Note 9 - Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Notes to Financial Statements

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

9

.      Commitments and Contingencies

From time to time w

e

may

have various contractual and other commitments requiring future payments. These commitments

may

include amounts required to be paid for: the acquisition of television stations; the purchase of property and equipment; service and other agreements; operating lease commitments for equipment, land and office space; commitments for various syndicated television programs; and commitments under affiliation agreements with networks. Future minimum payments for these commitments, in addition to the liabilities accrued for on our consolidated balance sheet as of

December 31, 2017,

were as follows (in thousands):

	Property		Service and				Syndicated		Network
	and		Other		Operating		Television		Affiliation
Year	Equipment		Agreements		Leases		Programming		Agreements		Total
2018	$	3,887	$	2,856	$	3,286	$	6,214	$	176,669	$	192,912
2019		-		749		2,651		18,330		130,014		151,744
2020		-		-		2,284		12,571		140,357		155,212
2021		-		-		2,125		1,510		130,117		133,752
2022		-		-		1,952		691		2,679		5,322
Thereafter		-		-		5,294		451		-		5,745
Total	$	3,887	$	3,605	$	17,592	$	39,767	$	579,836	$	644,687

Leases

.

We have

no

material capital leases. Where leases include rent holidays, rent escalations, rent concessions and leasehold improvement incentives, the value of these incentives are amortized over the lease term including anticipated renewal periods. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the associated lease term including anticipated renewal periods. Rent expense resulting from operating leases for the years ended

December 31, 2017,

2016

and

2015

were

$4.0

million,

$3.5

million and

$2.8

million, respectively.

Legal Proceedings and Claims

.

We are and expect to continue to be subject to legal actions, proceedings and claims that arise in the normal course of our business. In the opinion of management, the amount of ultimate liability, if any, with respect to these known actions, proceedings and claims will

not

materially affect our financial position, results of operations or cash flows, although legal proceedings are subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings or events could occur that could negatively affect us, possibly materially.