting consequences of an adjustment (or not
making an adjustment) and, in light of such factors or others, may make adjustments that are not
uniform or proportionate among outstanding Awards.

 

 

Any fractional shares or securities payable upon the exercise of an Award as a result of an
adjustment pursuant to this Section 5.2 shall, at the election of the Committee, be payable in
cash, Shares, or a combination thereof, on such bases as the Committee may determine in its sole
discretion.

     6. Terms and Conditions of Awards.

     6.1. Options.

     6.1.1 Terms and Conditions. The form, terms and conditions of each Option shall be determined
by the Committee and shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Such terms and conditions may
include, without limitation, provisions relating to the vesting and exercisability of such Options
as well as the conditions or circumstances upon which such Options may be accelerated, extended,
forfeited or otherwise modified; provided, however, that unless the Award Agreement states
otherwise, all Options granted under the Plan shall be fully vested and exercisable on the date of
grant. All or any part of any unexercised Options granted to any Participant, to the extent not
otherwise exercisable, may be made exercisable upon the occurrence of such special circumstances or
events as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee.

     6.1.2 Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share of the Shares to be purchased pursuant to
each Option shall be fixed by the Committee at the time an Option is granted, but in no event shall
it be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date on which the Option is granted. Such
exercise price shall thereafter be subject to adjustment as required by the Award Agreement
relating to each Option or Section 5.2 hereof.

     6.1.3 Duration of Options. The duration of any Option granted under this Plan shall be for a
period fixed by the Committee but shall, except as described in the next sentence, in no event be
more than ten (10) years. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Award Agreement may provide that, in
the event the Participant dies while the Option is outstanding, the Option will remain outstanding
until the first anniversary of the Participant’s date of death, and whether or not such first
anniversary occurs prior to or following the expiration of ten (10) years from the date the Option
was granted.

     6.1.4 Written Notice for Exercise. An Option shall be exercised by the delivery to any person
who has been designated by the Company for the purpose of receiving the same, of a written notice
duly signed by the Participant (or the representative of the estate or the heirs of a deceased
Participant) to such effect (or electronic notice in a manner, if any, previously approved by the
Company).

     6.1.5 Payment. Unless the Company chooses to settle an Option in cash, Shares or a
combination thereof pursuant to Section 6.1.6 hereof, the Participant shall be required to deliver
to the Company, within five (5) days of the delivery of the notice described above, either cash, a
check payable to the order of the Company, Shares

 

 

duly endorsed over to the Company (which Shares shall be valued at their Fair Market Value as
of the date preceding the day of such exercise) or any combination of such methods, which together
amount to the full exercise price of the Shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of the Option.
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Company and the Participant may agree upon any other
reasonable manner of providing for payment of the exercise price of the Option. Except to the
extent the Committee chooses to settle any Option in cash pursuant to Section 6.1.6 hereof, within
a reasonable time after exercise of an Option the Company shall either issue to the Participant a
certificate representing the Shares purchased pursuant to the exercise of the Option or credit the
number of such Shares to a book-entry account. To the extent the Committee chooses to settle any
Option in cash pursuant to Section 6.1.6, within a reasonable time after exercise of an Option, the
Company shall cause to be delivered to the person entitled thereto a payment for the amount payable
pursuant to the exercise of the Option.

     6.1.6 Settlement of an Option. When an Option is exercised pursuant to Section 6.1.4 hereof,
the Committee, in its sole discretion, may elect, in lieu of issuing Shares pursuant to the terms
of the Option, to settle the Option by paying the Participant an amount equal to the product
obtained by multiplying (i) the excess of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the date the Option
is exercised over the exercise price of the Option (the “Option Spread”) by (ii) the number of
Shares with respect to which the Option is exercised. The amount payable to the Participant in
these circumstances shall be paid by the Company either in cash or in Shares having a Fair Market
Value equal to the Option Spread, or a combination thereof, as the Committee shall determine at the
time the Option is exercised or at the time the Option is granted.

     6.2. Restricted Stock Units.

     6.2.1 Terms and Conditions. The form, terms and conditions of each Restricted Stock Unit
shall be determined by the Committee and shall be set forth in an Award Agreement. Such terms and
conditions may include, without limitation, the conditions or circumstances upon which such
Restricted Stock Unit will be paid, forfeited or otherwise modified, and the date or dates upon
which any Shares, cash or other property shall be delivered to the Participant in respect of the
Restricted Stock Units; provided, however, that unless the Award Agreement states otherwise, all
Restricted Stock Units granted under the Plan shall be fully vested on the date of grant and shall
be payable on such date as determined by the Committee. All or any part of any Restricted Stock
Units granted to any Participant, to the extent not otherwise paid, may be paid to the Participant
upon the occurrence of such special circumstances or events as determined in the sole discretion of
the Committee.

     6.2.2 Settlement of Restricted Stock Units. The Committee, in its sole discretion, may
instruct the Company to pay on the date when Shares would otherwise be issued pursuant to a
Restricted Stock Unit, in lieu of such Shares, a cash amount equal to the number of such Shares
multiplied by the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date when Shares would otherwise have been
issued. If a Participant is entitled to receive

 

 

other stock, securities or other property as a result of adjustment, pursuant to Section 5.2
hereof, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may instruct the Company to pay, in lieu of such
other stock, securities or other property, cash equal to the fair market value thereof as
determined in good faith by the Committee. Until the delivery of such Shares, cash, securities or
other property, the rights of a Participant with respect to a Restricted Stock Unit shall be only
those of a general unsecured creditor of the Company.

     6.2.3 Right to Receive Dividends on Restricted Stock Units. Unless the Committee determines
otherwise, during the period prior to payment of the Restricted Stock Unit, all ordinary cash
dividends (as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion) that would have been paid upon
any Share underlying a Restricted Stock Unit had such Shares been issued shall be paid only at the
time and to the extent such Restricted Stock Unit is vested.

     6.3. Grant of Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee may grant other types of equity-based
or equity-related Awards (including, without limitation, restricted Shares, unrestricted Shares and
stock appreciation rights) in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the
Committee shall determine. Such Awards may entail the transfer of actual Shares, or payment in
cash or otherwise of amounts based on the value of Shares.

     7. No Rights of a Stockholder. A Participant shall not have any of the rights or privileges
of a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Shares subject to an Award unless and until
such Shares have been issued and have been duly registered in the Participant’s name. Thereupon,
such Participant shall have full voting, dividend and other ownership rights with respect to such
Shares. The Company will not be obligated to issue or deliver any Shares unless and until all
legal matters in connection with the issuance and delivery of Shares have been approved by the
Company’s counsel and the Company’s counsel determines that all applicable federal, state and other
laws and regulations have been complied with and all listing requirements for relevant stock
exchanges have been met.

     8. Compliance with Rule 16b-3. It is the Company’s intent that the Plan comply in all
respects with Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Act”). If any
provision of the Plan is later found not to be in compliance with such Rule, the provision shall be
deemed null and void. All actions with respect to Awards under the Plan shall be executed in
accordance with the requirements of Section 16 of the Act, as amended, and any regulations
promulgated thereunder. To the extent that any of the provisions contained herein do not conform
with Rule 16b-3 of the Act or any amendments thereto or any successor regulation, then the
Committee may make such modifications so as to conform the Plan and any Awards granted thereunder
to the Rule’s requirements.

     9. Consents. If the Committee shall at any time determine that any Consent is necessary or
desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the granting of

 

 

any Award, the delivery of Shares or the delivery of any cash, securities or other property
under the Plan, or the taking of any other action, then such action shall not be taken, in whole or
in part, unless and until such Consent shall have been effected or obtained to the full
satisfaction of the Committee.

     10. Withholding. If the Company shall be required to withhold any amounts by reason of a
federal, state or local tax laws, rules or regulations in respect of any Award, the Company shall
be entitled to deduct or withhold such amounts from any payments (including, without limitation
Shares which would otherwise be issued to the Participant pursuant to the Award; provided that, to
the extent desired for GAAP purposes, such withholding shall not exceed the statutory minimum
amount required to be withheld) to be made to the Participant. In any event, the Participant shall
make available to the Company, promptly when requested by the Company, sufficient funds or Shares
to meet the requirements of such withholding and the Company shall be entitled to take and
authorize such steps as it may deem advisable in order to have such funds made available to the
Company out of any funds or property due to the Participant.

     11. Non-Transferability of Awards. Unless the Committee shall permit (on such terms and
conditions as it shall establish) an Award to be transferred to a member of the Participant’s
immediate family or to a trust or similar vehicle for the benefit of members of the Participant’s
immediate family (collectively, the “Permitted Transferees”), no Award shall be assignable or
transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and except to the extent
required by law, no right or interest of any Participant shall be subject to any lien, obligation
or liability of the Participant. All rights with respect to Awards granted to a Participant under
the Plan shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by such Participant or, if
applicable, the Permitted Transferees.

     12. Administration and Amendment of Plan. The Board of Directors or the Committee may
discontinue the Plan at any time and from time to time may amend or revise the terms of the Plan or
any Award Agreement, as permitted by applicable law, except that it may not (a) make any amendment
or revision in a manner unfavorable to a Participant (other than if immaterial), without the
consent of the Participant or (b) make any amendment or revision without the approval of the
stockholders of the Company if such approval is required by the rules of an exchange on which
Shares are traded. Consent of the Participant shall not be required solely pursuant to the
previous sentence in respect of any adjustment made pursuant to Section 5.2 except to the extent
the terms of an Award Agreement expressly refer to an Adjustment Event, in which case such terms
shall not be amended in a manner unfavorable to a Participant (other than if immaterial) without
such Participant’s consent.

     13. Effective Date. The Plan shall become effective upon approval by the stockholders of the
Company.

 

 

     14. Severability. If any of the provisions of this Plan or any Award Agreement is finally
held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable (whether in whole or in part), such provision shall be
deemed modified to the extent, but only to the extent, of such invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability and the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby; provided that, if any
of such provisions is finally held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable because it exceeds the
maximum scope determined to be acceptable to permit such provision to be enforceable, such
provision shall be deemed to be modified to the minimum extent necessary to modify such scope in
order to make such provision enforceable hereunder.

     15. Plan Headings. The headings in this Plan are for the purpose of convenience only and are
not intended to define or limit the construction of the provisions hereof.

     16. Non-Uniform Treatment. The Committee’s determinations under the Plan need not be uniform
and may be made by it selectively among Participants (whether or not such Participants are
similarly situated). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee shall be
entitled, among other things, to make non-uniform and selective determinations, amendments and
adjustments, and to enter into non-uniform and selective Award Agreements, as to the terms and
provisions of Awards under the Plan.

     17. Governing Law. The Plan and any Award Agreements shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the state of Delaware, without reference to principles of conflicts of
laws.

     18. Successors and Assigns. The terms of the Plan shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns.

     19. Duration. This Plan shall remain in effect until May 16, 2021 unless sooner terminated by
the Committee or the Board of Directors. Awards theretofore granted may extend beyond that date in
accordance with the provisions of the Plan.

     20. Distribution Issuance.

     20.1. Notwithstanding Section 3 of the Plan, the Compensation Committee (the “Cablevision
Committee”) of the Board of Directors of Cablevision Systems Corporation (“Cablevision”) may grant
Awards with respect to outstanding equity awards of Cablevision in connection with the distribution
by Cablevision to holders of its common stock of all of the outstanding Shares (such distribution,
the “Distribution”). In this capacity, the Cablevision Committee shall have full authority to
grant Awards in connection with the Distribution and determine the recipients, terms and conditions
of such Awards, and each member of the Cablevision Committee shall be considered a “Covered Person”
for purposes of Section 3.3 of the Plan. Actions taken by the Cablevision Committee in accordance
with this Section 20 which have effect after the

 

 

effective date of this Plan shall be valid even if such action is taken prior to the effective
date of this Plan.

     20.2. Notwithstanding Section 6.1.2 of the Plan, the exercise price per Share of the Shares to
be purchased pursuant to each Option granted by the Cablevision Committee in connection with the
Distribution may be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date on which the Option is
granted, in order to preserve the intrinsic value of the outstanding Cablevision equity awards
prior to the Distribution.

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