NOTE 6: INVESTMENTS

Investments consisted of the following (in thousands):



	September 30, 2016		December 31, 2015
Equity method investments	$	1,636,068	$	1,668,316
Cost method investments	24,248		20,868
Marketable equity securities	7,095		3,516
Total investments	$	1,667,411	$	1,692,700

Equity Method Investments—As discussed in Note 4 and Note 9 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the carrying value of the Company’s investments was increased by $1.615 billion to a fair value aggregating $2.224 billion as of the Effective Date (as defined in Note 9). Of the $1.615 billion increase, $1.108 billion was attributable to the Company’s share of theoretical increases in the carrying values of the investees’ amortizable intangible assets had the fair value of the investments been allocated to the identifiable intangible assets of the investees’ in accordance with ASC Topic 805. The remaining $507 million of the increase was attributable to goodwill and other identifiable intangibles not subject to amortization, including trade names. The Company amortizes the differences between the fair values and the investees’ carrying values of the identifiable intangible assets subject to amortization and records the amortization (the “amortization of basis difference”) as a reduction of income on equity investments, net in its unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Income from equity investments, net reported in the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations consisted of the following (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2016			September 30, 2015			September 30, 2016			September 30, 2015
Income from equity investments, net, before amortization of basis difference	$	45,381		$	50,549		$	155,254		$	160,520
Amortization of basis difference	(13,644		)	(13,562		)	(40,959		)	(40,686		)
Income from equity investments, net	$	31,737		$	36,987		$	114,295		$	119,834

Cash distributions from the Company’s equity method investments were as follows (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2016		September 30, 2015		September 30, 2016		September 30, 2015
Cash distributions from equity investments	$	17,953	$	31,954	$	143,557	$	161,102

TV Food Network—The Company’s 31% investment in Television Food Network, G.P. (“TV Food Network”) totaled $1.266 billion and $1.314 billion at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. The Company recognized equity income from TV Food Network of $24 million and $26 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, respectively, and equity income of $94 million and $92 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, respectively. The Company received cash distributions from TV Food Network of $18 million and $16 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, respectively, and cash distributions of $144 million and $145 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, respectively.

On October 24, 2016, Tribune (FN) Cable Ventures, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into an extension of the partnership agreement governing TV Food Network, which extended the term of the partnership until December 31, 2020.

CareerBuilder—The Company’s 32% investment in CareerBuilder, LLC (“CareerBuilder”) totaled $349 million and $331 million at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. The Company recognized equity income from CareerBuilder of $8 million and $11 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, respectively, and equity income of $22 million and $28 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and September 30, 2015, respectively. The Company received cash distributions from CareerBuilder of $16 million in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015.

Dose Media—The Company’s 25% investment in Dose Media, LLC (“Dose Media”) totaled $13 million and $15 million at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

Classified Ventures—As further described in Note 9 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, on October 1, 2014, the Company sold its entire 27.8% equity interest in Classified Ventures, LLC (“CV”) to TEGNA, Inc. (“TEGNA”). The Company’s portion of the proceeds from the transaction was $686 million before taxes ($426 million after taxes), of which $28 million was held in escrow and paid in the fourth quarter of 2015. Prior to closing, CV made a final distribution of all cash on hand from operations to the current owners. On April 2, 2015, the Company received an additional cash distribution of $8 million pursuant to CV’s collection of a contingent receivable, which is reflected as a non-operating gain in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2015.

Summarized Financial Information—Summarized financial information for TV Food Network is as follows (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2016		September 30, 2015		September 30, 2016		September 30, 2015
Revenues, net	$	275,758	$	264,997	$	851,209	$	804,630
Operating income	$	150,471	$	123,579	$	520,848	$	405,605
Net income	$	116,431	$	124,347	$	421,961	$	414,272

Summarized financial information for CareerBuilder is as follows (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2016		September 30, 2015		September 30, 2016		September 30, 2015
Revenues, net	$	180,917	$	175,540	$	532,823	$	526,728
Operating income	$	28,506	$	37,353	$	77,433	$	101,293
Net income	$	28,446	$	36,470	$	77,600	$	97,884

Marketable Equity Securities—As further described in Note 2 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, on August 4, 2014, the Company completed the Publishing Spin-off and retained 381,354 shares of tronc, Inc. (“tronc”) (formerly Tribune Publishing Company) common stock, representing 1.5% of the then-outstanding common stock of tronc. The Company classified the shares of tronc common stock as available-for-sale securities. As of September 30, 2016, the fair value and cost basis of the Company’s investment in tronc was $6 million and $0, respectively. As of September 30, 2016, the gross unrealized holding gain relating to the Company’s investment in tronc was $6 million and is reflected in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes, in the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Cost Method Investments—All of the Company’s cost method investments in private companies are recorded at cost, net of write-downs resulting from periodic evaluations of the carrying value of the investments.

Chicago Cubs Transactions—As defined and further described in Note 9 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the Company consummated the closing of the Chicago Cubs Transactions on October 27, 2009. Concurrent with the closing of the transactions, the Company executed guarantees of collection of certain debt facilities entered into by Chicago Entertainment Ventures, LLC (formerly Chicago Baseball Holdings, LLC), and its subsidiaries (collectively, “New Cubs LLC”). The guarantees are capped at $699 million plus unpaid interest. The guarantees are reduced as New Cubs LLC makes principal payments on the underlying loans. To the extent that payments are made under the guarantees, the Company will be subrogated to, and will acquire, all rights of the debt lenders against New Cubs LLC.

Newsday Transactions—As defined and further described in Note 9 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, the Company consummated the closing of the Newsday Transactions on July 29, 2008. On September 2, 2015, the Company sold its 3% interest in Newsday Holdings LLC (“NHLLC”) to CSC Holdings, LLC (“CSC”) for $8 million and recognized a $3 million gain in connection with the sale. The Company’s remaining deferred tax liability of $101 million (as described in Note 10) became payable upon consummation of the sale. The tax payments were made in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Variable Interests—The Company evaluates its investments and other transactions to determine whether any entities associated with the investments or transactions should be consolidated under the provisions of ASC Topic 810, “Consolidation.” ASC Topic 810 requires an ongoing qualitative assessment of VIEs to assess which entity is the primary beneficiary as it has the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the activities of a VIE and has the obligation to absorb losses or benefits that could be potentially significant to the VIE. At September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the Company held variable interests in Topix, LLC (through its investment in TKG Holdings II, LLC) (“Topix”) and TREH 200E Las Olas Venture, LLC (“Las Olas LLC”). See Note 1 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 for additional information relating to these entities.

The Company has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of Topix and therefore has not consolidated it as of and for the periods presented in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company’s maximum loss exposure related to Topix is limited to its equity investment, which was $4 million at both September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

The Las Olas LLC was determined to be a VIE where the Company is the primary beneficiary. The Company consolidates the financial position and results of operations of this VIE. The results of operations of the VIE as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 were not material.

As further disclosed in Note 1, the Company consolidates the financial position and results of operations of Dreamcatcher, a VIE where the Company is the primary beneficiary.