Document:

GateHouse Media Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan

 Exhibit 10.1 
 GATEHOUSE MEDIA, INC. 
 OMNIBUS STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN 
 SECTION 1. PURPOSE OF PLAN. 
 The name of this plan is
the GateHouse Media, Inc. Omnibus Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan was adopted by the Board (as hereinafter defined) on October 5, 2006 and approved by the stockholders of the Company (as hereinafter defined) on October 6, 2006,
prior to the initial public offering of Company common stock. The purpose of the Plan is to provide additional incentive to selected management employees, directors and Consultants (as hereinafter defined) of the Company or its Subsidiaries (as
hereinafter defined) whose contributions are essential to the growth and success of the Company’s business, in order to strengthen the commitment of such persons to the Company and its Subsidiaries, motivate such persons to faithfully and
diligently perform their responsibilities and attract and retain competent and dedicated persons whose efforts shall result in the long-term growth and profitability of the Company. To accomplish such purposes, the Plan provides that the Company may
grant (a) Options, (b) Stock Appreciation Rights, (c) awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares, Performance Shares, unrestricted Shares or Other Stock-Based Awards, or (d) any combination of the foregoing. 
 SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS. 
 For purposes of the Plan,
the following terms shall be defined as set forth below: 
 (a) “Administrator” means the Board, or if and to the extent the Board
does not administer the Plan, the Committee in accordance with Section 3 hereof. 
 (b) “Affiliate” means an affiliate of the
Company (or other referenced entity, as the case may be) as defined in Rule 12b-2 promulgated under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. 
 (c) “Award” means any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Share, Deferred Share, Performance Share, unrestricted Share or Other Stock-Based Award granted under the Plan. 
 (d) “Award Agreement” means any written agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing an Award. 
 (e) “Beneficial Owner” (or any variant thereof) has the meaning defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act. 
 (f) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company. 
 (g) “Cause” shall have the meaning set forth in the Participant’s employment or other agreement with the Company, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate, provided that if the Participant is not a party to any
such employment or other agreement or such employment or other agreement does not contain a definition of Cause, then Cause shall mean (i) the continued failure by the Participant to substantially perform his or her duties and obligations to
the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, including without limitation, repeated refusal to follow the reasonable directions of his or her employer, intentional violation of law in the course of performance of the duties of Participant’s
employment with the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, engagement in misconduct which is materially injurious to the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, repeated absences from work without a reasonable excuse, or intoxication with alcohol
or illegal drugs while on the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s or Affiliate’s premises during regular business hours (other than any such failure resulting from his or her incapacity due to physical or mental illness); (ii) fraud or
material dishonesty against the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate; or (iii) a conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere for the commission of a felony or a crime involving material dishonesty. Determination of Cause shall be made by
the Administrator in its sole discretion. 

 (h) “Change in Capitalization” means any (i) merger, consolidation, reclassification,
recapitalization, spin-off, spin-out, repurchase or other reorganization or corporate transaction or event, (ii) dividend (whether in the form of cash, Common Stock, or other property), stock split or reverse stock split, (iii) combination
or exchange of shares, (iv) other change in corporate structure or (v) declaration of a special dividend (including a cash dividend) or other distribution, which, in any such case, affects the Shares such that an adjustment pursuant to
Section 5 hereof is appropriate. 
 (i) “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if an event set forth in any one
of the following paragraphs shall have occurred: 
 (1) any Person other than any Permitted Transferee is or becomes the
Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or any of its affiliate as defined in Rule 12b-2 promulgated
under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the “Exchange Act” ) representing 50.1% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; or 
 (2) there is consummated a merger or consolidation of the Company or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company with any other
corporation, other than a merger or consolidation immediately following which the individuals who comprise the Board immediately prior thereto constitute at least a majority of the Board of the entity surviving such merger or consolidation or, if
the Company or the entity surviving such merger is then a subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof; or 
 (3) the stockholders
of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or there is consummated an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than (i) a sale
or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to an entity, at least 50.1% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by stockholders of the Company following the completion of
such transaction in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale or (ii) a sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets immediately following which the
individuals who comprise the Board immediately prior thereto constitute at least a majority of the board of directors of the entity to which such assets are sold or disposed or, if such entity is a subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof.

 Notwithstanding the foregoing, a “Change in Control” shall not be deemed to have occurred by virtue of (i) an Initial Public Offering or
(ii) the consummation of any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have
substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity which owns all or substantially all of the assets of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions. 
 (j) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor thereto. 
 (k) “Committee” means any committee or subcommittee the Board may appoint to administer the Plan. Subject to the discretion of the Board, the
Committee shall be composed entirely of individuals who meet the qualifications of an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the
Exchange Act and any other qualifications required by the applicable stock exchange on which the Common Stock is traded. If at any time or to any extent the Board shall not administer the Plan, then the functions of the Administrator specified in
the Plan shall be exercised by the Committee. Except as otherwise provided in the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as amended from time to time, any action of the Committee with respect to the administration of the Plan shall
be taken by a majority vote at a meeting at which a quorum is duly constituted or unanimous written consent of the Committee’s members. 
  

 2 

 (l) “Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company.

 (m) “Company” means GateHouse Media, Inc. (or any successor corporation). 
 (n) “Consultant” means a consultant or advisor who is a natural person, engaged to render bona fide services to the Company or any Subsidiary.

 (o) “Deferred Shares” means the right to receive Shares at the end of a specified deferral period granted pursuant to
Section 9 below. 
 (p) “Disability” means that a Participant (i) as determined by the Administrator in its sole
discretion, is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12
months, or (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement
benefits for a period of not less than 3 months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company. 
 (q) “Eligible Recipient” means a key employee, director or Consultant of the Company or any Subsidiary who has been selected as an eligible participant by the Administrator. 
 (r) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time. 
 (s) “Exercise Price” means the per share price at which a holder of an award granted hereunder may purchase the Shares issuable upon exercise
of such award. 
 (t) “Fair Market Value” as of a particular date shall mean the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as
determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided, however, that (i) if the Common Stock is admitted to trading on a national securities exchange, fair market value of a share of Common Stock on any date shall be the closing sale
price reported for such share on such exchange on the last day preceding such date on which a sale was reported, (ii) if the Common Stock is admitted to quotation on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation
(“Nasdaq”) System or other comparable quotation system and has been designated as a National Market System (“NMS”) security, fair market value of a share of Common Stock on any date shall be the closing sale price reported for
such share on such system on the last date preceding such date on which a sale was reported, or (iii) if the Common Stock is admitted to quotation on the Nasdaq System but has not been designated as an NMS security, fair market value of a share
of Common Stock on any date shall be the average of the highest bid and lowest asked prices of such share on such system on the last date preceding such date on which both bid and ask prices were reported. 
 (u) “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of section 422 of the Code,
or any successor provision, and that is designated in the applicable Option agreement as an Incentive Stock Option. 
 (v) “Initial
Public Offering” shall mean the date of the initial public offering of the Company. 
 (w) “Non-Employee Director” means a
director of the Company who is not (i) an officer or employee of the Company or of any Subsidiary or (ii) the Beneficial Owner, whether directly or indirectly, of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Stock. 
 (x) “Nonqualified Stock Option” means any Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option, including any Option that provides (as of the time such
Option is granted) that it shall not be treated as an Incentive Stock Option. 
  

 3 

 (y) “Option” means an option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to
Section 7 hereof. 
 (z) “Other Stock-Based Awards” means a right or other interest granted to a Participant under the Plan
that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, Common Stock, including but not limited to restricted stock units, dividend equivalents or performance units, each of which may
be subject to the attainment of Performance Goals or a period of continued employment or other terms or conditions as permitted under the Plan. 
 (aa) “Participant” means (i) any Eligible Recipient selected by the Administrator, pursuant to the Administrator’s authority in Section 3 below, to receive grants of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, awards of
Restricted Shares, awards of unrestricted Shares, Deferred Shares, Performance Shares, Other Stock-Based Awards or any combination of the foregoing, and upon his or her death, his or her successors, heirs, executors and administrators, as the case
may be and (ii) any Non-Employee Director who is eligible to receive Shares pursuant to Section 11 below. 
 (bb) “Performance
Goals” means performance goals based on one or more of the following criteria: (i) earnings including operating income, earnings before or after taxes, earnings before or after interest, depreciation, amortization, or extraordinary or
special items or book value per share (which may exclude nonrecurring items); (ii) pre-tax income or after-tax income; (iii) earnings per Share (basic or diluted); (iv) operating profit; (v) revenue, revenue growth or rate of
revenue growth; (vi) return on assets (gross or net), return on investment, return on capital, or return on equity; (vii) returns on sales or revenues; (viii) operating expenses; (ix) stock price appreciation; (x) cash flow,
free cash flow, cash flow return on investment (discounted or otherwise), net cash provided by operations, or cash flow in excess of cost of capital; (xi) implementation or completion of critical projects or processes; (xii) economic value
created; (xiii) cumulative earnings per share growth; (xiv) operating margin or profit margin; (xv) common stock price or total stockholder return; (xvi) cost targets, reductions and savings, productivity and efficiencies;
(xvii) strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified market penetration, geographic business expansion, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, human resources management, supervision of
litigation, information technology, and goals relating to acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and similar transactions, and budget comparisons; (xviii) personal professional objectives, including any of the foregoing performance goals,
the implementation of policies and plans, the negotiation of transactions, the development of long term business goals, formation of joint ventures, research or development collaborations, and the completion of other corporate transactions; and
(xix) any combination of, or a specified increase in, any of the foregoing. Where applicable, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of attaining a specified level of the particular criteria or the attainment of a percentage increase
or decrease in the particular criteria, and may be applied to one or more of the Company, a Subsidiary or Affiliate, or a division or strategic business unit of the Company, or may be applied to the performance of the Company relative to a market
index, a group of other companies or a combination thereof, all as determined by the Committee. The Performance Goals may include a threshold level of performance below which no payment shall be made (or no vesting shall occur), levels of
performance at which specified payments shall be made (or specified vesting shall occur), and a maximum level of performance above which no additional payment shall be made (or at which full vesting shall occur). Each of the foregoing Performance
Goals shall be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and shall be subject to certification by the Committee; provided that the Committee shall have the authority to make equitable adjustments to the Performance Goals
in recognition of unusual or non-recurring events affecting the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate or the financial statements of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, in response to changes in applicable laws or regulations, or to account
for items of gain, loss or expense determined to be extraordinary or unusual in nature or infrequent in occurrence or related to the disposal of a segment of a business or related to a change in accounting principles. 
 (cc) “Performance Shares” means Shares that are subject to restrictions based upon the attainment of specified performance objectives granted
pursuant to Section 9 below. 
  

 4 

 (dd) “Permitted Transferee” means, (a) any Affiliate (a “FIG Affiliate”) of
Fortress Investment Group LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“FIG”), (b) any managing director, general partner, director, limited partner, officer or employee of any FIG Affiliate, (c) any investment fund or other entity
managed directly or indirectly by FIG or any of its Affiliates (a “FIG Fund”), or (d) any general partner, limited partner, managing member or person occupying a similar role of or with respect to any FIG Fund. 
 (ee) “Person” shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)
thereof, except that such term shall not include (i) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) an
underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, or (iv) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of
the Company. 
 (ff) “Restricted Shares” means Shares subject to certain restrictions granted pursuant to Section 9 below.

 (gg) “Retirement” means a termination of a Participant’s employment, other than for Cause, on or after attainment of age
65. 
 (hh) “Shares” means shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan, as adjusted pursuant to the Plan, and any
successor (pursuant to a merger, consolidation or other reorganization) security. 
 (ii) “Stock” means Common Stock. 

(jj) “Stock Appreciation Right” means the right pursuant to an award granted under Section 8 below to receive an amount equal to the
excess, if any, of (i) the aggregate Fair Market Value, as of the date such Stock Appreciation Right or portion thereof is surrendered, of the Shares covered by such right or such portion thereof, over (ii) the aggregate Exercise Price of
such right or such portion thereof. 
 (kk) “Subsidiary” means any corporation in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with
the Company if, at the time of granting of an Award, each of the corporations (other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain) owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other
corporations in the chain. 
 SECTION 3. ADMINISTRATION. 
 (a) The Plan shall be administered by the Administrator and shall be administered in accordance with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code (but only to the extent necessary and desirable to maintain
qualification of awards under the Plan under Section 162(m) of the Code) and, to the extent applicable, Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (“Rule 16b-3”). 
 (b) Pursuant to the terms of the Plan, the Administrator, subject, in the case of any Committee, to any restrictions on the authority delegated to it by the Board, shall have the power and authority, without
limitation: 
 (1) to select those Eligible Recipients who shall be Participants; 
 (2) to determine whether and to what extent Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares,
Performance Shares, Other Stock-Based Awards or a combination of any of the foregoing, are to be granted hereunder to Participants; 
 (3) to determine whether Options are intended to be Incentive Stock Options or Nonqualified Stock Options, provided, however, that Incentive Stock Options can only be granted to employees of the Company or any Subsidiary (within the meaning
of Sections 424(e) and (f) of the Code); 
  

 5 

 (4) to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each award granted hereunder;

 (5) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of each Award granted hereunder
(including, but not limited to, (i) the restrictions applicable to awards of Restricted Shares or Deferred Shares and the conditions under which restrictions applicable to such awards of Restricted Shares or Deferred Shares shall lapse,
(ii) the performance goals and periods applicable to awards of Performance Shares, (iii) the Exercise Price, (iv) the vesting schedule applicable to Awards, (v) the number of Shares subject to Awards and (vi) any amendments
to the terms and conditions of outstanding Awards, including, but not limited to reducing the Exercise Price of such Awards, extending the exercise period of such Awards and accelerating the vesting schedule of such Awards); 
 (6) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, which shall govern all written instruments
evidencing Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares or any combination of the foregoing granted hereunder; 
 (7) to determine the Fair Market Value; 
 (8) to determine the duration and purpose of leaves of absence which may be granted to a Participant without constituting termination of their employment for purposes Nonqualified Stock Options and Incentive Stock
Options granted under the Plan; 
 (9) to adopt, alter and repeal such administrative rules, guidelines and practices
governing the Plan as it shall from time to time deem advisable; and 
 (10) to construe and interpret the terms and
provisions of the Plan and any award issued under the Plan (and any Award Agreement relating thereto), and to otherwise supervise the administration of the Plan and to exercise all powers and authorities either specifically granted under the Plan or
necessary and advisable in the administration of the Plan. 
 (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this Section 3, (i) the
automatic, nondiscretionary grants of Shares shall be made to Non-Employee Directors pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of Section 11 below and (ii) neither the Board, the Committee nor their respective delegates shall have the
authority to reprice (or cancel and regrant) any Option or, if applicable, other Award at a lower exercise, base or purchase price without first obtaining the approval of the Company’s stockholders. 
 (d) All decisions made by the Administrator pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, including the
Company and the Participants. No member of the Board or the Committee, nor any officer or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary acting on behalf of the Board or the Committee, shall be personally liable for any action, omission, determination,
or interpretation taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and all members of the Board or the Committee and each and any officer or employee of the Company and of any Subsidiary acting on their behalf shall, to the maximum extent
permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company in respect of any such action, omission, determination or interpretation. 
 SECTION
4. SHARES RESERVED FOR ISSUANCE UNDER THE PLAN. 
 Subject to Section 5 hereof, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may
be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan is 2,000,000 shares, as increased on the first day of each fiscal year beginning in calendar year 2007 by a number of shares equal to 100,000. All such shares of Common Stock that are available
for the grant of Awards under the Plan may be granted as Incentive Stock Options. From and after such time as the Plan is subject to Code Section 162(m), the aggregate Awards granted during any fiscal year to any single individual who is likely
to be a “covered employee” as defined under Code Section 162(m) shall not exceed (i) 400,000 shares subject to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights or (ii) 400,000 shares subject to Restricted Stock, Deferred Shares,
unrestricted Shares or Other Stock-Based Awards. Determinations made in respect of the limitation set forth in the preceding sentence shall be made in a manner consistent with Section 162(m) of the Code. 
  

 6 

 (a) Shares issued under the Plan may, in whole or in part, be authorized but unissued Shares or Shares
that shall have been or may be reacquired by the Company in the open market, in private transactions or otherwise. If any Shares subject to an Award are forfeited, cancelled, exchanged or surrendered or if an Award otherwise terminates or expires
without a distribution of shares to the Participant, the Shares of stock with respect to such Award shall, to the extent of any such forfeiture, cancellation, exchange, surrender, termination or expiration, again be available for Awards under the
Plan. 
 SECTION 5. EQUITABLE ADJUSTMENTS. 
 In the event of any Change in Capitalization, an equitable substitution or proportionate adjustment shall be made, in each case in the manner determined by the Administrator, in (i) the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock
reserved for issuance under the Plan and the maximum number of Shares that may be subject to Awards granted to any Participant in any calendar or fiscal year, (ii) the kind, number and Exercise Price subject to outstanding Options and Stock
Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan, and (iii) the kind, number and purchase price of Shares subject to outstanding awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares, Performance Shares or Other Stock-Based Awards granted under the Plan, in
each case as may be determined by the Administrator, provided, however, that any fractional shares resulting from the adjustment shall be eliminated. Such other necessary equitable substitutions or proportionate adjustments shall be made in the
manner determined by the Administrator. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in connection with a Change in Capitalization, the Administrator may provide, for the manner of equitable substitution to be the cancellation of any
outstanding award granted hereunder in exchange for payment in cash or other property of the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares covered by such award, reduced by the aggregate Exercise Price or purchase price thereof, if any. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, with respect to Incentive Stock Options, any adjustment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of Section 424(h) of the Code and any regulations or guidance promulgated thereunder, and provided further that no such
adjustment shall cause any Award hereunder which is or becomes subject to Section 409A of the Code to fail to comply with the requirements of such section. The Administrator’s determinations pursuant to this Section 5 shall be final,
binding and conclusive. 
 SECTION 6. ELIGIBILITY. 
 Except as set forth in Section 11 below, the Participants under the Plan shall be selected from time to time by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, from among Eligible Recipients; provided, however, that
Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to employees of the Company or any Subsidiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Non-Employee Directors shall be eligible for awards other than those set forth in Section 11, as determined by the
Administrator from time to time. 
 SECTION 7. OPTIONS. 
 (a) General. Each Participant who is granted an Option shall enter into an Award Agreement with the Company, containing such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine, in its discretion, which Award
Agreement shall set forth, among other things, the Exercise Price of the Option, the term of the Option and provisions regarding exercisability of the Option granted thereunder. Each Option shall be clearly identified in the applicable Award
Agreement as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option. The provisions of each Option need not be the same with respect to each Participant. More than one Option may be granted to the same Participant and be outstanding
concurrently hereunder. Options granted under the Plan shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 7 and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the
Administrator shall deem desirable and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. 
 (b) Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of Shares
purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion at the time of grant, provided that the Exercise Price of an Incentive Stock Option or any Option intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under
Section 162(m) of the Code 

  

 7 

 
shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the date of grant. If a Participant owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the
attribution rules applicable under Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Subsidiary and an Incentive Stock Option is granted to such Participant, the option price
of such Incentive Stock Option (to the extent required at the time of grant by the Code) shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value on the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted. 
 (c) Option Term. The maximum term of each Option shall be fixed by the Administrator, but no Option shall be exercisable more than ten years after the
date such Option is granted, except that Incentive Stock Options granted to a Participant who owns or is deemed to own (by reason of the attribution rules applicable under Section 424(d) of the Code) more than 10% of the combined voting power
of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Subsidiary, shall not be exercisable more than five years after the date such Option is granted. Each Option’s term is subject to earlier expiration pursuant to the applicable provisions in the
Plan and the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator shall have the authority to accelerate the exercisability of any outstanding Option at such time and under such circumstances as it, in its sole discretion, deems
appropriate. 
 (d) Exercisability. Each Option shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions,
including the attainment of preestablished corporate performance goals, as shall be determined by the Administrator in the applicable Award Agreement. The Administrator may also provide that any Option shall be exercisable only in installments, and
the Administrator may waive such installment exercise provisions at any time, in whole or in part, based on such factors as the Administrator may determine in its sole discretion. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, an Option
may not be exercised for a fraction of a share. 
 (e) Method of Exercise. Options may be exercised in whole or in part by giving written
notice of exercise to the Company specifying the number of Shares to be purchased, accompanied by payment in full of the aggregate Exercise Price of the Shares so purchased in cash or its equivalent, as determined by the Administrator. As determined
by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, with respect to any Option or category of Options, payment in whole or in part may also be made (i) by means of consideration received under any cashless exercise procedure approved by the
Administrator (including the withholding of Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise), (ii) in the form of unrestricted Shares already owned by the Participant which, (x) in the case of unrestricted Shares acquired upon exercise of an
Option, have been owned by the Participant for more than six months on the date of surrender, and (y) have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate option price of the Shares as to which such Option shall be
exercised, (iii) any other form of consideration approved by the Administrator and permitted by applicable law or (iv) any combination of the foregoing. 
 (f) Limitations on Incentive Stock Options. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year
under the Plan and any other stock option plan of the Company shall exceed $100,000, the portion of such Incentive Stock Options in excess of $100,000 shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options. Such Fair Market Value shall be determined as of
the date on which each such Incentive Stock Option is granted. No Incentive Stock Option may be granted to an individual if, at the time of the proposed grant, such individual owns (or is deemed to own under the Code) stock possessing more than 10%
of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Subsidiary unless (i) the Exercise Price of such Incentive Stock Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock at the time such
Incentive Stock Option is granted and (ii) such Incentive Stock Option is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date such Incentive Stock Option is granted. 
 (g) Rights as Stockholder. A Participant shall have no rights to dividends or any other rights of a stockholder with respect to the Shares subject to an
Option until the Participant has given written notice of exercise, has paid in full for such Shares, has satisfied the requirements of Section 15 hereof and, if requested, has given the representation described in paragraph (b) of
Section 16 hereof. 
  

 8 

 (h) Transfers of Options. Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, and in any event in the
case of an Incentive Stock Option, no Option granted under the Plan shall be transferable by a Participant other than by the laws of descent and distribution. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in accord with the provisions of the
immediately preceding sentence, an Option may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant or, during the period the Participant is under a legal disability, by the Participant’s guardian or legal
representative. The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, subject to applicable law, permit the gratuitous transfer during a Participant’s lifetime of a Nonqualified Stock Option, (i) by gift to a member of the Participant’s
immediate family, (ii) by transfer by instrument to a trust for the benefit of such immediate family members, or (iii) to a partnership or limited liability company in which such family members are the only partners or members; provided,
however, that, in addition to such other terms and conditions as the Administrator may determine in connection with any such transfer, no transferee may further assign, sell, hypothecate or otherwise transfer the transferred Option, in whole or in
part, other than by shall or by operation of the laws of descent and distribution. Each permitted transferee shall agree to be bound by the provisions of this Plan and the applicable Award Agreement. 
 (i) Termination of Employment or Service. 
 (1) Unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise, in the event that the employment or service of a Participant with the Company or any Subsidiary shall terminate for any reason other than Cause,
Retirement, Disability, or death, (A) Options granted to such Participant, to the extent that they are exercisable at the time of such termination, shall remain exercisable until the date that is 90 days after such termination, on which date
they shall expire, and (B) Options granted to such Participant, to the extent that they were not exercisable at the time of such termination, shall expire at the close of business on the date of such termination. The 90-day period described in
this Section 7(i)(1) shall be extended to one year after the date of such termination in the event of the Participant’s death during such 90-day period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of
its term. 
 (2) Unless the applicable Award Agreement provides otherwise, in the event that the employment or service of a
Participant with the Company or any Subsidiary shall terminate on account of the Retirement, Disability, or death of the Participant, (A) Options granted to such Participant, to the extent that they were exercisable at the time of such
termination, shall remain exercisable until the date that is one year after such termination, on which date they shall expire and (B) Options granted to such Participant, to the extent that they were not exercisable at the time of such
termination, shall expire at the close of business on the date of such termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of its term. 
 (3) In the event of the termination of a Participant’s employment or service for Cause, all outstanding Options granted to such
Participant shall expire at the commencement of business on the date of such termination. 
 (k) Other Change in Employment Status. An Option
shall be affected, both with regard to vesting schedule and termination, by leaves of absence, changes from full-time to part-time employment, partial disability or other changes in the employment status of an Participant, in the discretion of the
Administrator. The Administrator shall follow any applicable provisions and regulations with respect to the treatment of Incentive Stock Options and the written policies of the Company (if any), including such rules, guidelines and practices as may
be adopted pursuant to Section 3 hereof, as they may be in effect from time to time, with regard to such matters. 
 SECTION 8. STOCK APPRECIATION
RIGHTS. 
 (a) General. Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted either alone (“Free Standing Rights”) or in conjunction with
all or part of any Stock Option granted under the Plan (“Related Rights”), provided that, in each case, the Common Stock underlying the Stock Appreciation Right is traded on an “established securities market” within the meaning
of Section 409A of the Code. In the case of a Nonqualified Stock Option, Related Rights may be granted either at or after the time of the grant of such Stock Option. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option, 

  

 9 

 
Related Rights may be granted only at the time of the grant of the Incentive Stock Option. The Administrator shall determine the Eligible Recipients to whom,
and the time or times at which, grants of Stock Appreciation Rights shall be made; the number of Shares to be awarded, the price per share, and all other conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Related Right may be
granted for more shares than are subject to the Stock Option to which it relates and any Stock Appreciation Right must be granted with an Exercise Price not less than the Fair Market Value of Common Stock on the date of grant. The provisions of
Stock Appreciation Rights need not be the same with respect to each Participant. Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following terms and conditions set forth in this Section 8 and shall contain such
additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Administrator shall deem desirable, as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. 
 (b) Awards. The prospective recipient of a Stock Appreciation Right shall not have any rights with respect to such Award, unless and until such recipient has executed an Award Agreement and delivered a fully executed
copy thereof to the Company, within a period of sixty days (or such other period as the Administrator may specify) after the award date. Participants who are granted Stock Appreciation Rights shall have no rights as stockholders of the Company with
respect to the grant or exercise of such rights. 
 (c) Exercisability. 
 (1) Stock Appreciation Rights that are Free Standing Rights (“Free Standing Stock Appreciation Rights”) shall be exercisable at
such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Administrator at or after grant. 
 (2) Stock Appreciation Rights that are Related Rights (“Related Stock Appreciation Rights”) shall be exercisable only at such time or times and to the extent that the Stock Options to which they relate shall be exercisable in
accordance with the provisions of Section 7 above and this Section 8 of the Plan; provided, however, that a Related Stock Appreciation Right granted in connection with an Incentive Stock Option shall be exercisable only if and when the
Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Incentive Stock Option exceeds the Exercise Price of such Option. 
 (d) Payment Upon
Exercise. 
 (1) Upon the exercise of a Free Standing Stock Appreciation Right, the Participant shall be entitled to receive
up to, but not more than, that number of Shares equal in value to the excess of the Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise over the price per share specified in the Free Standing Stock Appreciation Right (which price shall be no less than 100%
of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant) multiplied by the number of Shares in respect of which the Free Standing Stock Appreciation Right is being exercised, with the Administrator having the right to determine the form of payment.

 (2) A Related Right may be exercised by a Participant by surrendering the applicable portion of the related Option. Upon
such exercise and surrender, the Participant shall be entitled to receive up to, but not more than, that number of Shares equal in value to the excess of the Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise over the Exercise Price specified in the
related Option (which price shall be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant) multiplied by the number of Shares in respect of which the Related Stock Appreciation Right is being exercised, with the Administrator having the
right to determine the form of payment. Options which have been so surrendered, in whole or in part, shall no longer be exercisable to the extent the Related Rights have been so exercised. 
 (3) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may determine to settle the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right in cash (or in any
combination of Shares and cash) to the extent that such settlement does not violate Section 409A of the Code. 
 (e)
Non-Transferability. 
 (1) Free Standing Stock Appreciation Rights shall be transferable only when and to the extent that an
Option would be transferable under Section 7 of the Plan. 
  

 10 

 (2) Related Stock Appreciation Rights shall be transferable only when and to the extent
that the underlying Option would be transferable under Section 7 of the Plan. 
 (f) Termination of Employment or Service. 

(1) In the event of the termination of employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary of a Participant who has been granted
one or more Free Standing Stock Appreciation Rights, such rights shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Administrator at or after grant. 
 (2) In the event of the termination of employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary of a Participant who has been granted one
or more Related Stock Appreciation Rights, such rights shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as set forth in the related Stock Options. 
 (g) Term. 
 (1) The term of
each Free Standing Stock Appreciation Right shall be fixed by the Administrator, but no Free Standing Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable more than ten years after the date such right is granted. 
 (2) The term of each Related Stock Appreciation Right shall be the term of the Stock Option to which it relates, but no Related Stock
Appreciation Right shall be exercisable more than ten years after the date such right is granted. 
 SECTION 9. RESTRICTED SHARES, DEFERRED SHARES AND
PERFORMANCE SHARES. 
 (a) General. Awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares may be issued either alone or in
addition to other awards granted under the Plan. The Administrator shall determine the Eligible Recipients to whom, and the time or times at which, awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares shall be made; the number of
Shares to be awarded; the price, if any, to be paid by the Participant for the acquisition of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares; the Restricted Period (as defined in paragraph (c) of this Section 9), if any,
applicable to awards of Restricted Shares or Deferred Shares; the performance objectives applicable to awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares; and all other conditions of the awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares
and Performance Shares. The Administrator may also condition the grant of the award of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares upon the exercise of Options, or upon such other criteria as the Administrator may determine, in its sole
discretion. If the restrictions, performance objectives and/or conditions established by the Administrator are not attained, a Participant shall forfeit his or her shares of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares. The provisions of
the awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares need not be the same with respect to each Participant. 
 (b) Awards
and Certificates. The prospective recipient of awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares shall not have any rights with respect to any such award, unless and until such recipient has executed an Award Agreement and delivered
a fully executed copy thereof to the Company, within a period of sixty days (or such other period as the Administrator may specify) after the award date. Except as otherwise provided below in this Section 9(c), (i) each Participant who is
granted an award of Restricted Shares or Performance Shares shall be issued a stock certificate in respect of such shares of Restricted Shares or Performance Shares; and (ii) such certificate shall be registered in the name of the Participant,
and shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to any such award. 
 The Company may
require that the stock certificates evidencing Restricted Shares or Performance Shares granted hereunder be held in the custody of the Company until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed, and that, as a condition of any award of Restricted
Shares or Performance Shares, the Participant shall have delivered a stock power, endorsed in blank, relating to the Shares covered by such award. 
  

 11 

 With respect to awards of Deferred Shares, at the expiration of the Restricted Period, stock certificates
in respect of such shares of Deferred Shares shall be delivered to the Participant, or his legal representative, in a number equal to the number of Shares covered by the Deferred Shares award. 
 (c) Restrictions and Conditions. The awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares and Performance Shares granted pursuant to this Section 9 shall be
subject to the following restrictions and conditions and any additional restrictions or conditions as determined by the Administrator at the time of grant or thereafter: 
 (1) Subject to the provisions of the Plan and the Restricted Shares Award Agreement, Deferred Shares Award Agreement or Performance Shares
Award Agreement, as appropriate, governing any such award, during such period as may be set by the Administrator commencing on the date of grant (the “Restricted Period”), the Participant shall not be permitted to sell, transfer, pledge or
assign shares of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares awarded under the Plan; provided, however, that the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, provide for the lapse of such restrictions in installments and may accelerate or
waive such restrictions in whole or in part based on such factors and such circumstances as the Administrator may determine, in its sole discretion, including, but not limited to, the attainment of certain performance related goals, the
Participant’s termination of employment or service as a director or Consultant to the Company or any Subsidiary, the Participant’s death or Disability. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon a Change in Control, the outstanding Awards shall
be subject to Section 12 hereof. 
 (2) Except as may be provided in a Restricted Share Award Agreement, the Participant
shall generally have the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to Restricted Shares or Performance Shares during the Restricted Period. The Participant shall generally not have the rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares subject
to awards of Deferred Shares during the Restricted Period; provided, however, that dividends declared during the Restricted Period with respect to the number of Shares covered by Deferred Shares shall be paid to the Participant. Certificates for
Shares of unrestricted Common Stock shall be delivered to the Participant promptly after, and only after, the Restricted Period shall expire without forfeiture in respect of such awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares
except as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall otherwise determine. 
 (3) The rights of Participants granted
awards of Restricted Shares, Deferred Shares or Performance Shares upon termination of employment or service as a director or Consultant to the Company or to any Subsidiary terminates for any reason during the Restricted Period shall be set forth in
the Award Agreement. 
 SECTION 10. OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS. 
 (a) The Administrator is authorized to grant Awards to Participants in the form of Other Stock-Based Awards, as deemed by the Administrator to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan and as evidenced by an Award
Agreement. The Administrator shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards, consistent with the terms of the Plan, at the date of grant or thereafter, including any Performance Goals and performance periods. Common Stock or other
securities or property delivered pursuant to an Award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 10 shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such times, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without
limitation, Shares, other Awards, notes or other property, as the Administrator shall determine, subject to any required corporate action. 
 (b) To the extent that the Plan is subject to Section 162(m) of the Code, no payment shall be made to a “covered employee” (within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code) prior to the certification by the Committee
that the Performance Goals have been attained. The Committee may establish such other rules applicable to the Other Stock-Based Awards, provided, however, that in the event that the Plan is subject to Section 162(m) of the Code, such rules
shall be in compliance with Section 162(m) of the Code. 
 SECTION 11. NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR GRANTS. 
 (a) Annual Grant. Except as otherwise provided by the Administrator, on the first business day after the annual stockholders’ meeting of the Company
and each annual stockholders’ meeting thereafter during the term 

  

 12 

 
of the Plan (beginning with the annual stockholders’ meeting in 2007), each Non-Employee Director shall be granted that number of Shares, the aggregate
Fair Market Value of which shall equal $15,000 on the date of grant (the “Non-Employee Director Shares”). The Non-Employee Director Shares shall be fully vested as of the date of grant. 
 (b) Stock Availability. In the event that the number of Shares available for grant under the Plan is not sufficient to accommodate the awards of
Non-Employee Director Shares, the remaining Shares available for such automatic awards shall be granted to each Non-Employee Director who is to receive such an award on a pro-rata basis. No further grants shall be made until such time, if any, as
additional Shares become available for grant under the Plan. 
 SECTION 12. ACCELERATED VESTING IN CONNECTION WITH A CHANGE IN CONTROL. 
 In the event of a Change in Control, any outstanding Option that is not assumed or continued, or an equivalent option or right is not substituted therefor
pursuant to the Change in Control transaction’s governing document, shall become fully vested and exercisable “immediately prior to” the effective date of such Change in Control and shall expire upon the effective date of such Change
in Control. For purposes of this Section 12, “immediately prior to” shall mean sufficiently in advance of the Change in Control transaction such that there will be time for each affected Participant to exercise his or her Option and
participate in the Change in Control transaction in the same manner as all other holders of Common Stock. If an Option becomes fully vested and exercisable immediately prior to a Change in Control, the Administrator shall notify the affected
Participant in writing or electronically that the Option has become fully vested and exercisable, and that the Option will terminate upon the Change in Control. 
 Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator and evidenced in an Award Agreement, in the event that (i) a Change in Control occurs and (ii) the Participant’s employment is terminated by the Company,
its successor or affiliate thereof without Cause on or after the effective date of the Change in Control but prior to 12 months following such Change in Control, then: 
 (a) any unvested or unexercisable portion of any Award carrying a right to exercise shall become vested and exercisable with respect to 50% of the Shares covered by such unvested portion of such Award; and 

(b) the restrictions, deferral limitations, payment conditions and forfeiture conditions applicable to any other Award granted under the Plan shall
lapse with respect to 50% of the Shares covered thereby and 50% of such unvested Awards shall be deemed fully vested and performance conditions imposed with respect to such Awards shall be deemed to be fully achieved with respect to 50% of the
Shares covered thereby. 
 SECTION 13. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION. 
 The Board may amend, alter or terminate the Plan, but no amendment, alteration, or termination shall be made that would impair the rights of a Participant under any award theretofore granted without such
Participant’s consent. Unless the Board determines otherwise, the Board shall obtain approval of the Company’s stockholders for any amendment that would require such approval in order to satisfy the requirements of sections 162(m) or 422
of the Code, any rules of the stock exchange on which the Common Stock is traded or other applicable law. If any Award is subject to Section 409A of the Code and fails to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, the
Administrator reserves the right to (but is not obligated to) amend, modify or supplement such Award in order to cause it to either not be subject to Section 409A of the Code or to comply with the applicable provisions of Section 409A of
the Code. The Administrator may amend the terms of any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively, but, subject to Section 5 of the Plan, no such amendment shall impair the rights of any Participant without his or her consent.

  

 13 

 SECTION 14. UNFUNDED STATUS OF PLAN. 
 The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant by the Company, nothing contained herein shall give any such
Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company. 
 SECTION 15. WITHHOLDING TAXES. 
 Each Participant shall, no later than the date as of which the value of an Award first becomes includible in the gross income of the Participant for
federal and/or state income tax purposes, pay to the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator regarding payment of, any federal, state, or local taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with respect to the Award. The
obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be conditional on the making of such payments or arrangements, and the Company shall, to the extent permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due
to the Participant. Whenever cash is to be paid pursuant to an award granted hereunder, the Company shall have the right to deduct therefrom an amount sufficient to satisfy any federal, state and local withholding tax requirements related thereto.
Whenever Shares are to be delivered pursuant to an award, the Company shall have the right to require the Participant to remit to the Company in cash an amount sufficient to satisfy any federal, state and local withholding tax requirements related
thereto. With the approval of the Administrator, a Participant may satisfy the foregoing requirement by electing to have the Company withhold from delivery of Shares or by delivering already owned unrestricted shares of Common Stock, in each case,
having a value equal to the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld. Such shares shall be valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of which the amount of tax to be withheld is determined. Fractional share amounts shall be settled in cash.
Such an election may be made with respect to all or any portion of the Shares to be delivered pursuant to an award. The Company may also use any other method of obtaining the necessary payment or proceeds, as permitted by law, to satisfy its
withholding obligation with respect to any Option or other Award. 
 SECTION 16. GENERAL PROVISIONS. 
 (a) Shares shall not be issued pursuant to the exercise of any Option granted hereunder unless the exercise of such Option and the issuance and delivery
of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Common Stock may then
be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. 
 (b) The Administrator
may require each person acquiring Shares to represent to and agree with the Company in writing that such person is acquiring the Shares without a view to distribution thereof. The certificates for such Shares may include any legend that the
Administrator deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer which the Administrator determines, in its sole discretion, arise under applicable securities laws or are otherwise applicable. 
 (c) All certificates for Shares delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator may
deem advisable under the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange upon which the Common Stock may then be listed, and any applicable federal or state securities law, and the
Administrator may cause a legend or legends to be placed on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. 
 (d)
The Administrator may require a Participant receiving Shares pursuant to the Plan, as a condition precedent to receipt of such Shares, to enter into a stockholder agreement or “lock-up” agreement in such form as the Committee shall
determine is necessary or desirable to further the Company’s interests. 
 (e) The adoption of the Plan shall not confer upon any
Eligible Recipient any right to continued employment or service with the Company or any Subsidiary, as the case may be, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate the employment or service of any
of its Eligible Recipients at any time. 
  

 14 

 SECTION 17. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
 The Plan became effective upon adoption by the Board on October 5, 2006 (the “Effective Date”), and approval by stockholders of the Company on October 6, 2006. 
 SECTION 18. TERM OF PLAN. 
 No award shall be granted
pursuant to the Plan on or after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, but awards theretofore granted may extend beyond that date. 
  

 15Form of Indemnification Agreement

 Exhibit 10.6 
 FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT 
 AGREEMENT, dated as of
                    , between GateHouse Media, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and
                     (“Indemnitee”). 
 WHEREAS, it is essential to the Company to retain and attract as directors and officers the most capable persons available; 
 WHEREAS, Indemnitee is a director and/or officer of the Company; 
 WHEREAS, both the Company and Indemnitee
recognize the increased risk of litigation and other claims being asserted against directors and officers of public companies in today’s environment; 
 WHEREAS, basic protection against undue risk of personal liability of directors and officers heretofore has been provided through insurance coverage providing reasonable protection at reasonable cost, and Indemnitee
has relied on the availability of such coverage; but as a result of substantial changes in the marketplace for such insurance it has become increasingly more difficult to obtain such insurance on terms providing reasonable protection at reasonable
cost; 
 WHEREAS, the Amended and Restated By-laws of the Company require the Company to indemnify and advance expenses to its directors and
officers to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Indemnitee has been serving and continues to serve as a director and/or officer of the Company in part in reliance on such Amended and Restated By-laws; 
 WHEREAS, the current difficulty in obtaining adequate director and officer liability insurance coverage at a reasonable cost and uncertainties as to the
availability of indemnification created by recent court decisions have increased the risk that the Company will be unable to retain and attract as directors and officers the most capable persons available; 
 WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has determined that the inability of the Company to retain and attract as directors and officers the most
capable persons would be detrimental to the interests of the Company and that the Company therefore should seek to assure such persons that indemnification and insurance coverage will be available in the future; and 
 WHEREAS, in recognition of Indemnitee’s need for substantial protection against personal liability in order to enhance Indemnitee’s continued
service to the Company in an effective manner, the increasing difficulty in obtaining satisfactory director and officer liability insurance coverage, and Indemnitee’s reliance on the Company’s Amended and Restated By-laws, and in part to
provide Indemnitee with specific contractual assurance that the protection promised by such Amended and Restated By-laws will be available to Indemnitee (regardless of, among other things, any 

 amendment to or revocation of such Amended and Restated By-laws or any change in the composition of the Company’s
Board of Directors or acquisition transaction relating to the Company), the Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of and the advancing of expenses to Indemnitee to the fullest extent (whether partial or complete)
permitted by law and as set forth in this Agreement, and, to the extent insurance is maintained, for the continued coverage of Indemnitee under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies; 
 NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of Indemnitee continuing to serve the Company directly or, at its request, another enterprise, and
intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows: 
 1. Certain Definitions. In addition to terms defined
elsewhere herein, the following terms have the following meanings when used in this Agreement: 
  

	 	(a)	 Change in Control: shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than Fortress Investment Group LLC and its affiliates and other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or a corporation owned directly or indirectly
by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company, is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of
the Company representing 20% or more of the total voting power represented by the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities, or (ii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute
the Board of Directors of the Company and any new director whose election by the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in
office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof, or (iii) the stockholders of the Company approve a
merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the Voting Securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining
outstanding or by being converted into Voting Securities of the surviving entity) at least 80% of the total voting power represented by the Voting Securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or
consolidation, or the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the 

  

 2 

	 	 
sale or disposition by the Company of (in one transaction or a series of transactions) all or substantially all the Company’s assets.

  

	 	(b)	Claim: means any threatened, asserted, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, or appeal thereof, or any inquiry or investigation, whether instituted by the Company
or any governmental agency or any other party, that Indemnitee in good faith believes might lead to the institution of any such action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other, including any arbitration or
other alternative dispute resolution mechanism. 

  

	 	(c)	Expenses: include attorneys’ fees and all other costs, expenses and obligations (including, without limitation, experts’ fees, court costs, retainers, transcript
fees, duplicating, printing and binding costs, as well as telecommunications, postage and courier charges) paid or incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to
investigate, defend, be a witness in or participate in, any Claim relating to any Indemnifiable Event. 

  

	 	(d)	Indemnifiable Amounts: means any and all Expenses, damages, judgments, fines, penalties, ERISA excise taxes and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest,
assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes or amounts paid in settlement) arising out of or resulting from any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event.

  

	 	(e)	Indemnifiable Event: means any event or occurrence, whether occurring before, on or after the date of this Agreement, related to the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director
and/or officer or fiduciary of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, trustee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, employee
benefit plan, trust or other entity or enterprise, or by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in any such capacity. 

  

	 	(f)	Independent Legal Counsel: means an attorney or firm of attorneys, selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 hereof, who is experienced in matters of
corporate law and who shall not have otherwise performed services for the Company or Indemnitee within the last five years (other than with respect to matters concerning the rights of Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under
similar indemnity agreements). 

  

 3 

	 	(g)	Reviewing Party: means any appropriate person or body consisting of a member or members of the Company’s Board of Directors or any other person or body appointed by the
Board who is not a party to the particular Claim for which Indemnitee is seeking indemnification, or Independent Legal Counsel. 

  

	 	(h)	Voting Securities: means any securities of the Company which vote generally in the election of directors. 

 2. Basic Indemnification Arrangement; Advancement of Expenses. 
 (a) In the event Indemnitee was, is or becomes a party to or witness or other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or witness or other participant in, a Claim by reason of (or arising in part out of)
an Indemnifiable Event, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law as soon as practicable but in any event no later than thirty days after written demand is presented to the Company, against any and all
Indemnifiable Amounts. 
 (b) If so requested by Indemnitee, the Company shall advance (within five business days of such request) any and
all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (an “Expense Advance”). The Company shall, in accordance with such request (but without duplication), either (i) pay such Expenses on behalf of Indemnitee, or (ii) reimburse Indemnitee for such
Expenses. Indemnitee’s right to an Expense Advance is absolute and shall not be subject to any prior determination by the Reviewing Party that the Indemnitee has satisfied any applicable standard of conduct for indemnification. 
 (c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses pursuant
to this Agreement in connection with any Claim initiated by Indemnitee unless (i) the Company has joined in or Company’s Board of Directors has authorized or consented to the initiation of such Claim or (ii) the Claim is one to
enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. 
 (d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the indemnification obligations of the
Company under Section 2(a) shall be subject to the condition that the Reviewing Party shall not have determined (in a written opinion, in any case in which the Independent Legal Counsel referred to in Section 3 hereof is involved) that
Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, and (ii) the obligation of the Company to make an Expense Advance pursuant to Section 2(b) shall be subject to the condition that, if, when and to the extent that
the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be so indemnified under applicable law, the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed by Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to reimburse the Company) for all such amounts
theretofore paid (it being understood and agreed that the foregoing agreement by Indemnitee shall be deemed to satisfy any requirement that Indemnitee provide the Company with an undertaking to repay any Expense Advance if it is ultimately
determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under applicable law); provided, however, that if Indemnitee has 

  

 4 

 
commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified
under applicable law, any determination made by the Reviewing Party that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any Expense
Advance until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed). Indemnitee’s undertaking to repay such Expense Advances shall be unsecured and interest-free.
If there has not been a Change in Control, the Reviewing Party shall be selected by the Company’s Board of Directors, and if there has been such a Change in Control, the Reviewing Party shall be the Independent Legal Counsel referred to in
Section 3 hereof. If there has been no determination by the Reviewing Party within thirty days after written demand is presented to the Company or if the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified in
whole or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee shall have the right to commence litigation in any court in the State of New York or the State of Delaware having subject matter jurisdiction thereof and in which venue is proper seeking an initial
determination by the court or challenging any such determination by the Reviewing Party or any aspect thereof, including the legal or factual bases therefor, and the Company hereby consents to service of process and to appear in any such proceeding.
Any determination by the Reviewing Party otherwise shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and Indemnitee. 
 3. Change in
Control. The Company agrees that if there is a Change in Control of the Company then with respect to all matters thereafter arising concerning the rights of Indemnitee to indemnity payments and Expense Advances under this Agreement or any
Company Amended and Restated By-law or provision of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation now or hereafter in effect, the Company shall seek legal advice only from Independent Legal Counsel selected by Indemnitee and
approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably delayed, conditioned or withheld). Such counsel, among other things, shall render its written opinion to the Company and Indemnitee as to whether and to what extent the Indemnitee
would be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of the Independent Legal Counsel and to indemnify fully such counsel against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), claims,
liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. 
 4. Indemnification for
Additional Expenses. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against any and all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall advance such Expenses to Indemnitee subject to and in accordance with Section 2(b), which are incurred by
Indemnitee in connection with any action brought by Indemnitee for (i) indemnification or an Expense Advance by the Company under this Agreement or any Company Amended and Restated By-law or provision of the Company’s Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation now or hereafter in effect and/or (ii) recovery under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be
entitled to such indemnification, Expense Advance or insurance recovery, as the case may be. 
  

 5 

 5. Partial Indemnity, Etc. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to
indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of the Expenses or other Indemnifiable Amounts in respect of a Claim but not, however, for all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion
thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled. Moreover, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any or all Claims relating in whole or in part to an
Indemnifiable Event or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred in connection therewith. 
 6. Burden of Proof. In connection with any determination by the Reviewing Party or otherwise as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to be
indemnified hereunder the Reviewing Party or court shall presume that the Indemnitee has satisfied the applicable standard of conduct and is entitled to indemnification, and the burden of proof shall be on the Company to establish, by clear and
convincing evidence, that Indemnitee is not so entitled. 
 7. Reliance as Safe Harbor. For purposes of this Agreement, Indemnitee
shall be deemed to have acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company if Indemnitee’s actions or omissions to act are taken in good faith reliance upon the records
of the Company, including its financial statements, or upon information, opinions, reports or statements furnished to Indemnitee by the officers or employees of the Company in the course of their duties, or by committees of the Company’s Board
of Directors, or by any other person (including legal counsel, accountants and financial advisors) as to matters Indemnitee reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with
reasonable care by or on behalf of the Company. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failures to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Company shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to
indemnity hereunder. 
 8. No Other Presumptions. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any claim, action, suit or
proceeding, by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any particular standard of conduct
or have any particular belief or that a court has determined that indemnification is not permitted by applicable law. In addition, neither the failure of the Reviewing Party to have made a determination as to whether Indemnitee has met any
particular standard of conduct or had any particular belief, nor an actual determination by the Reviewing Party that Indemnitee has not met such standard of conduct or did not have such belief, prior to the commencement of legal proceedings by
Indemnitee to secure a judicial determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law shall be a defense to Indemnitee’s claim or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any particular standard of conduct or did not
have any particular belief. 
 9. Nonexclusivity, Etc. The rights of the Indemnitee hereunder shall be in addition to any other rights
Indemnitee may have under the Company’s Amended and 

  

 6 

 
Restated By-laws or Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Delaware General Corporation Law or otherwise. To the extent that a change in
applicable law (whether by statute or judicial decision) permits greater indemnification by agreement than would be afforded currently under the Company’s Amended and Restated By-laws or Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or this
Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. 
 10. Liability Insurance. To the extent the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies, in accordance with
its or their terms, to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any Company director or officer. 
 11. Period of Limitations.
No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two years from
the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two-year period; provided, however, that if any
shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period shall govern. 
 12. Amendments,
Etc. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any
other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver. 
 13. Subrogation. In the
event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers reasonably required and shall do everything that may be reasonably
necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights. 
 14. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any Claim made against Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually
received payment (under any insurance policy, Amended and Restated By-law, provision of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder. 
 15. Defense of Claims. The Company shall be entitled to participate in the defense of any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event or to assume
the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnitee; provided that if Indemnitee believes, after consultation with counsel selected by Indemnitee, that (i) the use of counsel chosen by the Company to represent
Indemnitee would present such counsel with 

  

 7 

 
an actual or potential conflict of interest, (ii) the named parties in any such Claim (including any impleaded parties) include both the Company and
Indemnitee and Indemnitee concludes that there may be one or more legal defenses available to him or her that are different from or in addition to those available to the Company, or (iii) any such representation by such counsel would be
precluded under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, then Indemnitee shall be entitled to retain separate counsel (but not more than one law firm plus, if applicable, local counsel in respect of any particular Claim) at
the Company’s expense. The Company shall not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event effected without the Company’s prior written consent. The Company
shall not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee, effect any settlement of any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event which the Indemnitee is or could have been a party unless such settlement solely involves the payment of money and
includes a complete and unconditional release of Indemnitee from all liability on all claims that are the subject matter of such Claim. Neither the Company nor Indemnitee shall unreasonably withhold its or his or her consent to any proposed
settlement; provided that Indemnitee may withhold consent to any settlement that does not provide a complete and unconditional release of Indemnitee. 
 16. Binding Effect, Etc. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors, (including any direct or indirect successor by
purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor
(whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee and his or her counsel,
expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. This Agreement shall continue in effect regardless of whether
Indemnitee continues to serve as an officer and/or director of the Company or of any other entity or enterprise at the Company’s request. 
 17. Security. To the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the obligations of the Company hereunder
through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral or by other means. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of such Indemnitee. 
 18. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any provision
within a single section, paragraph or sentence) are held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable in any respect, and the validity and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the
remaining provisions hereof shall not be in any way impaired and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. 
  

 8 

 19. Specific Performance, Etc. The parties recognize that if any provision of this Agreement is
violated by the Company, Indemnitee may be without an adequate remedy at law. Accordingly, in the event of any such violation, Indemnitee shall be entitled, if Indemnitee so elects, to institute proceedings, either in law or at equity, to obtain
damages, to enforce specific performance, to enjoin such violation, or to obtain any relief or any combination of the foregoing as Indemnitee may elect to pursue. 
 20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Only one
such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement. 
 21. Headings. The headings of the sections and paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction or interpretation thereof.

 22. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of
Delaware applicable to contracts made and to be performed in such state without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws. 
 IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written. 
  
  

			
	GATEHOUSE MEDIA, INC.
		
	By:	 	
		 	 
		 	 Name: Michael E. Reed
 Title: Chief Executive
Officer

		
		 	
		 	 
		 	[Indemnitee]

  
  
  
  
  

 9

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00111-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00111-of-00352.parquet"}]]