NOTE 15. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Commitments

The Company has commitments under certain firm contractual arrangements (“firm commitments”) to make future payments. These firm commitments secure the future rights to various assets and services to be used in the normal course of operations. The following table summarizes the Company’s material firm commitments as of June 30, 2017:


	As of June 30, 2017
	Payments Due by Period
	Total		Less than 1 year		1-3 years		3-5 years		More than 5 years
	(in millions)
Purchase obligations^(a)	$	1,105	$	422	$	350	$	195	$	138
Sports programming rights^(b)		1,287		223		502		427		135
Operating leases^(c)
Land and buildings		1,641		157		285		222		977
Plant and machinery		5		3		2		—		—
Borrowings^(d)		380		103		277		—		—

Total commitments and contractual obligations	$	4,418	$	908	$	1,416	$	844	$	1,250

^(a)	The Company has commitments under purchase obligations related to printing contracts, capital projects, marketing agreements, production services and other legally binding commitments.

^(b)	The Company has sports programming rights commitments with National Rugby League, Football Federation Australia, Australian Rugby Union and International Cricket as well as certain other broadcast rights which are payable through fiscal 2023.

^(c)

The Company leases office facilities, warehouse facilities, printing plants and equipment. These leases, which are classified as operating leases, are expected to be paid at certain dates through fiscal 2062. This amount includes approximately $210 million of land and office facilities that have been subleased from 21st Century Fox.

^(d)	Primarily represents the REA Facility based on the contractual maturity date of the various sub facilities included within the agreement. (See Note 9—Borrowings).

Contingencies

The Company routinely is involved in various legal proceedings, claims and governmental inspections or investigations, including those discussed below. The outcome of these matters and claims is subject to significant uncertainty, and the Company often cannot predict what the eventual outcome of pending matters will be or the timing of the ultimate resolution of these matters. Fees, expenses, fines, penalties, judgments or settlement costs which might be incurred by the Company in connection with the various proceedings could adversely affect its results of operations and financial condition.

The Company establishes an accrued liability for legal claims when it determines that a loss is both probable and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Once established, accruals are adjusted from time to time, as appropriate, in light of additional information. The amount of any loss ultimately incurred in relation to matters for which an accrual has been established may be higher or lower than the amounts accrued for such matters. Legal fees associated with litigation and similar proceedings are expensed as incurred. Except as otherwise provided below, for the contingencies disclosed for which there is at least a reasonable possibility that a loss may be incurred, the Company was unable to estimate the amount of loss or range of loss. The Company recognizes gain contingencies when the gain becomes realized or realizable.

News America Marketing

Valassis Communications, Inc.

On November 8, 2013, Valassis Communications, Inc. (“Valassis”) initiated legal proceedings against certain of the Company’s subsidiaries alleging violations of various antitrust laws. These proceedings are described in further detail below.

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Valassis previously initiated an action against News America Incorporated (“NAI”), News America Marketing FSI L.L.C. (“NAM FSI”) and News America Marketing In-Store Services L.L.C. (“NAM In-Store Services” and, together with NAI and NAM FSI, the “NAM Parties”), captioned Valassis Communications, Inc. v. News America Incorporated, et al., No. 2:06-cv-10240 (E.D. Mich.) (“Valassis I”), alleging violations of federal antitrust laws, which was settled in February 2010. On November 8, 2013, Valassis filed a motion for expedited discovery in the previously settled case based on its belief that defendants had engaged in activities prohibited under an order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in connection with the parties’ settlement, which motion was granted by the magistrate judge.

Valassis subsequently filed a Notice of Violation of the order issued by the District Court in Valassis I. The Notice re-asserted claims of unlawful bundling and tying which the magistrate judge had previously recommended be dismissed from Valassis II, described below, on the grounds that such claims could only be brought before a panel of antitrust experts previously appointed in Valassis I (the “Antitrust Expert Panel”), and sought treble damages, injunctive relief and attorneys’ fees on those claims. On March 30, 2016, the District Court ordered that the Notice be referred to the Antitrust Expert Panel and further ordered that the case be administratively closed and that it may be re-opened following proceedings before the Antitrust Expert Panel.

•

On November 8, 2013, Valassis also filed a new complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against the NAM Group alleging violations of federal and state antitrust laws and common law business torts (“Valassis II”). The complaint sought treble damages, injunctive relief and attorneys’ fees and costs. On December 19, 2013, the NAM Group filed a motion to dismiss the newly filed complaint, and on March 30, 2016, the District Court ordered that Valassis’s bundling and tying claims be dismissed without prejudice to Valassis’s rights to pursue relief for those claims in Valassis I and that all remaining claims in the NAM Group’s motion to dismiss be referred to the Antitrust Expert Panel. The District Court further ordered that the case be administratively closed and that it may be re-opened following proceedings before the Antitrust Expert Panel.

The Antitrust Expert Panel was convened and, on February 8, 2017, it recommended that the Notice of Violation in Valassis I be dismissed and the NAM Group’s counterclaims in Valassis II be dismissed with leave to replead three of the four counterclaims. The NAM Group filed an amended counterclaim on February 27, 2017. Valassis did not object to the Antitrust Expert Panel’s recommendation to dismiss Valassis I, and the parties are awaiting the District Court’s order of dismissal. However, Valassis filed a motion with the District Court asserting that the referral of Valassis II to the Antitrust Expert Panel is no longer valid and seeking either to re-open Valassis II in the District Court or to transfer the case to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The NAM Group opposed the motion, and the District Court heard arguments on April 13, 2017. While it is not possible at this time to predict with any degree of certainty the ultimate outcome of these actions, the NAM Group believes it has been compliant with applicable laws and intends to defend itself vigorously in both actions.

In-Store Marketing and FSI Purchasers

On February 29, 2016, the parties agreed to settle the litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in which The Dial Corporation, Henkel Consumer Goods, Inc., H.J. Heinz Company, H.J. Heinz Company, L.P., Foster Poultry Farms, Smithfield Foods, Inc., HP Hood LLC and BEF Foods, Inc. alleged various claims under federal and state antitrust law against News Corporation, NAI, NAM FSI and NAM In-Store Services (collectively the “NAM Group”). Pursuant to the terms of the settlement, the NAM Group paid the plaintiffs and their attorneys approximately $250 million during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017, and the litigation was dismissed with prejudice. The NAM Group also settled related claims for approximately $30 million in February 2016.

U.K. Newspaper Matters

Civil claims have been brought against the Company with respect to, among other things, voicemail interception and inappropriate payments to public officials at the Company’s former publication, The News of the World, and at The Sun, and related matters (the “U.K. Newspaper Matters”). The Company has admitted liability in many civil cases and has settled a number of cases. The Company also settled a number of claims through a private compensation scheme which was closed to new claims after April 8, 2013.

In connection with the Separation, the Company and 21st Century Fox agreed in the Separation and Distribution Agreement that 21st Century Fox would indemnify the Company for payments made after the Distribution Date arising out of civil claims and investigations relating to the U.K. Newspaper Matters as well as legal and professional fees and expenses paid in connection with the previously concluded criminal matters, other than fees, expenses and costs relating to employees (i) who are not directors, officers or certain designated employees or (ii) with respect to civil matters, who are not co-defendants with the Company or 21st Century Fox. 21st Century Fox’s indemnification obligations with respect to these matters will be settled on an after-tax basis.

The net expense related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters in Selling, general and administrative expenses was $10 million, $19 million and $50 million for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2017, June 30, 2016 and June 30, 2015, respectively. As of June 30, 2017, the Company has provided for its best estimate of the liability for the claims that have been filed and costs incurred, including liabilities associated with employment taxes, and has accrued approximately $132 million, of which approximately $82 million will be indemnified by 21st Century Fox, and a corresponding receivable was recorded in Other current assets on the Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2017. It is not possible to estimate the liability or corresponding receivable for any additional claims that may be filed given the information that is currently available to the Company. If more claims are filed and additional information becomes available, the Company will update the liability provision and corresponding receivable for such matters.

The Company is not able to predict the ultimate outcome or cost of the civil claims. It is possible that these proceedings and any adverse resolution thereof could damage its reputation, impair its ability to conduct its business and adversely affect its results of operations and financial condition.

Zillow Settlement

On June 6, 2016, the parties agreed to settle the litigation in the Superior Court of the State of Washington in which Move, the National Association of Realtors^® (“NAR”) and three related entities filed a complaint against Zillow, Inc. (“Zillow”), Errol Samuelson and Curt Beardsley alleging, among other things, misappropriation of trade secrets, tortious interference, breach of fiduciary duties and breach of contract. Pursuant to the terms of the settlement agreement and release, Zillow paid the plaintiffs $130 million and the pending litigation was dismissed with prejudice. Under the terms of an agreement with Move, NAR received 10% of the settlement proceeds after deduction of Move’s litigation-related costs and fees, and Move received the remainder. As a result, the Company recognized a $122 million gain in NAM Group and Zillow settlements, net in the Company’s Statement of Operations for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016.

Other

The Company’s tax returns are subject to on-going review and examination by various tax authorities. Tax authorities may not agree with the treatment of items reported in the Company’s tax returns, and therefore the outcome of tax reviews and examinations can be unpredictable. The Company believes it has appropriately accrued for the expected outcome of uncertain tax matters and believes such liabilities represent a reasonable provision for taxes ultimately expected to be paid; however, these liabilities may need to be adjusted as new information becomes known and as tax examinations continue to progress. As subsidiaries of 21st Century Fox prior to the Separation, the Company and each of its domestic subsidiaries have joint and several liability with 21st Century Fox for the consolidated U.S. federal income taxes of the 21st Century Fox consolidated group relating to any taxable periods during which the Company or any of the Company’s domestic subsidiaries were a member of the 21st Century Fox consolidated group. Consequently, the Company could be liable in the event any such liability is incurred, and not discharged, by any other member of the 21st Century Fox consolidated group. In conjunction with the Separation, the Company entered into the Tax Sharing and Indemnification Agreement with 21st Century Fox, which requires 21st Century Fox to indemnify the Company for any such liability. Disputes or assessments could arise during future audits by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) or other taxing authorities in amounts that the Company cannot quantify.