EXHIBIT 99.3
December __, 1997
FORM OF
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EXCHANGE AGENT AGREEMENT
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The Bank of New York
Corporate Trust Trustee Administration
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx - 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Fox/Liberty Networks, LLC (the "Company") and its wholly owned subsidiary,
FLN Finance, Inc. ("FLN") proposes to make an offer (the "Exchange Offer") to
exchange its 9-3/4% Senior Discount Notes Due 2007 and 8 7/8% Senior Notes Due
2007 (collectively, the "Old Notes") for its 9-3/4% Senior Discount Notes Due
2007 and 8 7/8% Senior Notes Due 2007 (collectively, the "New Notes"),
respectively. The terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer as currently
contemplated are set forth in a prospectus, dated December __, 1997 (the
"Prospectus"), proposed to be distributed to all record holders of the Old
Notes. The Old Notes and the New Notes are collectively referred to herein as
the "Notes". All references herein to the Company shall be to the Company
acting on behalf of itself and on behalf of FLN, unless the context requires
otherwise.
The Company hereby appoints The Bank of New York to act as exchange agent
(the "Exchange Agent") in connection with the Exchange Offer. References
hereinafter to "you" shall refer to The Bank of New York.
The Exchange Offer is expected to be commenced by the Company on or about
_____________, 1997. The Letter of Transmittal accompanying the Prospectus (or
in the case of book entry securities, the ATOP system) is to be used by the
holders of the Old Notes to accept the Exchange Of fer and contains instructions
with respect to the delivery of certifi xxxxx for Old Notes tendered in
connection therewith.
The Exchange Offer shall expire at 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on
_____________, 1997 or on such later date or time to which the Company may
extend the Exchange Offer (the "Expiration Date"). Subject to the terms and
conditions set forth in the Prospectus, the Company expressly reserves the right
to extend the Exchange Offer from time to time and may extend the Exchange Offer
by giving oral (confirmed in writing) or written notice to you before 9:00 A.M.,
New York City time, on the business day following the previously scheduled
Expiration Date.
The Company expressly reserves the right to amend or terminate the
Exchange Offer, and not to accept for exchange any Old Notes not theretofore
accepted for exchange, upon the occurrence of any of the conditions of the
Exchange Offer specified in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer
-- Conditions to the Exchange Offer." The Company will give oral (confirmed in
writing) or written notice of any amendment, termination or nonacceptance to you
as promptly as practi cable.
In carrying out your duties as Exchange Agent, you are to act in
accordance with the following instructions:
1. You will perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically
set forth in the section of the Prospectus captioned "The Exchange Offer" or as
specifically set forth herein; provided, however, that in no way will your
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general duty to act in good faith be discharged by the foregoing.
2. You will establish an account with respect to the Old Notes at The
Depository Trust Company (the "Book-Entry Transfer Facility") for purposes of
the Exchange Offer within two business days after the date of the Prospectus,
and any financial institution that is a participant in the Book-Entry Transfer
Facility's systems may make book-entry delivery of the Old Notes by causing the
Book-Entry Transfer Facility to transfer such Old Notes into your account in
accordance with the Book-Entry Transfer Facility's procedure for such transfer.
3. You are to examine each of the Letters of Transmittal and
certificates for Old Notes (or confirmation of book-entry transfer into your
account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility) and any other documents delivered
or mailed to you by or for holders of the Old Notes to ascertain whether: (i)
the Letters of Transmittal and any such other documents are duly executed and
properly completed in accordance with instructions set forth therein and (ii)
the Old Notes have otherwise been properly tendered. In each case where the
Letter of Transmittal or any other document has been improperly completed or
executed or any of the certificates for Old Notes are not in proper form for
transfer or some other irregularity in connection with the acceptance of the
Exchange Offer exists, you will endeavor to inform the presenters of the need
for fulfillment of all requirements and to take any other action as may be
necessary or advisable to cause such irregularity to be corrected.
4. With the approval of the President, Senior Vice President, Executive
Vice President, or any Vice President of the Company (such approval, if given
orally, to be confirmed in writing) or any other party designated by such an
officer in writing, you are authorized to waive any irregularities in
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connection with any tender of Old Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
5. Tenders of Old Notes may be made only as set forth in the Letter of
Transmittal and in the section of the Prospectus captioned "The Exchange Offer -
- Procedures for Tendering Old Notes"6, and Old Notes shall be considered
properly tendered to you only when tendered in accordance with the procedures
set forth therein.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph 5, Old Notes which the
President, Senior Vice President, Executive Vice President, or any Vice
President of the Company shall approve as having been properly tendered shall be
considered to be properly tendered (such approval, if given orally, shall be
confirmed in writing).
6. You shall advise the Company with respect to any Old Notes received
subsequent to the Expiration Date and accept its instructions with respect to
disposition of such Old Notes.
7. You shall accept tenders:
(a) in cases where the Old Notes are registered in two or more names only
if signed by all named holders;
(b) in cases where the signing person (as indicated on the Letter of
Transmittal) is acting in a fiduciary or a representative capacity only when
proper evidence of his or her authority so to act is submitted; and
(c) from persons other than the registered holder of Old Notes provided
that customary transfer requirements, including any applicable transfer taxes,
are fulfilled.
You shall accept partial tenders of Old Notes where so indicated and as
permitted in the Letter of Transmittal and deliver certificates for Old Notes to
the transfer agent for split-up and return any untendered Old Notes to the
holder (or such other person as may be des ignated in the Letter of Transmittal)
as promptly as practicable after expiration or termination of the Exchange
Offer.
8. Upon satisfaction or waiver of all of the conditions to the Exchange
Offer, the Company will notify you (such notice if given orally, to be confirmed
in writing) of its acceptance, promptly after the Expiration Date, of all Old
Notes properly tendered and you, on behalf of the Company, will exchange such
Old Notes for New Notes and cause such Old Notes to be cancelled. Delivery of
New Notes will be made on behalf of the Company by you at the rate of $1,000
principal amount of New Notes for each $1,000 principal amount of the
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corresponding series of Old Notes tendered promptly after notice (such notice if
given orally, to be confirmed in writing) of acceptance of said Old Notes by the
Company; provided, however, that in all cases, Old Notes tendered pursuant to
the Exchange Offer will be exchanged only after timely receipt by you of
certificates for such Old Notes (or confirmation of book-entry transfer into
your account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility), a properly completed and duly
executed Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile thereof) with any required
signature guarantees and any other required documents. You shall issue New
Notes only in denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple thereof.
9. Tenders pursuant to the Exchange Offer are irrevocable, except that,
subject to the terms and upon the conditions set forth in the Prospectus and the
Letter of Transmittal, Old Notes tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be
withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration Date.
10. The Company shall not be required to exchange any Old Notes tendered
if any of the conditions set forth in the Exchange Offer are not met. Notice of
any decision by the Company not to exchange any Old Notes tendered shall be
given (and confirmed in writing) by the Company to you.
11. If, pursuant to the Exchange Offer, the Company does not accept for
exchange all or part of the Old Notes tendered because of an invalid tender, the
occurrence of certain other events set forth in the Prospectus under the caption
"The Exchange Offer -- Conditions to the Ex change Offer" or otherwise, you
shall as soon as practicable after the expiration or termination of the Exchange
Offer return those certificates for unaccepted Old Notes (or effect appropriate
book-entry transfer), together with any related required documents and the
Letters of Transmittal relating thereto that are in your possession, to the
persons who deposited them.
12. All certificates for reissued Old Notes, unaccepted Old Notes or for
New Notes shall be forwarded by first-class mail.
13. You are not authorized to pay or offer to pay any concessions,
commissions or solicitation fees to any broker, dealer, bank or other persons or
to engage or utilize any person to solicit tenders.
14. As Exchange Agent hereunder you:
(a) shall have no duties or obligations other than those specifically
set forth herein or as may be subsequently agreed to in writing by you and the
Company;
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(b) will be regarded as making no representations and having no
responsibilities as to the validity, sufficiency, value or genuineness of any of
the certificates or the Old Notes represented thereby deposited with you
pursuant to the Exchange Offer, and will not be required to and will make no
representation as to the validity, value or genuineness of the Exchange Offer;
(c) shall not be obligated to take any legal action hereunder which
might in your reasonable judgment involve any expense or liability, unless you
shall have been furnished with reasonable indemnity;
(d) may reasonably rely on and shall be protected in acting in
reliance upon any certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, telegram or
other document or security delivered to you and reasonably believed by you to be
genuine and to have been signed by the proper party or parties;
(e) may reasonably act upon any tender, statement, request, comment,
agreement or other instrument whatsoever not only as to its due execution and
validity and effectiveness of its provisions, but also as to the truth and
accuracy of any information contained therein, which you shall in good faith
believe to be genuine or to have been signed or represented by a proper person
or persons;
(f) may rely on and shall be protected in acting upon written or oral
instructions from any officer of the Company;
(g) may consult with your counsel with respect to any questions
relating to your duties and responsibilities and the advice or opinion of such
counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of
any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by you hereunder in good faith
and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel; and
(h) shall not advise any person tendering Old Notes pursuant to the
Exchange Offer as to the wisdom of making such tender or as to the market value
or decline or appreciation in market value of any Old Notes.
15. You shall take such action as may from time to time be requested by
the Company or its counsel (and such other action as you may reasonably deem
appropriate) to furnish copies of the Prospectus, Letter of Transmittal and the
Notice of Guaranteed Delivery (as defined in the Prospectus) or such other forms
as may be approved from time to time by the Company, to all persons requesting
such documents and to accept and comply with telephone requests for information
relating to the Exchange Offer, provided that such information
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shall relate only to the procedures for accepting (or withdrawing from) the
Exchange Offer. The Company will furnish you with copies of such documents at
your request. All other requests for information relating to the Exchange Offer
shall be directed to the Company, Attention: Xxxx Xxxxx.
16. You shall advise by facsimile transmission or telephone, and promptly
thereafter confirm in writing to Xxxx Xxxxx of the Company and such other person
or persons as it may request, daily (and more frequently during the week
immediately preceding the Expiration Date and if otherwise requested) up to and
including the Expiration Date, as to the number of Old Notes which have been
tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and the items received by you pursuant
to this Agreement, separately reporting and giving cumulative totals as to items
properly received and items improperly received. In addition, you will also
inform, and cooperate in making available to, the Company or any such other
person or persons upon oral request made from time to time prior to the
Expiration Date of such other information as it or he or she reasonably
requests. Such cooperation shall include, without limitation, the granting by
you to the Company and such person as the Company may request of access to those
persons on your staff who are responsible for receiving tenders, in order to
ensure that immediately prior to the Expiration Date the Company shall have
received information in sufficient detail to enable it to decide whether to
extend the Exchange Offer. You shall prepare a final list of all persons whose
tenders were accepted, the aggregate principal amount of Old Notes tendered, the
ag gregate principal amount of Old Notes accepted and deliver said list to the
Company.
17. Letters of Transmittal and Notices of Guaranteed Delivery shall be
stamped by you as to the date and the time of receipt thereof and shall be
preserved by you for a period of time at least equal to the period of time you
preserve other records pertaining to the transfer of securities. You shall
dispose of unused Letters of Transmittal and other surplus materials by
returning them to the Company.
18. You hereby expressly waive any lien, encumbrance or right of set-off
whatsoever that you may have with respect to funds deposited with you for the
payment of transfer taxes by reasons of amounts, if any, borrowed by the
Company, or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates pursuant to any loan or credit
agreement with you or for compensation owed to you hereunder.
19. For services rendered as Exchange Agent hereunder, you shall be
entitled to such compensation as set forth on Schedule I attached hereto.
20. You hereby acknowledge receipt of the Prospectus and the Letter of
Transmittal and further acknowledge that
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you have examined each of them. Any inconsistency between this Agreement, on the
one hand, and the Prospectus and the Letter of Transmittal (as they may be
amended from time to time), on the other hand, shall be resolved in favor of the
latter two documents, except with respect to the duties, liabilities and
indemnification of you as Exchange Agent, which shall be controlled by this
Agreement.
21. The Company covenants and agrees to indemnify and hold you harmless
in your capacity as Exchange Agent hereunder against any loss, liability, cost
or expense, including attorneys' fees and expenses, arising out of or in
connection with any act, omission, delay or refusal made by you in reliance upon
any signature, endorsement, assignment, certificate, order, request, notice,
instruction or other instrument or document reasonably believed by you to be
valid, genuine and sufficient and in accepting any tender or effecting any
transfer of Old Notes reasonably believed by you in good faith to be authorized,
and in delaying or refusing in good faith to accept any tenders or effect any
transfer of Old Notes; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable
for indemnification or otherwise for any loss, liability, cost or expense to the
extent arising out of your gross negligence or willful misconduct. In no case
shall the Company be liable under this indemnity with respect to any claim
against you unless the Company shall be notified by you, by letter or by
facsimile confirmed by letter, of the written assertion of a claim against you
or of any other action commenced against you, promptly after you shall have
received any such written assertion or notice of commencement of action. The
Company shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense of
any such claim or other action, and, if the Company so elects, the Company shall
assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such claim. In the event
that the Company shall assume the defense of any such suit, the Company shall
not be liable for the fees and expenses of any additional counsel thereafter
retained by you so long as the Company shall retain counsel satisfactory to you
to defend such suit, and so long as you have not determined, in your reasonable
judgment, that a conflict of interest exists between you and the Company.
22. You shall arrange to comply with all requirements under the tax laws
of the United States, including those relating to missing Tax Identification
Numbers, and shall file any appropriate reports with the Internal Revenue
Service. The Company understands that you are required to deduct 31% on
payments to holders who have not supplied their correct Taxpayer Identification
Number or required certification. Such funds will be turned over to the
Internal Revenue Service in accordance with applicable regulations.
23. You shall deliver or cause to be delivered, in a timely manner to
each governmental authority to which any
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transfer taxes are payable in respect of the exchange of Old Notes, your check
in the amount of all transfer taxes so payable, and the Company shall reimburse
you for the amount of any and all transfer taxes payable in respect of the
exchange of Old Notes; provided, however, that you shall reimburse the Company
for amounts refunded to you in respect of your payment of any such transfer
taxes, at such time as such refund is received by you.
24. This Agreement and your appointment as Exchange Agent hereunder shall
be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York
applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely within such state,
and without regard to conflicts of law principles, and shall inure to the
benefit of, and the obligations created hereby shall be binding upon, the
successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto.
25. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall
constitute one and the same agreement.
26. In case any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
27. This Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be modified,
amended, rescinded, cancelled or waived, in whole or in part, except by a
written instrument signed by a duly authorized representative of the party to be
charged. This Agreement may not be modified orally.
28. Unless otherwise provided herein, all notices, requests and other
communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile
or similar writing) and shall be given to such party, addressed to it, at its
address or telecopy number set forth below:
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If to the Company and FLN:
Fox/Liberty Networks, LLC
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxx
With copies to:
The News Corporation Limited
1211 Avenue of the Xxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
and
Squadron, Ellenoff, Plesent, & Xxxxxxxxx, LLP
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
Attention: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
If to the Exchange Agent:
The Bank of New York
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 00 Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust Trustee
Administration
29. Unless terminated earlier by the parties hereto, this Agreement shall
terminate 90 days following the Expiration Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Paragraphs 19, 21 and 23 shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Upon
any termination of this Agreement, you shall promptly deliver to the Company any
certificates for Notes, funds or property then held by you as Exchange Agent
under this Agreement.
30. This Agreement shall be binding and effective as of the date hereof.
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Please acknowledge receipt of this Agreement and confirm the arrangements
herein provided by signing and returning the enclosed copy.
FOX/LIBERTY NETWORKS, LLC
By:______________________
Name:
Title:
FLN FINANCE, INC.
By:____________________
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date
first above written:
THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as Exchange Agent
By:_____________________
Name:
Title:
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SCHEDULE I
FEES
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