or


[11/07/05 - 12:00 AM]
NBC Universal and Paxson Communications Reach Strategic Agreement

[via press release from NBC Universal Television Studio]

NBC UNIVERSAL AND PAXSON COMMUNICATIONS REACH STRATEGIC AGREEMENT

Agreement Bolsters Strategic and Financial Flexibility of Both Companies

Brandon Burgess to Join Paxson Communications as Chief Executive Officer

NEW YORK / WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- November 7, 2005 -- NBC Universal and Paxson Communications Corp. ("Paxson Communications") (AMEX: PAX) today announced a definitive agreement that sets the stage for a strategic and financial restructuring of Paxson Communications, which owns and operates the nation's largest broadcast distribution system, consisting of 60 television stations and reaching 83% of domestic television households (approximately 91 million homes) via its station group and cable and satellite platforms.

Under the new agreement NBC Universal and Paxson Communications have modified the terms of NBC Universal's existing Series B preferred stock investment and related agreements. NBC Universal has acquired an 18-month call right from Paxson Communications' founder Lowell "Bud" Paxson to purchase all of Mr. Paxson's common shares, including his voting control shares. Although NBC Universal cannot currently exercise the call right under existing FCC rules, it may transfer the call right to a third party who may exercise it (subject to all necessary regulatory approvals). If the call right is exercised or transferred within 18 months, NBC Universal or its transferee will make a tender offer for all of Paxson Communications' outstanding Class A common stock, subject to all necessary regulatory approvals. If NBC Universal or its transferee fails to initiate a tender offer in the 18-month timeframe, NBC Universal will, as an alternative form of value, deliver $105 million of its Series B preferred stock back to Paxson Communications for distribution to Paxson Communications' Class A shareholders (excluding Mr. Paxson). The form of the consideration the public shareholders will receive depends on whether the call right is exercised. Also, NBC Universal and Paxson Communications have settled all pending legal disputes, including court proceedings and arbitration, which will be dismissed.

"NBC Universal has been the largest financial investor in Paxson Communications for some time, and we continue to believe that Paxson Communications has a compelling national platform," said Bob Wright, Chairman and CEO of NBC Universal. "This agreement gives Paxson Communications the flexibility to invite new partners and investors who do not face the same FCC limitations that we do and who are interested in investing in and programming a nationwide television distribution platform."

"We believe this agreement with NBC Universal will improve our Company's ability to realize the value of its assets and distribution platform, while providing our public stockholders an opportunity to receive enhanced value for their shares," said W. Lawrence Patrick, Chairman of the Special Committee of Paxson Communications' Board of Directors. "Furthermore, the agreement affords the company the flexibility necessary to attract strategic partners and investors, to improve prospects for refinancing, and to more cost effectively strengthen the company's balance sheet."

Terms of the Transaction

NBC Universal has acquired a transferable 18-month call right on all of Mr. Paxson's common shares, including his Class B voting control shares. NBC Universal paid Mr. Paxson $1.00 per Class A share and $1.15 per Class B share (a total of approximately $25 million) to acquire the call right. The exercise price of the call right is $0.25 per Class A share and $0.29 per Class B share. In order to exercise the call right, NBC Universal or a party to whom it transfers the call right must make a tender offer to purchase all Class A shares held by the public shareholders (other than those held by Mr. Paxson) at $1.25 per share. The $1.25 tender price will increase at a rate of 10% annually until the tender is commenced. In the tender offer, Paxson Communications' public stockholders will have the option to sell their shares at the tender price or retain their shares.

If the call right is not exercised or transferred within 18 months, then Paxson Communications public shareholders (excluding Mr. Paxson) will receive instead $105 million face value of Series B preferred stock (increasing at a rate of 10% until delivered) of a comparable rate type and equal rank to that owned by NBC Universal and will retain their common stock. In this circumstance, Paxson Communications would exercise the call right to purchase and retire Mr. Paxson's control shares, after which Mr. Paxson would no longer be a stockholder in the company.

As part of the agreement, NBC Universal agreed to reduce the accrued and unpaid dividends on its preferred stock (which were $288.6 million as of September 30, 2005 based on the disputed 28.3% dividend rate) by $100 million and to accept $188.6 million of additional Series B preferred stock issued by Paxson Communications to NBC Universal in full satisfaction of all accrued dividends through September 30, 2005. NBC Universal has also agreed to reduce the annual dividend rate on the resulting $604 million in preferred stock to 11% (reducing the annual dividend accrual on the Series B preferred stock by approximately $50 million) and to extend the redemption date of the Series B preferred stock from December 2009 to December 2013. The Series B preferred stock is convertible into common stock, subject to FCC and other limitations, at a price of $2.00 per share (reduced from $22.06 per share), which increases at the same rate as the dividend rate. The Series B preferred stock remains exchangeable at the option of the holder (subject to certain conditions) into subordinated debentures with a maturity date of December 31, 2009.

NBC Universal also purchased from Paxson Communications Series B preferred stock for $2.5 million and cancelled warrants it held to purchase approximately 32 million shares of Paxson Communications Class A common stock. NBC Universal remains a non-attributable investor in Paxson Communications under FCC rules.

Paxson Communications Management and Board of Directors

As concurrently announced today, Mr. Paxson has resigned as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Paxson Communications. R. Brandon Burgess, who resigned from NBC Universal where he was Executive Vice President of Business Development and International Channels, joins Paxson Communications as a member of the Board of Directors and will assume the responsibilities of Chief Executive Officer of the company on November 10, 2005. Mr. Paxson was named Chairman Emeritus, and he will continue to serve as single majority stockholder of entities holding Paxson Communications' FCC licenses until the purchase of his shares is complete and regulatory approval has been granted.

The transactions described in this release were unanimously approved by Paxson Communications' Board of Directors upon the recommendation of a special committee of independent directors comprised of W. Lawrence Patrick, Henry J. Brandon, and Raymond S. Rajewski. Lazard served as independent financial advisor to the Special Committee.

The Paxson Communications Board also includes Dean Goodman, the company's President and Chief Operating Officer, who will remain in that position. The Board will recruit up to four additional qualified independent director candidates to fill Board vacancies. The Board of Directors has also appointed Mr. Patrick, who served as Chairman of the Special Committee, as Chairman of the Board.

About NBC Universal

NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.

About Paxson Communications Corporation

Paxson Communications Corporation owns and operates the nation's largest broadcast television station group. Paxson reaches 83% of U.S. television households via nationwide broadcast television, cable and satellite distribution systems. For more information, visit Paxson's website at www.paxson.com

Note: Paxson distribution data provided by Nielsen Media Research.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements herein that address activities, events or developments that Paxson Communications Corporation expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including its estimates of financial performance, are forward looking statements.





  [november 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[10/16/26 - 02:30 PM]
Brewers Triumph on FS1 Delivers Most-Watched LCS Game 3 Telecast Since 2016
On FS1, Game 3 averaged 6,460,000 viewers.

[10/16/26 - 01:12 PM]
ESPN Documentary Film "The Endless Race" Premieres Oct. 29 on Hulu
The film will also air Sunday, November 1 at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN and stream afterward on the ESPN App later that day.

[10/16/26 - 12:34 PM]
Season 5 of "True Detective" Starts Production in 2027
Nicolas Cage and Antonio Banderas will star in the anthology's next season.

[10/16/26 - 12:15 PM]
ESPN Collaborates with Ferg on New NBA Marketing Campaign Featuring Unreleased Tracks "Can't Stop Me" & "Aura"
"Aura" debuts in ESPN creative on October 16 and aims to drive awareness of the major star-driven games on ESPN platforms to tip off the season, while the campaign began October 4 with "Can't Stop Me."

[10/16/26 - 11:45 AM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Scores with Show's "Super Bowl Night"
In fact, among Adults 18-49, "Dancing with the Stars" grew for the fourth telecast in a row, hitting a season high and posting the show's best non-finale episode in over nine years.

[10/16/26 - 11:00 AM]
Video: Starz Unveils Opening Scene of Highly Anticipated "P-Valley" Final Season
This will mark the first extended preview for fans ahead of the highly anticipated debut of the third and final season with two new episodes Friday, December 4.

[10/16/26 - 10:42 AM]
ABC News Wins Across Friday Night, Sunday Morning and Late Night
"20/20: Born to Kill" ranked as Friday's No.1 newsmagazine in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.

[10/16/26 - 10:23 AM]
Prime Video Orders "Rally" to Series from Julie Plec, Universal Television, Entertainment 360 and Amazon MGM Studios
Let the games begin!

[10/16/26 - 09:00 AM]
"Lil Kev" Is Back! Inspired by Kevin Hart's Childhood, The Animated Comedy Series Returns for Season Two Wednesday, December 9 Exclusively on Paramount+
Set in 1993 North Philadelphia, "Lil Kev" follows twelve-year-old Kev as his enormous ambition and wild imagination fuel one scheme after another.

[10/16/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Tyler Perry's The Gospel of Christmas" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A struggling pastor moves his family to a troubled New York neighborhood, where they must save a neglected church from foreclosure before Christmas.

[10/15/26 - 11:31 PM]
Video: "Chaar Yaar" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
"Chaar Yaar" is a story of four middle-class boys, their dreams, setbacks and friendship being their armour.

[10/15/26 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "Dead-End Job" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Drowning in debt, a young man takes lucrative part-time jobs from a mysterious agency - only to find his hustle for more money turning nightmarish.

[10/15/26 - 05:00 PM]
The Walt Disney Company Goes for Baseball Home Run with Banana Ball Tournament and Documentary in 2027
Following Banana Ball's 10-year journey, from its humble beginnings in Savannah, Georgia, to a phenomenon known as "The Greatest Show in Sports," the documentary will give fans an inside look at the stories, personalities and community behind it all.

[10/15/26 - 02:55 PM]
Super Bowl Season Success: Bills-Rams Thriller Propels "Monday Night Football" to Best Five-Week Start of ESPN Era
The matchup featuring the NFL's two most recent MVPs averaged 19.8 million viewers across ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, NFL Network and ESPN Deportes.

[10/15/26 - 02:52 PM]
Peter Rice Named Netflix Chief Content Officer
He replaces Bela Bajaria, who is leaving Netflix after nearly 10 years, most recently leading the Company's global content team.