NOTE 1: BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Presentation—All references to Tribune Media Company or Tribune Company in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements encompass the historical operations of Tribune Media Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”).

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial reporting. The year-end condensed balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

In the opinion of management, the financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to state fairly the financial position of the Company as of March 31, 2019 and the results of operations and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2018. All adjustments reflected in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, which management believes necessary to state fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows, have been reflected and are of a normal recurring nature. Results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

Nexstar Merger Agreement—On November 30, 2018, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Nexstar Merger Agreement”) with Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (“Nexstar”) and Titan Merger Sub, Inc. (the “Nexstar Merger Sub”) providing for the acquisition by Nexstar of all of the outstanding shares of the Company’s Class A common stock (“Class A Common Stock”) and Class B common stock (“Class B Common Stock” and, together with the Class A Common Stock, the “Common Stock”), by means of a merger of Nexstar Merger Sub with and into Tribune Media Company, with the Company surviving the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nexstar (the “Nexstar Merger”).

In the Nexstar Merger, each share of Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Nexstar Merger (the “Effective Time”) (other than shares held by (i) any Tribune subsidiary, Nexstar or any Nexstar subsidiary or (ii) Tribune shareholders who have not voted in favor of adopting the Nexstar Merger Agreement and who have demanded and perfected (and not validly withdrawn or waived) their appraisal rights in compliance with Section 262 of the DGCL) will be converted into the right to receive a cash payment of $46.50 (the “base merger consideration”), plus, if the Nexstar Merger closes after August 31, 2019 (the “Adjustment Date”), an additional amount in cash equal to (a) (i) $0.009863 multiplied by (ii) the number of calendar days elapsed after Adjustment Date to and including the date on which the Nexstar Merger closes, minus (b) the amount of any dividends declared by the Company after the Adjustment Date with a record date prior to the date on which the Nexstar Merger closes, in each case, without interest and less any required withholding taxes (the “additional per share consideration”, and together with the base merger consideration, the “Nexstar Merger Consideration”). The additional per share consideration will not be less than zero.

Each option to purchase shares of Common Stock outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, whether or not vested or exercisable, will be cancelled and converted into the right to receive, for each share of Common Stock subject to such stock option, a cash payment equal to the excess, if any, of the value of the Nexstar Merger Consideration over the exercise price per share of such stock option, without any interest and subject to all applicable withholding. Any stock option that has an exercise price per share that is greater than or equal to the Nexstar Merger Consideration will be cancelled for no consideration or payment. Each award of restricted stock units outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, whether or not vested, will immediately vest and be cancelled and converted into the right to receive a cash payment equal to the product of the total number of shares of Common Stock underlying such restricted stock unit multiplied by the Nexstar Merger Consideration, without any interest and subject to all applicable withholding (the “RSU Consideration”), except that each award of restricted stock units granted to an employee on or after December 1, 2018 (other than restricted stock units required to be granted pursuant to employment agreements or offer letters) (“Annual Tribune RSUs”) that has vested as of the Effective Time of the Nexstar Merger will be cancelled and converted into the right to receive the RSU Consideration and any Annual Tribune RSUs that remain unvested as of the Effective Time of the Nexstar Merger will be cancelled for no consideration or payment. Each award of performance stock units outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, whether or not vested, will immediately vest (with performance conditions for each open performance period as of the closing date deemed achieved at the applicable “target” level performance for such performance stock units) and be cancelled and converted into the right to receive a cash payment equal to the product of the total number of shares of Common Stock underlying such performance stock units multiplied by the Nexstar Merger Consideration, without any interest and subject to all applicable withholding. Each outstanding award of deferred stock units outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time will be cancelled and converted into the right to receive a cash payment equal to the product of the total number of shares of Common Stock underlying such deferred stock units multiplied by the Nexstar Merger Consideration, without interest and subject to all applicable withholding. Each unexercised warrant to purchase shares of Common Stock outstanding as of immediately prior to the Effective Time will be assumed by Nexstar and converted into a warrant exercisable for the Nexstar Merger Consideration which the shares of Common Stock underlying such warrant would have been entitled to receive upon consummation of the Nexstar Merger and otherwise upon the same terms and conditions of such warrant immediately prior to the Effective Time.

The consummation of the Nexstar Merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain customary conditions, including, among others: (i) the adoption of the Nexstar Merger by holders of a majority of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock, (ii) the receipt of approval from the Federal Communications Commission (the “FCC”) (the “FCC Approval”) and the expiration or termination of the waiting period applicable to the Nexstar Merger under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”) (the “HSR Approval”) and (iii) the absence of any order or law of any governmental authority that prohibits or makes illegal the consummation of the Nexstar Merger. The Company’s and Nexstar’s respective obligations to consummate the Nexstar Merger are also subject to certain additional customary conditions, including (i) the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the other party (generally subject to a “material adverse effect” standard), (ii) performance by the other party of its covenants in the Nexstar Merger Agreement in all material respects and (iii) with respect to Nexstar’s obligation to consummate the Nexstar Merger, since the date of the Nexstar Merger Agreement, no material adverse effect with respect to the Company having occurred.

The applications for FCC approval (the “Merger Applications”) were filed on January 7, 2019. On February 14, 2019, the FCC issued a public notice of filing of the Merger Applications which set deadlines for petitions to deny the applications, oppositions to petitions to deny and replies to oppositions to petitions to deny.

On February 7, 2019, the Company received a request for additional information and documentary material, often referred to as a “second request,” from the United States Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) in connection with the Nexstar Merger Agreement. The second request was issued under the HSR Act. Nexstar received a substantively identical request for additional information and documentary material from the DOJ in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Nexstar Merger Agreement. Consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Nexstar Merger Agreement is conditioned on expiration of the waiting period applicable under the HSR Act, among other conditions. Issuance of the second request extends the waiting period under the HSR Act until 30 days after Nexstar and the Company have substantially complied with the second request, unless the waiting period is terminated earlier by the DOJ or the parties voluntarily extend the time for closing.

On March 12, 2019, holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, voting as a single class, voted on and approved the Nexstar Merger Agreement at a duly called special meeting of Tribune Media Company shareholders.

On March 20, 2019, in connection with its divestiture obligations under the Nexstar Merger Agreement, Nexstar entered into definitive asset purchase agreements with TEGNA Inc. (“TEGNA”) and The E.W. Scripps Company (“Scripps”) to sell a total of 19 stations (including 10 Tribune Media Company-owned stations, as well as 3 stations to which the Company provides certain services (WTKR-TV, Norfolk, VA, WGNT-TV, Portsmouth, VA and WNEP-TV, Scranton, PA, collectively, the “Dreamcatcher Stations”)) in 15 markets to TEGNA and Scripps following the completion of the Nexstar Merger (the “Nexstar Transactions”). Additionally, on April 8, 2019, Nexstar entered into a definitive agreement with Circle City Broadcasting I, Inc. (“CCB”) to sell 2 Nexstar stations to CCB following the completion of the Nexstar Merger. The consummation of each transaction is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain customary conditions, including, among others, (i) the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Nexstar Merger Agreement, (ii) the receipt of approval from the FCC and the DOJ and the expiration or termination of any waiting period applicable to such transaction under the HSR Act and (iii) the absence of certain legal impediments to the consummation of such transaction. On April 15, 2019, the Federal Trade Commission issued an early termination notice with respect to the waiting period applicable under the HSR Act in connection with the transaction with Scripps.

On April 2, 2019, the Company exercised an option with Dreamcatcher Broadcasting LLC (“Dreamcatcher”) to repurchase the Dreamcatcher Stations, to be consummated substantially concurrent with the closing of the Nexstar Merger (the “Dreamcatcher Repurchase”). Following the consummation of the Dreamcatcher Repurchase, the Dreamcatcher Stations are expected to be sold to TEGNA and Scripps in connection with the Nexstar Merger. In the event the Company is unable to consummate the Nexstar Merger, the Company may rescind its option to repurchase the Dreamcatcher stations.

Applications seeking FCC consent to station divestitures necessary to obtain the FCC Approval (the “Divestiture Applications”) were filed on April 3, 2019, April 8, 2019, April 10, 2019 and April 16, 2019. On April 26, 2019, the FCC issued a public notice of the filing of the Divestiture Applications which set deadlines for petitions to deny the applications, oppositions to petitions to deny and replies to oppositions to petitions to deny.

The Nexstar Merger Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Effective Time: (i) by mutual written consent of Nexstar and the Company; (ii) by either Nexstar or the Company (a) if the Effective Time has not occurred on or before November 30, 2019, provided that (x) if, on the initial end date, any of the conditions to the consummation of the Nexstar Merger related to the HSR Approval or the FCC Approval have not been satisfied, but all other conditions the consummation of the Nexstar Merger have been satisfied or waived or capable of being satisfied, then the end date will be automatically extended to February 29, 2020 and (y) in the event the marketing period for the debt financing for the transaction has commenced but has not completed by the end date, the end date may be extended (or further extended) by Nexstar on one occasion in its sole discretion by providing written notice thereof to the Company at least one business day prior to the end date until the date that is four business days after the last scheduled expiration date of the marketing period (unless the failure of the Effective Time to occur before the end date was primarily due to such party’s breach of any of its obligations under the Nexstar Merger Agreement), (b) if any governmental authority of competent jurisdiction has issued an order permanently prohibiting the consummation of the Nexstar Merger and such order has become final and non-appealable (unless such order was primarily attributable to such party’s breach of the Nexstar Merger Agreement); and (iii) by either Nexstar or the Company in certain circumstances, as described in the Nexstar Merger Agreement.

As further described in Note 1 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company must pay Nexstar a termination fee of $135 million if the Company or Nexstar terminate the Nexstar Merger Agreement in certain circumstances, except that such termination fee may be reduced by any previously paid amounts relating to the documented, out-of-pocket expenses of Nexstar in an amount not to exceed $15 million.

Change in Accounting Principles—In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, “Leases (Subtopic 842).” The new guidance requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities arising from leases as well as extensive quantitative and qualitative disclosures. A lessee needs to recognize on its balance sheet a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for the majority of its leases (other than leases with a term of less than 12 months). The lease liabilities should be equal to the present value of minimum lease payments. The right-of-use asset is measured at the lease liability amount, adjusted for lease prepayment, lease incentives received and the lessee’s initial direct costs. In January 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-01, “Leases (Topic 842) - Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842,” which provides an optional transition practical expedient to not evaluate under Topic 842 existing or expired land easements that were not previously accounted for as leases under the current leases guidance in Topic 840. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-10, “Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases,” and ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842), Targeted Improvements,” which affect certain aspects of the previously issued guidance including an additional transition method as well as a new practical expedient for lessors. In December 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-19, “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses” and ASU No. 2018-20, “Leases (Topic 842), Narrow-Scope Improvements for Lessors,” which provide additional guidance for lessor accounting as well as a new practical expedient for lessors. In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-01, “Leases (Topic 842), Codification Improvements,” which provides additional guidance on disclosure requirements. The Company adopted Topic 842 in the first quarter of 2019. The adoption of Topic 842 did not have a material impact on the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations, unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) and unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Refer to Note 3 for information regarding the impacts of the adoption. See the Leases accounting policy below for additional information.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815).” The standard simplifies the application of the hedge accounting guidance and enables entities to better portray the economic results of their risk management activities in the financial statements. The new guidance eliminates the requirement and the ability to separately record ineffectiveness on cash flow and net investment hedges and generally requires the entire change in the fair value of a hedging instrument to be presented in the same income statement line as the hedged item. The standard requires certain additional disclosures that focus on the effect of hedge accounting whereas the disclosure of hedge ineffectiveness is eliminated. The amendments expand the types of permissible hedging strategies. Additionally, the amendment makes the hedge documentation and effectiveness assessment less complex. The amendments in ASU 2017-12 related to cash flow hedge relationships that exist on the date of adoption should be applied using a modified retrospective approach with the cumulative effect of initially applying ASU 2017-12 at the date of initial application. The presentation and disclosure requirements apply prospectively. The Company adopted ASU 2017-12 in the first quarter of 2019. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. No other significant accounting policies and estimates have changed from those detailed in Note 1 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Use of Estimates—The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Leases—The Company determines whether an arrangement contains a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets, current operating lease liabilities and non-current operating lease liabilities in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company does not currently have any finance lease arrangements.

ROU assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term. The operating lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at the commencement date based on the present value of the fixed lease payments over the lease term. Unless the rate of interest implicit in the lease arrangement is known, the Company’s collateralized incremental borrowing rate for a period commensurate with the lease term at lease commencement is used to calculate the present value of the lease payments. When the Company knows the implicit rate of interest in the arrangement, that rate is used. The operating lease ROU asset includes any prepaid lease payments, initial direct costs, if applicable, less lease incentives. The Company has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components. To the extent the non-lease components require fixed payments, the Company accounts for both the lease and non-lease component as a single lease component in accordance with Topic 842.

Leases generally include options to extend or terminate a lease. These options are included in the lease term when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise the renewal or termination option. The Company does not record an operating lease ROU asset or liability for leases with a term of twelve months or less with the related lease expense recognized over the term of the lease. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Revenue Recognition—The Company recognizes revenues when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to the Company’s customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services.

The following table represents the Company’s revenues disaggregated by revenue source for the Television and Entertainment segment (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended
	March 31, 2019		March 31, 2018
Advertising	$	269,889	$	270,439
Retransmission revenues	132,860		118,142
Carriage fees	41,139		41,662
Other	9,539		10,459
Total operating revenues	$	453,427	$	440,702

In addition to the operating revenues included in the Television and Entertainment segment, the Company’s consolidated operating revenues include other revenue of $2 million and $3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2018, respectively, in Corporate and Other, which consists of real estate revenues.

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 FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 810, “Consolidation.” The Company consolidates variable interest entities (“VIEs”) when it is the primary beneficiary.

Topix—At March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company indirectly held variable interests in Topix, LLC (through its investment in TKG Holdings II, LLC) (“Topix”). 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 $5 million at both March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.

Dreamcatcher—Dreamcatcher was formed in 2013 specifically to comply with the cross-ownership rules of the FCC related to the Company’s acquisition of Local TV, LLC on December 27, 2013 (the “Local TV Acquisition”). See Note 1 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 for additional information. The Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2018 include the results of operations and the financial position of Dreamcatcher, a fully-consolidated VIE. Net revenues of the Dreamcatcher Stations included in the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2018, were $19 million and $18 million, respectively. Operating profits of the Dreamcatcher stations included in the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2018 were $4 million and $3 million, respectively.

The Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 include the following assets and liabilities of the Dreamcatcher stations (in thousands):



	March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018
Broadcast rights	1,671		2,355
Other intangible assets, net	58,754		61,386
Other assets	8,515		8,770
Total Assets	$	68,940	$	72,511

Contracts payable for broadcast rights	1,528		2,186
Long-term deferred revenue	23,948		24,164
Other liabilities	1,248		1,291
Total Liabilities	$	26,724	$	27,641

New Accounting Standards—In April 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-04, “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments,” which provided certain improvements to ASU 2016-01, “Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities,” ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” and ASU 2017-12, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities.” As the Company has adopted ASU 2016-01 and ASU 2017-12, the improvements in ASU 2019-04 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and the interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company expects to adopt ASU 2016-13 in the first quarter of 2020, as described below, and the improvements in ASU 2019-04 will be adopted concurrently. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2019-04 on its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-02, “Entertainment-Films-Other Assets-Film Costs (Subtopic 926-20) and Entertainment-Broadcasters-Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Subtopic 920-350).” The standard requires production costs of episodic television series to be capitalized as incurred, which aligns the guidance with the accounting for production costs of films. In addition, once ASU 2019-02 is effective, capitalized costs associated with films and license agreements will be tested for impairment based on the lower of unamortized cost or fair value, as opposed to the existing guidance where the impairment test is based on estimated net realizable value. The guidance also includes additional disclosure requirements. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and the interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments in ASU 2019-02 should be applied prospectively. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2019-02 on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40).” The standard requires a customer in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract to follow the internal-use software guidance to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as an asset related to the service contract. The standard also requires a customer to expense the capitalized implementation costs over the term of the hosting arrangement and specifies presentation requirements for both the capitalized costs and the amortized expenses. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and the interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments in ASU 2018-15 should be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2018-15 on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, “Compensation - Retirement Benefits - Defined Benefit Plans - General (Subtopic 715-20).” The standard modifies certain disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans by removing disclosures that are no longer considered cost beneficial, clarifying specific requirements of disclosures, and adding disclosure requirements identified as relevant. The standard is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments in ASU 2018-14 should be applied retrospectively to each period presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2018-14 on its consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326).” The standard requires entities to estimate losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost, including trade receivables, debt securities and loans, using an expected credit loss model. The expected credit loss differs from the previous incurred losses model primarily in that the loss recognition threshold of “probable” has been eliminated and that expected loss should consider reasonable and supportable forecasts in addition to the previously considered past events and current conditions. Additionally, the guidance requires additional disclosures related to the further disaggregation of information related to the credit quality of financial assets by year of the asset’s origination for as many as five years. Entities must apply the standard provision as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-13 on its consolidated financial statements.