EXHIBIT 4.4
EXECUTION COPY
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
by and among
Nexstar Finance Holdings, L.L.C.
and
Nexstar Finance Holdings, Inc.
and
Banc of America Securities LLC
and
Barclays Capital Inc.
Dated as of May 17, 2001
Registration Rights Agreement
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and
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entered into as of May 17, 2001 by and among Nexstar Finance Holdings, L.L.C., a
Delaware limited liability company, and Nexstar Finance, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (together, the "Company"), and Banc of America Securities LLC and
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Barclays Capital Inc. (each an "Initial Purchaser" and, collectively, the
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"Initial Purchasers"), each of whom has agreed to purchase the Company's 16%
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Senior Discount Notes due 2009 (the "Initial Notes") pursuant to the Purchase
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Agreement (as defined below).
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated as of
May 1, 2001 (the "Purchase Agreement"), by and among the Company, Nexstar
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Broadcasting Group, L.L.C. (the "Guarantor"), Nexstar Equity Corp. and the
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Initial Purchasers (i) for your benefit and for the benefit of each other
Initial Purchaser and (ii) for the benefit of the holders from time to time of
the Notes (including you and each other Initial Purchaser). In order to induce
the Initial Purchasers to purchase the Initial Notes, the Company has agreed to
provide the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and
delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the obligations of the Initial
Purchasers set forth in Section 5(j) of the Purchase Agreement.
The parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Definitions
As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have
the following meanings:
Additional Interest Payment Date: With respect to the Initial Notes,
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each Interest Payment Date.
Broker-Dealer: Any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange
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Act.
Closing Date: The date of this Agreement.
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Commission: The Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Consummate: A Registered Exchange Offer shall be deemed "Consummated"
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for purposes of this Agreement upon the occurrence of (i) the filing and
effectiveness under the Securities Act of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement relating to the Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange
Offer, (ii) the maintenance of such Registration Statement continuously
effective and the keeping of the Exchange Offer open for a period not less
than the minimum period required pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, and (iii)
the delivery by the Company to the Registrar under the Indenture of
Exchange Notes in the same aggregate principal amount as the aggregate
principal amount of Initial Notes that were tendered by Holders thereof
pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
Effectiveness Target Date: As defined in Section 5.
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Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
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Exchange Notes: The 16% Senior Discount Notes due 2009 of the same
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series under the Indenture as the Initial Notes, to be issued to Holders in
exchange for Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to this Agreement.
Exchange Offer: The registration by the Company under the Securities
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Act of the Exchange Notes pursuant to a Registration Statement pursuant to
which the Company offers the Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted
Securities the opportunity to exchange all such outstanding Transfer
Restricted Securities held by such Holders for Exchange Notes in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the
Transfer Restricted Securities tendered in such exchange offer by such
Holders.
Exchange Offer Registration Statement: The Registration Statement
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relating to the Exchange Offer, including the related Prospectus.
Exempt Resales: The transactions in which the Initial Purchasers
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propose to sell the Initial Notes to certain "qualified institutional
buyers," as such term is defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act, and
to certain institutional "accredited investors," as such term is defined in
Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) and (7) of Regulation D under the Securities Act
("Accredited Institutions").
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Holders: As defined in Section 2(b) hereof.
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Indemnified Holder: As defined in Section 8(a) hereof.
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Indenture: The Indenture, dated as of May 17, 2001, among the
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Company, Bastet Broadcasting, Inc., Mission Broadcasting of Wichita Falls,
Inc., the Guarantor and United States Trust Company of New York, as trustee
(the "Trustee"), pursuant to which the Notes are to be issued, as such
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Indenture is amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with
the terms thereof.
Initial Purchaser: As defined in the preamble hereto.
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Initial Notes: The 16% Senior Discount Notes due 2009, of the same
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series under the Indenture as the Exchange Notes, for so long as such
securities constitute Transfer Restricted Securities.
Initial Placement: The issuance and sale by the Company of the
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Initial Notes to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
Interest Payment Date: As defined in the Indenture and the Notes.
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NASD: National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
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Notes: The Initial Notes and the Exchange Notes.
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Person: An individual, partnership, corporation, trust or
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unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political
subdivision thereof.
Prospectus: The prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as
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amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement and by all other
amendments thereto, including post-effective amendments, and all material
incorporated by reference into such Prospectus.
Record Holder: With respect to any Damages Payment Date relating to
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the Notes, each Person who is a Holder of Notes on the record date with
respect to the Interest Payment Date on which such Damages Payment Date
shall occur.
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Registration Default: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
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Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the Company
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relating to (a) an offering of Exchange Notes pursuant to an Exchange Offer
or (b) the registration for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities
pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, which is filed pursuant to
the provisions of this Agreement, in each case, including the Prospectus
included therein, all amendments and supplements thereto (including post-
effective amendments) and all exhibits and material incorporated by
reference therein.
Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
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Shelf Filing Deadline: As defined in Section 4 hereof.
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Shelf Registration Statement: As defined in Section 4 hereof.
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Trust Indenture Act: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C.
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Section 77aaa 77bbbb) as in effect on the date of the Indenture.
Transfer Restricted Securities: Each Note, until the earliest to
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occur of (a) the date on which such Note is exchanged in the Exchange Offer
and entitled to be resold to the public by the Holder thereof without
complying with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act,
(b) the date on which such Note has been effectively registered under the
Securities Act and disposed of in accordance with a Shelf Registration
Statement and (c) the date on which such Note is distributed to the public
pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act or by a Broker-Dealer
pursuant to the "Plan of Distribution" contemplated by the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement (including delivery of the Prospectus contained
therein).
Section 2. Securities Subject to This Agreement
(a) Transfer Restricted Securities. The securities entitled to the
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benefits of this Agreement are the Transfer Restricted Securities.
(b) Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities. A Person is deemed to be a
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holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (each, a "Holder") whenever such
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Person owns Transfer Restricted Securities.
Section 3. Registered Exchange Offer
(a) Unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permissible under applicable
law or Commission policy (after the procedures set forth in Section 6(a) below
have been complied with), the Company shall (i) cause to be filed with the
Commission as soon as practicable after the Closing Date, but in no event later
than, the later of (x) 30 days after the consummation of the Reorganization (as
defined in the Indenture) and (y) 90 days after the Closing Date, a Registration
Statement under the Securities Act relating to the Exchange Notes and the
Exchange Offer, (ii) use their best efforts to cause such Registration Statement
to become effective at the earliest possible time, but in no event later than
135 days after the filing of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement, (iii) in
connection with the foregoing, file (A) all pre-effective amendments to such
Registration Statement as may be necessary in order to cause such Registration
Statement to become effective, (B) if applicable, a post-effective amendment to
such Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act and
(C) cause all necessary filings in connection with the registration and
qualification of the Exchange Notes to be made under the Blue Sky laws of such
jurisdictions as are necessary to permit Consummation of the Exchange Offer, and
(iv) upon the effectiveness of such Registration Statement, commence the
Exchange Offer. The
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Exchange Offer shall be on the appropriate form permitting registration of the
Exchange Notes to be offered in exchange for the Transfer Restricted Securities
and to permit resales of Notes held by Broker-Dealers as contemplated by Section
3(c) below.
(b) The Company shall cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to
be effective continuously and shall keep the Exchange Offer open for a period of
not less than the minimum period required under applicable federal and state
securities laws to Consummate the Exchange Offer; provided, however, that in no
event shall such period be less than 30 days after the date notice of the
Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders. The Company shall cause the Exchange
Offer to comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws. No
securities other than the Notes shall be included in the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the
Exchange Offer to be Consummated on the earliest practicable date after the
Exchange Offer Registration Statement has become effective, but in no event
later than 45 days after the date on which the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement has been declared effective, unless required by any applicable federal
securities laws.
(c) The Company shall indicate in a "Plan of Distribution" section
contained in the Prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement that any Broker-Dealer who holds Initial Notes that are Transfer
Restricted Securities and that were acquired for its own account as a result of
market-making activities or other trading activities (other than Transfer
Restricted Securities acquired directly from the Company), may exchange such
Initial Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer; however, such Broker-Dealer may be
deemed to be an "underwriter" within the meaning of the Securities Act and must,
therefore, deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act
in connection with any resales of the Exchange Notes received by such Broker-
Dealer in the Exchange Offer, which prospectus delivery requirement may be
satisfied by the delivery by such Broker-Dealer of the Prospectus contained in
the Exchange Offer Registration Statement. Such "Plan of Distribution" section
shall also contain all other information with respect to such resales by Broker-
Dealers that the Commission may require in order to permit such resales pursuant
thereto, but such "Plan of Distribution" shall not name any such Broker-Dealer
or disclose the amount of Notes held by any such Broker-Dealer except to the
extent required by the Commission as a result of a change in policy after the
date of this Agreement.
The Company shall use their best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as
required by the provisions of Section 6(c) below to the extent necessary to
ensure that it is available for resales of Notes acquired by Broker-Dealers for
their own accounts as a result of market-making activities or other trading
activities, and to ensure that it conforms with the requirements of this
Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the
Commission as announced from time to time, for a period ending on the earlier of
(i) 180 days from the date on which the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is
declared effective and (ii) the date on which a Broker-Dealer is no longer
required to deliver a prospectus in connection with market-making or other
trading activities.
The Company shall provide sufficient copies of the latest version of
such Prospectus to Broker-Dealers promptly upon request at any time during such
180-day (or shorter as provided in the foregoing sentence) period in order to
facilitate such resales.
Section 4. Shelf Registration
(a) Shelf Registration. If (i) the Company is not required to file an
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Exchange Offer Registration Statement or to consummate the Exchange Offer
because the Exchange Offer is not permitted by applicable law or Commission
policy (after the procedures set forth in Section 6(a) below have been complied
with) or (ii) with respect to any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (A)
such
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Holder is prohibited by applicable law or Commission policy from participating
in the Exchange Offer, or (B) such Holder may not resell the Exchange Notes
acquired by it in the Exchange Offer to the public without delivering a
prospectus and that the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement is not appropriate or available for such resales by such Holder, or
(C) such Holder is a Broker-Dealer and holds Initial Notes acquired directly
from the Company or one of its affiliates, then, upon such Holder's request, the
Company shall
(x) cause to be filed a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule
415 under the Securities Act, which may be an amendment to the Exchange
Offer Registration Statement (in either event, the "Shelf Registration
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Statement") on or prior to the later of (A) the date on which the Company
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would have been required to file the Exchange Offer Registration Statement
and (B) 90 days after the earlier to occur of (1) the date on which the
Company determines that it is not required to file the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement and (2) the date on which the Company receives
notice from a Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities as contemplated by
clause (ii) above such later date being the "Shelf Filing Deadline"), which
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Shelf Registration Statement shall provide for resales of all Transfer
Restricted Securities the Holders of which shall have provided the
information required pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof; and
(y) use their best efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement
to be declared effective by the Commission on or before the 135th day after
the Shelf Filing Deadline.
The Company shall use its best efforts to keep such Shelf Registration Statement
continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required by the provisions
of Sections 6(b) and (c) hereof to the extent necessary to ensure that it is
available for resales of Notes by the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities
entitled to the benefit of this Section 4(a), and to ensure that it conforms
with the requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies,
rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a
period of at least two years following the effective date of such Shelf
Registration Statement (or shorter period that will terminate when all the Notes
covered by such Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to such
Shelf Registration Statement).
(b) Provision by Holders of Certain Information in Connection with the
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Shelf Registration Statement. No Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities may
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include any of its Transfer Restricted Securities in any Shelf Registration
Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder furnishes to
the Company in writing, within 20 business days after receipt of a request
therefor, such information as the Company may reasonably request for use in
connection with any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or preliminary
Prospectus included therein. Each Holder as to which any Shelf Registration
Statement is being effected agrees to furnish promptly to the Company all
information required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously
furnished to the Company by such Holder not materially misleading.
Section 5. Liquidated Damages
If (i) any of the Registration Statements required by this Agreement
is not filed with the Commission on or prior to the date specified for such
filing in this Agreement, (ii) any of such Registration Statements has not been
declared effective by the Commission on or prior to the date specified for such
effectiveness in this Agreement (the "Effectiveness Target Date"), (iii) the
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Exchange Offer has not been Consummated within 45 business days after the
Effectiveness Target Date with respect to the Exchange Offer Registration
Statement or (iv) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement is filed
and declared effective but shall thereafter cease to be effective or fail to be
usable for its intended purpose without being succeeded immediately by a post-
effective amendment to such
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Registration Statement that cures such failure and that is itself immediately
declared effective (each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iv), a
"Registration Default"), the Company hereby agrees to each Holder of Transfer
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Restricted Securities affected thereby liquidated damages in an amount equal to
$.05 per week per $1,000 in principal amount (or, if prior to May 15, 2005,
Accreted Value (as defined in the Indenture)) of Transfer Restricted Securities
held by such Holder for each week or portion thereof that the Registration
Default continues for the first 90-day period immediately following the
occurrence of such Registration Default. The amount of the liquidated damages
shall increase by an additional $.05 per week per $1,000 in principal amount
(or, if prior to May 15, 2005, Accreted Value) of Transfer Restricted Securities
with respect to each subsequent 90-day period until all Registration Defaults
have been cured, up to a maximum amount of liquidated damages of $.50 per week
per $1,000 in principal amount (or, if prior to May 15, 2005, Accreted Value) of
Transfer Restricted Securities. Following the cure of all Registration Defaults
relating to any particular Transfer Restricted Securities, liquidated damages
payable with respect to the Transfer Restricted Securities as a result of such
clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv), as applicable, shall cease.
At any time prior to May 15, 2005, the Company may pay any such
liquidated damages in the form of additional notes, which have terms
substantially similar to the Notes, but will not be issued under the Indenture.
All obligations of the Company set forth in the preceding paragraph
that are outstanding with respect to any Transfer Restricted Security at the
time such security ceases to be a Transfer Restricted Security shall survive
until such time as all such obligations with respect to such Note shall have
been satisfied in full.
Section 6. Registration Procedures
(a) Exchange Offer Registration Statement. In connection with the
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Exchange Offer, the Company shall comply with all of the provisions of Section
6(c) below, shall use their best efforts to effect such exchange to permit the
sale of Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in accordance with the
intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and shall comply with all of
the following provisions:
(i) If in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Company
there is a question as to whether the Exchange Offer is permitted by applicable
law, the Company hereby agrees to seek a no-action letter or other favorable
decision from the Commission allowing the Company to Consummate an Exchange
Offer for such Initial Notes. The Company hereby agrees to pursue the issuance
of such a decision to the Commission staff level but shall not be required to
take commercially unreasonable action to effect a change of Commission policy.
The Company hereby agrees, however, to (A) participate in telephonic conferences
with the Commission, (B) deliver to the Commission staff an analysis prepared by
counsel to the Company setting forth the legal bases, if any, upon which such
counsel has concluded that such an Exchange Offer should be permitted and (C)
diligently pursue a favorable resolution by the Commission staff of such
submission.
(ii) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange Offer
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, each Holder of Transfer Restricted
Securities shall furnish, upon the request of the Company, prior to the
Consummation thereof, a written representation to the Company (which may be
contained in the letter of transmittal contemplated by the Exchange Offer
Registration Statement) to the effect that (A) it is not an affiliate of the
Company, (B) it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, and has no
arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in, a distribution
of the Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer and (C) it is acquiring
the Exchange Notes in its ordinary course of business. In addition, all such
Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities shall otherwise cooperate in the
Company's preparations for the Exchange Offer. Each Holder hereby
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acknowledges and agrees that any Broker-Dealer and any such Holder using the
Exchange Offer to participate in a distribution of the securities to be acquired
in the Exchange Offer (1) could not under Commission policy as in effect on the
date of this Agreement rely on the position of the Commission enunciated in
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital Holdings
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Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the Commission's letter
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to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar no-action letters (which
may include any no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above), and (2)
must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the
Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction and that such a
secondary resale transaction should be covered by an effective registration
statement containing the selling security holder information required by Item
507 or 508, as applicable, of Regulation S-K if the resales are of Exchange
Notes obtained by such Holder in exchange for Initial Notes acquired by such
Holder directly from the Company.
(b) Shelf Registration Statement. In connection with the Shelf
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Registration Statement, the Company shall comply with all the provisions of
Section 6(c) below and shall use their best efforts to effect such registration
to permit the sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in
accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and
pursuant thereto the Company will as expeditiously as possible prepare and file
with the Commission a Registration Statement relating to the registration on any
appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form shall be available for the
sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities in accordance with the intended
method or methods of distribution thereof.
(c) General Provisions. In connection with any Registration Statement and
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any Prospectus required by this Agreement to permit the sale or resale of
Transfer Restricted Securities (including, without limitation, any Registration
Statement and the related Prospectus required to permit resales of Notes by
Broker-Dealers), the Company shall:
(i) use its best efforts to keep such Registration Statement
continuously effective and provide all requisite financial statements
(including, if required by the Securities Act or any regulation thereunder,
financial statements of the Guarantor for the period specified in Section 3 or 4
of this Agreement, as applicable; upon the occurrence of any event that would
cause any such Registration Statement or the Prospectus contained therein (A) to
contain a material misstatement or omission or (B) not to be effective and
usable for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities during the period required
by this Agreement, the Company shall file promptly an appropriate amendment to
such Registration Statement, in the case of clause (A), correcting any such
misstatement or omission, and, in the case of either clause (A) or (B), use its
best efforts to cause such amendment to be declared effective and such
Registration Statement and the related Prospectus to become usable for their
intended purpose(s) as soon as practicable thereafter;
(ii) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-
effective amendments to the Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep
the Registration Statement effective for the applicable period set forth in
Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, or such shorter period as will terminate
when all Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Registration Statement
have been sold; cause the Prospectus to be supplemented by any required
Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424
under the Securities Act, and to comply fully with the applicable provisions of
Rules 424 and 430A under the Securities Act in a timely manner; and comply with
the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all
securities covered by such Registration Statement during the applicable period
in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution by the sellers
thereof set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the
Prospectus;
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(iii) advise the selling Holders promptly and, if requested by
such Persons, to confirm such advice in writing, (A) when the Prospectus or any
Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with
respect to any Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto,
when the same has become effective, (B) of any request by the Commission for
amendments to the Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the
Prospectus or for additional information relating thereto, (C) of the issuance
by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement under the Securities Act or of the suspension by any
state securities commission of the qualification of the Transfer Restricted
Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation of any
proceeding for any of the preceding purposes, (D) of the existence of any fact
or the happening of any event that makes any statement of a material fact made
in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement
thereto, or any document incorporated by reference therein untrue, or that
requires the making of any additions to or changes in the Registration Statement
or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading. If at
any time the Commission shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness
of the Registration Statement, or any state securities commission or other
regulatory authority shall issue an order suspending the qualification or
exemption from qualification of the Transfer Restricted Securities under state
securities or Blue Sky laws, the Company shall use its best efforts to obtain
the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the earliest possible time;
(iv) furnish without charge to each of the Initial Purchasers
and each selling Holder named in any Registration Statement, before filing with
the Commission, copies of any Registration Statement or any Prospectus included
therein or any amendments or supplements to any such Registration Statement or
Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference after the initial
filing of such Registration Statement), which documents will be subject to the
review of such Persons in connection with such sale, if any, for a period of at
least five business days, and the Company will not file any such Registration
Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any such Registration
Statement or Prospectus (including all such documents incorporated by reference)
to which an Initial Purchaser or Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities
covered by such Registration Statement shall reasonably object in writing within
five business days after the receipt thereof (such objection to be deemed timely
made upon confirmation of telecopy transmission within such period). The
objection of any such Person shall be deemed to be reasonable if such
Registration Statement, amendment, Prospectus or supplement, as applicable, as
proposed to be filed, contains a material misstatement or omission;
(v) promptly prior to the filing of any document that is to be
incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement or Prospectus, provide
copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers and to each selling Holder
named in any Registration Statement make the Company's representatives available
for discussion of such document and other customary due diligence matters, and
include such information in such document prior to the filing thereof as such
selling Holders reasonably may request;
(vi) make available at reasonable times for inspection by the
Initial Purchasers and each Holder, and any attorney or accountant retained by
such Persons, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and
properties of the Company and cause the Company's officers, directors and
employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Holder,
Initial Purchaser, attorney or accountant in connection with such Registration
Statement subsequent to the filing thereof and prior to its effectiveness;
(vii) if requested by any selling Holders promptly incorporate
in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, pursuant to a supplement or post-
effective amendment if necessary, such information as such selling Holders may
reasonably request to have included therein, including, without limitation,
information relating to the "Plan of Distribution" of the Transfer Restricted
Securities,
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information with respect to the principal amount of Transfer Restricted
Securities being sold, the purchase price being paid therefor and any other
terms of the offering of the Transfer Restricted Securities to be sold in such
offering; and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or post-
effective amendment as soon as practicable after the Company is notified of the
matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective
amendment;
(viii) cause the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by
the Registration Statement to be rated with the appropriate rating agencies, if
so requested by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Notes
covered thereby;
(ix) furnish to each selling Holder, without charge, at
least one copy of the Registration Statement, as first filed with the
Commission, and of each amendment thereto, including financial statements and
schedules, all documents incorporated by reference therein and all exhibits
(including exhibits incorporated therein by reference);
(x) deliver to each selling Holder, without charge, as
many copies of the Prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) and any
amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons reasonably may request; the
Company hereby consents to the use of the Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders in connection with the
offering and the sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the
Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto;
(xi) enter into such agreements and make such
representations and warranties, and take all such other actions in connection
therewith in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Transfer
Restricted Securities pursuant to any Registration Statement contemplated by
this Agreement, all to such extent as may be reasonably requested by any Initial
Purchaser or by any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities or underwriter in
connection with any sale or resale pursuant to any Registration Statement
contemplated by this Agreement; and the Company shall:
(A) furnish to each Initial Purchaser and each selling Holder,
in such substance and scope as they may request upon the date of the
Consummation of the Exchange Offer and, if applicable, the effectiveness of
the Shelf Registration Statement a certificate, dated the date of
Consummation of the Exchange Offer or the date of effectiveness of the
Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be, signed by (y) the
President or any Vice President and (z) a principal financial or accounting
officer of the Company, confirming, as of the date thereof, the matters set
forth in paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of Section 5(e) of the Purchase
Agreement and such other matters as such parties may reasonably request;
(B) set forth in full the indemnification provisions and
procedures of Section 8 hereof with respect to all parties to be
indemnified pursuant to said Section; and
(C) deliver such other documents and certificates as may be
reasonably requested by such parties to evidence compliance with clause (A)
above and with any customary conditions contained in any agreement entered
into by the Company pursuant to this clause (xi), if any.
If at any time the representations and warranties of the Company
contemplated in clause (A)(1) above cease to be true and correct, the Company
shall so advise the Initial Purchasers and each selling Holder promptly and, if
requested by such Persons, shall confirm such advice in writing;
(xii) prior to any public offering of Transfer Restricted
Securities, cooperate with the selling Holders, the underwriter(s), if any, and
their respective counsel in connection with the
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registration and qualification of the Transfer Restricted Securities under the
securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the selling Holders or
underwriter(s) may request and do any and all other acts or things necessary or
advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Transfer
Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement; provided,
however, that the Company shall not be required to register or qualify as a
foreign corporation where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that
would subject it to the service of process in suits or to taxation, other than
as to matters and transactions relating to the Registration Statement, in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;
(xiii) shall issue, upon the request of any Holder of Initial
Notes covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, Exchange Notes, having an
aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Initial
Notes surrendered to the Company by such Holder in exchange therefor or being
sold by such Holder; such Exchange Notes to be registered in the name of such
Holder or in the name of the purchaser(s) of such Notes, as the case may be; in
return, the Initial Notes held by such Holder shall be surrendered to the
Company for cancellation;
(xiv) cooperate with the selling Holders to facilitate the
timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Transfer Restricted
Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends; and enable such
Transfer Restricted Securities to be in such denominations and registered in
such names as the Holders may request at least two business days prior to any
sale of Transfer Restricted Securities;
(xv) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Transfer
Restricted Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered
with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be
necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof or the underwriter(s), if any,
to consummate the disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities, subject to
the proviso contained in clause (xii) above;
(xvi) if any fact or event contemplated by clause (c)(iii)(D)
above shall exist or have occurred, prepare a supplement or post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement or related Prospectus or any document
incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that,
as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of Transfer Restricted Securities, the
Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading;
(xvii) provide a CUSIP number for all Transfer Restricted
Securities not later than the effective date of the Registration Statement and
provide the Trustee under the Indenture with printed certificates for the
Transfer Restricted Securities which are in a form eligible for deposit with the
Depositary Trust Company;
(xviii) otherwise use its reasonable best efforts to comply with
all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make generally
available to its security holders, as soon as practicable, a consolidated
earnings statement meeting the requirements of Rule 158 (which need not be
audited) for the twelve-month period beginning with the first month of the
Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the
Registration Statement;
(xix) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act not later than the effective date of the first Registration
Statement required by this Agreement, and, in connection therewith, cooperate
with the Trustee and the Holders of Notes to effect such changes to the
Indenture as may be required for such Indenture to be so qualified in accordance
with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and to execute and use its best
efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents that may be
10
required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be
filed with the Commission to enable such Indenture to be so qualified in a
timely manner;
(xx) cause all Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the
Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange on which similar
securities issued by the Company are then listed if requested by the Holders of
a majority in aggregate principal amount of Initial Notes or the managing
underwriter(s), if any; and
(xxi) provide promptly to each Holder upon request each
document filed with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Section 13
and Section 15 of the Exchange Act.
Each Holder agrees by acquisition of a Transfer Restricted Security
that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the existence of any fact
of the kind described in Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof, such Holder will forthwith
discontinue disposition of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the
applicable Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of
the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xvi) hereof,
or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice") by the Company that the use of
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the Prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional or
supplemental filings that are incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. If
so directed by the Company, each Holder will deliver to the Company (at the
Company's expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such
Holder's possession, of the Prospectus covering such Transfer Restricted
Securities that was current at the time of receipt of such notice. In the event
the Company shall give any such notice, the time period regarding the
effectiveness of such Registration Statement set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof,
as applicable, shall be extended by the number of days during the period from
and including the date of the giving of such notice pursuant to Section
6(c)(iii)(D) hereof to and including the date when each selling Holder covered
by such Registration Statement shall have received the copies of the
supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xvi) hereof or
shall have received the Advice; however, no such extension shall be taken into
account in determining whether Additional Interest is due pursuant to Section 5
hereof or the amount of such Additional Interest, it being agreed that the
Company's option to suspend use of a Registration Statement pursuant to this
paragraph shall be treated as a Registration Default for purposes of Section 5.
Section 7. Registration Expenses
(a) All expenses incident to the Company's performance of or compliance
with this Agreement will be borne by the Company, regardless of whether a
Registration Statement becomes effective, including without limitation: (i)
all registration and filing fees and expenses (including filings made by
any Initial Purchaser or Holder with the NASD (ii) all fees and expenses of
compliance with federal securities and state Blue Sky or securities laws;
(iii) all expenses of printing (including printing certificates for the
Exchange Notes to be issued in the Exchange Offer and printing of
Prospectuses), messenger and delivery services and telephone; (iv) all fees
and disbursements of counsel for the Company and, subject to Section 7(b)
below, the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities; (v) all application
and filing fees in connection with listing the Exchange Notes on a national
securities exchange or automated quotation system pursuant to the
requirements thereof; and (vi) all fees and disbursements of independent
certified public accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any
special audit and comfort letters required by or incident to such
performance).
The Company will, in any event, bear its internal expenses (including,
without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees
performing legal or accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the
fees and expenses of any Person, including special experts, retained by the
Company.
11
(b) In connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, the Company will
reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders of Transfer Restricted
Securities being registered pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement for the
reasonable fees and disbursements of not more than one counsel, who shall be
Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxx or such other counsel as may be chosen by the Holders of a
majority in principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities for whose
benefit the Shelf Registration Statement is being prepared.
Section 8. Indemnification
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless (i) each Holder and
(ii) each person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) any Holder (any of the persons
referred to in this clause (ii) being hereinafter referred to as a "controlling
person") and (iii) the respective officers, directors, partners, employees,
representatives and agents of any Holder or any controlling person (any person
referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) may hereinafter be referred to as an
"Indemnified Holder"), to the fullest extent lawful, from and against any and
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all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions and expenses
(including without limitation and as incurred, reimbursement of all reasonable
costs of investigating, preparing, pursuing, settling, compromising, paying or
defending any claim or action, or any investigation or proceeding by any
governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, including the reasonable
fees and expenses of counsel to any Indemnified Holder), joint or several,
directly or indirectly caused by, related to, based upon, arising out of or in
connection with any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in any Registration Statement or Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto), or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses are caused by an untrue statement or omission or alleged
untrue statement or omission that is made in reliance upon and in conformity
with information relating to any of the Holders furnished in writing to the
Company by any of the Holders expressly for use therein. This indemnity
agreement shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise
have.
In case any action or proceeding (including any governmental or
regulatory investigation or proceeding) shall be brought or asserted against any
of the Indemnified Holders with respect to which indemnity may be sought against
the Company, such Indemnified Holder (or the Indemnified Holder controlled by
such controlling person) shall promptly notify the Company in writing (provided,
that the failure to give such notice shall not relieve the Company of its
obligations pursuant to this Agreement). Such Indemnified Holder shall have the
right to employ its own counsel in any such action and the fees and expenses of
such counsel shall be paid, as incurred, by the Company (regardless of whether
it is ultimately determined that an Indemnified Holder is not entitled to
indemnification hereunder). The Company shall not, in connection with any one
such action or proceeding or separate but substantially similar or related
actions or proceedings in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general
allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of
more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) at
any time for such Indemnified Holders, which firm shall be designated by the
Holders. The Company shall be liable for any settlement of any such action or
proceeding effected with the Company's prior written consent, which consent
shall not be withheld unreasonably, and the Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless any Indemnified Holder from and against any loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense by reason of any settlement of any action effected with the
written consent of the Company. The Company shall not, without the prior
written consent of each Indemnified Holder, settle or compromise or consent to
the entry of judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or
threatened action, claim, litigation or proceeding in respect of which
indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not any
Indemnified Holder is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise,
consent or termination includes an unconditional
12
release of each Indemnified Holder from all liability arising out of such
action, claim, litigation or proceeding.
(b) Each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agrees, severally and
not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and its directors,
officers of the Company who sign a Registration Statement, and any person
controlling (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section
20 of the Exchange Act) the Company, and the respective officers, directors,
partners, employees, representatives and agents of each such person, to the same
extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each of the Indemnified
Holders, but only with respect to claims and actions based on information
relating to such Holder furnished in writing by such Holder expressly for use in
any Registration Statement. In case any action or proceeding shall be brought
against the Company or its directors or officers or any such controlling person
in respect of which indemnity may be sought against a Holder of Transfer
Restricted Securities, such Holder shall have the rights and duties given the
Company and the Company or its directors or officers or such controlling person
shall have the rights and duties given to each Holder by the preceding
paragraph. In no event shall the liability of any selling Holder hereunder be
greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds received by such Holder
upon the sale of the Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
(c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable
to an indemnified party under Section 8(a) or Section 8(b) hereof (other than by
reason of exceptions provided in those Sections) in respect of any losses,
claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions or expenses referred to
therein, then each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits
received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand,
from the Initial Placement (which in the case of the Company shall be deemed to
be equal to the total net proceeds from the Initial Placement , the amount of
Additional Interest which did not become payable as a result of the filing of
the Registration Statement resulting in such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities, judgments actions or expenses, and such Registration Statement, or
if such allocation is not permitted by applicable law, the relative fault of the
Company, on the one hand, and of the Indemnified Holder, on the other hand, in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and
of the Indemnified Holder on the other shall be determined by reference to,
among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or by the Indemnified Holder and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a
party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses
referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set
forth in the second paragraph of Section 8(a), any legal or other fees or
expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or
defending any action or claim.
The Company and each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agree
that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section
8(c) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as
one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately
preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to in
the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the
limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by
such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such
action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Xxxxxxx 0, xxxx of the
Holders (and its related Indemnified Holders) shall be required to contribute,
in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which
13
the total received by such Holder with respect to the sale of Transfer
Restricted Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement exceeds (i) the
amount paid by such Holder for such Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) the
amount of any damages which such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by
reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from
any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders'
obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8(c) are several in
proportion to the respective principal amount of Initial Notes held by each of
the Holders hereunder and not joint.
Section 9. Rule 144A
The Company hereby agrees with each Holder, for so long as any
Transfer Restricted Securities remain outstanding, to make available to any
Holder or beneficial owner of Transfer Restricted Securities in connection with
any sale thereof and any prospective purchaser of such Transfer Restricted
Securities from such Holder or beneficial owner, the information required by
Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act in order to permit resales of such
Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to Rule 144A.
Section 10. Participation in Underwritten Registrations
No Holder may participate in any Underwritten Registration hereunder
unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holder's Transfer Restricted
Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by
the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (b) completes
and executes all reasonable questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities,
underwriting agreements, lock-up letters and other documents required under the
terms of such underwriting arrangements.
Section 11. Miscellaneous
(a) Remedies. The Company hereby agrees that monetary damages would not
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be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of
the provisions of this Agreement and hereby agree to waive the defense in any
action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not on or after the date
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of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that
is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or
otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The Company has not previously
entered into any agreement granting any registration rights with respect to its
securities to any Person. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in
any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the
holders of the Company's securities under any agreement in effect on the date
hereof.
(c) Adjustments Affecting the Notes. The Company will not take any
-------------------------------
action, or permit any change to occur, with respect to the Notes that would
materially and adversely affect the ability of the Holders to Consummate any
Exchange Offer.
(d) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not be
----------------------
amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to or departures from
the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company has obtained the
written consent of Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of
Transfer Restricted Securities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or
consent to departure from the provisions hereof that relates exclusively to the
rights of Holders whose securities are being tendered pursuant to the Exchange
Offer and that does not affect directly or indirectly the rights of
14
other Holders whose securities are not being tendered pursuant to such Exchange
Offer may be given by the Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal
amount of Transfer Restricted Securities being tendered or registered; provided
that, with respect to any matter that directly or indirectly affects the rights
of any Initial Purchaser hereunder, the Company shall obtain the written consent
of each such Initial Purchaser with respect to which such amendment,
qualification, supplement, waiver, consent or departure is to be effective.
(e) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
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permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail
(registered or certified, return receipt requested), telex, telecopier, or air
courier guaranteeing overnight delivery:
(i) if to a Holder, at the address set forth on the records of
the Registrar under the Indenture, with a copy to the Registrar under the
Indenture; and
(ii) if to the Company:
Nexstar Finance Holdings, L.L.C.
c/o Nexstar Broadcasting Group, L.L.C.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Telecopier No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
With a copy to:
Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxx
000 Xxxx 00/xx/ Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Telecopier No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Esq.
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five business
days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when
answered back, if telexed; when receipt acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the
next business day, if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight
delivery.
Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be
concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee at the
address specified in the Indenture.
(f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
----------------------
and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties, including
without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent
Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities; provided, however, that this
Agreement shall not inure to the benefit of or be binding upon a successor or
assign of a Holder unless and to the extent such successor or assign acquired
Transfer Restricted Securities from such Holder.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
------------
counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which
when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
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reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
15
(i) GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
-------------
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE
CONFLICT OF LAW RULES THEREOF.
(j) Severability. In the event that any one or more of the provisions
------------
contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held
invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of
any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions
contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
(k) Entire Agreement. This Agreement together with the other Operative
----------------
Documents (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) is intended by the parties as a
final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive
statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of
the subject matter contained herein. There are no restrictions, promises,
warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein
with respect to the registration rights granted by the Company with respect to
the Transfer Restricted Securities. This Agreement supersedes all prior
agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject
matter.
16
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the
date first written above.
Nexstar Finance Holdings, L.L.C.
Nexstar Finance Holdings, Inc.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
---------------------------
Name:
Title:
The foregoing Registration Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as
of the date first above written.
Banc of America Securities LLC
Barclays Capital Inc.
By: Banc of America Securities LLC
By: /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx
--------------------------------
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Title: Vice President
