EXHIBIT 10.1B
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Agreement, made and entered into this 15 day of June, 1998
("Agreement"), by and between digital broadcast network corporation, a Missouri
corporation ("Company"), and ________________ ("Indemnitee"):
RECITALS:
To induce the Indemnitee to serve and continue to serve as a member of the
Board of Directors of the Company, the Company has determined and agreed to
enter into this Agreement with the Indemnitee.
AGREEMENTS:
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and covenants contained
herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
Section 1. Services by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a
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director of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign
from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any
obligation imposed by operation of law), in which event the Company shall have
no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in such position.
Section 2. Indemnification - General. The Company shall indemnify, and
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advance Expenses (as hereinafter defined) to, Indemnitee (a) as provided in this
Agreement and (b) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law in effect on
the date hereof and as amended from time to time. The rights of Indemnitee
provided under the preceding sentence shall include, but will not be limited to,
the rights set forth in the other Sections of this Agreement.
Section 3. Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the
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Company. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification
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provided in this Section 3 if, by reason of his Corporate Status (as hereinafter
defined), he is, or is threatened to be made, a party to any threatened,
pending, or completed Proceeding (as hereinafter defined), other than a
Proceeding by or in the right of the Company. Pursuant to this Section 3,
Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses, judgments, penalties,
fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or
on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter
therein, if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be
in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any
criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was
unlawful.
Section 4. Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. Indemnitee
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shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Section 4
if, by reason of his Corporate Status, he is, or is threatened to be made a
party to any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding brought by or in the
right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this
Section, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and
reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding
if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Company; provided, however, that, if
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applicable law
so provides, no indemnification against such Expenses shall be made in respect
of any claim, issue or matter in such Proceeding as to which Indemnitee shall
have been adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and to the extent that the
court in which such Proceeding shall have been brought or is pending, shall
determine that such indemnification may be made.
Section 5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or
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Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to
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the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a party to and
is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding, he shall be
indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on
his behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in
such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more
but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company
shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred
by him or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim,
issue or matter. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the
termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal,
with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such
claim, issue or matter.
Section 6. Indemnification for Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding
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any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by
reason of his Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee
is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and
reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.
Section 7. Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all
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reasonable Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with
any Proceeding within ten days after the receipt by the Company of a statement
or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or advances from time to
time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding. Such
statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by
Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an undertaking by
or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately
be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against such
Expenses.
Section 8. Procedure for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification.
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(a) To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee
shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith
such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and
is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is
entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon
receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board of Directors in
writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
(b) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification
pursuant to the first sentence of Section 8(a) hereof, a determination, if and
to the extent required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee's
entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case: (i) if a Change in
Control (as hereinafter defined) shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel (as
hereinafter defined) in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of
which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; or (ii) if a Change of Control shall not
have occurred, (A) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote
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of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors (as hereinafter defined), or
(B) if a quorum of the Board of Directors consisting of Disinterested Directors
is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, such quorum of Disinterested Directors
so directs, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board of
Directors, or (C) by the shareholders of the Company; and, if it is so
determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee
shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall
cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with
respect to Indemnitee's entitlement to indemnification, including providing to
such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation
or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure
and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such
determination. Any costs or expenses (including attorney's fees and
disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons
or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective
of the determination as to Indemnitee's entitlement to indemnification) and the
Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(c) In the event the determination or entitlement to
indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 8(b)
hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section
8(c). If a Change of Control shall not have occurred, the Independent Counsel
shall be selected by the Board of Directors, and the Company shall give written
notice to Indemnitee advising him of the identity of the Independent Counsel so
selected. If a Change of Control shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel
shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such
selection be made by the Board of Directors, in which event the preceding
sentence shall apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company
advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either
event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within 10 days after
such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company
or to Indemnitee, as the cast may be, a written objection to such selection
provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that
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the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of
"Independent Counsel" as defined in Section 17 of this Agreement, and the
objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such
assertion. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the
Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and
until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection
is without merit. If, within 20 days after submission by Indemnitee of a written
request for indemnification pursuant to Section 8(a) hereof, no Independent
Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or
Indemnitee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of
any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the
other's selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as
Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Court or by such other person as
the Court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections
are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel
under Section 8(b) hereof The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and
expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by such Independent Counsel in
connection with acting pursuant to Section 8(b) hereof, and the Company shall
pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section
8(c), regardless of the manner in which such Independent Counsel was selected or
appointed. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration
to Section 10(a)(iii) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged
and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the
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applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing). The parties agree
that the decision and determination of such Independent Counsel shall be final
and binding on the Parties.
Section 9. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
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(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to
indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such
determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under
this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in
accordance with Section 8(a) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the
burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by
any persons, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that
presumption.
(b) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or
matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of
nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly
provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee
to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good
faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding,
that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
Section 10. Remedies of Indemnitee.
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(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to
Section 8 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification
under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant
to Section 7 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to
indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 8(b) of this Agreement
within 90 days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification,
(iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5 or 6 of this
Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request
therefor, or (v) payment of indemnification is not made within ten (10) days
after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an
appropriate court of the State of Missouri, or in any other court of competent
jurisdiction, of his entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of
Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his option, may seek an award in
arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial
Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall
commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration
within 180 days following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to
commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 10(a); provided, however, that
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the foregoing clause shall not apply in respect of a proceeding brought by
Indemnitee to enforce his rights under Section 5 of this Agreement.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made
pursuant to Section 8(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to
indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to
this Section 10 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or
arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of
that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced
pursuant to this
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Section 10, the Company shall have the burden of proving that Indemnitee is not
entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section
8(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification,
Indemnitee and the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial
proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 10, absent (i) a
misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact
necessary to make Indemnitee's statement not materially misleading, in
connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such
indemnification under applicable law.
(d) In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 10,
seeks a judicial adjudication of or an award in arbitration to enforce his
rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, Indemnitee
shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified by the
Company against, any and all expenses (of the types described in the definition
of Expenses in Section 17 of this Agreement) actually and reasonably incurred by
him in such judicial adjudication or arbitration, but only if he prevails
therein. If it shall be determined in said judicial adjudication or arbitration
that Indemnitee is entitled to receive part but not all of the indemnification
or advancement of expenses sought, the expenses incurred by Indemnitee in
connection with such judicial adjudication or arbitration shall be appropriately
prorated.
Section 11. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
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(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of
Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any
other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable
law, the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of
shareholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment,
alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or
restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action
taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such
amendment, alteration or repeal.
(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy
or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or
agents of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person serves at the
request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies
in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage
available for any such director, officer, employee or agent under such policy or
policies.
(c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company
shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of
recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all
action necessary to seek such rights, including execution of such documents as
are necessary to enable the Company to bring suite to enforce such rights.
(d) The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make
any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder if and to the extent
that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance
policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
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Section 12. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue until and
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terminate upon the later of: (a) 10 years after the date that Indemnitee shall
have ceased to serve as a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Company
or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit
plan or other enterprise which Indemnitee served at the request of the Company;
or (b) the final termination of any Proceeding then pending in respect of
Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of expenses
hereunder and of any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 10
of this Agreement relating thereto. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of
Indemnitee and his heirs, executors and administrators.
Section 13. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this
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Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason
whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any
Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable, that it is not itself invalid, illegal or
unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) to
the fullest extent possible, the provision of this Agreement (including, without
limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such
provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself
invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to
the intent manifested thereby.
Section 14. Exception to Right of Indemnification or Advancement of
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Expenses. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Indemnitee
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shall not be entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses under this
Agreement with respect to any Proceeding brought by Indemnitee, or any claim
therein prior to a Change in Control, unless the bringing of such Proceeding or
making of such claim shall have been approved by the Board of Directors.
Section 15. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one
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or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an
original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.
Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is
sought needs to be produced to evidence of this Agreement.
Section 16. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement
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are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of
this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
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Section 17. Definitions. Purposes of this Agreement:
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(a) "Change in Control" means a change in control of the Company
occurring after the Effective Date of a nature that would be required to be
reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or in
response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), whether or not the Company is
subject to such reporting requirement; provided, however, without limitation,
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such a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred if after the Effective
Date (i) any "person" as such item is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the
Act) is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the
Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 10% or
more of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities
without the prior approval of at least two-thirds of the members of the Board of
Directors in office immediately prior to such person attaining such percentage
interest; (ii) there occurs a proxy contest, or the Company is a party to a
merger, consolidation, sale of assets, plan of liquidation or other
reorganization not approved by at least two-thirds of the members of the Board
of Directors then in office, as a consequence of which members of the Board of
Directors in office immediately prior to such transaction or event constitute
less than a majority of the Board of Directors thereafter, or (iii) during any
period of two consecutive years, other than as a result of an event described in
clause (a)(ii) of this Section 17, individuals who at the beginning of such
period constituted the Board of Directors (including for this purpose any new
director whose election Or nomination for election by the Company's stockholders
was approved by a vote of at least two -thirds of the directors then still in
office who were directors at the beginning of such period) cease for any reason
to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors.
(b) "Corporate Status" describes the status of a person who is or
was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other
enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(c) "Disinterested Director" means a director of the Company who
is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification
is sought by Indemnitee.
(d) "Effective Date" means ____________.
(e) "Expenses" shall include all reasonable attorneys' fees,
retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel
expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges,
postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the
types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing
to prosecute or defend, investigating, or being or preparing to be a witness is
a Proceeding.
(f) "Independent Counsel" means a law firm, or a member of a law
firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law, that is an unrelated
and neutral third party to the Company and Indemnitee, and neither presently is,
nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or
Indemnitee in any matter material to either party, (ii) any other party to the
Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification.
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(g) "Proceeding" includes an action, suit, arbitration, alternate
dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, administrative hearing or any other
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, except one
(i) initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement to
enforce his rights under this Agreement or (ii) pending on or before the
Effective Date.
Section 18. Modification of Waiver. No supplement, modification or
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amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both
of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement
shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof
(whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
Section 19. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify
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the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena,
complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding
or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses
covered hereunder.
Section 20. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other
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communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been
duly given if (i) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said
notice or other communications shall have been directed, or (ii) mailed by
certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day
after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee to:
___________________
___________________
(b) If to the Company to:
digital broadcast network corporation
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
or to such other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company
or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
Section 21. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be
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governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the
State of Missouri.
Section 22. Miscellaneous. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to
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include usage of the feminine pronoun when appropriate.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on
the day and year first above written.
digital broadcast network corporation
By:_______________________________________
By:_______________________________________
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