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10 3/4% Series A and B Cumulative Exchangeable Redeemable Preferred Stock
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Equity [Abstract]  
10 3/4% Series A and B Cumulative Exchangeable Redeemable Preferred Stock

(12)

10 3/4% Series A and B Cumulative Exchangeable Redeemable Preferred Stock

On October 30, 2003, we partially financed the purchase of a radio station with proceeds from the sale, through a private placement, of 75,000 shares of our 10 3/4% Series A cumulative exchangeable redeemable preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, with a liquidation preference of $1,000 per share (the “Series A preferred stock”), without a specified maturity date. The gross proceeds from the issuance of the Series A preferred stock amounted to $75.0 million.

On February 18, 2004, we commenced an offer to exchange registered shares of our 10 3/4% Series B cumulative exchangeable redeemable preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share and liquidation preference of $1,000 per share for any and all shares of our outstanding unregistered Series A preferred stock. On April 5, 2004, we completed the exchange offer and exchanged 76,702 shares of our Series B preferred stock for all of our then outstanding shares of Series A preferred stock.

Holders of the Series B preferred stock have customary protective provisions. The Certificate of Designations contains covenants that, among other things, limit our ability to:  (i) pay dividends, purchase junior securities and make restricted investments other restricted payments; (ii) incur indebtedness, including refinancing indebtedness; (iii) merge or consolidate with other companies or transfer all or substantially all of our assets; and (iv) engage in transactions with affiliates. Upon a change of control, we will be required to make an offer to purchase these shares at a price of 101% of the aggregate liquidation preference of these shares plus accumulated and unpaid dividends to, but excluding the purchase date.  

We had the option to redeem all or some of the registered Series B preferred stock for cash on or after October 15, 2009 at 103.583%, October 15, 2010 at 101.792% and October 15, 2011 and thereafter at 100%, plus accumulated and unpaid dividends to the redemption date. On October 15, 2013, each holder of Series B preferred stock had the right to request that we repurchase (subject to the legal availability of funds under Delaware General Corporate Law) all or a portion of such holder’s shares of Series B preferred stock at a purchase price equal to 100% of the liquidation preference of such shares, plus all accumulated and unpaid dividends (as described in more detail below) on those shares to the date of repurchase. Under the terms of our Series B preferred stock, we are required to pay dividends at a rate of 10 3/4% per year of the $1,000 liquidation preference per share of Series B preferred stock. From October 30, 2003 to October 15, 2008, we had the option to pay these dividends in either cash or additional shares of Series B preferred stock. During October 15, 2003 to October 30, 2008, we increased the carrying amount of the Series B preferred stock by approximately $17.3 million for stock dividends, which were accreted using the effective interest method. Since October 15, 2008, we have been required to pay the dividends on our Series B preferred stock in cash.

On October 15, 2013, holders of shares of our Series B preferred stock requested that we repurchase 92,223 shares of Series B preferred stock for an aggregate repurchase price of $126.9 million, which included accumulated and unpaid dividends on these shares as of October 15, 2013. We did not have sufficient funds legally available to repurchase all of the Series B preferred stock for which we received requests and instead used the limited funds legally available to us to repurchase 1,800 shares for a purchase price of approximately $2.5 million, which included accrued and unpaid dividends. Consequently, a “Voting Rights Triggering Event” occurred (the “Voting Rights Triggering Event”).

During the continuation of a Voting Rights Triggering Event, certain of the covenants summarized above become more restrictive by their terms including (i) a prohibition on our ability to incur additional indebtedness, (ii) restrictions on our ability to make restricted payments and (iii) restrictions on our ability to merge or consolidate with other companies or transfer all or substantially all of our assets. In addition, the holders of the Series B preferred stock have the right to elect two members to our Board of Directors.  At our Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 2014, the holders of the Series B preferred stock nominated and elected Alan Miller and Gary Stone to serve as the Series B preferred stock directors who have remained on the board since then.

The Voting Rights Triggering Event shall continue until (i) all dividends in arrears shall have been paid in full and (ii) all other failures, breaches or defaults giving rise to such Voting Rights Triggering Event are remedied or waived by the holders of at least a majority of the shares of the then outstanding Series B preferred stock.  The terms of our Series B preferred stock require us, in the event of a change of control, to offer to repurchase all or a portion of a holder’s shares at an offer price in cash equal to 101% of the liquidation preference of the shares, plus an amount in cash equal to all accumulated and unpaid dividends on those shares up to but excluding the date of repurchase. We do not currently have sufficient funds legally available to be able to satisfy the conditions for terminating the Voting Rights Triggering Event or for repurchasing the shares in the event of a change of control. During the continuation of the Voting Rights Triggering Event, the Indenture governing our Notes prohibits us from paying dividends or from repurchasing the Series B preferred stock.

Quarterly Dividends

Under the terms of our Series B preferred stock, the holders of the outstanding shares of the Series B preferred stock are entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds of the Company legally available therefor, dividends on the Series B preferred stock at a rate of 10 3/4% per year, of the $1,000 liquidation preference per share. All dividends are cumulative, whether or not earned or declared, and are payable quarterly in arrears on specified dividend payment dates. While the Voting Rights Triggering Event continues, we cannot pay dividends on the Series B preferred stock without causing a breach of covenants under the Indenture governing our Notes.

As of December 31, 2016, the aggregate cumulative unpaid dividends on the outstanding shares of the Series B preferred stock was approximately $65.3 million, which is accrued on our consolidated balance sheet as 10 ¾% Series B cumulative exchangeable redeemable preferred stock.

Accounting Treatment of the Preferred Stock

In accordance with ASC 480, the Series B preferred stock was re-measured subsequently from the initial measurement date as the amount of cash that would be paid under the conditions specified in the contract, as if the settlement occurred at December 31, 2013, because the final settlement amount to be paid on the Series B preferred stock was uncertain due to its continual accruing quarterly dividends and its uncertain settlement date. The resulting change in that amount from the previous reporting date (i.e. initial measurement date) was recognized as interest expense. Therefore, we recorded an $87.6 million adjustment to increase the Series B preferred stock liability to the contract settlement value as of December 31, 2013.  

Going forward, the Series B preferred stock will be measured at subsequent reporting dates at the amount of cash that would be paid under the conditions specified in the contract, as if the settlement occurred at the reporting date, recognizing the resulting change in that amount from the previous reporting date as interest expense. Therefore, the 10 ¾% accruing quarterly dividends will be recorded as interest expense (i.e. “Dividends on Series B preferred stock classified as interest expense”) as required by ASC 480.  During the years 2016 and 2015, we recorded $9.7 million as dividends on Series B preferred stock classified as interest expense.