AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.15 | EXECUTION VERSION |
This document entered into as of the 1st day of July 2006 constitutes an amendment
of the Agreement dated August 12, 1952 between Salt Lake Tribune Publishing Company, a West
Virginia corporation, and Deseret News Publishing Company, a Utah corporation, as amended by a
certain Amendment Agreement dated June 1, 1982 entered into between Xxxxxx-Tribune Corporation, a
Utah corporation (successor to Salt Lake Tribune Publishing Company) and Deseret News Publishing
Company, a Utah corporation, and made effective January 1, 1983 and as further amended and restated
by an Amendment and Restatement of Agreement dated as of January 1, 2001 (the “2001 JOA”). This
document also constitutes a restatement of the 2001 JOA, as herein amended, and is intended by the
parties to define their current agreement, into which all prior agreements, amendments,
understandings and interpretations related hereto are hereby merged and herein subsumed.
Parties
The parties to this Amendment and Restatement of Agreement (herein “Agreement”) are:
X. Xxxxxx-Tribune, LLC., a Delaware limited liability company (herein “K-T, LLC”), the
successor by mergers and otherwise to Xxxxxx-Tribune Corporation, thereby succeeding to ownership
of The Salt Lake Tribune, a daily newspaper. All of the member interests in K-T, LLC are owned by
MediaNews Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (herein “MNG”); and
B. Deseret News Publishing Company, a Utah corporation (herein “DNPC”), which owns and
publishes the Deseret Morning News, a daily newspaper.
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Recitals
The parties hereto and their predecessors have since 1952, and continuing until their
execution of this July 1, 2006 Amendment and Restatement of this Agreement, been engaged in a joint
newspaper operating arrangement for the purpose of providing, for the benefit of both parties and
of the public they serve, an economical, efficient and practical method of printing and
distributing daily newspapers, primarily in the State of Utah, through a common agency formerly
known as the Newspaper Agency Corporation, a Utah corporation created for that purpose, which has
recently been renamed as NAC, Inc. Each of the parties owns fifty (50) shares of the capital stock
of NAC, Inc., comprising all of the outstanding shares of that corporation.
The parties have jointly caused to be formed the Newspaper Agency Company, LLC, a Utah limited
liability company (“NAC”), and have by this Amendment and Restatement of Agreement jointly engaged
the NAC hereinafter to carry out various responsibilities regarding their joint newspaper operating
arrangement, in lieu of having these responsibilities continue to be carried out by the Newspaper
Agency Corporation.
Since the parties entered into the 1952 Agreement, the Congress of the United States declared
in the Newspaper Preservation Act of 1970, Publ. L. 910353, 84 Stat. 467, Title 15, Chapter 43,
U.S.C.A. (the “Newspaper Preservation Act”) that it is in the public interest to maintain
newspapers editorially and reportorially independent and competitive and to preserve the
publication of newspapers where a joint newspaper operating arrangement has been entered into under
circumstances of economic distress as experienced by the parties at the time the 1952 Agreement was
entered into.
The parties believe that (a) the policy of the United States has confirmed the wisdom of the
parties in entering into the 1952 Agreement, under which the advantages of such joint
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newspaper operating arrangement and common agency have been enjoyed by the public and the
parties hereto, (b) the newspapers published by the respective parties have continued to maintain
their separate identities and the parties hereto have continued to retain direct and immediate
control of their respective editorial and news departments, (c) there has not been any merger,
combination or amalgamation of editorial or reportorial staffs, and (d) editorial policies have
been independently determined and expressed.
Certain clarifications concerning interpretation of the 2001 JOA, and certain amendments
thereto, are mutually desired by the parties, and a full restatement of the agreements into one
document will facilitate their understanding and administration.
The parties, believing it is desirable both from their standpoint and in the interest of the
public that such amendments, clarifications and restatement be made and the benefits thereof be
provided and continued, therefore desire to amend, renew and restate their agreements as set forth
herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the sum of One Dollar ($1.00) in hand paid by each of the
parties to the other, and the promises, covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the
parties, based upon mutual trust and confidence in each other, agree to and hereby amend, renew and
restate the 2001 JOA, and further agree as follows:
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Preamble
The parties hereto declare and reaffirm as the principal objective of this Agreement their
joint and several commitment to the survival and success of both the Deseret Morning News and The
Salt Lake Tribune as independent editorial voices, with the ultimate goal for each newspaper of
achieving optimal household penetration and maximizing the circulation of each newspaper, while
allowing both newspapers to reap the financial benefits and economies from the able management of a
joint operating system.
To achieve these objectives, and for the purpose of serving the operational needs and
objectives of both newspapers, the parties originally created Newspaper Agency Corporation and have
now created the NAC as their joint agent under this Agreement.
All provisions of this Agreement, separately and cumulatively, and notwithstanding any other
inference that may be drawn from its wording, shall be interpreted and applied in a manner
consistent with the objectives and purposes set forth in this Preamble.
1. Effective Date — This Joint Operating Agreement was entered into initially on August 12,
1952, has been amended by an Amendment Agreement dated June 1, 1982, which had an effective date of
January 1, 1983 and has been further amended by an Amendment and Restatement of Agreement dated as
of January 1, 2001. All modifications thereof as set forth in this Agreement shall become
effective as of July 1, 2006.
2. The NAC — DNPC and K-T, LLC have caused the NAC to be created pursuant to the laws of the
State of Utah for the purposes set forth in its Articles of Organization. The NAC shall perform
various functions which the Newspaper Agency Corporation has heretofore provided to both newspapers
under the 2001 JOA.
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2.01 Ownership of the NAC — The membership interests of the NAC are owned 42% by DNPC and 58%
by K-T, LLC, its two members (the “Members”). The parties hereto shall cause the operations of the
NAC to continue and shall not assign, sell, transfer, mortgage, pledge or otherwise dispose of
their membership interests in the NAC, nor voluntarily permit alienation of any interest therein by
any means, including a sale or merger involving the owning entity, during the term of this
Agreement or any renewal or extension thereof, without written approval of the other party;
provided however, that such restriction shall not limit the right of the owning entity of either
party to pledge, and/or otherwise grant security interests in stock or equity interests of such
owning entity to secure any indebtedness now or hereafter incurred by either party nor shall such
restrictions in any manner affect the enforcement of such security interests. Such restriction
shall be printed on the face of any certificates evidencing the membership interests of the parties
in the NAC which may heretofore or hereafter be issued or reissued, and shall be strictly enforced.
2.02 Management Committee — The Management Committee of the NAC shall govern the NAC and shall
exercise all of the usual and customary duties of managers. The Management Committee of the NAC
shall consist of four (4) persons who shall be elected at each annual meeting of the Members (an
annual meeting shall be held simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement, and, subsequent
thereto, shall be held on the second Monday of each December commencing in 2006, at the offices of
the NAC, unless the Management Committee shall determine otherwise) to serve until the next annual
meeting of the Members and until their successors are elected in their stead. Two (2) members of
the four-member Management Committee shall be the Chairman and the President of DNPC (unless one
person shall simultaneously hold both offices of DNPC, in which case the two DNPC Management
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Committee members shall be the Chairman of DNPC and such other senior officer of DNPC as the
Chairman of DNPC shall designate) and the other two (2) members shall be the Chairman and the
President of K-T, LLC (unless one person shall simultaneously hold both offices of K-T, LLC, in
which case the two K-T, LLC Management Committee members shall be the Chairman of K-T, LLC and such
other senior officer of K-T, LLC as the Chairman of K-T, LLC shall designate). The parties agree
to vote their membership interests in the NAC to elect the Management Committee members so
specified. The parties further agree that at the first annual meeting of Members following the
effective date of this Amendment and Restatement and at each annual Members meeting thereafter held
to elect Management Committee members, this same procedure for electing Management Committee
members shall be followed.
If the four-member Management Committee shall become deadlocked with respect to any matter to
be acted upon by it, and if after negotiating reasonably and in good faith for a period of not more
than five (5) business days (or such longer period as the parties may mutually agree upon) the
parties are unable to resolve such deadlock, the President of the NAC shall be empowered to break
such deadlock, provided such deadlock does not relate to a Reserved Matter (as hereinafter
defined). If the President is called upon to break such a deadlock, he or she shall be bound to
apply all the provisions of this Agreement and shall specifically be bound by its Preamble. If
such deadlock relates to a Reserved Matter, such deadlock shall be resolved in the manner specified
in Section 26 hereof.
For the purposes of this Agreement, Reserved Matters shall include the exercise of any
material right of either or both of the parties including but not limited to: (a) declaring or
otherwise causing a distribution to either party of any of the earnings or other assets of the NAC,
except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement; (b) approving or amending the NAC’s
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Annual Plan (as hereinafter defined); (c) changing the financial accounting or tax principles
utilized by the NAC, except as otherwise required by law or governmental authority; (d) committing
or causing the NAC to make aggregate capital expenditures in any fiscal year exceeding by $250,000
such amounts as are specified therefor in the capital budget section of the then applicable NAC
Annual Plan; (e) except in the ordinary course of the NAC’s business, committing or causing NAC to
enter into any contract or transaction requiring annual expenditures by the NAC exceeding by
$250,000 or more such amounts as are specified therefor in the operations budget section of the
then applicable NAC Annual Plan; (f) employing the services of, or entering into any transaction
with, either party, or any affiliate thereof, directly or indirectly, except upon standard
commercial terms; (g) lending or contributing to the capital of any other person any funds of the
NAC, except for trade accounts receivable and/or customary employee advances; (h) unless specified
or authorized in the then applicable NAC Annual Plan, encumbering any assets of the NAC, borrowing
any funds, or entering into any equipment leases or purchase money financings in excess of an
aggregate amount of $250,000 per fiscal year; (i) instituting any bankruptcy or insolvency
proceeding or assigning any assets of the NAC for the benefit of its creditors; (j) instituting,
settling, or compromising any lawsuit or claim on behalf of the NAC where the amount in controversy
exceeds $250,000; and (k) any matter requiring interpretation or construction of any provision of
this Agreement or the intended meaning or application thereof, or any matter having substantial
financial impact upon one or both parties hereto or upon their rights to participate in matters
relating to the governance of the NAC.
The NAC Annual Plan shall consist of an (a) operating budget section and (b) a capital budget
section. The NAC’s Annual Plan shall be approved annually by the Management Committee concurrently
with each annual Members meeting, inclusive of the annual meeting to
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be held concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, or as soon thereafter as may be
practical. If a vacancy occurs in the Management Committee, the nomination for replacement shall
be made by the party hereto which nominated the person whose position is to be filled, following
the same procedure outlined above in this Section 2.2. If necessary, the parties agree that they
will immediately call a special meeting of the Members for the purpose of electing, in accordance
with the procedure herein set forth for the election of members of the Management Committee at
meetings of the Members, a Management Committee member to fill such vacancy or to remove or
re-elect any or all members of the Management Committee, as they may mutually choose.
2.03 Chairman and Vice-Chairman of NAC Management Committee — The Management Committee shall
have a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman. The Chairman shall preside over and conduct meetings of the
Management Committee. If the Chairman is not present at a meeting of the Management Committee, or
is present and so directs, the Vice-Chairman shall preside over and conduct meetings of the
Management Committee. The Vice-Chairman shall automatically succeed to all duties of the Chairman
in the event of the Chairman’s unavailability or disability, until another Chairman is duly
appointed.
Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, who has been appointed by K-T, LLC, is the Chairman, and he personally
shall be permitted to serve in such capacity so long as he desires and is ready, willing and able
so to serve. DNPC shall have the right to appoint the Chairman for the four (4) year period
commencing on the date on which Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx no longer serves as Chairman. Thereafter,
K-T, LLC shall have the right to appoint the Chairman for the ensuing four (4) years, whereupon the
right to appoint the Chairman shall revert to DNPC and shall alternate with K-T,
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LLC for ensuing four year terms. During the time a Chairman serves, the right to appoint the
Vice-Chairman shall be exercised by the party hereto that did not appoint the Chairman.
2.04 NAC Officers — The officers of the NAC shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a
Secretary and a Treasurer. Upon the execution of this Agreement and in connection with each
subsequent annual meeting of the Members of the NAC, the President of the NAC shall be selected as
follows: K-T, LLC shall recommend to the Management Committee, for its approval or rejection, in
its absolute discretion, K-T, LLC’s preferred candidate for President of the NAC. If such
candidate is rejected by the Management Committee, K-T, LLC shall then recommend a second preferred
candidate for President, which the Management Committee may again approve or reject in its absolute
discretion. If either of the foregoing candidates proposed by K-T, LLC is approved by the
Management Committee, such candidate shall serve as President until the next annual meeting of
NAC’s Members, unless sooner removed as hereinafter provided. If both such candidates are rejected
by the Management Committee, K-T, LLC shall thereupon be solely empowered to designate the person
who shall then serve as President (which person shall be someone who the Management Committee has
not previously declined to approve as President), which person shall then serve as President until
the next annual meeting of the Members, or until sooner removed as hereinafter provided.
Any person selected to serve as President of the NAC in accordance with the foregoing
procedures shall at any time during his or her term as President be subject to removal, with or
without cause, upon the affirmative vote of two or more members of the Management Committee. Upon
the removal of any person as President, K-T, LLC and the Management Committee shall promptly
commence to select a successor President, in accordance with the same selection procedures
hereinbefore set forth.
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The President shall report directly to the Management Committee, and upon being selected as
President shall recommend to the Management Committee the persons to serve as Vice-President,
Secretary and Treasurer, whose appointments and the terms and conditions thereof shall be
determined by the Management Committee. No person appointed as an Officer of the NAC shall have
separate connections with or loyalties to the Deseret Morning News or The Salt Lake Tribune unless
otherwise mutually approved by DNPC and K-T, LLC, which approval may be withdrawn at anytime. The
President shall operate the NAC fairly with equal treatment for both newspapers. Except to the
extent otherwise herein provided, the powers and duties of the President, Vice-President, Secretary
and Treasurer shall be as agreed to by DNPC and K-T, LLC from time to time. As approved by the NAC
Management Committee, other persons may be given the working title of Vice President without such
persons becoming officers of the NAC.
2.05 Duties of President and Other Officers — The President shall conduct the normal business
of the NAC pursuant to the terms of this Agreement as a stand-alone venture of the owners. Subject
to legal and contractual obligations, the President shall select qualified managers, executives and
personnel, and shall supervise the facilities and equipment used by the NAC, its operating systems
and procedures, with respect to advertising, circulation, production, finance and personnel, and
shall fulfill these duties in accordance with NAC’s applicable Annual Plan. The President and the
other officers of the NAC shall at all times act independently and disinterestedly as between DNPC
and K-T, LLC and in the best interest of the NAC, consistent with the Preamble to this Agreement.
All compensation to the President shall be determined by the Management Committee and paid
exclusively by the NAC. The President shall report
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directly to the Management Committee of the NAC and shall manage the business and affairs of
the NAC under the direction and authority of its Management Committee.
2.06 NAC Executive Committee — The Executive Committee of the NAC shall be comprised of the
President of the NAC, one member of the Management Committee designated by K-T, LLC and one member
of the Management Committee designated by DNPC. The Executive Committee shall have the right,
under chairmanship of the President, to oversee the operations and performance of the NAC in
accordance with guidelines established by the Management Committee, to take emergency action as
required, and to propose to the Management Committee policies and other matters on which Management
Committee action is appropriately required. The Executive Committee shall meet weekly or as often
as necessary, in person or by telephone, unless otherwise directed by the NAC Management Committee.
If one or more members of the Executive Committee shall be unable to attend an Executive Committee
meeting, he or she may designate someone, upon notice to the other members, to attend in his or her
stead.
3. Publishing Schedules — The Deseret Morning News currently publishes morning editions Monday
through Sunday between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.. Currently, the Saturday publication carries the present
tabloid LDS Church News Section, which the Deseret Morning News may elect to publish weekly on any
day it may select. The Salt Lake Tribune currently publishes morning editions Monday through
Sunday between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Whenever the Deseret Morning News and the Tribune are printed in the same time frame, news
deadlines and printing times shall be determined in a manner fair to both newspapers, and
distribution and delivery of both papers shall be accomplished by the NAC through joint use of
trucks and carriers wherever practical.
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In satisfaction of DNPC’s obligations under the 2001 JOA to purchase and/or own an additional
press and/or other directly related capital equipment which may initially have been required to
accommodate the entry of the Deseret Morning News into the morning field of publication, the DNPC
has prior to the parties’ execution of this Amendment and Restatement of Agreement purchased, at
its sole expense, one TKS Color-Top 5000 printing press and certain related press drive and central
system equipment and computer software (collectively, a “TKS Press”) and has also purchased at its
sole expense a 33.33 percent interest in a Newsgrip-A Conveyor System, all of which equipment
concurrently with the parties’ execution of this Amendment and Restatement of Agreement, has been
leased by DNPC to NAC pursuant to two separate leases between DNPC and NAC, both dated as of July
1, 2006 (the “DNPC Press and Conveyor System Leases”). Although such leases provide for the NAC to
pay a fair market value rental for its use of that equipment, as required by Section 7 hereof, the
parties hereby agree that for the term of such leases and any renewal thereof, there shall be a
special allocation of income made and paid to K-T, LLC monthly in an amount equal to 138% of the
monthly rent paid by NAC to DNPC pursuant to such leases. This special allocation of income shall
be paid concurrently with the monthly distribution pursuant to Section 4 hereof.
4. Division of Earnings and Losses Subject to the special allocation provided for at the end
of Section 3 hereof, NAC shall apportion to DNPC and K-T, LLC, in percentages hereinafter set
forth, the net income or the net loss of its agency operations hereunder. Each month all receipts
and income collected from its newspaper operations as herein provided (except for One-sided
Advertising as hereafter set forth), after said special allocation and the payment of operating
expenses and other proper expenditures, and retaining such part of said net income as may
reasonably be required as working capital for its near-term future operations as
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recommended by the President and approved by the Management Committee , shall be distributed
to the parties hereto in percentages as follows: fifty-eight percent (58%) to K-T, LLC and
forty-two percent (42%) to DNPC. Where one of the newspapers determines as a matter of editorial
policy not to carry certain classifications of advertising or certain particular advertisements,
all receipts and income collected from such advertising (hereinafter “One-sided Advertising”) shall
be distributed to the party in whose newspaper the advertisements are run, after payment of related
operating expenses as measured by the NAC’s production costs; provided, however that if advertising
is in fact carried in a newspaper, the newspaper carrying such advertising shall be entitled to
participate in the revenues derived therefrom regardless of whether it has a general policy of
refusing the advertising in question.
Charges to either party for Extra Editorial Pages (as defined in Section 6.05 hereof), for
One-sided Advertising and/or for promotional advertising space which promotes only the Deseret
Morning News or only the Tribune, or which seeks to build community goodwill or to promote
charities, community groups or activities solely supported by only one of the parties, shall be
based upon the NAC’s actual incremental costs of material and labor therefor, as reflected in the
operating budget sections of the applicable NAC Annual Plan. Such costs shall be subject to a
quarterly adjustment to reflect fluctuations in actual newsprint or other costs from the estimated
newsprint costs and other estimated costs reflected in the applicable NAC Annual Plan.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Management Committee of the NAC from time to time shall
establish a schedule for production of each of the daily newspapers which imposes reasonable duties
on each of the parties to cooperate in meeting page flow, press starts and other production
deadlines. If for any reason DNPC or K-T, LLC fails to adhere to said schedule
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within designated tolerances, such failing party may be assessed a late charge according to a
schedule of production costs computed using the NAC’s accounting methods. Such charge shall be
subject to approval by the NAC Management Committee.
5. Limitations on Activities — Neither party shall engage in any activity which, in the
opinion of counsel satisfactory to both of them, would jeopardize the exemption of this Agreement
and the parties’ joint operating arrangement under the Newspaper Preservation Act.
Neither party shall have the right to utilize the services or facilities of the NAC for any
other newspaper publication published by either party without the prior written consent of the
other party, and without the entire cost of such services and/or facilities being allocated to the
party utilizing them.
Except as provided in this Agreement, neither party hereto shall publish any newspaper in the
State of Utah so long as this Agreement shall remain in force, except as a given area shall be
designated in writing by one party to this Agreement as being outside the then existing primary and
secondary market areas of either newspaper (i.e., the Newspaper Designated Market and Retail
Trading Zone, as defined by the Audit Bureau of Circulation) and the other party does not object in
writing within sixty (60) days from the receipt of such designation. No such objection shall be
made unreasonably, and such objections must be based on the following criteria: the NAC’s market
penetration in the designated area, such area’s importance to the NAC’s advertisers, and all other
criteria then relevant to a proper determination that such an objection constitutes a necessary and
ancillary restraint to this Agreement under the antitrust laws. The restrictions hereinbefore set
forth shall not, however, apply (a) to the Park Record or any other newspaper now published in
Summit County, Utah by the Park Record, its owner, Utah Media, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or its
successors in interest (“UMI”), or (b) any newspaper or other
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publication now or hereafter published by any entity, of which less than fifty percent (50%)
of the stock or other equity is owned by Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, his family and/or trusts for their
benefit.
DNPC may, on its own, use the NAC services and facilities to publish for distribution outside
the State of Utah (or elsewhere outside the primary market area when designated without objection
pursuant to this paragraph) a national or international edition or section of the Deseret Morning
News. This edition or section may contain advertising at rates and with guidelines and advertising
and editorial ratios as may be determined by DNPC’s management. DNPC shall pay to the NAC the
actual amount of increased out-of-pocket costs actually incurred for this special edition and shall
receive the revenues for advertising published in said national or international edition for
distribution outside the state of Utah.
6. General Relations and Duties of the NAC — The sole purpose and function of the NAC shall be
to act as agent of the parties hereto in the printing, advertising, solicitation and distribution
functions of their respective newspapers, and doing such other things as are herein specified, the
cost of which shall be paid out of the moneys collected by the NAC as herein provided. The NAC
shall be entitled, as a commission, to a fee in an amount equal to 3.5% of the net income of its
agency operations under this Agreement, in keeping with requirements of the Internal Revenue
Service, which amount shall be distributed to the parties from time to time based upon their
respective percentage of earnings allocation when the commission was charged.
6.01 Management — Management and control of the business of the NAC shall be and remain in its
Management Committee. Except as specifically provided in this Agreement, neither the officers,
directors or employees of either of the parties hereto shall undertake or
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assume the direction or control of any of the executive officers or employees of the NAC in
the performance of their duties and obligations hereunder.
6.02 NAC as Agent — Except as may be expressly otherwise herein provided, all contracts made
by the NAC shall be made in the capacity of agent of the parties hereto and its activities and
powers shall be confined entirely to such agency. Except as may otherwise expressly herein, no
provision contained herein or in the Articles of Organization or Operating Agreement of the NAC
shall be construed as permitting it to act other than as agent of the parties hereto, as herein
provided, during the term of this Agreement and any renewal or extension thereof.
6.03 NAC Duties — The parties hereto shall, except insofar as the NAC itself shall secure the
same and/or otherwise acquire the ownership thereof, make available or cause to be made available,
for the use of the NAC, as their agent, all records, office equipment and other facilities
necessary to enable the NAC to carry into effect the purposes, objects, terms and conditions of
this agreement. The NAC shall, as agent, except as the parties may otherwise expressly provide
herein, (a) continue to perform all of the functions and provide all of the services the Newspaper
Agency Corporation heretofore performed and provided under 2001 JOA; (b) implement NAC’s Annual
Plan, (c) solicit, distribute and promote the business of the papers, and do all billing for
advertising, circulation and other charges on behalf of the parties hereto; (d) receive and collect
all receipts and income from the publication of the newspapers of the parties hereto; (e) pay all
operating expenses incident to the printing, of the sale of advertising and subscriptions for, of
the promotion and distribution of said newspapers, excepting the news and editorial departments
thereof and other functions performed separately by the parties (e.g., internal accounting, etc.),
and excluding salaries of the executives of the
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parties hereto; (f) prepare balance sheets and statements of income, cash flow and owners’
equity on a monthly basis. Such statements shall be prepared on a consistent basis and in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (g) keep complete books of account and
records of operations and costs, all of which books and records shall be accessible at all times to
the parties hereto; (h) prepare and deliver all necessary reports to governmental agencies; (i)
promote the advertising in and circulation of both newspapers consistent with provisions of the
Preamble to this Agreement; and (j) integrate the operations as much as is prudent and businesslike
in order to effect all practical economies.
6.04 Subscription Rates/Advertising — The NAC shall have the right to set and establish the
respective advertising and subscription rates for the Deseret Morning News and the Tribune from
time to time; provided, however, that circulation rates shall be established in such a manner so as
not to constitute a detriment to either of the newspapers with respect to the other or to provide a
benefit for either of the newspapers with respect to the other. Whenever the advertising linage of
the Deseret Morning News acceptable to it is 85% or less than that of the Tribune, the NAC shall
restructure the rate card within any legal and economic restraints to again make buying the Deseret
Morning News space along with that of the Tribune as attractive as possible. The classified
advertising section shall be identical in each newspaper, except where one of the newspapers
refuses to accept certain classifications of advertising or certain particular advertisements, as
provided herein (i.e., One-sided Advertising), or except when the advertisers elect to advertise in
only one newspaper. Unless the parties agree otherwise, each newspaper’s classified advertising
section shall carry the separate folio of the newspaper in which it appears.
6.05 Newshole Allocations — During the term of this agreement, the NAC shall establish the
size of each day’s edition of the newspapers, and allot to the Deseret Morning
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News the same percentage ratio newshole as the Tribune, based on the amount of run of press
(“ROP”) paid advertising space appearing in each newspaper. The average weekly ratio of newshole
to advertising space shall be determined annually in the NAC’s Annual Plan, provided that in no
case shall the amount of space allotted for editorial matter in any single edition be less than
ninety-three (93) columns (fifteen and one-half pages), unless otherwise approved by the Management
Committee. If either newspaper requires more editorial space than the amount allotted by NAC in
any given week (“Extra Editorial Pages”), the cost of such extra pages beyond the newshole
established by the NAC shall be charged to the party requiring the extra pages in the manner
described in Section 4 hereof.
6.06 Working Capital — The parties hereto shall from time to time, upon request of the
President and upon the approval of the Management Committee, provide additional working capital to
the NAC in the ratio of their respective percentages of earnings and losses (i.e., 58% — 42%) as
set forth in Section 4 hereof, as such amounts may be required to enable the NAC to carry on and
perform its duties hereunder. If either party shall fail to provide its required share of
additional working capital when due, the other party may elect to provide such share, as an advance
on the defaulting party’s behalf, which advance shall bear interest at the prime lending rate
charged by the Bank of New York until repaid, and which advance shall be repaid in full before the
party failing to provide its required share of working capital shall be entitled to receive further
distributions of profits of the NAC pursuant to Section 4 hereof.
6.07 Employees — The NAC shall contract with, employ and pay all employees necessary to its
operation as provided herein, and shall make contracts in connection with such employment of labor
and with independent contractors for the furnishing of labor as may be required; provided, however,
that the NAC shall have no role or involvement whatsoever with
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employment in connection with the operations of the editorial and news departments of the
parties hereto.
6.08 Audits — An annual audit of the business of the NAC shall be made by an independent
certified public accountant or firm of certified public accountants selected by the Management
Committee, and copies of the reports issued with respect to such audits shall be furnished to each
of the parties hereto.
6.09 Agency Status — Except as may otherwise expressly be provided herein, the NAC shall be
only an agent and shall act only in an agency capacity for the parties hereto in its operations
hereunder, and there is not and shall not be any partnership or joint adventure between the parties
hereto or between either of the parties hereto and the NAC
6.10 Accounts to be Paid — Except as herein otherwise provided, the NAC shall pay only such
accounts as shall have been incurred by it as such agent.
6.11 Libel Actions — Any expense arising out of claims for libel or alleged libel, and any
judgment (including attorney fees) in connection therewith, shall be borne and paid by the party
hereto in whose newspaper the libel or alleged libel is published.
6.12 Newsprint — The parties hereto will use their buying power relationships to enable the
NAC to purchase newsprint at the lowest possible price, without markup. In the event a newsprint
shortage necessitates reduction in number of pages of the Tribune and the Deseret Morning News,
they shall be reduced equally in number.
6.13 Trademarks, etc. — Neither party hereto shall in any manner represent or claim that it
has any ownership interest in any trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights held by the
other party and each party acknowledges that any use by it or by the NAC hereunder
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of any trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights held by the other party shall not
create in its or in the NAC’s favor any right, title or interest in or to the same.
7. Property Furnished to the NAC — As of July 1, 2006, NAC, as lessee, will enter into leases
with Salt Lake Newspaper Production Facilities, LLC (which is owned by MediaNews Group and DNPC),
as lessor, for new production facilities in West Valley City (excluding certain equipment which is
owned by the parties as tenants in common and which will not be subject to said leases and
excluding the equipment which will be the subject of the DNPC Press and Conveyor System Leases
described in the last paragraph of Section 3 hereof) and, as lessee, will enter into the DNPC Press
and Conveyor System Leases with DNPC, as lessor. NAC may also now or in the future enter into
other leases with one or both of the parties or with third parties for additional real property,
equipment and other property, and NAC may from time to time purchase or otherwise acquire
additional real property, equipment and other property. In addition to such real property,
equipment and other property that NAC may lease, purchase or otherwise acquire relative to the
carrying out of its operations, the parties hereto (either as tenants in common or as separate
owners) shall furnish (58% by K-T, LLC and 42% by DNPC) and place at the disposal of the NAC, for
its exclusive use, such other real property, equipment, and other property as shall be required by
NAC, subject to the following provisions:
(a) All of the same shall be used, kept in repair and, as approved by the
NAC’s Management Committee, added to, maintained and replaced by the parties when
necessary.
(b) All of the same, and all additions to and replacements thereto, shall,
unless and until the parties shall mutually contribute their ownership interests
from time to time in such equipment to the NAC, continue to be owned by the
21
parties hereto (either as tenants in common or as separate owners) in accordance
with their respective interests and appropriate book records thereof shall be kept
by the NAC.
(c) All of the same, including additions thereto, may be sold or exchanged by
the NAC; provided, however, that no part thereof shall be sold or exchanged except
with approval of the NAC’s Management Committee and after full compliance with the
terms and provisions of any and all contracts and obligations of the parties hereto
applicable thereto.
(d) In the event of any authorized sale thereof by the NAC, the NAC shall pay
the proceeds of any such sale to the parties hereto in accordance with their
respective ownership interests therein.
(e) Title thereto, except as the parties may have contributed to the NAC
their ownership interests therein, shall be in the parties hereto, as provided
herein, and shall at no time be in the NAC.
(f) shall, out of the funds received by it as the parties’ agent, pay for all
necessary repairs thereof, all taxes levied and assessed thereon, fire and other
customary insurance thereon and in connection with the use thereof, to the same
extent and in the same manner it would pay for such matters in connection with
similar items of property which the NAC may itself own directly.
8. Independent Editorial and News Departments and Advertising Policies — Each of the parties
hereto retains unto itself complete and exclusive control of its news and editorial departments and
policies, together with its editorial contracts, conduct and contents, and the selection of its
editors and news and editorial department employees. There shall be no
22
merger, combination or amalgamation of editorial or reportorial staffs, and editorial policies
shall be independently determined. All expenses of the news and editorial department of each of
the parties hereto, including wire and photo services, salaries, compensation, rentals to or for
correspondents and bureaus, features and feature services, graphics, internet content, office
equipment and supplies, and all other expenses directly attributable to their respective news and
editorial departments shall be paid by the respective parties hereto and not by the NAC.
Both parties shall have unlimited discretion to contract with a third party to exercise the
newspaper’s independent editorial and newsroom rights of expression, but all other rights under
this Agreement shall be personal and non-delegable, except as otherwise expressly provided in
Section 21 hereof.
Each party hereto retains unto itself complete and exclusive control of its advertising
acceptance policies and the content of the advertising to appear in the respective newspaper edited
by it. The NAC shall use its best efforts to transfer unacceptable advertising from a feature
section to a main section of the newspaper that edits the section and elects to publish such
advertising, so long as the advertiser agrees and it is mechanically feasible.
Any claims of third parties, cost or expense arising from excluding advertising from one of
the two newspapers, shall be borne by the party whose policies exclude the same. Any such claims,
cost or expense arising from the inclusion of the advertising in one newspaper, when such
advertising has been excluded from the other newspaper due to its advertising policies, shall be
borne by the publishing newspaper.
9. Circulation Promotions — To implement provisions of the Preamble to this Agreement, the NAC
will devote sufficient funds and efforts to expand marketing, promotion and advertising for the
purpose of increasing circulation of both newspapers. Expenditures for
23
these efforts, including geographic expansion, shall be weighted in favor of the newspaper
with less overall circulation.
The NAC will support expanded geographic distribution for the Deseret Morning News (and, if
desired by K-T, LLC, for the Tribune) into other key markets outside the primary and secondary
market areas (as hereinbefore defined) currently served by either newspaper, whenever practical;
provided, however, that if such expansion is undertaken for only one of the newspapers at its
request and such expansion occasions any incremental cost to the NAC, the party requesting such
expansion shall be charged for such cost and provided further such party shall be entitled to
receive all of the circulation revenue received by the NAC from such expanded circulation.
All advertising and promotion of both newspapers shall be done by the NAC, except that DNPC
shall be free to spend whatever it wishes in additional sales promotion of the Deseret Morning News
through the NAC or independently, provided such expenditures by DNPC shall be coordinated with the
NAC’s efforts.
10. Ownership of K-T, LLC — The parties confirm that this Agreement creates a special
relationship between them that must be honored and preserved. It is therefore agreed that the
present ownership of K-T, LLC (i.e., one hundred percent owned by MediaNews Group, Inc.) shall not
be changed without written consent of DNPC, which shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided,
however, that DNPC shall have the unrestricted discretionary right to withhold its consent if any
sale, transfer or conveyance in one or more transactions would result in more than 49% of the
ownership of K-T, LLC being held by any entity or entities other than MNG or if any such owner or
owners of minority interest in K-T, LLC, individually or collectively, would have the right to
manage or participate in management of K-T, LLC or
24
compel it to take or forbear any action with respect to this Agreement or management of the
NAC.
11. Term and Renewals — This Agreement shall continue until and through the thirty-first day
of December, 2020 unless sooner terminated as provided in Section 12 hereof. This Agreement shall
automatically renew for succeeding renewal periods of five (5) years each, unless either party
shall notify the other in writing at least two (2) years prior to the end of the then current term
that it elects to terminate the Agreement at the end of the then current term; provided further,
anything to the contrary in this paragraph notwithstanding, DNPC shall have the option to extend
the initial term of this Agreement for successive additional terms of ten (10) years by notifying
K-T, LLC of its election to do so at least two (2) years prior to the end of the current term or of
any extended term.
12. Optional Termination — Either party hereto shall have the option to terminate this
Agreement at any time upon the happening of any one or more of the following events:
(a) Performance of this Agreement by either or both parties involves a violation of law
or of governmental order or decree; or
(b) Change or modification is made in the scope or applicability of the exemption
available under the Newspaper Preservation Act which prevents the performance of this Agreement
according to its terms; or
(c) As a result of any changes in the Constitution of any state or the Constitution of
the United States of America or of legislative or administrative action (whether state or federal)
or by final decree, judgment or order of any court or administrative body (whether state or
federal) entered after the contest thereof by either or both parties in good faith, this Agreement
25
shall have become void or unenforceable or impossible of performance in accordance with the
intent and purposes of the parties as expressed in this Agreement; or
(d) Because of the bankruptcy or insolvency of a party, there has been or is likely to
be an involuntary alienation of the membership interests of the NAC owned by such party.
To exercise such option, the party seeking to terminate this Agreement shall give written
notice to the other party within fifteen (15) days following the occurrence of the event upon which
termination is to be made describing such event, except that no such termination shall be effective
until the expiration of twelve (12) months after giving such written notice wherever it is legally
possible, unless such delay in termination would substantially prejudice either or both parties.
13. Rights of Parties on Termination — On termination of this Agreement by expiration or
otherwise, the parties hereto shall meet and endeavor to work out a just and equitable plan for
discontinuing the operation of their newspapers by the NAC, and each shall assume the full
operation of its respective newspaper from the NAC at the earliest legally mandated practicable
date, subject to the provisions of the preceding sentence of this Agreement. It is understood that
until the physical properties, real and personal, owned by the parties hereto and made available to
NAC for the printing and distribution of their newspapers, are properly segregated or divided so
that each of the parties hereto can print and circulate its paper with its own equipment (and in no
event for a period of availability, if desired by either party, less than three years from the date
of termination), such equipment and real property so owned by them in common and which may be
necessary for the continued printing and circulation of their two newspapers shall continue to be
available to both parties, in an equitable manner, to the extent legally permissible, to the end
that there be no break in the continued publication and circulation
26
of their respective newspapers. Either party may, by mutual agreement, acquire the plant and
equipment interests of the other party, but neither party shall be compelled to purchase or sell
such asset interests to the other except as provided in a mutually agreed plan of distribution.
Upon termination of this Agreement, both parties shall be given full access to all circulation,
subscriber and single copy distribution lists, advertising account records, and market research
data relating to both newspapers. The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to property that
is leased by the NAC from either K-T, LLC or DNPC or that is leased by the NAC from Salt Lake
Newspaper Production Facilities, LLC, which leases have their own termination provisions.
The NAC shall be dissolved as soon as practicable, and the cost and expense thereof paid from
such funds as the NAC may have on hand, and, if insufficient, the deficiency shall be funded by the
parties hereto in the same proportion to which they are entitled to participate in the earnings of
the NAC at the time of dissolution. Accounts or obligations incurred by the NAC prior to or in
connection with such dissolution and any of its then outstanding commitments shall be paid or
provided for out of funds it may have on hand and, if such funds are insufficient, shall be paid or
provided for by the parties in the same proportion to which they are entitled to participate in the
earnings of the NAC at the time of dissolution. Property other than cash and accounts receivable
which may be in the custody of the NAC, shall be delivered to the parties herein in accordance with
their respective interests therein. Any remaining cash on hand with the NAC that is not needed for
the payment of accounts or obligations, as aforesaid, or required to be set aside for liquidation
of commitments, together with notes and accounts receivable, shall be delivered to the parties
hereto in such proportion as they may be entitled to participate in the earnings of the NAC at the
time of dissolution.
27
If, upon termination of this Agreement, the parties are unable to agree upon a distribution
plan and its implementation, either party may petition for a court-appointed receiver to effect a
dissolution of the NAC and distribution of its assets pursuant to Rule 66(h) of the Utah Rules of
Civil Procedure. If a receiver is appointed, the parties hereto will stipulate that the provisions
of this Agreement will be implemented by the receiver to the full extent permitted by law.
14. Notices — All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
deemed to have been duly given if delivered personally, by telecopier or sent by certified mail,
return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or by a recognized air courier service as follows:
If to DNPC to:
Deseret News Publishing Company
00 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, Chairman
00 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, Chairman
with a copy to
Xxxxxx & XxXxxxxx, P.C.
Eagle Gate Tower
60 East South Temple Street, Suite 1800
Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Eagle Gate Tower
60 East South Temple Street, Suite 1800
Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
If to K-T, LLC to:
Xxxxxx-Tribune, LLC
c/o MediaNews Group, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, XX, President
c/o MediaNews Group, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, XX, President
with a copy to
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Xxxx LLP
0000 X Xxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx., Esq.
0000 X Xxxxxx, X.X., Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx., Esq.
28
or to such other address or addresses as shall be designated in writing. All notices shall be
effective when received.
15. Confidentiality — Except as required by law, legal process, government regulators, or as
reasonably necessary for performance of their obligations or enforcement of their rights under this
Agreement, without the prior written consent of the other, the parties hereto will treat and hold
as confidential all confidential information disclosed to or received by them relating to the
business of the NAC, including all intellectual property rights, in each case excluding information
that (a) at the time of disclosure or receipt is in the public domain or thereafter enters the
public domain without any act or omission of receiving party, (b) was in possession of the
receiving party before its disclosure hereunder, or (c) is obtained by the receiving party from a
third party who does not thereby breach an obligation of confidence to either party to this
Agreement and who discloses it in good faith.
16. Definition of Parties — Any reference herein to Xxxxxx-Tribune, LLC (K-T, LLC), to
MediaNews Group, Inc. (MNG), or to either or both of them as a “party” or as “parties” to this
Agreement, as such references relate to any covenants, performances and prohibitions set forth in
this Agreement, shall include all entities and enterprises in which Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, members
of his family and/or trusts for their benefit collectively own fifty percent (50%) or more,
directly or indirectly of the ownership, and all such other entities and enterprises over which he
otherwise is capable of exercising management control. Any reference herein to Deseret News
Publishing Company as a party to this Agreement, as such references relate to any covenants,
performances and prohibitions set forth in this Agreement, shall include all entities and
enterprises in which Deseret Management Corporation or any other entity affiliated with The Church
of Xxxxx Xxxxxx of Latter-day Saints owns fifty percent (50%) or more, directly or
29
indirectly of the ownership and all such other entities and enterprises over which Deseret
Management Corporation or any other entity affiliated with The Church of Xxxxx Xxxxxx of
Latter—day Saints otherwise is capable of exercising management control.
17. Counterparts — This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts by the parties
hereto, each of which when so executed will be an original, but all of which together will
constitute one and the same instrument.
18. Governing Law — This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of Utah as applied to transactions taking place wholly within Utah between Utah
residents.
19. No Third Party Beneficiary — This Agreement is made solely for the benefit of the parties
hereto and their lawful successors and assigns. No other person shall have any rights, interest,
or claims hereunder or otherwise be entitled to any benefits under or on account of this Agreement
as a third party beneficiary or otherwise.
20. Take Action — Each of the parties hereto agrees to take all corporate or other action
necessary to carry out and effectuate the intent, purposes and provisions of this Agreement and to
cooperate with the other party in every reasonable way that will promote successful and lawful
operation of this Agreement for both parties.
21. Successors and Assigns — Because of the special and fiduciary relationship created hereby,
neither this Agreement nor any of the rights or obligations of either party thereto shall be
assignable or delegable by either party without the written consent of the other. Any authorized
assignment shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the respective successors and assigns
of the parties hereto.
30
22. Equitable Remedies — Because of the special relationship perpetuated by this Agreement and
because the parties hereto stipulate that an award of damages for breach of this Agreement will not
provide an adequate remedy for such breach, the parties shall be entitled to specific performance
of the terms of this Agreement and other appropriate equitable remedies.
23. Severability — If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or deemed to be or shall,
in fact, be illegal, invalid, non-binding, inoperative or unenforceable, the same shall not affect
any other provision or provisions herein contained or render the same illegal, invalid,
non-binding, inoperative, or unenforceable to any extent whatever.
24. NAC Binding Approval — The parties shall cause the NAC to approve and accept in writing
all of the terms hereof applying to it, with duplicate original executed copies thereof delivered
to each of the parties hereto.
25. Department of Justice Filing — A copy of this 2006 Amendment and Restatement Agreement,
together with a copy of the 1952 Agreement, the 1982 Amendment and the 2001 Amendment and
Restatement of Agreement, shall be filed with the United States Department of Justice immediately
following its execution by the parties hereto.
26. Arbitration — If the parties are deadlocked with respect to a Reserved Matter and if the
parties’ dispute with respect to such Reserved Matter is not resolved by negotiation within ten
(10) business days following written notice of the dispute delivered by either party to the other,
either party shall have the right to refer the dispute to arbitration by giving notice to the
other, which notice shall identify the dispute. During the first seven (7) days after such notice
demanding arbitration the parties shall seek to nominate a mutually agreed upon arbitrator. If
such an arbitrator is selected and engaged, he or she shall serve in accordance with these
provisions. If within the said seven day period no mutually agreed arbitrator is selected and
31
engaged, then the party requesting arbitration shall provide a copy of the notice and request
for arbitration to the person serving at such time as President of the Newspaper Association of
America (“NAA”) or, if such person is interested in the dispute or is not independent of each of
the parties, the most recent past president of the NAA who is not interested in the dispute and who
is independent of each of the parties. The NAA President or past president receiving such notice
(“Facilitator”) shall, within fifteen (15) days after receipt of the notice, appoint either himself
or herself, or such other person qualified as stipulated herein, to serve as arbitrator of the
dispute (“Arbitrator”). The arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules of the
American Arbitration Association or such other rules as the Arbitrator in his or her sole
discretion shall select (in either case, the “Rules”). The procedural laws of the Federal
Arbitration Act shall apply to the arbitration to the extent not inconsistent with the Rules. The
arbitrator appointed hereunder shall not be interested in the dispute, shall be independent of each
of the parties, and shall be a professional with at least ten (10) years experience in the
newspaper publishing industry at an executive level or otherwise a person of recognized competence
or expertise in the field of newspaper publishing.
The venue of the arbitration shall be in Salt Lake City, Utah. In arriving at a decision, the
Arbitrator shall consider the pertinent fact and circumstances. Parties shall have the right to
present documentary evidence and witnesses and to cross-examine witnesses. The Arbitrator shall
issue his or her findings and conclusions in writing. The decision of the Arbitrator shall be
final and binding upon the parties, and no party shall seek recourse to a law court or other
authorities to appeal for revisions of such decision. Each party shall be responsible for payment
of its own expenses and the parties shall equally share the fees and expenses of the Arbitrator.
On request of any party, a transcript of the hearing shall be prepared and made available to the
32
parties. Judgment on the decision of the Arbitrator may be entered in any court having
jurisdiction thereof. Nothing in the Agreement shall preclude a party hereto from seeking
equitable or other relief from a court of competent jurisdiction when such relief is unavailable
pursuant to the Rules. The parties agree that any arbitration relating to a dispute hereunder
shall be conducted and concluded as privately and expeditiously as possible, and the parties shall
use their best efforts to that end.
33
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused these presents to be duly executed at Salt
Lake City, Utah, the day and year first above written.
ATTEST: | DESERET NEWS PUBLISHING COMPANY | |||||||||
By:
|
\s\ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx | By: | \s\ Xxx X. Xxxx | |||||||
, Secretary | Xxx X. Xxxx, President |
ATTEST: | XXXXXX-TRIBUNE, LLC | |||||||||
By:
|
\s\ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx | By: | \s\ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, XX | |||||||
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Secretary | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, XX, President |
Newspaper Agency Company, LLC hereby approves and accepts the foregoing Agreement and agrees
to be bound by terms and provisions thereof applicable to it.
ATTEST: | NEWSPAPER AGENCY COMPANY, LLC | |||||||||
By:
|
\s\ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx | By: | \s\ Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||||||
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Secretary | Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Chairman |