-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, QZnweIlaI+D8v74KqOZ7ulFj4Dpy0QOQatkgynfGVYIUEInVPuJCtzv6Vx8gnIPi euhQ19viNuvz4fiLGFThSg== 0000950134-06-015298.txt : 20060808 0000950134-06-015298.hdr.sgml : 20060808 20060808165418 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950134-06-015298 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20060802 ITEM INFORMATION: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement ITEM INFORMATION: Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets ITEM INFORMATION: Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20060808 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20060808 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: MEDIANEWS GROUP INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000918944 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: NEWSPAPERS: PUBLISHING OR PUBLISHING & PRINTING [2711] IRS NUMBER: 760425553 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 0630 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 033-75156 FILM NUMBER: 061013857 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1560 BROADWAY STREET 2: STE 2100 CITY: DENVER STATE: CO ZIP: 80202 BUSINESS PHONE: 3035636360 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1560 BROADWAY STREET 2: SUITE 2100 CITY: DENVER STATE: CO ZIP: 80202 8-K 1 d38434e8vk.htm FORM 8-K e8vk
 

 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934*
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): August 2, 2006
MEDIANEWS GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
         
Delaware   033-75156   76-0425553
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission File   (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation)   Number)   Identification No.)
     
1560 Broadway, Suite 2100   80202
Denver, Colorado   (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive    
offices)    
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (303) 563-6360
Not applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
o   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
o   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act
o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act
*The registrant is not subject to the filing requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is voluntarily filing this Current Report on Form 8-K.
 
 

 


 

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
     On August 2, 2006, MediaNews Group, Inc. (“the Company”) and Hearst entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the “MediaNews/Hearst Agreement”) pursuant to which (i) Hearst agreed to make an equity investment of $299,350,000 (subject to adjustment under certain circumstances) in the Company (such investment will not include any governance or economic rights or interest in the Company’s publications in the San Francisco Bay area) and (ii) the Company has agreed to purchase from Hearst The Monterey County Herald and the Saint Paul Pioneer Press with a portion of the Hearst equity investment in the Company. The equity investment will afford Hearst an equity interest of approximately 30% (subject to adjustment in certain circumstances) in the Company’s publications outside the San Francisco Bay area. Hearst will also be afforded certain approval rights with respect to the Company’s publications outside the San Francisco Bay area. The equity investment by Hearst in the Company is subject to anti-trust clearance. Prior to the equity contribution by Hearst, the Company has agreed to manage The Monterey County Herald and the Saint Paul Pioneer Press during the period of their ownership by Hearst, with the Company retaining all the net cash flows of these newspapers as a management fee. The Company also agreed to purchase The Monterey County Herald and the Saint Paul Pioneer Press from Hearst if for any reason Hearst’s equity investment in the Company is not consummated. The Company would need to obtain additional financing to fund this purchase, if required. The foregoing description of the MediaNews/Hearst Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of such agreement which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference herein.
Item 2.01 Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
     On August 2, 2006, MediaNews Group, Inc. (the “Company”) and The McClatchy Company (“McClatchy”) consummated the closing under the Stock and Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of April 26, 2006, between the Company and McClatchy, pursuant to which California Newspapers Partnership, a 54.23% subsidiary of the Company, purchased the Contra Costa Times and the San Jose Mercury News and related publications and Web sites for $736,800,000.
     On August 2, 2006, The Hearst Corporation (“Hearst”) and McClatchy consummated the closing under the Stock and Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of April 26, 2006, between Hearst and McClatchy, pursuant to which Hearst purchased The Monterey County Herald and the Saint Paul Pioneer Press and related publications and Web sites for $263,200,000.
     The financial statements required by Item 9.01 of Form 8-K in respect of the acquisition will be filed within 71 calendar days of the date that this Report must be filed.

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Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off- Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
     On August 2, 2006, MediaNews Group, Inc. (“MediaNews” or the “Company”) entered into an amendment to its December 30, 2003 bank credit facility (the “amended facility”), by and among MediaNews Group, Inc., the guarantors party thereto, the lenders named therein and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent. Prior to the amendment, the facility provided for borrowings of up to $597.3 million, consisting of a $350.0 million revolving credit facility, a $100 million term loan “A” facility and a $147.3 million term loan “B” facility. The amended facility was entered into in order to create a new $350 million term loan “C” facility and to authorize the Company to purchase the Contra Costa Times, San Jose Mercury News, The Monterey County Herald and the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. On August 1, 2006, total borrowings were $131.9 million under the revolving credit facility, $100 million under the term loan “A” facility and $145.8 million under the term loan “B” facility.
     The amended facility maintains the $350.0 million revolving credit facility, the $100.0 million term loan “A”, the $147.3 million term loan “B” facility, and provides for the $350 million term loan “C” facility, which was borrowed on August 2, 2006 and used to pay our portion of the purchase price for the Contra Costa Times and the San Jose Mercury News. The loans under the amended facility bear interest at rates based upon, at the Company’s option, Eurodollar or base rates, plus a borrowing margin based on the Company’s leverage ratio. The Eurodollar and base rate borrowing margins on term loan “A” are based on the pricing grid used for the revolving credit facility. Under the terms of the revolving credit facility, Eurodollar borrowing margins vary from 0.75% to 1.25% and the base rate borrowing margin is 0%. The revolving credit facility reduces to $250 million on December 30, 2008. Borrowings under the revolving facility may be repaid and re-borrowed, subject to usual and customary conditions for facilities of this nature. The revolving credit facility matures on December 30, 2009.
     Term loan “A” requires quarterly principal payments as follows: $5.0 million beginning in March 2008 through December 2008; $7.5 million from March 2009 through December 2009; and $12.5 million from March 2010 through September 2010, with the remaining balance due at maturity on December 30, 2010. Term loan “B” bears interest based upon, at the Company’s option, Eurodollar, plus a borrowing margin of 1.25%, or base rate, plus a borrowing margin of 0.25%. Term loan “B” requires quarterly principal payments as follows: $0.4 million through December 2009; and $35.2 million from March 2010 through September 2010, with the remaining balance due at maturity on December 30, 2010. Term loan “C” bears interest based upon, at the Company’s option, Eurodollar, plus a borrowing margin of 1.75%, or base rate, plus a borrowing margin of .75%. Term loan “C” requires quarterly principal payments as follows: $0.875 million through June 2012; and $82.25 million from June 2012 through March 2013, with the remaining balance due at maturity on August 2, 2013. Amounts repaid under the term loan “A”, “B” and “C” facilities will not be available for re-borrowing.
     The obligations under the amended facility are guaranteed by the Company’s direct and indirect subsidiaries (with certain exceptions) and secured by first priority liens and security interests in all of the capital stock (or other ownership interests) owned by the Company in its direct and indirect subsidiaries (with certain exceptions).

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     The amended facility imposes various restrictions on the Company, including limitations on its ability to incur additional debt, grant liens, pay dividends or redeem common stock, make investments, dispose of assets and merge. The amended facility also contains certain financial tests, including a maximum consolidated debt to consolidated operating cash flow ratio, a maximum consolidated senior debt to consolidated operating cash flow ratio and a minimum consolidated operating cash flow to consolidated fixed charges ratio.
     The amended facility contains usual and customary events of default for facilities of this nature (with customary grace periods, as applicable), including in the event of a change of control (as defined).
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
     (c) Exhibits.
     
Exhibit No.   Description
99.1
  Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of August 2, 2006, between MediaNews Group, Inc. and The
 
  Hearst Corporation
 
   
99.2
  Sixth Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of August 2, 2006, by and among MediaNews Group,
 
  Inc., the guarantors party thereto, the lenders named therein and Bank of America, N.A., as
 
  administrative agent

4


 

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
         
 
MEDIANEWS GROUP, INC.
 
 
Dated: August 8, 2006  By:   /s/ Ronald A. Mayo    
    Ronald A. Mayo   
    Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Duly Authorized Officer of Registrant   
 

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EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit No. Description
     
99.1
  Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of August 2, 2006, between MediaNews Group, Inc. and The
 
  Hearst Corporation
 
   
99.2
  Sixth Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of August 2, 2006, by and among MediaNews Group,
 
  Inc., the guarantors party thereto, the lenders named therein and Bank of America, N.A., as
 
  administrative agent

6

EX-99.1 2 d38434exv99w1.htm STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT exv99w1
 

Exhibit 99.1
 
STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
dated as of August 2, 2006
by and between
MediaNews Group, Inc.
and
The Hearst Corporation
 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
             
ARTICLE I TRANSACTION OVERVIEW     2  
 
           
1.1.
  Transaction Overview     2  
 
           
ARTICLE II CLOSING ACTIONS     3  
 
           
2.1.
  Equity Closing     3  
 
           
2.2.
  MNG/Hearst Acquisition     4  
 
           
2.3.
  Hearst/McClatchy Closing     5  
 
           
2.4.
  Equity Investment Adjustments     6  
 
           
ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF MNG     8  
 
           
3.1.
  Organization, Existence and Standing     8  
 
           
3.2.
  Capacity to Sell; Authorization     8  
 
           
3.3.
  Capitalization; Valid Issuance of Shares     9  
 
           
3.4.
  Financial Statements     10  
 
           
3.5.
  SEC Reports     10  
 
           
3.6.
  No Undisclosed Liabilities     11  
 
           
3.7.
  Compliance With Law; Permits     11  
 
           
3.8.
  Investigations; Litigation     11  
 
           
3.9.
  Tax Matters     11  
 
           
3.10.
  Brokers or Finders     12  
 
           
3.11.
  Sufficiency of Assets     12  
 
           
3.12.
  WARRANTY DISCLAIMER     12  
 
           
ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF HEARST     13  
 
           
4.1.
  Organization, Existence and Standing; Ownership of the Hearst Subsidiary     13  
 
           
4.2.
  Capacity; Authorization     13  
 
           
4.3.
  Investment Intent     14  
 
           
4.4.
  Hearst Holding Companies     14  
 
           
4.5.
  Brokers or Finders     14  
 
           
4.6.
  WARRANTY DISCLAIMER     15  
 
           
ARTICLE V COVENANTS OF THE PARTIES     15  
 
           
5.1.
  Conduct of the Other Business     15  
 
           
5.2.
  Conduct of the Non-Bay Area Business     17  

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
             
5.3.
  Employment Matters     17  
 
           
ARTICLE VI OTHER COVENANTS OF THE PARTIES     17  
 
           
6.1.
  Enforcement of Agreements     17  
 
           
6.2.
  Cooperation     18  
 
           
6.3.
  Announcements     18  
 
           
6.4.
  Further Assurances     19  
 
           
ARTICLE VII CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS     19  
 
           
7.1.
  Conditions to Each Party’s Obligations to Consummate the Equity Closing     19  
 
           
7.2.
  Conditions to Each Party’s Obligations to Consummate the Equity Closing and the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing     19  
 
           
7.3.
  Condition to Obligations of Hearst to Consummate the Equity Closing     20  
 
           
7.4.
  Condition to Obligations of MNG to Consummate the Equity Closing     20  
 
           
ARTICLE VIII TERMINATION     21  
 
           
8.1.
  Termination     21  
 
           
8.2.
  Effect of Termination     22  
 
           
ARTICLE IX INDEMNIFICATION     23  
 
           
9.1.
  Survival of Representations and Warranties, Indemnities     23  
 
           
9.2.
  MNG’s Indemnification Obligations     23  
 
           
9.3.
  Hearst’s Indemnification Obligations     23  
 
           
9.4.
  Procedure for Indemnification Claims     24  
 
           
9.5.
  Limitations on Indemnification     25  
 
           
ARTICLE X GENERAL PROVISIONS     26  
 
           
10.1.
  Expenses     26  
 
           
10.2.
  Notices     26  
 
           
10.3.
  Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction     27  
 
           
10.4.
  Counterparts     27  
 
           
10.5.
  Headings; Schedules     27  
 
           
10.6.
  Entire Agreement     27  
 
           
10.7.
  Third-Party Beneficiaries     28  
 
           
10.8.
  Assignment     28  

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
             
10.9.
  Specific Performance     28  
 
           
10.10.
  Interpretation; Absence of Presumption     28  
 
           
10.11.
  Severability     29  
 
           
10.12.
  Amendments; Waiver     29  
 
           
10.13.
  Assurances by MNG and Hearst     29  
 
           
EXHIBITS        
 
           
EXHIBIT A
  Certain Definitions        
 
           
EXHIBIT B
  Restated Certificate        
 
           
EXHIBIT C
  Shareholders’ Agreement        
 
           
EXHIBIT D
  LLC Interest Assignment        
 
           
EXHIBIT E
  Services Agreement        

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STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
     THIS AGREEMENT is made as of August 2, 2006 by and between MediaNews Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“MNG”), and The Hearst Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Hearst”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Agreement are used as defined in Exhibit A hereto.
WITNESSETH:
     WHEREAS, The McClatchy Company, a Delaware corporation (“McClatchy”), and Hearst are parties to a Stock and Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Hearst Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which Hearst has agreed to purchase the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Monterey Herald and certain related publications and websites (referred to in the Hearst Purchase Agreement as the “Other Business”);
     WHEREAS, McClatchy and MNG are parties to a Stock and Asset Purchase Agreement (the “MNG Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which MNG has agreed to purchase the Contra Costa Times and the San Jose Mercury News and certain related publications and websites;
     WHEREAS, the closings under the Hearst Purchase Agreement and the MNG Purchase Agreement will occur (subject to the fulfillment of the conditions set forth therein) on the same day (the closings of the transactions contemplated by the Hearst Purchase Agreement and the MNG Purchase Agreement shall be referred in this Agreement collectively as the “McClatchy Closing”);
     WHEREAS, subject to the occurrence of the McClatchy Closing, MNG desires to issue and sell to Hearst, and Hearst desires to purchase, the Shares (the “Equity Investment”), upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein; and
     WHEREAS, in connection with the Equity Investment, MNG will purchase the Other Business, and the parties desire to set out the terms and conditions of such transactions, as well as their obligations in respect of the Other Business and the Hearst Purchase Agreement in the event the Equity Investment is not consummated.
     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereby agree as follows:

 


 

ARTICLE I
TRANSACTION OVERVIEW
     1.1. Transaction Overview. Upon and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the parties agree to effect the following transactions:
          (a) If on the date of the McClatchy Closing, the conditions set forth in Sections 7.1(b), 7.2(a), 7.3 and 7.4 hereof shall have been fulfilled, then upon the terms and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein:
     (i) MNG and Hearst shall consummate the Equity Investment substantially simultaneously with the consummation of the McClatchy Closing and in a manner that enables Hearst’s payment of the Equity Purchase Price to fund the obligations of the MNG Designee pursuant to clause (iii) below;
     (ii) substantially simultaneously with the McClatchy Closing, Hearst and the MNG Designee shall consummate the Assignment and Assumption; and
     (iii) the MNG Designee shall consummate the MNG/McClatchy Acquisition at the McClatchy Closing, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Hearst Purchase Agreement.
          (b) If on the date of the McClatchy Closing, any of the conditions set forth in Sections 7.1(b), 7.2(a), 7.3 and 7.4 hereof shall not have been fulfilled, then upon the terms and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein:
     (i) at the McClatchy Closing, (x) the Hearst Holding Companies shall consummate the Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Hearst Purchase Agreement, and (y) MNG (or its designees) shall consummate the closing under the MNG Purchase Agreement at the McClatchy Closing, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the MNG Purchase Agreement;
     (ii) subject to Article VIII hereof, within (5) Business Days after the satisfaction or waiver of the last of the conditions required to be satisfied or waived pursuant to Article VII (other than those requiring the delivery of a certificate or other documents or the taking of other action, concurrently with the Equity Closing), or such other date as may be agreed upon by MNG and Hearst, (x) substantially simultaneously with the closing of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition, MNG and Hearst shall consummate the Equity Investment in a manner that enables Hearst’s payment of the Equity Purchase Price to fund the obligations of the MNG Designee described in following clauses (y) and (z) below, (y) the MNG Designee and the Hearst Subsidiary shall consummate the Assignment and Assumption and (z) the MNG Designee and the Hearst Subsidiary shall consummate the MNG/Hearst Acquisition.

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     (c) In the event that the Hearst Holding Companies consummate the Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition and the conditions set forth in Article VII with respect to the Equity Closing have not been fulfilled on or prior to the three (3) month anniversary of the date of the Hearst/McClatchy Closing, then, at any time thereafter, upon the terms and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, and subject to Article VIII hereof, (i) Hearst or MNG may give written notice to the other of its election to require completion of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition, in which case the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing shall be held on a mutually agreeable date not later than ninety (90) days after the date of delivery of such notice (subject to satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VII hereof with respect to the MNG/Hearst Acquisition) and (ii) at the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, (x) the MNG Designee and the Hearst Subsidiary shall consummate the Assignment and Assumption and (y) the MNG Designee and the Hearst Subsidiary shall consummate the MNG/Hearst Acquisition. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Hearst delivers a notice pursuant to the preceding sentence and prior to the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing (or such earlier date prior to such date as MNG (or an Affiliate thereof) shall have become committed to consummate the financing of the purchase price for the MNG/Hearst Acquisition, other than through short-term borrowings) the conditions set forth in Article VII with respect to the Equity Closing have been fulfilled, then the notice pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be deemed rescinded and of no further force and effect and the parties shall proceed to close the Equity Investment and the MNG/Hearst Acquisition within (5) Business Days after the satisfaction of such conditions in accordance with this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
CLOSING ACTIONS
     2.1. Equity Closing.
          (a) The closing of the Equity Investment (the “Equity Closing”) shall take place at the New York offices of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, at a time to be determined by the parties on the date provided in Section 1.1. The date on which the Equity Closing occurs is referred to herein as the “Equity Closing Date.”
          (b) The following actions shall be taken at the Equity Closing:
     (i) Prior to or concurrently with the Equity Closing, MNG shall adopt and file with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto (the “Restated Certificate”).
     (ii) MNG shall sell and issue to Hearst One Hundred (100) shares of Class C Common Stock of MNG, with a par value of One-Thousandth of a Dollar ($0.001) per share (“Class C Common Stock”), for an aggregate purchase price of Two Hundred Ninety-Nine Million Three Hundred Fifty Thousand U.S. Dollars ($299,350,000) (the “Equity Purchase Price”).
     (iii) MNG shall deliver (or cause to be delivered) to Hearst the following additional instruments and documents:
     (w) a certificate representing the shares of Class C Common Stock issued to Hearst pursuant to this Section 2.1(b) (the “Shares”);
     (x) a shareholders’ agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the “Shareholders’ Agreement”), duly executed by the required signatories thereof (other than Hearst);

- 3 -


 

     (y) copies of resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of MNG, certified as of the Equity Closing Date by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of MNG, approving the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by MNG in connection with the Equity Closing, and the performance by MNG of its obligations hereunder and thereunder related to the Equity Investment; and
     (z) such other documents or instruments as Hearst reasonably requests to effect the Equity Investment.
     (iv) Hearst (x) shall pay to MNG an amount equal to the Equity Purchase Price by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by MNG a reasonable period of time prior to the Equity Closing and (y) deliver to MNG the following instruments and documents:
     (A) the Shareholders’ Agreement, duly executed by Hearst;
     (B) copies of resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of Hearst, certified as of the Equity Closing Date by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of Hearst, approving the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by Hearst in connection with the Equity Investment, and the performance by Hearst of its obligations hereunder and thereunder related to the Equity Investment; and
     (C) such other documents or instruments as MNG reasonably requests to effect the Equity Investment.
     2.2. MNG/Hearst Acquisition.
          (a) The closing of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition (the “MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing”) shall take place at the New York offices of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, at a time to be determined by the parties on the date provided in Section 1.1. The date on which the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing occurs is referred to herein as the “MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing Date.”
          (b) The following actions shall be taken at the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing:
     (i) the Hearst Subsidiary shall deliver (or cause to be delivered) to the MNG Designee the following instruments and documents:
     (w) an Assignment of LLC Interests with respect to each of the Hearst Holding Companies in substantially the form of Exhibit D hereto (collectively, the “LLC Interest Assignments”), duly executed by the Hearst Subsidiary;

- 4 -


 

     (x) a duly executed certificate that the Hearst Subsidiary is not a foreign person subject to withholding under Section 1445 of the Code;
     (y) copies of resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary, certified as of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing Date by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of Hearst or the Hearst Subsidiary, as the case may be, approving the execution and delivery of this Agreement (in the case of Hearst) or the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by the Hearst Subsidiary in connection with the MNG/Hearst Acquisition (in the case of the Hearst Subsidiary), and the performance by Hearst or the Hearst Subsidiary of its obligations hereunder (in the case of Hearst) or thereunder (in the case of the Hearst Subsidiary) in respect of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition; and
     (z) such other documents or instruments as the MNG Designee reasonably requests to effect the MNG/Hearst Acquisition.
     (ii) the MNG Designee shall pay to the Hearst Subsidiary an amount equal to the MNG/Hearst Purchase Price by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Hearst Subsidiary a reasonable period of time prior to the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing.
     (iii) the MNG Designee shall deliver (or cause to be delivered) to Hearst the following instruments and documents:
     (x) the LLC Interest Assignments, duly executed by the MNG Designee;
     (y) copies of resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of MNG and the MNG Designee, certified as of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing Date by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of MNG or the MNG Designee, as the case may be, approving the execution and delivery of this Agreement (in the case of MNG) and the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by the MNG Designee in connection with the MNG/Hearst Acquisition (in the case of the MNG Designee), and the performance by MNG or the MNG Designee of its obligations hereunder (in the case of MNG) and thereunder (in the case of the MNG Designee) in respect of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition; and
     (z) such other documents or instruments as the Hearst Subsidiary reasonably requests to effect the MNG/Hearst Acquisition.
     2.3. Hearst/McClatchy Closing. If the Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition is consummated, Hearst will cause (x) Holding Company One to consummate such transaction in respect to the St. Paul Pioneer Press (and related Assets and liabilities) and (y) Holding Company Two to consummate such transaction in respect to the Monterey Herald (and related Assets and liabilities). In consummating such transactions the applicable Hearst Holding Company will acquire ownership of the relevant Acquired Companies and Acquired Assets, and assume the relevant Assumed Liabilities.

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     2.4. Equity Investment Adjustments. If the Equity Investment is consummated, the Class C Allocation Percentage and Annex A to the Allocation Policies shall each be determined pursuant to this Section 2.4.
          (a) The initial Class C Allocation Percentage set forth in the Restated Certificate shall be thirty percent (30.0%, subject to adjustment as set forth below. On or prior to the date sixty (60) days following the Equity Closing Date, MNG will prepare and deliver to Hearst a statement (the “Equity Closing Statement”) of its determination of (x) the initial amount of indebtedness allocated to the Non-Bay Area Business for purposes of Section 2(b) of the Allocation Policies (“Allocated Debt”), (y) the amount of Non-Bay Area Working Capital as of June 30, 2006 (“June 30 Working Capital”) and (z) the amount of Non-Bay Area Working Capital as of the Equity Closing Date (“Closing Working Capital”). As used herein, (x) “Non-Bay Area Working Capital” shall mean an amount equal to current assets minus current liabilities (other than Allocated Debt) of the Non-Bay Area Business, determined in accordance with GAAP, applied on a basis consistent with the application of such principles in the preparation of the Financial Statements, and (y) “Initial Adjusted Non-Bay Area Indebtedness” shall mean an amount equal to (x) the amount of Allocated Debt, plus (y) the amount, if any, that Closing Working Capital is less than June 30 Working Capital, or minus (z) the amount, if any, that Closing Working Capital is greater than June 30 Working Capital. The amount of the Allocated Debt shall be determined such that the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratios of the Bay Area Business and the Non-Bay Area Business (determined in a manner consistent with the MNG’s senior credit facility) are within fifty (50) basis points of each other (it being agreed that within that range, the decision of the amount of debt to include in Allocated Debt shall be made by MNG). If the Initial Adjusted Non-Bay Area Indebtedness (as determined pursuant to this Section 2.4(a)) is greater or less than $994,600,000, then, Hearst (if Initial Adjusted Non-Bay Area Indebtedness is less than $994,600,000) or MNG (if Initial Adjusted Non-Bay Area Indebtedness is greater than $994,600,000) shall elect that either (x) the Class C Allocation Percentage shall be adjusted in accordance with the calculation set forth on Schedule 9.5(b) to reflect the actual amount of the Initial Adjusted Non-Bay Area Indebtedness or (y) the Equity Purchase Price will be adjusted such that the Class C Allocation Percentage, after giving effect to such adjustment to the Equity Purchase Price in accordance with the calculation set forth on Schedule 9.5(b), equals thirty percent (30.0%)), and the party making such election shall pay to the other an amount equal to the increase (in the case of Hearst) or decrease (in the case of MNG) in the Equity Purchase Price, with interest calculated at the rate of 6.25% per annum from (but excluding) the date of the Equity Closing Date through and including the date of payment. The Equity Closing Statement shall set forth MNG’s determination of the Class C Allocation Percentage after giving effect to the Initial Adjusted Non-Bay Area Indebtedness determined employing the calculation set forth in Schedule 9.5(b) (the “Adjusted Class C Allocation Percentage”). MNG shall make available to Hearst such information as is reasonably requested by Hearst in connection with its review of the Equity Closing Statement. MNG shall also include on the Equity Closing Statement its determination of the Class C Conversion Rate as of the Equity Closing Date (the “Initial Class C Conversion Rate”).

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     (b) Annex A to the Allocation Polices shall be as set forth in a statement (the “Annex A Closing Statement”) prepared by MNG and delivered to Hearst within ninety (90) days following the Allocation Commencement Date constituting balance sheets of each of the Bay Area Business and Non-Area Business as of the Allocation Commencement Date (as defined in the Allocation Policies). The balance sheets constituting the Annex A Closing Statement shall be prepared (x) in accordance with GAAP, applied on a basis consistent with the application of such principles in the preparation of the Financial Statements, and the Allocation Policies, (y) using the balance sheet included in the Financial Statements as a starting point, and (z) to reflect allocations of income and expense of MNG between the Bay Area Business and the Non-Bay Area Business commencing January 1, 2006, in the manner provided in the Allocation Policies (other than Section 5 thereof), except that (x) the amount of debt included therein shall be determined as provided in Section 2.4(a) and (y) cash generated by the Bay Area Business prior to the date hereof shall be deemed contributed to the Non-Bay Area Business to be used to repay debt. The balance sheet of the Non-Bay Area Business as of the Allocation Commencement Date, included in the Annex A Closing Statement, after giving effect to the resolution of any dispute pursuant to clause Section 2.4(c) below, shall be Annex A to the Allocation Policies.
     (c) Hearst shall notify MNG in writing within thirty (30) days after Hearst’s receipt of the Equity Closing Statement or the Annex A Closing Statement, as applicable, that it accepts the Equity Closing Statement or Annex A Closing Statement, as applicable, or that there is a dispute as to an item reflected thereon (including the Initial Class C Conversion Rate as provided above). Such notice will set forth Hearst’s objections, if any, to the Equity Closing Statement or Annex A Closing Statement, as applicable, in reasonable detail. The failure by Hearst to give MNG such notice within such period shall be deemed to constitute Hearst’s acceptance, as applicable, of (i) the Equity Closing Statement and the Adjusted Class C Allocation Percentage set forth thereon or (ii) the Annex A Closing Statement and MNG’s proposed Annex A to the Allocation Policies set forth thereon. The parties will use all reasonable efforts to resolve any dispute set forth in such notice, but if such dispute cannot be resolved by the parties within thirty (30) days after Hearst gives notice of such dispute, it shall be referred to KPMG LLP (the “Selected Accountants”), who shall be instructed to render their determination within sixty (60) days. The determination of the Selected Accountants shall be conclusive and binding on each party. One-half of the fees of the Selected Accountants shall be borne by MNG and one-half shall be borne by Hearst.

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ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND
WARRANTIES OF MNG
     Except as disclosed in the disclosure schedules delivered by MNG to Hearst immediately prior to the execution of this Agreement (it being agreed that any information set forth in one section of such disclosure schedules shall be deemed to apply to each other section thereof to which its relevance is reasonably apparent on its face) (the “MNG Disclosure Schedules”), MNG hereby represents and warrants to Hearst as follows as of the date hereof:
     3.1. Organization, Existence and Standing. MNG, the MNG Designee and each of the entities comprising the Non-Bay Area Business (the “Non-Bay Entities”) are each legal entities, duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of their jurisdiction of organization and have all requisite power and authority to own, lease and operate their Assets and to carry on their businesses as presently conducted. MNG, the MNG Designee and each of the Non-Bay Area Entities are each in good standing as a foreign entity in each jurisdiction where the ownership, leasing or operation of their Assets or conduct of their businesses requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the on the business, Assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations of the Non-Bay Area Business taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
     3.2. Capacity to Sell; Authorization. MNG has full corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by MNG and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby to be consummated by MNG. The MNG Designee has full corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by the MNG Designee and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby to be consummated by the MNG Designee. The execution, delivery and performance by MNG of this Agreement and the execution, delivery and performance by MNG and the MNG Designee of the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by MNG and the MNG Designee and the consummation by MNG and the MNG Designee of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including the sale and issuance by MNG to Hearst of the Shares) have been authorized by all necessary action on the part of MNG and the MNG Designee and do not and will not (i) contravene or violate the certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other equivalent organizational document) of MNG and the MNG Designee; (ii) conflict with, violate, result in a breach or termination of, result in any default under, entitle any Person (with due notice or lapse of time or both) to terminate, cancel, accelerate, modify or call a default with respect to, or require a Consent in respect of, any contract, agreement, Lien, lease, Approval, order, arbitration award, judgment or decree or other commitment to which MNG, the MNG Designee or any of their respective Affiliates is a party or by which MNG, the MNG Designee or any of their respective Affiliates or any of their Assets is bound or result in the acceleration of the due date of any liability or obligation of MNG, the MNG Designee or any of its Affiliates; (iii) require MNG, the MNG Designee or any of their respective Affiliates to obtain, secure or make any Approval other than (x) compliance with and filings under the HSR Act and (y) the filing of the Restated Certificate with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware; or (iv) conflict with, or result in a breach of, any Legal Requirement to which MNG, the MNG Designee or any of their respective Affiliates is subject. No Consent or other action by the shareholders or other security or equity holders of MNG or the MNG Designee is required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by MNG of this Agreement and the execution, delivery and performance by MNG and the MNG Designee of the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by MNG and the MNG Designee that has not heretofore been irrevocably obtained (other than approval of the Restated Charter, which will be obtained prior to the Equity Closing). This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by MNG, and the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by MNG and the MNG Designee at the Equity Closing and/or the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, as the case may be, shall, as of the Equity Closing and/or the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, as the case may be, have been duly executed and delivered by MNG and the MNG Designee, as applicable.

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     This Agreement constitutes, and as of the Equity Closing, the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by MNG will constitute, the legal, valid and binding obligation of MNG, enforceable against MNG in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable Legal Requirements relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar Legal Requirements relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except as such enforceability is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). As of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by the MNG Designee will constitute, the legal, valid and binding obligation of the MNG Designee, enforceable against the MNG Designee in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable Legal Requirements relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar Legal Requirements relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except as such enforceability is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
     3.3. Capitalization; Valid Issuance of Shares.
          (a) The authorized capital of MNG will immediately prior to the Equity Closing consist of (i) Three Million (3,000,000) shares of Class A Common Stock, with a par value of One-Thousandth of a Dollar ($0.001) per share (“Class A Common Stock”), 2,298,346 shares of which shall be issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Equity Closing, (ii) One Hundred Fifty Thousand (150,000) shares of Class B Common Stock, with a par value of One-Thousandth of a Dollar ($0.001) per share (“Class B Common Stock”), no shares of which shall be issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Equity Closing, except as provided pursuant to the RSU Plan, and (iii) One Hundred (100) shares of Common C Stock, none of which shall be issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Equity Closing. 15,303 restricted stock units awarded under the RSU Plan are outstanding on the date hereof. Section 3.3(a) of the MNG Disclosure Schedules sets forth a list of the record owners of MNG’s capital stock as of June 30, 2006 and the number of shares owned of record by such Persons. As of the date hereof, MNG has not received a request to record the transfer of record ownership of any capital stock of MNG since June 30, 2006.
          (b) The rights and privileges of the Class C Common Stock shall be as stated in the Restated Certificate and as provided by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
          (c) Except for (i) the rights of Hearst under this Agreement and (ii) up to 150,000 restricted stock units which may be awarded to selected senior management of MNG under the RSU Plan, there are no outstanding options, warrants, rights or agreements, orally or in writing, to purchase or acquire from MNG any shares of capital stock of MNG, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of MNG.
          (d) The Shares, when issued, sold and delivered in accordance with the terms and for the consideration set forth in this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of restrictions on transfer other than restrictions on transfer under the Restated Certificate, the Shareholders’ Agreement, applicable state and federal securities Legal Requirements and Liens created by or imposed by Hearst.

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     3.4. Financial Statements. Attached hereto as Section 3.4 of the MNG Disclosure Schedules are true, complete and correct copies of the unaudited consolidating balance sheet of the Non-Bay Area Business as of December 31, 2005 and the related unaudited consolidating statement of operations for the Non-Bay Area Business for the twelve-month period then ended, together with certain non-GAAP explanatory footnotes (all such financial statements, the “Financial Statements”). The Financial Statements are in accordance with the books and records of MNG and its Subsidiaries. The financial information contained in the Financial Statements was derived from the financial statements of MNG included in its Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2005 and on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2005. The balance sheet included in the Financial Statements fairly presents in all material respects the consolidated financial position of MNG and its Subsidiaries in respect of the Non-Bay Area Business as of December 31, 2005, and the statements of operation included in the Financial Statements fairly presents in all material respects the results of operations of MNG and its Subsidiaries in respect of the Non-Bay Area Business for the twelve-month period then ended, in each case in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis and on the same basis as applied in the preparation of MNG’s financial statements included in its Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2005 and on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2005 throughout the periods specified, except as expressly set forth therein and except that the Financial Statements omit GAAP footnotes. Except for the transactions contemplated hereby and by the Hearst Purchase Agreement, since December 31, 2005, 1 (x) the Non-Bay Area Business has been conducted in all material respects only in the ordinary course of business (including, without limitation, as to the collection of accounts receivable and the payment of accounts payable) and (y) MNG has paid no dividend or other distribution in respect of its capital stock (other than dividends that would be permitted by Section 5.2 hereof if made after the date hereof) out of the assets of the Non-Bay Area Business.
     3.5. SEC Reports. The Statements on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K filed by MNG with the Securities and Exchange Commission for its fiscal year ended June 30, 2005 and its fiscal quarters ended September 30, 2005, December 31, 2005 and March 31, 2006 (the “MNG SEC Documents”), complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as the case may be, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and, as of their respective dates, none of the MNG SEC Documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
     (b) The consolidated financial statements (including all related notes and schedules) of MNG included in the MNG Statement on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 fairly present in all material respects the consolidated financial position of MNG and its consolidated Subsidiaries, as at the respective dates thereof, and the consolidated results of their operations and their consolidated cash flows for the respective periods indicated (subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and to any other adjustments described therein, including the notes thereto) in conformity with GAAP (except as set forth therein) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated therein or in the notes thereto).
 
1.   Disclosure schedules to list exceptions.

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     3.6. No Undisclosed Liabilities. Except (a) as reflected or reserved against in the balance sheet as of December 31, 2005 included in the Financial Statements, (b) for liabilities permitted by or incurred pursuant to this Agreement, (c) for liabilities and obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business since December 31, 2005, (d) for liabilities and obligations for pension liabilities and insurance reserves, including in connection with workers compensation, (e) for liabilities or obligations which have been discharged or paid in full in the ordinary course of business, and (f) for liabilities and obligations reflected in the MNG Disclosure Schedules, as of the date hereof, the Non-Bay Area Business has no liabilities or obligations of any nature, whether or not accrued, contingent or otherwise, that would be required by GAAP to be reflected on a consolidated balance sheet of the Non-Bay Area Business, other than those which would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
     3.7. Compliance With Law; Permits. As of the date hereof, the Non-Bay Area Business is in compliance with and is not in default under or in violation of any applicable Legal Requirements, except where such non-compliance, default or violation would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
     3.8. Investigations; Litigation. As of the date hereof, (a) there is no investigation or review pending (or, to the knowledge of MNG, threatened) by any Governmental Authority with respect to the Non-Bay Area Business and (b) there are no actions, suits, inquiries, claims, investigations or proceedings pending (or, to the knowledge of MNG, threatened) against or affecting the Non-Bay Area Business, or any of its properties at law or in equity before, and there are no orders, judgments or decrees of, or before, any Governmental Authority or arbitrator, in each case of clause (a) or (b), which would have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.
     3.9. Tax Matters.
          (a) Except as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, (i) MNG and each the Non-Bay Area Entities have prepared and timely filed (taking into account any extension of time within which to file) all Tax Returns required to be filed by any of them, (ii) MNG and each of the Non-Bay Area Entities have paid all Taxes that are required to be paid by any of them, except with respect to matters contested in good faith or for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP, (iii) the U.S. consolidated federal income Tax Returns of MNG have been examined by the Internal Revenue Service (or the period for assessment of the Taxes in respect of which such Tax Returns were required to be filed has expired) for all periods ending on or before June 30, 2002, (iv) as of the date hereof, there are not pending or threatened in writing, any audits, examinations, investigations or other proceedings in respect of U.S. federal or state Taxes, (v) there are no liens for Taxes on any of the assets of MNG or any of the Non-Bay Area Entities other than liens for Taxes not yet due, being contested in good faith or for which adequate accruals or reserves have been established, (vi) none of MNG or any of the Non-Bay Area Entities has been a “controlled corporation” or a “distributing corporation” in any distribution occurring during the two-year period ending on the date hereof that was purported or intended to be governed by Section 355 of the Code (or any similar provision of state, local or foreign Legal Requirements) and (vii) none of MNG or any of its Subsidiaries has engaged in a “reportable transaction,” within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.6011-4(b), or any transaction that is the same or substantially similar to one of the types of transactions that the Internal Revenue Service has determined to be a tax avoidance transaction and identified by notice, regulation or other form of published guidance as a “listed transaction,” as set forth in Treas. Reg. Section 1.6011-4(b)(2).

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          (b) As used in this Agreement, (i) “Taxes” means any and all domestic or foreign, federal, state, local or other taxes of any kind (together with any and all interest, penalties, additions to tax and additional amounts imposed with respect thereto) imposed by any Governmental Authority, including taxes on or with respect to income, franchises, windfall or other profits, gross receipts, property, sales, use, capital stock, payroll, employment, unemployment, social security, workers’ compensation or net worth, taxes in the nature of excise, withholding, ad valorem or value added, and any obligations with respect to such amounts arising as a result of being a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group for any period or under any agreements or arrangements with any other person and including any liability for taxes of a predecessor entity, and (ii) “Tax Return” means any return, report or similar filing (including the attached schedules) required to be filed with respect to Taxes, including any information return, claim for refund, amended return or declaration of estimated Taxes.
     3.10. Brokers or Finders. No broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby based upon any agreements, written, oral or otherwise made by or on behalf of MNG or its Affiliates.
     3.11. Sufficiency of Assets. The assets reflected in the balance sheet of the Non-Bay Area Business included in the Financial Statements reflects all right, title and interest of or assets of MNG and its consolidated Subsidiaries (of the type that would be reflected on a balance sheet prepared on the same basis as such balance sheet) in assets of the Non-Bay Area Business, and the tangible assets included therein are in all material respects sufficient for the conduct of the Non-Bay Area Business in the manner in which it is presently conducted. As of the date hereof, the newspapers comprising the Non-Bay Area Business are those listed in Section 3.10 of the MNG Disclosure Schedules.
     Hearst and MNG hereby agree as follows:
     3.12. WARRANTY DISCLAIMER. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, MNG HAS NOT MADE AND SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO HAVE MADE ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND OR CHARACTER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, EITHER HEREIN OR OTHERWISE, AS TO THE NON-BAY AREA BUSINESS OR THE BAY AREA BUSINESS, THE ASSETS OF THE NON-BAY AREA BUSINESS OR THE BAY AREA BUSINESS, THE LIABILITIES OF THE NON-BAY AREA BUSINESS OR THE BAY AREA BUSINESS, THE SHARES, THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR ANY OTHER MATTER PERTAINING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT, MNG HAS NOT MADE AND SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO HAVE MADE ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND OR CHARACTER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, EITHER HEREIN OR OTHERWISE, AS TO THE OTHER BUSINESS, THE OTHER BUSINESS ASSETS AND INTERESTS, THE ASSETS OF THE ACQUIRED COMPANIES, THE ASSUMED LIABILITIES, THE LIABILITIES OF THE ACQUIRED COMPANIES OR ANY OTHER MATTER PERTAINING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING OR TO THE BUSINESS AND ASSETS PURCHASED PURSUANT TO THE MNG PURCHASE AGREEMENT OR THE HEARST PURCHASE AGREEMENT.

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ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF HEARST
     Hearst hereby represents and warrants to MNG as follows:
     4.1. Organization, Existence and Standing; Ownership of the Hearst Subsidiary. Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary are each legal entities, duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of their organization. At the McClatchy Closing, all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of, and other voting, equity or other ownership interests in, the Hearst Subsidiary shall be held of record and beneficially by Hearst.
     4.2. Capacity; Authorization. Hearst has full corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by Hearst and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby to be consummated by Hearst. The Hearst Subsidiary has full corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by the Hearst Subsidiary and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby to be consummated by the Hearst Subsidiary. The execution, delivery and performance by Hearst of this Agreement and the execution, delivery and performance by Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary of the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary and the consummation by Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been authorized by all necessary action on the part of Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary and do not and will not (i) contravene or violate the certificate of incorporation or by-laws (or other equivalent organizational document) of Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary; (ii) conflict with, violate, result in a breach or termination of, result in any default under, entitle any Person (with due notice or lapse of time or both) to terminate, cancel, accelerate, modify or call a default with respect to, or require a Consent in respect of, any contract, agreement, Lien, lease, Approval, order, arbitration award, judgment or decree or other commitment to which Hearst, the Hearst Subsidiary or any of their respective Affiliates is a party or by which Hearst, the Hearst Subsidiary or any of their respective Affiliates or any of their Assets is bound (other than, in the event the Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition is consummated at the McClatchy Closing pursuant to Section 1.1, any contract, agreement, Lien, lease, Approval, order, arbitration award, judgment or decree or other commitment of the Other Business to which the Hearst Subsidiary or any of its Affiliates (including any of the Acquired Companies) is a party or by which the Hearst Subsidiary or any of its Affiliates (including any of the Acquired Companies) or any of their Assets is bound following consummation of the Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition) or result in the acceleration of the due date of any liability or obligation of Hearst, the Hearst Subsidiary or any of its Affiliates; (iii) require Hearst, the Hearst Subsidiary or any of their respective Affiliates to obtain, secure or make any Approval other than compliance with and filings under the HSR Act; or (iv) conflict with, or result in a breach of, any Legal Requirement to which Hearst, the Hearst Subsidiary or any of their respective Affiliates is subject.

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     No Consent or other action by the shareholders or other security or equity holders of Hearst or the Hearst Subsidiary is required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by Hearst of this Agreement and the execution, delivery and performance by Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary of the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary that has not heretofore been irrevocably obtained. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Hearst, and the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary at the Equity Closing and/or the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, as the case may be, shall, as of the Equity Closing and/or the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, as the case may be, have been duly executed and delivered by Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary, as applicable. This Agreement constitutes, and as of the Equity Closing, the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by Hearst will constitute, the legal, valid and binding obligation of Hearst, enforceable against Hearst in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable Legal Requirements relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar Legal Requirements relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except as such enforceability is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). As of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, the Ancillary Documents to be executed and delivered by the Hearst Subsidiary will constitute, the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Hearst Subsidiary, enforceable against the Hearst Subsidiary in accordance with their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable Legal Requirements relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar Legal Requirements relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and except as such enforceability is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
     4.3. Investment Intent. If the Equity Investment is consummated pursuant to the terms hereof, Hearst will acquire the Shares for investment and not with a view to the resale or distribution of any part thereof, nor with any present intention of selling, granting any participation in, or otherwise distributing the Shares. Hearst is an accredited investor as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
     4.4. Hearst Holding Companies. Hearst, directly or indirectly, owns 100% of the issued and outstanding equity interests of the Hearst Subsidiary and Hearst Holding Companies. At the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, good and marketable title to the LLC Interests will be conveyed by the Hearst Subsidiary to the MNG Designee pursuant to the LLC Assignments, free and clear of all Liens. At the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, the Hearst Holding Companies will have no liabilities or Assets other than the Acquired Liabilities, the Acquired Assets and equity interests in the Acquired Companies, and will have good and marketable title to the Acquired Assets and 100% of the outstanding equity interests of the Acquired Companies.
     4.5. Brokers or Finders. Other than Lazard Frères & Co., no broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby based upon any agreements, written, oral or otherwise made by or on behalf of Hearst or its Affiliates.

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     MNG and Hearst hereby agree as follows:
     4.6. WARRANTY DISCLAIMER. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, HEARST HAS NOT MADE AND SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO HAVE MADE ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND OR CHARACTER, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, EITHER HEREIN OR OTHERWISE, AS TO THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR ANY OTHER MATTER PERTAINING TO ANY OF THE FOREGOING.
ARTICLE V
COVENANTS OF THE PARTIES
     5.1. Conduct of the Other Business.
     If the Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition is consummated, then from and after the date of the McClatchy Closing and until the earlier of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing or termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.1:
          (a) MNG shall manage all of the operations of the Other Business to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Legal Requirements. MNG shall receive a management fee in an amount equal to the EBITDA of the Other Business during the period of MNG’s management, payable monthly. It is agreed that during any period of ownership by Hearst of the Other Business, Hearst (i) shall act as the nominee of MNG and the parties agree to treat MNG as the owner of the Other Business for federal, state and local income tax purposes, and (ii) MNG shall manage the Other Business at its sole expense and for its own account and Hearst shall have no obligation to contribute any funds or otherwise make any funds available to the Other Business.
          (b) Hearst agrees that during any period of ownership of the Other Business, each of the Hearst Holding Companies will not, and Hearst will not cause the Acquired Companies to, unless MNG consents in writing (which consent may be given or withheld in its sole discretion):
     (i) amend its limited liability company agreement (or other organizational document);
     (ii) change any compensation or benefits or grant any material new compensation or benefits payable to or in respect of any employee (except for regularly scheduled merit increases in the ordinary course of business);
     (iii) engage in bargaining with any union representing any employees of the Other Business, except bargaining that is done after notice to and consultation with MNG;

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     (iv) acquire or agree to acquire by merging or consolidating with, or by purchasing any equity interest in or a portion of the Assets of, or by any other manner, any business or any Person or division thereof, or otherwise acquire or agree to acquire any Assets which are material, individually or in the aggregate, to the Other Business, except in the ordinary course of business;
     (v) mortgage, pledge or subject to any Lien any of its Assets;
     (vi) incur or assume any indebtedness for borrowed money;
     (vii) sell, lease or otherwise transfer any Assets outside the ordinary course of business;
     (viii) materially change its financial accounting policies or procedures or any methods of reporting income, deductions or other material items for financial accounting purposes, except as required by GAAP or applicable Legal Requirements and except for changes effected to conform the policies, procedures and methods with those of MNG and/or Hearst and their respective Subsidiaries;
     (ix) make, change or revoke any material Tax election or adopt or change any material accounting method in respect of Taxes;
     (x) enter into any contract or commitment, waive any right or enter into any other transaction that could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on its business, Assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations;
     (xi) settle any material claim or Action involving money damages or waive or release any material rights or claims except in the ordinary course of business;
     (xii) make or permit any material change in the general nature of its business which would in any way adversely affect the Other Business;
     (xiii) conduct any business other than the Other Business, or incur any liabilities or acquire any Assets other than liabilities of or Assets used in the Other Business; or
     (xiv) commit or agree to take, whether in writing or otherwise, any of the foregoing actions.
     (c) Hearst agrees that, if the Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition is consummated, during the period between the McClatchy Closing and the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing (i) Hearst will own, directly or indirectly, 100% of the issued and outstanding equity interests of the Hearst Subsidiary and Hearst Holding Companies, the Hearst Subsidiary will own 100% of the issued and outstanding LLC Interests, and the Hearst Holding Companies will directly (or indirectly through an Acquired Company) own 100% of the issued and outstanding limited liability company interests of the Acquired Companies, (ii) the Acquired Companies will not authorize or make any distribution or other payment in respect of the LLC Interests, and (iii) the Acquired Companies and the Hearst Holding Companies will not transfer any Assets to Hearst or any of its Affiliates (other than the Acquired Companies).

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     It is the intent of the parties that all cash generated by the Hearst Holding Companies and Acquired Companies (and all cash transferred to or held by such entities in the Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition), after payment of operating expenses, shall be held by such entities at the MNG/Hearst Closing.
     5.2. Conduct of the Non-Bay Area Business. Except as Hearst may otherwise consent in writing, from and after the date hereof and until the earlier of the Equity Closing or termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.1, MNG will operate the Non-Bay Area Business only in the ordinary course of business (including without limitation, as to the collection of accounts receivable and payment of accounts payable). Without limitation of the forgoing, during such period, except as set forth in Section 5.2 of the MNG Disclosure Schedules, MNG will not (i) declare or pay dividends (or make any distributions) in excess of $25,000,000 on its Class A Common Stock or (ii) sell Assets that are part of the Non-Bay Area Business other than ordinary course dispositions of non-material Assets.
     5.3. Employment Matters. Unless the MNG Designee shall consummate the MNG/McClatchy Acquisition at the McClatchy Closing, the parties shall enter into a services agreement as of the date of the McClatchy Closing in the form of Exhibit E hereto (the “Services Agreement”), pursuant to which MNG will provide payroll services and will administer, for and on behalf of the Other Business, all employee benefit plans (as specified in the Services Agreement) covering the employees of the Other Business. The Services Agreement will remain in effect in accordance with its terms until the earlier of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing or termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.1.
ARTICLE VI
OTHER COVENANTS OF THE PARTIES
     6.1. Enforcement of Agreements.
          (a) Hearst agrees that, unless MNG otherwise consents in writing (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary will (i) use reasonable best efforts to enforce their material rights under, and will not amend, or agree to amend, the Hearst Purchase Agreement and any other agreement or instrument entered into or delivered pursuant thereto, and (ii) not waive any (x) condition to their obligations or (y) material rights thereunder.
          (b) MNG agrees that, unless Hearst otherwise consents in writing (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), MNG will (i) use reasonable best efforts to enforce its material rights under, and will not amend, or agree to amend, the MNG Purchase Agreement and any other agreement or instrument entered into or delivered pursuant thereto, and (ii) not waive any (x) condition to its obligations or (y) material rights thereunder.

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     6.2. Cooperation.
          (a) Hearst and MNG will each promptly make all required filings under the HSR Act in connection with the consummation of the Equity Investment.
          (b) Hearst and MNG will each promptly give notice to the other upon becoming aware that any Action is pending or threatened by or before any court or arbitrator, or any other Governmental Authority, in each case, with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Hearst and MNG (i) will cooperate with each other in connection with the prosecution, investigation or defense of any such Action, (ii) will supply promptly all information reasonably and legally requested by the other, by any such court or arbitrator or other Governmental Authority or by any party to any such Action and (iii) will each use their reasonable best efforts to cause any such Action to be determined as promptly as practicable and in a manner which does not impact adversely on, and is consistent with, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents.
          (c) Without limiting the specific obligations of MNG and Hearst under any agreement or covenant hereunder, MNG and Hearst shall each use reasonable best efforts to promptly take, or cause to be taken, all actions and do, or cause to be done, all things necessary or desirable in order to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including satisfaction, but not waiver, of the closing conditions set forth in Article VII, including seeking to terminate any Waiting Periods as soon as practicable, (ii) obtaining, in a timely manner, any other Consents and Approvals required to be obtained from any third party or Government Authority in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (iii) furnishing the other party and to the other party’s counsel all such information as may be reasonably required in order to effectuate the foregoing actions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, nothing in this Agreement will be deemed to require either party to propose, negotiate, commit to or effect, by consent decree, hold separate order or otherwise, the sale, divestiture or disposition of Assets or businesses of such party or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or otherwise take or commit to take actions that would limit the freedom of such party or its Subsidiaries’ or Affiliates’ freedom of action with respect to, or its ability to retain, one or more of its or its Subsidiaries’ businesses, product lines or Assets.
          (d) In connection with the efforts to obtain all requisite Approvals and Consents for the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents, Hearst and MNG shall each furnish to the other party as promptly as practicable, such information and reasonable assistance as the other party may reasonably request. Hearst and MNG shall each keep the other informed in all material respects of any material communication received by such party from, or given by such party to, any Governmental Authority, and to consult with each other in advance of any meeting or conference with any Governmental Authority regarding the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
     6.3. Announcements. Except as may be required by applicable Legal Requirements or stock exchange rules (or except as may be required under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which MNG complies with on a voluntary basis), no party (or an Affiliate thereof) will make a public announcement of the transactions contemplated hereby without the prior consent of MNG, in the case of an announcement by Hearst (or its Affiliates), or Hearst in the case of an announcement by MNG (or its Affiliates), such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

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     6.4. Further Assurances. From time to time after the Equity Closing and/or MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing and without further consideration, the parties will execute and deliver, or arrange for the execution and delivery of, such instruments of assignment and transfer or other instruments or documents and take or arrange for such other actions as may reasonably be requested to complete more effectively any of the transactions provided for in this Agreement or the Ancillary Documents executed at the Equity Closing and/or the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, as the case may be.
ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS
     7.1. Conditions to Each Party’s Obligations to Consummate the Equity Closing. The respective obligations of each party under this Agreement to consummate the Equity Closing are subject to the satisfaction at or prior to the Equity Closing of the following conditions:
          (a) McClatchy Closing. The McClatchy Closing shall have occurred prior to, or shall be occurring substantially simultaneously, with the Equity Closing.
          (b) HSR Act. All Waiting Periods applicable to the Equity Closing shall have expired or been terminated.
     7.2. Conditions to Each Party’s Obligations to Consummate the Equity Closing and the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing. The respective obligations of each party under this Agreement to consummate the Equity Closing and the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing are subject to the satisfaction at or prior to the Equity Closing and/or the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing of the following conditions:
          (a) No Injunction. No temporary or permanent injunction or other order issued by any court of competent jurisdiction prohibiting consummation of the transactions contemplated under this Agreement to occur at the Equity Closing and/or MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, as applicable, shall be in effect.
          (b) Closing Deliveries. In the case of Hearst, all of the covenants and obligations that (i) MNG is required to perform or to comply with pursuant to Section 2.1(b) in the case of the Equity Closing or (ii) the MNG Designee is required to perform or to comply with pursuant to Section 2.2(b) in the case of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition, shall have been duly performed and complied with in all respects. In the case of MNG, all of the covenants and obligations that (i) Hearst is required to perform or to comply with pursuant to Section 2.1(b) in the case of the Equity Closing or (ii) the Hearst Subsidiary is required to perform or to comply with pursuant to Section 2.2(b) in the case of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition, shall have been duly performed and complied with in all respects.

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     7.3. Condition to Obligations of Hearst to Consummate the Equity Closing. The obligations of Hearst under this Agreement to consummate the Equity Closing are subject to the satisfaction at or prior to the Equity Closing of the following conditions:
          (a) Restated Certificate. MNG shall have adopted and filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware the Restated Certificate.
          (b) Allocation Policies. The Board of Directors of MNG shall have adopted the allocation policies set forth in Schedule 7.3(b) (the “Allocation Policies”).
          (c) Policies for Determining Fair Value. The Board of Directors of MNG shall have adopted the policies for determining Fair Value (as such term is used in the Restated Certificate) and adjustments to the Class C Allocation Percentage set forth in Schedule 7.3(c).
          (d) Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since the date of this Agreement, no event, development or state of circumstances shall have occurred that, individually or in the aggregate, has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.
          (e) Representations and Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties made by MNG in Article III hereof shall be true and correct, in each case as of the Equity Closing Date as if made on such date (except in any case that representations and warranties that expressly speak as of a specified date or time need only be true and correct as of such specified date or time (other than for purposes of this condition the representation and warranty contained in Section 3.6)), with such exceptions as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect or a material adverse effect on the ability of MNG to perform its obligations under, and to consummate the transactions contemplated by, the Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which MNG or any of its Affiliates are parties.
          (f) Covenants and Obligations. MNG shall have performed and complied in all material respects with each agreement, covenant and obligation required by this Agreement to be so performed or complied with by MNG at or before the Equity Closing.
          (g) Closing Certificate. MNG shall have delivered to Hearst an officer’s certificate, dated as of the Equity Closing Date and duly executed, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Hearst, to the effect that the conditions set forth in Section 7.3(e) and Section 7.3(f) have been satisfied.
     7.4. Condition to Obligations of MNG to Consummate the Equity Closing. The obligations of MNG under this Agreement to consummate the Equity Closing are subject to the satisfaction at or prior to the Equity Closing of the following conditions:
          (a) Representations and Warranties. Each of the representations and warranties made by Hearst in Article IV hereof shall be true and correct, in each case as of the Equity Closing Date as if made on such date (except in any case that representations and warranties that expressly speak as of a specified date or time need only be true and correct as of such specified date or time), with such exceptions as would not individually or in the aggregate, result in a material adverse effect on the ability of Hearst to perform its obligations under, and to consummate the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement and the Ancillary Documents to which Hearst or any of its Affiliates is a party.

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          (b) Covenants and Obligations. Hearst shall have performed and complied in all material respects with each agreement, covenant and obligation required by this Agreement to be so performed or complied with by Hearst at or before the Equity Closing.
          (c) Closing Certificate. Hearst shall have delivered to MNG an officer’s certificates, dated as of the Equity Closing Date and duly executed, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to MNG, to the effect that the conditions set forth in this Section 7.4(a) and Section 7.4(b) have been satisfied.
ARTICLE VIII
TERMINATION
     8.1. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time on or prior to the Equity Closing Date:
          (a) by the written consent of Hearst and MNG;
          (b) by Hearst or MNG by giving written notice to the other party, if a permanent injunction has been issued restraining or prohibiting in any material respect the transactions contemplated hereby;
          (c) by Hearst by giving written notice to MNG, if any of the conditions set forth in Article VII of this Agreement to Hearst’s obligations to consummate the Equity Closing or the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing have become incapable of fulfillment, other than as a result of action or inaction taken by Hearst (or its Affiliates) in contravention of this Agreement;
          (d) by MNG by giving written notice to Hearst, if any of the conditions set forth in Article VIII of this Agreement to MNG’s obligations to consummate the Equity Closing or the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing have become incapable of fulfillment, other than as a result of action or inaction taken by MNG (or its Affiliates) in contravention of this Agreement;
          (e) immediately, without any action by either Hearst or MNG, upon termination of the Hearst Purchase Agreement;
          (f) by Hearst or MNG by giving written notice to the other party, if the Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition has been consummated and the MNG/Hearst Acquisition has not been consummated by the one-year anniversary of the McClatchy Closing, other than as a result of action or inaction by the party or parties seeking to terminate this Agreement (or any of their respective Affiliates) in contravention of this Agreement; or
          (g) immediately, without any action by either Hearst or MNG, upon consummation of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition pursuant to Section 1.1(c) (except during such period as such acquisition is financed by MNG with short-term borrowings).

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     8.2. Effect of Termination.
          (a) Upon the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.1, except for the obligations contained in Section 10.1 and paragraph (b) of this Section 8.2, the representations and warranties contained in Sections 3.10 and 4.5, the obligations contained in Article IX (to the extent relating to Sections 3.10, 4.5 and 10.1) and the Letter Agreements, which will survive any termination of this Agreement, this Agreement shall forthwith become null and void, and no party or any of its Affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, consultants, shareholders, members or principals shall have any rights, liabilities or obligations hereunder or with respect hereto; except that nothing contained herein shall relieve any party from liability for any failure to comply with any covenant or agreement contained herein, and the provisions of Article IX hereof shall in each such case survive any termination of this Agreement with respect to any such failure.
          (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if following consummation of the Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition, this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8.1 and the MNG/Hearst Acquisition has not been consummated as required hereunder, such termination shall not relieve MNG of its obligation to cause the MNG Designee to consummate the MNG/Hearst Acquisition pursuant to this Agreement. In addition, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or the termination of this Agreement, MNG shall indemnify the Hearst Indemnified Parties from and against any and all Losses arising out of, resulting from, related to or associated with (1) Hearst’s performance of its obligations under the Hearst Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, Section 6.4 of the Hearst Purchase Agreement, other than to the extent such Losses arise from the willful misconduct of any Hearst Indemnified Party, and (2) any failure by MNG to perform its obligations hereunder to consummate the MNG/Hearst Acquisition, and (z) the parties agree that the intention of the agreements contained in this sentence is to put each of Hearst and MNG in the same economic position they would have been in if the MNG Designee had purchased the Other Business directly from McClatchy at the McClatchy Closing and the Hearst Subsidiary had never directly owned the Other Business (provided that it is the intent of the parties that Hearst is under all circumstances to bear its own expenses in connection with the Hearst Purchase Agreement and this Agreement, as provided by Section 10.1).
          (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if the Hearst/McClatchy Closing occurs but the Equity Closing does not occur (other than as a result of a breach of this Agreement by Hearst), then MNG shall reimburse Hearst for an amount equal to Hearst’s cost of funds (calculated on the basis of an annual interest rate of 6.25%) in respect of the cash purchase price paid by the Hearst or its Affiliates at the Hearst/McClatchy Closing (as adjusted for any working capital adjustment and including the portion of Banc of America Securities’ investment banking fee paid by Hearst of its Affiliates) over the period of Hearst’s ownership of the Other Business until the closing of the MNG/Hearst Acquisition.

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ARTICLE IX
INDEMNIFICATION
     9.1. Survival of Representations and Warranties, Indemnities. The representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in or made pursuant to this Agreement or any Schedule hereto will indefinitely survive (and not be affected in any way by) the Equity Closing and/or the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing or any investigation and inquiry made (or omitted) by or on behalf of Hearst, MNG or their representatives or any information that any party or their representatives may receive, except that (i) the representations and warranties contained in Sections 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7 and 3.8 shall terminate on the date that is eighteen (18) months after the Equity Closing Date, (ii) each representation and warranty contained in Section 3.9 shall terminate on the date that is forty-five (45) days following the expiration of the statute of limitation applicable to the matter to which such representation or warranty relates and (iii) the representations and warranties contained herein (other than those contained in Section 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 4.4 and 4.5) shall terminate on the third anniversary of the date hereof; provided, however, that such representations and warranties shall survive to the extent a claim for indemnification or other claim based upon, resulting from or arising out of a breach or inaccuracy of such representations and warranties is made prior to such date until such claim is finally resolved.
     9.2. MNG’s Indemnification Obligations. MNG shall indemnify and hold harmless Hearst and its Affiliates and the respective directors, officers and employees of the foregoing Persons (“Hearst Indemnified Parties”) from and against:
     (a) any and all Losses which exist, or which are imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any one or more of the Hearst Indemnified Parties, based upon, resulting from or arising out of any (x) breach or inaccuracy of any representation or warranty made by MNG in Article III (subject to Section 9.5(b)), or (y) breach of any agreement or covenant made by MNG (or the MNG Designee) in this Agreement or any Ancillary Document (other than the Shareholders’ Agreement), and
     (b) any cost or expense (including settlement costs and reasonable attorneys’, accountants’ and experts’ fees and court costs) incurred by Hearst Indemnified Parties in connection with any of the foregoing (including any reasonable cost or expense incurred by Hearst Indemnified Parties in enforcing their rights pursuant to this Section 9.2).
No Hearst Indemnified Party shall be required to make any claim or demand against any other Person prior to the making of any claim or demand for indemnification or at any other time.
     9.3. Hearst’s Indemnification Obligations. Hearst shall indemnify and hold harmless MNG and its Affiliates and the respective directors, officers and employees of the foregoing Persons (“MNG Indemnified Parties”) against:

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     (a) any and all Losses which exist, or which are imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any one or more of the MNG Indemnified Parties, based upon, resulting from or arising out of any (x) breach or inaccuracy of any representation or warranty made by Hearst in Article IV, or (y) breach of any agreement or covenant made by Hearst (or the Hearst Subsidiary) in this Agreement or any Ancillary Document (other than the Shareholders’ Agreement), and
     (b) any cost or expense (including settlement costs and reasonable attorneys’, accountants’ and experts’ fees and court costs) incurred by MNG Indemnified Parties in connection with the foregoing (including any reasonable cost or expense incurred by MNG Indemnified Parties in enforcing their rights pursuant to this Section 9.3).
No MNG Indemnified Party shall be required to make any claim or demand against any other Person prior to the making of any claim or demand for indemnification or at any other time.
     9.4. Procedure for Indemnification Claims.
          (a) Except as and to the extent provided in Section 9.5, any claim for indemnification under Sections 9.2 or 9.3 will be made in accordance with this Section 9.4. Hearst Indemnified Parties and MNG Indemnified Parties are referred to herein as “Indemnified Parties,” and the Persons from whom indemnification may be sought pursuant to Sections 9.2 and 9.3 are referred to herein as “Indemnifying Parties.”
          (b) In the case of any claim for indemnification under Section 9.2 or 9.3 (x) arising from a claim of a third Person, the Indemnified Party will give the Indemnifying Party prompt notice of such claim, but in any event not later than fifteen (15) days following the Indemnified Party’s receipt of such claim or (y) in respect of any other matter, promptly upon becoming aware of the facts and circumstances giving rise to such claim, provided that the failure to notify or a delay in notifying an Indemnifying Party as provided in this sentence will not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations pursuant to Section 9.2 or 9.2, as applicable, except to the extent the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced by such failure or delay.
          (c) Each party shall cooperate in good faith with, make its relevant files and records available for inspection and copying by, and make its employees available and otherwise render reasonable assistance to, the other party in its defense of any such claims. Each Indemnifying Party shall have the right, at its sole expense, to control the defense of any claim brought by any third Person (as to which indemnification is sought pursuant to this Article IX) with counsel of such Indemnifying Party’s choice that is reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party, and shall have the right to settle or otherwise protect against the imposition of liability with respect to such claim; provided, however, that:
     (i) the Indemnified Parties shall be entitled to participate in the defense of such claim and to employ counsel at their own expense to assist in the handling of such claim and shall have the right, but not the obligation, to assert any and all cross-claims and counterclaims they may have;
     (ii) such Indemnifying Party shall obtain the prior written approval of each Indemnified Party before entering into any settlement of any such claim or ceasing to defend against any such claim, if pursuant to or as a result of such settlement or cessation, injunctive or other equitable relief would be imposed against such Indemnified Party or its Affiliates;

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     (iii) such Indemnifying Party shall not consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement that does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by each claimant or plaintiff to each Indemnified Party of a release from all liability in respect of such claim; and
     (iv) at the election of the Indemnified Party, such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall have joint control over the defense or settlement of any such claim, each party to employ counsel at its own expense, to the extent such claim seeks an order, injunction or other equitable relief against such Indemnified Party.
After written notice by the Indemnifying Party to the Indemnified Party of its election to assume control of the defense of any such claim, the Indemnifying Party shall not be liable hereunder to indemnify any Person for any legal expenses subsequently incurred in connection therewith, except as expressly provided below and provided that if there is an actual conflict of interest between the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party, which in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Indemnified Party would prevent one counsel from representing both the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party in any matter, the Indemnifying Party shall be responsible for all such reasonable counsel expenses of one counsel of the Indemnified Party. In the event the Indemnifying Party shall fail to defend, contest or otherwise protect against the imposition of any Losses as to any such claim, the Indemnified Party shall have the right, but not the obligation, to defend, contest or assert any cross-claim or counterclaim or otherwise protect against such claim and may make any compromise or settlement thereof and recover from and be indemnified by the Indemnifying Party for the entire reasonable cost thereof including from legal expenses, disbursements and all amounts paid as a result of such matter.
     9.5. Limitations on Indemnification.
          (a) Except as set forth in Section 10.9, the sole and exclusive remedy for any Losses referred to in Section 9.2 or 9.3 hereof shall be as expressly provided in this Article IX.
          (b) The sole and exclusive remedy of the Hearst Indemnified Parties with respect to any breach or inaccuracy of any of the representations and warranties made in Sections 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8 and 3.9 shall be as expressly provided in this Section 9.5(b). The Equity Purchase Price and the initial Class C Allocation Percentage have been determined based on a calculation of the “Equity Value” of the Non-Bay Area Business as set forth on Schedule 9.5(b). If (i) it is determined that a breach or inaccuracy of any of the representations and warranties made in Sections 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8 and 3.9 has occurred and has caused the Non-Bay Area Business to incur a monetary Loss in excess of $1,000,000 (in each case of any such breach, but without regard to any Material Adverse Effect qualifications in such Sections) and (ii) the aggregate amount of all such monetary Losses (including, in respect of a monetary Loss in excess of $1,000,000, the amount of such Loss that is less than $1,000,000) is in excess of three percent (3%) of the “Equity Value” of the Non-Bay Area Business set forth on Schedule 9.5(b) (the “Deductible”), then, unless the Board of Directors of MNG determines that such liabilities shall be allocated to the Bay Area Business, the “MediaNews Group Contribution” set forth in Schedule 9.5(b) shall be reduced by the aggregate amount of such liabilities in excess of the Deductible and the Class C Allocation Percentage shall be recalculated pursuant to the formula set forth on Schedule 9.5(b) using the revised MediaNews Group Contribution.

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ARTICLE X
GENERAL PROVISIONS
     10.1. Expenses. Hearst and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and MNG and its Affiliates, on the other hand, shall pay their own expenses (including the fees and expenses of their accountants, advisors, and counsel) in connection with negotiating, preparing, closing and carrying out the Hearst Purchase Agreement, this Agreement, the Ancillary Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. Any sales, use, transfer, stamp, document and other similar Taxes and charges applicable to the transactions consummated pursuant to this Agreement will be shared equally by MNG and Hearst.
     10.2. Notices. Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder will be in writing and shall be delivered via an overnight courier such as Federal Express or delivered against receipt (including by confirmed facsimile transmission), as follows:
         
 
  (a)   In the case of MNG, to:
 
 
      MediaNews Group, Inc.
 
      1560 Broadway
 
      Suite 2100
 
      Denver, Colorado 80202
 
      Attention: Joseph J. Lodovic, IV
 
      Fax No.: (303) 820-1929
 
       
    with a copy to:
 
       
 
      Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
 
      One Battery Park Plaza
 
      New York, New York 10004
 
      Attention: James Modlin, Esq.
 
      Fax No.: (212) 422-4726
 
       
 
  (b)   In the case of Hearst, to:
 
       
 
      The Hearst Corporation
 
      959 Eighth Avenue
 
      New York, NY 10019
 
      Attention: General Counsel
 
      Fax No.: (212) 649-2196

- 26 -


 

         
    with a copy to:
 
       
 
      Clifford Chance US LLP
 
      31 West 52nd Street
 
      New York, NY 10019
 
      Attention: Kathleen L. Werner
 
      Fax No.: (212) 878-8526
or to such other address as the party may have furnished in writing in accordance with the provisions of this Section. Any notice or other communication shall be deemed to have been given, made and received upon receipt. Any party may change the address to which notices are to be addressed by giving the other parties notice in the manner herein set forth.
     10.3. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction.
          (a) This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to any conflicts of law rules or principles that would result in the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.
          (b) Each party, hereby consents to, and confers exclusive jurisdiction upon, the courts of the State of New York and the Federal courts of the United States of America located in the County of New York in the State of New York, and appropriate appellate courts therefrom, over any action, suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement. Each party hereby waives, and agrees not to assert, as a defense in any such action, suit or proceeding that it is not subject to such jurisdiction or that such action, suit or proceeding may not be brought or is not maintainable in said courts or that this Agreement may not be enforced in or by said courts or that its property is exempt or immune from execution, that the suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, or that the venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Service of process in any such action, suit or proceeding may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the State of New York, as provided in Section 10.2 herein.
     10.4. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute but one and the same instrument.
     10.5. Headings; Schedules. The headings, subheadings and captions in this Agreement and in any Exhibit or Schedule hereto are for reference purposes only and are not intended to affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
     10.6. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, the Ancillary Documents and the Letter Agreements contain the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersede all negotiations, prior discussions, agreements, arrangements, and understandings, written or oral, relating to the subject matter of this Agreement (including without limitation, the Agreement dated April 26, 2006 between MNG and Hearst Re: Investment in MediaNews Group, Inc., which is hereby terminated, except that the representation of MNG set out in paragraph 4 of such Agreement shall survive such termination) and there are no other covenants, provisions, agreements, representations or warranties, whether written or oral, between the parties.

- 27 -


 

     10.7. Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is not intended to confer upon any other Person (other than the MNG Designee and the Hearst Subsidiary, as applicable herein) any rights or remedies hereunder. The rights of Hearst Indemnified Parties and MNG Indemnified Parties under Article IX may be asserted by Hearst and MNG, respectively.
     10.8. Assignment. This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder may be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of the other parties. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, (i) prior to the Equity Closing Date, Hearst may elect to assign its rights to acquire the Shares to a wholly-owned Subsidiary of Hearst, if such Subsidiary becomes a party to this Agreement and agrees to be bound by the representations, warranties, covenants and obligations herein, provided that no such assignment shall relieve Hearst of its obligations hereunder, and (ii) MNG may prior to the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing Date, elect to have one or more MNG Designees acquire all or part of the Other Business Assets and Interests at the MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing, but in each case only if each such MNG Designee becomes a party to this Agreement and agrees to be bound by the representations, warranties, covenants and obligations herein in respect of the portion of the Other Business Assets and Interests acquired, provided that no such election shall relieve MNG of its obligations hereunder. Any purported assignment or delegation in violation of this Agreement shall be null and void ab initio.
     10.9. Specific Performance. Each of the parties acknowledges that the other party would not have an adequate remedy at law for money damages in the event that any of the covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement were not performed by such party in accordance with its terms and therefore, such party agrees that the other party shall be entitled to specific performance, injunctive and other equitable relief in addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled pursuant to Article IX (without the necessity of (i) proving the inadequacy as a remedy of money damages or (ii) posting a bond or other surety). The remedies under this Agreement are cumulative.
     10.10. Interpretation; Absence of Presumption.
          (a) For the purposes of this Agreement, (i) words in the singular shall be held to include the plural and vice versa, (ii) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” and “herewith” and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole (including all of the Schedules and Exhibits hereto) and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and Article, Section, Exhibit and Schedule references are to the Articles, Sections, Exhibits, and Schedules to this Agreement unless otherwise specified, (iii) except where the context otherwise requires, references to a “party” or “parties” shall mean Hearst or MNG, or both of them as the context requires, (iv) the word “including” and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall mean “including, without limitation,” unless the context otherwise requires or unless otherwise specified, and (v) the word “or” shall not be exclusive.
          (b) With regard to each and every term and condition of this Agreement and any and all agreements and instruments subject to the terms hereof, the parties understand and agree that the same have or has been mutually negotiated, prepared and drafted, and if at any time the parties desire or are required to interpret or construe any such term or condition or any agreement or instrument subject hereto, no consideration will be given to the issue of which party actually prepared, drafted or requested any term or condition of this Agreement or any agreement or instrument subject hereto.

- 28 -


 

     10.11. Severability. If any one or more of the provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby and the parties shall use all reasonable efforts to substitute one or more valid, legal and enforceable provisions which, insofar as practicable, implement the purposes and intents hereof. To the extent permitted by applicable law, each party waives any provision of law which renders any provision of this Agreement invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect.
     10.12. Amendments; Waiver. This Agreement may not be amended or modified except by written agreement of the parties. No breach of any covenant, agreement, representation or warranty made herein shall be deemed waived unless expressly waived in writing by the party who might assert such breach.
     10.13. Assurances by MNG and Hearst.
          (a) MNG covenants to cause each MNG Designee (that is not MNG) to perform all of its obligations under this Agreement and each Ancillary Document and guarantees to Hearst and the Hearst Subsidiary the performance by such MNG Designees of all such obligations, and hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand, protest, notice of non-payment, and all other notices and demands whatsoever, as well as any requirement that Hearst or the Hearst Subsidiary exhaust any right or take any action against such MNG Designee, it being the intent of MNG that this guarantee be continuing, absolute and unconditional in any and all circumstances.
          (b) Hearst covenants to cause the Hearst Subsidiary and Hearst Holding Companies to perform all of their obligations under this Agreement and each Ancillary Document and guarantees to MNG and the MNG Designee the performance by the Hearst Subsidiary and Hearst Holding Companies of all such obligations, and hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand, protest, notice of non-payment, and all other notices and demands whatsoever, as well as any requirement that MNG and the MNG Designee exhaust any right or take any action against the Hearst Subsidiary and Hearst Holding Companies, it being the intent of Hearst that this guarantee be continuing, absolute and unconditional in any and all circumstances.
[Remainder of this page is intentionally left blank]

- 29 -


 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written.
         
  MEDIANEWS GROUP, INC.
 
 
  By:   /s/ Joseph J. Lodovic, IV    
    Name:   Joseph J. Lodovic, IV   
    Title:   President   
 
         
  THE HEARST CORPORATION
 
 
  By:   /s/ James M. Asher    
    Name:   James M. Asher   
    Title:   Senior Vice President   
 

- 30 -


 

EXHIBIT A
Certain Definitions
     “Acquired Assets” shall have the meaning specified in the Hearst Purchase Agreement.
     “Acquired Companies” shall have the meaning specified in the Hearst Purchase Agreement.
     “Acquired Subsidiaries” shall have the meaning specified in the Hearst Purchase Agreement.
     “Action” shall mean any actual or threatened action (at law or in equity), suit, arbitration, review, inquiry, proceeding or investigation.
     “Adjusted Class C Allocation Percentage” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.4(a).
     “Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to a Person, another Person, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controlled by, under common control with or which controls, the Person specified.
     “Allocated Debt” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.4(a).
     “Allocation Commencement Date” shall have the meaning specified in the Allocation Policies.
     “Allocation Policies” shall have the meaning specified in Section 7.3(b).
     “Ancillary Documents” shall mean as applicable the Shareholders’ Agreement, LLC Interest Assignments and the instruments described in clause (x) of Section 2.2(b)(i).
     “Annex A Closing Statement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.4(b).
     “Approval” shall mean any franchise, license, certificate of compliance, authorization, consent, order, permit, approval or other action of, or any filing, registration or qualification with, any Governmental Authority.
     “Assets” shall mean all properties, assets, privileges, rights, interests and claims, personal, tangible and intangible, of every type and description.
     “Assignment and Assumption” shall mean (i) if the Assignment and Assumption is consummated prior to the McClatchy Closing, the assignment by Hearst to the MNG Designee, and the assumption by the MNG Designee from Hearst, of all of Hearst’s right, title and interest in and to, and all of Hearst’s obligations under, the Hearst Purchase Agreement, and (ii) if the Assignment and Assumption is consummated after the McClatchy Closing, the assignment by the Hearst Subsidiary to the MNG Designee, and the assumption by the MNG Designee from the Hearst Subsidiary, of all of the Hearst Subsidiary’s right, title and interest in and to, and all of the Hearst Subsidiary’s obligations under, the Hearst Purchase Agreement and all agreements and instruments executed and delivered in connection with the McClatchy Closing, including the Hearst Transition Services Agreement, in each case pursuant to the Assignment Assumption Agreement.
A-1

 


 

     “Assumed Liabilities” shall have the meaning specified in the Hearst Purchase Agreement.
     “Bay Area Business” shall have the meaning specified in the Restated Certificate.
     “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday or Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by law to close.
     “Class A Common Stock” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.3(a).
     “Class B Common Stock” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.3(a).
     “Class C Allocation Percentage” shall have the meaning specified in the Restated Certificate.
     “Class C Common Stock” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.1(b)(ii).
     “Class C Conversion Rate” shall have the meaning specified in the Restated Certificate.
     “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
     “Consent” shall mean any consent or approval of, or notice, declaration, report or statement filed with or submitted to, any Person (other than an Approval).
     “Deductible” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.5(b).
     “EBITDA” shall mean, in respect of the Other Business during any period, the sum of the amounts for such period of (i) the Other Business’ net income after Taxes, plus (ii) interest expense that has been deducted in the determination of such net income, plus (iii) federal, state and local income Taxes that have been deducted in determining such net income, plus (iv) depreciation and amortization expenses that have been deducted in determining such net income, in each case determined in accordance with GAAP.
     “Equity Closing” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.2(a).
     “Equity Closing Adjustment” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.4(b).
     “Equity Closing Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.2(a).
     “Equity Closing Statement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.4(a).
     “Equity Investment” shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals to this Agreement.
A-2

 


 

     “Equity Purchase Price” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.1(b)(ii).
     “Financial Statements” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.4.
     “GAAP” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in the United States as in effect from time to time.
     “Governmental Authority” shall mean any national, federal, state, provincial, county or municipal government, domestic or foreign, any agency, board, bureau, commission, court, department or other instrumentality of any such government, or any arbitrator in any case that has jurisdiction over a party or any of its Assets.
     “Hearst” shall have the meaning specified in the Preamble to this Agreement.
     “Hearst Holding Companies” shall mean Holding Company One and Holding Company Two.
     “Hearst Indemnified Parties” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.2.
     “Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition” shall mean the consummation by the Hearst Subsidiary of the acquisition of the Other Business from McClatchy pursuant to the Hearst Purchase Agreement.
     “Hearst Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals to this Agreement.
     “Hearst Subsidiary” shall mean Hearst MNG Holdings, Inc..
     “Hearst Transition Services Agreement” shall have the meaning specified in the Hearst Purchase Agreement.
     “Holding Company One” shall mean Hearst Monterey Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
     “Holding Company Two” shall mean Hearst St. Paul Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
     “HSR Act” shall mean the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.
     “Indemnified Parties” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.4(a).
     “Indemnifying Parties” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.4(a).
     “Initial Class C Conversion Rate” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.4(a).
     “Initial Adjusted Non-Bay Area Indebtedness” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.4(a).
A-3

 


 

     “June 30 Working Capital” shall have the meeting specified in Section 2.4(a).
     “Legal Requirement” shall mean any judgment, decree, injunction, order, writ, ruling, law, ordinance, statute, rule, regulation, code or other requirement of any Governmental Authority, or the common law.
     “Letter Agreements” shall mean the Letter Agreement, dated April 26, 2006, between Hearst and MNG regarding the Equity Investment and the Letter Agreement dated April 26, 2006, between MNG and Hearst regarding certain cooperative efforts.
     “Liens” shall mean any claim, lien, pledge, encumbrance, mortgage, deed of trust, charge, easement, right of way, encroachment, security interest, option or any other similar right or interest.
     “LLC Interest Assignments” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.2(b)(i)(w).
     “LLC Interests” shall mean 100% of the issued and outstanding equity interests of the Hearst Holding Companies.
     “Losses” shall mean any judgments, settlements, demands, claims, actions or causes of action, deficiencies, assessments, liabilities, losses, damages (whether direct or indirect, incidental or consequential), interest, fines and penalties, including without limitation reasonable legal and accounting costs and expenses.
     “Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.1.
     “McClatchy Closing” shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals to this Agreement.
     “MNG” shall have the meaning specified in the Preamble to this Agreement.
     “MNG Designee” shall mean collectively MNG or any Affiliate or Affiliates of MNG designated by MNG to acquire all or party of the Other Business, provided that in the event that the Hearst/McClatchy Acquisition is consummated and the Equity Closing has not occurred on or prior to the first anniversary of the date of this Agreement, MNG may designate any third party as a MNG Designee.
     “MNG Disclosure Schedules” shall have the meaning specified in Article III.
     “MNG Indemnified Parties” shall have the meaning specified in Section 9.3.
     “MNG/Hearst Acquisition” shall mean the consummation of the purchase by the MNG Designee of the Other Business from the Hearst Subsidiary pursuant to this Agreement.
     “MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.2(a).
     “MNG/Hearst Acquisition Closing Date” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.2(a).
A-4

 


 

     “MNG/Hearst Purchase Price” shall mean the net cash consideration paid by Hearst (or its Affiliates) to McClatchy under the Hearst Purchase Agreement, plus the portion of Banc of America Securities’ investment banking fee paid by Hearst or the Hearst Subsidiary.
     “MNG/McClatchy Acquisition” shall mean the consummation of the purchase by the MNG Designee of the Other Business from McClatchy pursuant to the Hearst Purchase Agreement.
     “MNG Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning specified in the Recitals to this Agreement.
     “MNG SEC Documents” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.5.
     “Non-Bay Area Business” shall have the meaning specified in the Restated Certificate.
     “Non-Bay Area Working Capital” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.4(a).
     “Other Business” shall have the meaning specified in the Hearst Purchase Agreement.
     “Other Business Assets and Interests” shall mean the Acquired Assets and the outstanding equity interests of the Acquired Companies (other than the Acquired Subsidiaries).
     “Person” shall mean and include an individual, a corporation, a partnership (general or limited), a joint venture, an association, a trust or any other organization or entity, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.
     “Restated Certificate” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.1(b)(i).
     “RSU Plan” shall mean the Career Restricted Stock Unit (“RSU”) Plan of MNG.
     “Selected Accountants” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.4(c).
     “Services Agreement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 5.3.
     “Shareholders’ Agreement” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.1(b)(iii)(x).
     “Shares” shall have the meaning specified in Section 2.1(b)(iii)(w).
     “Subsidiaries” shall mean, with respect to a Person, any corporation, partnership, association, trust or other form of legal entity of which (i) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned by such Person, or (ii) such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person is a general partner (excluding partnerships in which such Person or any Subsidiary of such party does not have a majority of the voting interests in such partnership).
     “Taxes” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.9(b).
     “Tax Returns” shall have the meaning specified in Section 3.9(b).
     “Waiting Period” shall mean, with respect to a proposed transaction, all applicable waiting periods (and extensions thereof) under the HSR Act.
A-5

 


 

EXHIBIT C
MediaNews Group, Inc.
Shareholders’ Agreement
     THIS SHAREHOLDERS’ AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made effective as of _________, 2006 (the “Effective Date”), by and among The Singleton Family Voting Trust for MediaNews Group, Inc. (the “Singleton Family Voting Trust”) by Howell E. Begle Jr., Trustee, The Singleton Family Irrevocable Trust (the “Singleton Family Irrevocable Trust”) by Howell E. Begle, Jr. and Patricia Robinson, Trustees, The Singleton Family Revocable Trust (the “Singleton Family Revocable Trust”) by William Dean Singleton and Howell E. Begle, Jr., Trustees (the Singleton Family Voting Trust, the Singleton Family Irrevocable Trust and the Singleton Family Revocable Trust being sometimes collectively referred to herein as the “Singleton Shareholders”), The Scudder Family Voting Trust for MediaNews Group, Inc. (the “Scudder Family Voting Trust”) by Jean L. Scudder, Trustee, The Jean L. Scudder Irrevocable Trust (the “Jean L. Scudder Irrevocable Trust”) by Jean L. Scudder, Trustee, the Scudder Family 1987 Trust (the “Scudder Family 1987 Trust”) by Jean L. Scudder, Trustee, Charles Scudder individually, Jean L. Scudder individually, Carolyn Miller, individually, and as Trustee under The Jennifer Miller Irrevocable Trust and The Katherine Miller Irrevocable Trust, and Elizabeth H. Difani, individually, and as Trustee under The Miguel Difani Irrevocable Trust, The Chipeta Difani Irrevocable Trust, and The Katya Difani Irrevocable Trust (the Scudder Family Voting Trust, the Jean L. Scudder Irrevocable Trust, the Scudder Family 1987 Trust, Charles Scudder individually, Jean L. Scudder individually, Carolyn Miller, individually, and as Trustee under The Jennifer Miller Irrevocable Trust and The Katherine Miller Irrevocable Trust, and Elizabeth H. Difani, individually, and as Trustee under The Miguel Difani Irrevocable Trust, The Chipeta

 


 

Difani Irrevocable Trust, and The Katya Difani Irrevocable Trust, being sometimes collectively referred to herein as the “Scudder Shareholders”), Joseph J. Lodovic, IV, The Hearst Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Hearst”), and MediaNews Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“MNG” or the “Company”).
     WHEREAS, the current equitable ownership of the Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), of MNG is as follows:
             
The Singleton Family
Revocable Trust
    254,858.9900     Shares of Class A Common Stock
 
The Singleton Family
Irrevocable Trust
    786,426.5100     Shares of Class A Common Stock
 
Joseph J. Lodovic, IV
    58,199.0000     Shares of Class A Common Stock
 
Jean L. Scudder, Individually
    185,817.3750     Shares of Class A Common Stock
 
Charles Scudder, Individually
    260,321.3750     Shares of Class A Common Stock
 
Jean L. Scudder, as Trustee
for Kurt Miller and Gabriel
Difani under The Scudder
Family 1987 Trust
    123,743.7450     Shares of Class A Common Stock
 
Jean L. Scudder, as Trustee
for Benjamin Fulmer and Nina
Fulmer under The Jean L.
Scudder Irrevocable Trust
    74,504.0000     Shares of Class A Common Stock
 
Elizabeth H. Difani, Individually
    86,773.7917     Shares of Class A Common Stock
 
Elizabeth H. Difani, as
Trustee under The Miguel
Difani Irrevocable Trust,
The Chipeta Difani Irrevocable
Trust, and The Katya Difani
Irrevocable Trust
    132,299.6658     Shares of Class A Common Stock
 
Carolyn Miller, Individually
    59,275.1825     Shares of Class A Common Stock
 
Carolyn Miller, as Trustee
under The Jennifer Miller
Irrevocable Trust and The
Katherine Miller Irrevocable
Trust
    118,550.3650     Shares of Class A Common Stock

C-2


 

     (Each such shareholder is referred to herein as a “Class A Shareholder”);
     WHEREAS, the Class A Shareholders listed above now own, legally and beneficially, 2,140,770 shares of Class A Common Stock, representing 93.14% of the issued and outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock;
     WHEREAS, the Scudder Shareholders, the Singleton Shareholders, Joseph J. Lodovic, IV and the Company have previously entered into the Amended and Restated MediaNews Group, Inc. Shareholders Agreement, effective as of January 31, 2000, amended and restated as of March 16, 2004 and amended as of June 30, 2005 (the “Prior Shareholders’ Agreement”);
     WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Hearst is purchasing from the Company 100 shares of Class C Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Class C Common Stock”), of MNG, pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of ___, 2006 (the “Stock Purchase Agreement”), by and between the Company and Hearst (Hearst and each Hearst Permitted Transferee (as defined in Section 3.03 hereof) of Class C Common Stock that executes a written acknowledgement that such Hearst Permitted Transferee is bound hereby is referred to herein as a “Class C Shareholder” and, collectively with the Class A Shareholders, the “Shareholders”);
     WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to enter into this Agreement in order to provide a continuing framework for their relationship as (in the case of the Class A Shareholders) legal and beneficial owners of Class A Common Stock and (in the case of the Class C Shareholders) legal and beneficial owners of Class C Common Stock, and to further define their mutual obligations (and in connection therewith, to terminate the Prior Shareholders’ Agreement); and
     WHEREAS, certain capitalized terms used in this Agreement are defined in Section 9.15 below;

C-3


 

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto mutually agree as follows:
1. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES OF MNG
     1.01 Newspaper Publishing Business. Except as unanimously authorized by MNG’s Board of Directors and approved by Hearst, MNG will engage only in the business of owning and holding the securities or assets of companies that are in the business of publishing and distributing newspapers or are engaged in advertising or media based business.
2. RESTRICTIONS UPON SALE OR TRANSFER OF STOCK
     2.01 Generally. During the term of this Agreement, none of the Singleton Shareholders, the Scudder Shareholders, Hearst nor any other Person that is a party to or otherwise bound by the terms of this Agreement shall at any time sell, transfer, assign, pledge, give away or otherwise dispose of, alienate, or encumber in any manner whatsoever (each, a “Transfer”) any interest in, any shares of, or any interest in any voting trust certificates relating to, Class A Common Stock, Class C Common Stock or any other class, now or hereafter authorized, of capital stock of MNG (any such stock or interest in any voting trust certificate relating thereto being hereinafter referred to as “Stock”) beneficially owned by any of them, other than as hereinafter expressly provided in Sections 3, 4 and 5 of this Agreement, and any attempt to Transfer any Stock (or interest therein) in violation of this Agreement shall be void and of no effect and shall not be recognized or recorded in the stock transfer books of MNG. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that Hearst or any Hearst Permitted Transferee desires to Transfer any shares of Class C Common Stock to any Person (other than Hearst, a Hearst Permitted Transferee or the Company), such shares must be converted into shares of

C-4


 

Class A Common Stock pursuant to Part A of Article FOURTH of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of MNG (as it may be so amended from time to time, the “Restated Certificate”) in connection with such Transfer, in which case the final sentence of Section 8.01 hereof shall apply.
     2.02 Additional Restrictions. Until the earlier of (i) the date on which none of the Company’s 6 7/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due October 1, 2013 and its 6 3/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due April 1, 2014 is outstanding, or (ii) the date on which MNG’s Leverage Ratio, as such term is defined in the Indenture dated January 26, 2004 by and between the Company and The Bank of New York as Trustee, is less than 3:1, and except as otherwise provided in Section 3 or 4 hereof, no Person who is a party to or who is otherwise bound by the terms of this Agreement shall Transfer, in any manner whatsoever, any Stock (or interest therein) beneficially owned by it unless all shares of Stock of the Company then outstanding owned by the Shareholders are Transferred by the holders thereof in a single transaction or series of related transactions on the same terms.
3. PERMITTED TRANSFERS AMONG RELATED PARTIES
     3.01 Class A Permitted Transferees. During the term of this Agreement, any Class A Shareholder may at any time sell to MNG all or any portion of such Shareholder’s interest in shares of Stock, for such consideration as such Shareholder and MNG shall mutually determine appropriate, and any of the Class A Shareholders may at any time Transfer by inter vivos gift, testamentary bequest, or otherwise, for such consideration, if any, as such Person shall, in its, his or her sole discretion, determine appropriate (and without the prior consent of any other Shareholder), all or a portion of such Shareholder’s interest in shares of Stock to a family member of such Shareholder (i.e., spouse, parents, siblings, children, any descendants of the

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foregoing or any spouses of any of the foregoing) or to a trust for the benefit of such family member(s) or in the case of a trust, to its grantor or to its beneficiaries, provided that the Person or trustee of any trust to whom such shares are Transferred shall, together with its, his or her successors, assigns, distributees, legatees, personal representatives, any receiver or trustee in bankruptcy or trust beneficiaries, take such Stock subject to and be bound by all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the provisions of this Section 3 and of Sections 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 hereof, and further provided that the transferee shall execute and deliver to MNG a written acknowledgment of the foregoing, whereupon (i) a new certificate shall be issued representing the shares of Stock Transferred and bearing the restrictive legend set forth in Section 6.01 hereof and (ii) the transferee shall be deemed to be a “Class A Shareholder” for all purposes of this Agreement, and shall have all the rights and obligations of a Class A Shareholder hereunder.
     3.02 Agreement of the Trustees. Each of the Trustees acknowledges that he or she has only bare legal title to the Stock beneficially owned by the Singleton Shareholders and the Scudder Shareholders, respectively, and he or she agrees with all parties hereto that he or she shall promptly take all action necessary and appropriate to effect the transfer of title to any Stock that is permitted or required to be Transferred by the Singleton Shareholders or the Scudder Shareholders, as the case may be, pursuant to the provisions of this Section 3 or under Section 4 or 5. Each such Trustee further agrees that he or she shall not have the power to transfer title to any of the Stock owned of record by him except pursuant to a transfer permitted or required to be made by the Singleton Shareholders or Scudder Shareholders under this Section 3 or under Section 4 or 5. All of the provisions of this Section 3.02 shall be binding upon all successors and assigns of each such Trustee.

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     3.03 Hearst Permitted Transferees. During the term of this Agreement, Hearst may at any time sell to MNG all or any portion of Hearst’s interest in shares of Stock for such consideration as Hearst and MNG shall mutually determine appropriate, and Hearst may at any time Transfer, for such consideration, if any, as Hearst shall, in its sole discretion, determine appropriate (and without the prior consent of any other Shareholder), all or a portion of Hearst’s interest in Stock to one or more Affiliates of Hearst (each, a “Hearst Permitted Transferee”), provided that (i) the Person to whom such Stock is Transferred shall, together with its successors and assigns, or any receiver or trustee in bankruptcy, take such Stock subject to and be bound by all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the provisions of this Section 3 and of Sections 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 hereof and (ii) such transferee shall execute and deliver to MNG a written acknowledgment of the foregoing, whereupon (x) a new certificate shall be issued representing the shares of Stock Transferred and bearing the restrictive legend set forth in Section 6.01 hereof, (y) if the Transfer relates to Class A Common Stock, the transferee shall be deemed a “Class A Shareholder” for all purposes of this Agreement, and shall have all the rights and obligations of a Class A Shareholder hereunder and (z) if the Transfer relates to Class C Common Stock, the transferee shall be deemed a “Class C Shareholder” for all purposes of this Agreement, and shall have all the rights and obligations of a Class C Shareholder hereunder. Any Transfer by Hearst, directly or indirectly, of a profit or voting interest in a Hearst Permitted Transferee that owns Stock shall be treated as a Transfer of Stock by Hearst hereunder.
4. TRANSFER OF STOCK WITH CONSENT OF BOARD AND HEARST
     4.01 Transfer by Consent. During the term of this Agreement any Shareholder may at any time Transfer, with or without consideration, all or any part of his, her or its Stock free and

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clear of any restrictions or limitations in this Agreement, but only with the express prior consent of both (i) the Board of Directors of MNG, which consent may be granted or withheld in the sole and absolute discretion of the Board of Directors of MNG, and (ii) Hearst, which consent may be granted or withheld in the sole and absolute discretion of Hearst.
5. COMPANY’S AND SHAREHOLDERS’ OPTIONS TO PURCHASE STOCK
     5.01 Option to Purchase. Subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 2.02 hereof, should any Shareholder (for purposes of this Section 5, a “Selling Shareholder”) desire to Transfer rights in all or any part of the Selling Shareholder’s Stock in a transaction not otherwise permitted under Section 3 or 4 hereof, whether the Selling Shareholder desires to initiate a Transfer or is responding affirmatively to an offer to purchase, before doing so the Selling Shareholder shall first permit (i) the Company and thereafter (ii) the Shareholders (other than the Selling Shareholder and, prior to the conversion of the Class C Common Stock into Class A Common Stock pursuant to the Restated Certificate, Hearst or any Hearst Permitted Transferee) (the “Remaining Shareholders”) to exercise an option to purchase the shares of Stock which the Selling Shareholder desires to Transfer in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5.
     (a) Subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 2.02 above, a Shareholder may solicit third parties to purchase its Stock prior to offering the same to the Company and the Remaining Shareholders, but no Transfer to a third party may be consummated until such Stock has been offered to (i) the Company and thereafter, (ii) the Remaining Shareholders in accordance with this Agreement.
     5.02 Required Notice. Upon deciding to Transfer all or any rights in all or any part of his, her or its Stock, whether the Selling Shareholder desires to initiate a Transfer or is responding affirmatively to an offer to purchase, except for Transfers expressly authorized

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pursuant to Sections 3 and 4 of this Agreement, the Selling Shareholder shall simultaneously notify the Company and the Remaining Shareholders of the intended Transfer. Such notice (the “Transfer Notice”) shall contain a complete description of the proposed transaction, including the identity of any proposed Transferee, the “Purchase Price” (as such term is defined in Section 5.04 hereof) offered by the Selling Shareholder or proposed by a bona fide third party transferee and all other material terms of such disposition. The Transfer Notice shall also specify whether the Selling Shareholder is only willing to Transfer all of his, her or its Stock, or is willing to Transfer only a portion thereof, and such specifications shall control the scope of any option to purchase thereunder.
     5.03 Scope and Priority of Company’s and Remaining Shareholders’ Options.
     (a) Upon receipt of a Transfer Notice from a Selling Shareholder pursuant to Section 5.02, the Company shall thereupon have the first option to purchase all (but not less than all) of such shares of Stock tendered at the Purchase Price. Such option to purchase must be exercised by the Company within thirty (30) days after receipt of the Transfer Notice. Any exercise of such option to purchase Stock by the Company shall be made by notice in writing to the Selling Shareholder, with a copy to all other Shareholders, mailed within such thirty (30) day period. If the Company elects not to exercise such option to purchase it shall so notify in writing the Selling Shareholder, with a copy to all other Shareholders, (the “Non-Exercise Notice”) mailed within such thirty (30) day period.
     (b) If the Company fails to exercise its option to purchase all of the Selling Shareholder’s Stock in accordance with Section 5.03(a) above, then upon receipt of a notice (the “Second Transfer Notice”) from a Selling Shareholder that the Company has failed to exercise its option to purchase pursuant to Section 5.03(a) above, or that the Company has notified the Selling

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Shareholder that it has elected not to exercise such option to purchase, the Remaining Shareholders shall thereupon have an option to purchase all of such shares tendered at the Purchase Price (pro rata based on each of the Remaining Shareholders’ ownership of Class A Common Stock). This option to purchase must be exercised by the Remaining Shareholders within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Remaining Shareholders of the Second Transfer Notice. If any Remaining Shareholder fails to exercise his option to purchase shares, or exercises such option to purchase less than all the shares available to him, then the other Remaining Shareholders shall have a period of thirty (30) days following the initial thirty (30) day period to acquire all or any part of such offered shares which are left (pro rata based on each of the other Remaining Shareholders’ ownership of Class A Common Stock). Any exercise of such option to purchase Stock by the Remaining Shareholder(s) shall be made by notice in writing to the Selling Shareholder, with a copy to all other Remaining Shareholders, mailed within such thirty (30) day period (or, if not all shares of the Selling Shareholder are acquired during such first period, then by notice mailed within the ten (10) day period following).
     (c) Any notice given pursuant to this Section 5 shall be given as provided in Section 9.01 of this Agreement.
     5.04 Purchase Price.
     (a) If the purchase price (the “Purchase Price”) set forth in the Transfer Notice is a bona fide all cash offer, then the Purchase Price shall be such all cash offer.
     (b) If all or any part of the Purchase Price set forth in the Transfer Notice is non-cash consideration, then the value attributable to such non-cash consideration shall be based on the Fair Market Value thereof determined pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.05 hereof. The time periods for exercise of options to purchase set forth in Sections 5.03(a) and (b) hereof shall

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be tolled until such time as the Fair Market Value of a non-cash offer has been determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.05 hereof.
     (c) As used in this Agreement, “Fair Market Value” of non-cash consideration shall mean the amount that would be paid therefor by a willing buyer to a willing seller, both knowledgeable in the relevant industry.
     5.05 Determination of Fair Market Value.
     (a) If all or any part of the Purchase Price specified in the Transfer Notice is a non-cash offer, then the Selling Shareholder and the Company may mutually agree as to the Fair Market Value of the non-cash offer. If the Selling Shareholder and the Company are unable to agree on such value within thirty (30) days after the Company and the Remaining Shareholders receive the Transfer Notice, then in such event, Fair Market Value shall be established as hereinafter provided by two independent qualified appraisers knowledgeable in the newspaper publishing industry, one to be appointed by the Selling Shareholder and the other to be appointed by majority vote of the Remaining Shareholders (irrespective of whether the Company shall exercise the option granted to it under Section 5.03 of this Agreement).
     (b) The two independent appraisers shall be appointed within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company and Remaining Shareholders of the Transfer Notice. If either the Selling Shareholder or the Remaining Shareholders fails to appoint an appraiser within this time period, then its right to do so shall lapse, and the appraisal made by the one independent appraiser who is timely appointed shall be the Fair Market Value. If two appraisals are made, and if the higher appraisal does not exceed 110% of the lower, Fair Market Value will be the average of the two. If the two appraisals are further apart, a third appraiser will be selected within thirty (30) days by the first two appraisers, and the Fair Market Value will be deemed to be the average of the third

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appraisal and the one of the first two appraisals which is closer to the third. All appraisals shall be made within thirty (30) days of appointment of an appraiser and written notice of the results of such appraisal shall be given to the parties within such time. The Selling Shareholder shall pay the fee of the appraiser selected by it, and the Remaining Shareholders (irrespective of whether the Company shall exercise the option granted to it under Section 5.03 of this Agreement) shall pay the fee of the appraiser selected by them (in proportion to their respective ownership interests in the Company) with the fee of any third appraiser to be divided equally among the Selling Shareholder and the Remaining Shareholders.
     5.06 Failure To Exercise. If the Remaining Shareholders fail to exercise their option to purchase the Selling Shareholder’s Stock, the Selling Shareholder shall be free to dispose of such Stock prior to the later of (i) the last day of the ninety (90) day period commencing the sixth business day after the expiration of the Remaining Shareholders’ option and (ii) the fifth business day following receipt of regulatory approval to consummate such Transfer (the “Disposal Period”), but not below the Purchase Price offered to the Remaining Shareholders, and not to a different transferee than specified in the Transfer Notice (if any transferee was so specified), or in a materially different manner or on materially different terms. If the Stock is not disposed of within the Disposal Period then this right shall lapse and the Selling Shareholder must thereafter recommence the offering process to the Company and the Remaining Shareholders if he subsequently wishes to dispose of his shares. Any Person to whom the Stock of the Selling Shareholder is Transferred, following the Remaining Shareholders’ failure to exercise its/their option to purchase, shall take such Stock subject to and be bound by all of the terms and conditions and restrictions imposed by this Agreement for so long as Shareholders (other than the transferee and its transferees) hold more than 10% of outstanding Common Stock, including,

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without limitation, the provisions of this Section 5 and of Sections 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 hereof, provided that the transferee shall execute and deliver to MNG a written acknowledgment of the foregoing, whereupon (i) a new certificate shall be issued representing the shares of Stock Transferred and bearing the restrictive legend set forth in Section 6.01 hereof and (ii) such transferee shall be deemed to be a “Class A Shareholder” for all purposes of this Agreement, and shall have all the rights and obligations of a Class A Shareholder hereunder.
     5.07 Payment of Purchase Price.
     (a) The purchaser of any Stock under this Section 5 shall pay the Purchase Price by a wire transfer of immediately available federal funds to a bank account designated by the Selling Shareholder upon a date mutually selected by the Selling Shareholder and the purchaser which is not more than ninety (90) days after the determination of the Purchase Price as hereinbefore provided (such date being herein referred to as the “Closing Date”).
     Upon receipt of the Purchase Price on the Closing Date, all interest of the Selling Shareholder in the Stock being sold shall terminate, and the Selling Shareholder shall cease to have any further rights as a Shareholder in the Stock being sold.
     On the Closing Date, the Selling Shareholder shall deliver to the purchaser a certificate or certificates duly endorsed for transfer representing all of the Stock being sold on that date by the Selling Shareholder.
     (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), in the case of a sale by Selling Shareholders of Class A Common Stock (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) representing less than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Class A Common Stock, the purchaser shall have the option of paying not less than ten percent (10%) of the total Purchase Price in cash on the

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Closing Date, and giving the Selling Stockholders the purchaser’s promissory note for the balance of the Purchase Price in not more than 120 equal monthly installments of principal.
     Simple interest on the unpaid principal balance of the Purchase Price shall accrue from the Closing Date and shall be payable monthly at the base rate of interest established by Bank of America, N.A., as such rate may change from time to time, but in no event less than the minimum rate of interest that is required under the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder to avoid the imputation of a higher rate. The first installment of principal and interest shall be due on the first day of the first calendar month following the Closing Date, and such installments shall continue on the first day of each month thereafter until the entire principal balance together with interest thereon have been paid, but in any case for a period of not more than ten (10) years from the date of the first installment.
     The purchaser’s promissory note shall provide that such note shall be payable in full (i) upon the sale of all or substantially all of the assets used by MNG or its direct or indirect Subsidiaries in the operation of their business, (ii) upon the sale of fifty percent (50%) or more of the then outstanding Stock of MNG within any 180 day period, or (iii) upon the offering of any equity securities by MNG or any Subsidiary of MNG for sale to the public after the date hereof. As used in this paragraph, the term “sale” includes an exchange of assets or Stock for assets or stock, whether or not gain or loss attributable to such transaction is recognized for federal income tax purposes. However, the term “sale” shall not include any transaction by which the Stock or assets of MNG become owned by any parties to this Agreement or any transferee permitted under Section 3 hereof or any corporation or other entity that is wholly owned by one or more of the parties to this Agreement.

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     If the purchaser elects such option, in order to secure the performance by the purchaser of the obligations under his or its promissory note, the purchaser shall place the stock certificate or certificates representing the Stock purchased in escrow with such Person as shall be mutually acceptable to the purchaser and seller, as escrow agent (the “Escrow Agent”), with stock powers duly endorsed in blank, as security for the payment of the unpaid principal balance and interest on the purchaser’s promissory note. The Escrow Agent may require the purchaser and seller to execute and deliver an escrow agreement more fully outlining the obligations of the Escrow Agent and otherwise containing terms and conditions typically found in escrow agreements in commercial transactions and not inconsistent with this Agreement. The promissory note given by each purchaser shall provide that upon default in payment of any installment of principal or interest if such default shall continue for more than thirty (30) days after written notice of default has been given to the purchaser by the holder of the note, the holder of the note at that time may inform the Escrow Agent in writing of the default, and thereupon, the Escrow Agent shall deliver the stock certificates and accompanying stock powers to the holder of the promissory note. Upon such delivery (1) all obligations of the Escrow Agent to all of the parties hereunder shall cease and (2) the holder of the promissory note shall be entitled to pursue whatever remedies it may have in law or equity against the purchaser.
     Voting and dividend rights (other than the rights to any liquidating dividend) with respect to the pledged Stock shall be vested in the purchaser while such Stock is held in escrow and until there has been a default in payment of interest or principal with respect to the promissory note.
     All Stock pledged hereunder and all the accompanying stock powers shall be returned to the purchaser upon full satisfaction of the promissory note.

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     In addition to the provisions for payment contained above in this Section, the purchaser, at its sole option, may prepay any amount of principal or interest due on the purchaser’s promissory note at any time, without penalty. Any prepayment shall be applied against the remaining principal installments due under the note to the Selling Shareholder in the inverse order in which such installments fall due. Any prepayment shall be applied first to pay any interest that is in arrears, and then shall be applied to reduce the entire principal balance before any prepayment is applied to interest that is not in arrears.
     5.08 Hearst Purchase Option. If, prior to the conversion by Hearst and any Hearst Permitted Transferee of all of the shares of Class C Common Stock owned by them into Class A Common Stock, a Class A Shareholder, other than Hearst and any Hearst Permitted Transferee, acquires additional shares of Class A Common Stock from another Class A Shareholder pursuant to this Section 5 then, unless Hearst withheld its consent to the Company purchasing such shares pursuant to Section 5.01, Hearst shall have the right to contribute to MNG (for allocation to the Non-Bay Area Business) funds in an amount sufficient to (x) repurchase a number of such shares so purchased by the Class A Shareholder at the same price as such shares were purchased by such Class A Shareholder (and such Class A Shareholder shall sell such shares to MNG for such price) and (y) cause an adjustment to the Class C Allocation Percentage, such that the net effect of such transactions is to treat Hearst as if it had converted its Class C Common Stock into Class A Common Stock and then exercised its rights pursuant to Section 5.01 to purchase a pro rata portion of such shares. The appropriate adjustments to the Class C Allocation Percentage pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be determined in the manner provided in the Fair Value Policy (as defined below).

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     5.09 Drag-Along Rights
     (a) If Scudder Shareholders and Singleton Shareholders propose to Transfer Common Stock that constitutes a majority of outstanding Common Stock in a Transfer to which the purchase rights in Section 5.01 applies and such Shareholders are Selling Shareholders (a “Majority Sale”), and neither the Company nor the Shareholders other than the Selling Shareholders have exercised purchase rights set forth in Section 5.01 of this Agreement, then the Selling Shareholders shall have the option to require each other Shareholder (a “Draggable Shareholder”), to Transfer to the proposed transferee specified in the Notice described in Section 5.02 of this Agreement on the same terms and conditions described therein that percentage of such Draggable Shareholder’s shares of Common Stock equal to the average percentage of shares of Common Stock of all Selling Shareholders being sold in the Majority Sale (the “Drag-Along Rights”), in connection with the proposed Transfer by the Selling Shareholders of their shares of Common Stock to such transferee. In connection with such Transfer, no Draggable Shareholder shall be required to give any representations or warranties or indemnities other than with respect to itself, its title to the Common Stock and the transfer of such title to the transferee free and clear of all security interest, encumbrances, claims, liens or charges of any kind (this sentence not being intended to limit a Draggable Shareholder’s responsibility for any Purchase Price adjustment or its participation in escrow arrangements).
     (b) Upon deciding to exercise their Drag-Along Rights, the Selling Shareholders shall simultaneously notify the Company and each other Shareholder in writing of their intended exercise (the “Drag-Along Notices”). Such Drag-Along Notices must be given no later than the fifth business day of the Disposal Period shall be given as provided in Section 9.01 of this Agreement.

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     5.10 Tag-Along Rights.
     (a) If the Selling Shareholders have proposed to effect a Majority Sale, and neither the Company nor the Shareholders other than the Selling Shareholders have exercised their rights to purchase set forth in Section 5.01 of this Agreement, then no Selling Shareholder shall, in any one transaction or series of transactions, directly or indirectly, Transfer shares of Common Stock, unless the terms and conditions of such Transfer include an offer to the Shareholders party hereto that are not Selling Shareholders (in such context, the “Tag-Along Offerees”) to include in the Transfer to such third party, at the option of each Tag-Along Offeree, such number of shares of Common Stock owned by such Tag-Along Offeree at the time of such Transfer on the same terms and conditions (including without limitation, the proposed Purchase Price and date of Transfer) as are available to the Selling Shareholder (the “Tag-Along Rights”).
     (b) Each Tag-Along Offeree shall be entitled to include in the contemplated Transfer, at the same price and on the same terms as available to the Selling Shareholder, a number of shares of Common Stock (the “Proportionate Tag-Along Shares”) up to that percentage of such Tag-Along Offeree’s shares of Common Stock equal to the average percentage of shares of Common Stock of all Selling Shareholders being sold in the Majority Sale.
     (c) A Tag-Along Offeree may exercise its Tag-Along Rights by delivering written notice of such exercise (the “Tag-Along Exercise Notice”) to the Selling Shareholders no later than the fifth business day of the Disposal Period as provided in Section 9.01 of this Agreement.
     (d) In the event that the number of shares of Common Stock proposed to be Transferred by the Selling Shareholder, plus the proportionate number of shares of Common Stock proposed to be transferred by the Tag-Along Offerees (the “Total Transferred Shares”), exceeds the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that the third party is willing to purchase or

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otherwise acquire, then the number of shares of Common Stock to be Transferred by the Selling Shareholder and each Tag-Along Offeree, respectively, shall be reduced by equal percentages until the number of Total Transferred Shares equals the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that the third party is willing to purchase or otherwise acquire; provided that if such allocation would result in any such Tag-Along Offeree selling or disposing of less than the minimum number of shares of Common Stock as set forth in such Tag-Along Offeree’s Tag-Along Exercise Notice, such Tag-Along Exercise Notice shall be revoked and the shares of Common Stock which such Tag-Along Offeree would otherwise have been entitled to sell or dispose of to the Third Party shall be allocated among the Selling Shareholder and other Tag-Along Offerees who have given Tag-Along Exercise Notices pro rata (based on the number of shares of Common Stock they would otherwise have Transferred). All calculations pursuant to this Section 5.10 shall exclude and ignore any unissued shares of Common Stock of the Company issuable pursuant to Stock Options, warrants and other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock.
     5.11 Termination of Transaction Giving Rise to Drag-Along and Tag-Along Rights. Each of the Selling Shareholder and the proposed transferee shall have the right, in its sole discretion, at all times prior to the consummation of a proposed Transfer giving rise to the Drag-Along Rights and Tag-Along Rights set forth in Sections 5.09 and 5.10 of this Agreement to abandon, rescind, annul, withdraw or otherwise terminate such Transfer whereupon all Drag-Along Rights and Tag-Along Rights in respect of such Transfer shall become null and void, and neither the Selling Shareholder nor the third party shall have any liability or obligations to the Draggable Shareholders and Tag-Along Offerees with respect thereto by virtue of such abandonment, rescission, annulment, withdrawal or termination.

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6. RESTRICTIVE LEGEND
     6.01 Form of Legend. All certificates for the shares of the Stock shall bear the legend set forth below.
      “Sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, gift or any other disposition, alienation or encumbrance of the shares represented by this certificate is restricted by the terms of a Shareholders’ Agreement dated as of ___, 2006, among certain Shareholders and the Company, which may be examined at the office of the Company, and the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, and such shares may be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, given or otherwise disposed of, alienated or encumbered only upon compliance, with the terms of that Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference, and the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company.”
 
      “The shares represented by this certificate have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the ‘Act’) and may not be offered, sold, or otherwise transferred, unless and until (i) a registration statement with respect thereto is effective under the Act or (ii) in the opinion of counsel, which opinion is reasonably satisfactory in form and in substance to counsel for the Company, such offer, sale or other transfer is in compliance with the Act and any applicable state securities laws.”
     6.02 Stock Not Registered. The parties hereto expressly acknowledge and agree that the Stock is restricted as described in the above legends; and that MNG is under absolutely no obligation to, and has no plans to, register any of the Stock under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
7. CLASS A COMMON STOCK
     7.01 Applicability of Section 7. The covenants set forth in this Section 7 are made for the benefit only of each of the Class A Shareholders.
     7.02 Negative Covenants. MNG covenants that it shall not do, take or permit any of the following actions, unless the same shall have first been approved (i) by all directors then

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serving on MNG’s Board of Directors (or on any committee of the Board of Directors appointed to consider such action with the approval of all directors then serving on MNG’s Board of Directors), excluding any director that has recused him or herself from voting on the particular action, (ii) by unanimous approval of the full Executive Committee of MNG’s Board of Directors as appointed by all directors then serving on MNG’s Board of Directors, or (iii) by the holders of not less than 90% of the shares of Class A Common Stock then outstanding and held by Persons that are parties to or otherwise bound by the terms of this Agreement, and each of the Class A Shareholders covenants that he, she or it shall use its best efforts to cause MNG to refrain from such actions (and in any event not permit MNG to take any of such actions), unless they have been approved in the manner provided above:
     (a) Declare and pay any dividends on any class of its common stock;
     (b) Purchase or redeem any of its capital stock (other than pursuant to (i) MNG’s Career RSU Plan, (ii) agreements approved by all directors then serving on MNG’s Board of Directors (or on any committee of the Board of Directors appointed to consider such action with the approval of all directors then serving on MNG’s Board of Directors), excluding any director that has recused himself or herself from voting on the particular action, or (iii) Section 7(a)(ii) of Part A of Article FOURTH of the Restated Certificate);
     (c) Adopt annual capital or annual operating budgets;
     (d) Except as otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate, acquire any Subsidiary, or liquidate or dissolve itself, or merge or consolidate, or cause or permit any Subsidiary to be merged or consolidated, with any corporation (other than another Subsidiary of MNG), or enter into any transaction under which any class of its stock would be acquired or the stock of any Subsidiary would be sold, or sell, lease, encumber, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or

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any substantial part of its assets or those of any Subsidiary (other than to another Subsidiary of MNG), or amend its Restated Certificate or Bylaws, or permit any Subsidiary to issue capital stock to any Person other than MNG (or its Subsidiaries) or elect any directors of any Subsidiary;
     (e) Issue equity securities of MNG, or securities of a class convertible into equity securities of MNG, or incur obligations of MNG to issue additional equity securities (other than the issuance of shares of Class A Common Stock upon conversion of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of MNG (“Class B Common Stock”) or of Class C Common Stock, in either case pursuant to Part A of Article FOURTH of the Restated Certificate);
     (f) Increase the aggregate borrowing capacity of MNG and its Subsidiaries by more than $10 million in any fiscal year under its bank credit facilities;
     (g) Enter into or acquiesce in any agreement which limits or restricts the rights of MNG or any of the parties to this Agreement to comply with the provisions of this Agreement;
     (h) Replace or discharge the chief executive officer of MNG; or
     (i) Give any consent pursuant to Section 4.01 of this Agreement.
     7.03 MNG Board Composition.
     (a) Each Class A Shareholder covenants and agrees to vote all of his, her or its shares of Class A Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired or which such Class A Shareholder may be empowered to vote, from time to time and at all times, in whatever manner shall be necessary to ensure that at each annual or special meeting of shareholders at which an election of directors is held or pursuant to any written consent of the shareholders (i) prior to the conversion of all of the outstanding shares of Class C Common Stock into Class A Common Stock pursuant to the Restated Certificate or after such conversion so long as Hearst and Hearst Permitted Transferees hold in the aggregate less than ten percent (10%) of the issued and

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outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock, MNG’s Board of Directors shall consist of an even number of directors and (A) fifty percent (50%) of directors then serving on MNG’s Board of Directors (exclusive of up to three (3) independent directors) shall be individuals designated by the Singleton Shareholders, and (B) fifty percent (50%) of directors then serving on MNG’s Board of Directors (exclusive of up to three (3) independent directors) shall be individuals designated by the Scudder Shareholders; and (ii) after the conversion of all of the outstanding shares of Class C Common Stock into Class A Common Stock pursuant to the Restated Certificate, so long as Hearst and Hearst Permitted Transferees hold in the aggregate at least ten percent (10%) of the issued and outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock, MNG’s Board of Directors shall consist of up to (10) directors to be designated as follows and up to three (3) additional independent directors and (A) the Singleton Shareholders shall be entitled to designate the number of directors (rounded down to the next whole number) determined by dividing the aggregate percentage of the issued and outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock owned by the Singleton Shareholders by ten percent (10%), (B) the Scudder Shareholders shall be entitled to designate the number of directors (rounded down to the next whole number) determined by dividing the aggregate percentage of the issued and outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock owned by the Scudder Shareholders by ten percent (10%) and (C) Hearst shall be entitled to designate the number of directors (rounded down to the next whole number) determined by dividing the aggregate percentage of the issued and outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock owned by Hearst and Hearst Permitted Transferees by ten percent (10%).
     (b) For so long as Hearst is entitled to designate at least one (1) director pursuant to Section 7.03(a), any such director designated by Hearst shall be appointed to the Executive Committee of MNG and any committee of MNG’s Board of Directors, subject to satisfaction of

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any independence requirements imposed by any applicable regulatory authority or by any stock exchange on which MNG’s equity securities are then listed or admitted for trading.
     (c) Each Class A Shareholder also covenants and agrees to vote all of his, her or its shares of Class A Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired or which such Class A Shareholder may be empowered to vote, from time to time and at all times in whatever manner as shall be necessary to ensure that (i) no director elected pursuant to Section 7.03(a) hereof (other than independent directors) may be removed from office unless such removal is directed or approved by the Class A Shareholders entitled under Section 7.03(a) to designate that director and (ii) any vacancies created by the resignation, removal or death of a director elected pursuant to Section 7.03(a) (other than independent directors) shall be filled pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.03(a). Each Class A Shareholder agrees to execute any written consents required to effectuate the obligations of this Agreement, and MNG agrees at the request of any party entitled to designate directors to call a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing directors.
     7.04 Conversion of Class C Common Stock.
     (a) Following the conversion of the outstanding shares of Class C Common Stock into Class A Common Stock pursuant to the Restated Certificate, and for so long as Hearst is entitled to designate at least one (1) director pursuant to Section 7.03(a):
  (i)   The items set forth in clauses (i) through (ix), inclusive, and clauses (xiv) and (xvi), of Section 8.02 shall be deemed to be items that require approval in the manner specified in Section 7.02; provided, however, that references in such clauses to “the Non-Bay Area Business” shall be deemed to have been replaced by “MNG”;

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  (ii)   Hearst shall have the rights, and MNG shall continue to have the obligations, set forth in Section 8.03 with respect to each Subsidiary of MNG; and
  (iii)   Without limitation of MNG’s covenants set forth in Section 7.02, any action taken by the Board of Directors of MNG or its Subsidiaries shall require the approval of at least one (1) director designated by the Singleton Shareholders and at least one (1) director designated by the Scudder Shareholders.
     (b) Provided that Hearst and Hearst Permitted Transferees have not theretofore Transferred Stock to any Person other than a Hearst Permitted Transferee, if upon conversion of the outstanding shares of Class C Common Stock into Class A Common Stock pursuant to the Restated Certificate, Hearst and Hearst Permitted Transferees hold in the aggregate less than twenty percent (20%) of the issued and outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock, then Hearst shall have the right to purchase from MNG up to that number of shares of Class A Common Stock, which, when added to the number of shares of Class A Common Stock already owned by Hearst and Hearst Permitted Transferees, equals twenty percent (20%) of the issued and outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock, at a price per share of Class A Common Stock equal to its Fair Value, determined in the manner provided in the Fair Value Policy. Hearst shall have twenty (20) days after the later of (i) the Effective Date (as defined in the Restated Certificate) of such conversion or (ii) receipt of notification from MNG of the Class C Conversion Rate (pursuant to Section 7(c)(iii) of Part A of Article FOURTH of the Restated Certificate), to exercise its purchase right pursuant to this Section 7.04(b), if applicable.

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     7.05 Certain Determinations and Actions. Prior to determining to redeem the Class C Common Stock pursuant to Section 7(a)(ii) of Part A of Article FOURTH of the Restated Certificate, the Board of Directors shall (i) consult with Hearst and (ii) use reasonable commercial efforts to restructure the investment in the Non-Bay Area Business represented by the Class C Common Stock to eliminate the Tax Event (as defined in the Restated Certificate) without imposing any adverse consequences on the Company or holders of Class A Common Stock. In making any determination to convert Class C Common Stock, the Board of Directors of MNG shall not owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of Class C Common Stock and no such determination or action shall constitute a breach of any fiduciary duty the Board of Directors of MNG might otherwise be deemed to owe to holders of Class C Common Stock, and Hearst (for itself and on behalf of each Hearst Permitted Transferee) hereby agrees not to assert any such claim. Hearst will not have any approval rights pursuant to Section 8.02 with respect to any determination of the Board of Directors to convert or redeem Class C Common Stock.
8. CLASS C COMMON STOCK
     8.01 Applicability of Section 8. The covenants set forth in Sections 8.02 through 8.06 of this Section 8 are made for the benefit only of Hearst and Hearst Permitted Transferees, and only for so long as (i) Hearst and the Hearst Permitted Transferees own shares of Class C Common Stock and the Class C Allocation Percentage (as defined in the Restated Charter) is at least equal to ___percent (___%) [50% of the initial Class C Allocation Percentage] and (ii) otherwise as provided under Sections 7.04(a)(i) and 7.04(a)(ii). In the event that Hearst or any Hearst Permitted Transferee becomes the owner of any shares of Class A Common Stock, then, effective upon its acquisition thereof and without any further action on its part, Hearst or such Hearst Permitted Transferee, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be a “Class A

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Shareholder” for all purposes of this Agreement, and shall have all the rights and obligations of a Class A Shareholder hereunder.
     8.02 Certain Covenants With Respect to the Class C Common Stock.
     (a) MNG covenants that it shall not, without the prior written consent of Hearst:
  (i)   sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of substantially all of the assets, property and goodwill of any newspaper or related publication comprising part of the Non-Bay Area Business in any fiscal year where the aggregate consideration in all such transactions in such fiscal year exceeds $15,000,000 (other than pro rata to the holders of Class A Common Stock and the holders of Class C Common Stock, based on the relative Fair Values (as defined in the Restated Certificate) of the aggregate number of outstanding shares of the Class A Common Stock and Class C Common Stock, respectively);
  (ii)   commit to invest in or purchase the securities of, or any interest in, any Person, which securities or interests would be part of the Non-Bay Area Business, except pursuant to clause (iii) of this Section 8.02(a) and except for Money Market Investments;
  (iii)   commit to acquire capital stock or capital assets of any Person or business that would become part of the Non-Bay Area Business in any fiscal year where the aggregate consideration paid in all such transactions in such fiscal year exceeds $15,000,000;
  (iv)   except as permitted by clause (iii) of this Section 8.02(a), create, or enter into, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, trust or other

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      business entity that would become part of the Non-Bay Area Business or merge or consolidate with any Person (other than a merger or consolidation which does not involve any part of the Non-Bay Area Business);
  (v)   commit or cause the Non-Bay Area Business to enter into, or allocate to the Non-Bay Area Business, any contract, agreement, understanding or transaction (x) with MNG or any Affiliate of MNG which would result in imposing terms or conditions on the Non-Bay Area Business that are more onerous or less advantageous to the Non-Bay Area Business in any material respect than those customarily provided by such party with respect to the Bay Area Business or (y) with MNG or an Affiliate of MNG that involves goods, services or properties of a value of more than $1,000,000 in the aggregate over the entire term of such contract, agreement, understanding or transaction, and does not reflect arms’ length terms;
  (vi)   accept any additional assets, including newspapers and related assets, in exchange for an equity interest in the Non-Bay Area Business;
  (vii)   commit or cause the Non-Bay Area Business (x) to borrow any funds or (y) to enter into any capitalized leases, in each case in excess of an aggregate of $10,000,000 per year (on a combined basis), or allocate any such borrowing or leases of MNG to the Non-Bay Area Business, in each case except for (a) borrowings pursuant to any revolving credit arrangement previously approved pursuant to this Section 8.02(a) (for

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      which purposes the Company’s senior credit facility as in effect on the Effective Date shall be deemed to be so approved), (b) refinancings or extensions of any existing indebtedness of or allocated to the Non-Bay Area Business and (c) borrowing to fund capital expenditures previously approved by MNG’s Board of Directors and, if applicable, Hearst pursuant to clause (viii) of this Section 8.02(a) or (z) enter into any hedge agreement in respect of obligations exceeding $10,000,000;
  (viii)   commit or cause the Non-Bay Area Business to make, or allocate to the Non-Bay Area Business, any capital expenditure in excess of $2,500,000 individually, and $5,000,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year, outside of approved capital and operating budgets;
  (ix)   make any material change to the nature of the Non-Bay Area Business;
  (x)   reallocate assets between the Bay Area Business and the Non-Bay Area Business, or designate a publication as a Bay Area Newspaper (rather than allocating such publication to the Non-Bay Area Business) for purposes of the Restated Certificate (except (x) for the purchase of the publications or related businesses in the San Francisco, Bay Area using assets of the Bay Area Business, (y) for the purchase of publications or related businesses in other areas using assets of the Bay Area Business as to which Hearst declines to agree to permit the Non-Bay Area Business to make such purchase or (z) pursuant to Section 9.5(c) of the Stock Purchase Agreement);

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  (xi)   make any change to the methodology employed to determine Fair Value for purposes of Part A of Article FOURTH of the Restated Certificate, as set forth in Schedule 7.3(c) to the Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Fair Value Policy”), as modified from time to time pursuant to this clause (xi);
  (xii)   make any adjustment to the methodology employed to determine adjustments to the Class C Allocation Percentage as set forth in the Fair Value Policy (as modified from time to time pursuant to this clause (xii));
  (xiii)   make any change to the allocation policies set forth in Schedule 7.3(b) to the Stock Purchase Agreement (as modified from time to time pursuant to this clause (xiii));
  (xiv)   issue equity securities of MNG, or securities of a class convertible into equity securities of MNG, or incur obligations of MNG to issue additional equity securities (other than (x) the issuance of shares of Class A Common Stock upon conversion of Class B Common Stock or of Class C Common Stock, in either case pursuant to Part A of Article FOURTH of the Restated Certificate, or (y) the issuance of up to 150,000 shares of Class B Common Stock pursuant to outstanding restricted stock units awarded under MNG’s Career RSU Plan);
  (xv)   take any action pursuant to the proviso of the definition of the Bay Area Business in the Restated Certificate;
  (xvi)   purchase or redeem equity securities of MNG (other than pursuant to (w) agreements previously approved by Hearst, (x) MNG’s Career RSU Plan, (y) employment and other agreements with Messrs. Singleton and Lodovic

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      in effect prior to the Effective Date and (z) Section 7(a) or 7(b) of Part A of Article FOURTH of the Restated Certificate;
  (xvii)   amend the Restated Charter in a manner adverse to the rights and preferences of the Class C Common Stock; or
  (xviii)   take any other action that requires an adjustment of the Class C Allocation Percentage pursuant to Section 8 of Part A of Article FOURTH of the Restated Certificate (other than as permitted under other clauses of this Section 8.02).
     (b) Hearst shall receive copies of monthly financial statements relating to the Non-Bay Area Business at the same time as monthly financial statements relating to MNG are furnished to the management of MNG. The management of MNG will make themselves available to Hearst at least quarterly to review monthly financial operating results and projections of future performance of the Non-Bay Area Business. Hearst shall also receive annual audited financial statements of the Non-Bay Area Business within one hundred-twenty (120) days after the end of MNG’s fiscal year. Such audited financial statements shall be accompanied by audited financial statements of MNG which include a set of consolidating financial statements of the Bay Area Business and Non-Bay Area Business. Such consolidating financial statements will be accompanied by the opinion of MNG’s auditors to the effect that such information has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in their audits of the basic financial statements and, in their opinion, is fairly stated in all materials respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.
     (c) Hearst shall be invited to the budget review meetings of the Non-Bay Area Business. The annual operating budgets and capital plans of the Non-Bay Area Business will be submitted

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to Hearst for its review and approval prior to their submission to MNG’s Board of Directors for its approval; provided, however, that if by the first day of any fiscal year the annual operating budget of the Non-Bay Area Business for such fiscal year shall not have been approved by Hearst, then the expenses in the annual operating budget of the Non-Bay Area Business in effect for the preceding fiscal year, as adjusted to reflect the year-to-year increase in the Bureau of Labor Standards Consumer Price Index [for All Urban Consumer (CPI-U), U.S. City Average, All Items] (or any similar index which may replace that index) during the preceding year shall become the annual operating budget of the Non-Area Business for such fiscal year.
     (d) To the extent MNG has such rights, (i) MNG shall consult with Hearst prior to terminating the employment of the most senior publishing employee at any newspaper with annual revenue in excess of $25,000,000 included in the Non-Bay Area Business and (ii) Hearst shall have the right to approve the hiring of any individual as the most senior publishing employee at any newspaper with annual revenue in excess of $25,000,000 included in the Non-Bay Area Business, and the terms of his or her employment, including but not limited to compensation; provided, however, that if Hearst does not approve the hiring or the terms of employment of any such individual proposed by MNG, MNG may then, in its sole discretion, after consulting with Hearst, hire any other individual as the most senior publishing employee at the applicable newspaper on such terms as MNG may, in its sole discretion, deem appropriate.
     (e) In exercising its rights under this Section 8.02, Hearst (and Hearst Permitted Transferees) shall be deemed to owe MNG and the Class A Shareholders the same fiduciary duties as are owed by a member of a board of directors of a Delaware corporation.
     8.03 Boards of Directors of Entities Comprising the Non-Bay Area Business. For so long as Hearst and the Hearst Permitted Transferees own shares of Class C Common Stock and

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the Class C Allocation Percentage is at least      percent (___%) [50% of the initial Class C Allocation Percentage], Hearst shall be entitled to designate from time to time one (1) director (the identity of whom shall be reasonably acceptable to the Board of Directors of MNG) serving on the Board of Directors of each Subsidiary of MNG (other than California Newspapers Partnership, a Delaware General Partnership (“CNP”), any Subsidiary holding assets comprising part of the Bay Area Business, any Subsidiary managing CNP or any such Subsidiary, and their successors) (“Applicable Subsidiaries”); provided, however, that with respect to any Applicable Subsidiary that is not wholly owned by MNG, the number of directors that may be designated by Hearst shall equal the product of the total number of directors that MNG is entitled to designate to the applicable Board of Directors multiplied by twenty percent (20%), rounded down to the next whole number; provided that in the event that MNG is entitled to appoint less than five (5) members of the Board of Directors of such non-wholly owned Subsidiary, MNG shall use its reasonable efforts to afford a representative of Hearst observer rights at meetings of the Board of Directors of such Subsidiary. In the event that any director designated by Hearst resigns from the applicable Board of Directors, Hearst may designate his or her successor (the identity of whom shall be reasonably acceptable to the Board of Directors of MNG). To the extent within MNG’s power, no director designated by Hearst may be removed from the applicable Board of Directors without Hearst’s prior written consent (or Hearst’s written direction to do so). To the extent within MNG’s power, MNG shall take all actions necessary or, in the case of non-wholly owned Subsidiaries, shall use its reasonable efforts, from time to time to cause Hearst’s designees to be elected to the Boards of Directors of the Applicable Subsidiaries in accordance with this Section 8.03. Hearst’s nominees for such directorships are identified in Exhibit A attached hereto.

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     8.04 Dividends.
     (a) During any period in which either (i) there is indebtedness allocated to both the Bay Area Business and the Non-Bay Area Business, or (ii) there is no indebtedness allocated to the Non-Bay Area Business or MNG has reserved funds sufficient to fully satisfy all such indebtedness, the Board of Directors shall not, without the consent of Hearst, declare a dividend on the Class A Common Stock from the cash flow of the Bay Area Business (other than as described in the following proviso) unless the Board of Directors shall also declare a dividend on the Class A Common Stock and Class C Common Stock out of the cash flow of the Non-Bay Area Business (the “Non-Bay Area Dividend”) equal to the same percentage of after-tax cash flow over the relevant period of the Non-Bay Area Business; provided, however, that (x) the amount of the Non-Bay Area Dividend shall not be required to exceed the funds legally available therefor and (y) the Board of Directors may declare dividends on the Class A Common Stock out of assets of the Bay Area Business in amounts of up to $10,000,000 in each of the five (5) fiscal years commencing with the Company’s fiscal year ended June 30, 2008, without declaring a dividend on the Class C Common Stock (it being understood that such dividends shall not require any dividends to be declared on the Class C Common Stock at any time), and to the extent that such dividends are not declared, the undeclared amount shall be carried forward and increase such amount for the next fiscal year (including fiscal years beyond the fifth such fiscal year). Any Non-Bay Area Dividend shall be apportioned between the Class A Common Stock and the Class C Common Stock in the manner described in Section 3(d)(ii) of Part A of Article FOURTH of the Restated Certificate.
     (b) During any period in which there is no indebtedness allocated to the Non-Bay Area Business or MNG has reserved funds allocated to the Non-Bay Area Business sufficient to fully

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satisfy all such indebtedness, the Company shall declare and pay dividends on an annual basis out of the assets of the Non-Bay Area Business legally available therefor, in an aggregate amount equal to the cash flow thereof for such period, less amounts reserved to meet capital expenditure requirements, expected liabilities and working capital needs, taxes and other approved expenditures, in each case of the Non-Bay Area Business, provided that such dividends shall not exceed the amount (i) legally available therefor or (ii) permitted under the Company’s debt instruments or indentures.
     8.05 William Dean Singleton. William Dean Singleton covenants that he shall not acquire an equity interest in any newspaper or other advertising-supported business (other than MNG and Fairbanks Daily News Miner, Inc.) with a value in excess of $250,000 unless and until (i) he notifies MNG (an “Investment Notice”) in advance of the potential acquisition (the “Investment”), which notice shall set forth the purchase price and any other principal terms thereof, and affords MNG the opportunity to make such investment, and (ii) whether or not Hearst’s approval is required for MNG to make such investment, Hearst does not approve of MNG making such investment. If MNG notifies Mr. Singleton that Hearst has approved MNG’s making such investment, then Mr. Singleton shall refrain from making the Investment; provided, however, that if consummation of the Investment is subsequently abandoned by MNG, Mr. Singleton shall be free to make the Investment without any further notification to MNG pursuant to this Section 8.05. With respect to any Investment, MNG shall notify Mr. Singleton of Hearst’s determination within twenty (20) days after its receipt of the applicable Investment Notice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Mr. Singleton make any investment in

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any business that would in any material respect interfere with his devoting his full business time and attention to MNG during the term of his full time employment with MNG. 1
     8.06 No Rights Concerning Bay Area Business. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing herein shall afford any Class C Shareholder in its capacity as such any management, information or other rights with respect to the Bay Area Business or MNG generally.
9. MISCELLANEOUS
     9.01 Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and deemed to have been duly given if delivered by hand or mailed, postage prepaid by certified mail, return receipt requested to the following Persons and addresses:
         
(a)
  To MNG or William Dean
Singleton:
  W. Dean Singleton,
Vice Chairman, Chief Executive Officer
and President
1560 Broadway, Suite 2100
Denver, Colorado 80202
Facsimile: (303) 894-9340
 
       
 
  With A Copy To:   Howell E. Begle, Jr., Esq.
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
1775 I Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006-2401
Facsimile: (202) 721-4646
 
       
 
      and
 
       
 
      James Modlin, Esq.
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
One Battery Park Plaza
New York, NY 10004
Facsimile: (202) 422-4726
 
1   Subject to review by Mr. Singleton.

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(b)
  To The Scudder Family
Voting Trust, The Jean L.
Scudder Irrevocable Trust,
The Scudder Family 1987 Trust,
Jean Scudder
  Jean L. Scudder
193 Old Kents Hill Road
Readfield, Maine 04335
 
       
 
  With A Copy To:   Frederick W. Rose, Esq.
Cooper, Rose & English. LLP
20 Bingham Avenue
Rumson, New Jersey 07760
Facsimile: (732) 758-1879
 
       
(c)
  To Charles A. Scudder:   Dr. Charles A. Scudder
4625 SW 29th Ave.
Portland, OR 97239
 
       
 
  With A Copy To:   Frederick W. Rose, Esq.
Cooper, Rose & English. LLP
20 Bingham Avenue
Rumson, New Jersey 07760
Facsimile: (732) 758-1879
 
       
(d)
  To Elizabeth H. Difani, The
Miguel Difani Irrevocable Trust,
The Chipeta Difani Irrevocable
Trust, The Katya Difani
Irrevocable Trust:
  Mrs. Elizabeth H. Difani
6000 Apple Road
Route 1, Box 138
Polson, MT 59860
 
       
 
  With A Copy To:   Frederick W. Rose, Esq.
Cooper, Rose & English. LLP
20 Bingham Avenue
Rumson, New Jersey 07760
Facsimile: (732) 758-1879
 
       
(e)
  To Carolyn Miller, The Jennifer
Miller Irrevocable Trust, The
Katherine Miller Irrevocable
Trust:
  Mrs. Carolyn Miller
926 South Waterloo Road
Devon, PA 19333
 
       
 
  With A Copy To:   Frederick W. Rose, Esq.
Cooper, Rose & English. LLP
20 Bingham Avenue
Rumson, New Jersey 07760
Facsimile: (732) 758-1879

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(f)
  To The Singleton
Family Voting Trust:
  Howell E. Begle, Jr., Esq.
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
1775 I Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006-2401
Facsimile: (202) 721-4646
 
       
(g)
  To The Singleton
Family Revocable
Trust:
  Howell E. Begle, Jr., Esq.
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
1775 I Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006-2401
Facsimile: (202) 721-4646
 
       
 
  With A Copy To:   Patricia Robinson
1560 Broadway, Suite 2100
Denver, Colorado 80202
Facsimile: (303) 894-9340
 
       
(h)
  To The Singleton
Family Irrevocable
Trust:
  Howell E. Begle, Jr., Esq.
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
1775 I Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006-2401
Facsimile: (202) 721-4646
 
       
 
  With A Copy To:   Patricia Robinson
1560 Broadway, Suite 2100
Denver, Colorado 80202
Facsimile: (303) 894-9340
 
       
(i)
  To Joseph J. Lodovic, IV:   Joseph J. Lodovic, IV
MediaNews Group, Inc.
1560 Broadway, Suite 2100
Denver, Colorado 80202
Facsimile: (303) 894-9340
 
       
(j)
  To Hearst:   The Hearst Corporation
959 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10019
Attention: General Counsel
Fax No.: (212) 649-2196
 
       
 
  With A Copy To:   Clifford Chance US LLP
31 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
Attention: Kathleen L. Werner
Fax No.: (212) 878-8526

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or to such subsequent Persons and addresses as may be specified by notice.
     9.02 Equitable Relief. The parties hereby acknowledge that monetary damages are insufficient to adequately remedy the damages which will accrue, or which have accrued, to a party hereto by reason of a failure to perform any of the obligations required under this Agreement. Therefore, if any party hereto shall institute any action or proceeding to enforce the provisions hereof, any Person (including MNG) against whom such action or proceeding is brought hereby waives the claim or defense therein that such party or personal representative has or have an adequate remedy at law, and such Person shall not advance in any such action or proceeding the claim or defense that such remedy at law exists.
     9.03 Entire Agreement. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, this Agreement contains the entire agreement among the parties and it may not be modified, changed, or amended unless the same be in writing and signed by all of the parties hereto, or their successors or assigns.
     9.04 Successors and Assigns. All of the terms and conditions herein contained shall bind each of the parties hereto, their successors, assigns, distributees, legatees, heirs, executors, administrators and personal representatives and also any receiver or trustee in bankruptcy or insolvency.
     9.05 Brokerage and Expenses. The parties hereto agree to pay their respective expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement. Each of the parties represents that it has had no dealings in connection with this transaction with any finder, broker or other third party who may have a claim against any of the other parties hereto arising out of or in connection with any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and each agrees to indemnify the others against and hold the others harmless from any and all liabilities (including without limitation,

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cost of counsel) to any Persons claiming brokerage commissions or finder’s fees on account of services purported to have been rendered on behalf of, or loss of investment rights or opportunity caused by, the indemnifying party in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
     9.06 Waivers. The terms, covenants, representations, warranties or conditions of this Agreement may be waived only by a written instrument executed by the party waiving compliance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) a waiver of rights of all Class A Shareholders hereunder shall be effective if executed by (x) Class A Shareholders holding at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the shares of Class A Common Stock held by all Class A Shareholders and (y) Hearst, if Hearst or any Hearst Permitted Transferee is then a Class A Shareholder, and (ii) a waiver of rights of all Class C Shareholders hereunder shall be effective if executed by Class C Shareholders holding at least a majority of the shares of Class C Common Stock held by all Class C Shareholders. No waiver by any party of any breach of any term, covenant, representation, condition or warranty contained in this Agreement, whether by contract or otherwise, in any one or more instances, shall be deemed to be or construed as a waiver of any other breach of any other term, covenant, representation, condition or warranty contained in this Agreement.
     9.07 Amendment. This Agreement may be amended only by a written instrument executed by (i) Shareholders holding at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the shares of Class A Common Stock held by all Class A Shareholders and (ii) Hearst.
     9.08 Announcement. Such public announcement or “release” describing the transactions provided for herein as may be required by applicable law or regulation shall be made (and jointly agreed to) by MNG and Hearst. No other public announcement or release with

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respect to the transactions provided for herein shall be made by any party, unless the same shall be approved in advance by the other parties hereto.
     9.09 Captions and Pronouns. The captions appearing in this Agreement are included solely for the convenience of the parties and shall not be given any effect in construing this Agreement. Wherever singular pronouns are used herein, the same shall include the plural, and vice versa, and wherever words of any gender are used herein, such words shall include other genders.
     9.10 Choice of Law. This Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware without regard to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.
     9.11 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and by facsimile signatures, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which taken together shall be deemed to be one and the same instrument.
     9.12 Termination of Prior Shareholders’ Agreement. Effective as of the date of this Agreement, the Prior Shareholders’ Agreement is hereby terminated and of no further force or effect (other than any obligations of any party thereto which accrued prior to the date of this Agreement), provided, this Section 9.12 shall not serve to eliminate liability arising out of conduct, events or circumstances prior to the date of this Agreement.
     9.13 Regulatory Matters.
     (a) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Hearst covenants that it will not have or will give up governing rights with respect to any and all newspapers located in markets where Hearst or any of its Affiliates owns a television station if necessary to comply with Federal Communications Commission cross-ownership rules.

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     (b) In the event that any approvals, consents and/or waivers are required to be obtained from any federal, state or local governmental authority in order to permit Hearst or any Hearst Permitted Transferee to own any Class A Common Stock upon conversion of Class C Common Stock pursuant to the Restated Certificate (including, but not limited to, the expiration or termination of the waiting period (and each extension thereof, if any) applicable to such ownership under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended) (collectively, “Regulatory Approvals”), the Company and Hearst will each use their reasonable efforts to obtain all such Regulatory Approvals.
     9.14 Parties. During the term of this Agreement, if any Class A Shareholder Transfers in accordance with this Agreement all of the shares of Class A Common Stock owned by such Class A Shareholder, then effective upon such Transfer such Class A Shareholder shall no longer be a party to or bound by this Agreement, provided, this Section 9.14 shall not serve to eliminate liability arising out of conduct, events or circumstances prior to such Transfer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Hearst shall remain a party to this Agreement for so long as any Hearst Permitted Transferee is a Shareholder hereunder.
     9.15 Certain Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
     (a) “Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any Person that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such Person. “control” (including, with correlative meanings, “controlled by”, “under common control with” and “controlling”) means possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies of the relevant Person (whether through ownership of securities, partnership interests or other ownership interests, by contract,

C-42


 

by membership or involvement in the board of directors, management committee or other management structure of such Affiliate, or otherwise).
     (b) “Bay Area Business” shall have the meaning specified in the Restated Certificate.
     (c) “Common Stock” shall mean on any date the outstanding Class A Common Stock, together with outstanding Class B Common Stock and outstanding Class C Common Stock, in each case as if converted into Class A Common Stock on such date.
     (d) “Non-Bay Area Business” shall have the meaning specified in the Restated Certificate.
     (e) “Money Market Investment” shall mean (i) any security issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof having a remaining maturity of not more than one year, (ii) any certificate of deposit, eurodollar time deposit and bankers’ acceptance with remaining maturity of not more than one year, any overnight bank deposit, and any demand deposit account, in each case with any lender under the Company’s senior debt facility or with any United States commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000 and rated B or better by Thomson Bankwatch Inc., (iii) any repurchase obligation with a term of not more than seven (7) days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (i) and (ii) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (ii) above, and (iv) any commercial paper issued by any lender under the Company’s senior debt facility or the parent corporation of any such lender and any other commercial paper rated A-1 or higher by S&P or Prime-1 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (and any successor thereto) and in any case having a remaining maturity of not more than one year.

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     (f) “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, government or agency or political subdivision thereof, or other entity, whether acting in an individual, fiduciary or other capacity.
     (g) “Subsidiary” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company or partnership a majority or more of whose outstanding voting securities or membership or partnership interests, as the case may be, are, directly or indirectly, owned by such Person.

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have entered into this amended and restated Agreement as of the date and year first shown above.
         
  MEDIANEWS GROUP, INC.
 
 
  By:      
    William Dean Singleton, Vice Chairman &
CEO 
 
       
 
         
     
         
      William Dean Singleton, Individually   
     
 
         
  THE SINGLETON FAMILY VOTING TRUST
FOR MEDIANEWS GROUP, INC.
 
 
  By:      
    Howell E. Begle, Jr., Trustee   
       

C-45


 

         
         
  THE SINGLETON FAMILY IRREVOCABLE
TRUST
 
 
  By:      
    Howell E. Begle, Jr., Trustee   
       
 
         
     
  By:      
    Patricia Robinson, Trustee   
       
 
         
  THE SINGLETON FAMILY REVOCABLE
TRUST
 
 
  By:      
    William Dean Singleton, Trustee   
       
 
         
     
  By:      
    Howell E. Begle, Jr., Trustee   
       
 
         
     
         
      Joseph J. Lodovic, IV, Individually   
     
 
         
  THE SCUDDER FAMILY VOTING TRUST FOR
MEDIANEWS GROUP, INC.
 
 
  By:      
    Jean L. Scudder, Trustee   
       

C-46


 

         
         
  THE JEAN L. SCUDDER IRREVOCABLE
TRUST
 
 
  By:      
    Jean L. Scudder, Trustee   
       
 
         
  THE SCUDDER FAMILY 1987 TRUST
 
 
  By:      
    Jean L. Scudder, Trustee   
       
 
         
     
         
      Jean L. Scudder, Individually   
     
 
         
     
         
      Charles Scudder, Individually   
     
 
         
     
         
      Carolyn Miller, Individually   
     
 
         
  THE JENNIFER MILLER IRREVOCABLE
TRUST
 
 
  By:      
    Carolyn Miller, Trustee   
       

C-47


 

         
         
  THE KATHERINE MILLER IRREVOCABLE
TRUST
 
 
  By:      
    Carolyn Miller, Trustee   
       
 
         
     
  /s/    
  Elizabeth Difani, Individually   
     
 
         
  THE MIGUEL DIFANI IRREVOCABLE TRUST
 
 
  By:      
    Elizabeth Difani, Trustee   
       
 
         
  THE CHIPETA DIFANI IRREVOCABLE TRUST
 
 
  By:      
    Elizabeth Difani, Trustee   
       
 
         
  THE KATYA DIFANI IRREVOCABLE TRUST
 
 
  By:      
    Elizabeth Difani, Trustee   
       
 
         
  THE HEARST CORPORATION
 
 
  By:      
       
       
 

C-48

EX-99.2 3 d38434exv99w2.htm SIXTH AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT exv99w2
 

Exhibit 99.2
SIXTH AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT
     THIS SIXTH AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT (this “Amendment”), dated as of August 2, 2006, is by and among MediaNews Group, Inc. (the “Borrower”), the guarantors identified on the signature pages hereto (the “Guarantors”), the Lenders parties hereto and Bank of America, N.A., administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), Bank of New York, as Syndication Agent, Wachovia Bank, National Association, Union Bank of California, N.A. and KeyBank National Association, as Co-Documentation Agents and Banc of America Securities LLC and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Book Managers.
RECITALS
     A. The Borrower, the Guarantors, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent entered into that certain Credit Agreement dated as of December 30, 2003, as amended pursuant to First Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of January 20, 2004, as further amended pursuant to Second Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of April 16, 2004, as further amended pursuant to Third Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of August 30, 2004, as further amended pursuant to Fourth Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of September 8, 2005, and as further amended pursuant to Fifth Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of June 28, 2006 (as previously amended, the “Existing Credit Agreement”). Capitalized terms used herein which are not defined herein and which are defined in the Existing Credit Agreement shall have the same meanings as therein defined.
     B. The Loan Parties have requested that certain provisions of the Existing Credit Agreement be amended; and
     C. The parties hereto have agreed to amend the Existing Credit Agreement as set forth herein.
     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreements hereinafter set forth, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
AGREEMENT
     1. Amendments to Existing Credit Agreement. Effective upon satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 2 below, the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended as follows:
     (A) The definition of “Applicable Rate” appearing in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

 


 

     “Applicable Rate” means the following percentages per annum, based upon the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 7.01(c):
                                                                         
                      Eurodollar Loans   Base Rate Loans  
                      Revolving             Revolving        
        Consolidated             Loans and             Loans and        
        Total           Letters   Tranche A   Tranche   Tranche   Tranche A   Tranche   Tranche
Pricing   Leverage   Commitment   of   Term   B Term   C Term   Term   B Term   C Term
Tier   Ratio   Fee   Credit   Loan   Loan   Loan   Loan   Loan   Loan
  1    
Less than 3.5x
    0.25 %     0.75 %     0.75 %     1.25 %     1.75 %     0.00 %     0.25 %     0.75 %
  2    
Less than 4.5 to 1.0 but equal to or greater than 3.5 to 1.0
    0.25 %     0.875 %     0.875 %     1.25 %     1.75 %     0.00 %     0.25 %     0.75 %
  3    
Less than 5.5 to 1.0 but equal to or greater than 4.5 to 1.0
    0.375 %     1.00 %     1.00 %     1.25 %     1.75 %     0.00 %     0.25 %     0.75 %
  4    
Equal to or greater than 5.5 to 1.0
    0.375 %     1.25 %     1.25 %     1.25 %     1.75 %     0.00 %     0.25 %     0.75 %
Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Rate resulting from a change in the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(c); provided, however, that if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with such Section, then Pricing Tier 4 shall apply as of the first Business Day after the date on which such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered and shall continue to apply until the first Business Day immediately following the date such Compliance Certificate is delivered, whereupon the Applicable Rate shall be adjusted based upon the calculation of the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio contained in such Compliance Certificate. If the St. Paul/Monterey Purchase is financed with proceeds from Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of its Affiliates and, as a result thereof, either (i) the ratings of this Agreement issued by each of Moody’s and S&P are both downgraded or (ii) the Borrower’s corporate family rating issued by Moody’s and the Borrower’s corporate credit rating issued by S&P are each downgraded, then the Applicable Rate for the Tranche C Term Loan shall be increased by 0.25%. The Applicable Rate in effect from the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date through the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 7.01(c) for the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2006 shall be determined based upon Pricing Tier 4.

2


 

     (B) The definition of “Consolidated Fixed Charges” appearing in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     “Consolidated Fixed Charges” means, for any period with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, without duplication, the sum of (a) all Required Repayments, and all required payments of principal of Indebtedness (including Attributable Indebtedness in respect of Capital Leases and Synthetic Leases (other than the Denver Synthetic Lease and the Salt Lake Printer Lease)) scheduled to have been made during such period (excluding optional prepayments, redemptions and defeasances), determined on a consolidated basis, (b) Consolidated Capital Expenditures for such period, (c) Consolidated Interest Expense for such period (d) taxes paid in cash during such period net of any refunds of any such taxes or payments received during such period (but only to the extent not in excess of such taxes paid during such period), and (e) to the extent not included in Consolidated Interest Expense for such period, interest paid in cash by the Borrower or its Affiliates during such period with respect to any Indebtedness of any direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower holding a majority of the Capital Stock of the Borrower (including interest paid on Indebtedness described in Section 8.23).
     (C) The definition of “Consolidated Operating Cash Flow” appearing in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     “Consolidated Operating Cash Flow” means, as of any date of determination with respect to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the following, with respect to the immediately preceding four fiscal quarters of the Borrower for which the Required Financial Information has been delivered: (A) revenues minus (B) the sum of (i) cost of sales, (ii) management fees, (iii) regularly scheduled payments in respect of the Denver Synthetic Lease and (iv) selling, general and administrative expenses (other than non-cash expenses accrued under employee compensation and stock ownership plans and post-retirement executive medical plans) for such period plus (C) dividends or other distributions received in cash from any Person (other than a JOA or the Salt Lake Printer Entity) not constituting a Restricted Subsidiary hereunder for such period plus (D) one-time expenses incurred in connection with the Contra Costa/San Jose Purchase not to exceed $3,000,000 in the aggregate during the term of this Agreement plus (E) severance expenses for such period not to exceed (i) $135,000 for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2005, (ii) $135,000 for fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2006, (iii) $1,335,000 for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2006, (iv) $4,750,000 in the aggregate for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007 and (v) $3,000,000 in the aggregate for any fiscal year thereafter plus (F) nonrecurring plant closing costs with respect to the Salt Lake JOA incurred during fiscal year 2006 in an aggregate amount not to exceed $1,555,000.

3


 

     (D) The definition of “Indebtedness” appearing in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     “Indebtedness” of any Person means (a) any obligation of such Person for borrowed money, (b) any obligation of such Person evidenced by a bond, debenture, note or other similar instrument, (c) any obligation of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services, except (i) a trade account payable that arises in the ordinary course of business but only if and so long as the same is payable on customary trade terms and (ii) to the extent not required to be recorded as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP, customary contingent earn-out provisions contained in acquisition agreements entered into in compliance with this Agreement, (d) the Attributable Indebtedness of such Person with respect to Capital Leases and Synthetic Leases, (e) any Mandatorily Redeemable Stock of such Person owned by any Person other than such Person or a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of such Person (the amount of such Mandatorily Redeemable Stock to be determined for this purpose as the higher of the liquidation preference of and the amount payable upon redemption of such Mandatorily Redeemable Stock), (f) any obligation of such Person to purchase securities or other property that arises out of or in connection with the sale of the same or substantially similar securities or property, (g) any non-contingent obligation of such Person to reimburse any other Person in respect of amounts paid under a letter of credit or other Guarantee issued by such other Person to the extent that such reimbursement obligation remains outstanding after it becomes non-contingent, (h) any Indebtedness of others secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) a Lien on any asset of such Person, (i) any Indebtedness of others Guaranteed by such Person, and (j) to the extent required to be recorded as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP, any monetary obligation of such Person arising out of a non-competition agreement entered into by such Person in connection with the acquisition of assets, stock, or other equity interest of a third Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) any obligations of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries under Section 9.9 of the Partnership Agreement (or any provision of the Stephens Partnership Agreement containing comparable provisions), shall not constitute Indebtedness (A) in the case of the Partnership Agreement, until the earlier of (i) the date subsequent to Donrey Newspapers LLC’s exercise of its rights pursuant to such Section that the amount of such obligations is determined in accordance with the procedures provided in the Partnership Agreement (not to exceed 180 days) if the Borrower has not elected to dissolve the California Partnership by such date and (ii) if the Borrower has elected to dissolve the California Partnership by the date as described in the preceding subclause (i), the date that is 365 days after the date that the Borrower has elected to dissolve the California Partnership and (B) in the case of the Stephens Partnership Agreement, until the earlier of (i) the date subsequent to the Stephens Partner’s exercise of its “put” rights pursuant to the Stephens Partnership Agreement that the amount of such obligations is determined in accordance with the procedures provided in the Stephens Partnership Agreement (not to exceed 180 days) if the Borrower has not elected to dissolve the Stephens Partnership by such date and (ii) if the Borrower has elected to dissolve the Stephens Partnership by the date as described in the preceding subclause (i), the date that is 365 days after the date that the Borrower has elected to dissolve the Stephens Partnership and (2) to the extent required to be recorded as a liability on the balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP, liabilities evidencing the Borrower’s obligations to consummate the St. Paul/Monterey Purchase pursuant to the Hearst Investment Agreement shall for the avoidance of doubt not constitute Indebtedness.
     (E) The definition of “Letter of Credit Sublimit” appearing in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     “Letter of Credit Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and (b) $35,000,000. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

4


 

     (F) The definition of “Maturity Date” appearing in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     “Maturity Date” (a) as to the Revolving Loans, Swingline Loans and Letters of Credit (and the related L/C Obligations), December 30, 2009 as such date may be extended pursuant to Section 2.14, (b) as to the Tranche A Term Loan and Tranche B Term Loan, December 30, 2010 and (c) as to the Tranche C Term Loan, August 2, 2013.
     (G) The definition of “Permitted Acquisition” appearing in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     “Permitted Acquisition” means (a) an Acquisition by a Loan Party that is not a Limited Guarantor (whether by purchase or exchange, and whether constituting a purchase of assets or stock) of any Permitted Business (provided that, the business activities conducted by the Person or Property so acquired may include any business activities that do not constitute a Permitted Business so long as such business activities do not represent a material portion of the overall business activities conducted by such acquired Person or Property) so long as (i) in the case of an Acquisition of Capital Stock of another Person, such Person shall become a Guarantor in accordance with Section 7.04 and the Capital Stock of such Person shall be pledged pursuant to the Collateral Documents in accordance with Section 7.08 and (ii) in the event that the aggregate purchase price with respect to such Acquisition is greater than $10,000,000, the Borrower shall have provided to the Administrative Agent (A) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower stating that (1) the representations and warranties in Article VI are true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they were true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date) both immediately before and after giving effect to such Acquisition and (2) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing both immediately before and after giving effect to such Acquisition, and (B) a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate demonstrating that the Borrower would be in compliance with Section 8.19 after giving effect to such Acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis as of the most recent fiscal quarter end with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received the Required Financial Information; (b) the Contra Costa/San Jose Purchase; and (c) the St. Paul/Monterey Purchase so long as the Borrower shall have provided to the Administrative Agent (A) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower stating that (1) the representations and warranties in Article VI are true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they were true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date) both immediately before and after giving effect to the St. Paul/Monterey Purchase and (2) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing both immediately before and after giving effect to the St. Paul/Monterey Purchase, and (B) a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate demonstrating that the Borrower would be in compliance with Section 8.19 after giving effect to the St. Paul/Monterey Purchase on a Pro Forma Basis as of the most recent fiscal quarter end with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received the Required Financial Information.

5


 

     (H) Subsection (xii) of the definition of “Permitted Investments” appearing in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     (xii) (a) subject to compliance with Section 8.06(c), any Voluntary Disposition of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock or assets of Los Angeles Daily News or Long Beach Publishing Company to the California Partnership (or a Subsidiary thereof) and (b) the Voluntary Disposition (or in the case of cash, the contribution) of the California Assets to the California Partnership (or a Subsidiary thereof) or in the case of The Monterey County Herald, the Stephens Partnership;
     (I) The definition of “Tranche C Term Loan Commitment” appearing in Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     “Tranche C Term Loan Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make its portion of the Tranche C Term Loan to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(d), in the principal amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01A or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto or in any documentation executed by such Lender pursuant to Section 2.01(e), as applicable. The aggregate principal amount of the Tranche C Term Loan Commitments of all of the Lenders as in effect on the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date (after giving effect to Amendment No. 6) is Three Hundred Fifty Million Dollars ($350,000,000).
     (J) The following new definitions are hereby added to Section 1.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement to read as follows:
     “Amendment No. 6” means the Sixth Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of August 2, 2006 by and among the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Lenders parties thereto and the Administrative Agent.
     “Amendment No. 6 Effective Date” means August 2, 2006.
     “California Assets” means (a) the Contra Costa/San Jose Assets and the St. Paul/Monterey Assets (other than the St. Paul Pioneer Press), (b) up to $470 million in cash to be used to pay the purchase price thereof under the Hearst Purchase Agreement, the Hearst Investment Agreement and the McClatchy Purchase Agreement (and associated expenses) or (c) a combination of such assets and cash with aggregate value not to exceed $470 million.
     “Contra Costa/San Jose Assets” means the San Jose Mercury News and the Contra Costa Times, or entities holding only such newspapers (and related assets).
     “Contra Costa/San Jose Purchase” means the Acquisition by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries of the Contra Costa/San Jose Assets pursuant to the McClatchy Purchase Agreement.

6


 

     “Hearst Investment Agreement” means the (x) Agreement between the Borrower and The Hearst Corporation dated April 26, 2006, as amended by agreement dated August 2, 2006, and (y) upon execution thereof, a stock purchase agreement to be entered into between the Borrower and The Hearst Corporation with respect to The Hearst Corporation’s purchase of a minority equity interest in the Borrower in connection with the St Paul/Monterey Purchase.
     “Hearst Purchase Agreement” means that certain Stock and Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of April 26, 2006 by and between The Hearst Corporation and the Borrower, including all schedules and exhibits thereto.
     “McClatchy Purchase Agreement” means that certain Stock and Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of April 26, 2006 by and between The McClatchy Company and the Borrower, including all schedules and exhibits thereto.
     “Stephens Partnership” means a general partnership between The Stephens Group, Inc. (or a Subsidiary thereof) and the Borrower (or a Restricted Subsidiary thereof), in which the Borrower holds approximately 67% of the voting equity interest.
     “St. Paul/Monterey Assets” means the St. Paul Pioneer Press and The Monterey County Herald, or entities holding such only newspapers (and related assets).
     “St. Paul/Monterey Purchase” means the Acquisition by the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries of the St. Paul/Monterey Assets.
     (K) Section 1.03(c) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     (c) Calculations with Respect to Certain Transactions. Notwithstanding the above but subject to subsection (d) below, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that, for purposes of all calculations made under the financial covenants set forth in Section 8.19 (including without limitation for purposes of the definitions of “Applicable Rate” and “Pro Forma Basis” set forth in Section 1.01), (i) after consummation of any Voluntary Disposition, any redesignation of a Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary (as referred to in the definition of “Restricted Subsidiary”) or any exercise of a Permitted Option in respect of the Salt Lake Printer Entity, (A) income statement items (whether positive or negative) and capital expenditures attributable to the assets disposed of (or the redesignated Subsidiary) shall be excluded and (B) Indebtedness which is retired shall be excluded and deemed to have been retired as of the first day of the applicable period, (ii) after consummation of any Permitted Investment described in clauses (iii), (iv), (vi), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiv) and (xv) of the definition thereof or any redesignation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary (as referred to in the definition of “Restricted Subsidiary”), (A) income statement items (whether positive or negative) and capital expenditures (other than capital expenditures that are non-recurring and not in the ordinary course of business) attributable to the Permitted Investment or the redesignated Subsidiary shall, to the extent not otherwise included in such income statement items for the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP or in accordance with any defined terms set forth in Section 1.01, be included to the extent relating to any period applicable in such calculations, (B) to the extent not retired in connection with such transaction, Indebtedness attributable hereunder to any Permitted Investment or the redesignated Subsidiary shall be deemed to have been incurred as of the first day of the applicable period and

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     (C) pro forma adjustments reflecting costs savings may be included to the extent that (1) such adjustments would give effect to events that are (x) directly attributable to such transaction or (y) expected to have a continuing impact on the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, (2) such adjustments have been approved by the Administrative Agent and (3) the aggregate amount of such pro forma adjustments do not exceed 10% of Consolidated Operating Cash Flow (as calculated on a Pro Forma Basis, without taking into account this clause (C), after giving effect to such transaction) at such time, (iii) upon completion of the Denver Printer Consolidation and/or the Salt Lake Printer Build-Out, pro forma adjustments reflecting costs savings may be included to the extent that (A) such adjustments would give effect to events that are (1) directly attributable to either such consolidation or facility or (2) expected to have a continuing impact on the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries and (B) such adjustments have been approved by the Administrative Agent, and (iv) with respect to any applicable period ending prior to the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date, pro forma treatment shall be given to management fees payable by The Hearst Corporation to the Borrower (or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries) pursuant to the Hearst Investment Agreement (as if the Hearst Investment Agreement was in full force and effect during such applicable period), provided that such pro forma treatment shall only be available in respect of covenant calculations made in respect of each of the four fiscal quarters ended immediately after the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date. and only so long as either (A) the Hearst Investment Agreement remains in full force and effect as of the date of determination or (B) the St. Paul/Monterey Purchase has been consummated.
     (L) Section 2.01(d) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     (d) Tranche C Term Loan. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make its portion of a term loan (the “Tranche C Term Loan”) to the Borrower in Dollars on the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date (or on the effective date of any increase in the aggregate Tranche C Term Loan Commitments pursuant to Section 2.01(e), as applicable) in an amount not to exceed such Lender’s Tranche C Term Loan Commitment. Without limitation of Section 2.01(e), amounts repaid on the Tranche C Term Loan after the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date may not be reborrowed. The Tranche C Term Loan may consist of Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein; provided, however, unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, all Borrowings made on the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date shall be made as Base Rate Loans, and such Borrowings may not be converted into Eurodollar Rate Loans until the tenth Business Day following the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date.
     (M) Section 2.02(b) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     (b) Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Pro Rata Share of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans as described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. (or 2:00 p.m. in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans) on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice.

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     Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 5.02 (and, in the case of the Borrowings of the Tranche C Term Loan on the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date, the conditions precedent to the effectiveness of Amendment No. 6), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided, however, that if, on the date of a Borrowing of Revolving Loans, there are L/C Borrowings or Swingline Loans outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing shall be applied, first, to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, second, to the payment in full of any such Swingline Loans and third, to the Borrower as provided above.
     (N) Section 2.06(b)(ii)(B) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety.
     (O) Section 2.07(e) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:

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     (e) Tranche C Term Loan. The Borrower shall repay the outstanding principal amount of the Tranche C Term Loan in installments on the last Business Day of each month and in the amounts set forth in the table below (as such installments may hereafter be adjusted as a result of prepayments made pursuant to Section 2.05 or as the result of an increase in the amount of the aggregate Tranche C Term Loan Commitments pursuant to Section 2.01(e)), unless accelerated sooner pursuant to Section 9.02:
     
    Principal Amortization
Payment Dates   Payment
September, 2006
  $875,000
December, 2006   $875,000
March, 2007   $875,000
June, 2007   $875,000
September, 2007   $875,000
December, 2007   $875,000
March, 2008   $875,000
June, 2008   $875,000
September, 2008   $875,000
December, 2008   $875,000
March, 2009   $875,000
June, 2009   $875,000
September, 2009   $875,000
December, 2009   $875,000
March, 2010   $875,000
June, 2010   $875,000
September, 2010   $875,000
December, 2010   $875,000
March, 2011   $875,000
June, 2011   $875,000
September, 2011   $875,000
December, 2011   $875,000
March, 2012   $875,000
June, 2012   $875,000
September, 2012   $82,250,000
December, 2012   $82,250,000
March, 2013   $82,250,000
Maturity Date   Remaining Balance
     (P) The second paragraph of Section 4.01 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein or in any other of the Loan Documents or Swap Contracts, (a) the obligations of each Guarantor under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be limited to an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render such obligations subject to avoidance under the Debtor Relief Laws or any comparable provisions of any applicable state law, (b) the liability of Los Angeles Daily News pursuant to this Article IV shall be limited to the each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. (or 2:00 p.m. in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans) on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice.

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     (Q) Section 5.02 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended by adding new clauses (e) and (f) thereto which shall read as follows:
     (e) During the period, if any, commencing on the date that any obligations of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries under Section 9.9 of the Partnership Agreement are required to be treated as Indebtedness pursuant to this Agreement and ending on the date that the Borrower delivers a quarterly Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 7.01(c)(i) containing financial covenant calculations that treat such obligations as Indebtedness, any Request for Credit Extension consisting of a Revolving Loan, Letter of Credit or Swingline Loan, shall be accompanied by a calculations demonstrating compliance with financial covenants set forth in Sections 8.19(a) and 8.19(b) on a pro forma basis (assuming such obligations were treated as Indebtedness as of the first day of the calculation period).
     (f) During the period, if any, commencing on the date that any obligations of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries under the Stephens Partnership Agreement are required to be treated as Indebtedness pursuant to this Agreement and ending on the date that the Borrower delivers a quarterly Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 7.01(c)(i) containing financial covenant calculations that treat such obligations as Indebtedness, any Request for Credit Extension consisting of a Revolving Loan, Letter of Credit or Swingline Loan, shall be accompanied by a calculations demonstrating compliance with financial covenants set forth in Sections 8.19(a) and 8.19(b) on a pro forma basis (assuming such obligations were treated as Indebtedness as of the first day of the calculation period).
     (R) The following new Section 7.09 is hereby added to the Existing Credit Agreement to read as follows:
     7.09 Maintenance of Debt Ratings.
     From and after the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date, the Borrower shall maintain and shall reaffirm on an annual basis (a) a corporate family rating by Moody’s, (b) a corporate credit rating by S&P and (c) ratings for this Agreement from each of Moody’s and S&P.
     (S) The word “and” at the end of Section 8.04(g) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby deleted, the “.” at the end of Section 8.04(h) is hereby deleted and replaced with “; and”, and the following new Section 8.04(i) is hereby added to the Existing Credit Agreement to read as follows:
     (i) made by the Borrower to any direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower holding a majority of the Capital Stock of the Borrower for the sole purpose of paying cash interest with respect to any Indebtedness of such direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower holding a majority of the Capital Stock of the Borrower, provided that (A) no Event of Default exists or would result therefrom and (B) such Indebtedness is not prohibited by Section 8.23.

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     (T) Section 8.06(c) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     (c) (1) the contribution of all or substantially all of the Capital Stock or assets of Los Angeles Daily News or Long Beach Publishing Company to the California Partnership (or a Subsidiary thereof), so long as the Borrower shall have furnished to the Administrative Agent, not later than the fifth Business Day preceding the date of any such Voluntary Disposition (i) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower stating that (A) each representation in Article VI is true and correct in all material respects both immediately before and after giving effect to such Voluntary Disposition (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty specifically refers to an earlier date, in which case it was true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date), and (B) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing both immediately before and after giving effect to such Voluntary Disposition, and (ii) a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate demonstrating that the Borrower would be in compliance with Section 8.19 after giving effect to such Voluntary Disposition on a Pro Forma Basis as of the most recent fiscal quarter end with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received the Required Financial Information and (2) the contribution of the California Assets to the California Partnership (or a Subsidiary thereof) or in the case of The Monterey County Herald, to the Stephens Partnership;
     (U) Section 8.19 of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     (a) Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio. Permit the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower set forth below to be greater than the ratio corresponding to such fiscal quarter:
                 
Calendar Year   March 31   June 30   September 30   December 31
2006   N/A   6.00 to 1.0   6.00 to 1.0   6.00 to 1.0
2007   6.00 to 1.0   6.00 to 1.0   5.50 to 1.0   5.50 to 1.0
2008   5.50 to 1.0   5.50 to 1.0   5.25 to 1.0   5.25 to 1.0
2009   5.25 to 1.0   5.25 to 1.0   5.00 to 1.0   5.00 to 1.0
2010   5.00 to 1.0   5.00 to 1.0   4.50 to 1.0   4.50 to 1.0
Thereafter   4.50 to 1.0   4.50 to 1.0   4.50 to 1.0   4.50 to 1.0
     (b) Ratio of Consolidated Senior Debt to Consolidated Operating Cash Flow. Permit the ratio of Consolidated Senior Debt to Consolidated Operating Cash Flow as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower set forth below to be greater than the ratio corresponding to such fiscal quarter:
                 
Calendar Year   March 31   June 30   September 30   December 31
2006   N/A   4.00 to 1.0   4.00 to 1.0   4.00 to 1.0
2007   4.00 to 1.0   4.00 to 1.0   3.50 to 1.0   3.50 to 1.0
2008   3.50 to 1.0   3.50 to 1.0   3.50 to 1.0   3.50 to 1.0
Thereafter   3.50 to 1.0   3.50 to 1.0   3.00 to 1.0   3.00 to 1.0

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     (c) Fixed Charge Coverage. Permit the ratio of (i) Consolidated Operating Cash Flow to (ii) Consolidated Fixed Charges as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower to be less than 1.25 to 1.0.
     (V) The following new Section 8.23 is hereby added to the Existing Credit Agreement to read as follows:
     8.23 Restrictions on Holdco Debt.
     Permit any direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness that (a) is guaranteed by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any JOA, (b) is recourse to Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any JOA, or (c) has a maturity date on or before the Maturity Date of the Tranche C Term Loans.
     (W) Section 9.01(d) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     (d) With respect to any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness outstanding under the Loan Documents) in excess of $10,000,000 in the aggregate for the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole or any direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower holding a majority of the Capital Stock of the Borrower, (i) either (A) a default in any payment shall occur and continue (beyond the applicable grace period with respect thereto, if any) with respect to any such Indebtedness or (B) a default in the observance or performance relating to such Indebtedness or contained in any Contract evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event or condition shall occur or exist, and such default, event or condition shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any, specified therein, if the effect of such default, event or condition is to accelerate, or to permit the acceleration of, the maturity of such Indebtedness; or (ii) any such Indebtedness shall be declared due and payable, or required to be prepaid other than by a regularly scheduled required prepayment or redemption or defeasance in accordance with the terms thereof, prior to the stated maturity thereof; unless in each such case the obligee under or holder of such Indebtedness shall have waived in writing such circumstance so that such circumstance is no longer continuing; or
     (X) Section 9.01(e) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     (e) (i) The Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary, any other Loan Party or any direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower holding a majority of the Capital Stock of the Borrower shall (A) commence a voluntary case under the United States Bankruptcy Code (as now or hereafter in effect), (B) file a petition seeking to take advantage of any other Debtor Relief Laws, (C) consent to or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner any petition filed against it in an involuntary case under Debtor Relief Laws, (D) apply for, or consent to, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, the appointment of, or the taking of possession by, a receiver, custodian, trustee, liquidator or the like of itself or of a substantial part of its assets, domestic or foreign, (E) admit in writing its inability to pay, or generally not be paying, its debts (other than those that are the subject of bona fide disputes) as they become due, (F) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or (G) take any corporate action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing; or

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     (ii) (A) A case or other proceeding shall be commenced against the Borrower, any Restricted Subsidiary, any other Loan Party or any direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower holding a majority of the Capital Stock of the Borrower seeking (1) relief under the United States Bankruptcy Code (as now or hereafter in effect) or under any other Debtor Relief Laws, or (2) the appointment of a trustee, receiver, custodian, liquidator or the like of the Borrower, any such Restricted Subsidiary, any other Loan Party or any direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower holding a majority of the Capital Stock of the Borrower, or of all or any substantial part of the assets, domestic or foreign, of the Borrower, any such Restricted Subsidiary or any other Loan Party or any direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower holding a majority of the Capital Stock of the Borrower, and such case or proceeding shall continue undismissed and unstayed for a period of 45 days, or (B) an order granting the relief requested in such case or proceeding against the Borrower, any such Restricted Subsidiary or any other Loan Party or any direct or indirect parent company of the Borrower holding a majority of the Capital Stock of the Borrower (including an order for relief under such Federal bankruptcy laws) shall be entered; or
     (Y) Section 10.04(b) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     (b) For purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in Section 5.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Tranche C Term Loan, the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date, in either case, specifying its objection thereto.
     (Z) The following new Section 11.02(e) is hereby added to the Existing Credit Agreement to read as follows:
     (e) The Platform. INTRALINKS OR ANOTHER SIMILAR ELECTRONIC SYSTEM (THE “PLATFORM”) IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) through the Internet, except to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Agent Party; provided, however, that in no event shall any Agent Party have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender or any other Person for indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages).

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     (AA) The following new Section 11.02(f) is hereby added to the Existing Credit Agreement to read as follows:
     (f) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, telecopier or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, telecopier number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender.
     (BB) Section 11.07(b) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     (b) Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations and in Swingline Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
     (i) Minimum Amounts.
     (A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the related Loans at the time owing to it or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund (defined below), no minimum amount need be assigned; and
     (B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section 11.07, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 in the case of an assignment of Revolving Loans and $1,000,000 in the case of an assignment of Tranche A Term Loans, Tranche B Term Loans or Tranche C Term Loans unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided, however, that concurrent assignments to members of an Assignee Group (defined below) and concurrent assignments from members of an Assignee Group to a single assignee (or to an assignee and members of its Assignee Group) will be treated as a single assignment for purposes of determining whether such minimum amount has been met.

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     (ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s Loans and Commitments, and rights and obligations with respect thereto, assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not (A) apply to the Swingline Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swingline Loans or (B) prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations in respect of its Revolving Commitment (and the related Revolving Loans thereunder) and its outstanding Tranche A Term Loans, Tranche B Term Loans or Tranche C Term Loans on a non-pro rata basis;
     (iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:
     (A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund;
     (B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of (i) any Commitment if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender with a Commitment in respect of the Commitment subject to such assignment, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender or (ii) any Tranche A Term Loan, Tranche B Term Loan or Tranche C Term Loan to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; and
     (C) the consent of the L/C Issuers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment that increases the obligation of the assignee to participate in exposure under one or more Letters of Credit (whether or not then outstanding); and

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     (D) the consent of the Swingline Lender (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment in respect of Revolving Loans and Revolving Commitments.
     (iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount, if any, required as set forth in Exhibit 11.07; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
     (v) No Assignment to Borrower. No such assignment shall be made to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries.
     (vi) No Assignment to Natural Persons. No such assignment shall be made to a natural person.
Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section 11.07, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, 11.04 and 11.05 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment). Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section 11.07.
     (CC) Section 11.07(g) of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety to read as follows:
     (g) As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings:
     “Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Sections 11.07(b)(iii), (v) and (vi) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.07(b)(iii)).
     “Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business.

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     “Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
     “Assignee Group” means two or more Eligible Assignees that are Affiliates of one another or two or more Approved Funds managed by the same investment advisor.
     (DD) The following new Section 11.07(i) is hereby added to the Existing Credit Agreement to read as follows:
     (i) Electronic Execution of Assignments. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Assignment and Assumption shall be deemed to include electronic signatures or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.
     (EE) The following new Section 11.21 is hereby added to the Existing Credit Agreement to read as follows:
     11.21 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.
     In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby, the Loan Parties each acknowledge and agree that: (a) the credit facilities provided for hereunder and any related arranging or other services in connection therewith (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) are an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and BAS, on the other hand, and each of the Loan Parties is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or thereof); (b) in connection with the process leading to such transaction, the Administrative Agent and BAS each is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary, for the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other Person; (c) neither the Administrative Agent nor BAS has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of any Loan Party with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto, including with respect to any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document (irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent or BAS has advised or is currently advising any of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates on other matters) and neither the Administrative Agent nor BAS has any obligation to any of the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; (d) the Administrative Agent and BAS and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent nor BAS has any obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (e) the Administrative Agent and BAS have not provided and will not provide any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document) and each Loan Party has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate.

18


 

     Each Loan Party hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent and BAS with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.
     (FF) Schedule 2.01A of the Existing Credit Agreement is hereby amended and replaced with Schedule 2.01A attached hereto.
     (GG) A new Exhibit 11.07-A is hereby added to the Existing Credit Agreement in the form of Exhibit 11.07-A attached hereto.
     2. Conditions Precedent. This Amendment shall become effective as of the date hereof upon satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
     (A) Counterparts of Amendment. The Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts of this Amendment, which collectively shall have been duly executed on behalf of each of the Borrower, the Guarantors, the Required Lenders and each Lender having a Tranche C Term Loan Commitment (as shown on Schedule 2.01A as amended hereby).
     (B) Authority Documents and Opinions. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) copies of resolutions of the board of directors (or comparable governing authority) of each of the Loan Parties approving and adopting the Amendment and authorizing execution and delivery thereof, certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of such Loan Party to be true and correct and in force and effect as of the date hereof and (ii) a written opinion of legal counsel for the Loan Parties, dated as of the date hereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
     (C) Consummation of Transactions. (i) The Contra Costa/San Jose Purchase shall be consummated prior to or concurrently with the effectiveness of this Amendment in all material respects in accordance with the terms of the McClatchy Purchase Agreement and in material compliance with applicable law and regulatory approvals. The McClatchy Purchase Agreement shall not have been altered, amended or otherwise changed or supplemented in any material respect or any material condition therein waived, without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall have received a copy, certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as true and complete, of the McClatchy Purchase Agreement as originally executed and delivered, together with all exhibits and schedules. In connection therewith, the Borrower shall contribute the California Assets to the California Partnership (or a Subsidiary thereof).
     (ii) The purchase of the St. Paul/Monterey Assets by the Hearst Corporation shall be consummated prior to or concurrently with the effectiveness of this Amendment in all material respects in accordance with the terms of the Hearst Purchase Agreement and in material compliance with applicable law and regulatory approvals. The Hearst Purchase Agreement shall not have been altered, amended or otherwise changed or supplemented in any material respect or any material condition therein waived, without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent.

19


 

     The Administrative Agent shall have received a copy, certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as true and complete, of the Hearst Purchase Agreement as originally executed and delivered, together with all exhibits and schedules. In addition, the Borrower shall have entered into the Hearst Investment Agreement with The Hearst Corporation in respect of the St. Paul/Monterey Assets, which agreement shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall have received a copy, certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as true and complete, of such Hearst Investment Agreement as originally executed and delivered, together with all exhibits and schedules.
     (D) Equity Contributions. The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence of consummation of the cash equity contribution to the Borrower and its Affiliates by Stephens Group, Inc. and Gannett Co., Inc. (or their affiliates) in a minimum amount of Three Hundred Twenty-Five Million Dollars ($325,000,000) on terms and conditions reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
     (E) Financial Conditions. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the unaudited statements of assets and liabilities of the McClatchy Assets as of December 25, 2005, and the related unaudited statements of revenues and expenses for the twelve month period ended December 25, 2005, (ii) a pro forma balance sheet and income statement of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of their most recently completed fiscal quarter which gives effect to the Contra Costa/San Jose Purchase, (iii) satisfactory evidence that the Consolidated Total Leverage Ratio for the most recently ended four fiscal quarter period for which financial statements are available prior to the McClatchy Asset Purchase is not greater than 5.75 to 1.0 (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis and after giving effect to the amendments to the definition of Consolidated Operating Cash Flow and to Section 1.03 of the Existing Credit Agreement provided herein) and (iv) satisfactory evidence that the ratio of (a) Consolidated Senior Debt to (b) Consolidated Operating Cash Flow is not greater than 3.75 to 1.0 (calculated on a Pro Forma Basis and after giving effect to the amendments to the definition of Consolidated Operating Cash Flow and to Section 1.03 of the Existing Credit Agreement provided herein).
     (F) Debt Ratings. The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence that the Borrower shall have received (i) a corporate family rating and a rating with respect to its senior secured Indebtedness issued by Moody’s and (ii) a corporate credit rating and a rating with respect to its senior secured Indebtedness issued by S&P.
     (G) Certificates. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower stating that (a) the representations and warranties in Article VI of the Existing Credit Agreement are true and correct in all material respects (except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they were true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date) both immediately before and after giving effect to the Contra Costa/San Jose Purchase and (b) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing both immediately before and after giving effect to the Contra Costa/San Jose Purchase, and (ii) a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate demonstrating that the Borrower is in compliance with Section 8.19 of the Existing Credit Agreement after giving effect to the Contra Costa/San Jose Purchase on a Pro Forma Basis as of the most recent fiscal quarter end with respect to which the Administrative Agent has received the Required Financial Information.

20


 

     (H) Amendment Fees. The Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender executing this Amendment, a fee equal to 0.15% of such Lender’s Commitments (calculated prior to giving effect to this Amendment).
     (I) Payment of Other Fees and Expenses. The Borrower shall have paid all other fees required to be paid to BAS in connection with this Amendment and all Attorney Costs of the Administrative Agent to the extent invoiced prior to or on the date hereof.
     3. Representations and Warranties. The Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that, after giving effect to this Amendment, (a) the representations and warranties set forth in Article VI of the Existing Credit Agreement are, subject to the limitations set forth therein, true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof (except for those which expressly relate to an earlier date) and (b) no Default or Event of Default exists under the Existing Credit Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents.
     4. Reaffirmation of Obligations. Each Loan Party hereby ratifies the Existing Credit Agreement and acknowledges and reaffirms (a) that it is bound by all terms of the Existing Credit Agreement applicable to it and (b) that it is responsible for the observance and full performance of its respective Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, each of the Guarantors hereby (x) jointly and severally reaffirms and ratifies its guaranty of the Obligations pursuant to Article IV of the Existing Credit Agreement, and (y) jointly and severally reaffirms and ratifies all agreements set forth in such Collateral Documents securing such guaranty, all of which shall in all respects remain in full force and effect and shall continue to guarantee and secure any and all of the Obligations, whether now existing or hereafter arising, on the same terms and conditions as are now set forth in such Collateral Documents.
     5. References in Other Loan Documents. At such time as this Amendment shall become effective pursuant to the terms of Section 2 above, all references in the Loan Documents to the “Credit Agreement” shall be deemed to refer to the Existing Credit Agreement as amended by this Amendment.
     6. Counterparts/Telecopy. This Amendment may be executed by the parties hereto in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which shall constitute together but one and the same agreement. This Amendment may be transmitted and/or signed by facsimile. The effectiveness of any such documents and signatures shall, subject to applicable Law, have the same force and effect as manually signed originals and shall be binding on all Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. The Administrative Agent may also require that any such documents and signatures be confirmed by a manually signed original thereof; provided, however, that the failure to request or deliver the same shall not limit the effectiveness of any facsimile document or signature.
     7. Governing Law. THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT MADE UNDER AND GOVERNED BY THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
     8. Successors and Assigns. This Amendment shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.

21


 

     9. Lender Acknowledgement. Each Person who executes this Amendment as a “Lender” but was not a Lender prior to the date hereof, by execution of this Amendment and upon the satisfaction of the conditions precedent set forth in Section 2 of this Amendment, (i) shall become a Lender as of the date hereof, (ii) acknowledges and confirms its respective Commitment(s) as set forth on Schedule 2.01A to the Existing Credit Agreement, as amended hereby, and (iii) agrees and that it shall be bound by the provisions of the Existing Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of its Commitment, shall have all of the rights and obligations of a Lender thereunder.

22


 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Borrower, the Guarantors and the Required Lenders have caused this Amendment to be duly executed on the date first above written.
             
 
           
BORROWER:   MEDIANEWS GROUP, INC.,    
    a Delaware corporation    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Ronald A. Mayo    
 
           
    Name: Ronald A. Mayo    
    Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer    
 
           
GUARANTORS:   ALASKA BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC.,    
    an Alaska corporation    
    CHARLESTON PUBLISHING COMPANY,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    CONNECTICUT NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHING COMPANY,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    THE DENVER POST CORPORATION,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    THE DETROIT NEWS, INC.,    
    a Michigan corporation    
    EASTERN COLORADO PUBLISHING COMPANY,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    GRAHAM NEWSPAPERS, INC.,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    KEARNS-TRIBUNE, LLC,    
    a Delaware limited liability company    
    LONG BEACH PUBLISHING COMPANY,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS PUBLISHING COMPANY,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    LOWELL INTERNET MEDIA PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    LOWELL PUBLISHING COMPANY,    
    a Delaware corporation    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Ronald A. Mayo    
 
           
    Name: Ronald A. Mayo    
    Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer    

 


 

             
    MEDIANEWS GROUP INTERACTIVE, INC.,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    MEDIANEWS SERVICES, INC.,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    NEW ENGLAND INTERNET MEDIA PUBLISHING, INC.,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    NEW ENGLAND NEWSPAPERS, INC.,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    NIMITZ PAPER COMPANY,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    NORTHWEST NEW MEXICO PUBLISHING COMPANY,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    RATE WATCH, INC.,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    UTAH MEDIA, INC.,    
    a Delaware corporation    
    WEST COAST MEDIANEWS LLC,    
    a Delaware limited liability company    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Ronald A. Mayo    
 
           
    Name: Ronald A. Mayo    
    Title: Vice President and Chief Financial Officer    

 


 

             
 
           
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT:   BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Maurice E. Washington    
 
           
    Name: Maurice E. Washington    
    Title: Assistant Vice President    

 


 

             
    BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Stephen Phillips    
 
           
    Name: Stephen Phillips    
    Title: Vice President    

 


 

             
         
    THE BANK OF NEW YORK    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/Mehrasa Raygani    
 
           
    Name: Mehrasa Raygani    
    Title: Vice President    

 


 

             
    THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI UFJ, LTD    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Tarik Hussain    
 
           
    Name: Tarik Hussain    
    Title: Vice President    

 


 

             
    Big Sky III SENIOR LOAN TRUST    
    BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT    
          AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR    
         
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Michael B. Botthof    
 
           
    Name: Michael B. Botthof
   
    Title: Vice President    

 


 

             
    BLUE SHIELD OF CALIFORNIA_
   
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Alex Guang Yu    
 
           
 
  Name:        
 
  Title:        

 


 

         
    BNP PARIBAS
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Ola Anderssen
 
       
    Name: Ola Anderssen
    Title: Director
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Gregg Bonardi
 
       
    Name: Gregg Bonardi
    Title: Director Media & Telecom Finance

 


 

         
    Citizens Bank of Massachusetts
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Michael D. Elwell
 
       
    Name: Michael D. Elwell
    Title: Vice President

 


 

             
    C.M. LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
 
           
    By:   Babson Capital Management LLC    
        As Investment Sub-Advisor
   
 
           
    By:   /s/ Adrienne Musgnug    
             
 
           
    MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
 
           
    By:   Babson Capital Management LLC    
        As Investment Advisor
   
 
           
    By:   /s/ Adrienne Musgnug    
             
 
           
    MAPLEWOOD (CAYMAN) LIMITED
 
           
    By:   Babson Capital Management LLC    
        As Investment Manager
   
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Adrienne Musgnug    
 
           
 
           
    BABSON CLO LTD. 2004-II
    BABSON CLO LTD. 2005-I
    BABSON CLO LTD. 2006-I
 
           
    By:   Babson Capital Management LLC    
        As Collateral Manager
   
 
           
    By:   /s/ Adrienne Musgnug    
             
 
           
    HAKONE FUND II LLC
 
           
    By:   Babson Capital Management LLC    
        As Investment Manager
   
 
           
    By:   /s/ Adrienne Musgnug    
             
 
           
    BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION
 
           
    By:   Babson Capital Management LLC    
        As Investment Adviser
   
 
           
    By:   /s/ Adrienne Musgnug    
             

 


 

         
    Comerica West Incorporated
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Fatima Arshad
 
       
    Name: Fatima Arshad
    Title: Corporate Banking Representative

 


 

         
    Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas
    [Please insert name of Lender]
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Susan LeFevre
 
       
    Name: Susan LeFevre
    Title: Director
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Diane F. Rolfe
 
       
    Name: Diane F. Rolfe
    Title: Director

 


 

         
    EAGLE LOAN TRUST
    By: Stanfield Capital Partners, LLC
    as its Collateral Manager
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ David Frex
 
       
    Name: David Frex
    Title: M.D.

 


 

         
    EATON VANCE CDO III, LTD
    BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
    AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR
    [Please insert name of Lender]
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Michael B. Botthof
 
       
    Name: Michael B. Botthof
    Title: Vice President

 


 

         
    EATON VANCE CDO VIII, LTD
    BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
    AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR
    [Please insert name of Lender]
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Michael B. Botthof
 
       
    Name: Michael B. Botthof
    Title: Vice President

 


 

         
    EATON VANCE FLOATING-RATE INCOME TRUST
    BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
    AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR
    [Please insert name of Lender]
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Michael B. Botthof
 
       
    Name: Michael B. Botthof
    Title: Vice President

 


 

         
    EATON VANCE INSTITUTIONAL SENIOR LOAN FUND
    BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
    AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR
    [Please insert name of Lender]
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Michael B. Botthof
 
       
    Name: Michael B. Botthof
    Title: Vice President

 


 

         
    EATON VANCE VARIABLE LEVERAGE FUND LTD.
    BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
    AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR
    [Please insert name of Lender]
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Michael B. Botthof
 
       
    Name: Michael B. Botthof
    Title: Vice President

 


 

         
    EATON VANCE VT FLOATING-RATE INCOME FUND
    BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT
    AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR
    [Please insert name of Lender]
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Michael B. Botthof
 
       
    Name: Michael B. Botthof
    Title: Vice President

 


 

         
     
    Erste Bank New York
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Robert J. Wagman
 
       
    Name: Robert J. Wagman
    Title: Director
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Paul Judicke
 
       
    Name: Paul Judicke
    Title: Director

 


 

         
     
    FIRST TRUST/FOUR CORNERS SENIOR FLOATING RATE
    INCOME FUND, as Lender
    By: Four Corners Capital Management LLC, as Sub-Adviser
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Steven Columbaro
 
       
    Name: Steven Columbaro
    Title: Senior Vice President
 
       
    FIRST TRUST/FOUR CORNERS SENIOR FLOATING RATE
    INCOME FUND II, as Lender
    By: Four Corners Capital Management LLC, as Sub-Adviser
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Steven Columbaro
 
       
    Name: Steven Columbaro
    Title: Senior Vice President
 
       
    SECURITY INCOME FUND-INCOME OPPORTUNIY SERIES, as Lender
    By: Four Corners Capital Management LLC, as Sub-Adviser
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Steven Columbaro
 
       
    Name: Steven Columbaro
    Title: Senior Vice President

 


 

         
    FRANKLIN CLO V, LTD
    [Please insert name of Lender]
 
       
 
  By:   /s/ Alex Guang Yu
 
       
    Name: Alex Guang Yu
    Title: Authorized Signatory

 


 

             
    FRANKLIN FLOATING RATE    
    DAILY ACCESS FUND    
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Richard Hsu
 
Richard Hsu
   
 
  Title:   Vice President    

 


 

             
    FRANKLIN FLOATING RATE MASTER    
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Richard Hsu
 
Richard Hsu
   
 
  Title:   Vice President    

 


 

             
    FRANKLIN TEMPLETON    
    LIM. DURATION INCOME TRUST    
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Richard Hsu
 
Richard Hsu
   
 
  Title:   Vice President    

 


 

             
    FRANKLIN CLO II, LIMITED    
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Alex Guang Yu
 
Alex Guang Yu
   
 
  Title:   Authorized Signatory    

 


 

             
    FRANKLIN CLO IV, LIMITED    
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Alex Guang Yu
 
Alex Guang Yu
   
 
  Title:   Authorized Signatory    

 


 

             
    GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION    
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Karl Keiffer
 
Karl Keiffer
   
 
  Title:   Duly Authorized Signatory    

 


 

             
    GRAYSON & CO.    
    BY: BOSTON MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH    
             AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR    
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Michael B. Botthof
 
Michael B. Botthof
   
 
  Title:   Vice President    

 


 

             
    Hamilton Floating Rate Fund, LLC    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ William G. Lemberg
 
William G. Lemberg
   
 
  Title:   Vice President    

 


 

             
    KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION    
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Kathleen Mayher
 
Kathleen Mayher
   
 
  Title:   Executive Vice President    

 


 

             
    MONUMENT PARK CDO LTD.    
    By: Blackstone Debt Advisors L.P.    
    As Collateral Manger    
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Dean T. Criares
 
Dean T. Criares
   
 
  Title:   Senior Managing Director    

 


 

             
         
    National City Bank    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Michael Grimes
 
Michael Grimes
   
 
  Title:   Senior Vice Preisdent    

 


 

             
    THE NORINGHUKIN BANK, NEW YORK BRANCH    
    Through State Street Bank And Trust Company N.A.    
    As Fiduciary Custodian    
    By: Eaton Vance Management,    
    Attorney-In-Fact    
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Michael B. Botthof
 
Michael B. Botthof
   
 
  Title:   Vice President    

 


 

             
    STANFIELD/RMF TRANSATLANTIC CDO LTD.    
    By: Stanfield Capital Partners, LLC    
    as its Collateral Manager    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
Title:
  /s/ David Frex
 
David Frex
M.D.
   

 


 

             
    Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Leo E. Pagarigan
 
Leo E. Pagarigan
   
 
  Title:   Joint General Manager    

 


 

             
    SUNTRUST BANK    
 
           
 
  By:
Name:
  /s/ Thomas C. Palmer
 
Thomas C. Palmer
   
 
  Title:   Managing Director    

 


 

             
    TOLLI & CO.    
    BY: EATON VANCE MANAGEMENT    
 
          AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR    
         
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Michael B. Botthof
 
   
 
  Name:   Michael B. Botthof    
 
  Title:   Vice President    

 


 

             
    UNION BANK OF CALIFORNIA, N.A.    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Richard Vian
 
   
 
  Name:   Richard Vian    
 
  Title:   Vice President    

 


 

             
    UNION SQUARE CDO LTD.    
    By: Blackstone Debt Advisors L.P.    
    As Collateral Manger    
    [Please insert name of Lender]    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Dean T. Criares
 
   
 
  Name:   Dean T. Criares    
 
  Title:   Senior Managing Director    

 


 

             
    U.S. Bank, National Association    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Thomas Gunder
 
   
 
  Name:   Thomas Gunder    
 
  Title:   SVP    

 


 

             
    VAN KAMPEN    
    SENIOR INCOME TRUST    
    By: Van Kempen Asset Managment    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Christina Jamleson
 
   
 
  Name:   Christina Jamleson    
 
  Title:   Executive Director    

 


 

             
    VAN KAMPEN    
    SENIOR LOAN FUND    
    By: Van Kempen Asset Managment    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Christina Jamleson
 
   
 
  Name:   Christina Jamleson    
 
  Title:   Executive Director    

 


 

             
    WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Russ Lyons
 
   
    Name: Russ Lyons    
    Title: Director    

 


 

             
    WEBSTER BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Hans Jung
 
   
 
  Name:        
 
  Title:   Vice President    

 


 

             
    WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Catherine M. Jones
 
   
 
  Name:   Catherine M. Jones    
 
  Title:   Vice President    

 


 

Schedule 2.01A
COMMITMENTS AND PRO RATA SHARES
(TRANCHE A TERM LOAN* AND TRANCHE C TERM LOAN)
                 
    Tranche C Term Loan    
Lender   Commitment   Pro Rata Share
Bank of America, N.A.
  $ 350,000,000.00       100.000000000 %
 
               
Total
  $ 350,000,000.00       100.000000000 %
 
               
 
*   Please note that the Tranche A Term Loan Commitments and respective Pro Rata Shares have been omitted from this Schedule as they will not change as a result of this Amendment.

 


 

Exhibit 11.07-A
PROCESSING AND RECORDATION FEES
          The Administrative Agent will charge a processing and recordation fee (an “Assignment Fee”) in the amount of $2,500 for each assignment; provided, however, that in the event of two or more concurrent assignments to members of the same Assignee Group (which may be effected by a suballocation of an assigned amount among members of such Assignee Group) or two or more concurrent assignments by members of the same Assignee Group to a single Eligible Assignee (or to an Eligible Assignee and members of its Assignee Group), the Assignment Fee will be $2,500 plus the amount set forth below:
         
Transaction   Assignment Fee
First four concurrent assignments or suballocations to members of an Assignee Group (or from members of an Assignee Group, as applicable)
    -0-  
Each additional concurrent assignment or suballocation to a member of such Assignee Group (or from a member of such Assignee Group, as applicable)
  $ 500  

 

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