Document:

Exhibit 10.8

 

DIRECTOR AND OFFICER INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

This Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated as of                   (the “Effective Date”), is made by and between MediaCo Holding, Inc., an Indiana corporation (the “Company”), and                   (“Indemnitee”).

 

RECITALS:

 

A.                                    Ind. Code Section 23-1-33-1 of the Indiana Business Corporation Law, as amended (the “IBCL”), provides that the business and affairs of a corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of its board of directors.

 

B.                                    Pursuant to Ind. Code Sections 23-1-36-1, et seq., of the IBCL, significant authority with respect to the management of the Company may be delegated to the officers of the Company.

 

C.                                    By virtue of the managerial prerogatives vested in the directors and officers of an Indiana corporation, directors and officers act as fiduciaries of the corporation, its shareholders and other constituents.

 

D.                                    Thus, it is critically important to the Company that the Company be able to attract and retain the most capable persons reasonably available to serve as directors and officers of the Company.

 

E.                                     In recognition of the need for corporations to be able to induce capable and responsible persons to accept positions in corporate management, Ind. Code Section 23-1-37-8 of the IBCL authorizes (and Ind. Code Sections 23-1-37-9 and 13 of the IBCL in most instances mandate) corporations to indemnify their directors and officers, and Ind. Code Section 23-1-37-14 authorizes corporations to purchase and maintain insurance for the benefit of their directors and officers.

 

F.                                      The courts have generally recognized that indemnification by a corporation serves the dual policies of (1) allowing corporate officials to resist unjustified lawsuits, secure in the knowledge that, if vindicated, the corporation will bear the expense of litigation and (2) encouraging capable women and men to serve as corporate directors and officers, secure in the knowledge that the corporation will absorb the costs of defending their honesty and integrity.

 

G.                                    The number of lawsuits challenging the judgment and actions of directors and officers of corporations, the costs of defending those lawsuits, and the threat to directors’ and officers’ personal assets have all materially increased over the past several years, chilling the willingness of capable women and men to undertake the responsibilities imposed on corporate directors and officers.

 

H.                                   Recent federal legislation, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), and other federal statutes and rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the national securities exchanges have imposed

 

 

additional disclosure and corporate governance obligations on directors and officers of public companies and have exposed such directors and officers to new and substantially broadened civil liabilities.

 

I.                                        These legislative and regulatory initiatives have also exposed directors and officers of public companies to a significantly greater risk of criminal proceedings, with attendant defense costs and potential criminal fines and penalties.

 

J.                                        Under Indiana law, a director’s or officer’s right to be reimbursed for the costs of defense of criminal actions, whether such claims are asserted under state or federal law, does not depend upon the merits of the claims asserted against the director or officer and is separate and distinct from any right to indemnification the director or officer may be able to establish, and indemnification of the director or officer against criminal fines and penalties is permitted if the director or officer satisfies the applicable standard of conduct.

 

K.                                    The willingness of a director or officer of the Company (each, an “Indemnitee”) to serve in such capacity is predicated, in substantial part, upon the Company’s willingness to indemnify him or her in accordance with the principles reflected above, to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the state of Indiana, and upon the other undertakings set forth in this Agreement.

 

L.                                     Therefore, in recognition of the need to provide Indemnitee with substantial protection against personal liability, to procure Indemnitee’s continued service as a director or officer of the Company, to enhance Indemnitee’s ability to serve the Company in an effective manner, to be consistent with obligations under the Company’s director and officer insurance policies, and to provide such protection pursuant to express contract rights (intended to be enforceable irrespective of, among other things, any amendment to the Company’s articles of incorporation or bylaws (collectively, the “Constituent Documents”), any change in the composition of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors”) or any change-in-control or business combination transaction relating to the Company), the Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of and the advancement of Expenses (as defined in Section 1(e)) to Indemnitee as set forth in this Agreement and for the continued coverage of Indemnitee under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies.

 

M.                                 In light of the considerations referred to in the preceding recitals, it is the Company’s intention and desire that the provisions of this Agreement be construed liberally, subject to their express terms, to maximize the protections to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder.

 

AGREEMENT:

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereby 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 with initial capital letters:

 

(a)   “Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, a Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the person specified.

 

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(b)   “Change in Control” means any of the following:

 

(i)                                                        Any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than an employee benefit plan (or any related trust) of the Company or an Affiliate, and other than SG Broadcasting LLC or an Affiliate of SG Broadcasting LLC) (a “Person”) becomes after the date hereof the beneficial owner of 35% or more of either the then outstanding Stock or the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote in the election of directors, except that no Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred solely by reason of any such acquisition by a corporation with respect to which, after such acquisition, more than 60% of both the then outstanding common shares of such corporation and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of such corporation entitled to vote in the election of directors are then beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by the persons who were the beneficial owners of the Stock and voting securities of the Company immediately before such acquisition in substantially the same proportion as their ownership, immediately before such acquisition, of the outstanding Stock and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote in the election of directors;

 

(ii)                                                     Individuals who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board of Directors (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors; provided that any individual who becomes a director after the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a vote or written consent of at least two-thirds of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Directors shall be considered as though such individual were an Incumbent Director, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest relating to the election of the directors of the Company (as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 under the Exchange Act);

 

(iii)                                                  The consummation of:

 

(A)                               A merger, reorganization or consolidation with respect to which the individuals and entities who were the respective beneficial owners of the Stock and voting securities of the Company immediately before such merger, reorganization or consolidation do not, after such merger, reorganization or consolidation, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of, respectively, the then outstanding common shares and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote in the election of directors of the corporation resulting from such merger, reorganization or consolidation; or

 

(B)                               The sale or other disposition (or series of sales and/or other dispositions over time resulting in a sale and/or other disposition) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any Person or Persons as part of the Company’s plan to sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of such assets;

 

(iv)                                                 The approval by the shareholders of the Company of a liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or

 

(v)                                                    Such other event(s) or circumstance(s) as are determined by the Board of Directors to constitute a Change in Control.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this definition, a Change in Control shall be deemed not to have occurred with respect to Indemnitee, if he is, by written agreement executed prior to such Change in Control, a participant on his own behalf in a transaction in which the persons with whom he has the written agreement (and/or their Affiliates) Acquire the Company (as defined below) and, pursuant to the written agreement, Indemnitee has (or has the right to acquire) an equity interest in the resulting entity.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to occur solely because any Person acquires beneficial ownership of more than 35% of the then outstanding Stock as a result of the acquisition of the Stock by the Company which reduces the number of shares of Stock outstanding; provided, that if after such acquisition by the Company such person becomes the beneficial owner of additional Stock that increases the percentage of outstanding Stock beneficially owned by such person, a Change in Control shall then occur.

 

For the purposes of this definition, “Acquire the Company” means the acquisition of beneficial ownership by purchase, merger, or otherwise, of either more than 50% of the Stock (such percentage to be computed in accordance with Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the SEC under the Exchange Act) or substantially all of the assets of the Company or its successors; “person” means such term as used in Rule 13d-5 of the SEC under the Exchange Act; “beneficial owner” means such term as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the SEC under the Exchange Act; and “group” means such term as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

(c)    “Claim” means (i) any threatened, asserted, pending or completed claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative, investigative or other, and whether made pursuant to federal, state or other law; and (ii) any threatened, pending or completed inquiry or investigation, whether made, instituted or conducted by the Company or any other person, including without limitation any federal, state or other governmental entity, that Indemnitee determines might lead to the institution of any such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding.

 

(d)   “Controlled Affiliate” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity or enterprise, whether or not for profit, that is directly or indirectly controlled by the Company.  For purposes of this definition, “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of an entity or enterprise, whether through the ownership of voting securities, through other voting rights, by contract or otherwise; provided that direct or indirect beneficial ownership of capital stock or other interests in an entity or enterprise entitling the holder to cast 10% or more of the total number of votes generally entitled to be cast in the election of directors (or persons performing comparable functions) of such entity or enterprise shall be deemed to constitute control for purposes of this definition.

 

(e)    “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Claim in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

 

(f)     “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

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(g)    “Expenses” means attorneys’ and experts’ fees and expenses and all other costs and expenses paid or payable 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 (including on appeal), any Claim.

 

(h)   “Indemnifiable Claim” means any Claim based upon, arising out of, relating to, or resulting from (i) any actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity or enterprise, whether or not for profit, as to which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent, including without limitation, any Claim alleging breaches of duty arising out of, pursuant to or as a result of the Dodd-Frank Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or any other federal statute (so long as the director or officer meets the standard of conduct described in Ind. Code Section 23-1-37-8 or any successor statute), (ii) any actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in respect of any business, transaction, communication, filing, disclosure or other activity of the Company or any other entity or enterprise referred to in clause (i) of this sentence, or (iii) Indemnitee’s status as a current or former director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or as a current or former director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of the Company or any other entity or enterprise referred to in clause (i) of this sentence or any actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in connection with any obligation or restriction imposed upon Indemnitee by reason of such status.  In addition to any service at the actual request of the Company, for purposes of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be deemed to be serving or to have served at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of another entity or enterprise if Indemnitee is or was serving as a director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee or agent of such entity or enterprise and (i) such entity or enterprise is or at the time of such service was a Controlled Affiliate, (ii) such entity or enterprise is or at the time of such service was an employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or a Controlled Affiliate, or (iii) the Company or a Controlled Affiliate directly or indirectly caused or authorized Indemnitee to be nominated, elected, appointed, designated, employed, engaged or selected to serve in such capacity.

 

(i)       “Indemnifiable Losses” means any and all Losses relating to, arising out of or resulting from any Indemnifiable Claim.

 

(j)      “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent:  (i) the Company (or any Subsidiary) or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other named (or, as to a threatened matter, reasonably likely to be named) party to the Indemnifiable Claim giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include: (1) any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement; (2) any person selected by the Board of Directors that Indemnitee has reasonable cause to believe may be biased against Indemnitee; or (3) any person selected by the

 

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Indemnitee that the Board of Directors has reasonable cause to believe may be biased against the Company.

 

(k)   “Losses” means any and all Expenses, damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties (whether civil, criminal or other) and amounts paid in settlement, including without limitation all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of any of the foregoing.

 

(l)  “Standard of Conduct” means that, to the full extent permitted by Indiana public policy, so long as the Indemnitee was acting in good faith in a manner he or she reasonably believed was not opposed to the best interests of the Company, he or she has met the applicable Standard of Conduct for purposes of this Agreement.

 

(m)  “Stock” means the Class A common stock and Class B common stock of the Company, par value $.01 per share.

 

(l)  “Subsidiary” means an entity in which the Company directly or indirectly beneficially owns 50% or more of total number of votes generally entitled to be cast in the election of directors (or persons performing comparable functions), or otherwise has the ability to appoint a majority of the board of directors (or persons performing comparable functions).

 

2.              Indemnification Obligation.  Subject to Section 7, the Company shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted or required by the laws of the State of Indiana in effect on the date hereof or as such laws may from time to time hereafter be amended to increase the scope of such permitted indemnification, against any and all Indemnifiable Claims and Indemnifiable Losses; provided, however, that, except as provided in Sections 4 and 20, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement in connection with any Claim initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or any director or officer of the Company unless the Company has joined in or consented to the initiation of such Claim.

 

3.              Advancement of Expenses.  Indemnitee shall have the right to advancement by the Company prior to the final disposition of any Indemnifiable Claim of any and all Expenses relating to, arising out of or resulting from any Indemnifiable Claim paid or incurred by Indemnitee or which Indemnitee determines are reasonably likely to be paid or incurred by Indemnitee.  Indemnitee’s right to such advancement is not subject to the satisfaction of any standard of conduct.  Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, within five business days after any request by Indemnitee, the Company shall, in accordance with such request (but without duplication), (a) pay such Expenses on behalf of Indemnitee, (b) advance to Indemnitee funds in an amount sufficient to pay such Expenses, or (c) reimburse Indemnitee for such Expenses; provided that Indemnitee shall repay, without interest, any amounts actually advanced to Indemnitee that, at the final disposition of the Indemnifiable Claim to which the advance related, were in excess of amounts paid or payable by Indemnitee in respect of Expenses relating to, arising out of or resulting from such Indemnifiable Claim.  In connection with any such payment, advancement or reimbursement, Indemnitee shall execute and deliver to the Company (i) a written affirmation of his/her good faith belief that he/she meets the standard of conduct described in Ind. Code Section 23-1-37-8, and (ii) an undertaking, which need not be secured and shall be accepted without reference to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses, by or on behalf of the Indemnitee, to repay any amounts paid, advanced or reimbursed by the

 

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Company in respect of Expenses relating to, arising out of or resulting from any Indemnifiable Claim in respect of which it shall have been determined, following the final disposition of such Indemnifiable Claim and in accordance with Section 7, that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification hereunder.

 

4.              Indemnification for Additional Expenses.  Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall reimburse Indemnitee for, or advance to Indemnitee, within five business days of such request, any and all Expenses paid or incurred by Indemnitee or which Indemnitee determines are reasonably likely to be paid or incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Claim made, instituted or conducted by Indemnitee for (a) indemnification or reimbursement or advance payment of Expenses by the Company under any provision of this Agreement, or under any other agreement or provision of the Constituent Documents now or hereafter in effect relating to Indemnifiable Claims, and/or (b) recovery under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless in each case of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, reimbursement, advance or insurance recovery, as the case may be; provided, however, that Indemnitee shall return, without interest, any such advance of Expenses (or portion thereof) which remains unspent at the final disposition of the Claim to which the advance related.

 

5.              Partial Indemnity.  If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of any Indemnifiable Loss, but not for all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.

 

6.              Procedure for Notification.  To obtain indemnification under this Agreement in respect of an Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request therefor, including a brief description (based upon information then available to Indemnitee) of such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss.  If, at the time of the receipt of such request, the Company has directors’ and officers’ liability insurance in effect under which coverage for such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss is potentially available, the Company shall give prompt written notice of such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss to the applicable insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the applicable policies.  The Company shall provide to Indemnitee a copy of such notice delivered to the applicable insurers, and copies of all subsequent correspondence between the Company and such insurers regarding the Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss, in each case substantially concurrently with the delivery or receipt thereof by the Company.  The failure by Indemnitee to timely notify the Company of any Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss shall not relieve the Company from any liability hereunder unless, and only to the extent that, the Company did not otherwise learn of such Indemnifiable Claim or Indemnifiable Loss and such failure results in forfeiture by the Company of substantial defenses, rights or insurance coverage.

 

7.              Determination of Right to Indemnification.

 

(a)   To the extent that Indemnitee shall have been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any Indemnifiable Claim or any portion thereof or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including without limitation dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Indemnifiable Losses relating to, arising out of or resulting from

 

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such Indemnifiable Claim in accordance with Section 2 and no Standard of Conduct Determination (as defined in Section 7(b)) shall be required.

 

(b)   To the extent that the provisions of Section 7(a) are inapplicable to an Indemnifiable Claim that shall have been finally disposed of, any determination of whether Indemnitee has satisfied any applicable standard of conduct under Indiana law that is a legally required condition precedent to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against Indemnifiable Losses relating to, arising out of or resulting from such Indemnifiable Claim (a “Standard of Conduct Determination”) shall be made as follows:  (i) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred, or if a Change in Control shall have occurred but Indemnitee shall have requested that the Standard of Conduct Determination be made pursuant to this clause (i), (A) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if less than a quorum of the Board, (B) if such Disinterested Directors so direct, by a majority vote of a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of all Disinterested Directors, or (C) if there are no such Disinterested Directors, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; and (ii) if a Change in Control shall have occurred and Indemnitee shall not have requested that the Standard of Conduct Determination be made pursuant to clause (i), by Independent Counsel in a written opinion addressed to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee.  Indemnitee will cooperate with the person or persons making such Standard of Conduct Determination, including providing to such person or persons, upon reasonable advance request, any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure, which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination, and which may, at Indemnitee’s election, include documentation or information from the Company or its agents that is privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure.  The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee against and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall reimburse Indemnitee for, or advance to Indemnitee, within five business days of such request, any and all costs and Expenses (including attorneys’ and experts’ fees and expenses) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person or persons making such Standard of Conduct Determination.

 

(c)    The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause any Standard of Conduct Determination required under Section 7(b) to be made as promptly as practicable.  If (i) the person or persons empowered or selected under Section 7 to make the Standard of Conduct Determination shall not have made a determination within 30 days after the later of (A) receipt by the Company of written notice from Indemnitee advising the Company of the final disposition of the applicable Indemnifiable Claim (the date of such receipt being the “Notification Date”) and (B) the selection of an Independent Counsel, if such determination is to be made by Independent Counsel, that is permitted under the provisions of Section 7(e) to make such determination and (ii) Indemnitee shall have fulfilled his or her obligations set forth in the second sentence of Section 7(b), then Indemnitee shall be deemed to have satisfied the applicable standard of conduct; provided that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 30 days, if the person or persons making such determination in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluation or documentation and/or information relating thereto.

 

(d)   If (i) Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification hereunder against any Indemnifiable Losses pursuant to Section 7(a), (ii) no determination of whether Indemnitee has satisfied any applicable standard of conduct under Indiana law is a legally required condition

 

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precedent to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against any Indemnifiable Losses, or (iii) Indemnitee has been determined or deemed pursuant to Section 7(b) or (c) to have satisfied any applicable standard of conduct under Indiana law which is a legally required condition precedent to indemnification of Indemnitee hereunder against any Indemnifiable Losses, then the Company shall pay to Indemnitee, within five business days after the later of (x) the Notification Date in respect of the Indemnifiable Claim or portion thereof to which such Indemnifiable Losses are related, out of which such Indemnifiable Losses arose or from which such Indemnifiable Losses resulted and (y) the earliest date on which the applicable criterion specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above shall have been satisfied, an amount equal to the amount of such Indemnifiable Losses.

 

(e)    If a Standard of Conduct Determination is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 7(b)(i), the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board of Directors, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him or her of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected.  If a Standard of Conduct Determination is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 7(b)(ii), the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee, and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected.  In either case, Indemnitee or the Company, as applicable, may, within five business days after receiving written notice of selection from the other, deliver to the other a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not satisfy the criteria set forth in the definition of “Independent Counsel” in Section 1(h), and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion.  Absent a proper and timely objection, the person or firm so selected shall act as Independent Counsel.  If such written objection is properly and timely made and substantiated, (i) the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit and (ii) the non-objecting party may, at its option, select an alternative Independent Counsel and give written notice to the other party advising such other party of the identity of the alternative Independent Counsel so selected, in which case the provisions of the two immediately preceding sentences and clause (i) of this sentence shall apply to such subsequent selection and notice.  If applicable, the provisions of clause (ii) of the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to successive alternative selections.  If no Independent Counsel that is permitted under the foregoing provisions of this Section 7(e) to make the Standard of Conduct Determination shall have been selected within 30 days after the Company gives its initial notice pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 7(e) or Indemnitee gives its initial notice pursuant to the second sentence of this Section 7(e), as the case may be, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Circuit or Superior Court of Marion County in the State of Indiana for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person or firm selected by the Court or by such other person as the Court shall designate, and the person or firm with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person or firm so appointed will act as Independent Counsel.  In all events, the Company shall pay all of the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel incurred in connection with the Independent Counsel’s determination pursuant to Section 7(b).

 

8.              Presumption of Entitlement.  In making any Standard of Conduct Determination, the person or persons making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee has satisfied the

 

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applicable standard of conduct, and the Company may overcome such presumption only by its adducing clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.  Any Standard of Conduct Determination that is adverse to Indemnitee may be challenged by the Indemnitee in the Circuit or Superior Court of Marion County in the State of Indiana.  No determination by the Company (including by its directors or any Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not satisfied any applicable standard of conduct shall be a defense to any Claim by Indemnitee for indemnification or reimbursement or advance payment of Expenses by the Company hereunder or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any applicable standard of conduct.

 

9.              No Other Presumption.  For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, will not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any applicable standard of conduct or that indemnification hereunder is otherwise not permitted.

 

10.       Non-Exclusivity.  The rights of Indemnitee hereunder will be in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have under the Constituent Documents, or the substantive laws of Indiana, any other contract or otherwise (collectively, “Other Indemnity Provisions”); provided, however, that (a) to the extent that Indemnitee otherwise would have any greater right to indemnification under any Other Indemnity Provision, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder and (b) to the extent that any change is made to any Other Indemnity Provision which permits any greater right to indemnification than that provided under this Agreement as of the date hereof, Indemnitee will be deemed to have such greater right hereunder.  The Company will not adopt any amendment to any of the Constituent Documents the effect of which would be to deny, diminish or encumber Indemnitee’s right to indemnification under this Agreement or any Other Indemnity Provision.

 

11.       Liability Insurance and Funding.  For the duration of Indemnitee’s service as a director and/or officer of the Company, and thereafter for so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any pending or possible Indemnifiable Claim, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts (taking into account the scope and amount of coverage available relative to the cost thereof) to cause to be maintained in effect policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing coverage for directors and/or officers of the Company that is at least substantially comparable in scope and amount to that provided by the Company’s current policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance.  Upon request of the Indemnitee, the Company shall provide Indemnitee with a copy of all directors’ and officers’ liability insurance applications, binders, policies, declarations, endorsements and other related materials, and shall provide Indemnitee with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the same.  Without limiting the generality or effect of the two immediately preceding sentences, the Company shall not discontinue or significantly reduce the scope or amount of coverage from one policy period to the next (i)  without the prior approval thereof by a majority vote of the Incumbent Directors, even if less than a quorum, or (ii) if at the time that any such discontinuation or significant reduction in the scope or amount of coverage is proposed there are no Incumbent Directors, without the prior written consent of Indemnitee (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed).  In all policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance obtained by the Company, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits, subject to the same limitations, as are accorded to the Company’s directors and officers most favorably insured by such policy.  The Company may, but shall not

 

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be required to, create a trust fund, grant a security interest or use other means, including without limitation a letter of credit, to ensure the payment of such amounts as may be necessary to satisfy its obligations to indemnify and advance expenses pursuant to this Agreement.

 

12.       Subrogation.  In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the related rights of recovery of Indemnitee against other persons or entities (other than Indemnitee’s successors), including any entity or enterprise referred to in clause (i) of the definition of “Indemnifiable Claim” in Section 1(f).  Indemnitee shall execute all papers reasonably required to evidence such rights (all of Indemnitee’s reasonable Expenses, including attorneys’ fees and charges, related thereto to be reimbursed by or, at the option of Indemnitee, advanced by the Company).

 

13.       Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification payment in connection with any claim involving Indemnitee for:

 

(a)         an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law;

 

(b)         any reimbursement of the Company by the Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by the Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Exchange Act (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act or Section 904 of the Dodd-Frank Act, or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act); or

 

(c)          any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any compensation pursuant to any compensation recoupment or clawback policy adopted by the Board or the compensation committee of the Board, including but not limited to any such policy adopted to comply with stock exchange listing requirements implementing Section 10D of the Exchange Act.

 

14.       No Duplication of Payments.  The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment to Indemnitee in respect of any Indemnifiable Losses to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment (net of Expenses incurred in connection therewith) under any insurance policy, the Constituent Documents and Other Indemnity Provisions or otherwise (including from any entity or enterprise referred to in clause (i) of the definition of “Indemnifiable Claim” in Section 1(f)) in respect of such Indemnifiable Losses otherwise indemnifiable hereunder.

 

15.       Defense of Claims.  The Company shall be entitled to participate in the defense of any Indemnifiable Claim 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 (a) the use of counsel chosen by the Company to represent Indemnitee would present such counsel with an actual or potential conflict, (b) the named parties in any such Indemnifiable Claim (including any impleaded parties) include both the Company and Indemnitee and Indemnitee shall conclude 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 (c) any

 

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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 Indemnifiable 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 threatened or pending Indemnifiable Claim 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 threatened or pending Indemnifiable Claim to 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 the Indemnitee from all liability on any claims that are the subject matter of such Indemnifiable Claim.  Neither the Company nor Indemnitee shall unreasonably withhold its 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.       Successors and Binding Agreement.  (a)  The Company shall require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, by 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 the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and any successor to the Company, including without limitation any person acquiring directly or indirectly all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company whether by purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise (and such successor will thereafter be deemed the “Company” for purposes of this Agreement), but shall not otherwise be assignable or delegatable by the Company.

 

(b)   This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Indemnitee’s personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, heirs, distributees, legatees and other successors.

 

(c)    This Agreement is personal in nature and neither of the parties hereto shall, without the consent of the other, assign or delegate this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder except as expressly provided in Sections 15(a) and 15(b).  Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, Indemnitee’s right to receive payments hereunder shall not be assignable, whether by pledge, creation of a security interest or otherwise, other than by a transfer by the Indemnitee’s will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and, in the event of any attempted assignment or transfer contrary to this Section 15(c), the Company shall have no liability to pay any amount so attempted to be assigned or transferred.

 

17.       Notices.  For all purposes of this Agreement, all communications, including without limitation notices, consents, requests or approvals, required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when hand delivered or dispatched by electronic facsimile transmission (with receipt thereof orally confirmed), or five business days after having been mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid or one business day after having been sent for next-day delivery by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company (to the attention of the Secretary of the Company) and to Indemnitee at the applicable address shown on the signature page hereto, or to such other address as any party may have furnished to the other

 

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in writing and in accordance herewith, except that notices of changes of address will be effective only upon receipt.

 

18.       Governing Law.  The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of Indiana, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws of such State.  The Company and Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the Circuit or Superior Court of Marion County in the State of Indiana for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this Agreement shall be brought only in the Circuit or Superior Court of Marion County in the State of Indiana.

 

19.       Validity.  If any provision of this Agreement or the application of any provision hereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal, the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision to any other person or circumstance shall not be affected, and the provision so held to be invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal shall be reformed to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to make it enforceable, valid or legal.  In the event that any court or other adjudicative body shall decline to reform any provision of this Agreement held to be invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal as contemplated by the immediately preceding sentence, the parties thereto shall take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate to replace the provision so held to be invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal with one or more alternative provisions that effectuate the purpose and intent of the original provisions of this Agreement as fully as possible without being invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal.

 

20.       Miscellaneous.  No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified or discharged unless such waiver, modification or discharge is agreed to in writing signed by Indemnitee and the Company.  No waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party hereto or compliance with any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any prior or subsequent time.  No agreements or representations, oral or otherwise, expressed or implied with respect to the subject matter hereof have been made by either party that are not set forth expressly in this Agreement.  References to Sections are to references to Sections of this Agreement.

 

21.       Legal Fees and Expenses.  It is the intent of the Company that Indemnitee not be required to incur legal fees and or other Expenses associated with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement by litigation or otherwise because the cost and expense thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended to be extended to Indemnitee hereunder.  Accordingly, without limiting the generality or effect of any other provision hereof, if it should appear to Indemnitee that the Company has failed to comply with any of its obligations under this Agreement or in the event that the Company or any other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, the Company irrevocably authorizes the Indemnitee from time to time to retain counsel of Indemnitee’s choice, at the expense of the Company as hereafter provided, to advise and represent Indemnitee in connection with any such interpretation, enforcement or defense,

 

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including without limitation the initiation or defense of any litigation or other legal action, whether by or against the Company or any director, officer, shareholder or other person affiliated with the Company, in any jurisdiction.  Notwithstanding any existing or prior attorney-client relationship between the Company and such counsel, the Company irrevocably consents to Indemnitee’s entering into an attorney-client relationship with such counsel, and in that connection the Company and Indemnitee agree that a confidential relationship shall exist between Indemnitee and such counsel.  Without respect to whether Indemnitee prevails, in whole or in part, in connection with any of the foregoing, the Company will pay and be solely financially responsible for any and all attorneys’ and related fees and expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any of the foregoing.

 

22.       Certain Interpretive Matters.  Unless the context of this Agreement otherwise requires, (a) “it” or “its” or words of any gender include each other gender, (b) words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively, (c) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby” and derivative or similar words refer to this entire Agreement, (d) the terms “Article,” “Section,” “Annex” or “Exhibit” refer to the specified Article, Section, Annex or Exhibit of or to this Agreement, (e) the terms “include,” “includes” and “including” will be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation” (whether or not so expressed), and (f) the word “or” is disjunctive but not exclusive.  Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, such number will refer to calendar days unless business days are specified and whenever action must be taken (including the giving of notice or the delivery of documents) under this Agreement during a certain period of time or by a particular date that ends or occurs on a non-business day, then such period or date will be extended until the immediately following business day.  As used herein, “business day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or a United States federal holiday.

 

23.       Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

[Signatures Appear On Following Page]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Indemnitee has executed and the Company has caused its duly authorized representative to execute this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

 

	
 
    	
MEDIACO HOLDING, INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
[NAME OF INDEMNITEE]
    

 

15Exhibit 10.9

 

THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY COMPARABLE STATE SECURITIES LAW. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED HEREIN, NEITHER THIS NOTE NOR ANY PORTION HEREOF OR INTEREST HEREIN MAY BE SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF UNLESS THE SAME IS REGISTERED UNDER SAID ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR UNLESS AN EXEMPTION FROM SUCH REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE AND THE COMPANY HAS RECEIVED EVIDENCE OF SUCH EXEMPTION REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY.

 

MEDIACO HOLDING INC.

 

UNSECURED CONVERTIBLE PROMISSORY NOTE

 

	
November    , 2019
    	
 
    	
$6,250,000.00
    

 

MediaCo Holding Inc., an Indiana corporation (the “Company”), hereby promises to pay to SG Broadcasting LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Holder”), the principal amount of $6,250,000.00, together with interest thereon calculated from the date hereof in accordance with the provisions of this Unsecured Promissory Note (as amended, amended and restated, modified or supplemented, this “Note”).

 

This Note was issued in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by that certain Contribution and Distribution Agreement, dated as of June 28, 2019 (as amended, amended and restated, modified or supplemented, the “Contribution Agreement”), by and among Emmis Communications Corporation, an Indiana corporation, the Holder and the other parties identified therein. Except as defined in Section 6 hereof or unless otherwise indicated herein, capitalized terms used in this Note have the same meanings set forth in the Contribution Agreement.

 

1.                                      Interest Accrual and Payment.  Subject to Section 4(b)(ii) below, interest shall accrue on the principal sums outstanding at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate, plus an increase of 1.00% following the second anniversary of the date hereof and additional increases of 1.00% following each anniversary of the date of this Note thereafter (the “Applicable Interest”).  The Applicable Interest shall become due and payable in accordance with Section 2.  Any accrued interest which for any reason has not theretofore been paid shall be paid in full on the Maturity Date.

 

2.                                      Payment of Principal and Interest on Note.

 

(a)                                 Scheduled Payments.  The Company shall pay the Applicable Interest solely in kind annually on the date of this Note, with such interest shall be added to the principal amount of this Note on such payment date.  The Company shall pay the entire principal amount of this Note, together with all accrued interest thereon, on the Maturity Date or such earlier date as required by the terms hereof.

 

(b)                                 Optional Prepayments.  The Company may, at any time and from time to time, no later than five (5) days after providing notice thereof to the Holder, without premium or penalty, prepay all or any portion of the outstanding principal amount of, or interest on, this Note; provided that such prepayment is not prohibited by Section 3 hereof or any applicable subordination agreement executed by the Holder. In connection with each prepayment of principal hereunder, the Company shall also pay all then accrued and unpaid interest hereunder.

 

 

(c)                                  Mandatory Prepayments.  Upon the first to occur of (i) a Sale of the Company or (ii) a Change of Control, the Company shall pay the outstanding principal amount of this Note, together with all accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being repaid.

 

(d)                                 Application of Payments.  Payments under this Note shall be applied (i) first, to the payment of then accrued interest hereunder until all such interest is paid and (ii) second, to the repayment of the principal outstanding hereunder.

 

3.                                      Subordination.  If at any time a Senior Lender requires this Note to be subordinated to such Senior Lender’s Company Senior Debt, Holder hereby agrees to subordinate this Note to such Senior Lender’s Company Senior Debt upon commercially reasonable terms and conditions and execute all documents, including any amendments to this Note, requested by such Senior Lender to evidence such subordination.  Such subordination agreement shall permit payments pursuant to Section 1 hereof.

 

4.                                      Events of Default.

 

(a)                                 Definition.  For purposes of this Note, an “Event of Default” shall be deemed to have occurred if:

 

(i)                                     subject to any applicable subordination agreement executed by the Holder and the Company Senior Debt, the Company fails to pay the full principal amount of this Note together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon on the date the same becomes due and payable hereunder, and such failure to pay is not cured within fifteen (15) days after the occurrence thereof;

 

(ii)                                  the Company fails to comply with any other provision of this Note and such failure is not cured within thirty (30) days after the occurrence thereof; or

 

(iii)                               an Insolvency Event occurs.

 

The foregoing shall constitute Events of Default whatever the reason or cause for any such Event of Default and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court of competent jurisdiction or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body having jurisdiction therein.

 

(b)                                 Consequences of Events of Default.

 

(i)                                     Subject to Section 3 above, any applicable subordination agreement executed by the Holder, and the Company Senior Debt, if an Event of Default other than of the type described in Section 4(a)(ii) has occurred, the Holder may declare the aggregate principal amount of this Note (together with all accrued interest thereon and all other amounts due and payable with respect thereto, including without limitation all interest accrued pursuant to Section 4(b)(ii), below) to be immediately due and payable and the Company shall immediately thereafter pay to the Holder all amounts due and payable with respect to this Note.

 

(ii)                                  Upon and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Applicable Interest shall be equal to the Base Rate plus four percentage points (4.0%).

 

(iii)                               Subject to Section 3 above, any applicable subordination agreement executed by the Holder, and the Company Senior Debt, the Holder shall also have any other rights which the Holder may have pursuant to applicable law.

 

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5.                                      Conversion.

 

(a)                                 Optional Conversion. On or after the date that is six (6) months after the date hereof, all or a portion of the outstanding principal and any accrued but unpaid interest hereunder (the “Conversion Amount”) shall be convertible, at the option of the Holder upon notice to the Company, into shares of the Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Class A Stock”), of the Company, at a conversion price equal to the 30-Day VWAP of the Class A Stock determined as of the Conversion Date.  The “Conversion Date” shall be the fifth (5th) Business Day after the date on which the Holder gives notice of such conversion.

 

(b)                                 Conversion Procedure; Effect of Conversion.  If this Note is to be converted pursuant to Section 5(a), the Holder shall surrender this Note (or a notice to the effect that the original Note has been lost, stolen or destroyed and an agreement acceptable to the Company whereby the Holder agrees to indemnify the Company from any loss incurred by it in connection with this Note) for cancellation.  Upon conversion of this Note in part, the Company shall reissue the Holder a replacement note in an amount equal to the aggregate of the outstanding amount and accrued but unpaid interest not included in the Conversion Amount.  Upon conversion of this Note in full and the payment of the amounts specified in this section, the Company shall be forever released from all of its obligations and liabilities under this Note, and this Note shall be deemed of no further force or effect, whether or not the original of this Note has been delivered to the Company for cancellation.

 

6.                                      Definitions.  For purposes of this Note, the following capitalized terms have the following meaning.

 

“30-Day VWAP” means the price equal to the average of the volume-weighted average prices of the Class A Stock on the Trading Market for the last thirty (30) Trading Days prior to the date of determination; provided, that if there is no Trading Market for any such day, then the price used for such day shall be the average of the highest closing bid price and the lowest closing ask price of any of the market makers for such security as reported in the OTCQX, OTCQB, Pink or Grey markets (in that order) operated by OTCMarkets.

 

“Base Rate” means the interest rate on the Company Senior Debt, or if no Company Senior Debt is outstanding, 6.00%.

 

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized or required to close under the laws of, or are in fact closed in the State of New York.

 

“Capital Stock” means any and all shares, interests, participations, units or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of a corporation, membership interests in a limited liability company, partnership interests of a limited partnership, any and all equivalent ownership interests in a Person, and in each case any and all warrants, rights or options to purchase, and all conversion or exchange rights, voting rights, calls or rights of any character with respect to, any of the foregoing.

 

“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

 

(a)                         the SG Affiliates (taken as a whole) at any time ceasing (i) to own and control, directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record, on a fully diluted basis, at least 51.0% on a fully diluted basis of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company or (ii) to have or exercise the power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other managing body of the Company;

 

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(b)                         any “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becoming the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of a greater amount of Voting Stock of the Company than is owned and controlled, directly or indirectly, by the SG Affiliates (taken as a whole);

 

(c)                          the completion of a sale of any Capital Stock of the Company pursuant to a registration statement which has become effective under the Securities Act; or

 

(d)                         a “change of control” (or any comparable term or provision) (i) as defined in any Company Senior Debt document, or any term of similar effect under any document executed in connection with any other Company Senior Debt document or (ii) under or with respect to any documents or agreements governing the Capital Stock of the Company.

 

“Company Senior Debt” means all principal of, premium (if any), interest (including, without limitation, interest accruing or that would have accrued but for the filing of a bankruptcy, reorganization or other insolvency proceeding whether or not such interest constitutes an allowable claim in such proceeding) on, and any and all other fees, expense reimbursement obligations, and other amounts due pursuant to the terms of all agreements, documents and instruments providing for, creating, securing or evidencing or otherwise entered into in connection with (i) indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company (including, without limitation, guarantees and other contingent obligations with respect to indebtedness for borrowed money of its Subsidiaries) of the type typically held by commercial banks, investment banks, insurance companies and other recognized lending institutions, entities and funds or subsidiaries thereof, whether now outstanding or hereafter created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed which is not by its terms on parity with or subordinated to the Company’s obligations under this Note, (ii) obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, or upon which interest payments are customarily made, of the type typically held by commercial banks, investment banks, insurance companies and other recognized lending institutions, entities and funds or subsidiaries thereof, whether now outstanding or hereafter created, incurred, assumed or guaranteed which is not by its terms on parity with or subordinated to the Company’s obligations under this Note, or (iii) capital leases and similar types of financing, together with renewals, extensions, refundings, refinancings, deferrals, restructurings, amendments and modifications of the items described in (i), (ii), or (iii) above; provided that Company Senior Debt shall not include any of the foregoing to the extent owing to an Affiliate of the Company.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Insolvency Event” means the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (ii) an order, judgment or decree is entered adjudicating the Company bankrupt or insolvent; (iii) any order for relief with respect to the Company is entered under any applicable bankruptcy law; (iv) the Company petitions or applies to any tribunal for the appointment of a custodian, trustee, receiver or liquidator of the Company or of any substantial part of the assets of the Company, or commences any proceeding relating to the Company under any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, readjustment of debt, dissolution or liquidation law of any jurisdiction; or (v) any such petition or application is filed, or any such proceeding is commenced, against the Company and not dismissed or stayed within 60 days.

 

“Maturity Date” means the date that is six (6) months after the fifth (5th) anniversary of the date hereof.

 

“Person” means an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust (including any beneficiary thereof), a joint venture, an

 

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unincorporated organization or a governmental entity or any department, agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

“Sale of the Company” means the sale of the Company to a third party or group of third parties pursuant to which such party or parties acquire all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Company on a consolidated basis.

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

“Senior Lender” means any holders of Company Senior Debt.

 

“SG Affiliates” means Standard General, L.P. and the funds for which is serves as an investment advisor and their respective Affiliates.

 

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity of which (i) if a corporation, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof, or (ii) if a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity, a majority of the partnership or other similar ownership interest thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof.  For purposes hereof, a Person or Persons shall be deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity if such Person or Persons shall be allocated a majority of limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity gains or losses or shall be or control any managing director or general partner of such limited liability company, partnership, association or other business entity.

 

“Trading Day” means (a) any day on which the Class A Stock is listed or quoted and traded on its Trading Market or (b) if the Class A Stock is not then listed or quoted and traded on any Trading Market, then a day on which trading occurs on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (or any successor thereto).

 

“Trading Market” means the following market(s) or exchange(s) on which the Class A Stock is primarily listed or quoted for trading on the date in question (as applicable): the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the NYSE American or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

 

“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, shares of such Person’s Capital Stock having the right to vote for the election of directors (or Persons acting in a comparable capacity) of such Person under ordinary circumstances.

 

7.                                      Amendment and Waiver.  Subject to any applicable subordination agreement, this Note may be amended only with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.

 

8.                                      Assignment and Transfer.  Except as set forth below, the Holder shall not sell, assign, transfer, pledge, hypothecate, mortgage, or otherwise encumber this Note; provided, however, that the Holder may assign or transfer all or any portion of this Note with the prior written consent of the Company, in its sole discretion (provided that any such assignee agrees to be bound by and subject to the terms and conditions of this Note and any applicable subordination agreement executed by the Holder). The Company shall not assign its interest in this Note, either voluntarily or by operation of law, without the prior written consent

 

5

 

of the Holder; provided, that the Company shall be permitted to assign this Note to any Affiliate of equivalent or greater net worth as the Company at the time of such assignment.

 

9.                                      Cancellation.  After all principal and then accrued interest at any time owed on this Note has been paid in full, this Note shall be surrendered to the Company for cancellation and shall not be reissued.

 

10.                               Payments.  All payments to be made to the Holder shall be made in U.S. Dollars by check or wire transfer of immediately available funds.

 

11.                               Place of Payment.  Payments of principal and interest shall be delivered to the Holder at such address as is specified by timely prior written notice by the Holder.

 

12.                               Governing Law.  All questions concerning the construction, validity, and interpretation of this Note will be governed by and construed in accordance with the domestic laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflicts of laws provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdiction) that would compel the application of the substantive laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York.

 

13.                               Business Days.  If any payment is due, or any time period for giving notice or taking action expires, on a day which is not a Business Day, the payment shall be due and payable on, and the time period shall automatically be extended to, the next day Business Day, and interest shall continue to accrue at the required rate hereunder until any such payment is made.

 

14.                               Notice.  The notice provisions set forth in Section 13.2 of the Contribution Agreement are incorporated by reference in this Note and made a part hereof as if they were set forth herein.

 

15.                               Acknowledgement. The Holder (a) is, by reason of its and its advisors’ business and financial experience, capable of evaluating the merits and risks of this Note and making an informed investment decision with respect hereto and with respect to the Company’s ability to repay the Note, in each case without reliance upon any Affiliate of the Company, (b) has had full access to such other information (including the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers) concerning the Company as the Holder has deemed appropriate, and has made its own investigation, without reliance upon the Company (other than as set forth in the Contribution Agreement and the documents referred to therein) or any of its Affiliates, into the business, prospects, operations, property, financial, and other condition and creditworthiness of the Company, and (c) is able to bear the economic and financial risk of the Note.

 

16.                               Usury Laws.  It is the intention of the Company and the Holder to conform strictly to all applicable usury laws now or hereafter in force, and any interest payable under this Note shall be subject to reduction to the amount not in excess of the maximum legal amount allowed under the applicable usury laws as now or hereafter construed by the courts having jurisdiction over such matters. The aggregate of all interest (whether designated as interest, service charges, points, or otherwise) contracted for, chargeable, or receivable under this Note shall under no circumstances exceed the maximum legal rate upon the unpaid principal balance of this Note remaining unpaid from time to time.  If such interest does exceed the maximum legal rate, it shall be deemed a mistake and such excess shall be canceled automatically and, if theretofore paid, rebated to the Company or credited on the principal amount of this Note, or if this Note has been repaid, then such excess shall be rebated to the Company.

 

17.                               Waiver of Jury Trial.  TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH OF THE PARTIES TO THIS NOTE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS NOTE OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Company and the Holder has executed and delivered this Unsecured Promissory Note on the date first above written.

 

	
 
    	
MEDIACO HOLDING INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
ACCEPTED AND AGREED:
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
SG BROADCASTING LLC
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
Title:
    	
 
    
					

 

[Signature Page to Unsecured Promissory Note]

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