EDGAR 10-K Filing

Company CIK: 1109116
Filing Year: 2021
Filename: 1109116_10-K_2021_0001564590-21-018394.json

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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
ITEM 1.
BUSINESS
The discussion of the business of Entravision Communications Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, or Entravision or the Company, is as of the date of filing this report, unless otherwise indicated.
Overview
Introduction
We are a diversified global media, marketing and technology company that, through our television and radio segments, reaches and engages U.S. Hispanics across acculturation levels and media channels. Additionally, our digital segment, whose operations are located primarily in Spain and Latin America, reaches a global market. Our operations encompass integrated marketing and media solutions, comprised of television, radio and digital properties and data analytics services. For financial reporting purposes, we report in three segments based upon the type of advertising medium: television, radio and digital.
We own and/or operate 54 primary television stations located primarily in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Washington, D.C. Our television operations comprise the largest affiliate group of both the top-ranked Univision television network and Univision’s UniMás network, with television stations in 19 of the nation’s top 50 U.S. Hispanic markets. According to Univision, which uses viewing data from Nielsen Holdings plc, or Nielsen, Univision’s primary network was set to finish 2020 as the number one Spanish-language network with total viewers 2+ and adults 18-49 for the 28th consecutive year, and among the top five broadcast networks, regardless of language, with adults 18-49 for the 17th consecutive year. Univision is a key source of programming for our television broadcasting business and we consider it to be a valuable strategic partner of ours. For a more complete discussion of our relationship with Univision, please see “Our Relationship with Univision” and “Television - Television Programming” below and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Overview”; and for a discussion of various risks related to our relationship with Univision, please see “Risk Factors.”
We own and operate one of the largest groups of primarily Spanish-language radio stations in the United States. We own and operate 48 radio stations in 16 U.S. markets. Our radio stations consist of 38 FM and 10 AM stations located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. We also sell advertisements and syndicate radio programming to more than 100 markets across the United States.
We provide digital advertising solutions that allow advertisers to reach primarily Hispanic online audiences worldwide. We operate proprietary technology and data platforms that deliver digital advertising in various advertising formats that allow advertisers to reach audiences across a wide range of Internet-connected devices on our owned and operated digital media sites, the digital media sites of our publisher partners, and on other digital media sites we access through third-party platforms and exchanges.
We generate revenue primarily from sales of national and local advertising time on television stations, radio stations and digital media platforms, retransmission consent agreements that are entered into with multichannel video programming distributors, or MVPDs, and agreements associated with our television stations’ spectrum usage rights. Advertising rates are, in large part, based on each medium’s ability to attract audiences in demographic groups targeted by advertisers. In our television and radio segments, we recognize advertising revenue when commercials are broadcast. In our digital segment, we recognize advertising revenue when display or other digital advertisements record impressions on the websites of our third party publishers or as the advertiser’s previously agreed-upon performance criteria are satisfied. We do not obtain long-term commitments from our advertisers and, consequently, they may cancel, reduce or postpone orders without penalties. We pay commissions to agencies for local, regional and national advertising. For contracts we have entered into directly with agencies, we record net revenue from these agencies.
We refer to the revenue generated by agreements with MVPDs as retransmission consent revenue, which represents payments from MVPDs for access to our television station signals so that they may rebroadcast our signals and charge their subscribers for this programming. We recognize retransmission consent revenue earned as the television signal is delivered to an MVPD.
Seasonal revenue fluctuations are common in our industry and are due primarily to variations in advertising expenditures by both local and national advertisers. Our first fiscal quarter generally produces the lowest net revenue for the year. In addition, advertising revenue is generally higher during presidential election years (2020, 2024, etc.), and, to a lesser degree, Congressional mid-term election years (2022, 2026, etc.), resulting from increased political advertising in those years compared to other years. Advertising revenue in our radio segment is also generally higher during years when we broadcast the FIFA World Cup on our radio stations.
Our licenses from the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, grant us spectrum usage rights within each of the television markets in which we operate. These spectrum usage rights give us the authority to broadcast our stations’ over-the-air television signals to our viewers. We regard these rights as a valuable asset. With the proliferation of mobile devices and advances in technology that have freed up spectrum capacity, the monetization of our spectrum usage rights has become a significant source of revenue in recent years. We generate revenue from agreements associated with these television stations’ spectrum usage rights from a variety of sources, including but not limited to agreements with third parties to utilize spectrum for the broadcast of their multicast networks; charging fees to accommodate the operations of third parties, including moving channel positions or accepting interference with our broadcasting operations; and modifying and/or relinquishing spectrum usage rights while continuing to broadcast through channel sharing or other arrangements. Revenue generated by such agreements is recognized over the period of the lease or when we have relinquished all or a portion of our spectrum usage rights for a station or have relinquished our rights to operate a station on the existing channel free from interference. In addition, subject to certain restrictions contained in our 2017 Credit Agreement, we will consider strategic acquisitions of television stations to further this strategy from time to time, as well as additional monetization opportunities expected to arise as the television broadcast industry implements the standards contained in ATSC 3.0.
Our net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 was approximately $344.0 million. Of this amount, revenue generated by our television segment accounted for approximately 45%, revenue generated by our digital segment accounted for approximately 42%, and revenue generated by our radio segment accounted for approximately 13%, of total revenue.
Our primary expenses are employee compensation, including commissions paid to our sales staff and amounts paid to our national sales representative firms, as well as expenses for general and administrative functions, promotion and selling, engineering, marketing, and local programming. Our local programming costs for television consist primarily of costs related to producing a local newscast in most of our markets. Cost of revenue related to our digital segment consists primarily of the costs of online media acquired from third-party publishers and third party server costs. Direct operating expenses include salaries and commissions of sales staff, amounts paid to national representation firms, production and programming expenses, fees for ratings services, and engineering costs. Corporate expenses consist primarily of salaries related to corporate officers and back office functions, third party legal and accounting services, and fees incurred as a result of being a publicly traded and reporting company.
Our principal executive offices are located at 2425 Olympic Boulevard, Suite 6000 West, Santa Monica, California 90404, and our telephone number is (310) 447-3870. Our corporate website is www.entravision.com.
We were organized as a Delaware limited liability company in January 1996 to combine the operations of our predecessor entities. On August 2, 2000, we completed a reorganization from a limited liability company to a Delaware corporation. On August 2, 2000, we also completed an initial public offering of our Class A common stock, which is listed on The New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “EVC.”
Business Strategy
Our strategy is to reach Hispanic audiences primarily in the United States, Mexico and other markets in Latin America. We own and/or operate media properties in 14 of the 20 highest-density U.S. Hispanic markets. In addition, among the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets, we own and/or operate media properties in 10 of the 15 fastest-growing markets. We believe that targeting the U.S. Hispanic market will continue to translate into revenue growth in the future, including for the following reasons:
•
U.S. Hispanic Population Growth. Our audience consists primarily of Hispanics, one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. population and, by current U.S. Census Bureau estimates, now the largest minority group in the United States. More than 60 million Hispanics live in the United States, accounting for approximately 18% of the total U.S. population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The overall Hispanic population is growing at eight times the rate of the non-Hispanic population and is expected to grow to 69 million, or approximately 20% of the total U.S. population, by 2025. Approximately 62% of the total future growth in the U.S. population through 2025 is expected to come from the Hispanic community.
•
Spanish-Language Use. Approximately 78% of Hispanics age five and over in the United States speak some Spanish, while approximately 64% of U.S. Hispanics age five and over are bilingual and 32% are Spanish dominant, according to Geoscape, a business unit of Claritas LLC, or Geoscape.
•
Increasing U.S. Hispanic Buying Power. The U.S. Hispanic population is projected to account for total consumer expenditures of over $978 billion in 2020, according to Geoscape. With an average expected household income of $74,000 in 2020, Hispanic household income is growing at a faster rate than non-Hispanic household income and is projected to reach an aggregate of $1.6 trillion in 2025.
•
Attractive Profile of U.S. Hispanic Consumers. We believe that the demographic profile of the U.S. Hispanic audience makes it attractive to advertisers. We also believe that the larger average size and younger median age of Hispanic households (averaging 3.3 persons and 31.0 years of age as compared to the U.S. non-Hispanic averages of 2.4 persons and 42.8 years of age) lead Hispanics to spend more per household in many categories of goods and services. Although the average U.S. Hispanic household has less disposable income than the average non-Hispanic U.S. household, the average U.S. Hispanic household spends 3% more per year than the average U.S. non-Hispanic household on food at non-alcoholic beverages at home, 11% more on quick service restaurants, 32% more on children’s clothing, 21% more on footwear, 13% more on soaps, detergents and other cleaning products and 18% more on cellular phone services. We expect U.S. Hispanics to continue to account for a disproportionate share of growth in spending nationwide in many important consumer categories as the U.S. Hispanic population and its disposable income continue to grow.
•
Spanish-Language Advertising. According to Nielsen, over $7.3 billion of total advertising expenditures in the United States were placed with Spanish-language media in 2020.
We seek to increase our revenue through the following strategies:
Develop Unique and Compelling Content and Strong Brands While Effectively Using the Brands of Our Network Affiliates. We make substantial investments in areas such as market research, data analysis and creative talent to license and create content for our television, radio and digital properties that is relevant and has a meaningful impact on the communities we serve.
Our television operations comprise the largest affiliate group of both the top-ranked Univision primary television network and Univision’s UniMás network. Univision reports that Univision and UniMás networks were scheduled to finish 2020 as the only two major broadcasters to increase their audience year-over-year in primetime among total viewers 2+ years of age, adults 18-49 and adults 18-34. In addition, according to Univision, it was set to finish 2020 as the number one Spanish-language network for the 28th consecutive year, and among the top five broadcast networks, regardless of language, with adults 18-49 for the 17th consecutive year and with total viewers 2+ years of age. Univision makes its networks’ Spanish-language programming available to our television stations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including a prime time schedule on its primary network of substantially all first-run programming throughout the year. We believe that the breadth and diversity of Univision’s programming, combined with our local news and community-oriented segments, provide us with an advantage over other Spanish-language and English-language media in reaching U.S. Hispanic viewers. We design our local content in an effort to meet the needs of our communities and brand each of our stations as the best source for relevant community information that accurately reflects local interests and needs.
We format the programming of our radio networks and radio stations in an effort to capture a substantial share of the U.S. Hispanic audience in each of our radio markets. We operate each of our four radio networks - La Tricolor, La Suavecita, Fuego and José, Toca las de tu Rancho - using a format designed to appeal to different listener tastes. In markets where competing stations already offer programming similar to our network formats, or where we otherwise identify an available niche in the marketplace, we run alternative programming that we believe appeals to local listeners.
Develop Local Content, Programming and Community Involvement. We believe that local content and service to the community in each of our markets is an important part of building our brand identity and providing meaningful local service within those markets. By combining our local news, local content and quality network programming, we believe that we have a significant competitive advantage. We also believe that our active community involvement, including station remote broadcasting appearances at client events and concerts, which were restricted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and tie-ins to major events, helps to build company and station awareness and identity as well as viewer and listener loyalty. We also promote civic involvement and inform our listeners and viewers of significant developments affecting their communities.
Distribute News and Other Content Across Our Television, Radio and Digital Properties. We develop our own Emmy® award-winning news, entertainment and lifestyle content, including a Sunday morning political talk show, “Política Ya with Tsi-Tsi-Ki Félix”. We also employ our own White House correspondent in Washington, D.C. We distribute this content across our television, radio and digital properties, including “Noticiasya.com”, our news website. In addition, through the Entravision Radio Network, we syndicate, distribute and sell some of our radio programs including “El Show de Piolin”, “The Shoboy Show” and “El Show de Alex ‘El Genio’ Lucas” across a network of more than 300 radio stations, which includes our radio stations as well as other radio stations that we do not own or operate, in more than 100 markets throughout the United States. We also broadcast, on an exclusive basis, and syndicate, National Football League, or NFL, games, including Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, the NFL playoffs, including the Super Bowl, and the Pro Bowl, in Spanish, on 16 radio stations. We also broadcast Mexican National Soccer team matches through our partner Futbol de Primera, including a one-hour soccer program with general soccer updates and interviews, on 14 radio stations. We will also broadcast the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2022 FIFA World Cup on our radio stations.
Extend the Reach and Accessibility of Our Brands Through Our Digital Segment. In recent years, we have also expanded the distribution of our content through our digital platforms, such as the content we offer on the Internet and mobile phones. We believe that our digital segment offers opportunities to further enhance the relationships we have with our audiences by allowing them to engage and share our content in new ways, while providing us with new distribution channels for one-to-one communication with them.
Continuing to Offer Advertisers an Integrated Platform of Services. We believe that our diversified media portfolio provides us with a competitive advantage in targeting the Hispanic consumer. We offer advertisers the opportunity to reach potential customers through an integrated platform of services that includes television, radio and digital properties. Currently, we operate some combination of television and radio in 11 markets, which we sometimes refer to as combination markets, and, where possible, we also combine our television and radio operations, which have the effect of creating certain cost savings. In all of our markets, we believe that our digital platforms complement our television and/or radio operations in an effort to create value-added advertising opportunities for our advertisers.
Continuing to Innovate and Invest in Technology and Data. We continue to make investments in our digital technology, including sales tools and research and development, to further increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our television and radio operations and digital advertising platforms.
Monetize our Spectrum Assets. In recent years, with the proliferation of mobile devices and advances in technology that have freed up spectrum capacity, the monetization of our spectrum usage rights has become a significant source of revenue. We generate revenue from agreements associated with these television stations’ spectrum usage rights from a variety of sources, including but not limited to agreements with third parties to utilize spectrum for the broadcast of their multicast networks; charging fees to accommodate the operations of third parties, including moving channel positions or accepting interference with broadcasting operations; and modifying and/or relinquishing spectrum usage rights while continuing to broadcast through channel sharing or other arrangements. With more advances in technology, and the implementation of ATSC 3.0, we intend to continue to generate revenue from our spectrum assets.
Target Strategic Acquisitions and Investments. We intend to continue to evaluate opportunities to acquire complementary businesses and technologies that are consistent with our overall growth strategy. We believe that our knowledge of, and experience with, the U.S. Hispanic and global digital advertising marketplaces will enable us to identify acquisitions of television, radio and digital properties. Since our inception, we have used our management expertise, programming, local involvement and brand identity to improve our acquired media properties and audience reach. However, we are currently subject to certain limitations on acquisitions under the terms of the 2017 Credit Agreement. Please see “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Liquidity and Capital Resources” below.
Acquisition and Disposition Strategies
Historically, our acquisition strategy was focused on increasing our television and radio broadcasting presence in those markets in which we already compete, as well as expanding our operations into U.S. Hispanic markets where we do not own properties. We targeted fast-growing and high-density U.S. Hispanic markets. These included many markets in the southwestern United States, including Texas, California and various other markets along or near the United States/Mexico border. More recently, in order to enhance our product portfolio in our digital segment, we have focused our strategy more on acquisitions of high-growth digital advertising companies in new markets for us, such as Latin American and Europe.
We plan to continue to evaluate opportunities to make future acquisitions as opportunities present themselves, both domestically and internationally, including digital companies, spectrum assets with high potential for future monetization, and additional media properties in markets that will enhance our offerings.
We are subject to certain limitations on acquisitions under the terms of the 2017 Credit Agreement. We cannot at this time determine the effect that these limitations will have on our acquisition strategy or our overall business. Please see “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Liquidity and Capital Resources”.
In addition, we periodically review our portfolio of media properties and, from time to time, have divested non-core assets where we do not see the opportunity to grow to scale. We are subject to certain limitations on divestitures under the terms of the 2017 Credit Agreement. We cannot at this time determine the effect that these limitations will have on our disposition strategy or our overall business. Please see “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Liquidity and Capital Resources”.
Our Relationship with Univision
Substantially all of our television stations are Univision- or UniMás-affiliated television stations. Our network affiliation agreement with Univision provides certain of our owned stations the exclusive right to broadcast Univision’s primary network and UniMás network programming in their respective markets. Under the network affiliation agreement, we retain the right to sell no less than four minutes per hour of the available advertising time on stations that broadcast Univision network programming, and the right to sell approximately four and a half minutes per hour of the available advertising time on stations that broadcast UniMás network programming, subject to adjustment from time to time by Univision.
Under the network affiliation agreement, Univision acts as our exclusive third-party sales representative for the sale of certain national advertising on our Univision- and UniMás-affiliate television stations, and we pay certain sales representation fees to Univision relating to sales of all advertising for broadcast on our Univision- and UniMás-affiliate television stations. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the amount we paid Univision in this capacity was $9.1 million and $8.2 million, respectively.
We also generate revenue under two marketing and sales agreements with Univision, which give us the right to manage the marketing and sales operations of Univision-owned Univision affiliates in six markets - Albuquerque, Boston, Denver, Orlando, Tampa and Washington, D.C.
Under the current proxy agreement we have entered into with Univision, we grant Univision the right to negotiate the terms of retransmission consent agreements for our Univision- and UniMás-affiliated television station signals. Among other things, the proxy agreement provides terms relating to compensation to be paid to us by Univision with respect to retransmission consent agreements entered into with MVPDs. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, retransmission consent revenue accounted for approximately $36.8 million and $35.4 million, respectively, of which $26.8 million and $27.3 million, respectively, relate to the Univision proxy agreement. The term of the proxy agreement extends with respect to any MVPD for the length of the term of any retransmission consent agreement in effect before the expiration of the proxy agreement.
On October 2, 2017, we entered into the current network affiliation agreement with Univision, which superseded and replaced our prior network affiliation agreements with Univision. Additionally, on the same date, we entered into the current proxy agreement and current marketing and sales agreements with Univision, each of which superseded and replaced the prior comparable agreements with Univision. The term of each of these current agreements expires on December 31, 2026 for all of our Univision and UniMás network affiliate stations, except that each current agreement will expire on December 31, 2021 with respect to our Univision and UniMás network affiliate stations in Orlando, Tampa and Washington, D.C.
Univision currently owns approximately 11% of our common stock on a fully-converted basis. Our Class U common stock, all of which is held by Univision, has limited voting rights and does not include the right to elect directors. Each share of Class U common stock is automatically convertible into one share of Class A common stock (subject to adjustment for stock splits, dividends or combinations) in connection with any transfer of such shares of Class U common stock to a third party that is not an affiliate of Univision. In addition, as the holder of all of our issued and outstanding Class U common stock, so long as Univision holds a certain number of shares of Class U common stock, we may not, without the consent of Univision, merge, consolidate or enter into a business combination, dissolve or liquidate our company or dispose of any interest in any FCC license with respect to television stations which are affiliates of Univision, among other things.
Television
Overview
We own and/or operate Univision-affiliated television stations in 24 markets, including 19 of the top 50 Hispanic markets in the United States. Our television operations comprise the largest affiliate group of both the top-ranked Univision primary television network and Univision’s UniMás network. Univision’s primary network is available in approximately 79% of U.S. Hispanic television households, Univision reports that Univision and UniMás networks were scheduled to finish 2020 as the only two major broadcasters to increase their audience year-over-year in primetime among total viewers 2+ years of age, adults 18-49 and adults 18-34. In addition, according to Univision, it was set to finish 2020 as the number one Spanish-language network for the 28th consecutive year, and among the top five broadcast networks, regardless of language, with adults 18-49 for the 17th consecutive year and total viewers 2+. UniMás delivers the youngest network audience on broadcast television, regardless of language. We operate both Univision and UniMás affiliates in 20 of our 24 television markets. Univision’s networks make their Spanish-language programming available to our Univision-affiliated stations 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Univision’s prime time schedule on its primary network consists of substantially all first-run programming throughout the year.
Television Programming
Univision Primary Network Programming. Univision has publicly stated that it directs its programming primarily toward a young, family-oriented audience. It begins daily with Despierta America, a variety morning program, Monday through Friday, followed by novelas. In the late afternoon and early evening, Univision offers an entertainment magazine, a news magazine and national news, in addition to local news produced by our television stations. During prime time, Univision airs novelas, music specials and award shows. Prime time is followed by late news. Overnight programming consists primarily of repeats of programming aired previously on the network. Weekend daytime programming begins with children’s programming, and is generally followed by sports, reality, comedy shows and movies.
Approximately eight to ten hours of programming per weekday, including a substantial portion of weekday prime time, are currently programmed with novelas supplied primarily by Grupo Televisa, S.A. de C.V., or Televisa. Although novelas have been compared to daytime soap operas on the English-language television networks, the differences are significant. Novelas, originally developed as serialized books, have a beginning, middle and end, generally run five days per week and conclude three to eight months after they begin. Novelas also have a much broader audience appeal than soap operas, delivering audiences that contain large numbers of men, women, teens and children, unlike soap operas, whose audiences tend to be primarily women.
UniMás Network Programming. Univision has publicly stated that its other 24-hour general-interest Spanish-language broadcast network, UniMás, is programmed to meet the diverse preferences of the multi-faceted U.S. Hispanic community. UniMás’s programming includes sports (including boxing, soccer and a morning wrap-up at 6 a.m. similar to ESPN’s programming), movies (including a mix of English-language movies translated into Spanish) and novelas not run on Univision’s primary network, as well as reruns of popular novelas broadcast on Univision’s primary network.
Our Local Programming. We believe that our local news brands our stations in our television markets. We report our local news to relate to and inform our audiences. According to Nielsen, our early local news is ranked first or second among competing local newscasts regardless of language in its designated time slot in 10 of our television markets among adults 18-49 years of age, including ties, and in nine markets among adults 18-34 and adults 25-54 years of age, including ties. We have made substantial investments in people and equipment in order to provide our local communities with what we believe are quality newscasts. Our local newscasts have won numerous awards, and we strive to support the community in each of our local markets. For example, in 2020, we partnered with Children’s Miracle Network® in a radio event to raise money for local children’s hospitals and collaborated with the “Vota Conmigo 2020” public service campaign to reach out to newly naturalized Hispanic Americans to encourage them to register to vote. Moreover, in several of our markets, we believe that our local news is the only significant source of Spanish-language daily news for the Hispanic community.
Network Affiliation Agreements. Substantially all of our television stations are Univision- or UniMás-affiliated television stations. Our Univision network affiliation agreement provides certain of our owned stations the exclusive right to broadcast Univision’s primary network and UniMás network programming in their respective markets. The Univision network affiliation agreement expires in 2026, except that it expires in 2021 with respect to our Univision and UniMás network affiliate stations in Orlando, Tampa and Washington, D.C. Under the Univision network affiliation agreement, we retain the right to sell no less than four minutes per hour of the available advertising time on stations that broadcast Univision network programming, and the right to sell approximately four and a half minutes per hour of the available advertising time on stations that broadcast UniMás network programming, subject to adjustment from time to time by Univision.
Our network affiliation agreements with HC2 Network Inc., or HC2, give us the right to broadcast Azteca America network programming on XHAS-TV, serving the Tijuana/San Diego market, and on the secondary program streams of KETF-CD, serving the Laredo market, and KVYE-TV, serving the Yuma-El Centro market, pursuant to at-will arrangements.
Our network affiliation agreements with Fox Broadcasting Company, or Fox, give us the right to broadcast Fox network programming on KFXV-TV with simulcasts on KXFX-CD and KMBH-LD, each serving the Matamoros/Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen market, and KXOF-CD, serving the Laredo market. These agreements expire on December 31, 2022.
We also have agreements with Master Distribution Service, Inc., an affiliate of Fox, which give us the right to provide ten hours per week of MyNetworkTV network programming on KFXV-TV, KXOF-CD and KPSE-LD, provided that MDS has the right to terminate the agreement for KFXV-TV on 14 days’ notice. These agreements expire in September 2021 and may be extended for successive one-year periods by mutual consent of the parties.
Our network affiliation agreement with The CW Network, LLC, or CW, gives us the right to broadcast CW network programming through August 2021 on KCWT-CD and on the secondary program streams of KMBH-LD and KNVO-TV, each serving the Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen market, and on XHRIO-TV serving the Matamoros/Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen market. As a result of changes in regulations in Mexico, we were required to prepay the license fees for our
Mexico broadcast licenses for a period of 20 years. We elected not to make the required prepayment for station XHRIO-TV before the deadline to make such prepayment. As a result, we currently expect to stop broadcasting on this station at the end of the current license term, which expires on December 31, 2021.
Our network affiliation agreement with NBCUniversal Media, LLC, or NBC, gives us the right to broadcast NBC network programming on KMIR-TV, serving the Palm Springs market, through December 31, 2021.
Our network affiliation agreement with Multi Tele Ventas, S.A. de C.V., gives us the right to broadcast Milenio Televisión network programming on XDTV-TV, serving the Tijuana/San Diego market, pursuant to an at-will arrangement.
Our affiliation agreement with Family Worship Center Church, Inc. gives us the right to broadcast SonLife network programming on WJAL-TV, serving the Washington, DC market, through June 2021.
Our network affiliation agreement with LATV Networks, LLC, or LATV, gives us the right to broadcast LATV network programming on KTCD-LP, serving the San Diego market, and on secondary program streams of many of our other television stations. Either party may terminate the affiliation with respect to a given station 30 months after the launch of such station. Under the LATV network affiliation agreement, there are no fees paid for the carriage of programming, and we generally retain the right to sell approximately five minutes per hour of available advertising time. Walter F. Ulloa, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, is a director, officer and principal stockholder of LATV.
We cannot guarantee that any of our current network affiliation agreements will be renewed beyond their respective expiration dates under their current terms, under terms satisfactory to us, or at all. We do not believe that the termination of any of our network affiliation agreements, other than the one with Univision, would have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Marketing Agreements. Our marketing and sales agreements with Univision give us the right to manage the marketing and sales operations of Univision-owned Univision affiliates through 2021 in Orlando, Tampa and Washington, D.C. and through 2026 in Albuquerque, Boston and Denver. We have also entered into marketing and sales agreements with other parties in two of our other markets.
Long-Term Time Brokerage Agreements. We program each of XDTV-TV, serving the Tecate/San Diego market; XHAS-TV, serving the Tijuana/San Diego market; and XHRIO-TV, serving the Matamoros/Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen market, under long-term time brokerage agreements. Under those agreements, in combination with certain of our Mexican affiliates and subsidiaries, we provide the programming and related services available on these stations, but the station owners retain absolute control of the content and other broadcast issues. These long-term time brokerage agreements expire in 2038, 2040 and 2045, respectively, and each provides for automatic, perpetual 30-year renewals unless both parties consent to termination. Each of these agreements provides for substantial financial penalties should the other party attempt to terminate prior to their respective expiration dates without our consent, and they do not limit the availability of specific performance as a remedy for any such attempted early termination. As a result of changes in regulations in Mexico, we were required to prepay the license fees for our Mexico broadcast licenses for a period of 20 years. We elected not to make the required prepayment for station XHRIO-TV before the deadline to make such prepayment. As a result, we currently expect to stop broadcasting on this station at the end of the current license term, which expires on December 31, 2021.
Our Television Station Portfolio
The following table lists information concerning each of our owned and/or operated television stations in order of market rank and its respective market:
Market
Market Rank
(by Hispanic
Households)
Total
Households
Hispanic
Households
%
Hispanic
Households
Call Letters
Principal
Programming
Stream
Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, Florida
1,731,360
358,890
20.7
%
WVEN-TV (2)
W47DA
WVCI-LP
WOTF-TV
Univision
Univision
Univision
UniMás
Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, Texas
380,530
352,740
92.7
%
KNVO-TV
KTFV-CD (1)
KMBH-LD (1)
KXFX-CD (1)
KFXV-TV (5)
KCWT-CD (1)
Univision
UniMás
Fox
Fox
Fox
CW
Tampa-St. Petersburg (Sarasota), Florida
2,035,250
315,940
15.5
%
WVEA-TV (2)
WFTT-TV
Univision
UniMás
San Diego, California
1,132,300
298,610
26.4
%
KBNT-CD (1)
KHAX-LP
KDTF-LD
KTCD-LP
Univision
Univision
UniMás
LATV
Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico
716,800
295,100
41.2
%
KLUZ-TV (2)
KTFQ-TV
Univision
UniMás
Denver-Boulder, Colorado
1,78,440
292,680
16.3
%
KCEC-TV (2)
KTFD-TV
Univision
UniMás
Washington, D.C.
2,565,580
288,050
11.2
%
WFDC-TV (2)
WMDO-CD (1)(4)
WJAL-TV (4)
Univision
UniMás
SonLife
El Paso, Texas
343,530
267,360
77.8
%
KINT-TV
KTFN-TV
Univision
UniMás
Boston, Massachusetts
2,489,620
230,490
9.3
%
WUNI-TV (2)
WUTF-TV
Univision
UniMás
Las Vegas, Nevada
883,510
202,930
24.3
%
KINC-TV
KNTL-LD (1)
KWWB-LP
KELV-LD (1)
Univision
Univision
Univision
UniMás
Hartford-New Haven, Connecticut
1,002,710
129,150
12.9
%
WUVN-TV (4)
WUTH-CD (1)(4)
Univision
UniMás
Corpus Christi, Texas
210,160
127,880
60.9
%
KORO-TV
KCRP-CD (1)
Univision
UniMás
Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz, California
234,150
90,920
38.8
%
KSMS-TV (4)
KDJT-CD (1)(4)
KCBA-TV (2)
Univision
UniMás
Fox
Odessa-Midland, Texas
173,210
87,430
50.5
%
KUPB-TV
Univision
Yuma, Arizona-El Centro, California
116,250
78,570
67.6
%
KVYE-TV
KAJB-TV (2)
Univision
UniMás
Laredo, Texas
77,640
75,890
97.7
%
KLDO-TV
KETF-CD (1)
KXOF-CD (1)
Univision
UniMás
Fox
Colorado Springs-Pueblo, Colorado
386,620
74,290
19.2
%
KVSN-TV
KGHB-CD (1)
Univision
UniMás
Market
Market Rank
(by Hispanic
Households)
Total
Households
Hispanic
Households
%
Hispanic
Households
Call Letters
Principal
Programming
Stream
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo,
California
242,220
66,200
27.3
%
KPMR-TV
K17GD-D (1)
K32LT-D (1)
KTSB-CD (1)
K10OG-D (1)
Univision
Univision
Univision
UniMás
UniMás
Palm Springs, California
167,650
64,740
38.6
%
KVER-CD (1)
KVES-LD (1)
KEVC-CD (1)
KMIR-TV
KPSE-LD (1)
Univision
Univision
UniMás
NBC
MyNetworkTV
Lubbock, Texas
167,660
62,630
37.4
%
KBZO-LD (1)
Univision
Wichita-Hutchinson, Kansas
447,710
50,710
11.3
%
KDCU-TV
Univision
Reno, Nevada
293,750
48,980
16.7
%
KREN-TV
KRNS-CD (1)
Univision
UniMás
Springfield-Holyoke, Massachusetts
257,110
45,480
17.7
%
WHTX-LD (1)
Univision
San Angelo, Texas
58,000
21,320
36.8
%
KEUS-LD (1)
KANG-LD (1)
Univision
UniMás
Tecate, Baja California, Mexico (San Diego)
-
-
-
-
XHDTV-TV (3)
Milenio
Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico (San Diego)
-
-
-
-
XHAS-TV (3)
Azteca America
Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico (Harlingen-
Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen)
-
-
-
-
XHRIO-TV (3)
CW
Source: Nielsen Media Research 2021 universe estimates.
(1)
“CD” in call signs indicates that a station is operated as a Class A digital television service. Certain stations without this “CD” designation are also Class A stations. “LD” in call signs indicates that a station is operated as a low-power digital television service.
(2)
We provide the sales and marketing function of this station under a marketing and sales arrangement.
(3)
We hold a minority, limited voting interest (neutral investment) in the entity that directly or indirectly holds the broadcast license for this station. Through that entity, we provide the programming and related services available on this station under a time brokerage arrangement. The station retains control of the contents and other broadcast issues.
(4)
In a “channel sharing” arrangement, two broadcast television stations, each holding its own broadcast authorization, agree to share the bandwidth of a single broadcast channel, with the two stations transmitting separate program streams on the same channel, of various amounts of bandwidth, that they each originate.
Digital Television Technology. As we continue to enhance digital television transmission technology for our television stations, we are operating in an environment where we can decide the resolution and number of broadcast streams we provide in our over-the-air transmissions. Depending upon how high a resolution level at which we elect to transmit our programming, we have the potential to transmit over-the-air broadcast streams containing multiple program streams using the bandwidth authorized to each digital station. The transmission of such multiple programming streams is often referred to as multicasting. We currently are multicasting network programming streams, including LATV and other network programming streams, at most of our television stations, along with our primary network program streams. We periodically evaluate these multicasting operations as well as the amount of bandwidth we must allocate to our primary program streams and may consider either expanding or limiting our multicasting operations, or keeping these multicasting operations substantially as at present, in the future. We also continue to monitor developments in digital television technology. The ATSC sets the industry standards (including the current ATSC 1.0) for the technical operation of digital broadcast television stations. ATSC 3.0 is a major revision of the ATSC standards and comprises around 20 standards covering different aspects of the system. The industry standards are designed to offer support for newer technologies, that will allow enhanced video quality, datacasting capabilities, individualized advertising messages, and more robust mobile television support. Television industry observers believe that the combination of these functionalities will enable television broadcasters to engage successfully in new commercial endeavors, not previously available on broadcast television, such as targeted commercial advertising. The FCC has set regulations allowing broadcast stations to offer, on a voluntary basis, ATSC 3.0 services (which the FCC has called Next Gen TV). In doing so, broadcast television stations must offer ATSC 3.0 services alongside a standard ATSC 1.0 digital signal and there will not be a mandatory transition. We are considering how we will participate in the adoption of ATSC 3.0 technology and we are awaiting the development and sale of the necessary equipment to transmit and receive such broadcast signals, as well as how ATSC 3.0 is being adopted and accepted by viewers and advertisers.
Television Revenue
Approximately 72% of the revenue generated from our television operations in 2020 was derived from local and national advertising revenue, approximately 24% from retransmission consent revenue, and approximately 4% from spectrum usage rights.
National Advertising. National advertising revenue generally represents revenue from advertising time sold to an advertiser or its agency that is placed from outside a station’s market. We typically engage national sales representative firms to work with our station sales managers and solicit national advertising sales, and we pay certain sales representation fees to these firms relating to national advertising sales. Under our network affiliation agreement with Univision, Univision acts as our sales representative for the sale of national advertising on our Univision and UniMás affiliate television stations, and advertisers which have purchased during 2020 national advertising on these affiliate stations include Charter Communications, Inc., Biden for President, Cox Communications, Inc., Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., U.S. Census Bureau, Mike Bloomberg 2020, Inc., Toyota Motor Corporation, Honda Motor Company, Ltd., Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. and Adventist Health System/West. Azteca America acts as our national sales representative for the sale of national advertising on our Azteca America affiliate station, and Katz Communications, Inc., or Katz, acts as our national sales representative for the sale of national advertising on KMIR-TV and KPSE-LD in the Palm Springs, California market and on our stations that broadcast Fox and CW programming. In 2020, national advertising accounted for approximately 42% of our total television revenue.
Local Advertising. Local advertising revenue is generated predominantly from advertising time sold to an advertiser or its agency that is placed from within a station’s market. Local advertising sales include sales to advertisers that are local businesses or advertising agencies, and regional and national businesses or advertising agencies, which place orders from within a station’s market or directly with a station’s local sales staff. We employ our own local sales force that is responsible for soliciting local advertising sales directly from advertisers and their agencies. In 2020, local advertising accounted for approximately 30% of our total television revenue.
Retransmission Consent Revenue. We generate retransmission consent revenue from retransmission consent agreements that are entered into with MVPDs. This revenue represents payments from these entities for access to our television station signals so that they may rebroadcast our signals on their services and charge their subscribers for this programming. In addition, we generally pay either a per subscriber fee to or share certain of the retransmission consent revenue received from MVPDs with the network providing the programming, which is known in the television industry as reverse network compensation.
Under our proxy agreement with Univision, we grant Univision the right to negotiate the terms of retransmission consent agreements for our Univision- and UniMás-affiliated television station signals, which covers substantially all of our retransmission consent revenue. Among other things, the proxy agreement provides terms relating to compensation to be paid to us by Univision with respect to retransmission consent agreements entered into with MVPDs. The term of the proxy agreement extends with respect to any MVPD for the length of the term of any retransmission consent agreement in effect before the expiration of the proxy agreement. On October 2, 2017, we entered into the current proxy agreement with Univision, which superseded and replaced the prior comparable agreement with Univision. The term of the current proxy agreement expires on December 31, 2021 for our Univision and UniMás network affiliate stations in Orlando, Tampa and Washington, D.C, and on December 31, 2026 with respect to our Univision and UniMás network affiliate stations in Albuquerque, Boston and Denver.
As a result of provisions in the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, or the Communications Act, we are not able to negotiate retransmission consent agreements with other television stations located in the same television market. The application of this provision prevents us from negotiating with Univision in the six television markets where we and Univision both own television stations. We handle our negotiations directly with MVPDs in those markets where we and Univision are both station owners.
In 2020, retransmission consent revenue accounted for approximately 24% of our total television revenue.
Revenue from Spectrum Usage Rights. We generate revenue from agreements associated with our television stations’ spectrum usage rights from a variety of sources, including but not limited to entering into agreements with third parties to utilize spectrum for the broadcast of their multicast networks, charging fees to accommodate the operations of third parties, including moving channel positions or accepting interference from our broadcasting operations and modifying and/or relinquishing spectrum usage rights while continuing to broadcast through channel sharing or other arrangements. Revenue from such agreements is recognized over the period of the programming agreements or when we have relinquished all or a portion of our spectrum usage rights for a station or have relinquished our rights to operate a station on the existing channel free from interference. In 2020, revenue from spectrum usage rights accounted for approximately 4% of our total television revenue.
Television Marketing/Audience Research
The relative advertising rates charged by competing stations within a market depend primarily on the following factors:
•
the station’s ratings (households or people viewing its programs as a percentage of total television households or people in the viewing area);
•
audience share (households or people viewing its programs as a percentage of households or people actually watching television at a specific time);
•
the demographic qualities of a program’s viewers (primarily age and gender);
•
the demand for available air time;
•
the time of day the advertising will run;
•
competitive conditions in the station’s market, including the availability of other advertising media;
•
changes in advertising choices and placements in different media, such as new media, compared to traditional media such as television and radio; and
•
general economic conditions, including advertisers’ budgetary considerations.
Nielsen ratings provide advertisers with an industry-accepted measure of television viewing. Nielsen offers a ratings service measuring all television audience viewing. In recent years, Nielsen has modified the methodology of its ratings service in an effort to more accurately measure U.S. Hispanic viewing by using language spoken in the home as a control characteristic of its metered market sample. Nielsen has also added weighting by language as part of its local metered market methodology in many of our metered markets. Nielsen also continues to improve the methods by which it electronically measures television viewing, including using return path data, which is information acquired from MVPDs, and has expanded its Local People Meter service to several of our markets. We believe that these improvements will continue to result in more accurate ratings, allowing our advertisers to more precisely target our viewers. We have made significant investments in experienced sales managers and account executives and have provided our sales professionals with research tools to continue to attract major advertisers.
Television Competition
We face intense competition in the television broadcasting business. In each local television market, we compete for viewers and revenue with other local television stations, which are typically the local affiliates of the five principal English-language television networks, NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox and the CW Network. In certain markets, we also compete for Spanish-language viewers with the local affiliates or owned and operated stations of Telemundo, the Spanish-language television network owned by Comcast Corporation, as well as the Azteca America network and other Spanish-language networks. Telemundo is an industry leader in the production and distribution of high-quality Spanish-Language content to U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. Telemundo’s multiple platforms include the Telemundo Network, a Spanish-language television network featuring original productions, theatrical motion pictures, news and sporting events. Several of the companies with which we compete have significantly greater resources and longer operating histories than we do.
We also directly or indirectly compete for viewers and revenue with both English- and Spanish-language independent television stations, other video media (including streaming, mobile and on demand), suppliers of cable television network programs, direct broadcast satellite systems, newspapers, magazines, radio, software applications for mobile media devices, or apps, and other forms of entertainment and advertising. In certain markets we operate radio stations that indirectly compete for local and national advertising revenue with our television stations. Additionally, advertisers allocate finite advertising budgets across different media. We believe the advent of new technologies and services may result in continued emphasis by certain advertisers on these new technologies and services as compared to legacy media, such as television and radio.
We believe that our primary competitive advantages are the quality of the programming we receive through our affiliation with Univision and the quality of our local news programming. According to Nielsen, Univision’s primary network is the most-watched Spanish-language network in the United States during prime time among U.S. Hispanics. Similarly, our local news achieves strong audience ratings. Also, according to Nielsen, our early local news is ranked first or second among competing local newscasts regardless of language in its designated time slot in 10 of our television markets among adults 18-49 years of age, including ties, and in 9 markets among adults 18-34 and adults 25-54 years of age, including ties.
Digital
Overview
We provide digital advertising solutions that allow advertisers to reach global online audiences, through operations that are located primarily in the United States, Spain, and Latin America. We operate proprietary technology and data platforms that deliver digital advertising in various advertising formats to allow advertisers to reach those audiences across a wide range of Internet-connected devices. Those platforms deliver advertising to our owned-and-operated digital sites, as well as third-party sites and apps, that contain digital advertising inventory, including those that we access directly through the owners of those sites and apps or through third-party platforms and exchanges. We access data from these digital media sites and apps and apply our data analytics capabilities to better target and aggregate audience segments that will be relevant to individual advertisers, while allowing the publishers of digital media sites and apps to better sell their digital advertising inventory.
Our Solutions and Technology Platforms
We have developed a suite of digital advertising solutions, both organically and as a result of a series of acquisitions. Through these solutions, we offer advertisers the opportunity to reach and engage with their target audiences by providing access to digital inventory at scale across a wide range of Internet-connected devices. Our solutions include Cisneros Interactive (“Cisneros Interactive”), a business in which we have a majority interest, which maintains sales partnerships with some of the world’s leading digital publishers, including Facebook, Inc., or Facebook, Spotify AB and LinkedIn Corporation, in many countries in Latin America. In those markets, Cisneros Interactive supports advertisers and agencies in their local selling efforts, including by providing credit and local payment options.
Our solutions also include the Smadex platform, which enables clients to purchase electronically and manage data-driven advertising campaigns. This practice - the purchase and sale of advertising inventory electronically - is referred to as programmatic advertising. Programmatic advertising, in addition to being automated, also enables more precise audience targeting. Our other solutions include AudioEngage, a digital audio advertising platform hosting radio and music programming and podcasts; ScrollerAds, a programmatic seller of video advertising; Dataxpand, a data management platform allowing businesses to gain insights into consumer-related data; and our marketing solutions division for small and medium enterprises and national advertisers.
Our ability to optimize the delivery of digital advertisements depends on our ability to successfully leverage data, including data that we collect from advertisers, publishers and third parties, as well as our own operating history. Using cookies and non-cookie based mechanisms, we collect information about the interactions of users with advertisers and publishers’ digital properties, including, for example, information about the placement of advertisements and users’ interactions with our clients’ websites or advertisements. Our ability to successfully leverage such data depends, in part, on our continued ability to access and use such data, which could be restricted by a number of factors, including new developments in, or new interpretations of, laws, regulations and industry standards, consumer choice, changes in technology, including changes in web browser technology, increased visibility of consent or “do not track” mechanisms or “ad-blocking” software, and restrictions imposed by large software companies and platform providers, web browser developers or other software developers. For example, mobile operating system and browser providers have announced product changes as well as future plans to limit the ability of application developers to collect and use data to target and measure advertising. Today, three major web browsers - Apple’s Safari, Mozilla’s Firefox and Microsoft’s Edge - block third-party cookies by default. Google has introduced new controls over third-party cookies in its Chrome web browser and has announced plans to phase out support for third-party cookies in Chrome by early 2022. Last year Apple announced that it plans to make certain changes to its products and data use policies in connection with the release of its iOS 14 operating system that will reduce the ability to target and measure advertising.
Our use of data, combined with our significant audience reach, access to a large volume of digital advertising space and broad array of advertising formats, allow us to deliver marketing solutions that can help grow our clients’ businesses. Through data analytics, we also enable advertisers to gain insights into the performance of their advertising campaigns and manage those campaigns with a view toward maximizing return on their advertising investment.
We believe that key benefits of our digital advertising solutions include the following:
Sophisticated targeting. Our platforms and solutions specifically identify and reach online audiences across a wide range of Internet-connected devices.
We believe that one of the main strengths of our platforms is that they can access and analyze large amounts of data in order to provide a multidimensional view of individual consumer profiles on an anonymous basis. This understanding allows advertisers to reach and engage consumers more effectively.
We have also developed a number of audience categories to which advertisers can target their advertisements. Audience categories can be based on a variety of user attributes, including location, demographics, affluence, intent, gender and interests. We identify these attributes and audience categories based upon information we have gathered about online users’ online activity on an
anonymous basis, a process known as interest-based or online behavioral advertising. We analyze these data to build sophisticated user profiles and audience groups that, in combination with our data analytics and the real-time decision-making, optimization and targeting capabilities of our platform, enable us to deliver highly targeted advertising campaigns for our advertiser clients, as well as analytics to help them better understand audiences and consumers. As we deliver more advertisements, we are able to collect additional information about users, audiences and the effectiveness of particular advertising campaigns, which in turn enhances our targeting capabilities and allows us to deliver better performance for advertisers and better opportunities for our publisher partners to increase their revenue streams. In addition, advertisers are willing to pay a higher rate for digital advertising when more detailed consumer data can be used to help them make their decisions about purchasing advertising and to engage with the consumers whom they desire to reach.
Premium content. We provide our advertiser clients with access to premium digital content, which is professionally produced and we believe offers a quality viewing experience, through our owned and operated digital media sites and those of our publisher partners. This enables publishers to more effectively monetize their digital content, and enables advertisers to more effectively reach audiences who engage with such premium content.
Scale and reach across a range of Internet-connected devices. We enable advertisers to use our digital media advertising solutions to address their online and mobile advertising needs in seeking to reach their desired audiences at scale across a wide range of Internet-connected devices, including computers, smartphones and tablets.
Variety of advertising formats. We enable advertisers to deliver a variety of online and mobile advertising formats, including video advertisements, display banners, rich media and native advertising formats. We believe that these advertising formats provide an opportunity for advertisers to create a variety of advertising content that increases audience interaction and engagement, which in turn drives better results for advertisers.
Brand safety. Our proprietary technology contextually evaluates the content of digital media sites on which we deliver advertisements in order to identify content that is most appropriate or desirable for an individual advertiser, and also ensure that advertisements are not being delivered within content that is identified as objectionable to the advertiser, such as content that contains distasteful or obscene language, violence, gambling, sex or criminal activity, which we refer to as brand safety. We believe that the combination of our practice of selecting publisher partners and our proprietary technology provides a high level of brand safety for our advertisers.
Digital Advertising
We provide our advertiser clients with opportunities to reach their target audiences through brand advertising and performance-based advertising. Brand advertising is generally intended to establish a long-term, positive consumer attitude toward an advertiser or its products or services, and brand advertisers typically measure campaign effectiveness using metrics such as reach (how many consumers within the advertiser’s target audience were exposed to the advertisement) and frequency (how many times the consumer within the target audience was exposed to the advertisement). Performance-based advertising is generally intended to induce a specific action, such as clicking on an advertisement, and direct response advertisers typically measure campaign effectiveness using metrics related to consumer response to a particular advertisement.
We generate digital revenue by delivering digital advertisements on digital media sites across a wide range of Internet-connected devices. Advertisers and agencies typically purchase advertising from us through campaigns that are sold and managed by our direct sales force, which we refer to as managed campaigns. Managed campaigns provide advertisers with a higher degree of “white glove” customer service, with dedicated account teams that use an automated platform to deliver advertising campaigns for advertisers.
We typically contract with advertisers or agencies through insertion orders, which set forth campaign parameters such as size and duration of the campaign, type of advertising format and pricing. Digital advertisers and their agencies submit advertising insertion orders to us and we fulfill those orders by delivering their digital advertisements to audiences through digital media properties. We are typically paid by advertisers on the basis of the number of viewer impressions occurring when an advertisement is delivered, known as a cost per thousand basis, or on the basis of the number or type of actions taken by viewers to whom an advertisement is delivered, known as a cost per action basis. We generally pay our publisher partners a negotiated percentage of this revenue. Prior to running an advertising campaign, the advertiser or agency may work with our creative team to provide the creative direction of the campaign and design in order to most effectively reach the audiences most desirable to it.
Our Digital Customers
Our digital customer base consists primarily of advertisers of all sizes and the advertising agencies that represent them. For the year ended December 31, 2020, we had over 3,000 advertising clients, including top brand advertisers from nearly all major industries,
including e-commerce, entertainment, gaming, delivery services, financial technology, communications, lifestyle, and travel. We do not believe that our business is substantially dependent upon any individual advertiser or industry.
Our Digital Publisher Network
We have contractual relationships with premium publishers, or owners of sites that contain premium digital content and provide digital advertising inventory. We consider a premium publisher to be a publisher that has content that is professionally produced and offers a quality viewing experience. These relationships provide us with digital advertising inventory, which we utilize to deliver our digital advertising solutions to our digital advertising customers. We engage our publisher partners through a variety of methods, including outreach by a dedicated business development team. We do not believe that the success of our business is dependent on our relationship with any single publisher partner.
We seek to identify owners of digital media properties featuring premium digital content that, individually or collectively, have the audience scale, composition and accessibility across Internet-connected devices to achieve the objectives of our advertisers. We review a variety of criteria to determine the quality of the advertising inventory and its appropriateness for our advertiser clients, including content, the characteristics of the publisher’s viewing audience, the targeting attributes that can be obtained from the digital media property in real time and the volume of available digital content and impressions.
Digital Competition
The digital advertising market is dynamic, rapidly changing and highly competitive, influenced by frequent technological advances, trends in both the overall advertising and digital advertising markets and changing customer perceptions and expectations. We compete with many very large online digital companies, including Facebook and Google, Inc., as well as other publishers who attract advertisers to their digital offerings, as well as other advertising technology companies and advertising networks. In the television and radio broadcast space, our digital operations also compete for advertising commitments with television broadcasters, cable television networks, radio broadcasters, print media and other traditional publishers. Many of our competitors in this space have significant client relationships, much larger financial resources and/or longer operating histories than we have. Moreover, as many advertisers seek automation and enhanced targeting of increasingly fragmented audiences, they are moving a greater percentage of their advertising budgets to programmatic channels. As a result, we face more competition from online digital companies that have allocated resources to the automated buying and selling of advertising inventory through traditional channels, like desktop and new and developing channels, including mobile.
We believe that the principal competitive factors in digital media include effective audience targeting capabilities, multi-device campaign delivery capability, proven and scalable technologies, audience scale and reach, relationships with leading advertisers and their respective agencies, brand awareness and reputation, ability to gather and use data to deliver more relevant advertisements, ability to ensure brand safety, ability to prevent click fraud, use of analytics to effectively measure performance and ability to adapt to rapidly changing technologies that both respond to, and influence, consumer expectations. We believe that we compete favorably with respect to all of these factors and that we are well-positioned to be a leading provider of digital advertising solutions to reach audiences globally.
Radio
Overview
We own and operate 48 radio stations (38 FM and 10 AM), 45 of which are located in the top 50 Hispanic markets in the United States, and we operate the Entravision Radio Network, through which we sell advertisements and provide syndicated radio programming to more than 100 markets across the United States. According to Nielsen, our radio stations broadcast into markets with an aggregate of approximately 22 million U.S. Hispanics, which is approximately 36% of the Hispanic population in the United States. Our radio operations combine network and local programming with local time slots available for advertising, news, traffic, weather, promotions and community events. This strategy allows us to provide quality programming with significantly lower costs of operations than we could otherwise deliver solely with all locally produced programming.
Radio Programming
Radio Networks. Our networks allow advertisers with national product distribution to deliver a uniform advertising message to the growing Hispanic market around the country in an efficient manner.
Although our networks have a broad geographic reach, technology allows our stations to offer the necessary local feel and to be responsive to local clients and community needs. Designated time slots are used for local advertising, news, traffic, weather, promotions and community events. The audience gets the benefit of a national radio sound along with local content. To further enhance this effect, our on-air personalities frequently travel to participate in local promotional events, although such travel has been
restricted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, in selected key markets our on-air personalities appear at special events and client locations. We promote these events as “remotes” to bond the national personalities to local listeners. Furthermore, all of our stations can disconnect from their networks and operate independently in the case of a local emergency or a problem with our central Multiprotocol Label Switching, or MPLS, transmission.
Radio Formats. Each of our four radio networks produce a music format that is simultaneously distributed via MPLS with a high definition quality sound to our stations. Each of these formats appeals to different listener preferences:
•
“La Tricolor” airs on 12 of our stations and primarily targets male Hispanics 18-49 years of age. The format features Mexican regional music and includes “El Flaco y su Pandilla” in the mornings, “Carla La Plebe” during midday hours and “Erazno y La Chokolata”, a parody-based comedy program hosted by Oswaldo Diaz, with whom we have an affiliation agreement, in the afternoon drive.
•
“La Suavecita” is a Mexican regional music format primarily targeting Hispanic women 25-49 years of age and Hispanic adults 25-54 years of age, which airs on 15 of our stations. The format features Grupero/Cumbia music and includes “El Genio” Alex Lucas in the mornings; “El Show de Piolin” during midday hours; “Jimena Aguilar” in afternoon drive; and “Evenings with Mayra” at night.
•
“Fuego” is a bilingual contemporary hit station primarily targeting Hispanic adults 18-34 years of age, which airs on three of our stations. The format features a music fusion from today’s top trending global music movement, Latin Urban, and includes “The Shoboy Show” in the mornings.
•
“José, Toca las de tu Rancho”, which airs on three of our stations, features Mexican regional music from the 1930s through the 1980s and primarily targets Hispanic adults 35-64 years of age.
We broadcast, on an exclusive basis, National Football League games in Spanish, including Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, the NFL playoffs, including the Super Bowl, and the Pro Bowl, on 16 radio stations. We also broadcast Mexican National Soccer team matches through our partner Futbol de Primera, including a one-hour soccer program with general soccer updates and interviews, on 14 radio stations. We will also broadcast the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Our radio networks are broadcast in 14 of the 16 radio markets that we serve. In addition, in markets where competing stations already offer programming similar to our network formats, or where we otherwise identify an available niche in the marketplace, we run alternative programming that we believe appeals to local listeners, including the following:
•
“José”, which airs in the Los Angeles market and is different from our “José, Tocas las de tu Rancho” radio network, primarily targets Hispanic adults 25-54 years of age, This personality-driven format features a mix of Spanish-language adult contemporary and Mexican regional hits from the 1970s through the present, and features “El Genio” Alex Lucas in the mornings; “El Show de Piolin” in daytime; “Erazno y La Chokolata” in the afternoon drive; and “Misterios Ocultos” with Mayra Berenice in the evening.
•
“Viva Cumbia y Mas”, which airs in the Los Angeles market, primarily targets Hispanic adults 25-49 years of age and features top Cumbia artists.
•
In the El Paso market, we program “The Fox”, an English-language format that features classic rock and pop hits from the 1960s through the 1980s and primarily targets adults 25-54 years of age;
•
In the McAllen market, we program two English-language formats, “Q94.5 All Rock”, a classic rock-oriented format that primarily targets males 25-54 and 35-54 years of age, and “RGV 107.9”, a hit-based adult contemporary format targeting primarily women 25-54 years of age;
•
In the Orlando market, we program “Salsa 98.1”, a Spanish-language tropical hits format that features salsa, merengue and bachata and primarily targets Hispanic adults 25-54 years of age; and
•
In the El Paso, Lubbock, Denver and Albuquerque markets, we program “TUDN”, a Spanish-language sports talk format that primarily targets Hispanic adults 18-54 years of age, that is provided to us by Univision Radio Inc., an affiliate of Univision, pursuant to a network affiliation agreement.
Additionally, in November 2020, we launched “El Botón”, an online platform that allows consumers to stream our radio shows and stations directly on their mobile phones or other devices.
Our Radio Station Portfolio
The following table lists information concerning each of our owned and operated radio stations in order of market rank and its respective market:
Market
Market Rank
(by Hispanic
Households)
Station
Frequency
Format
Market
Market Rank
(by Hispanic
Households)
Station
Frequency
Format
Los Angeles-San Diego-Ventura, California
KLYY-FM
KDLD-FM
KDLE-FM
KSSC-FM
KSSD-FM
KSSE-FM
97.5
103.1
103.1
107.1
107.1
107.1
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
José (1)
Viva Cumbia y Mas (1)
Viva Cumbia y Mas (1)
La Suavecita
José (1)
José (1)
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood, Florida
WLQY-AM
kHz
Time Brokered (2)
Houston-Galveston, Texas
KGOL-AM
kHz
La Suavecita
Phoenix, Arizona
KLNZ-FM
KDVA-FM
KVVA-FM
KBMB-AM
103.5
106.9
107.1
MHz
MHz
MHz
kHz
La Tricolor
La Suavecita (1)
La Suavecita (1)
José, Toca las de tu Rancho
Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, Florida
WNUE-FM
98.1
MHz
Salsa 98.1
Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen,
Texas
KFRQ-FM
KKPS-FM
KNVO-FM
KVLY-FM
94.5
99.5
101.1
107.9
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
Classic Rock (English)
Fuego
La Suavecita
Adult Contemporary (English)
Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, California
KRCX-FM
KNTY-FM
KHHM-FM
KXSE-FM
KMIX-FM
KTSE-FM
KCVR-FM
99.9
101.9
103.5
104.3
100.9
97.1
98.9
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
MHz
La Tricolor
José, Toca las de tu Rancho
Fuego
La Suavecita
La Tricolor
La Suavecita
Fuego
Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico
KRZY-FM
KRZY-AM
105.9
MHz
kHz
La Suavecita
TUDN /
José, Toca las de tu Rancho
Denver-Boulder, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
KJMN-FM
KXPK-FM
KMXA-AM
KPVW-FM
92.1
96.5
107.1
MHz
MHz
kHz
MHz
La Suavecita
La Tricolor
TUDN
La Tricolor (1)
El Paso, Texas
KOFX-FM
KINT-FM
KYSE-FM
KSVE-AM
KHRO-AM
92.3
93.9
94.7
MHz
MHz
MHz
kHz
kHz
Oldies (English)
La Suavecita (1)
La Tricolor
TUDN
La Suavecita (1)
Las Vegas, Nevada
KRRN-FM
KQRT-FM
92.7
105.1
MHz
MHz
La Suavecita
La Tricolor
Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz, California
KLOK-FM
KSES-FM
KMBX-AM
99.5
107.1
MHz
MHz
kHz
La Tricolor
La Suavecita (1)
Time Brokered (2)
Yuma, Arizona-El Centro, California
KSEH-FM
KMXX-FM
KWST-AM
94.5
99.3
MHz
MHz
kHz
La Suavecita
La Tricolor
Time Brokered (2)
Palm Springs, California
KLOB-FM
94.7
MHz
La Suavecita
KPST-FM
103.5
MHz
La Tricolor
Lubbock, Texas
KAIQ-FM
KBZO-AM
95.5
MHz
kHz
La Tricolor
TUDN
Reno, Nevada
KRNV-FM
102.1
MHz
La Tricolor
Market rank source: Nielsen Media Research 2021 universe estimates.
(1)
Simulcast station.
(2)
Operated pursuant to a time brokerage arrangement under which we grant to third parties the right to program the station.
Radio Advertising
Substantially all of the revenue generated from our radio operations is derived from local and national advertising.
Local. Local advertising revenue is generated predominantly from advertising time sold to an advertiser or its agency that is placed from within a station’s market. Local advertising sales include sales to advertisers that are local businesses or advertising agencies, and regional and national businesses or advertising agencies, which place orders from within a station’s market or directly with a station’s sales staff. We employ our own local sales force, in each of our markets, that is responsible for soliciting local advertising sales directly from advertisers and their agencies. In 2020, local advertising revenue accounted for approximately 60% of our total radio revenue.
National. National advertising revenue generally represents spot and network revenue from advertising time sold to an advertiser or its agency that is placed from outside a station’s market. Since January 2020, Katz has acted as our national sales representative to solicit national spot advertising sales on all of our radio stations, and we act as our own network sales representative. Prior to January 2020, Entravision Solutions, one of our divisions, typically acted as our national sales representative to solicit national advertising sales on our Spanish-language radio stations. In 2020, national advertising revenue accounted for approximately 40% of our total radio revenue.
Radio Marketing/Audience Research
We believe that radio is an efficient means for advertisers to reach targeted demographic groups. Advertising rates charged by our radio stations are based primarily on the following factors:
•
the particular station’s ratings (people listening to its programs as a percentage of total people in the listening area);
•
audience share (people listening to its programs as a percentage of people actually listening to radio at a specific time);
•
the demographic qualities of a program’s listeners (primarily age and gender);
•
the demand for available airtime;
•
the time of day that the advertising runs;
•
competitive conditions in the station’s market;
•
changes in advertising choices and placements in different media, such as new media, compared to traditional media such as television and radio; and
•
general economic conditions, including advertisers’ budgetary considerations.
Nielsen Audio provides advertisers with the industry-accepted measure of listening audience classified by demographic segment and time of day that the listeners spend on particular radio stations. Radio advertising rates generally are highest during the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. These hours are considered the peak times for radio audience listening.
Historically, advertising rates for Spanish-language radio stations have been lower than those for English-language stations with similar audience levels. We believe that, over time, possibilities exist to narrow the disparities that have historically existed between Spanish-language and English-language advertising rates as new and existing advertisers recognize the growing desirability of the U.S. Hispanic population as an advertising target. For example, U.S. Hispanics spend more on food at home than the national average. We also believe that having multiple stations in a market enables us to provide listeners with alternatives, to secure a higher overall percentage of a market’s available advertising dollars, and to obtain greater percentages of individual customers’ advertising budgets.
Each station broadcasts an optimal number of advertisements each hour, depending upon its format, in order to maximize the station’s revenue without jeopardizing its audience listenership. Our non-network stations have up to 14 minutes per hour for commercial inventory and local content. Our network stations have up to one additional minute of commercial inventory per hour. The pricing is based on a rate card and negotiations subject to the supply and demand for the inventory in each particular market and the network.
Radio Competition
We face intense competition in the radio broadcasting business. The financial success of each of our radio stations and markets depends in large part on our audience ratings, our ability to maintain and increase our market share of overall radio advertising revenue and the economic health of the market and the nation. In addition, our advertising revenue depends upon the desire of advertisers to reach our audience demographic. Each of our radio stations competes for audience share and advertising revenue directly with both Spanish-language and English-language radio stations in its market, and with other media, such as newspapers, broadcast, cable, satellite and streaming television, magazines, outdoor advertising, satellite-delivered radio services, apps, podcasts and other forms of digital audio delivery, and direct mail advertising. In addition, in certain markets we operate television stations that indirectly compete for local and national advertising revenue with our radio business. Our primary competitors in our markets in Spanish-language radio are Univision, iHeartMedia Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications Inc.) and Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. These and many of the other companies with which we compete are companies that have significantly greater resources and longer operating histories than we do.
Factors that are material to our competitive position include management experience, a station’s audience rank in its market, signal strength and coverage, and audience demographics. If a competing station within a market converts to a format similar to that of one of our stations, or if one of our competitors upgrades its stations, we could suffer a reduction in ratings and advertising revenue in that market. The audience ratings and advertising revenue of our individual stations are subject to fluctuation and any adverse change in certain of our key radio markets could have a material adverse effect on our operations.
The radio industry is subject to competition from new media technologies that are being developed or introduced, such as:
•
audio programming available on cable television systems, broadcast satellite-delivered audio services, over-the-top, or OTT, services on Internet-connected televisions, Internet content providers, streaming audio available over mobile devices via multiple platforms, including easy-to-use mobile apps, podcasts, smart speakers and other digital audio broadcast formats and playback mechanisms;
•
satellite- and internet protocol network-delivered digital audio services-with both commercial-free and lower commercial load channels-which have expanded their subscriber base and have introduced dedicated Spanish-language channels and linear streams of over-the-air radio stations; and
•
In-Band On-Channel™ digital radio, which provides multi-channel, multi-format digital radio services in the same bandwidth currently occupied by traditional high definition FM radio services.
Advertisers allocate finite advertising budgets across different media. We believe that the advent of new technologies and services may result in continued emphasis by certain advertisers on these new technologies and services as compared to legacy media, such as radio. Accordingly, while we also believe that none of these new technologies and services can completely replace local broadcast radio stations due to the element of localism that broadcast radio offers, the challenges we face in our radio operations from new technologies and services will continue to require attention from management. Among other things, we intend to leverage potential opportunities to adopt new technologies in our radio operations where appropriate, including digital streaming and podcasting, such as “El Botón”. We cannot guarantee that such adoption of new technologies, if any, will adequately address the challenges we face in our radio operations.
Seasonality
Seasonal net revenue fluctuations are common in television and radio broadcasting and digital media, and are due primarily to fluctuations in advertising expenditures by local and national advertisers. In our television and radio segments, our second and third fiscal quarters generally produce the highest net revenue for the year. In our digital segment, net revenue generally increases in each fiscal quarter over the course of the year. In addition, advertising revenue across our segments is generally higher during presidential election years (2020, 2024, etc.) and, to a lesser degree, Congressional mid-term election years (2022, 2026, etc.), resulting from increased political advertising in those years compared to other years. Advertising revenue in our radio segment is also generally higher during years when we broadcast the FIFA World Cup on our radio stations.
Intellectual Property
We believe that our ability to protect our intellectual property is an important factor in the success and continued growth of our business. We protect our intellectual property through a combination of trade secrets law, copyrights, trademarks and contracts. We have established business procedures designed to maintain the confidentiality and security of our proprietary information, including the use of confidentiality agreements and assignment of inventions agreements with employees, independent contractors, consultants and companies with which we conduct business. While we believe that such measures are generally effective, we cannot guarantee that such measures will adequately protect our intellectual property from use, misuse or infringement by others.
In the course of our business, we use various trademarks, trade names and service marks, including our logos and FCC call letters, in our advertising and promotions, as well as proprietary technology platforms and other technology. Some of our technology relies upon third party licensed intellectual property. We do not hold or depend upon any material patent, government license, franchise or concession, except for our broadcast licenses granted by the FCC.
Employees
As of December 31, 2020, we had approximately 1,001 full-time employees worldwide. Approximately 607 of those full-time employees were in the United States, including 439 full-time employees in our television segment, 146 full-time employees in our radio segment and 22 full-time employees in our digital media segment. As of December 31, 2020, three of our full-time television segment employees in the United States were represented by a labor union that has entered into a collective bargaining agreement with us.
We had 28 full-time employees in Mexico in our television segment as of December 31, 2020, of whom eight were covered by a collective bargaining agreement. That agreement was most recently renewed on January 1, 2020 for a term of two years.
In our digital segment, we had 120 full-time employees in Argentina, 92 full-time employees in Spain, 32 full-time employees in Uruguay, 22 full-time employees in Mexico, 20 full-time employees in Brazil, 19 full-time employees in Colombia, 10 full-time employees in Peru, eight full-time employees in Guatemala, eight full-time employees in Bolivia, seven full-time employees in Chile, seven full-time employee in Costa Rica, six full-time employees in Israel, six full-time employees in Dominican Republic, five full-time employees in Ecuador, and four full-time employees in Panama, as of December 31, 2020. Sixty of these employees are members of a union or covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
We believe that our relations with our employees and these unions are generally good.
Human Capital Management
We are a global company, and as a result we endeavor to have a diverse and inclusive workforce reflective of our international footprint. While we do not employ specific human capital measures in our business, we are committed to the overall health, safety and wellness of our employees globally. We offer our employees various health and wellness benefits, which we believe provide a sense of security. We also offer career growth and development opportunities. For example, we make available to our sales team, on a global basis, training to enhance their job-related skills.
We are committed to providing a work environment that is free of unlawful harassment, discrimination and retaliation. We have a strict policy prohibiting sexual harassment, as well as harassment or discrimination based on race, gender and other specified statuses and conditions. Unlawful harassment in any form, including verbal, physical and visual conduct, threats, demands and retaliation, is prohibited. We have established hotline and anonymous complaint processes for any employee who believes that these policies have been violated.
Our overall commitment to our employees has extended to the COVID-19 pandemic. We implemented a work-from-home policy for many of our employees, which policy we believe has delivered a sense of safety. We also adopted additional safety measures for our employees who do not work from home, including our employees who provide essential services on-site. These measures include distancing and masking requirements, office cleaning procedures, communications regarding our policies and procedures related to the pandemic, and limiting non-essential travel.
Regulation of Television and Radio Broadcasting
General. The FCC regulates television and radio broadcast stations pursuant to the Communications Act. Among other things, the FCC:
•
determines the particular frequencies, locations and operating power of stations;
•
issues, renews, revokes and modifies station licenses;
•
regulates equipment used by stations; and
•
adopts and implements regulations and policies that directly or indirectly affect the ownership, changes in ownership, control, operation and employment practices of stations.
A licensee’s failure to observe the requirements of the Communications Act or FCC rules and policies may result in the imposition of various sanctions, including admonishment, fines, the grant of renewal terms of less than eight years, the grant of a license renewal with conditions or, in the case of particularly egregious violations, the denial of a license renewal application, the revocation of an FCC license or the denial of FCC consent to acquire additional broadcast properties.
Congress and the FCC have had under consideration or reconsideration, and may in the future consider and adopt, new laws, regulations and policies regarding a wide variety of matters that could, directly or indirectly, affect the operation, ownership and profitability of our television and radio stations, result in the loss of audience share and advertising revenue for our television and radio broadcast stations or affect our ability to acquire additional television and radio broadcast stations or finance such acquisitions. Such matters may include:
•
changes to the license authorization process;
•
proposals to impose spectrum use or other fees on FCC licensees;
•
proposals to impose a performance tax on the music broadcast on commercial radio stations and the fees applicable to digital transmission of music on the Internet;
•
proposals to change rules relating to political broadcasting including proposals to grant free airtime to candidates;
•
proposals to restrict or prohibit the advertising of beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages;
•
proposals dealing with the broadcast of profane, indecent or obscene language and the consequences to a broadcaster for permitting such speech;
•
technical and frequency allocation to broadcast services and usage matters;
•
modifications to the operating rules for digital television and radio broadcasting rules on both satellite and terrestrial bases;
•
the implementation or modification of rules governing the carriage of local television signals by direct broadcast satellite, or DBS, services and cable television systems and the manner in which such parties negotiate such carriage arrangements;
•
changes in local and national broadcast multiple ownership, foreign ownership, cross-ownership and ownership attribution rules;
•
changes in the procedures whereby full-service broadcast stations are carried on MVPDs (cable television and direct-broadcast satellite systems) either on a must-carry or retransmission consent basis and how compensation systems and negotiating processes involving broadcasters and MVPDs might be modified;
•
proposals to modify the regulation of telephone and text messaging-based marketing;
•
changes in the operating rules and policies for AM and FM broadcasting; and
•
proposals to alter provisions of the tax laws affecting broadcast operations and acquisitions.
We cannot predict what changes, if any, might be adopted, nor can we predict what other matters might be considered in the future, nor can we judge in advance what impact, if any, the implementation of any particular proposal or change might have on our business.
FCC Licenses. Television and radio stations operate pursuant to licenses that are granted by the FCC for a term of eight years, subject to renewal upon application to the FCC. During the periods when renewal applications are pending, petitions to deny license renewal applications may be filed by interested parties, including members of the public. The FCC may hold hearings on renewal applications if it is unable to determine that renewal of a license would serve the public interest, convenience and necessity, or if a petition to deny raises a “substantial and material question of fact” as to whether the grant of the renewal applications would be inconsistent with the public interest, convenience and necessity. However, the FCC is prohibited from considering competing applications for a renewal applicant’s frequency, and is required to grant the renewal application if it finds:
•
that the station has served the public interest, convenience and necessity;
•
that there have been no serious violations by the licensee of the Communications Act or the rules and regulations of the FCC; and
•
that there have been no other violations by the licensee of the Communications Act or the rules and regulations of the FCC that, when taken together, would constitute a pattern of abuse.
If as a result of an evidentiary hearing the FCC determines that the licensee has failed to meet the requirements for renewal and that no mitigating factors justify the imposition of a lesser sanction, the FCC may deny a license renewal application. Historically, FCC licenses have generally been renewed. We have no reason to believe that our licenses will not be renewed in the ordinary course, although there can be no assurance to that effect. The non-renewal of one or more of our stations’ licenses could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Ownership Matters. The Communications Act requires prior consent of the FCC for the assignment of a broadcast license or the transfer of control of a corporation or other entity holding a license. In determining whether to approve an assignment of a television or radio broadcast license or a transfer of control of a broadcast licensee, the FCC considers a number of factors pertaining to the licensee including compliance with various rules limiting common ownership of media properties, the “character” of the licensee and those persons holding “attributable” interests therein, and the Communications Act’s limitations on foreign ownership and compliance with the FCC rules and regulations.
To obtain the FCC’s prior consent to assign or transfer a broadcast license, appropriate applications must be filed with the FCC. If the application to assign or transfer the license involves a substantial change in ownership or control of the licensee, for example, the transfer or acquisition of more than 50% of the voting equity, the application must be placed on public notice for a period of 30 days during which petitions to deny the application may be filed by interested parties, including members of the public. If an assignment application does not involve new parties, or if a transfer of control application does not involve a “substantial” change in ownership or control, it is a pro forma application, which is not subject to the public notice and 30-day petition to deny procedure. The regular and pro forma applications are nevertheless subject to informal objections that may be filed any time until the FCC acts on the application. If the FCC grants an assignment or transfer application, interested parties have 30 days from public notice of the grant to seek reconsideration of that grant. The FCC has an additional ten days to set aside such grant on its own motion. When ruling on an assignment or transfer application, the FCC is prohibited from considering whether the public interest might be served by an assignment or transfer to any party other than the assignee or transferee specified in the application.
Under the Communications Act, a broadcast license may not, absent a public interest determination by the FCC, be granted to or held by persons who are not U.S. citizens, by any corporation that has more than 20% of its capital stock owned or voted by non-U.S. citizens or entities or their representatives, by foreign governments or their representatives or by non-U.S. corporations. Furthermore, the Communications Act provides that no FCC broadcast license may be granted to or held by any corporation directly or indirectly controlled by any other corporation of which more than 25% of its capital stock is owned of record or voted by non-U.S. citizens or entities or their representatives, or foreign governments or their representatives or by non-U.S. corporations. The FCC, recognizing its authority to allow foreign ownership in excess of these safe harbor levels and to allow for greater foreign investment in domestic broadcast media, has established new policies and practices allowing broadcast licensees to file petitions for declaratory ruling requesting approval (i) of up to and including 100% aggregate foreign ownership by unnamed and future foreign investors in the controlling U.S. parent of a broadcast licensee, (ii) for any named foreign investor who proposes to acquire less than 100% controlling interest to increase the interest to 100% in the future, and (iii) for any non-controlling named foreign investor to increase its interest up to 49.99% in the future. The new rules also establish that a broadcast licensee only needs to obtain specific approval for foreign investors holding more than 5% interest, and in certain circumstances more than 10% interest, in the U.S. parent of the broadcast licensee, or a controlling interest in the U.S. parent. The licenses for our stations could be revoked if our outstanding capital stock is issued to or for the benefit of non-U.S. citizens in excess of these limitations or in violation of the procedures adopted by the FCC. Our restated certificate of incorporation restricts the ownership and voting of our capital stock to enable us to comply with foreign ownership limitations.
The FCC generally applies its other broadcast ownership limits to “cognizable” interests held by an individual, corporation or other association or entity. In the case of a corporation holding broadcast licenses, the interests of officers, directors and those who, directly or indirectly, have the right to vote 5% or more of the stock of a licensee corporation are generally deemed attributable interests, as are positions as an officer or director of a corporate parent of a broadcast licensee.
Stock interests held by insurance companies, mutual funds, bank trust departments and certain other passive investors that hold stock for investment purposes only become attributable with the ownership of 20% or more of the voting stock of the corporation holding broadcast licenses.
A time brokerage agreement with another television or radio station in the same market creates an attributable interest in the brokered television or radio station as well for purposes of the FCC’s local television or radio station ownership rules, if the agreement affects more than 15% of the brokered television or radio station’s weekly broadcast hours. Likewise, a joint sales agreement (“JSA”) involving radio stations creates a similar attributable interest for the broadcast station that is undertaking the sales function. As for television stations, the FCC adopted and then eliminated the practice of attribution for television JSAs, in its quadrennial ownership proceeding that is subject to judicial review. The action involving the elimination of attribution for television stations was an issue in the judicial review of the FCC’s 2014 Quadrennial Review of media ownership provisions. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, or the Third Circuit, reversed and remanded the FCC’s decision. The FCC and a broadcast industry group successfully petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case, and oral argument was held in January, 2021, with a decision expected to be rendered by July 1, 2021. Until the U.S. Supreme Court decides the case, we cannot determine the impact of any decision on our business.
Debt instruments, non-voting stock, options and warrants for voting stock that have not yet been exercised, insulated limited partnership interests where the limited partner is not “materially involved” in the media-related activities of the partnership and minority voting stock interests in corporations where there is a single holder of more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock whose vote is sufficient to affirmatively direct the affairs of the corporation generally do not subject their holders to attribution.
However, the FCC also applies a rule, known as the equity-debt-plus rule, which causes certain creditors or investors to be attributable owners of a station, regardless of whether there is a single majority stockholder or other applicable exception to the FCC’s attribution rules. Under this rule, a major programming supplier (any programming supplier that provides more than 15% of the station’s weekly programming hours) or a same-market media entity will be an attributable owner of a station if the supplier or same-market media entity holds debt or equity, or both, in the station that is greater than 33% of the value of the station’s total debt plus equity. For purposes of the equity-debt-plus rule, equity includes all stock, whether voting or nonvoting, and equity held by insulated limited partners in limited partnerships. Debt includes all liabilities, whether long-term or short-term.
Under the ownership rules currently in place, the FCC generally permits an owner to have only one television station per market. In certain markets, a single owner is permitted to have two stations with overlapping signals so long as they are assigned to different markets. The FCC’s rules regarding ownership permit, however, an owner to operate two television stations assigned to the same market, in markets where that is otherwise permissible, so long as either:
•
the television stations do not have overlapping broadcast signals; or
•
there will remain after the transaction eight independently owned, full power noncommercial or commercial operating television stations in the market and one of the two commonly-owned stations is not ranked in the top four based upon audience share.
The FCC will consider waiving these ownership restrictions in certain cases involving failing or failed stations or stations which are not yet built.
The FCC permits a television station owner to own one radio station in the same market as its television station. In addition, a television station owner is permitted to own additional radio stations, not to exceed the local radio ownership limits for the market, as follows:
•
in markets where 20 media voices will remain, a television station owner may own an additional five radio stations, or, if the owner only has one television station, an additional six radio stations; and
•
in markets where ten media voices will remain, a television station owner may own an additional three radio stations.
A “media voice” includes each independently-owned and operated full-power television and radio station and each daily newspaper that has a circulation exceeding 5% of the households in the market, plus one voice for all cable television systems operating in the market.
The FCC rules also impose a limit on the number of television stations a single individual or entity may own nationwide.
The number of radio stations an entity or individual may own in a radio market is as follows:
•
In a radio market with 45 or more commercial radio stations, a party may own, operate or control up to eight commercial radio stations, not more than five of which are in the same service (AM or FM).
•
In a radio market with between 30 and 44 (inclusive) commercial radio stations, a party may own, operate or control up to seven commercial radio stations, not more than four of which are in the same service (AM or FM).
•
In a radio market with between 15 and 29 (inclusive) commercial radio stations, a party may own, operate or control up to six commercial radio stations, not more than four of which are in the same service (AM or FM).
•
In a radio market with 14 or fewer commercial radio stations, a party may own, operate or control up to five commercial radio stations, not more than three of which are in the same service (AM or FM), except that a party may not own, operate, or control more than 50% of the radio stations in such market.
Because of these multiple and cross-ownership rules, if one of our stockholders, officers or directors holds a “cognizable” interest in our company, such stockholder, officer or director may violate the FCC’s rules if such person or entity also holds or acquires an attributable interest in other television or radio stations or daily newspapers in such markets, depending on their number and location. If an attributable stockholder, officer or director of our company violates any of these ownership rules, we may be unable to obtain from the FCC one or more authorizations needed to conduct our broadcast business and may be unable to obtain FCC consents for certain future acquisitions.
Among the actions ultimately taken by the FCC were ones to eliminate the newspaper/broadcast cross-ownership rule, eliminate the radio-television cross-ownership rule, eliminate the so-called “eight voices” test that made it difficult to own more than one station in a smaller market, and to allow for a case-by-case review of the prohibition on ownership of the two of the top four stations in a market. As previously discussed, the rules changes are now before the U.S. Supreme Court, following the Third Circuit’s decision reversing the FCC’s actions. A new Quadrennial Review was commenced in late 2018 and has not yet resulted in any definitive action on the FCC’s part.
The rule changes that have previously gone into effect amend the FCC’s methodology for defining a radio market for the purpose of ownership caps. The FCC replaced its signal contour method of defining local radio markets in favor of a geographic market assigned by Nielsen Audio, the private audience measurement service for radio broadcasters. For non-Nielsen Audio markets, the FCC applies a “modified contour approach”. This modified approach excludes any radio station whose transmitter site is more than 58 miles from the perimeter of the mutual overlap area. As for newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership, the FCC adopted a presumption that newspaper-broadcast ownership is consistent with the public interest in the top 20 television markets, while the presumption, in smaller markets, is that such cross-ownership is not consistent with the public interest, subject to certain exceptions. The newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership limitation is another provision being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court in its review process.
With regard to the national television ownership limit, the FCC increased the national television ownership limit to 45% from 35%. Congress subsequently enacted legislation that reduced the nationwide cap to 39%. Accordingly, a company can now own television stations collectively reaching up to a 39% share of U.S. television households. Limits on ownership of multiple local television stations still apply, even if the 39% limit is not reached on a national level.
In establishing a national cap by statute, Congress did not make mention of the FCC’s UHF discount policy, whereby UHF stations are deemed to serve only one-half of the population in their television markets. The FCC had abolished its UHF discount policy, but grandfathered ownership interests in place at the time of the decision. However, that decision was reconsidered by the FCC and the UHF discount policy was reinstated. The FCC is now undertaking a proceeding to determine whether and how to apply the UHF discount policy as digital stations operating in the UHF mode do not face any operational problems in transmitting their signals to their broadcast markets.
The FCC has previously decided that Univision’s television station interests are attributable to certain of our television interests in determining the television interests we must count for local and national multiple ownership purposes. In addition, the FCC, as previously noted, has commenced a rulemaking process to consider both the nationwide cap and the UHF discount. Should the UHF discount be eliminated or the nationwide cap be interpreted to treat all stations on an equal basis, we may, in the absence of retroactive applicability, which the FCC customarily does not apply, have to divest stations or be limited in our ability to acquire additional television stations.
The Communications Act requires broadcasters to serve the “public interest.” The FCC has relaxed or eliminated many of the more formalized procedures it developed to promote the broadcast of certain types of programming responsive to the needs of a broadcast station’s community of license. Nevertheless, a broadcast licensee continues to be required to present programming in
response to community problems, needs and interests and to maintain certain records demonstrating its responsiveness. The FCC considers complaints from the public about a broadcast station’s programming when it evaluates the licensee’s renewal application, but complaints also may be filed and considered at any time. Stations also must follow various FCC rules that regulate, among other things, political broadcasting, the broadcast of profane, obscene or indecent programming, sponsorship identification, the broadcast of contests and lotteries and technical operations.
The FCC requires that licensees must not discriminate in hiring practices. It has adopted rules that require us to adhere to certain outreach practices when hiring personnel for our stations and to keep records of our compliance with these requirements. The FCC’s Equal Employment Opportunity, or EEO, rules set forth a three-pronged recruitment and outreach program for companies with five or more full-time employees that requires the wide dissemination of information regarding full-time vacancies, notification to requesting recruitment organizations of such vacancies, and a number of non-vacancy related outreach efforts such as job fairs and internships. Stations are required to collect various information concerning vacancies, such as the number filled, recruitment sources used to fill each vacancy, and the number of persons interviewed for each vacancy. While stations are not required to routinely submit information to the FCC, stations must place an EEO report containing vacancy-related information and a description of outreach efforts in their public file annually. Stations must submit the preceding two years of their annual EEO public file report as part of their renewal applications. Stations also must place their EEO public file report on their Internet websites, if they have one. The EEO rules do not materially affect our operations. Failure to comply with the FCC’s EEO rules could result in sanctions or the revocation of station licenses.
The FCC rules have prohibited a broadcast licensee from simulcasting more than 25% of its programming on another radio station in the same broadcast service (that is, AM/AM or FM/FM). The simulcasting restriction applies if the licensee owns both radio broadcast stations or owns one and programs the other through a local marketing agreement, provided that the contours of the radio stations overlap in a certain manner. The FCC’s decision to abolish these rules is the subject of a review proceeding pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
“Retransmission Consent” and “Must Carry” Rules. FCC regulations implementing the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992, or the Cable Act, require each full-power television broadcaster to elect, at three-year intervals beginning October 1, 1993, to either:
•
require carriage of its signal by cable systems in the station’s market, which is referred to as “must carry” rules; or
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negotiate the terms on which such broadcast station would permit transmission of its signal by the cable systems within its market, which is referred to as “retransmission consent.”
For the three-year period commencing on January 1, 2021, we currently intend to maintain our “retransmission consent” elections with almost all of the MVPDs that carry our full-service television programming in our television markets. We have arrangements or have entered into agreements with nearly all of our MVPDs as to the terms of the carriage of our television stations and the compensation we will receive for granting such carriage rights, including through our national program supplier for Spanish-language programming, Univision, for our Univision- and UniMás-affiliated television stations, for the three-year period. We also have retransmission consent arrangements for our stations that do not have Univision or UniMás affiliations. As previously discussed, television stations in the same television market, even if not commonly-controlled, are not permitted to engage in joint negotiations for retransmission consent. This rule prohibits us and Univision from negotiating retransmission consent jointly, or from coordinating such negotiations, in those television markets where both companies own television stations.
The FCC has rules that govern the negotiation of retransmission consent agreements based on a policy decision to have those agreements negotiated in good faith. The FCC is undertaking a proceeding that could result in establishing new ground rules for such negotiations, including prohibiting certain negotiating practices on the part of broadcasters. In recently enacted legislation, small groups of cable systems were permitted to negotiate with large broadcast stations groups. We do not believe that this provision will have a material impact on our retransmission consent revenues. We are not certain whether or in what other form such provisions might be adopted and the impact of such changes on our negotiations and the economic results of such negotiations. Under the FCC’s rules currently in effect, cable systems are only required to carry one signal from each local broadcast television station. As an element of the retransmission consent negotiations described above, we arranged that our broadcast signal be available to our MVPD viewers, no matter whether they obtain their cable service in analog or digital modes. Cable systems are rapidly transitioning to providing their services in digital only and we expect that remaining analog cable service operations will be terminated by most cable operators and in most markets in the near future.
We continue to explore and develop, subject to our legal rights to do so, and the economic opportunities available to us, the distribution of our programming in alternative modes, such as by delivery on the Internet through OTT services, by multicast delivery services, and to individuals possessing wireless mobile reception devices.
Time Brokerage, Joint Sales Agreements and Shared Services Agreements. We have, from time to time, entered into time brokerage, joint sales and shared services agreements, generally in connection with pending station acquisitions, under which we are given the right to broker time on stations owned by third parties, agree that other parties may broker time on our stations, we or other parties sell broadcast time on a station, or share operating services with another broadcast station in the same market, as the case may be. By using these agreements, we can provide programming and other services to a station proposed to be acquired before we receive all applicable FCC and other governmental approvals, or receive such programming and other services where a third party is better able to undertake programming and/or sales efforts for us.
FCC rules and policies generally permit time brokerage agreements if the station licensee retains ultimate responsibility for and control of the applicable station. We cannot be sure that we will be able to air all of our scheduled programming on a station with which we have time brokerage agreements or that we will receive the anticipated revenue from the sale of advertising for such programming.
Under a typical joint sales agreement, a station licensee obtains, for a fee, the right to sell substantially all of the commercial advertising on a separately owned and licensed station in the same market. It also involves the provision by the selling party of certain sales, accounting and services to the station whose advertising is being sold. Unlike a time brokerage agreement, the typical joint sales agreement does not involve operating the station’s program format. The FCC has eliminated rules that make television joint sales agreements attributable to the marketing station and, as previously discussed, this FCC decision is being reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a shared services agreement, one station provides services, generally of a non-programming nature, to another station in the same market. This enables the recipient of the services to save on overhead costs.
As part of its increased scrutiny of television and radio station acquisitions, the Department of Justice, or DOJ, has stated publicly that it believes that time brokerage agreements and joint sales agreements could violate the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, or the HSRA, if such agreements take effect prior to the expiration of the waiting period under the HSRA. Furthermore, the DOJ has noted that joint sales agreements may raise antitrust concerns under Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act and has challenged them in certain locations. The DOJ also has stated publicly that it has established certain revenue and audience share concentration benchmarks with respect to television and radio station acquisitions, above which a transaction may receive additional antitrust scrutiny. See “Risk Factors” below.
Digital Television Services. The FCC has implemented digital television service in the United States. Implementation of digital television has improved the technical quality of television signals and provides broadcasters the flexibility to offer new services, including high-definition television and broadband data transmission. The digital transition for full-power television stations was completed in 2009.
The FCC has required full-power and Class A television stations in the United States to operate in digital television. The transition date for low-power television stations to convert to digital or halt operations has been postponed until July 13, 2021. We have timely completed the digital transition of all of our full-power and Class A television stations to the digital mode. We are in the process of transitioning certain of our low-power stations to the digital mode, by the required transition date, where we believe is in our best interest to do so.
The FCC has adopted rules to permit low-power stations to operate on a paired or stand-alone basis in digital service. We have secured authority for certain of our low-power stations to have paired operations or operate in digital. In certain cases, we have requested authority to “flash cut” certain of our low-power stations to digital service. In those markets where no spectrum was available for paired operations, we will make a decision to switch individual stations from analog to digital service based on the viewing patterns of our viewers. We continue to review future use of certain of our low-power stations that continue to operate in analog and will determine whether to switch them to digital in advance of the July 13, 2021 deadline.
Equipment and other costs associated with the transition to digital television, including the relocation of stations from one channel to another, have imposed some near-term financial costs on our television stations providing the services, some of which costs we recouped through reimbursements from the FCC. The potential exists for new sources of revenue to be derived from use of the digital spectrum, which we continue to explore as digital station operations evolve.
Digital Radio Services. The FCC has adopted standards for authorizing and implementing terrestrial digital audio broadcasting technology, known as “In-Band On-Channel™” or HD Radio, for radio stations. Digital audio broadcasting’s advantages over traditional analog broadcasting technology include improved sound quality and the ability to offer a greater variety of auxiliary services. This technology permits FM and AM stations to transmit radio programming in both analog and digital formats, or in digital only formats, using the bandwidth that the radio station is currently licensed to use. We have elected and commenced the process of rolling out this technology on a gradual basis owing to the absence of receivers equipped to receive such signals and are considering its merits as well as its costs. It is unclear what effect such technology will have on our business or the operations of our radio stations.
Radio Frequency Radiation. The FCC has adopted rules limiting human exposure to levels of radio frequency radiation. These rules require applicants for renewal of broadcast licenses or modification of existing licenses to inform the FCC whether an applicant’s broadcast facility would expose people to excessive radio frequency radiation. We currently believe that all of our stations are in compliance with the FCC’s current rules regarding radio frequency radiation exposure.
Low-Power Radio Broadcast Service. The FCC has created a low-power FM radio service and has granted a limited number of construction permits for such stations. Pursuant to legislation adopted in 2011, this service is being expanded and the opportunities for FM translator stations reduced. The low-power FM service allows for the operation of low-power FM radio stations, with a maximum power level of 100 watts. The 100-watt stations reach an area with a radius of approximately three and one-half miles. The low-power FM stations are required to protect other existing FM stations, as currently required of full-powered FM stations.
The low-power FM service is exclusively non-commercial. To date, our stations have not suffered any technical interference from such low-power FM stations’ signals. Due to current technical restrictions and the non-commercial ownership requirement for low-power FM stations, we have not found that low-power FM service has caused any detrimental economic impact on our stations as well. Federal legislation has resulted in the increase in the availability of the low-power FM service and the FCC has recently begun granting new low-power FM authorizations.
Other Proceedings. The Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of 1999, or SHVIA, allows satellite carriers to deliver broadcast programming to subscribers who are unable to obtain television network programming over the air from local television stations. Congress in 1999 enacted legislation to amend the SHVIA to facilitate the ability of satellite carriers to provide subscribers with programming from local television stations. Any satellite company that has chosen to provide local-into-local service must provide subscribers with all of the local broadcast television signals that are assigned to the market and where television licensees ask to be carried on the satellite system. We have taken advantage of this law to secure carriage of our full-power stations in those markets where the satellite operators have implemented local-into-local service. SHVIA expired in 2004 and Congress adopted the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004, or SHVERA. SHVERA extended the ability of satellite operators to implement local-into-local service. SHVERA expired in late 2009, but was extended in May 2010 by the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act, or STELA. STELA provided a further five-year extension of the “carry one/carry all” rule earlier adopted in SHVIA and SHVERA and was further renewed in late 2014 under the terms of the STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014, or STELAR. STELAR expired in 2019 and was replaced by the Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019, or TVPA, which made the satellite carriage provisions permanent and required satellite television operators to serve all television markets. To the extent we have decided to secure our carriage on DBS through retransmission consent agreements, the statutory carriage provisions are no longer relevant to us. The FCC has been undertaking a lengthy proceeding dealing with the revitalization of the AM band and the results may affect the ability of certain of our AM radio stations to improve their signal carriage or may affect interference among stations. As of the present, we have not experienced any negative impact on the operations of our AM stations.
Over the years, there have been legislative efforts in Congress to modify the tax laws to make advertising more expensive for businesses. Advertising is currently treated as an ordinary and necessary business expense. Should businesses not be able to deduct fully their advertising expenses in the year incurred, there could be a negative impact on advertising revenue for broadcasters. We cannot determine the effect of any such change in tax laws would have on our business and results of operations.
White Spaces. The FCC has adopted rules allowing unlicensed users to operate within the broadcast spectrum in unoccupied parts known as the “white spaces.” The intention of the rules is to make available unused spectrum for use in connection with wireless functions related to connectivity between computers and related devices and the Internet. The FCC believes that the provisions it adopted will protect broadcast services. Broadcast groups, on the other hand, believe that operation of unlicensed devices in the “white spaces” has the potential for causing interference to broadcast reception. It is premature to judge the potential impact of what services, if any, operate under the FCC’s rules on over-the-air broadcasting.
Performance Tax. While radio broadcasters have long paid license fees to composers for the musical works they have written, radio broadcasters have never compensated musical artists for their recordings of these works. The rationale was that the radio broadcasting industry provided artists, free of charge, with a promotional service for their performance.
As the entire music industry has changed, with revenues from the sale of CDs continuing to drop dramatically, both musical artists and the recording companies have sought a change in how business is done. The recording companies, with the backing of many artists, have asked Congress to require that broadcasters pay fees for the broadcast exploitation of musical works. Such legislation received favorable committee action in Congress during 2009 and 2010, but no legislation was then enacted. Congress has not taken any subsequent actions, but the issue remains under consideration. Were such legislation to be adopted, its impact would depend on how any fees were structured.
Spectrum Policies/Incentive Auction. After studying national broadband needs, the FCC determined that more spectrum should be made available for wireless broadband services based on the growing usage of wireless devices by consumers and businesses and associated spectrum needs for telephony, data transmission, and entertainment purposes. In order to avert a spectrum crisis, the FCC proposed to recover and reallocate to wireless broadband a total of 500 MHz of spectrum, of which the FCC expected up to 120 MHz (amounting to 20 channels of 6MHz each) to come from spectrum currently allocated to over-the-air television broadcasting.
In order to achieve this spectrum reallocation, Congress enacted legislation and the FCC established a mechanism for broadcasters to participate in a “voluntary incentive auction” in which interested station owners would offer the spectrum usage rights of their stations in a “reverse auction”, providing spectrum usage rights for wireless operators to purchase in a simultaneous or future “forward auction”. Through a series of rulemaking proceedings, the FCC established how stations would be valued, what percentage of the auction payments would go to broadcasters, and what rights, if any, stations that relinquished spectrum usage rights or stations agreeing to share spectrum usage rights would retain following the completion of the auction process. The incentive auction process resulted in the FCC recovering from broadcasters 84 MHz, or the equivalent of 14 television channels of 6 MHz each. Following the completion of the auction process in April 2017, the FCC provided for a repacking of the television band, commencing in late 2018 and extending until mid-2020, in order to deal with the reduction in spectrum available for over-the-air broadcast stations. This repacking has had an impact on certain of our full-service and Class A stations which have been relocated. The FCC has used certain of the proceeds derived from the auction to reimburse broadcasters for certain costs associated with such repacking and where our stations are affected by the repacking. We have sought and received reimbursement from these funds to limit the economic impact of repacking on us. We have completed the repacking of all of our repacked full-service and Class A stations in compliance with the FCC’s schedule for undertaking the transition to post-auction channels.
In the reverse auction process, we returned the spectrum for four of our full-service and Class A stations and we received proceeds of approximately $264 million in 2017. Under the terms of the incentive auction, stations that returned their spectrum were entitled to engage subsequently in channel sharing arrangements. Under a channel sharing arrangement, a station that has returned spectrum (known as a sharee) enters into an agreement, meeting certain requirements set by the FCC, with another station that has not returned spectrum (known as the sharer), and the two parties then divide the authorized spectrum of the sharer enabling both to continue to transmit programming but with smaller amounts of bandwidth. A reduction in bandwidth may reduce the ability of a station in offering multicast programming and the revenue that can be derived from such service. In the case of two of our stations that returned spectrum, they are engaged in channel sharing with other of our stations. In the case of the other two stations, we entered into channel sharing agreements with third parties and expended certain of the incentive auction proceeds as consideration for the third parties to serve as our hosts. All of those channel sharing arrangements are now in full operation.
The reduction in available spectrum arising from the post-auction repacking process may also have a detrimental impact on low-power stations (other than Class A stations), which are not protected owing to their secondary status.
Regulation of Digital Advertising
We are subject to many United States federal and state laws and regulations, as well as laws and regulations of other jurisdictions, applicable to businesses engaged in providing digital media advertising services. These laws potentially can affect our business to the extent they restrict our business practices, increase our cost of compliance or impose a greater risk of liability. These laws and regulations continue to evolve and may substantially impact our ability to derive revenue from targeted digital and other advertising and marketing, and are likely to impose additional compliance costs on our operations.
Compliance with privacy, data protection and data security laws plays a significant role in our business. In the United States, both federal and state laws regulate activities inherent to digital advertising, including the collection, use, sharing, and distribution of consumer data by us and by companies with which we do business in the course of providing digital media services. We also rely on the services of third parties in gathering, using and storing consumer data, and these parties’ compliance with applicable laws affects our own compliance status. Because we interact with consumers outside the United States and provide services to advertisers who themselves interact with those consumers, the laws of other jurisdictions may also apply to the types of services we provide and to the gathering, use, and sharing of the personal information of our viewers, listeners, and digital media users. Privacy and data protection regulations have gained substantial publicity and attention in light of growing consumer expectations both for enhanced services as well as privacy, especially in light of publicized data breach incidents and allegations of undisclosed and uncontested use of consumers’ personal information, and increasingly are the subject of regulatory attention and enforcement as well as private litigation often taking the form of consumer class actions. The regulatory standards continue to evolve in ways that impose additional
compliance costs and risks on businesses, like ours, that possess, process and share consumer data. Of particular importance is the enactment of the California Consumer Privacy Act, or the CCPA, that became effective on January 1, 2020. While the California Attorney General delayed the date on which enforcement actions would be brought under the CCPA until July 1, 2020, the CCPA’s obligations are now in force. The CCPA imposes new restrictions on the use, sharing and security of personal information and substantially expands the definition of covered personal information to include geolocation information and device location data, among other categories of information. The CCPA also provides rights and remedies to individual consumers, including the right to object to certain marketing uses of their information and, in certain circumstances, the right to require deletion of their personal information and to opt out of the sale of their personal information. California voters, in November 2020, approved enactment of the California Privacy Rights Act, or the CPRA, that substantially amended the CCPA and broadened the rights provided to consumers covered by the CCPA. In particular, the CPRA added a “Do Not Share My Data” right that empowers consumers to require that covered businesses cease “sharing” the consumer’s personal information for cross-context and cross-platform behavioral advertising. This provision may directly impact our digital advertising revenue and impose substantial additional compliance costs. While the CCPA’s (and the CPRA’s) actual impact on advertising and marketing markets cannot yet be determined with any certainty, it is likely that advertisers, advertising service providers and data providers will modify their practices in ways that may inhibit direct-to-consumer marketing and advertising with potential revenue impacts. In addition, because of our targeted digital advertising strategies, we will be required to implement procedures to implement and recognize these rights and restrictions, imposing both operational costs and potential loss of revenues. The impact of the CCPA likely will extend beyond our California markets as it may be impractical to maintain parallel compliance processes across our markets. Other states are contemplating similar legislative and regulatory initiatives, some of which may impose additional or even inconsistent regulatory obligations. We are not presently able to determine the impact that the CCPA may have on our operations and results of operations.
Because there is no federal privacy legislation broadly applicable across business sectors, broadcast and online advertising activities in the United States primarily have been subject to regulation and enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, which principally relies on its enforcement authority under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914, as amended, or the FTC Act, to investigate and respond to allegedly unfair or deceptive acts and practices. Section 5 has been the primary regulatory tool at the federal level used to respond to claims of deceptive or inadequate advertising as well as privacy policies, inadequate data security practices and misuse of consumer data. The FTC’s enforcement focus has included close attention to the mobile advertising industry. For example, in December 2012, the FTC adopted amendments to rules under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, which went into effect in July 2013. These amendments broaden the potential applicability of COPPA compliance obligations to our activities and those of our clients when interacting with children. In addition, the FTC’s testimonial and endorsement guidelines were updated in late 2009 and provide additional and expanded guidance for advertising practices using endorsements, testimonials, and similar content. In addition to formal rules and guidelines, the FTC’s active enforcement in the digital media industry creates evolving precedent for challenging digital advertising practices as deceptive or unfair. State consumer protection laws and the enforcement of those laws by state attorneys general also impose substantial compliance risks on our business. By way of further example, California’s parallel children’s privacy law also has been expanded and potentially reaches consumers not covered by COPPA. Because we rely upon third parties to assist us in operating and managing digital advertising and marketing strategies, our compliance obligations (and attendant risks) include the acts and omissions of those third parties. Federal enforcement and state legislation is also increasingly applied to geolocation technologies and these developments may further impair data-driven digital advertising.
The FTC has devoted particular attention to businesses within the digital media channel where the FTC has determined that potentially abusive practices have occurred or are likely to occur. The FTC focuses its enforcement resources on the accuracy of consumer disclosures, data security, data practices transparency, consumer tracking, and data aggregation. More recently, the FTC has communicated its intention to focus on the use of data to disadvantage vulnerable or minority communities, and particular attention has been paid to data brokers and aggregators of the type that may assist us in creating consumer profiles and in serving advertisements, with particular inquiry into issues of bias attendant to machine learning and algorithmically based practices. In some circumstances, the FTC has taken the position that advertisers may be liable for the acts of channel partners and has successfully brought enforcement actions against parties based on the activities of their channel partners. This creates the possibility of enforcement risk for acts other than our own.
The FTC also has employed its Section 5 authority to take action against digital advertising businesses with regard to their data security practices and policies, even apart from its traditional enforcement of privacy regulations and standards.
State attorneys general also enforce consumer protection laws, some modeled after the FTC Act, in ways that affect the digital advertising industry. In addition, several states mandate specific data security measures, and all U.S. states and the District of Columbia enforce data breach notification laws that require notification to consumers and, in some instances, law enforcement, in the event of a covered data security incident. There are private rights of action under some of these state laws, increasing the financial risk attendant to data incidents.
In other markets we serve, the regulation of consumer practices in digital advertising is less mature. In Mexico, for example, the regulation of digital advertising largely relies on applying regulatory constraints on traditional print advertising (such as prohibitions on pornographic or politically inflammatory speech) to digital advertising. Brazil recently enacted a privacy law of general application based on the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, of the European Union, or EU, that may restrict the use of consumer data in connection with targeted and behavioral advertising.
The issue of privacy in the digital media industry is still evolving. U.S. and foreign governments have enacted, have considered or are considering legislation or regulations that could significantly restrict industry participants’ ability to collect, retain, augment, analyze, use and share consumer data, such as by regulating the level of consumer notice and consent required before a company can employ “cookies” or other electronic tools to track online activities and by providing consumers with greater control over how their information is used, maintained, sold and shared. Enforcement bodies are developing rules and enforcement standards applicable to the collection, storage and use of geolocation data, biometric data, transparency of consumer data profile creation and management, and consumer access to and control over their individual online profiles and the collection of consumer data through “Internet of Things” technology. The privacy and data security laws of Brazil and Mexico, though still evolving, present a particular compliance obligation given our relationship with Brazilian and Mexican consumers. Mexican law mandates the application of adequate data security measures and the consent of individuals before processing their personal information.
The EU and its member states traditionally regulated digital advertising practices pursuant to Directive 95/46/EC (commonly known as the “Data Protection Directive”) and implementing national legislation. Effective as of May 1, 2018, GDPR replaced the Data Protection Directive. The GDPR reaches a greater range of data processing practices that occur outside the EU than was the case under the Data Protection Directive, imposes substantially greater penalties for its violation, and imposes greater notice, consent, and data processing obligations than did the Data Protection Directive. Current and developing EU law, among other things, requires advertisers to obtain specific types of explicit notice to and consent from individuals before using cookies or other technologies to track individuals and their online behavior and deliver targeted advertisements, increases monetary penalties for non-compliance, extends the extraterritorial reach of EU data protection laws, and grants consumers the rights in some circumstances to require that their data no longer be stored or processed. It remains a possibility that additional legislation may be passed or regulations may be enacted in the future. The GDPR increases monetary penalties for its breach that can equal 4% of an enterprise’s gross global turnover. The United Kingdom has enacted children’s privacy legislation that will impose new and complex obligations on businesses whose advertising and data collection practices reach minors under the age of 18. The law’s requirements are substantially more extensive than under the United States’ COPPA framework. In addition, the withdrawal by the United Kingdom from the EU, and the current lack of a finalized permanent framework for data transfers between the EU and the United Kingdom following the withdrawal, including the absence of a means of maintaining long-term free flows of information between the EU and the United Kingdom, have created new uncertainty as to the scope and content of U.K. privacy laws. Additionally, other jurisdictions continue to develop enhanced data protection and security laws.
The regulation of cross-border data transfers is in a state of heightened uncertainty, with an EU court having invalidated the Privacy Shield regime, which was developed by the EU and the United States to allow the transfer of the personal data of European nationals to certain jurisdictions, particularly the United States. The EU and the United States have entered into negotiations aimed at creating a replacement for the Privacy Shield, but that potential solution may also be challenged on the same grounds as was the Privacy Shield.
We also participate in industry self-regulatory programs under which, in addition to other compliance obligations, we provide consumers with notice about our use of cookies and our collection and use of data in connection with the delivery of targeted advertising and allow them to opt-out from the use of data we collect for the delivery of targeted advertising. The rules and policies of the self-regulatory programs in which we participate are updated from time to time and may impose additional restrictions upon us in the future.
Additionally, in the United States and, increasingly, in other jurisdictions, consumers are provided private rights of action to file civil lawsuits, including class action lawsuits, against companies that conduct business in the digital media industry, including makers of devices that display digital media, providers of digital media, operating system providers, third party networks and providers of Internet-connected devices and related services. Plaintiffs in these lawsuits have alleged a range of violations of federal, state and common law, including computer trespass and violation of specific privacy laws. Recent appellate decisions have affirmed the standing of consumers to initiate class and mass action litigation to remedy breaches of their privacy rights and injuries resulting from data breaches. State attorneys general in most states have the authority to bring similar actions on behalf of their residents.
Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with U.S. federal, state, or applicable international laws or regulations pertaining to privacy or data protection, or other policies, self-regulatory requirements or legal obligations could result in proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities or others, and also could result in reputational injury and/or monetary fines.

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ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
ITEM 1A.
RISK FACTORS
Operational Risks
We operate in highly competitive industries subject to changing technologies, and we may not be able to compete successfully.
We operate in highly competitive industries. Our television stations, radio stations and digital media platforms compete for audiences and advertising with other television stations, radio stations and digital media platforms, as well as with other forms of media and content delivery. Advances in technologies or alternative methods of content delivery, as well as changes in audience or advertiser expectations driven by changes in these or other technologies and methods of content delivery across our segments, could have a negative effect on our business. Examples of such advances in technologies include video-on-demand, satellite radio, video games, text messaging, streaming video and downloaded content from mobile phones, tablets and other personal video and audio devices. For example, streaming services and devices that allow users to view or listen to television or radio programs on a time-shifted, on-demand basis, and technologies which enable users to fast-forward or skip advertisements altogether, such as DVRs and mobile devices, are causing changes in consumer behavior that could affect the perceived attractiveness of our services to advertisers, and could adversely affect our advertising revenue and our results of operations. In addition, further increases in the use of mobile devices which allow users to view or listen to content of their own choosing, in their own time, while avoiding traditional commercial advertisements, could adversely affect our advertising revenue and our results of operations. Additionally, MVPDs, direct-to-home satellite operators, and other sources have implemented OTT services (operated by MVPDs and others, including Dish Network, AT&T/DirecTV, YouTube and Sony) that allow them to transmit targeted programming or limited bundles of broadcast and non-broadcast programming that may or may not include our stations over the Internet to audiences, potentially leading to increased competition for viewers in our markets. New technologies and methods of buying advertising present an additional competitive challenge, as competitors offer products and services such as the ability to purchase advertising programmatically or bundled offline and online advertising, aimed at capturing advertising spend that previously went to broadcasters.
Our inability, for technological, business or other reasons, to adapt to changes in program offerings and technology on a timely and effective basis, exploit new sources of revenue from these changes, or to enhance, develop, introduce and deliver compelling advertising solutions in response to changing market conditions and technologies or evolving expectations of advertisers may affect our business prospects and results of operations.
Changes in the competitive landscape or technology may impact our ability to monetize our spectrum assets.
With the proliferation of mobile devices, new and expanding mechanisms for the distribution of video programming, and advances in technology that have freed up spectrum capacity, the monetization of our spectrum usage rights has become an integral part of our business in recent years. We rely on the demand to broadcast multicast networks and demand from telecommunications operators to operate interference free in our markets in order to monetize our spectrum. There are no assurances that this demand will continue in future periods. Additionally, program offerings and how they are made available as well as technology involving the utilization of spectrum are evolving rapidly. If we were not able, for technological, business or other reasons, to adapt to these changes in technology on a timely and effective basis, our ability to monetize our spectrum assets could be affected and have an adverse impact on our results of operations.
Revenue in our digital segment depends significantly on our ability to adapt to rapidly changing technology, as well as client preferences and expectations as a result thereof.
Our industry is subject to rapid and frequent changes in technology, evolving client needs and interests and the frequent introduction by our competitors of new and enhanced services. We must constantly make investment decisions regarding services and technology to meet client demand and evolving industry standards. If new or existing competitors have more attractive services, we may lose advertising clients or advertising clients may decrease their use of our services. New client demands, superior competitive services or new industry standards could require us to make unanticipated and costly changes to our digital platforms or business model. If we fail to adapt to our rapidly changing industry or to evolving client needs, demand for our services could decrease and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.
Our ability to generate revenue in our digital segment depends, in part, on our ability to collect data from various sources, which may be restricted by a number of factors, including restrictions imposed by third party technology companies.
Our ability to optimize the delivery of digital advertisements depends on our ability to successfully leverage data, including data that we collect from advertisers, publishers and third parties, as well as our own operating history. Using cookies and non-cookie based mechanisms, we collect information about the interactions of users with advertisers and publishers’ digital properties, including,
for example, information about the placement of advertisements and users’ interactions with our clients’ websites or advertisements. Our ability to successfully leverage such data depends, in part, on our continued ability to access and use such data, which could be restricted by a number of factors, including new developments in, or new interpretations of, laws, regulations and industry standards, consumer choice, changes in technology, including changes in web browser technology, increased visibility of consent or “do not track” mechanisms or “ad-blocking” software, and restrictions imposed by large software companies and platform providers, web browser developers or other software developers. For example, mobile operating system and browser providers have announced product changes as well as future plans to limit the ability of application developers to collect and use data to target and measure advertising. Today, three major web browsers - Apple’s Safari, Mozilla’s Firefox and Microsoft’s Edge - block third-party cookies by default. Google has introduced new controls over third-party cookies in its Chrome web browser and has announced plans to phase out support for third-party cookies in Chrome by early 2022. Last year Apple announced that it plans to make certain changes to its products and data use policies in connection with the release of its iOS 14 operating system that will reduce the ability to target and measure advertising. These types of restrictions could reduce the budgets marketers are willing to commit to us and other advertising platforms, and as a result could have an adverse effect on the results of our digital operations.
Cancellations or reductions of advertising could adversely affect our results of operations.
We do not obtain long-term commitments from our advertisers, and advertisers may cancel, reduce or postpone orders without penalty. We have experienced cancellations, reductions or delays in purchases of advertising since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect additional cancellations, reductions and/or delays in purchases of advertising as long as the pandemic results in a significant interruption of daily life and business as a result of lockdown, shelter-in-place, stay-at-home or similar orders, and possibly beyond depending upon the extent and duration of the current economic crisis resulting from the pandemic.
These factors could adversely affect our revenue and results of operations, especially if we are unable to replace such advertising purchases. Many of our expenses are based, at least in part, on our expectations of future revenue and are therefore relatively fixed once budgeted. Therefore, weakness in advertising sales would adversely impact both our revenue and our results of operations.
The decline in advertising has already been particularly pronounced in our radio segment.
Some of the industries in which our advertisers operate, such as the automotive, services, non-emergency healthcare, retail, travel, restaurant and telecommunications industries, have been severely affected by lockdown, shelter-in-place, stay-at-home and similar orders, effectively requiring such non-essential businesses to close. As a result, many advertisers are significantly reducing their advertising and we expect this trend to continue for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and possibly beyond, depending upon the extent and duration of the current economic crisis resulting from the pandemic.
As a result of lockdown, shelter-in-place, stay-at-home and similar order in many areas of the United States, many fewer people are driving to work, for daily activities and obligations, for travel or other purposes. As a result, radio audiences have declined significantly and, in response to that, advertisers have reduced advertising purchases on radio significantly. This condition is expected to continue at least until such orders are lifted and may continue beyond that depending upon whether people throughout the United States and around the world change their daily behaviors, including working from home, even after the pandemic abates.
Our business is exposed to risks associated with the creditworthiness of our key advertisers and other strategic business partners.
The current economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic may result in financial instability or other adverse effects for many of our advertisers and other strategic business partners. Disruption of the credit markets, a prolonged recession and/or sluggish economic growth in future periods could adversely affect our customers’ ability to access credit which supports the continuation and expansion of their businesses and could result in advertising or broadcast cancellations or suspensions, payment delays or defaults by our customers.
We are a party to various retransmission consent agreements that may be terminated or not extended following their current termination dates.
If our retransmission consent agreements are terminated or not extended following their current termination dates, our ability to reach MVPD subscribers and, thereby, compete effectively, may be adversely affected, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Retransmission consent revenue may not continue to grow at recent rates and are subject to reverse network compensation.
While we expect the amount of revenues generated from our retransmission consent agreements to continue to grow in the near-
term and beyond, the rate of growth of such revenue may not continue at recent or current rates and may be detrimentally affected by a variety of factors. The principal factor is the reduction in subscribers as existing subscribers elect to terminate service, thereby reducing the subscriber base on which retransmission consent payments are determined. Other factors that may have an adverse effect on such revenues are network program suppliers seeking reverse network compensation, the growing concentration in the MVPD industry, and the resistance of MVPDs to continue to compensate broadcasters adequately for the programming that they deliver. All of these factors may result in the amounts that MVPDs are willing or able to pay for our programming being detrimentally affected.
We may be unable to integrate any acquisitions that we undertake successfully, which could disrupt our business and adversely affect our financial conditions and result in operations.
Subject to certain restrictions contained in the 2017 Credit Agreement, we plan to continue to evaluate opportunities to make future acquisitions as opportunities present themselves, in a manner that is consistent with our overall acquisition strategy. We cannot accurately predict the timing, size, and success of any currently planned or future acquisitions. We may be unable to identify suitable acquisition candidates or to complete the acquisitions of candidates that we identify. Additionally, unforeseen expenses, delays and competition frequently encountered in connection with pursuing acquisition targets could inhibit our growth and negatively impact our operating results.
We also may be unable to effectively complete an integration of the acquired businesses with our own or achieve our desired operating, growth, and performance goals for acquired businesses. The integration of acquired businesses involves numerous risks, including:
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the potential disruption of our core business;
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the potential strain on our financial and managerial controls, reporting systems and procedures;
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potential unknown liabilities associated with the acquired business;
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costs relating to liabilities which we agree to assume;
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unanticipated costs associated with the acquisition;
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diversion of management’s attention from our core business;
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problems assimilating the purchased operations or technologies;
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risks associated with entering markets and businesses in which we have little or no prior experience;
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failure of acquired businesses to achieve expected results;
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adverse effects on existing business relationships;
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the risk of impairment charges related to potential write-downs of acquired assets; and
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the potential inability to create uniform standards, controls, procedures, policies, and information systems.
We cannot assure you that we would be successful in overcoming problems encountered in connection with any acquisitions, and our inability to do so could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
We expect to experience certain risk factors in our overseas operations, which risks may increase if and as our overseas operations expand.
Outside the United States, our digital segment engages in business operations that are located primarily in Spain, Mexico, Argentina and other Latin American countries. We are subject to certain risks inherent in business operations outside the United States. These risks include but are not limited to geopolitical concerns, local politics, governmental instability, socioeconomic disparities, fiscal policies, high inflation and hyper-inflation, currency fluctuations, currency exchange controls, restrictions on repatriating foreign-derived profits to the United States, local regulatory compliance, punitive tariffs, unstable local tax policies, trade embargoes, import and export license requirements, trade restrictions, greater difficulty collecting accounts receivable, unfamiliarity with local laws and regulations, differing legal standards in enforcing or defending our rights in courts or otherwise, the possibility of less favorable intellectual property protection than is provided in the United States, changes in labor conditions, difficulties in staffing and managing international operations, difficulties in finding personnel locally who are capable of complying with the financial and reporting requirements of U.S. reporting companies, actions taken by foreign governments to respond to localized public health emergencies, such as recent quarantines and travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and other cultural differences. Foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, market development, rate of savings, capital investment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments positions, and in many
other respects.
We may have difficulty establishing adequate management, legal and financial controls in some of the countries in which we operate, which difficulties may increase if and as our overseas operations expand.
Certain of the countries in which we operate historically have been deficient in U.S.-style local management and internal financial reporting concepts and practices, as well as in modern banking and other control systems. We may have difficulty in hiring and retaining a sufficient number of locally-qualified employees to work in such countries who are capable of satisfying all the obligations of a U.S. public reporting company. As a result of these factors, we may experience difficulty in establishing adequate management, legal and financial controls (including internal controls over financial reporting), collecting financial data and preparing financial statements, books of account and corporate records and instituting business practices in such countries that meet U.S. standards as in effect from time to time that are applicable to reporting companies.
We may be exposed to certain risks enforcing our legal rights generally in some of the countries in which we operate.
Unlike the United States, most of the countries in which we operate have a civil law system based on written statutes in which judicial decisions have limited precedential value. While we believe that most or all the countries in which we operate have enacted laws and regulations to deal with economic matters such as corporate organization and governance, foreign investment, intellectual property, commerce, taxation and trade, our experience in interpreting and enforcing our rights under these laws and regulations is limited, and our future ability to enforce commercial claims or to resolve commercial disputes in any of these countries is therefore unpredictable. These matters may be subject to the exercise of considerable discretion by national, provincial or municipal governments, agencies and/or courts, and forces and factors unrelated to the legal merits of a particular matter or dispute may influence their determination.
Univision’s ownership of our Class U common stock may make some transactions difficult or impossible to complete without Univision’s consent.
Univision is the holder of all of our issued and outstanding Class U common stock. Although the Class U common stock has limited voting rights and does not include the right to elect directors, we may not, without the consent of Univision, merge, consolidate or enter into a business combination, dissolve or liquidate or dispose of any interest in any FCC license with respect to television stations which are affiliates of Univision, among other things. Univision’s ownership interest may have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control and may make some transactions more difficult or impossible to complete without Univision’s support or due to Univision’s then-existing media interests in applicable markets.
If our affiliation or other contractual relationships with broadcast networks, particularly Univision, change in an adverse manner, it could negatively affect our television ratings, business, revenue and results of operations.
Our affiliations and other contractual relationships television networks, particularly Univision, have a significant impact on our business, revenue and results of operations of our television stations. If our affiliation agreements or another contractual relationship with a network, especially in the case of the Univision network, were terminated, in whole or in part, or if a network, such as Univision, were to stop providing programming to us for any reason and we were unable to obtain replacement programming of comparable quality, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, revenue and results of operations. We regularly engage in discussions with our network partners regarding various matters relating to our contractual relationships. If our network partners were to not continue to provide programming, marketing, available advertising time and other support to us on the same basis as currently provided, or if our affiliation agreements or another contractual relationships with them were to otherwise change in an adverse manner, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, revenue and results of operations.
Our television stations compete for audiences and advertising revenue primarily on the basis of programming content and advertising rates. Audience ratings are a key factor in determining our television advertising rates and the revenue that we generate. If our network partners’ programming success or ratings were to decline, it could lead to a reduction in our advertising rates and advertising revenue on which our television business depends. In regard to Univision, which recently was the subject of a transfer of control of its owners, its relationships with Televisa, a major program supplier, is crucial to Univision’s, and consequently our, continued success. If Televisa were to stop providing programming to Univision for any reason, and Univision were unable to provide us with replacement programming of comparable quality, it could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Additionally, by aligning ourselves closely with Univision, we might forego other opportunities that could diversify our television programming and avoid dependence on Univision’s television networks.
We may be subject to intellectual property rights claims by third parties, which may be extremely costly to defend, could
require us to pay significant damages and could limit our ability to use certain technologies.
Third parties may assert claims of infringement of intellectual property rights in proprietary technology against us for which we may be liable. Any claim of infringement by a third party, even those without merit, could cause us to incur substantial costs defending against the claim and could distract our management from operating our business. Although third parties may offer a license to their technology, the terms of any offered license may not be satisfactory to us and the failure to obtain a license or the costs associated with any license could cause our business, financial condition and results of operations to be materially and adversely affected. In addition, some licenses may be non-exclusive, and therefore our competitors may have access to the same technology licensed to us. Alternatively, we may be required to develop non-infringing technology, which could require significant effort and expense and ultimately may not be successful. Furthermore, a successful claimant could secure a judgment or we may agree to a settlement that prevents us from distributing certain products or performing certain services or that requires us to pay substantial damages, including treble damages if we are found to have willfully infringed such claimant's patents or copyrights, royalties or other fees. Any of these events could seriously harm our business financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to cybersecurity threats which could lead to business disruptions or data breaches that could damage our reputation, harm our business, expose us to liability and materially adversely affect our results of operations.
We may be subject to disruptions, breaches or cyber-attacks of our secured networks and information technology systems caused by illegal hacking, criminal fraud or impersonation, computer viruses, ransomware, acts of vandalism or terrorism or employee error, and our security measures or those of any third party service providers we use may not detect or prevent such security breaches. Malicious state actors have increased their cyberattacks not only on private and public entities but increasingly are using supply chain attacks to broadly infiltrate numerous users of compromised systems. We may incur significant costs to investigate, eliminate, remediate or alleviate cybersecurity breaches and vulnerabilities and to improve our information security capabilities, which could be significant, and our efforts to protect against such breaches or vulnerabilities may not be successful. Any such compromise of our information security or the third-party providers on which we rely could also result in the unauthorized publication of our confidential business or proprietary information or the unauthorized release of customer or employee data or a violation of privacy or other laws in the jurisdictions in which we operate. Such incidents could subject us to substantial governmental fines and civil liability in ensuing litigation. Any of the foregoing could irreparably damage our reputation and business and/or expose us to material monetary liability, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
We are dependent on key personnel.
Our business is managed by a small number of key management and operating personnel, and the loss of one or more of these individuals could have a material adverse effect on our business. We believe that our future success will also depend in large part on our ability to attract and retain highly skilled and qualified personnel and to effectively train and manage our employee base.
Financial Risks
Our substantial level of debt could limit our ability to grow and compete.
Our total indebtedness was approximately $215.3 million as of December 31, 2020. A significant portion of our cash flow from operations is and will continue to be used to service our debt obligations, and our ability to obtain additional financing is limited by the terms of the 2017 Credit Agreement. We may not have sufficient future cash flow to meet our debt payments, or we may not be able to refinance any of our debt at maturity. We have pledged all of our domestic assets and our existing and future domestic subsidiaries to our lenders as collateral. Our lenders could proceed against the collateral to repay outstanding indebtedness if we are unable to meet our debt service obligations. If amounts outstanding under the 2017 Credit Agreement were to be accelerated, our assets may not be sufficient to repay in full the obligation owed to such lender.
Our substantial indebtedness could have important consequences to our business, including without limitation:
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preventing us, under the terms of the 2017 Credit Agreement, from obtaining additional financing to grow our business and compete effectively;
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limiting our ability, as a practical matter, to borrow additional amounts for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our growth strategy or other purposes; and
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placing us at a disadvantage compared to those of our competitors who have less debt.
Historically, we have a history of net losses in some periods and net income in other periods. We have a significant accumulated
deficit. Were we to experience net losses again, our ability to comply with the 2017 Credit Agreement and continue to operate our business as it is presently conducted, could be jeopardized.
We reported net loss attributable to common stockholders of $3.9 million and had positive cash flow from operations of $63.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. We reported net loss attributable to common stockholders of $19.7 million and had positive cash flow from operations of $31.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Additionally, as of December 31, 2020, we had an accumulated deficit of $551.8 million. If we were to experience net losses and/or declining net revenue over a period of time, there could be an adverse effect on our liquidity and capital resources. In addition, if events or circumstances occur such that we were not able to generate positive cash flow and operate our business as it is presently conducted, we may be required to obtain additional equity or debt financing, refinance our existing debt, sell assets and/or curtail certain operations. There is no assurance that any such transactions, if required, could be consummated on terms satisfactory to us or at all. Any default under our 2017 Credit Facility, or inability to renegotiate such agreements or obtain additional financing if needed, would have a material adverse effect on our overall business and financial condition.
Our ability to generate the significant amount of cash needed to service our indebtedness and financial obligations and our ability to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness or obtain additional financing depends on many factors beyond our control. In addition, we may not be able to pay amounts due on our indebtedness.
As of December 31, 2020, we had outstanding total indebtedness of approximately $215.3 million. Our ability to make payments on and refinance our indebtedness, including the amounts borrowed under our 2017 Credit Facility and other financial obligations, and to fund our operations, depends on our ability to generate substantial operating cash flow. Our cash flow generation will depend on our future performance, which is subject to many factors, including prevailing economic conditions and financial, business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.
Our business may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations and future borrowings may not be available to us under our 2017 Credit Facility or otherwise, in amounts sufficient to enable us to service our indebtedness, including the borrowings under our 2017 Credit Facility, or to fund our other liquidity needs. If events or circumstances occur such that we are not able to generate positive cash flow and operate our business as it is presently conducted, we may be required to refinance our existing indebtedness, sell assets, curtail certain operations and/or obtain additional equity or debt financing. There is no assurance that any such transactions, if required, could be consummated on terms satisfactory to us or at all. Because of these and other factors beyond our control, we may be unable to pay the principal, premium, if any, interest or other amounts on our indebtedness.
If we cannot raise required capital, we may have to reduce or curtail certain existing operations.
We require significant additional capital for general working capital and debt service needs. If our cash flow and existing working capital are not sufficient to fund our general working capital and debt service requirements, we will have to raise additional funds by selling equity, issuing debt, refinancing some or all of our existing debt, selling assets or subsidiaries and/or curtailing certain operations. None of these alternatives for raising additional funds may be available, or available on terms satisfactory to us, in amounts sufficient for us to meet our requirements. In addition, our ability to raise additional funds and engage in acquisitions and divestitures is limited by the terms of the 2017 Credit Agreement. Our failure to obtain any required new financing may, if needed, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Our advertising revenue can vary substantially from period to period based on many factors beyond our control, including but not limited to those discussed herein. This volatility affects our operating results and may reduce our ability to repay indebtedness or reduce the market value of our securities.
We rely on sales of advertising time for most of our revenues and, as a result, our operating results are sensitive to the amount of advertising revenue we generate. If we generate less revenue, it may be more difficult for us to repay our indebtedness and the value of our business may decline. Our ability to sell advertising time depends on:
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the levels of advertising, which can fluctuate between and among industry groups and in general, based on industry and general economic conditions;
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for our television and radio segment, the health of the economy in the markets where our television and radio stations are located and in the nation as a whole, and for our digital segment, the health of the economy in the markets where our digital advertising customers, publishers and audiences are located, and globally as a whole;
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the popularity of our programming and that of our competition;
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changes in the makeup of the population in the markets where our stations are located;
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the activities of our competitors, including increased competition from other forms of advertising-based mediums, such as other broadcast television stations, radio stations, MVPDs, Internet and broadband content providers, and publishers and
digital advertising technology companies serving in the same markets;
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changes in advertising choices and placements in different media, such as new media, compared to traditional media such as television and radio;
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revenue in our digital segment depends significantly on our ability to adapt to rapidly changing technology, as well as consumer preferences and expectations as a result thereof; and
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other factors that may be beyond our control.
The 2017 Credit Agreement contains various covenants that limit management’s discretion in the operation of our business and could limit our ability to grow and compete.
Subject to certain exceptions, the 2017 Credit Agreement contains covenants that limit the ability of us and our restricted subsidiaries to, among other things:
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incur liens on our property or assets;
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make certain investments;
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incur additional indebtedness;
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consummate any merger, dissolution, liquidation, consolidation or sale of substantially all our assets;
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make certain acquisitions;
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dispose of certain assets;
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make certain restricted payments;
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enter into substantially different lines of business;
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enter into certain transactions with affiliates;
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use loan proceeds to purchase or carry margin stock or for any other prohibited purpose;
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change or amend the terms of our organizational documents or the organization documents of certain restricted subsidiaries in a materially adverse way to the lenders, or change or amend the terms of certain indebtedness;
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enter into sale and leaseback transactions;
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make prepayments of any subordinated indebtedness, subject to certain conditions; and
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change our fiscal year, or accounting policies or reporting practices.
Moreover, if we fail to comply with certain customary terms of default under the 2017 Credit Agreement, our lenders could:
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elect to declare all amounts borrowed to be immediately due and payable, together with accrued and unpaid interest; and/or
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terminate their commitments, if any, to make further extensions of credit.
Any such action by our lenders would have a material adverse effect on our overall business and financial condition.
Uncertain or adverse economic conditions may have a negative impact on our industry, business, results of operations or financial position.
Uncertain or adverse economic conditions could have a negative effect on the fundamentals of our business, results of operations and/or financial position. These conditions could have a negative impact on our industry or the industry of those customers who advertise on our stations, including, among others, the automotive, services, healthcare, retail, travel, restaurants, and telecommunications industries, which provide a significant amount of our advertising revenue. There can be no assurance that we will not experience any material adverse effect on our business as a result of current or future economic conditions or that the actions of the United States Government, Federal Reserve or other governmental and regulatory bodies for the purpose of stimulating the economy or financial markets will achieve their intended effect. Additionally, some of these actions may adversely affect financial institutions, capital providers, advertisers or other consumers or our financial condition, results of operations or the trading price of our securities. Potential consequences of the foregoing include:
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the financial condition of companies that advertise on our stations, including, among others, those in the automotive, services, healthcare, retail, travel, restaurants, and telecommunications industries, which may file for bankruptcy protection or face severe cash flow issues, may result in a further significant decline in our advertising revenue;
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our ability to borrow capital on terms and conditions that we find satisfactory, or at all, may be limited, which could limit our ability to refinance our existing debt;
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potential increased costs of borrowing capital if interest rates rise;
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our ability to pursue permitted acquisitions or divestitures of television or radio assets may be limited, both as a result of these factors and, with respect to acquisitions and dispositions, limitations contained in the 2017 Credit Agreement;
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the possible further impairment of some or all of the value of our syndicated programming, goodwill and other intangible assets, including our broadcast licenses; and
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the possibility that our lenders under our 2017 Credit Facility could refuse to fund its commitment to us or could fail, and we may not be able to replace the financing commitment of any such lender on satisfactory terms, or at all.
Actual or perceived difficulties in the global capital and credit markets have adversely affected, and uncertain or adverse economic conditions may negatively affect, our business, as well as the industries of many of our customers, which are cyclical in nature.
Some of the markets in which our advertisers operate, such as the services, telecommunications, automotive, fast food and restaurants, and retail industries, are cyclical in nature, thus posing a risk to us which is beyond our control. A decline in consumer and business confidence and spending, together with significant reductions in the availability and increases in the cost of credit and volatility in the capital and credit markets, could adversely affect the business and economic environment in which we operate, which in turn can affect the profitability of our business. Our business is significantly exposed to risks associated with the creditworthiness of our key advertisers and other strategic business partners. These conditions have resulted, from time to time in the past, and could again result, in financial instability or other adverse effects at many of our advertisers and other strategic business partners. The consequences of such adverse effects could include the delay or cancellation of customer advertising orders, cancellation of our programming and termination of facilities that broadcast or re-broadcast our programming. The recurrence of any of these conditions may adversely affect our cash flow, profitability and financial condition. Future disruption of the credit markets, increases in interest rates and/or sluggish economic growth in future periods could adversely affect our customers’ access to or cost of credit, which supports the continuation and expansion of their businesses, and could result in advertising cancellations or suspensions, payment delays or defaults by our customers.
The current economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the continuing effects of that crisis depending upon its extent and duration may have an adverse impact on our industry, business, results of operations and financial position.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a sudden and severe interruption in daily life and business throughout the United States and around the world, causing concerns about the extent and duration of the resulting economic crisis. The continuation or worsening of current economic conditions could have an adverse effect on the fundamentals of our business, results of operations and financial position. These conditions could have a negative impact on our industry or the industry of those customers who advertise on our stations, including, among others, the automotive, services, healthcare, retail, travel, restaurant and telecommunications industries, which provide a significant amount of our advertising revenue. There can be no assurance that we will not experience any further material adverse effect on our business as a result of the current economic crisis or that the actions of the United States Government, Federal Reserve or other governmental and regulatory bodies for the reported purpose of stabilizing the economy or financial markets will achieve their intended effect.
Potential consequences of the foregoing include:
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the financial condition of companies that advertise on our stations, including, among others, those in the automotive, services, healthcare, retail, travel, restaurants, and telecommunications industries, which may file for bankruptcy protection or face severe cash flow issues, may result in a further significant decline in our advertising revenue;
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the financial condition of companies that advertise on our stations, including, among others, those in the automotive, services, healthcare, retail, travel, restaurant and telecommunications industries, which may file for bankruptcy protection or face severe cash flow problems, may result in a significant decline in our advertising revenue;
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our ability to borrow capital on terms and conditions that we find acceptable, or at all, may be limited as a result of liquidity restrictions at financial institutions and others, which could limit our ability to meet our expenses as they become due;
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the possible further impairment of some or all of the value of our tangible assets, goodwill and other intangible assets, including our digital assets and broadcast licenses;
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our ability to pursue permitted acquisitions or divestitures may be limited, both as a result of these factors and due to restrictions contained in the 2017 Credit Agreement; and
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the possibility that one or more of the lenders under our 2017 Credit Facility could refuse to fund its commitment to us or could fail, and we may not be able to replace the financing commitment of any such lenders on favorable terms, or at all.
The current economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the continuing effects of that crisis depending upon its extent and duration, and its impact on consumer and general business confidence, could negatively affect us.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created increasingly difficult operational and financial conditions for companies globally. If the current and possible continuing conditions are similar to previous recessions and severe economic downturns, consumer confidence could decline, and business and consumer spending could be curtailed, and could remain so, for an extended period. Consumer purchases of advertising time are sensitive to these conditions and may decline in future periods where disposable income is adversely affected or there is economic uncertainty. The tightening of credit in financial markets also adversely affects the ability of our customers to obtain financing for advertising purchases.
Adverse or uncertain general economic conditions may cause potential customers to cancel, defer or forgo the purchase of advertising time. The consequences of such adverse or uncertain conditions could also include cancellation of our programming and termination of facilities that broadcast or re-broadcast our programming. Moreover, insolvencies associated with the economic crisis resulting from the pandemic could adversely affect our business through the loss of carriers and clients or by hampering our ability to sell advertising or generate retransmission consent revenue. Additionally, reduced levels of staffing due to possible layoffs could also have a negative impact on our business by spreading our personnel resources too thinly and not being able to cover all of our customer markets as effectively as in most economically robust periods. The occurrence of any one or more of these conditions may adversely affect our results of operations, cash flow, profitability and financial condition.
Current uncertain economic conditions may affect our financial performance or our ability to forecast or budget for our business with accuracy.
Our operations and performance depend significantly on U.S. and, to a lesser extent, international, economic conditions and their impact on purchases of advertising by our customers. As a result of the economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, general economic conditions may deteriorate significantly through future periods in 2020 and possibly beyond, depending upon the extent and duration of the pandemic and the rate at which economies recover. As a result, economic conditions may remain volatile and uncertain for the foreseeable future.
We believe that if this uncertainty continues in future periods, our customers may alter their purchasing activities in response to the new economic reality, and, among other things, our customers may change or scale back future purchases of advertising. This uncertainty may also affect our ability to prepare accurate financial forecasts or meet specific forecasted results. It is currently unclear as to what overall effect the current economic conditions and uncertainties will continue to have on the marketplace and our future business. If we are unable to adequately respond to or forecast further changes in demand for advertising if current economic conditions persist or deteriorate further, our results of operations, financial condition and business prospects may be materially and adversely affected.
We have a significant amount of goodwill and other intangible assets and we may never realize the full value of our intangible assets.
Goodwill and intangible assets totaled $324.1 million and $315.8 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, primarily attributable to acquisitions in prior years. At the date of these acquisitions, the fair value of the acquired goodwill and intangible assets equaled its book value.
Goodwill and indefinite life intangible assets are tested annually on October 1 for impairment, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that our assets might be impaired. Such circumstances may include, among other things, a significant decrease in our operating performance, decrease in prevailing broadcast transaction multiples, deterioration in broadcasting industry revenues, adverse market conditions, a significant decrease in our market capitalization, adverse changes in applicable laws and regulations, including changes that restrict the activities of or affect the products or services sold by our businesses and a variety of other factors. Appraisals of any of our reporting units or changes in estimates of our future cash flows could affect our impairment analysis in future periods and cause us to record either an additional expense for impairment of assets previously determined to be impaired or record an expense for impairment of other assets. Depending on future circumstances, we may never realize the full value of our intangible assets. Any determination of impairment of our goodwill or other intangibles could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Changes in our accounting estimates and assumptions could negatively affect our financial position and operating results.
We prepare our financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of our assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and our financial statements. We are also required to make certain judgments that affect the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during each reporting period. We periodically evaluate our estimates and assumptions, including those relating to the valuation of intangible assets, investments, income taxes, stock-based compensation, reserves, litigation and contingencies. We base our estimates on historical experience and various assumptions that we believe to be reasonable at the time we make those assumptions, based on specific circumstances. Actual results could differ materially from our estimated results. Additionally, changes in accounting standards, assumptions or estimates may have an adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
We expect to experience fluctuations in foreign exchange rates in our overseas operations, which may increase if and as our overseas operations expand.
Our digital segment engages in business operations involving a wide range of currencies.
Our consolidated financial statements of our operations outside the United States are translated into U.S. Dollars at the average exchange rates in each applicable period. To the extent that the U.S. Dollar strengthens against foreign currencies, the translation of these foreign currencies denominated transactions will result in reduced revenue, operating expenses and net income for our international operations. Similarly, to the extent that the U.S. Dollar weakens against foreign currencies, the translation of these foreign currency denominated transactions will result in increased revenue, operating expenses and net income for our international operations. We are also exposed to foreign exchange rate fluctuations as we convert the financial statements of our foreign operations into U.S. Dollars in consolidation. In addition, we may have certain assets and liabilities that are denominated in currencies other than the relevant entity’s functional currency. Changes in the functional currency value of these assets and liabilities create fluctuations that will lead to a transaction gain or loss. Moreover, some of the countries in which our digital segment operates, including Mexico, Argentina and Brazil, have experienced significant and sometimes sudden devaluations of their currency over time, which could magnify these fluctuations, should they happen again in the future.
If we are not able to properly remediate our material weaknesses or are otherwise unable to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results, timely file our periodic reports, maintain our stock exchange listing or prevent fraud.
As reported in “Item 9A - Controls and Procedures” contained in this report, management identified material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 with respect to our digital segment. We remediated this material weakness as of December 31, 2020. However, we have identified material weaknesses in Cisneros Interactive, in which we acquired a majority interest in October 2020. While we have implemented certain measures that we believe will remediate these material weaknesses, we have not yet fully remediated these material weaknesses and we can provide no assurance that our remediation efforts will be effective
Under standards established by the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, a material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented, detected or corrected on a timely basis.
If additional material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting are discovered or occur in the future, or the existing material weaknesses are not fully remediated, there exists a risk that our consolidated financial statements may contain material misstatements that are unknown to us at that time, and such misstatements could require us to restate our financial results. Our management or our independent registered public accounting firm may identify other material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting in the future. The existence of material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting may affect our ability to timely file periodic reports under the Exchange Act, which could consequently result in The New York Stock Exchange delisting our Class A common stock or other regulatory actions that may be initiated against us by the SEC. Any of these events could have a material adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock or on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Regulatory Risks
Legislation and regulation of digital media businesses, including privacy and data protection regimes, could create unexpected costs, subject us to enforcement actions for compliance failures, or cause us to change our digital media technology platform or business model.
U.S. and foreign governments have enacted, considered or are currently considering legislation or regulations that relate to digital advertising, including, for example, the online collection and use of anonymous user data and unique device identifiers, such as IP address or unique mobile device identifiers, geo-location data, biometric data, and other privacy and data protection regulation. Some authorities have applied competition rules to regulate digital advertising practices which may result in structural changes to advertising practices. Such legislation or regulations could increase the costs of doing business online, and could reduce the demand for our digital solutions or otherwise adversely affect our digital operations. For example, a wide variety of state, national and international laws and regulations apply to the collection, use, retention, protection, disclosure, transfer and other processing of personal data. While we take measures to protect the security of information that we collect, use and disclose in the operation of our business, such measures may not always be effective. Data protection and privacy-related laws and regulations are evolving and could result in ever-increasing regulatory and public scrutiny and escalating levels of enforcement and sanctions. In addition, it is possible that these laws and regulations may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other rules or our business practices. These laws and regulations may impose obligations that are inconsistent with or interfere with our ability to comply with other legal obligations. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with U.S. federal, state, or international laws, including laws and regulations governing privacy, data security or consumer protection, could result in proceedings against us by governmental entities, consumers or others. Any such proceedings could force us to spend significant amounts in defense of these proceedings, distract our management, result in fines or require us to pay significant monetary damages, damage our reputation, adversely affect the demand for our services, increase our costs of doing business or otherwise cause us to change our business practices or limit or inhibit our ability to operate or expand our digital operations. Because we, at times, rely on third parties to perform functions on our behalf, non-compliance by these third parties with laws and regulations relating to the services they provide to us, as well as their failure to secure adequately the information that we entrust to them, may subject us to additional legal exposure. The increased regulatory scrutiny of data practices has complicated the process of engaging third party service providers and performing due diligence and supplier management processes, and limited some parties’ willingness to share, process or store data that supports consumer marketing and advertising, adversely affecting the financial results of such business activities.
If we cannot renew our FCC broadcast licenses, our broadcast operations would be impaired.
Our television and radio businesses depend upon maintaining our broadcast licenses, which are issued by the FCC. The FCC has the authority to renew licenses, not renew them, renew them only with significant qualifications, including renewals for less than a full term, or revoke them. Although we have to date renewed all our FCC licenses in the ordinary course, we cannot assure investors that our future renewal applications will be approved, or that the renewals will not include conditions or qualifications that could adversely affect our operations. Failing to renew any of our stations’ main licenses would prevent us from operating the affected stations, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. If we renew our licenses with substantial conditions or modifications (including renewing one or more of our licenses for less than the standard term of eight years), it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any failure to maintain our FCC broadcast licenses could cause a default under our 2017 Credit Facility and cause an acceleration of our indebtedness.
Our 2017 Credit Facility requires us to maintain our FCC licenses. If the FCC were to revoke any of our material licenses, our lender could declare all amounts outstanding under the 2017 Credit Facility to be immediately due and payable. If our indebtedness is accelerated, we may not have sufficient funds to pay the amounts owed.
Displacement of any of our low-power television stations (other than Class A stations) could cause our ratings and revenue for any such station to decrease.
We own and operate a number of television stations in the FCC’s low-power television service. Our low-power television stations operate with less power and coverage than our full-power stations. The FCC rules under which we operate provide that low-power television stations (but not our Class A television stations) are treated as a secondary service. If any or all of our low-power stations are found to cause interference to full-power stations or sufficient channels become unavailable to accommodate incumbent broadcast television stations, owing to the relocation of full-power stations to fewer channels as part of the incentive auction repacking process, we could be required to eliminate the interference, terminate service, or consider other options, including channel sharing arrangements. In a few urban markets where we operate, including San Diego, there are a limited number of alternative channels to which our low-power television stations can migrate. If, as a result of the elimination of part of the broadcast spectrum or otherwise, as part of the incentive auction and repacking process, we are unable to move the signals of our low-power television stations to replacement channels, or such channels do not permit us to maintain the same level of service, we may be unable to maintain the viewership these stations currently have, which could harm our ratings and advertising revenue or, in the worst case, cause us to discontinue operations at these low-power television stations. Finally, all analog low-power television stations must migrate to digital operations on or before July 13, 2021. We have not yet decided which of our remaining analog low-power television stations we will migrate to digital operations.
Because our full-power television stations rely on retransmission consent rights to obtain MVPD carriage, new laws or regulations that eliminate or limit the scope of our MVPD carriage rights or affect how we negotiate our agreements, could have a material adverse impact on our television operations.
We no longer rely on “must carry” rights to obtain the retransmission of our full-power television stations on MVPDs. New laws or regulations could affect retransmission consent rights and the negotiating process between broadcasters and MVPDs and this may affect our negotiating strategies and the economic results we achieve in such negotiations. For instance, the inability of non-common owners of television stations in a television market to negotiate with MVPDs has an impact on our negotiating arrangements with Univision.
Our low-power television stations do not have MVPD “must carry” rights. Some of our low-power television stations are carried on MVPDs as they provide broadcast programming the MVPDs desire or are part of the retransmission consent agreements we are party to. Where MVPDs are not contractually required to carry our low-power stations, we face future uncertainty with respect to the availability of MVPD carriage for our low-power television stations.
Carriage of our signals on DBS services is subject to DBS companies providing local broadcast signals in the television markets we serve and our decision as to the terms upon which our signals will be carried.
SHVIA allowed DBS television companies, which are currently AT&T/DirecTV and Dish Network, to transmit local broadcast television station signals back to their subscribers in local markets. In exchange for this privilege, however, SHVIA required that in television markets in which a DBS company elects to pick up and retransmit any local broadcast station signals, the DBS provider must also offer to its subscribers signals from all other qualified local broadcast television stations in that market. Our broadcast television stations in markets for which DBS operators have elected to carry local stations have previously obtained carriage under this “carry one/carry all” rule.
SHVIA expired in 2004 and Congress adopted SHVERA, which expired in 2009, but was extended in May 2010 by STELA. STELA and STELAR provide further five-year extensions. The TVPA has made these provisions permanent. To the extent we have decided to secure our carriage on DBS through retransmission consent agreements, the “carry one/carry all” rule no longer is relevant to us.
Changes in the FCC’s ownership rules could lead to increased market power for our competitors or could place limits on our ability to acquire stations in certain markets.
As required by the Communications Act and as the regulator of over-the-air broadcasting, the FCC, both on a quadrennial basis and in individual proceedings, continues to review its policies for the ownership of both radio and television stations. To date, however, only a reduction in the nationwide television cap, to 39% of the viewing public, has been the subject of federal legislation. The impact of changes in the FCC’s rules as to how many stations a party may own, operate and/or control, and how these are counted, depends on whether the FCC expands its ownership limits, as it has done in the past, or adopts new limits on ownership, as it has also done as in the case of time brokerage and joint sales agreements. In the case of the former, expanding ownership limits could result in our competitors’ ability to increase their ownership presence in the markets in which we operate. In the case of the latter, as has been discussed herein in connection with the UHF discount and attribution of joint sales agreements, we may be unable to acquire stations in markets where additional station ownership would enable us to achieve operating efficiencies or grow our broadcasting business. The 2014 Quadrennial Review resulted in the adoption of changes to the FCC’s ownership rules that we had deemed favorable to us. The status of these rules changes, owing to the recent decision of the Third Circuit, are subject to further decisions of the FCC and U.S. courts.
We rely on over-the-air spectrum which is being altered in connection in the incentive auction context, the results of which may affect the broadcasting services in general and our operations in particular.
Our television business operates through over-the-air transmission of broadcast signals. These transmissions are authorized under licenses issued to our stations by the FCC. The current electromagnetic spectrum is finite and certain parts of the spectrum are better than others owing to the ability of electromagnetic signals to penetrate buildings. This is the portion of the spectrum where broadcast stations operate.
With the advent of mobile wireless communications and its use not only for voice but for broadband distribution, the need for spectrum has grown. The FCC has sought to increase the amount of spectrum available for use by wireless broadband services at the expense of over-the-air broadcast services. Available sources of such spectrum are limited and the spectrum allotted for television broadcasting as a source for such spectrum repurposing has been identified as containing spectrum that the FCC seeks to recover in part and make available for wireless broadband use. The FCC has completed an incentive auction involving relinquishing and repurposing broadcast spectrum usage rights that have been auctioned off for what is expected to be wireless service use. While
existing broadcasters that did not relinquish spectrum usage rights as part of the incentive auction are entitled to have their service protected, the future of broadcasting with a smaller and repacked broadcast band is now a reality. In this regard, it cannot be certain how the FCC’s efforts to secure additional spectrum for mobile wireless communications and the incentive auction, including the results of our participation in the incentive auction process and repacking processes that accompanied the redistribution of reduced broadcast spectrum, will affect television broadcasting in general and our operations in particular. There are significant political, legal and technical issues to overcome and be considered by us as the changes in spectrum operation and usage occur. We are giving consideration to all of the implications of these changes.
We must comply with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
We are required to comply with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits U.S. companies from engaging in bribery or other prohibited payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Corruption, extortion, bribery, pay-offs, theft and other fraudulent practices occur from time-to-time in certain countries, including some of the countries in which we operate. If our competitors engage in these practices, they may receive preferential treatment from personnel of some companies, giving our competitors an advantage in securing business or from government officials who might give them priority in obtaining new business, which would put us at a disadvantage. Although we inform our personnel that such practices are illegal, we cannot assure you that our employees or other agents will not engage in such conduct for which we might be held responsible. If our employees or other agents are found to have engaged in such practices, we could suffer severe penalties.
Investor Risks
Our Chief Executive Officer currently has control of our company, giving him the ability to determine the outcome of most actions by our company and its stockholders, including the election of all of our company's directors.
As of April 5, 2021, Walter F. Ulloa, and stockholders affiliated with him, collectively hold approximately 57.5% of the voting power of our common stock. Under Delaware law, these stockholders, by themselves, have the power to elect all the directors of our company and determine the outcome of most matters placed before the stockholders for action.
Stockholders who desire to change control of our company may be prevented from doing so by provisions of our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the 2017 Credit Agreement. In addition, other agreements contain provisions that could discourage a takeover.
Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, or our certificate of incorporation, could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if doing so would benefit our stockholders. The provisions of our certificate of incorporation could diminish the opportunities for a stockholder to participate in tender offers. In addition, under our certificate of incorporation, our board of directors may issue preferred stock on terms that could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of our company. The issuance of preferred stock could also negatively affect the voting power of holders of our common stock. The provisions of our certificate of incorporation may have the effect of discouraging or preventing an acquisition or sale of our business.
In addition, the 2017 Credit Agreement contains limitations on our ability to enter into a change of control transaction. Under the 2017 Credit Agreement, the occurrence of a change of control would constitute an event of default permitting acceleration of our outstanding indebtedness.
The terms of any additional equity or convertible debt financing could contain terms that are superior to the rights of our existing security holders.
Depending upon our future results of operations, and our ability to further reduce costs as necessary and comply with our financing agreements, we may require additional equity or debt financing. If future funds are raised through issuance of stock or convertible debt, these securities could have rights, privileges and preference senior to those of common stock. The sale of additional equity securities or securities convertible into or exchangeable for equity securities could also result in dilution to our current stockholders. There can be no assurance that additional financing, if required, will be available on terms satisfactory to us or at all.
Available Information
We make available free of charge on our corporate website, www.entravision.com, the following reports, and amendments to those reports, filed or furnished pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC:
•
our annual report on Form 10-K;
•
our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q; and
•
our current reports on Form 8-K.
The information on our website is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this report or incorporated by reference into this or any other filing we make with the SEC.

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ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
ITEM 1B.
UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.

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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
ITEM 2.
PROPERTIES
Our corporate headquarters are located in Santa Monica, California. We currently lease approximately 16,000 square feet of space in the building housing our corporate headquarters under a lease that we amended as of January 14, 2021. The lease, as amended, provides that we will relocate our corporate headquarters within the same building to a space consisting of approximately 8,700 square feet, at which point the term of the lease will be extended for a period of five years commencing on the earlier to occur of (i) the date we occupy the new premises or (ii) seven days following the completion of build-out of the new premises. We expect to complete our relocation in the second half of 2021. We also lease approximately 41,000 square feet of space in the building housing our radio network headquarters in Los Angeles, California, under a lease expiring in December 2026.
The types of properties required to support each of our television stations, radio stations and digital operations typically include offices, broadcasting studios and antenna towers where broadcasting transmitters and antenna equipment are located. The majority of our office, studio and tower facilities are leased pursuant to long-term leases. We also own the buildings and/or land used for office, studio and tower facilities at certain of our television and/or radio properties. We own substantially all of the equipment used in our television and radio broadcasting business. We believe that all of our facilities and equipment are adequate to conduct our present operations. We also lease certain facilities and broadcast equipment in the operation of our business. See Note 7 to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements”.

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ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
ITEM 3.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We currently and from time to time are involved in litigation incidental to the conduct of our business, but we are not currently a party to any lawsuit or proceeding which, in the opinion of management, is likely to have a material adverse effect on us or our business.

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ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
ITEM 4.
MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
PART II

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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY
ITEM 5.
MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
Our Class A common stock has been listed and traded on The New York Stock Exchange since August 2, 2000 under the symbol “EVC.”
As of April 5, 2021, there were approximately 105 holders of record of our Class A common stock. We believe that the number of beneficial owners of our Class A common stock substantially exceeds this number.
Performance Graph
The following graph, which was produced by S&P Global Market Intelligence, depicts our performance for the period from December 31, 2015 through December 31, 2020, as measured by total stockholder return calculated on a dividend reinvestment basis, on our Class A common stock, compared with the total return of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P Broadcasting & Cable TV Index. This graph assumes $100 was invested in each of our Class A Common Stock, the S&P 500 Index and the S&P Broadcasting & Cable TV Index, as of the market close on December 31, 2015. Upon request, we will furnish to stockholders a list of the component companies of such indices.
We caution that the stock price performance shown in the graph below should not be considered indicative of potential future stock price performance.
COMPARISON OF 5 YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN
Among Entravision Communications Corporation, the S&P 500 Index
and the S&P Broadcasting Index
Period Ending
Index
12/31/15
12/31/16
12/31/17
12/31/18
12/31/19
12/31/20
Entravision Communications Corporation
100.00
92.37
96.85
41.36
39.74
44.59
S&P 500 Index
100.00
111.96
136.40
130.42
171.49
203.04
S&P Broadcasting Index
100.00
121.17
117.46
103.25
112.42
98.01
Dividend Policy
We currently pay a dividend on our Class A common stock. Our future dividend policy, including the amount of any dividend, will depend on factors considered relevant in the discretion of the Board of Directors, which may include, among other things, our earnings, capital requirements and overall financial condition. In addition, the 2017 Credit Agreement places certain restrictions on our ability to pay dividends on any class of our common stock.
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
The following table sets forth information regarding outstanding options and shares reserved for future issuance under our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2020:
Plan Category
Number of Securities
to be Issued upon
Exercise of
Outstanding Options,
Warrants and Rights
Weighted-Average
Exercise Price of
Outstanding Options,
Warrants and Rights
Number of Securities
Remaining Available
for Future Issuance
Under Equity
Compensation Plans
(excluding Securities
Reflected in the
First Column)
Equity compensation plans approved by
security holders:
Incentive Stock Plans (1)
883,500
$
2.17
(2)
3,658,375
(1)
Represents information with respect to both our 2000 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan and our 2004 Equity Incentive Plan. No options, warrants or rights have been issued other than pursuant to these plans.
(2)
Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options; excludes restricted stock units.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
On July 13, 2017, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program of up to $15.0 million of our outstanding Class A common stock. On April 11, 2018, our Board of Directors approved the repurchase of up to an additional $15.0 million of our outstanding Class A common stock, for a total repurchase authorization of up to $30.0 million. On August 27, 2019, the Board of Directors approved the repurchase of up to an additional $15.0 million of the Company’s Class A common stock, for a total repurchase authorization of up to $45.0 million. Under the share repurchase program, we are authorized to purchase shares from time to time through open market purchases or negotiated purchases, subject to market conditions and other factors. The share repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time without prior notice. On March 26, 2020, we suspended share repurchases under the plan in order to preserve cash during the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
From inception of the share repurchase program through December 31, 2020, we have repurchased a total of approximately 8.6 million shares of Class A common stock at an average price per share of $3.76, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $32.2 million. All repurchased shares were retired as of December 31, 2020.

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ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
ITEM 6.
SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Removed and reserved.

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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
ITEM 7.
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion of our consolidated results of operations and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 and consolidated financial condition as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K.
The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations for 2020 compared to 2019 appears below. As permitted by SEC rules, we have omitted the discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations for 2019 compared to 2018. See Item 7, “Management’s Discussions and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, for this discussion.
OVERVIEW
We are a diversified global media, marketing and technology company that, through our television and radio segments, reaches and engages U.S. Hispanics across acculturation levels and media channels. Additionally, our digital segment, whose operations are located primarily in Spain and Latin America, reaches a global market. Our operations encompass integrated marketing and media solutions, comprised of television, radio and digital properties and data analytics services. For financial reporting purposes, we report in three segments based upon the type of advertising medium: television, radio and digital. Our net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $344.0 million. Of that amount, revenue attributed to our television segment accounted for approximately 45%, revenue attributed to our digital segment accounted for approximately 42%, and revenue attributed to our radio segment accounted for approximately 13%.
We own and/or operate 54 primary television stations located primarily in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Washington, D.C. We own and operate 48 radio stations in 16 U.S. markets. Our radio stations consist of 38 FM and 10 AM stations located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. We also sell advertisements and syndicate radio programming to more than 100 markets across the United States. We also provide digital advertising solutions that allow advertisers to reach primarily Hispanic online audiences worldwide. We operate proprietary technology and data platforms that deliver digital advertising in various advertising formats that allow advertisers to reach audiences across a wide range of Internet-connected devices on our owned and operated digital media sites, the digital media sites of our publisher partners, and on other digital media sites we access through third-party platforms and exchanges.
We generate revenue primarily from sales of national and local advertising time on television stations, radio stations and digital media platforms, retransmission consent agreements that are entered into with MVPDs, and agreements associated with our television stations’ spectrum usage rights. Advertising rates are, in large part, based on each medium’s ability to attract audiences in demographic groups targeted by advertisers. In our television and radio segments, we recognize advertising revenue when commercials are broadcast. In our digital segment, we recognize advertising revenue when display or other digital advertisements record impressions on the websites of our third party publishers or as the advertiser’s previously agreed-upon performance criteria are satisfied. We do not obtain long-term commitments from our advertisers and, consequently, they may cancel, reduce or postpone orders without penalties. We pay commissions to agencies for local, regional and national advertising. For contracts we have entered into directly with agencies, we record net revenue from these agencies. Seasonal revenue fluctuations are common in our industry and are due primarily to variations in advertising expenditures by both local and national advertisers. Our first fiscal quarter generally produces the lowest net revenue for the year. In addition, advertising revenue is generally higher during presidential election years (2020, 2024, etc.) and, to a lesser degree, Congressional mid-term election years (2022, 2026, etc.), resulting from increased political advertising in those years compared to other years.
We refer to the revenue generated by agreements with MVPDs as retransmission consent revenue, which represents payments from MVPDs for access to our television station signals so that they may rebroadcast our signals and charge their subscribers for this programming. We recognize retransmission consent revenue earned as the television signal is delivered to an MVPD.
Our FCC licenses grant us spectrum usage rights within each of the television markets in which we operate. These spectrum usage rights give us the authority to broadcast our stations’ over-the-air television signals to our viewers. We regard these rights as a valuable asset. With the proliferation of mobile devices and advances in technology that have freed up spectrum capacity, the monetization of our spectrum usage rights has become a significant source of revenue in recent years. We generate revenue from agreements associated with these television stations’ spectrum usage rights from a variety of sources, including but not limited to agreements with third parties to utilize spectrum for the broadcast of their multicast networks; charging fees to accommodate the operations of third parties, including moving channel positions or accepting interference with our broadcasting operations; and modifying and/or relinquishing spectrum usage rights while continuing to broadcast through channel sharing or other arrangements. Revenue generated by such agreements is recognized over the period of the lease or when we have relinquished all or a portion of our spectrum usage rights for a station or have relinquished our rights to operate a station on the existing channel free from interference. In addition, subject to certain restrictions contained in our 2017 Credit Agreement, we will consider strategic
acquisitions of television stations to further this strategy from time to time, as well as additional monetization opportunities expected to arise as the television broadcast industry implements the standards contained in ATSC 3.0.
Our primary expenses are employee compensation, including commissions paid to our sales staff and amounts paid to our national sales representative firms, as well as expenses for general and administrative functions, promotion and selling, engineering, marketing, and local programming. Our local programming costs for television consist primarily of costs related to producing a local newscast in most of our markets. Cost of revenue related to our television segment consists primarily of the carrying value of spectrum usage rights that were surrendered in the FCC auction for broadcast spectrum that concluded in 2017. In addition, cost of revenue related to our digital segment consists primarily of the costs of online media acquired from third-party publishers and third party server costs. Direct operating expenses include salaries and commissions of sales staff, amounts paid to national representation firms, production and programming expenses, fees for ratings services, and engineering costs. Corporate expenses consist primarily of salaries related to corporate officers and back office functions, third party legal and accounting services, and fees incurred as a result of being a publicly traded and reporting company.
Highlights
During 2020, our consolidated revenue increased to $344.0 million from $273.6 million in the prior year, primarily due to increase in advertising revenue attributed to the acquisition of a majority interest in a company engages in the sale and marketing of digital advertising that together with its subsidiaries, does business under the name Cisneros Interactive, during the fourth quarter of 2020, which did not contribute to net revenue in prior periods, and increases in political advertising revenue and retransmission consent revenue. The increase in advertising revenue was partially offset by decreases in local and national advertising revenue and revenue from spectrum usage rights. Our audience shares remained strong in the nation’s most densely populated Hispanic markets.
Net revenue for our television segment increased to $154.5 million in 2020, from $149.7 million in 2019. This increase of approximately $4.8 million was primarily due to increases in political advertising revenue and retransmission consent revenue, partially offset by decreases in local and national advertising revenue and revenue from spectrum usage rights. The decrease in local and national advertising revenue was primarily a result of the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, ratings declines, competitive factors with another Spanish-language broadcaster, and changing demographic preferences of audiences. We have previously noted a trend for advertising to move increasingly from traditional media, such as television, to new media, such as digital media, and we expect this trend to continue. We generated a total of $36.8 million in retransmission consent revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $35.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. We generated a total of $5.4 million in spectrum usage rights revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $13.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Net revenue for our digital segment increased to $143.3 million in 2020, from $68.9 million in 2019. This increase of approximately $74.4 million was primarily a result of advertising revenue attributed to the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive during the fourth quarter of 2020, which did not contribute to net revenue in prior periods, partially offset by a decrease in advertising revenue as a result of declines in pre-acquisition digital revenue, and the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. We have previously noted a trend in our domestic digital operations whereby revenue is shifting more to programmatic revenue, and this trend is now growing in markets outside the United States. As a result, advertisers are demanding more efficiency and lower cost from intermediaries like us. In response to this trend, we are offering programmatic alternatives to advertisers, which is putting pressure on margins. We expect this trend will continue in future periods, likely resulting in a permanent higher volume, lower margin business in our digital segment. The digital advertising industry remains dynamic and is continuing to undergo rapid changes in technology and competition. We expect this trend to continue and possibly accelerate. We must continue to remain vigilant to meet these dynamic and rapid changes including the need to further adjust our business strategies accordingly. No assurances can be given that such strategies will be successful.
Net revenue for our radio segment decreased to $46.3 million in 2020, from $55.0 million in 2019. This decrease of approximately $8.7 million was primarily due to decreases in local and national advertising revenue, partially offset by an increase in political advertising revenue. The decrease in local and national advertising revenue was primarily a result of the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, ratings declines and competitive factors with other Spanish-language broadcasters, and changing demographic preferences of audiences. We have previously noted a trend for advertising to move increasingly from traditional media, such as radio, to new media, such as digital media, and we expect this trend to continue. This trend has had a more significant impact on our radio revenue as compared to television revenue, and we expect that this trend will also continue.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on our Business
This section of this report should be read in conjunction with the rest of this item, “Forward-Looking Statements” and Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements appearing herein, for a more complete understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business.
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (the “WHO”) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. On March 13, 2020, a Presidential proclamation was issued declaring a national emergency in the United States as a result of COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our business and, subject to the extent and duration of the pandemic and the continuing economic crisis that has resulted from the pandemic, is anticipated to continue to affect our business, from both an operational and financial perspective, in future periods.
Operational Impact
As result of lockdown, shelter-in-place, stay-at-home or similar orders imposed beginning in March 2020, businesses in non-essential industries were closed or their operations were curtailed throughout the United States and around the world. By some estimates, up to 95% of the U.S. population has at one time or another been subject to such orders. While a number of such orders have been lifted or eased from time to time, they were reimposed on a wider scale later in 2020 during a resurgence of the pandemic. Unprecedented disruptions in daily life and business continue on a global scale.
We are considered, or we believe that we are considered, an “essential business” in all jurisdictions in the United States that have imposed lockdown, shelter-in-place, stay-at-home or similar orders. To date, we have experienced no significant interruption of our broadcasts in our television and radio segments in any of the markets in which we own and/or operate stations. Nonetheless, we are operating with reduced staff at all of our stations and we cannot give assurance at this time whether a more prolonged or extensive impact of the pandemic in any of our markets would not adversely affect our ability to continue staffing our stations at appropriate levels to continue broadcasts without interruption.
Our digital segment has a significant number of employees in Spain, Mexico and Argentina, which are among the worst affected countries in the world by the pandemic. Spain had begun to return to work in July following highly restrictive lockdowns that began in March 2020, although the second wave of the pandemic that began in the latter months of 2020 has affected Spain, along with the rest of Western Europe, with a significant increase in new cases reported and the reimposition of lockdowns in many parts of Spain. Mexico began lifting lockdown restrictions in early June 2020 but with a significant number of new cases and deaths during the second wave of the pandemic began reinstituting lockdowns in certain regions, including parts of Mexico City, in late 2020 and early 2021. In late June, Argentina extended and strengthened existing lockdown conditions in Buenos Aires that began nationwide in March 2020 as a significant number of new cases and deaths continued. Uruguay, where we also have a large number of employees in our digital segment, has not instituted lockdowns. Nonetheless, most of our employees in our digital segment work remotely and we have not seen a significant interruption in our digital business to date. We cannot give assurance at this time whether a more prolonged or extensive impact of the pandemic in Spain, Latin America or any other location where our digital segment has employees or operates would not adversely affect our digital business.
Our corporate office is located in Santa Monica, California, which, since March 19, 2020, has been subject to a general statewide order, as modified from time to time, to stay at home except as needed to maintain continuity of operations of critical infrastructure sectors. We have been operating with reduced staff in our corporate office, with certain staff working remotely.. We have not experienced any significant interruption in any of our corporate or administrative departments, including without limitation our finance and accounting departments.
Financial Impact
In the quarter ended December 31, 2020, the global, U.S. and local economies declined at a slower rate than during earlier periods in 2020. With the exception of political advertising during the height of the election cycle, we continued to experience significant cancellations of advertising and a significant decrease in new advertising placements in our television segment and especially our radio segment, continuing a trend that we had begun to experience since the last half of March 2020, although we experienced this decrease at a slower rate as the year progressed. The impact on our radio segment continues to be significantly greater than that on our television segment because radio audiences declined at a much greater rate, and maintained, as a result of fewer people commuting to work or driving in general as a result of a combination of lockdown, shelter-in-place, stay-at-home or similar orders that were still in effect in various parts of the United States throughout most of 2020, and changes in personal behavior regardless of whether such lockdown, shelter-in-place, stay-at-home or similar orders were in effect in certain parts of the United States from time to time during this period.
We believe that these cancellations and reductions in the placement of new advertising are primarily attributable to decisions that our advertisers are making regarding the preservation of their own capital during the continuing business interruption that has resulted from a variety of lockdown, shelter-in-place, stay-at-home or similar orders; the closure of businesses across the United States, including those in the automotive, services, non-emergency healthcare, retail, travel, restaurant and telecommunications industries, which has resulted in consumers not being able to frequent such businesses; reduced demand for products and services by our advertisers’ customers, who are our audiences; the diversion of our advertisers’ own personnel’s attention from advertising activities during the pandemic as a result of health concerns, remote working and/or financial and other non-financial considerations; and the financial solvency of our advertisers in general during the continuing economic crisis that has resulted from the pandemic.
To partially address this situation, we have continued to significantly reduce some of our advertising rates, primarily in our radio segment, although the rate of decrease in our advertising rates was at a slower pace during the quarter ended December 31, 2020 than it was during earlier periods in 2020 and has been somewhat moderated by political advertising in our inventory during the election cycle. We have also eased credit terms for certain of our advertising clients to help them manage their own cash flow and address other financial needs.
Depending upon the extent and duration of the pandemic and the continuing economic crisis that has resulted from the pandemic, we expect that these cancellations and reductions in the placement of new advertising will continue in future periods. Therefore, our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020 may not be indicative of our results of operations for any future period. We cannot give assurance at this time whether a more prolonged or extensive impact of the pandemic and the continuing economic crisis that has resulted from the pandemic would not adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition in future periods during the course of the pandemic, or beyond.
Based on publicly available information, while it currently appears that the U.S. and some local economies have continued to improve month-over-month during the quarter ended December 31, 2020, such improvement is uneven geographically and by industry, and may be adversely impacted by the second wave of the pandemic. We believe that we have not yet felt the full impact of the continuing economic crisis, nor do we know how soon the global, U.S. and local economies will fully recover to pre-pandemic levels. Therefore, while we hope for a different outcome, we anticipate that we may continue to experience an adverse financial impact on our business and results of operations, albeit at a potentially slower rate, and possibly our financial condition, for an unknown period of time even after lockdown, shelter-in-place, stay-at-home and similar orders have been fully lifted and businesses fully reopen. Additionally, any resurgence of the pandemic, which began in many areas of the United States and certain parts of the world during the latter months of 2020, and/or the reimposition of lockdown, shelter-in-place, stay-at-home and similar orders, could intensify this adverse impact and add uncertainty to our business, results of operations and financial condition in future periods.
Primarily during the quarter ended March 31, 2020 and early in the quarter ended June 30, 2020, we engaged in a small number of layoffs and significant number of furloughs of employees as a result of the pandemic. During the quarter ended December 31, 2020 we terminated these previously furloughed employees. Severance expense associated with these terminations was not material. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and may institute such further layoffs or furloughs at a future date if we think they are appropriate. We have elected to defer the employer portion of the social security payroll tax (6.2%) as provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act of 2020, commonly known as the CARES Act. The deferral was effective from March 27, 2020 through December 31, 2020. The deferred amount will be paid in two installments and the amount will be considered timely paid if 50% of the deferred amount is paid by December 31, 2021 and the remainder is paid by December 31, 2022.
In order to preserve cash during this period, we have instituted certain cost reduction measures. On March 26, 2020, we suspended repurchases under our share repurchase program. Effective April 16, 2020, we instituted a 2.5%-22.5% reduction in salaries company-wide, depending on the amount of then-current compensation. During the quarter ended December 31, 2020, these reductions were reversed and payments were restored retroactively, resulting in no financial impact on a fiscal year basis. Effective May 16, 2020, we suspended company matching of employee contributions to their 401(k) retirement plans. We also reduced our dividend by 50% beginning in the second quarter of 2020, and we may do so in future periods. Additionally, effective May 28, 2020, the Board of Directors decreased its annual non-employee director fees by 20% for the Board year ending at the 2021 shareholders meeting. During the quarter ended December 31, 2020, these reductions were reversed and payments were restored retroactively, resulting in no financial impact on a fiscal year basis. We will continue to monitor all of these actions closely in light of current and changing conditions and may institute such additional actions as we may feel are appropriate at a future date.
We believe that our liquidity and capital resources remain adequate and that we can meet current expenses for at least the next twelve months from a combination of cash on hand and cash flows from operations.
In addition to the great personal toll that the pandemic has exacted and is expected to continue to exact, the challenges it is causing to the global, U.S. and local economies have created and will continue to create unprecedented uncertainty in our business and how we plan and respond to rapidly changing circumstances in our operations, as well as the impact this may have on our business,
results of operations and financial condition. We are closely monitoring the situation across all fronts and will need to remain flexible to respond to developments as they occur. However, we cannot give any assurance if, or the extent to which, we will be successful in these efforts.
Relationship with Univision
Substantially all of our television stations are Univision- or UniMás-affiliated television stations. Our network affiliation agreement with Univision provides certain of our owned stations the exclusive right to broadcast Univision’s primary network and UniMás network programming in their respective markets. Under the network affiliation agreement, we retain the right to sell no less than four minutes per hour of the available advertising time on stations that broadcast Univision network programming, and the right to sell approximately four and a half minutes per hour of the available advertising time on stations that broadcast UniMás network programming, subject to adjustment from time to time by Univision.
Under the network affiliation agreement, Univision acts as our exclusive third-party sales representative for the sale of certain national advertising on our Univision- and UniMás-affiliate television stations, and we pay certain sales representation fees to Univision relating to sales of all advertising for broadcast on our Univision- and UniMás-affiliate television stations.
We also generate revenue under two marketing and sales agreements with Univision, which give us the right to manage the marketing and sales operations of Univision-owned Univision affiliates in six markets - Albuquerque, Boston, Denver, Orlando, Tampa and Washington, D.C.
Under our proxy agreement with Univision, we grant Univision the right to negotiate the terms of retransmission consent agreements for our Univision- and UniMás-affiliated television station signals. Among other things, the proxy agreement provides terms relating to compensation to be paid to us by Univision with respect to retransmission consent agreements entered into with MVPDs. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, retransmission consent revenue accounted for approximately $36.8 million and $35.4 million, respectively, of which $26.8 million and $27.3 million, respectively, relate to the Univision proxy agreement. The term of the proxy agreement extends with respect to any MVPD for the length of the term of any retransmission consent agreement in effect before the expiration of the proxy agreement.
On October 2, 2017, we entered into the current affiliation agreement with Univision, which superseded and replaced our prior affiliation agreements with Univision. Additionally, on the same date, we entered into the current proxy agreement and current marketing and sales agreements with Univision, each of which superseded and replaced the prior comparable agreements with Univision. The term of each of these current agreements expires on December 31, 2026 for all of our Univision and UniMás network affiliate stations, except that each current agreement will expire on December 31, 2021 with respect to our Univision and UniMás network affiliate stations in Orlando, Tampa and Washington, D.C.
Univision currently owns approximately 11% of our common stock on a fully-converted basis. Our Class U common stock, all of which is held by Univision, has limited voting rights and does not include the right to elect directors. Each share of Class U common stock is automatically convertible into one share of Class A common stock (subject to adjustment for stock splits, dividends or combinations) in connection with any transfer of such shares of Class U common stock to a third party that is not an affiliate of Univision. In addition, as the holder of all of our issued and outstanding Class U common stock, so long as Univision holds a certain number of shares of Class U common stock, we may not, without the consent of Univision, merge, consolidate or enter into a business combination, dissolve or liquidate our company or dispose of any interest in any FCC license with respect to television stations which are affiliates of Univision, among other things.
Acquisitions and Dispositions
Cisneros Interactive
On October 13, 2020, we acquired from certain individuals (collectively, the “Sellers”), 51% of the issued and outstanding shares of Cisneros Interactive. The transaction, funded from cash on hand, includes a purchase price of approximately $29.9 million in cash. We concluded that the remaining 49% of the issued and outstanding shares of Cisneros Interactive is considered to be a noncontrolling interest.
In connection with the acquisition, we also entered into a Put and Call Option Agreement (the “Put and Call Agreement”). Subject to the terms of the Put and Call Agreement, if certain minimum EBITDA targets are met, the Sellers have the right (the “Put Option”), between March 15, 2024 and June 13, 2024, to cause us to purchase all (but not less than all) of the remaining 49% of the issued and outstanding shares of Cisneros Interactive at a purchase price to be based on a pre-determined multiple of six times
Cisneros Interactive’s 12-month EBITDA in the preceding calendar year. The sellers may also exercise the Put Option upon the occurrence of certain events, between March 2022 and April 2024.
Additionally, subject to the terms of the Put and Call Agreement, we have the right (the “Call Option”), in calendar year 2024, to purchase all (but not less than all) of the remaining 49% of the issued and outstanding shares of Cisneros Interactive at a purchase price to be based on a pre-determined multiple of six times of Cisneros Interactive’s 12-month EBITDA in calendar year 2023.
Applicable accounting guidance requires an equity instrument that is redeemable for cash or other assets to be classified outside of permanent equity if it is redeemable (a) at a fixed or determinable price on a fixed or determinable date, (b) at the option of the holder, or (c) upon the occurrence of an event that is not solely within the control of the issuer.
As a result of the put and call option redemption feature, and since the redemption is not solely within our control, the noncontrolling interest is considered redeemable, and is classified in temporary equity within our Consolidated Balance Sheets initially at its acquisition date fair value. The noncontrolling interest is adjusted each reporting period for income (or loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interest as well as any applicable distributions made. Since the noncontrolling interest is not currently redeemable and it is not probable that it will become redeemable, we are not currently required to adjust the amount presented in temporary equity to its redemption value.
We are in the process of completing the purchase price allocation for our acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive. The measurement period remains open pending the finalization of the pre-acquisition tax-related items. The following is a summary of the purchase price allocation (in millions):
Cash
$
8.7
Accounts receivable
50.5
Other assets
6.2
Intangible assets subject to amortization
41.7
Goodwill
12.3
Current liabilities
(48.1
)
Deferred tax
(10.6
)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest
(30.8
)
Intangibles assets subject to amortization acquired includes:
Intangible Asset
Estimated
Fair Value
(in millions)
Weighted
average
life (in years)
Publisher relationships
$
34.4
10.0
Advertiser relationships
5.2
4.0
Trade name
1.7
2.5
Non-Compete agreements
0.4
4.0
The fair value of the assets acquired includes trade receivables of $50.5 million. The gross amount due under contract is $54.0 million, of which $3.5 million is expected to be uncollectable.
During the year ended December 31, 2020, since the acquisition date, Cisneros Interactive generated net revenue and net income of $89.2 million and $5.1 million, respectively.
The goodwill, which is not expected to be deductible for tax purposes, is assigned to the digital segment and is attributable to Cisneros Interactive’s workforce and expected synergies from combining Cisneros Interactive’s operations with ours.
As noted above, the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive included a redeemable noncontrolling interest and the Put and Call Agreement. The fair value of the redeemable noncontrolling interest which includes the Put and Call Agreement recognized on the acquisition date was $30.8 million.
The following unaudited pro forma information for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 has been prepared to give effect to the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive as if the acquisition had occurred on January 1, 2019. This pro forma information was adjusted to exclude acquisition fees and costs of $0.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, which were expensed in connection with the acquisition. This pro forma information does not purport to represent what our actual results of
operations would have been had this acquisition occurred on such date, nor does it purport to predict the results of operations for any future periods.
Years Ended
Ended December 31,
Pro Forma:
Total revenue
$
488,137
$
432,966
Net income (loss)
5,257
(11,403
)
Net income (loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest
(5,343
)
(4,071
)
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders
$
(86
)
$
(15,474
)
Basic and diluted earnings per share:
Net income (loss) per share, attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted
$
0.00
$
(0.18
)
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted
84,231,212
85,107,301
KMBH-TV
On November 7, 2019, we completed the acquisition of television station KMBH-TV, serving the McAllen, Texas area, for an aggregate cash consideration of $2.9 million. The transaction was treated as an asset acquisition with $2.3 million of the purchase price recorded in “Intangible assets not subject to amortization”, and the remainder recorded in “Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation” on our consolidated balance sheet.
Smadex
On June 11, 2018, we completed the acquisition of Smadex, S.L. (“Smadex”), a mobile programmatic solutions provider that delivers performance-based solutions and data insights for marketers. The transaction was treated as a business acquisition in accordance with the guidance of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805. We acquired Smadex to expand our technology platform, broaden our digital solutions offering and enhance our execution of performance campaigns. The transaction was funded from cash on hand for an aggregate cash consideration of $3.5 million, net of $1.2 million of cash acquired.
The following is a summary of the final purchase price allocation for our acquisition of Smadex (in millions):
Accounts receivable
$
0.9
Other current assets
0.4
Intangible assets subject to amortization
2.0
Goodwill
3.6
Current liabilities
(2.8
)
Long-term liabilities
(0.2
)
Deferred tax
(0.4
)
The fair value of assets acquired includes trade receivables of $0.9 million. The gross amount due under contract is $0.9 million, all of which is expected to be collectible.
During the year ended December 31, 2018, Smadex generated net revenue and expenses of $6.4 million and $5.8 million, respectively, which are included in our consolidated statements of operations.
The goodwill, which is not expected to be deductible for tax purposes, is assigned to the digital segment and is attributable to the Smadex workforce and expected synergies from combining its operations with ours.
The following unaudited pro forma information for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 has been prepared to give effect to the acquisition of Smadex as if the acquisition had occurred on January 1, 2017. This pro-forma information does not purport to represent what the actual results of operations of the Company would have been had this acquisition occurred on such date, nor does it purport to predict the results of operations for future periods.
Years Ended
December 31,
Pro Forma:
Total revenue
$
307,805
Net income (loss)
$
13,133
Basic and diluted earnings per share:
Net income per share, basic
$
0.15
Net income per share, diluted
$
0.15
Weighted average common shares
outstanding, basic
89,115,997
Weighted average common shares
outstanding, diluted
90,328,583
The unaudited pro forma information for the year ended December 31, 2018 was adjusted to exclude acquisition fees and costs of $0.4 million, which were expensed in connection with the acquisition.
KMCC-TV
On January 16, 2018, we completed the acquisition of television station KMCC-TV, which serves the Las Vegas, Nevada area, for an aggregate cash consideration of $3.6 million. The transaction was treated as an asset acquisition with the majority of the purchase price recorded in “Intangible assets not subject to amortization” on our consolidated balance sheet.
On April 2, 2020, we sold KMCC-TV to ION Media Stations, Inc. for $4.0 million. The transaction resulted in a gain of $0.6 million, which is included in other operating gain in the consolidated statements of operations.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Separate financial data for each of the Company’s operating segments is provided below. Segment operating profit (loss) is defined as operating profit (loss) before corporate expenses, change in fair value of contingent consideration, impairment charge, other operating (gain) loss, and foreign currency (gain) loss. The Company evaluates the performance of its operating segments based on the following (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31,
% Change
% Change
2020 to 2019
2019 to 2018
Net Revenue
Television
$
154,456
$
149,654
$
152,911
%
(2
)%
Digital
143,309
68,908
80,982
%
(15
)%
Radio
46,261
55,013
63,922
(16
)%
(14
)%
Consolidated
344,026
273,575
297,815
%
(8
)%
Cost of revenue - digital
106,928
36,757
45,096
%
(18
)%
Direct operating expenses
Television
61,145
61,778
62,434
(1
)%
(1
)%
Digital
15,227
18,357
21,521
(17
)%
(15
)%
Radio
28,537
39,277
41,287
(27
)%
(5
)%
Consolidated
104,909
119,412
125,242
(12
)%
(5
)%
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Television
19,748
22,638
21,864
(13
)%
%
Digital
15,404
13,904
11,590
%
%
Radio
13,252
17,423
18,081
(24
)%
(4
)%
Consolidated
48,404
53,965
51,535
(10
)%
%
Depreciation and amortization
Television
12,918
10,059
9,024
%
%
Digital
2,561
4,723
4,759
(46
)%
(1
)%
Radio
1,803
1,866
2,490
(3
)%
(25
)%
Consolidated
17,282
16,648
16,273
%
%
Segment operating profit (loss)
Television
60,645
55,179
59,589
%
(7
)%
Digital
3,189
(4,833
)
(1,984
)
(166
)%
%
Radio
2,669
(3,553
)
2,064
*
(272
)%
Consolidated
66,503
46,793
59,669
%
(22
)%
Corporate expenses
27,807
28,067
26,865
(1
)%
%
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
-
(6,478
)
(1,202
)
(100
)%
%
Impairment charge
40,035
32,097
-
%
*
Foreign currency (gain) loss
(1,052
)
1,616
*
(53
)%
Other operating (gain) loss
(6,895
)
(5,994
)
(1,187
)
%
%
Operating income (loss)
$
6,608
$
(1,653
)
$
33,577
*
*
Consolidated adjusted EBITDA (1)
$
60,419
$
41,209
$
54,038
%
(24
)%
Capital expenditures
Television
$
7,184
$
24,174
$
14,336
Digital
1,659
1,031
Radio
Consolidated
$
9,484
$
25,284
$
15,717
Total assets
Television
$
425,899
$
465,758
$
487,929
Digital
196,020
51,979
81,460
Radio
125,426
138,463
121,020
Consolidated
$
747,345
$
656,200
$
690,409
*
Percentage not meaningful.
(1)
Consolidated adjusted EBITDA means net income (loss) plus gain (loss) on sale of assets, depreciation and amortization, non-cash impairment charge, non-cash stock-based compensation included in operating and corporate expenses, net interest expense, other operating gain (loss), gain (loss) on debt extinguishment, income tax (expense) benefit, equity in net income (loss) of nonconsolidated affiliate, non-cash losses, syndication programming amortization less syndication programming payments, revenue from the FCC spectrum incentive auction less related expenses, expenses associated with investments, EBITDA attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest, acquisitions and dispositions and certain pro-forma cost savings. We use the term consolidated adjusted EBITDA because that measure is defined in our 2017 Credit Agreement and does not include gain
(loss) on sale of assets, depreciation and amortization, non-cash impairment charge, non-cash stock-based compensation, net interest expense, other income (loss), gain (loss) on debt extinguishment, income tax (expense) benefit, equity in net income (loss) of nonconsolidated affiliate, non-cash losses, syndication programming amortization less syndication programming payments, revenue from FCC spectrum incentive auction less related expenses, expenses associated with investments, EBITDA attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest, acquisitions and dispositions and certain pro-forma cost savings.
Since consolidated adjusted EBITDA is a measure governing several critical aspects of our 2017 Credit Facility, we believe that it is important to disclose consolidated adjusted EBITDA to our investors. We may increase the aggregate principal amount outstanding by an additional amount equal to $100.0 million plus the amount that would result in our total net leverage ratio, or the ratio of consolidated total senior debt (net of up to $75.0 million of unrestricted cash) to trailing-twelve-month consolidated adjusted EBITDA, not exceeding 4.0. In addition, beginning December 31, 2018, at the end of every calendar year, in the event our total net leverage ratio is within certain ranges, we must make a debt prepayment equal to a certain percentage of our Excess Cash Flow, which is defined as consolidated adjusted EBITDA, less consolidated interest expense, less debt principal payments, less taxes paid, less other amounts set forth in the definition of Excess Cash Flow in the 2017 Credit Agreement. The total leverage ratio was as follows (in each case as of December 31): 2020, 2.3 to 1; 2019, 3.5 to 1.
While many in the financial community and we consider consolidated adjusted EBITDA to be important, it should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for or superior to, other measures of liquidity and financial performance prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, such as cash flows from operating activities, operating income (loss) and net income (loss). As consolidated adjusted EBITDA excludes non-cash gain (loss) on sale of assets, non-cash depreciation and amortization, non-cash impairment charge, non-cash stock-based compensation expense, net interest expense, other income (loss), non-recurring cash expenses, gain (loss) on debt extinguishment, income tax (expense) benefit, equity in net income (loss) of nonconsolidated affiliate, non-cash losses, syndication programming amortization less syndication programming payments, revenue from FCC spectrum incentive auction less related expenses, expenses associated with investments, EBITDA attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest, acquisitions and dispositions and certain pro-forma cost savings, consolidated adjusted EBITDA has certain limitations because it excludes and includes several important financial line items. Therefore, we consider both non-GAAP and GAAP measures when evaluating our business. Consolidated adjusted EBITDA is also used to make executive compensation decisions.
Consolidated adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. The most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to consolidated adjusted EBITDA is cash flows from operating activities. A reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure to cash flows from operating activities follows (in thousands):
Years Ended December 31,
Consolidated adjusted EBITDA (1)
$
60,419
$
41,209
$
54,038
EBITDA attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest
3,436
-
-
Interest expense
(8,265
)
(13,683
)
(15,743
)
Interest income
1,748
3,353
3,973
Gain (loss) on debt extinguishment
-
(255
)
(550
)
Income tax (expense) benefit
(1,506
)
(8,158
)
(7,877
)
Amortization of syndication contracts
(504
)
(505
)
(651
)
Payments on syndication contracts
Non-cash stock-based compensation included in direct operating expenses
(1,247
)
(732
)
(732
)
Non-cash stock-based compensation included in corporate expenses
(3,878
)
(3,645
)
(5,055
)
Depreciation and amortization
(17,282
)
(16,648
)
(16,273
)
Change in fair value of contingent consideration
-
6,478
1,202
Other operating gain (loss)
6,895
5,994
1,187
Impairment charge
(40,035
)
(32,097
)
-
Impairment loss on investment
-
-
(1,320
)
Non-recurring severance charge
(1,654
)
(2,250
)
(782
)
Dividend income
1,475
Equity in net income (loss) of nonconsolidated affiliates
-
(234
)
(1,374
)
Net (income) loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest
(2,523
)
-
-
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders
(3,910
)
(19,712
)
12,161
Depreciation and amortization
17,282
16,648
16,273
Deferred income taxes
(6,225
)
5,311
4,612
Amortization of debt issue costs
1,124
Amortization of syndication contracts
Payments on syndication contracts
(458
)
(543
)
(643
)
Equity in net (income) loss of nonconsolidated affiliate
-
1,374
Non-cash stock-based compensation
5,125
4,377
5,787
(Gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment
(731
)
-
(Gain) loss on debt extinguishment
-
Net income (loss) attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest
2,523
-
-
Impairment charge
40,035
32,097
-
Impairment loss on investment
-
-
1,320
Changes in assets and liabilities:
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable
(20,100
)
8,610
5,895
(Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses and other assets
11,526
2,102
(5,581
)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities
17,229
(19,384
)
(9,727
)
Cash flows from operating activities
$
63,449
$
31,539
$
33,796
(footnotes on preceding page)
Year Ended December 31, 2020 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2019
Consolidated Operations
Net Revenue. Net revenue increased to $344.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $273.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of approximately $70.4 million. Of the overall increase, approximately $4.8 million was attributable to our television segment and was primarily due increases in political advertising revenue and retransmission consent revenue, partially offset by decreases in local and national advertising revenue and revenue from spectrum usage rights. The decrease in local and national advertising revenue was primarily a result of the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, ratings declines, competitive factors with another Spanish-language broadcaster, and changing demographic preferences of audiences. We have previously noted a trend for advertising to move increasingly from traditional media, such as television, to new media, such as digital media, and we expect this trend to continue. Additionally, approximately $74.4 million of the overall increase was attributable to our digital segment and was primarily due to the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive during the fourth quarter of 2020, which did not contribute to net revenue in prior periods, partially offset by a decrease in advertising revenue as a result of declines in pre-acquisition digital revenue, and the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. We have previously noted a trend in our domestic digital operations whereby revenue is shifting more to programmatic revenue, and this
trend is now growing in markets outside the United States. As a result, advertisers are demanding more efficiency and lower cost from intermediaries like us. In response to this trend, we are offering programmatic alternatives to advertisers, which is putting pressure on margins. We expect this trend will continue in future periods, likely resulting in a permanent higher volume, lower margin business in our digital segment. The digital advertising industry remains dynamic and is continuing to undergo rapid changes in technology and competition. We expect this trend to continue and possibly accelerate. We must continue to remain vigilant to meet these dynamic and rapid changes including the need to further adjust our business strategies accordingly. No assurances can be given that such strategies will be successful. The overall increase in net revenue was partially offset by a decrease of approximately $8.7 million attributable to our radio segment and was primarily due to decreases in local and national advertising revenue, partially offset by an increase in political advertising revenue. The decrease in local and national advertising revenue was primarily a result of the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, ratings declines and competitive factors with other Spanish-language broadcasters, and changing demographic preferences of audiences. We have previously noted a trend for advertising to move increasingly from traditional media, such as radio, to new media, such as digital media, and we expect this trend to continue. This trend has had a more significant impact on our radio revenue as compared to television revenue, and we expect that this trend will also continue.
We believe that for the full year 2021, net revenue will increase primarily as a result of operating Cisneros Interactive for a full year in 2021 compared to less than three months in 2020, partially offset by a decrease in political advertising revenue compared to 2020.
Cost of revenue-Digital. Cost of revenue in our digital segment increased to $106.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $36.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $70.1 million, primarily due to increased costs of revenue associated with Cisneros Interactive during the fourth quarter of 2020, following our acquisition during the fourth quarter of 2020, with respect to which we did not incur cost of revenue in prior periods.
Direct Operating Expenses. Direct operating expenses decreased to $104.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $119.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of approximately $14.5 million. Of the overall decrease, approximately $0.6 million of the overall decrease was attributable to our television segment and was primarily due to decreases in salary expense associated with furloughs and layoffs, and expenses associated with the decrease in local and national advertising revenue. Additionally, approximately $3.2 million of the overall decrease was attributable to our digital segment primarily due to decreases in salary expense, and expenses associated with the decrease in advertising revenue as a result of declines in pre-acquisition digital revenue, and the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, partially offset by an increase associated with the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive during the fourth quarter of 2020, which did not incur direct operating expenses for us in prior periods. Additionally, approximately $10.8 million of the overall decrease was attributable to our radio segment and was primarily due to decreases in salary expense associated with furloughs and layoffs, and expenses associated with the decrease in advertising revenue. As a percentage of net revenue, direct operating expenses decreased to 30% for the year ended December 31, 2020 from 44% for the year ended December 31, 2019, because direct operating expenses decreased while net revenue increased.
We believe that direct operating expenses will increase during 2021, primarily as a result of operating Cisneros Interactive for a full year in 2021 compared to less than three months in 2020.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased to $48.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $54.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of approximately $5.6 million. Of the overall decrease, approximately $2.9 million was attributable to our television segment and was primarily due to decreases in salary expense associated with furloughs and layoffs, and payroll tax expense. Additionally, approximately $4.1 million of the overall decrease was attributable to our radio segment and was primarily due to decreases in salary expense associated with furloughs and layoffs, and payroll tax expense. The overall decrease was partially offset by an increase of approximately $1.5 million in our digital segment and was primarily due to the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive during the fourth quarter of 2020, which did not contribute to selling, general and administrative expenses in prior periods, partially offset by a decrease in in salary expense associated with furloughs and layoffs. As a percentage of net revenue, selling, general and administrative expenses decreased to 14% for the year ended December 31, 2020 from 20% for the year ended December 31, 2019, because selling, general and administrative operating expenses decreased while net revenue increased.
We believe that selling, general and administrative expenses will increase during 2021, primarily as a result of operating Cisneros Interactive for a full year in 2021 compared to less than three months in 2020.
Corporate Expenses. Corporate expenses decreased to $27.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $28.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of $0.3 million. The decrease was primarily due to decreases in audit fees, travel and rent expense. These decreases were partially offset by expenses for legal and financial due diligence related to the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive. As a percentage of net revenue, corporate expenses decreased to 8% for the year ended December 31, 2020 from 10% for the year ended December 31, 2019.
We believe that corporate expenses will not change significantly during 2021 compared to 2020.
Depreciation and Amortization. Depreciation and amortization increased to $17.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $16.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $0.7 million. The increase was primarily attributable to amortization of the intangible assets from the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive, and fixed assets additions in our television segment as part of the broadcast television repack following the FCC auction for broadcast spectrum that concluded in 2017, partially offset by a decrease due to long-lived assets in our digital segment that were impaired in the first quarter of 2020.
Change in fair value of contingent consideration. As a result of the change in fair value of the contingent consideration related to our 2017 acquisition of 100% of several entities collectively doing business as Headway (“Headway”), we recognized income of $6.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Foreign currency loss. Our historical revenues have primarily been denominated in U.S. dollars, and the majority of our current revenues continue to be, and are expected to remain, denominated in U.S. dollars. However, our operating expenses are generally denominated in the currencies of the countries in which our operations are located, and we have operations in countries other than the United States, primarily those operations related to our digital business. As a result, we have operating expense, attributable to foreign currency, that is primarily related to the operations related to our digital business. Foreign currency gain was $1.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to foreign currency loss of $0.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, primarily due to currency fluctuations that affected our digital segment operations located outside the United States, primarily related to the digital business.
Other operating gain. Other operating gain increased to $6.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $6.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $0.9 million, primarily due to gains in connection with the required relocation of certain television stations to a different channel as part of the broadcast television repack following the FCC auction for broadcast spectrum that concluded in 2017, and gains from the sale of certain assets.
Impairment. Due to the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced a decline in performance across all our reporting units beginning late in the first quarter of 2020. Additionally, our digital reporting unit was already facing declining results prior to the onset of the pandemic, caused by continuing competitive pressures and rapid changes in the digital advertising industry, which then further accelerated late in that quarter as a result of the economic crisis brought about by the pandemic. The results of our television and radio reporting units prior to the onset of the pandemic were exceeding internal budgets, driven in large part by political advertising revenue, but declined sharply in the last few weeks of that quarter. As a result, we updated our internal forecasts of future performance and determined that triggering events had occurred during the first quarter of 2020 that required interim impairment assessments related to goodwill, indefinite lived intangible assets and long-lived assets. In addition, during the fourth quarter of 2020, as a result of our annual testing of goodwill and indefinite life intangible assets, we noted that the carrying values of two radio FCC license exceeded their fair values. As a result, we incurred an impairment charge related to indefinite life intangible assets in our radio reporting unit. As a result of these assessments, we recognized impairment charges totaling $40.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.
We incurred impairment charge related to goodwill in the amount of $27.7 million, impairment charge related to indefinite life intangible assets in the amount of $4.2 million, and impairment charge of $0.2 million to reflect the fair market value of our assets held for sale, for the year ended December 31, 2019.
These write-downs were made pursuant to ASC 350, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other”, which requires that goodwill and certain intangible assets be tested for impairment at least annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate the assets might be impaired.
Operating Income (Loss). As a result of the above factors, operating income was $6.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to operating loss of $1.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Interest Expense, net. Interest expense, net decreased to $6.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $10.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of $3.8 million. This decrease was primarily due to lower principal balance as a result of repayment in the fourth quarter of 2019, and a lower interest rate.
Loss on Debt Extinguishment. We recorded a loss on debt extinguishment of $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 related to capitalized finance costs written off due to partial prepayments of our debt.
Income Tax Expense or Benefit. Income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $1.5 million. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2020 was different from our statutory rate due to foreign and state taxes, a valuation allowance on deferred tax assets in our Spanish entity, adjustments to our state tax return filings as a result of gain that was previously deferred, and nondeductible expenses, primarily goodwill impairment charges. Income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $8.2 million or negative 72% of our pre-tax loss. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2019 was different from our
statutory rate primarily due to nondeductible expenses, including the significant goodwill impairment charges recorded in Spain and the U.S. during the year, the state tax impact on the previously deferred gain from the FCC auction for broadcast spectrum that concluded in 2017, as well as foreign and state taxes.
Our management periodically evaluates the realizability of the deferred tax assets and, if it is determined that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets are realizable, adjusts the valuation allowance accordingly. Valuation allowances are established and maintained for deferred tax assets on a “more likely than not” threshold. The process of evaluating the need to maintain a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets and the amount maintained in any such allowance is highly subjective and is based on many factors, several of which are subject to significant judgment calls.
Based on our analysis, we determined that it was more likely than not that our deferred tax assets would be realized for all jurisdictions with the exception of our digital operations located in Spain. As a result of recurring losses from our digital operations in Spain, management has determined that it is more likely than not that deferred tax assets of approximately $1.7 million at December 31, 2020 will not be realized and therefore we have established a valuation allowance on those assets.
Segment Operations
Television
Net Revenue. Net revenue in our television segment increased to $154.5 million in 2020, from $149.7 million in 2019. This increase of approximately $4.8 million was primarily due to increases in political advertising revenue and retransmission consent revenue, partially offset by decreases in local and national advertising revenue and revenue from spectrum usage rights. The decrease in local and national advertising revenue was primarily a result of the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, ratings declines, competitive factors with another Spanish-language broadcaster, and changing demographic preferences of audiences. We have previously noted a trend for advertising to move increasingly from traditional media, such as television, to new media, such as digital media, and we expect this trend to continue. We generated a total of $36.8 million in retransmission consent revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $35.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. We generated a total of $5.4 million in spectrum usage rights revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $13.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Direct Operating Expenses. Direct operating expenses in our television segment decreased to $61.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $61.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of $0.7 million. The decrease was primarily due to decreases in salary expense associated with furloughs and layoffs, and expenses associated with the decrease in local and national advertising revenue.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses in our television segment decreased to $19.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $22.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of $2.9 million. The decrease was primarily due to decreases in salary expense associated with furloughs and layoffs, and payroll tax expense.
Digital
Net Revenue. Net revenue in our digital segment increased to $143.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $68.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $74.4 million. The increase was a primarily a result of advertising revenue attributed to the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive during the fourth quarter of 2020, which did not contribute to net revenue in prior periods, partially offset by a decrease in advertising revenue as a result of declines in pre-acquisition digital revenue, and the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. We have previously noted a trend in our domestic digital operations whereby revenue is shifting more to programmatic revenue, and this trend is now growing in markets outside the United States. As a result, advertisers are demanding more efficiency and lower cost from intermediaries like us. In response to this trend, we are offering programmatic alternatives to advertisers, which is putting pressure on margins. We expect this trend will continue in future periods, likely resulting in a permanent higher volume, lower margin business in our digital segment. The digital advertising industry remains dynamic and is continuing to undergo rapid changes in technology and competition. We expect this trend to continue and possibly accelerate. We must continue to remain vigilant to meet these dynamic and rapid changes including the need to further adjust our business strategies accordingly. No assurances can be given that such strategies will be successful.
Cost of revenue. Cost of revenue in our digital segment increased to $106.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $36.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $70.1 million, primarily due to increased costs of revenue associated with Cisneros Interactive during the fourth quarter of 2020, following our acquisition during the fourth quarter of 2020, which did not incur cost of revenue for us in prior periods. As a percentage of digital net revenue, cost of revenue increased to 75% for the year ended December 31, 2020 from 53% for the year ended December 31, 2019, primarily due to the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive which operates with lower margins compared to our other digital operations.
Direct operating expenses. Direct operating expenses in our digital segment decreased to $15.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $18.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of $3.2 million. The decrease was primarily
due to primarily due to decreases in salary expense associated with furloughs and layoffs, and expenses associated with the decrease in advertising revenue as a result of declines in pre-acquisition digital revenue, and the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, partially offset by an increase associated with our acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive during the fourth quarter of 2020, which did not contribute to direct operating expenses in prior periods.
Selling, general and administrative expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses in our digital segment increased to $15.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $13.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $1.5 million. The increase was primarily due to our acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive during the fourth quarter of 2020, which did not contribute to selling, general and administrative expenses in prior periods, partially offset by a decrease in salary expense associated with furloughs and layoffs.
Radio
Net Revenue. Net revenue in our radio segment decreased to $46.3 million in 2020, from $55.0 million in 2019. This decrease of approximately $8.7 million was primarily due to decreases in local and national advertising revenue, partially offset by an increase in political advertising revenue. The decrease in local and national advertising revenue was primarily a result of the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, ratings declines and competitive factors with other Spanish-language broadcasters, and changing demographic preferences of audiences. We have previously noted a trend for advertising to move increasingly from traditional media, such as radio, to new media, such as digital media, and we expect this trend to continue. This trend has had a more significant impact on our radio revenue as compared to television revenue, and we expect that this trend will also continue.
Direct Operating Expenses. Direct operating expenses in our radio segment decreased to $28.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $39.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of $10.8 million. The decrease was primarily due to decreases in salary expense associated with furloughs and layoffs, and expenses associated with the decrease in advertising revenue.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses in our radio segment decreased to $13.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $17.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, a decrease of $4.1 million. The decrease was primarily due to decreases in salary expense associated with furloughs and layoffs, and payroll tax expense.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
While we have a history of operating losses in some periods and operating income in other periods, we also have a history of generating significant positive cash flows from our operations. We had net losses attributable to common stockholders of $3.9 million and $19.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and net income attributable to common stockholders of $12.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. We had positive cash flow from operations of $63.4 million, $31.5 million and $33.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. For at least the next twelve months, we expect to fund our working capital requirements, capital expenditures and payments of principal and interest on outstanding indebtedness, with cash on hand and cash flows from operations.
We currently believe that our cash position is capable of meeting our operating and capital expenses and debt service requirements for at least the next twelve months. We believe that our position is strengthened by cash and cash equivalents on hand, in the amount of $119.2 million, and available for sale marketable securities in the additional amount of $28.0 million, as of December 31, 2020. Our liquidity is not materially impacted by the amounts held in accounts outside the United States.
2017 Credit Facility
On November 30, 2017 (the “Closing Date”), we entered into our 2017 Credit Facility pursuant to the 2017 Credit Agreement. The 2017 Credit Facility consists of a $300.0 million senior secured Term Loan B Facility (the “Term Loan B Facility”), which was drawn in full on the Closing Date. In addition, the 2017 Credit Facility provides that we may increase the aggregate principal amount of the 2017 Credit Facility by up to an additional $100.0 million plus the amount that would result in our first lien net leverage ratio (as such term is used in the 2017 Credit Agreement) not exceeding 4.0 to 1.0, subject to us satisfying certain conditions.
Borrowings under the Term Loan B Facility were used on the Closing Date (a) to repay in full all of our and our subsidiaries’ then outstanding obligations under the previous 2013 credit agreement, or 2013 Credit Agreement, and to terminate the 2013 Credit Agreement, (b) to pay fees and expenses in connection with the 2017 Credit Facility, and (c) for general corporate purposes.
The 2017 Credit Facility is guaranteed on a senior secured basis by certain of our existing and future wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries, and is secured on a first priority basis by our and those subsidiaries’ assets.
Our borrowings under the 2017 Credit Facility bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the date when made at a rate per annum equal to either: (i) the Eurodollar Rate (as defined in the 2017 Credit Agreement) plus 2.75%; or (ii) the
Base Rate (as defined in the 2017 Credit Agreement) plus 1.75%. As of December 31, 2020, the interest rate on our Term Loan B was 2.90%. The Term Loan B Facility expires on November 30, 2024 (the “Maturity Date”).
Subject to certain exceptions, the 2017 Credit Facility contains covenants that limit the ability of us and our restricted subsidiaries to, among other things:
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incur liens on our property or assets;
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make certain investments;
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incur additional indebtedness;
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consummate any merger, dissolution, liquidation, consolidation or sale of substantially all assets;
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dispose of certain assets;
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make certain restricted payments;
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make certain acquisitions;
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enter into substantially different lines of business;
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enter into certain transactions with affiliates;
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use loan proceeds to purchase or carry margin stock or for any other prohibited purpose;
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change or amend the terms of our organizational documents or the organization documents of certain restricted subsidiaries in a materially adverse way to the lenders, or change or amend the terms of certain indebtedness;
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enter into sale and leaseback transactions;
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make prepayments of any subordinated indebtedness, subject to certain conditions; and
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change our fiscal year, or accounting policies or reporting practices.
The 2017 Credit Facility also provides for certain customary events of default, including the following:
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default for three (3) business days in the payment of interest on borrowings under the 2017 Credit Facility when due;
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default in payment when due of the principal amount of borrowings under the 2017 Credit Facility;
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failure by us or any subsidiary to comply with the negative covenants and certain other covenants relating to maintaining the legal existence of the Company and certain of its restricted subsidiaries and compliance with anti-corruption laws;
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failure by us or any subsidiary to comply with any of the other agreements in the 2017 Credit Agreement and related loan documents that continues for thirty (30) days (or ten (10) days in the case of failure to comply with covenants related to inspection rights of the administrative agent and lenders and permitted uses of proceeds from borrowings under the 2017 Credit Facility) after our officers first become aware of such failure or first receive written notice of such failure from any lender;
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default in the payment of other indebtedness if the amount of such indebtedness aggregates to $15.0 million or more, or failure to comply with the terms of any agreements related to such indebtedness if the holder or holders of such indebtedness can cause such indebtedness to be declared due and payable;
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certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency with respect to us or any significant subsidiary;
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final judgment is entered against us or any restricted subsidiary in an aggregate amount over $15.0 million, and either enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor or there is a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which the judgment remains unpaid and no stay is in effect;
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any material provision of any agreement or instrument governing the 2017 Credit Facility ceases to be in full force and effect; and
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any revocation, termination, substantial and adverse modification, or refusal by final order to renew, any media license, or the requirement (by final non-appealable order) to sell a television or radio station, where any such event or failure is reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect.
In The Term Loan B Facility does not contain any financial covenants. In connection with our entering into the 2017 Credit Agreement, we and our restricted subsidiaries also entered into a Security Agreement, pursuant to which we and the Credit Parties each granted a first priority security interest in the collateral securing the 2017 Credit Facility for the benefit of the lenders under the 2017 Credit Facility.
In December 2019, we made a prepayment of $25.0 million to reduce the amount of loans outstanding under our Term Loan B Facility. We did not make a prepayment in 2020.
On April 30, 2019, we entered into an amendment to the 2017 Credit Agreement, which became effective on May 1, 2019. Pursuant to that amendment, the lenders under the 2017 Credit Facility waived any events of default that may have arisen under the 2017 Credit Agreement in connection with our failure to timely deliver our financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, and amended the 2017 Credit Agreement, giving us until May 31, 2019 to deliver the 2018 financial statements. Subsequent to this amendment and prior to the May 31, 2019 deadline, we delivered the 2018 financial statements in full, and therefore were not in default under the 2017 Credit Agreement, as amended.
The carrying amount of the Term Loan B Facility as of December 31, 2020 was $213.5 million, net of $1.8 million of unamortized debt issuance costs and original issue discount. The estimated fair value of the Term Loan B Facility as of December 31, 2020 was $210.5 million. The estimated fair value is based on quoted prices in markets where trading occurs infrequently.
The 2017 Credit Agreement contains a covenant that the Company deliver its financial statements and certain other information for each fiscal year within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year. As a result of our expanding business operations, primarily related to the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive, we did not deliver our financial statements and other information within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, and as a result we did not satisfy the requirement of this covenant in the 2017 Credit Agreement. The 2017 Credit Agreement provides an additional period of 30 days for us to satisfy such covenant, and with the filing of this Annual Report on Form 10-K we believe we have satisfied the requirements of the 2017 Credit Agreement with respect to the delivery of our financial statements and other information for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.
Share Repurchase Program
On July 13, 2017, our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program of up to $15.0 million of our outstanding Class A common stock. On April 11, 2018, our Board of Directors approved the repurchase of up to an additional $15.0 million of our outstanding Class A common stock, for a total repurchase authorization of up to $30.0 million. On August 27, 2019, the Board of Directors approved the repurchase of up to an additional $15.0 million of the Company’s Class A common stock, for a total repurchase authorization of up to $45.0 million. Under the share repurchase program, we are authorized to purchase shares from time to time through open market purchases or negotiated purchases, subject to market conditions and other factors. The share repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time without prior notice. On March 26, 2020, we suspended share repurchases under the plan in order to preserve cash during the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
From inception of the share repurchase program through December 31, 2020, we have repurchased a total of approximately 8.6 million shares of Class A common stock at an average price per share of $3.76, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $32.2 million. All repurchased shares were retired as of December 31, 2020.
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA
Consolidated adjusted EBITDA (as defined below) increased to $60.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 from $41.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, an increase of $19.2 million, or 47%. As a percentage of net revenue, consolidated adjusted EBITDA increased to 18% for the year ended December 31, 2020, from 15% for the year ended December 31, 2019.
Consolidated adjusted EBITDA, as defined in our 2017 Credit Agreement, means net income (loss) plus gain (loss) on sale of assets, depreciation and amortization, non-cash impairment charge, non-cash stock-based compensation included in operating and corporate expenses, net interest expense, other income (loss), non-recurring cash expenses, gain (loss) on debt extinguishment, income tax (expense) benefit, equity in net income (loss) of nonconsolidated affiliate, non-cash losses, syndication programming amortization less syndication programming payments, revenue from FCC spectrum incentive auction less related expenses, expenses associated with investments, EBITDA attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest, acquisitions and dispositions and certain pro-forma cost savings. We use the term consolidated adjusted EBITDA because that measure is defined in our 2017 Credit Agreement and does not include gain (loss) on sale of assets, depreciation and amortization, non-cash impairment charge, non-cash stock-based compensation, net interest expense, other income (loss), non-recurring cash expenses, gain (loss) on debt extinguishment, income tax (expense) benefit, equity in net income (loss) of nonconsolidated affiliate, non-cash losses, syndication programming amortization less syndication programming payments, revenue from FCC spectrum incentive auction less related expenses, expenses associated with investments, EBITDA attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest, acquisitions and dispositions and certain pro-forma cost savings.
Since consolidated adjusted EBITDA is a measure governing several critical aspects of our 2017 Credit Facility, we believe that it is important to disclose consolidated adjusted EBITDA to our investors. We may increase the aggregate principal amount outstanding by an additional amount equal to $100.0 million plus the amount that would result in our total net leverage ratio, or the ratio of consolidated total senior debt (net of up to $75.0 million of unrestricted cash) to trailing-twelve-month consolidated adjusted EBITDA, not exceeding 4.0. In addition, beginning December 31, 2018, at the end of every calendar year, in the event our total net leverage ratio is within certain ranges, we must make a debt prepayment equal to a certain percentage of our Excess Cash Flow, which is defined as consolidated adjusted EBITDA, less consolidated interest expense, less debt principal payments, less taxes paid, less other amounts set forth in the definition of Excess Cash Flow in the 2017 Credit Agreement. The total leverage ratio was as follows (in each case as of December 31): 2020, 2.3 to 1; 2019, 3.5 to 1.
While many in the financial community and we consider consolidated adjusted EBITDA to be important, it should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for or superior to, other measures of liquidity and financial performance prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, such as cash flows from operating activities, operating income (loss) and net income (loss). As consolidated adjusted EBITDA excludes non-cash gain (loss) on sale of assets, non-cash depreciation and amortization, non-cash impairment charge, non-cash stock-based compensation expense, net interest expense, other income (loss), non-recurring cash expenses, gain (loss) on debt extinguishment, income tax (expense) benefit, equity in net income (loss) of nonconsolidated affiliate, non-cash losses, syndication programming amortization less syndication programming payments, revenue from FCC spectrum incentive auction less related expenses, expenses associated with investments, EBITDA attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest, acquisitions and dispositions and certain pro-forma cost savings, consolidated adjusted EBITDA has certain limitations because it excludes and includes several important financial line items. Therefore, we consider both non-GAAP and GAAP measures when evaluating our business. Consolidated adjusted EBITDA is also used to make executive compensation decisions.
Consolidated adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. For a reconciliation of consolidated adjusted EBITDA to cash flows from operating activities, its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, please see page 60.
Cash Flow
Net cash flow provided by operating activities was $63.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to net cash flow provided by operating activities of $31.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. We had net loss of $1.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, which included non-cash items such as deferred income taxes of $6.2 million, depreciation and amortization expense of $17.3 million, and impairment charge of $40.0 million. We had net loss of $19.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, which included non-cash items such as deferred income taxes of $5.3 million, depreciation and amortization expense of $16.6 million, and impairment charge of $32.1 million. We expect to have positive cash flow from operating activities for the 2021 year.
Net cash flow provided by investing activities was $38.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to net cash flow provided by investing activities of $14.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. During the year ended December 31, 2020, we had proceeds of $63.5 million from the maturity of marketable securities and proceeds of $5.1 million from the sale of property and equipment and intangibles, and we spent $21.3 million on the acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive net of cash acquired, $9.1 million on net capital expenditures, and $0.2 million on the purchase of intangible assets. During the year ended December 31, 2019, we had proceeds of $43.6 million from the maturity of marketable securities, and we spent $1.7 million on purchases of investments, $2.3 million on the purchase of intangible assets, and $25.3 million on net capital expenditures. We anticipate that our capital expenditures will be approximately $8.0 million during the full year 2021. Of this amount, we expect that approximately $0.2 million will be expended in connection with the required relocation of certain of our television stations to a different channel as part of the broadcast television repack following the FCC auction for broadcast spectrum that concluded in 2017, which amount we expect to be reimbursed to us by the FCC. The amount of our anticipated capital expenditures may change based on
future changes in business plans and our financial condition and general economic conditions. We expect to fund capital expenditures with cash on hand and net cash flow from operations.
Net cash flow used in financing activities was $15.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to net cash flow used in financing activities of $59.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. During the year ended December 31, 2020, we made dividend payments of $10.5 million, debt payments of $3.0 million, paid $0.5 million for the repurchase of stock, and spent $1.4 million for taxes related to shares withheld for share-based compensation plans. During the year ended December 31, 2019, we made debt payments of $28.0 million, dividend payments of $17.0 million, paid $12.6 million for the repurchase of stock, and spent $1.7 million for taxes related to shares withheld for share-based compensation plans.
Commitments and Contractual Obligations
Our material contractual obligations at December 31, 2020 are as follows (in thousands):
Payments Due by Period
Contractual Obligations
Total amounts committed
Less than 1 year
1-3 years
3-5 years
More than
5 years
Long Term Debt and related interest (1)
$
239,172
$
9,235
$
18,210
$
211,727
$
-
Media research and ratings providers (2)
10,454
7,483
2,529
-
Operating leases (3)
50,673
9,421
14,791
10,832
15,629
Other material non-cancelable contractual obligations (4)
6,097
2,426
3,671
-
-
Total contractual obligations (5)
$
306,396
$
28,565
$
39,201
$
223,001
$
15,629
(1)
These amounts represent estimated future cash interest payments and mandatory principal payments related to our 2017 Credit Facility. Future interest payments could differ materially from amounts indicated in the table due to future operational and financing needs, market factors and other currently unanticipated events.
(2)
We have agreements with certain media research and ratings providers, expiring at various dates through June 2024, to provide television and radio audience measurement services.
(3)
We lease facilities and broadcast equipment under various operating lease agreements with various terms and conditions, expiring at various dates through November 2050. These amounts do not include month-to-month leases.
(4)
These amounts consist primarily of obligations for software licenses utilized by our sales team.
(5)
Due to the uncertainty with respect to the timing of future cash flows associated with our unrecognized tax benefits at December 31, 2020, we are unable to make reasonably reliable estimates of the period of cash settlement with the respective taxing authorities. Therefore, $1.2 million of liabilities related to uncertain tax positions have been excluded from the table above.
We have also entered into employment agreements with certain of our key employees, including Walter F. Ulloa, Jeffery A. Liberman, Christopher T. Young, and Karl Meyer. Our obligations under these agreements are not reflected in the table above.
Other than lease commitments, legal contingencies incurred in the normal course of business and employment contracts for key employees, we do not have any off-balance sheet financing arrangements or liabilities. We do not have any majority-owned subsidiaries or any interests in or relationships with any variable-interest entities that are not included in our consolidated financial statements.
Application of Critical Accounting Policies and Accounting Estimates
Critical accounting policies are defined as those that are the most important to the accurate portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations. Critical accounting policies require management’s subjective judgment and may produce materially different results under different assumptions and conditions. We have discussed the development and selection of these critical accounting policies with the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors, and the Audit Committee has reviewed and approved our related disclosure in this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Goodwill
We believe that the accounting estimates related to the fair value of our reporting units and indefinite life intangible assets and our estimates of the useful lives of our long-lived assets are “critical accounting estimates” because: (1) goodwill and other intangible assets are our most significant assets, and (2) the impact that recognizing an impairment would have on the assets reported on our balance sheet, as well as on our results of operations, could be material. Accordingly, the assumptions about future cash flows on the assets under evaluation are critical
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired in each business combination. We test our goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment annually on the first day of our fourth fiscal quarter, or more frequently if certain events or certain changes in circumstances indicate they may be impaired. In assessing the recoverability of goodwill and indefinite life intangible assets, we must make a series of assumptions about such things as the estimated future cash flows and other factors to determine the fair value of these assets.
In testing the goodwill of our reporting units for impairment, we first determine, based on a qualitative assessment, whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of each of our reporting units is less than their respective carrying amounts. We have determined that each of our operating segments is a reporting unit.
If it is deemed more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than the carrying value based on this initial assessment, the next step is a quantitative comparison of the fair value of the reporting unit to its carrying amount. If a reporting unit’s estimated fair value is equal to or greater than that reporting unit’s carrying value, no impairment of goodwill exists and the testing is complete. If the reporting unit’s carrying amount is greater than the estimated fair value, then an impairment loss is recorded for the amount of the difference.
Due to the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced a decline in performance across all of our reporting units beginning late in the first quarter of 2020. Additionally, the digital reporting unit was already facing declining results prior to the onset of the pandemic, caused by continuing competitive pressures and rapid changes in the digital advertising industry, which then further accelerated late in the first quarter of 2020 as a result of the economic crisis brought about from the pandemic. The results of the television and radio reporting units prior to the onset of the pandemic and the resulting economic crisis were exceeding internal budgets, driven in large part by political advertising revenue, but declined sharply in the last few weeks of the first quarter of 2020. As a result, we updated our internal forecasts of future performance and determined that triggering events had occurred during the first quarter of 2020 that required interim impairment assessments. As a result of the interim impairment assessments, we concluded that the digital reporting unit carrying value exceeded its fair value, resulting in a goodwill impairment charge of $0.8 million in the first quarter of 2020. We determined that no triggering events had occurred during the second or third quarters of 2020 that required interim impairment assessments.
As of our annual goodwill testing date, October 1, 2020, we had $40.5 million of goodwill in our television reporting unit. We did not reach a definitive conclusion on the television reporting unit based on a qualitative assessment alone so we performed a quantitative test and compared the fair value of the television reporting unit to its carrying amount. The fair value of our television reporting unit exceeded its carrying value by 19%, resulting in no impairment charge. As discussed in Note 5 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, the calculation of the fair value of the television reporting unit requires estimates of the discount rate and the long term projected growth rate. If that discount rate were to increase by 0.5%, the fair value of the television reporting unit would decrease by 5%. If the long term projected growth rate were to decrease by 0.5%, the fair value of the television reporting unit would decrease by 3%.
As of our annual goodwill testing date, October 1, 2020, we had $5.2 million of goodwill in our digital reporting unit. We did not reach a definitive conclusion on the digital reporting unit based on a qualitative assessment alone so we performed a quantitative test and compared the fair value of the digital reporting unit to its carrying amount. The fair value of our digital reporting unit exceeded its carrying value by 20%, resulting in no impairment charge in the fourth quarter of 2020. As discussed in Note 5 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, the calculation of the fair value of the digital reporting unit requires estimates of the discount rate and the long term projected growth rate. If that discount rate were to increase by 1%, the fair value of the digital reporting unit would decrease by 5%. If the long term projected growth rate were to decrease by 0.5%, the fair value of the digital reporting unit would decrease by 1%.
As of our annual goodwill testing date, October 1, 2020, we had no goodwill in our radio reporting unit.
When a quantitative analysis is performed, the estimated fair value of goodwill is determined by using a combination of a market approach and an income approach. The market approach estimates fair value by applying sales, earnings and cash flow multiples to each reporting unit’s operating performance. The multiples are derived from comparable publicly-traded companies with similar operating and investment characteristics to our reporting units. The market approach requires us to make a series of assumptions, such as selecting comparable companies and comparable transactions and transaction premiums. The current economic conditions have led to a decrease in the number of comparable transactions, which makes the market approach of comparable transactions and transaction premiums more difficult to estimate than in previous years.
The income approach estimates fair value based on our estimated future cash flows of each reporting unit, discounted by an estimated weighted-average cost of capital that reflects current market conditions, which reflect the overall level of inherent risk of that reporting unit. The income approach also requires us to make a series of assumptions, such as discount rates, revenue projections, profit margin projections and terminal value multiples. We estimated our discount rates on a blended rate of return considering both debt and equity for comparable publicly-traded companies in the television, radio and digital media industries. These comparable publicly-traded companies have similar size, operating characteristics and/or financial profiles to us. We also estimated the terminal value multiple based on comparable publicly-traded companies in the television, radio and digital media industries. We estimated our revenue projections and profit margin projections based on internal forecasts about future performance.
Uncertain economic conditions, fiscal policy and other factors beyond our control potentially could have an adverse effect on the capital markets, which would affect the discount rate assumptions, terminal value estimates, transaction premiums and comparable transactions. Such uncertain economic conditions could also have an adverse effect on the fundamentals of our business and results of operations, which would affect our internal forecasts about future performance and terminal value estimates. Furthermore, such uncertain economic conditions could have a negative impact on the advertising industry in general or the industries of those customers who advertise on our stations, including, among others, the automotive, financial and other services, telecommunications, travel and restaurant industries, which in the aggregate provide a significant amount of our historical and projected advertising revenue. The activities of our competitors, such as other broadcast television stations and radio stations, could have an adverse effect on our internal forecasts about future performance and terminal value estimates. Changes in technology or our audience preferences, including increased competition from other forms of advertising-based mediums, such as Internet, social media and broadband content providers serving the same markets, could have an adverse effect on our internal forecasts about future performance, terminal value estimates and transaction premiums. Finally, the risk factors that we identify from time to time in our SEC reports could have an adverse effect on our internal forecasts about future performance, terminal value estimates and transaction premiums.
There can be no assurance that our estimates and assumptions made for the purpose of our goodwill impairment testing will prove to be accurate predictions of the future. If our assumptions regarding internal forecasts of future performance of our business as a whole or of our units are not achieved, if market conditions change and affect the discount rate, or if there are lower comparable transactions and transaction premiums, we may be required to record additional goodwill impairment charges in future periods. It is not possible at this time to determine if any such future change in our assumptions would have an adverse impact on our valuation models and result in impairment, or if it does, whether such impairment charge would be material.
Indefinite Life Intangible Assets
We believe that our broadcast licenses are indefinite life intangible assets. An intangible asset is determined to have an indefinite useful life when there are no legal, regulatory, contractual, competitive, economic or any other factors that may limit the period over which the asset is expected to contribute directly or indirectly to future cash flows. The evaluation of impairment for indefinite life intangible assets is performed by a comparison of the asset’s carrying value to the asset’s fair value. When the carrying value exceeds fair value, an impairment charge is recorded for the amount of the difference. The unit of accounting used to test broadcast licenses represents all licenses owned and operated within an individual market cluster, because such licenses are used together, are complimentary to each other and are representative of the best use of those assets. Our individual market clusters consist of cities or nearby cities. We test our broadcasting licenses for impairment based on certain assumptions about these market clusters.
The estimated fair value of indefinite life intangible assets is determined by using an income approach. The income approach estimates fair value based on the estimated future cash flows of each market cluster that a hypothetical buyer would expect to generate, discounted by an estimated weighted-average cost of capital that reflects current market conditions, which reflect the overall level of inherent risk. The income approach requires us to make a series of assumptions, such as discount rates, revenue projections, profit margin projections and terminal value multiples. We estimate the discount rates on a blended rate of return considering both debt and equity for comparable publicly-traded companies in the television, radio and digital media industries. These comparable publicly-traded companies have similar size, operating characteristics and/or financial profiles to us. We also estimated the terminal value multiple based on comparable publicly-traded companies in the television, radio and digital media industries. We estimated the revenue projections and profit margin projections based on various market clusters signal coverage of the markets and industry information for an average station within a given market. The information for each market cluster includes such things as estimated market share, estimated capital start-up costs, population, household income, retail sales and other expenditures that would influence advertising expenditures. Alternatively, some stations under evaluation have had limited relevant cash flow history due to planned or actual conversion of format or upgrade of station signal. The assumptions we make about cash flows after conversion are based on the performance of similar stations in similar markets and potential proceeds from the sale of the assets.
During the first quarter of 2020, due to triggering events described above, we conducted a review of certain of the indefinite life intangible assets in our television and radio reporting units. Based on the assumptions and estimates described above, the carrying values of certain FCC licenses exceeded their fair values. As a result, we recorded impairment charges of FCC licenses in our television and radio reporting units in the amount of $23.5 million and $8.8 million, respectively in the first quarter of 2020. Additionally, during our annual testing date, October 1, 2020, we noted that the carrying value of two radio FCC license exceeded their fair value. As a result, we recorded an impairment charge in the amount of $0.2 million. The fair values of our television FCC licenses for each of the remaining market clusters exceeded the carrying values in amounts ranging from 22% to over 1,000%. The fair values of our radio FCC licenses for each of the remaining market clusters exceeded the carrying values in amounts ranging from 0% to over 100%. Two markets with aggregate carrying value of approximately $1.8 million have fair values that exceed carrying values by less than 10%.
Uncertain economic conditions, fiscal policy and other factors beyond our control potentially could have an adverse effect on the capital markets, which would affect the discount rate assumptions, terminal value estimates, transaction premiums and comparable transactions. Such uncertain economic conditions could also have an adverse effect on the fundamentals of our business and results of operations, which would affect our internal forecasts about future performance and terminal value estimates. Furthermore, such uncertain economic conditions could have a negative impact on the advertising industry in general or the industries of those customers who advertise on our stations, including, among others, the automotive, financial and other services, telecommunications, travel and restaurant industries, which in the aggregate provide a significant amount of our historical and projected advertising revenue. The activities of our competitors, such as other broadcast television stations and radio stations, could have an adverse effect on our internal forecasts about future performance and terminal value estimates. Changes in technology or our audience preferences, including increased competition from other forms of advertising-based mediums, such as Internet, social media and broadband content providers serving the same markets, could have an adverse effect on our internal forecasts about future performance, terminal value estimates and transaction premiums. Finally, the risk factors that we identify from time to time in our SEC reports could have an adverse effect on our internal forecasts about future performance, terminal value estimates and transaction premiums.
There can be no assurance that our estimates and assumptions made for the purposes of our impairment testing will prove to be accurate predictions of the future. If our assumptions regarding internal forecasts of future performance of our business as a whole or of our units are not achieved, if market conditions change and affect the discount rate, or if there are lower comparable transactions and transaction premiums, we may be required to record additional impairment charges in future periods. It is not possible at this time to determine if any such future change in our assumptions would have an adverse impact on our valuation models and result in impairment, or if it does, whether such impairment charge would be material.
Long-Lived Assets, Including Intangibles Subject to Amortization
Depreciation and amortization of our long-lived assets is provided using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives. Changes in circumstances, such as the passage of new laws or changes in regulations, technological advances, changes to our business model or changes in our capital strategy could result in the actual useful lives differing from initial estimates. In those cases where we determine that the useful life of a long-lived asset should be revised, we will depreciate the net book value in excess of the estimated residual value over its revised remaining useful life. Factors such as changes in the planned use of equipment, customer attrition, contractual amendments or mandated regulatory requirements could result in shortened useful lives.
Long-lived assets and asset groups are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. The estimated future cash flows are based upon, among other things, assumptions about expected future operating performance and may differ from actual cash flows. Long-lived assets evaluated for impairment are grouped with other assets to the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash
flows of other groups of assets and liabilities. If the sum of the projected undiscounted cash flows (excluding interest) is less than the carrying value of the assets, the assets will be written down to the estimated fair value in the period in which the determination is made.
During the first quarter of 2020 we conducted a review of certain long-lived assets using a two-step approach. In the first step, the carrying value of the asset group is compared to the projected undiscounted cash flows to determine recoverability. If the asset carrying value is not recoverable, then the fair value of the asset group is determined in the second step using an income approach. The income approach requires us to make a series of assumptions, such as discount rates, revenue projections, profit margin projections and useful lives. Based on the assumptions and estimates described above, the carrying values of long-lived assets in the digital reporting unit exceeded their fair values. As a result, we recorded impairment charges related to Intangibles subject to amortization of $5.3 million, and property and equipment of $1.5 million, in the first quarter of 2020. No impairment charges related to Intangibles subject to amortization were recorded during the remainder of 2020.
Deferred Taxes
Deferred taxes are provided on a liability method whereby deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences and deferred liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when it is determined to be more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment.
In evaluating our ability to realize net deferred tax assets, we consider all reasonably available evidence including our past operating results, tax strategies and forecasts of future taxable income. In considering these factors, we make certain assumptions and judgments that are based on the plans and estimates used to manage our business.
We recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such positions are then measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon settlement. We recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense.
Revenue Recognition
Television and radio revenue related to the sale of advertising is recognized at the time of broadcast. Revenue for contracts with advertising agencies is recorded at an amount that is net of the commission retained by the agency. Revenue from contracts directly with the advertisers is recorded as gross revenue and the related commission or national representation fee is recorded in operating expense. Cash payments received prior to services rendered result in deferred revenue, which is then recognized as revenue when the advertising time or space is actually provided. Digital related revenue is recognized when display or other digital advertisements record impressions on the websites of our third party publishers or as the advertiser’s previously agreed-upon performance criteria are satisfied.
We generate revenue under arrangements in which services are sold on a stand-alone basis within a specific segment, and those that are sold on a combined basis across multiple segments. We have determined that in such revenue arrangements which contain multiple products and services, revenues are allocated based on the relative fair value of each item and recognized in accordance with the applicable revenue recognition criteria for the specific unit of accounting.
We generate revenue from retransmission consent agreements that are entered into with MVPDs. We refer to such revenue as retransmission consent revenue, which represents payments from MVPDs for access to our television station signals so that they may rebroadcast our signals and charge their subscribers for this programming. We recognize retransmission consent revenue earned as the television signal is delivered to the MVPD.
We also generate revenue from agreements associated with our television stations’ spectrum usage rights from a variety of sources, including but not limited to entering into agreements with third parties to utilize excess spectrum for the broadcast of their multicast networks, charging fees to accommodate the operations of third parties, including moving channel positions or accepting interference with broadcasting operations, and modifying and/or relinquishing spectrum usage rights while continuing to broadcast through channel sharing or other arrangements. Revenue from such agreements is recognized over the period of the lease or when we have relinquished all or a portion of our spectrum usage rights for a station or have relinquished our rights to operate a station on the existing channel free from interference.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Our accounts receivable consist of a homogeneous pool of relatively small dollar amounts from a large number of customers. We evaluate the collectability of our trade accounts receivable based on a number of factors. When we are aware of a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations to us, a specific reserve for bad debts is estimated and recorded which reduces the recognized receivable to the estimated amount we believe will ultimately be collected. In addition to specific customer identification of potential bad debts, bad debt charges are recorded based on our recent past loss history and an overall assessment of past due trade accounts receivable amounts outstanding.
Business Combinations
We apply the acquisition method of accounting for business combinations in accordance with GAAP and use estimates and judgments to allocate the purchase price paid for acquisitions to the fair value of the assets, including identifiable intangible assets and liabilities acquired. Such estimates may be based on significant unobservable inputs and assumptions such as, but not limited to, revenue projections, gross margin projections, customer attrition rates, royalty rates, discount rates and terminal growth rate assumptions. We use established valuation techniques and may engage reputable valuation specialists to assist with the valuations. Management’s estimates of fair value are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which are inherently uncertain and unpredictable and, as a result, actual results may differ from estimates. Fair values are subject to refinement for up to one year after the closing date of an acquisition, as information relative to closing date fair values becomes available. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to earnings.
Additional Information
For additional information on our significant accounting policies, please see Note 2 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
For further information on recently issued accounting pronouncements, see Note 2 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Sensitivity of Critical Accounting Estimates
We have critical accounting estimates that are sensitive to change. The most significant of those sensitive estimates relates to the impairment of intangible assets. Goodwill and indefinite life intangible assets are not amortized but instead are tested annually on October 1 for impairment, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the assets might be impaired. In assessing the recoverability of goodwill and indefinite life intangible assets, we must make assumptions about the estimated future cash flows and other factors to determine the fair value of these assets.
Television
In calculating the estimated fair value of our television FCC licenses, we used models that rely on various assumptions, such as future cash flows, discount rates and multiples. The estimates of future cash flows assume that the television segment revenues will increase significantly faster than the increase in the television expenses, and therefore the television assets will also increase in value. If any of the estimates of future cash flows, discount rates, multiples or assumptions were to change in any future valuation, it could affect our impairment analysis and cause us to record an additional expense for impairment.
We conducted a review of our television indefinite life intangible assets by using an income approach. The income approach estimates fair value based on the estimated future cash flows of each market cluster that a hypothetical buyer would expect to generate, discounted by an estimated weighted-average cost of capital that reflects current market conditions, which reflect the overall level of inherent risk. The income approach requires us to make a series of assumptions, such as discount rates, revenue projections, profit margin projections and terminal value multiples. We estimate the discount rates on a blended rate of return considering both debt and equity for comparable publicly-traded companies in the television, radio and digital media industries. These comparable publicly-traded companies have similar size, operating characteristics and/or financial profiles to us. We also estimated the terminal value multiple based on comparable publicly-traded companies in the television, radio and digital media industries. We estimated the revenue projections and profit margin projections based on various market clusters signal coverage of the markets and industry information for an average station within a given market. The information for each market cluster includes such things as estimated market share, estimated capital start-up costs, population, household income, retail sales and other expenditures that would influence advertising expenditures.
Due to the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced a decline in performance across all of our reporting units beginning late in the first quarter of 2020. The results of the television reporting unit prior to the onset of the pandemic and the resulting economic crisis were exceeding internal budgets, driven in large part by political advertising revenue, but declined sharply in the last few weeks of the first quarter of 2020. As a result, we updated our internal forecasts of future performance and determined that triggering events had occurred during the first quarter of 2020 that required interim impairment assessments. As a result of the interim impairment assessments, we concluded that the carrying values of certain FCC licenses exceeded their fair values. As a result, we recorded impairment charges of FCC licenses in our television reporting unit in the amount of $23.5 million in the first quarter of 2020.
We also conducted our annual review of our television reporting unit as part of our goodwill testing and determined that the carrying value of our television reporting unit exceeded the fair value. The fair value of the television reporting unit was primarily determined by using a combination of a market approach and an income approach. The revenue projections and profit margin projections in the models are based on the historical performance of the business and projected trends in the television industry and Hispanic market. Based on the assumptions and estimates described above, the television reporting unit’s fair value exceeded its carrying value by 19%, resulting in no additional impairment charge for the year ended December 31, 2020. As discussed in Note 5 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, the calculation of the fair value of the television reporting unit requires estimates of the discount rate and the long term projected growth rate. If that discount rate were to increase by 0.5%, the fair value of the television reporting unit would decrease by 5%. If the long term projected growth rate were to decrease by 0.5%, the fair value of the television reporting unit would decrease by 3%.
Radio
In calculating the estimated fair value of our radio FCC licenses, we used models that rely on various assumptions, such as future cash flows, discount rates and multiples. The estimates of future cash flows assume that the radio segment revenues will increase significantly faster than the increase in the radio expenses, and therefore the radio assets will also increase in value. If any of the estimates of future cash flows, discount rates, multiples or assumptions were to change in any future valuation, it could affect our impairment analysis and cause us to record an additional expense for impairment.
We conducted a review of our radio indefinite life intangible assets by using an income approach. The income approach estimates fair value based on the estimated future cash flows of each market cluster that a hypothetical buyer would expect to generate, discounted by an estimated weighted-average cost of capital that reflects current market conditions, which reflect the overall level of inherent risk. The income approach requires us to make a series of assumptions, such as discount rates, revenue projections, profit margin projections and terminal value multiples. We estimate the discount rates on a blended rate of return considering both debt and equity for comparable publicly-traded companies in the television, radio and digital media industries. These comparable publicly-traded companies have similar size, operating characteristics and/or financial profiles to us. We also estimated the terminal value multiple based on comparable publicly-traded companies in the television, radio and digital media industries. We estimated the revenue projections and profit margin projections based on various market clusters signal coverage of the markets and industry information for an average station within a given market. The information for each market cluster includes such things as estimated market share, estimated capital start-up costs, population, household income, retail sales and other expenditures that would influence advertising expenditures.
Due to the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced a decline in performance across all of our reporting units beginning late in the first quarter of 2020. The results of the radio reporting unit prior to the onset of the pandemic and the resulting economic crisis were exceeding internal budgets, driven in large part by political advertising revenue, but declined sharply in the last few weeks of the first quarter of 2020. As a result, we updated our internal forecasts of future performance and determined that triggering events had occurred during the first quarter of 2020 that required interim impairment assessments. As a result of the interim impairment assessments, we concluded that the carrying values of certain FCC licenses exceeded their fair values. As a result, we recorded impairment charges of FCC licenses in our radio reporting unit in the amount of $8.8 million in the first quarter of 2020.
We also conducted our annual review of our radio FCC licenses and noted that the carrying value of two radio FCC licenses exceeded their fair values. As a result, we incurred an impairment charge in the amount of $0.2 million. The fair values of our radio FCC licenses for each of the remaining market clusters exceeded the carrying values in amounts ranging from 0% to over 100%.
We did not have any goodwill in our radio reporting unit at December 31, 2020.
Digital
Due to the continuing economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced a decline in performance across all our reporting units beginning late in the first quarter of 2020. Additionally, the digital reporting unit was already facing declining results prior to the onset of the pandemic, caused by continuing competitive pressures and rapid changes in the digital advertising industry, which then further accelerated late in the first quarter of 2020 as a result of the economic crisis brought about from the pandemic. As a result, we updated our internal forecasts of future performance and determined that triggering events had occurred
during the first quarter of 2020 that required interim impairment assessments. As a result of the interim impairment assessments, we concluded that the digital reporting unit carrying value exceeded its fair value, resulting in a goodwill impairment charge of $0.8 million in the first quarter of 2020. Additionally, we conducted a review of certain long-lived assets using a two-step approach. In the first step, the carrying value of the asset group is compared to the projected undiscounted cash flows to determine recoverability. If the asset carrying value is not recoverable, then the fair value of the asset group is determined in the second step using an income approach. The income approach requires us to make a series of assumptions, such as discount rates, revenue projections, profit margin projections and useful lives. Based on the assumptions and estimates described above, the carrying values of long-lived assets in the digital reporting unit exceeded their fair values. As a result, we recorded impairment charges related to intangibles subject to amortization of $5.3 million, and property and equipment of $1.5 million, in the first quarter of 2020. We determined that no triggering events had occurred during the second or third quarters of 2020 that required interim impairment assessments.
As of our annual goodwill testing date, October 1, 2020, the fair value of our digital reporting unit exceeded its carrying value by 20%, resulting in no additional impairment charge for the year ended December 31, 2020. As discussed in Note 5 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements, the calculation of the fair value of the digital reporting unit requires estimates of the discount rate and the long term projected growth rate. If that discount rate were to increase by 1%, the fair value of the digital reporting unit would decrease by 5%. If the long term projected growth rate were to decrease by 0.5%, the fair value of the digital reporting unit would decrease by 1%.
Impact of Inflation
We believe that inflation has not had a material impact on our results of operations for each of our fiscal years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2020. However, based on recent inflation trends, the economy in Argentina has been classified as highly inflationary. As a result, we applied the guidance in ASC 830, “Foreign Currency Matters”, by remeasuring non-monetary assets and liabilities at historical exchange rates and monetary-assets and liabilities using current exchange rates. There can be no assurance that future inflation would not have an adverse impact on our operating results and financial condition.

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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
ITEM 7A.
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
General
Market risk represents the potential loss that may impact our financial position, results of operations or cash flows due to adverse changes in the financial markets. We are exposed to market risk from changes in the base rates on our Term Loan B.
Interest Rates
As of December 31, 2020, we had $215.3 million of variable rate bank debt outstanding under our 2017 Credit Facility. The debt bears interest at LIBOR plus a margin of 2.75%.
Because our debt is subject to interest at a variable rate, our earnings will be affected in future periods by changes in interest rates. If LIBOR were to increase by 100 basis points, or one percentage point, from its December 31, 2020 level, our annual interest expense would increase and cash flow from operations would decrease by approximately $2.2 million based on the outstanding balance of our term loan as of December 31, 2020.
Foreign Currency
We have foreign currency risks related to our revenue and operating expenses denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Our historical revenues have primarily been denominated in U.S. dollars, and the majority of our current revenues continue to be, and are expected to remain, denominated in U.S. dollars. However, we have operations in countries other than the U.S., primarily related to our digital business, and as a result we expect an increasing portion of our future revenues to be denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, primarily the Mexican peso, Argentine peso and various other Latin American currencies. The effect of an immediate and hypothetical 10% adverse change in foreign exchange rates on foreign-denominated accounts receivable at December 31, 2020 would not be material to our overall financial condition or consolidated results of operations. Our operating expenses are generally denominated in the currencies of the countries in which our operations are located, primarily the United States and, to a much lesser extent, Spain, Mexico, Argentina and other Latin American countries. Increases and decreases in our foreign-denominated revenue from movements in foreign exchange rates are partially offset by the corresponding decreases or increases in our foreign-denominated operating expenses.
Based on recent inflation trends, the economy in Argentina has been classified as highly inflationary. As a result, the Company applied the guidance in ASC 830 by remeasuring non-monetary assets and liabilities at historical exchange rates and monetary-assets and liabilities using current exchange rates. See Note 2 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
As our operations grow, our risks associated with fluctuation in currency rates will become greater, and we will continue to reassess our approach to managing this risk. In addition, currency fluctuations or a weakening U.S. dollar can increase the amount of operating expense of our international operations, primarily related to our digital business. To date, we have not entered into any foreign currency hedging contracts, since exchange rate fluctuations historically have not had a material impact on our operating results and cash flows.

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ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
ITEM 8.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
See pages through.

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ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
ITEM 9.
CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.

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ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
ITEM 9A.
CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information relating to our Company, including our consolidated subsidiaries, required to be disclosed in our SEC reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure. We conducted an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) as of the end of the period covered by this annual report. Based on this evaluation, our chief executive officer and chief financial officer concluded that, as of the evaluation date, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective due to material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, as described below.
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f). Under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the design and operating effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting based on the framework in “Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013)” issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”).
Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
The audited consolidated financial statements included in this annual report on Form 10-K include the results of Cisneros Interactive from the date of acquisition, whose financial statements reflect total assets and revenues constituting 16 and 26 percent, respectively, of the related consolidated financial statement amounts as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020. Our acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive is more fully described in Note 3 to Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Management’s most recent assessment of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020 did not include the internal controls related to our acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive in the fourth quarter of 2020, as permitted by applicable SEC rules and regulations. Management will include Cisneros Interactive as a part of management’s next assessment of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021.
A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the Company's annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. As a result of the material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting described below, management concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2020.
As a result of our expanding business operations and geographic scope, primarily related to our acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive in October 2020, we have experienced a significant increase in the volume of accounting transactions, number
of jurisdictions we operate in, and the amount of control activities necessary to properly present consolidated results. Cisneros Interactive operates in multiple countries, uses multiple currencies and, prior to the acquisition, was a private company with limited accounting and financial reporting personnel and other resources with which to address its internal controls and procedures. The acquisition was completed late in the year, and we did not have sufficient accounting resources and personnel to appropriately address this increase in necessary control activities, which resulted in the following material weaknesses:
•
A material weakness over the recording of opening balance sheet amounts related to our acquisition of Cisneros Interactive.
•
A material weakness over the revenue cycle of Cisneros Interactive.
•
A material weakness over the reporting of accounts payable, accrued liabilities, income taxes, payroll expenses, and other operating expenses of Cisneros Interactive.
Although these control weaknesses did not result in any material misstatement of our consolidated financial statements for the periods presented, they could lead to a material misstatement of account balances or disclosures. Accordingly, management has concluded that these control weaknesses constitute material weaknesses.
Management’s Plan for Remediation
Management has discussed the material weaknesses described above with the Audit Committee and is in the process of identifying the steps necessary to design a remediation plan in order to remediate the material weaknesses. We anticipate that such plan will include the addition of accounting resources and the implementation of additional software platforms to address the increased volume of control activities.
Remediation of Previously Reported Material Weaknesses in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
As previously disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, a material weakness in our internal controls existed as of December 31, 2019 relating to (a) control deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting related to revenue in our digital business which includes both the Headway business, as well as our legacy digital business, and (b) deficiencies in internal controls over financial reporting in Headway relating to a number of areas, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, operating expenses, intercompany accounts and income taxes.. During the year ended December 31, 2020, we implemented the following controls that remediated this material weakness:
•
provided additional technical training for accounting personnel tasked with review of revenue contracts in our digital segment;
•
implemented increased monitoring controls over information obtained from third parties relating to revenue in our digital segment;
•
redesigned certain controls at Headway to increase the level of precision related to accounts receivable, accounts payable, operating expenses, intercompany accounts and income taxes;
•
hired additional management, accounting, finance and information technology personnel in certain of our foreign locations to strengthen our accounting resources in these locations; and
•
provided additional internal controls training for employees in key internal control roles in the digital segment.
Our independent registered public accounting firm, BDO USA, LLP, which has audited and reported on our financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020, issued an attestation report regarding our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020. BDO USA, LLP’s report is included in this annual report below.
Inherent Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls
A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives will be met. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect all control issues or misstatements. Accordingly, our controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of our control system are met. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become adequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Changes in Internal Control
Other than the controls implemented to remediate the previously identified material weakness related to our digital segment described above and the material weaknesses identified in the fourth quarter of 2020 related to our acquisition of a majority interest in Cisneros Interactive described above, there have been no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2020 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect our internal control over financial reporting.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Shareholders and Board of Directors
Entravision Communications Corporation
Santa Monica, California
Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited Entravision Communications Corporation’s (the “Company’s”) internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the “COSO criteria”). In our opinion, the Company did not maintain, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020, based on the COSO criteria.
We do not express an opinion or any other form of assurance on management’s statements referring to any corrective actions taken by the Company after the date of management’s assessment.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”), the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020, and the related notes and financial statement schedule listed in the accompanying index (collectively referred to as “the consolidated financial statements”) and our report dated April 12, 2021 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Item 9A, Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit of internal control over financial reporting in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Material weaknesses related to the Cisneros Interactive subsidiary regarding management’s failure to design and maintain controls over (1) recording of opening balance sheet amounts related to the acquisition, (2) revenue cycle and (3) reporting of accounts payable, accrued liabilities, income taxes, payroll expenses and other operating expenses have been identified and described in management’s assessment. These material weaknesses were considered in determining the nature, timing, and extent of audit tests applied in our audit of the 2020 consolidated financial statements, and this report does not affect our report dated April 12, 2021 on those consolidated financial statements.
As indicated in the accompanying Item 9A, Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting, management’s assessment of and conclusion on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting did not include the internal controls of Cisneros Interactive, which was acquired during the fourth quarter of 2020, and which is included in the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2020, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year then ended. Cisneros Interactive constituted 16% of total assets as of December 31, 2020 and 26% of net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020. Management did not assess the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Cisneros Interactive because of the timing of the acquisition which was completed in October 2020. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting of the Company also did not include an evaluation of the internal control over financial reporting of Cisneros Interactive.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ BDO USA, LLP
Los Angeles, California
April 12, 2021

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ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 9B.
OTHER INFORMATION
None.
PART III

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ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
ITEM 10.
DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

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ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
ITEM 11.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

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ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
ITEM 12.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
ITEM 13.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.

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ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
ITEM 14.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
The information required by this item is incorporated by reference to our Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the SEC within 120 days of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.
PART IV

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ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
ITEM 15.
EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) Documents filed as part of this report:
1. Financial Statements
The consolidated financial statements contained herein are as listed on the “Index to Consolidated Financial Statements” on page of this report.
2. Financial Statement Schedule
The consolidated financial statement schedule contained herein is as listed on the “Index to Consolidated Financial Statements” on page of this report. All other schedules have been omitted because they are not applicable, not required, or the information is included in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.
3. Exhibits
See Exhibit Index.
(b) Exhibits:
The following exhibits are attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.
Exhibit
Number
Exhibit Description
3.1(2)
Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
3.2(27)
Fifth Amended and Restated Bylaws, as adopted on March 26, 2020
10.1(3)†
2000 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan
10.2(4)†
Form of Notice of Stock Option Grant and Stock Option Agreement under the 2000 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan
10.3(28)
Amended and Restated Voting Agreement by and among Walter F. Ulloa, Paul A. Zevnik and the other parties thereto
10.4(3)
Form of Voting Agreement by and among Walter F. Ulloa, Philip C. Wilkinson, Paul A. Zevnik and the registrant
10.5(25)†
Employment Agreement effective as of January 1, 2020 by and between the registrant and Walter F. Ulloa
10.6(28)†
Executive Employment Agreement effective as of March 1, 2020 by and between the registrant and Jeffery A. Liberman
10.7(18)†
Executive Employment Agreement effective as of March 1, 2017 by and between the registrant and Jeffery A. Liberman
10.8(22)†
Executive Employment Agreement effective as of January 1, 2019 between the registrant and Christopher T. Young
10.9(24)†
Executive Employment Agreement effective as of May 13, 2019 between the registrant and Karl Meyer
10.10*†
Executive Employment Agreement effective as of November 5, 2020 between the registrant and Juan Saldívar
10.11(3)†
Form of Indemnification Agreement for officers and directors of the registrant
10.12(3)
Form of Investors Rights Agreement by and among the registrant and certain of its stockholders
10.13(1)
Amendment to Investor Rights Agreement dated as of September 9, 2005 by and between Entravision Communications Corporation and Univision Communications Inc.
10.14(1)
Letter Agreement regarding registration rights of Univision dated as of September 9, 2005 by and between Entravision Communications Corporation and Univision Communications Inc.
10.15(3)
Office Lease dated August 19, 1999 by and between Water Garden Company L.L.C. and Entravision Communications Company, L.L.C.
Exhibit
Number
Exhibit Description
10.16(6)
First Amendment to Lease and Agreement Re: Sixth Floor Additional Space dated as of March 15, 2001 by and between Water Garden Company L.L.C., Entravision Communications Company, L.L.C. and the registrant
10.17(5)
Second Amendment to Lease dated as of October 5, 2005 by and between Water Garden Company L.L.C. and the registrant
10.18(10)
Third Amendment to Lease effective as of January 31, 2011 by and between Water Garden Company L.L.C. and the registrant
10.19(30)
Fourth Amendment to Lease effective as of January 14, 2021 by and between Water Garden Company L.L.C. and the registrant
10.20(19)
Station Affiliation Agreement, dated as of October 2, 2017, by and between Entravision Communications Corporation, The Univision Network Limited Partnership and UniMás Network
10.21(8)
Master Network Affiliation Agreement, dated as of August 14, 2002, by and between Entravision Communications Corporation and Univision Network Limited Partnership
10.22(11)
Amendment, effective as of October 1, 2011, to Master Network Affiliation Agreement, dated as of August 14, 2002, by and between Entravision Communications Corporation and Univision Network Limited Partnership
10.23(8)
Master Network Affiliation Agreement, dated as of March 17, 2004, by and between Entravision Communications Corporation and TeleFutura
10.24(11)
Amendment, effective as of October 1, 2011, to Master Network Affiliation Agreement, dated as of March 17, 2004, by and between Entravision Communications Corporation and TeleFutura
10.25(2)†
2004 Equity Incentive Plan
10.26(9)†
First Amendment, dated as of May 1, 2006, to 2004 Equity Incentive Plan
10.27(10)†
Second Amendment, dated as of July 13, 2006, to 2004 Equity Incentive Plan
10.28(12)†
Third Amendment, dated as of April 23, 2014, to 2004 Equity Incentive Plan
10.29(13)†
Fourth Amendment, dated as of May 21, 2014, to 2004 Equity Incentive Plan
10.30(4)†
Form of Stock Option Award under the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan
10.31(14)
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award under the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (directors)
10.32(21)
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award under the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan (directors)
10.33(15)
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award under the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan
10.34(15)
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award under the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan
10.35(16)
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award under the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan
10.36(17)
Form of Restricted Stock Unit Award under the 2004 Equity Incentive Plan
10.39(23)†
Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy
10.40(20)
Credit Agreement, dated as of November 30, 2017, by and among Entravision Communications Corporation, as the Borrower, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, RBC Capital Markets, as Syndication Agent, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Documentation Agent, and the other financial institutions party thereto as Lenders
10.41(20)
Security Agreement, dated as of November 30, 2017, by and among Entravision Communications Corporation, each other guarantor from time to time party thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent
10.42(23)
First Amendment and Limited Waiver, dated as of April 30, 2019, by and among Entravision Communications Corporation, as the Borrower, Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other financial institutions party thereto as Lenders
10.43(29)
Share Purchase Agreement effective as of October 13, 2020 by and among Entravision Digital Holdings, LLC and the selling shareholders named therein
Exhibit
Number
Exhibit Description
10.44(29)
Put and Call Option Agreement effective as of October 13, 2020 by and among Entravision Digital Holdings, LLC, Entravision Communications Corporation and the selling shareholders named therein
21.1*
Subsidiaries of the registrant
23.1*
Consent of BDO USA, LLP
24.1*
Power of Attorney (included after signatures hereto)
31.1*
Certification by the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
31.2*
Certification by the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
32*
Certification of Periodic Financial Report by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
101.INS*
Inline XBRL Instance Document - the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.
101.SCH*
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL*
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.LAB*
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE*
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
101.DEF*
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL with applicable taxonomy extension information contained in Exhibits 101)
*
Filed herewith.
†
Management contract or compensatory plan, contract or arrangement.
(1)
Incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2005, filed with the SEC on November 9, 2005.
(2)
Incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, filed with the SEC on August 9, 2004.
(3)
Incorporated by reference from our Registration Statement on Form S-1, No. 333-35336, filed with the SEC on April 21, 2000, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, filed with the SEC on June 14, 2000, Amendment No. 2 thereto, filed with the SEC on July 10, 2000, Amendment No. 3 thereto, filed with the SEC on July 11, 2000 and Amendment No. 4 thereto, filed with the SEC on July 26, 2000.
(4)
Incorporated by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, filed with the SEC on March 15, 2005.
(5)
Incorporated by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, filed with the SEC on March 16, 2006.
(6)
Incorporated by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, filed with the SEC on March 28, 2001.
(7)
Incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2004, filed with the SEC on May 10, 2004.
(8)
Incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006, filed with the SEC on May 10, 2006.
(9)
Incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2006, filed with the SEC on November 9, 2006.
(10)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on March 25, 2011.
(11)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on January 5, 2012.
(12)
Incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on May 9, 2014.
(13)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 30, 2014.
(14)
Incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 7, 2014.
(15)
Incorporated by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, filed with the SEC on March 6, 2015.
(16)
Incorporated by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed with the SEC on March 9, 2016.
(17)
Incorporated by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the SEC on March 10, 2017.
(18)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on March 24, 2017.
(19)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 5, 2017.
(20)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on December 1, 2017.
(21)
Incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on November 8, 2018.
(22)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on February 15, 2019.
(23)
Incorporated by reference from our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on May 7, 2019.
(24)
Incorporated by reference from our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC on August 8, 2019.
(25)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on December 30, 2019.
(26)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on March 13, 2020.
(27)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on March 27, 2020.
(28)
Incorporated by reference from Schedule 13D of Walter F. Ulloa and Paul A. Zevnik, filed with the SEC on May 15, 2020.
(29)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on October 15, 2020.
(30)
Incorporated by reference from our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on January 26, 2021.
(c) Financial Statement Schedules:
Not applicable.