LIN 10Q - 2013.9.30
Table of Contents

 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
Form 10-Q
 
Quarterly Report pursuant to Section 13 OR 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2013
Commission file number: 001-36032
 
Commission file number: 000-25206
 
 
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
 
 
Delaware
 
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
 
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
 
 
 
90-0935925
 
13-3581627
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 
701 Brazos Street, Suite 800
Austin, Texas 78701
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(512) 380-4400
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes x  No o
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted to its corporate Website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding twelve months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).  Yes x  No o
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer o
 
Accelerated filer x
 
 
 
Non-accelerated filer o
 
Smaller reporting company o
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
 
 
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes o  No x
 
This combined Form 10-Q is separately filed by (i) LIN Media LLC and (ii) LIN Television Corporation. LIN Television Corporation meets the conditions set forth in general instruction H (1) (a) and (b) of Form 10-Q and is, therefore, filing this form with the reduced disclosure format permitted by such instruction.
 
LIN Media LLC Class A common shares, outstanding as of November 8, 2013: 33,980,943 shares.
LIN Media LLC Class B common shares, outstanding as of November 8, 2013: 20,901,726 shares.
LIN Media LLC Class C common shares, outstanding as of November 8, 2013: 2 shares.
LIN Television Corporation common stock, $0.01 par value, outstanding as of November 8, 2013: 1,000 shares.
 



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EXPLANATORY NOTE
 
On July 30, 2013, LIN TV Corp., a Delaware corporation (“LIN TV”), completed its merger with and into LIN Media LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of LIN TV (“LIN LLC”), with LIN LLC as the surviving entity (the “Merger”) pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated February 12, 2013, by and between LIN TV and LIN LLC (the “Merger Agreement”).  Entry into the Merger Agreement had previously been reported by LIN TV on its Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 15, 2013. 
 
LIN LLC filed a Current Report on Form 8-K on July 31, 2013 (the “Form 8-K”) for the purpose of establishing LIN LLC as the successor registrant to LIN TV pursuant to Rule 12g-3(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and to disclose certain related matters, including the consummation of the Merger.  Pursuant to Rule 12g-3(a) under the Exchange Act and in accordance with the filing of the Form 8-K, the class A common shares representing limited liability interests in LIN LLC, as the successor issuer to LIN TV, were deemed registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.  References to LIN LLC, we, us, or the Company in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that include any period at and before the effectiveness of the Merger shall be deemed to refer to LIN TV as the predecessor registrant to LIN LLC.  For more information concerning the effects of the Merger and the succession of LIN LLC to LIN TV upon its effectiveness, please see the Form 8-K.



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Table of Contents
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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Part I. Financial Information
Item 1. Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(unaudited)
 
September 30,
2013
 
December 31,
2012
 
(in thousands, except share data)
ASSETS
 

 
 

Current assets:
 

 
 

Cash and cash equivalents
$
27,717

 
$
46,307

Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts (2013 - $3,676; 2012 - $3,599)
131,160

 
126,150

Deferred income tax assets
3,562

 

Other current assets
7,070

 
6,863

Total current assets
169,509

 
179,320

Property and equipment, net
227,422

 
241,491

Deferred financing costs
17,256

 
19,135

Goodwill
203,470

 
192,514

Broadcast licenses, net
536,515

 
536,515

Other intangible assets, net
52,141

 
59,554

Other assets
11,075

 
12,885

Total assets (a)
$
1,217,388

 
$
1,241,414

 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTEREST AND MEMBERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
 

 
 

Current liabilities:
 

 
 

Current portion of long-term debt
$
15,801

 
$
10,756

Accounts payable
13,072

 
18,955

Income taxes payable
31,019

 
766

Accrued expenses
50,988

 
153,246

Deferred income tax liabilities

 
168,219

Program obligations
7,933

 
10,770

Total current liabilities
118,813

 
362,712

Long-term debt, excluding current portion
926,551

 
879,471

Deferred income tax liabilities
44,182

 
40,556

Program obligations
3,597

 
4,281

Other liabilities
37,708

 
42,716

Total liabilities (a)
1,130,851

 
1,329,736

 
 
 
 
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 11)


 


 
 
 
 
Redeemable noncontrolling interest
13,442

 
3,242

 
 
 
 
LIN Media LLC members’ equity (deficit):
 

 
 

Class A common shares, 100,000,000 shares authorized, Issued: 38,929,602 and 35,672,528 shares as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. Outstanding: 33,483,657 and 30,724,869 shares as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively (b)
622,170

 
313

Class B common shares, 50,000,000 shares authorized, 20,901,726 and 23,401,726 shares as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, issued and outstanding; convertible into an equal number of shares of class A common or class C common shares (b)
518,394

 
235

Class C common shares, 50,000,000 shares authorized, 2 shares as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, issued and outstanding; convertible into an equal number of shares of class A common shares (b)

 

Treasury shares, 4,947,659 shares of class A common shares as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, at cost
(21,984
)
 
(21,984
)
Additional paid-in capital (b)

 
1,129,691

Accumulated deficit
(1,010,878
)
 
(1,164,435
)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(34,607
)
 
(35,384
)
Total members’ equity (deficit)
73,095

 
(91,564
)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest and members’ equity (deficit)
$
1,217,388

 
$
1,241,414


The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.
 
(a)
Our consolidated assets as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include total assets of: $61,124 and $60,380, respectively, of variable interest entities (“VIEs”) that can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. These assets include broadcast licenses and other intangible assets of: $45,343 and $46,604 and program rights of: $2,351 and $2,060 as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. Our consolidated liabilities as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include $4,930 and $4,577, respectively, of total liabilities of the VIEs for which the VIEs’ creditors have no recourse to the Company, including $3,128 and $4,152, respectively, of program obligations.  See further description in Note 1 — “Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.”
(b)
In conjunction with the Merger of LIN TV with and into LIN LLC on July 30, 2013, LIN LLC was deemed the successor reporting entity to LIN TV. As such, the additional paid-in capital amount within LIN LLC's members' equity as of September 30, 2013 has been allocated to the Class A and B share balances to conform to LIN LLC's basis of presentation as a limited liability company. For purposes of LIN TV's stockholders' deficit balance as of December 31, 2012, LIN TV's class A, B and C common stock had a par value of $0.01 per share that is not reflected as of September 30, 2013, as each class represents a limited liability interest in LIN Media LLC.


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LIN Media LLC
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(unaudited)
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
 
(in thousands, except per share data)
Net revenues
$
163,110

 
$
133,076

 
$
468,448

 
$
357,292

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating expenses:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Direct operating
62,504

 
38,152

 
180,695

 
110,554

Selling, general and administrative
41,319

 
28,365

 
118,657

 
84,791

Amortization of program rights
7,605

 
5,612

 
22,542

 
16,212

Corporate
10,682

 
9,264

 
30,047

 
24,229

Depreciation
11,429

 
6,824

 
34,387

 
20,234

Amortization of intangible assets
5,886

 
507

 
17,038

 
1,462

Restructuring charge
468

 

 
2,991

 

(Gain) loss from asset dispositions
(9
)
 
(15
)
 
173

 
(12
)
Operating income
23,226

 
44,367

 
61,918

 
99,822

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other expense:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Interest expense, net
13,976

 
9,310

 
42,275

 
28,946

Share of loss in equity investments

 
4,156

 
25

 
4,309

Loss on extinguishment of debt

 

 

 
2,099

Other expense, net
2,055

 
88

 
2,115

 
176

Total other expense, net
16,031

 
13,554

 
44,415

 
35,530

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Income before (benefit from) provision for income taxes
7,195

 
30,813

 
17,503

 
64,292

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes
(139,313
)
 
11,194

 
(135,154
)
 
24,101

Income from continuing operations
146,508

 
19,619

 
152,657

 
40,191

Discontinued operations:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Loss from discontinued operations, net of a benefit from income taxes of $541

 

 

 
(1,018
)
Gain on the sale of discontinued operations, net of a provision for income taxes of $6,223

 

 

 
11,389

Net income
146,508

 
19,619

 
152,657

 
50,562

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests
(430
)
 
(40
)
 
(900
)
 
(481
)
Net income attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
146,938

 
$
19,659

 
$
153,557

 
$
51,043

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic income per common share attributable to LIN Media LLC:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Income from continuing operations attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
2.78

 
$
0.37

 
$
2.93

 
$
0.74

Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax

 

 

 
(0.02
)
Gain on the sale of discontinued operations, net of tax

 

 

 
0.21

Net income attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
2.78

 
$
0.37

 
$
2.93

 
$
0.93

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding used in calculating basic income per common share
52,791

 
53,066

 
52,328

 
54,715

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Diluted income per common share attributable to LIN Media LLC:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Income from continuing operations attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
2.63

 
$
0.36

 
$
2.77

 
$
0.73

Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax

 

 

 
(0.02
)
Gain on the sale of discontinued operations, net of tax

 

 

 
0.20

Net income attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
2.63

 
$
0.36

 
$
2.77

 
$
0.91

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding used in calculating diluted income per common share
55,855

 
54,353

 
55,378

 
55,989

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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LIN Media LLC
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(unaudited)
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
 
(in thousands)
Net income
$
146,508

 
$
19,619

 
$
152,657

 
$
50,562

Amortization of pension net losses, reclassified, net of tax of $169 for the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 and $507 and $509 for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively
259

 
262

 
777

 
784

Comprehensive income
146,767

 
19,881

 
153,434

 
51,346

Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
(430
)
 
(40
)
 
(900
)
 
(481
)
Comprehensive income attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
147,197

 
$
19,921

 
$
154,334

 
$
51,827

 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.


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LIN Media LLC
Consolidated Statement of Members’ Equity
(unaudited)
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Accumulated
 
 
 
Common Shares
 
Treasury
 
Additional
 
 
 
Other
 
Total
 
Class A
 
Class B
 
Class C
 
Shares
 
Paid-In
 
Accumulated
 
Comprehensive
 
Members'
 
Amount
 
Amount
 
Amount
 
(at cost)
 
Capital
 
Deficit
 
Loss
 
Equity
Balance as of December 31, 2012
$
313

 
$
235

 
$

 
$
(21,984
)
 
$
1,129,691

 
$
(1,164,435
)
 
$
(35,384
)
 
$
(91,564
)
Amortization of pension net losses, net of tax of $507

 

 

 

 

 

 
777

 
777

Class A common shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans
1

 

 

 

 
487

 

 

 
488

Class A common shares issued pursuant to exercise of share options
3

 

 

 

 
963

 

 

 
966

Conversion of class B common shares to class A common shares
26

 
(26
)
 

 

 

 

 

 

Tax benefit from exercise of share options

 

 

 

 
2,180

 

 

 
2,180

Share-based compensation

 

 

 

 
6,691

 

 

 
6,691

Net income attributable to LIN Media LLC

 

 

 

 

 
153,557

 

 
153,557

Effect of the Merger
621,827

 
518,185

 

 

 
(1,140,012
)
 

 

 

Balance as of September 30, 2013
$
622,170

 
$
518,394

 
$

 
$
(21,984
)
 
$

 
$
(1,010,878
)
 
$
(34,607
)
 
$
73,095

 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.


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LIN Media LLC
Consolidated Statement of Members’ Deficit
(unaudited)
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Accumulated
 
 
 
Common Shares
 
Treasury
 
Additional
 
 
 
Other
 
Total
 
Class A
 
Class B
 
Class C
 
Shares
 
Paid-In
 
Accumulated
 
Comprehensive
 
Members'
 
Amount
 
Amount
 
Amount
 
(at cost)
 
Capital
 
Deficit
 
Loss
 
Deficit
Balance as of December 31, 2011
$
309

 
$
235

 
$

 
$
(10,598
)
 
$
1,121,589

 
$
(1,157,390
)
 
$
(38,777
)
 
$
(84,632
)
Amortization of pension net losses, net of tax of $509

 

 

 

 

 

 
784

 
784

Class A common shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans
1

 

 

 

 
461

 

 

 
462

Class A common shares issued pursuant to exercise of share options
1

 

 

 

 
191

 

 

 
192

Share-based compensation

 

 

 

 
5,256

 

 

 
5,256

Repurchase of class A common shares

 

 

 
(11,386
)
 

 

 

 
(11,386
)
Net income attributable to LIN Media LLC

 

 

 

 

 
51,043

 

 
51,043

Balance as of September 30, 2012
$
311

 
$
235

 
$

 
$
(21,984
)
 
$
1,127,497

 
$
(1,106,347
)
 
$
(37,993
)
 
$
(38,281
)
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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LIN Media LLC
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(unaudited) 
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
(in thousands)
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

Net income
$
152,657

 
$
50,562

Loss from discontinued operations

 
1,018

Gain on the sale of discontinued operations

 
(11,389
)
Adjustment to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
 

 
 

Depreciation
34,387

 
20,234

Amortization of intangible assets
17,038

 
1,462

Amortization of financing costs and note discounts
2,723

 
1,746

Amortization of program rights
22,542

 
16,212

Cash payments for programming
(23,994
)
 
(17,202
)
Loss on extinguishment of debt

 
871

Share of loss in equity investments
25

 
4,309

Deferred income taxes, net
(7,144
)
 
23,256

Extinguishment of income tax liability related to the Merger
(132,542
)
 

Share-based compensation
6,766

 
5,308

Loss (gain) from asset dispositions
173

 
(12
)
Other, net
1,291

 
1,293

Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
 

 
 

Accounts receivable
3,191

 
(6,371
)
Other assets
(597
)
 
(1,634
)
Accounts payable
(9,609
)
 
(3,730
)
Accrued interest expense
3,761

 
1,865

Other liabilities and accrued expenses
(12,163
)
 
121

Net cash provided by operating activities, continuing operations
58,505

 
87,919

Net cash used in operating activities, discontinued operations

 
(2,736
)
Net cash provided by operating activities
58,505

 
85,183

 
 
 
 
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

Capital expenditures
(21,671
)
 
(19,337
)
Change in restricted cash

 
255,159

Payments for business combinations, net of cash acquired
(10,082
)
 
(34,325
)
Proceeds from the sale of assets
76

 
62

Shortfall loans to joint venture with NBCUniversal

 
(2,292
)
Capital contribution to joint venture with NBCUniversal
(100,000
)
 

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities, continuing operations
(131,677
)
 
199,267

Net cash provided by investing activities, discontinued operations

 
29,520

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities
(131,677
)
 
228,787

 
 
 
 
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

Net proceeds on exercises of employee and director share-based compensation
1,450

 
652

Tax benefit from exercises of share options
2,180

 

Proceeds from borrowings on long-term debt
101,000

 
20,000

Principal payments on long-term debt
(49,394
)
 
(308,128
)
Payment of long-term debt issue costs
(654
)
 
(359
)
Treasury shares purchased

 
(11,386
)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
54,582

 
(299,221
)
 
 
 
 
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
(18,590
)
 
14,749

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period
46,307

 
18,057

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period
$
27,717

 
$
32,806

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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LIN Media LLC
Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements
 
Note 1 — Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
 
Principles of Consolidation

LIN Media LLC (“LIN LLC”), together with its subsidiaries, including LIN Television Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“LIN Television”), is a local multimedia company operating in the United States. LIN LLC and its subsidiaries are affiliates of HM Capital Partners I LP (“HMC”). In these notes, the terms “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” mean LIN LLC and all subsidiaries included in our consolidated financial statements.

On July 30, 2013, LIN TV Corp., a Delaware corporation (“LIN TV”), completed its merger with and into LIN LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of LIN TV, with LIN LLC as the surviving entity (the “Merger”) pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated February 12, 2013, by and between LIN TV and LIN LLC (the “Merger Agreement”).  Entry into the Merger Agreement had previously been announced by LIN TV on its Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 15, 2013. 
 
LIN LLC filed a Current Report on Form 8-K on July 31, 2013 (the “Form 8-K”) for the purpose of establishing LIN LLC as the successor registrant to LIN TV pursuant to Rule 12g-3(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and to disclose certain related matters, including the consummation of the Merger.  Pursuant to Rule 12g-3(a) under the Exchange Act and in accordance with the filing of the Form 8-K, the class A common shares representing limited liability interests in LIN LLC, as the successor registrant to LIN TV, were deemed registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.  References to "LIN LLC," "we," "us," or the "Company" in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that include any period at and before the effectiveness of the Merger shall be deemed to refer to LIN TV as the predecessor registrant to LIN LLC.  For more information concerning the effects of the Merger and the succession of LIN LLC to LIN TV upon its effectiveness, please see the Form 8-K.

Our consolidated financial statements reflect the operations of WWHO-TV in Columbus, OH and WUPW-TV in Toledo, OH as discontinued for all periods presented. See Note 3—“Discontinued Operations” for further discussion of our discontinued operations.
 
The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).
 
In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited interim financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to state fairly our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented.  The interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.
 
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of our Company, our wholly-owned and majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries, and VIEs for which we are the primary beneficiary. We review all local marketing agreements (“LMAs”), shared services agreements (“SSAs”) or joint sales agreements (“JSAs”), to evaluate whether consolidation of entities party to such arrangements is required. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

We conduct our business through LIN Television and its subsidiaries.  Prior to the Merger, LIN TV had no operations or assets other than its investments in its subsidiaries.  Subsequent to the merger and consistent with its classification as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, LIN LLC has separate operations relating to the administration of the partnership.  The consolidated financial statements of LIN LLC represent its own operations and the consolidated operations of LIN Television, which remains a corporation after the Merger.  We operate in one reportable segment.
 

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Joint Venture Sale Transaction and Merger
 
On February 12, 2013, we, along with our wholly-owned subsidiaries LIN Television and LIN Television of Texas, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“LIN Texas”) entered into and closed a transaction agreement (the “Transaction Agreement”) with NBC Telemundo License LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“NBC”), NBCU New LLC I, a Delaware limited liability company, NBCU New LLC II, a Delaware limited liability company, General Electric Company, a New York corporation (“GE”), General Electric Capital Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“GECC” and together with GE, the “GE Parties”), National Broadcasting Company Holding, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Comcast Corporation, a Pennsylvania corporation (“Comcast”), NBCUniversal Media, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“NBCUniversal”), Lone Star SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and Station Venture Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“SVH”).  The Transaction Agreement effected a series of transactions related to the ownership and sale of LIN Texas’s 20.38% equity interest in SVH, a joint venture in which NBC, an affiliate of NBCUniversal, held the remaining 79.62% equity interest (collectively, the “JV Sale Transaction”). SVH held a 99.75% interest in Station Venture Operations, LP (“SVO”), which is the operating company that managed KXAS-TV and KNSD-TV, the television stations that comprised the joint venture.
 
SVH was a limited partner in a business that operated an NBC affiliate in Dallas and an NBC affiliate in San Diego pursuant to a management agreement. At the time of LIN Texas’s acquisition of its interest in SVH in 1998, GECC provided secured debt financing to SVH in the form of a $815.5 million non-amortizing senior secured note due 2023 to GECC (the “GECC Note”), and, in connection with SVH’s assumption of the GECC Note, LIN TV guaranteed the payment of the full amount of principal and interest on the GECC Note (the “GECC Guarantee”).
 
In addition, during 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, LIN Television entered into agreements with SVH, the GE Parties and NBCUniversal pursuant to which LIN Television, the GE Parties and NBCUniversal caused to be provided to SVH certain unsecured shortfall funding loans (the “Shortfall Funding Loans”) on the basis of each party’s percentage of equity interest in SVH in order to fund interest payments on the GECC Note.
 
Pursuant to the JV Sale Transaction, in exchange for LIN Television causing a $100 million capital contribution to be made to SVH (which was used to prepay a portion of the GECC Note), LIN TV was released from the GECC Guarantee and any further obligations related to any shortfall funding agreements. Further, LIN Texas sold its 20.38% equity interest in SVH to affiliates of NBCUniversal, and the LIN parties transferred their rights to receivables related to the Shortfall Funding Loans for $1. As a result of the JV Sale Transaction, neither we nor any of our direct or indirect subsidiaries have any further investment in or obligations (funding or otherwise) related to SVH, including, without limitation, to make any other unsecured shortfall loans or payments under the GECC Note or the GECC Guarantee.
 
We accrued for and expensed the $100 million capital contribution to SVH to secure the release of the GECC Guarantee and recorded the related tax effects in our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2012 because it represented a probable and estimable obligation of the Company.  In February 2013, we entered into a $60 million incremental term loan facility and utilized $40 million of cash on hand and borrowings under our revolving credit facility to fund the $100 million payment. As a result of the JV Sale Transaction, after utilizing all of our available Federal net operating loss carryforwards to offset the taxable gain recognized in such transaction, we had an approximate $163 million income tax payable associated with this transaction remaining, $132.5 million of which was extinguished as a result of the closing of the Agreement and Plan of Merger further described below.
 
Concurrent with the closing of the JV Sale Transaction, LIN TV entered into the Merger Agreement with LIN LLC as described above. The Merger enabled the surviving entity to be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and the change in classification was treated as a liquidation of LIN TV for federal income tax purposes, with the result that LIN TV realized a capital loss in its 100% equity interest in LIN Television.
 
Based on an average of the opening and closing trading prices of LIN TV's class A common stock at the consummation of the Merger,  LIN TV realized a capital loss in the amount of approximately $344 million, which represents the difference between its tax basis in the stock of LIN Television, and the fair market value of such stock as of July 30, 2013.  The capital loss realized and existing net operating losses were used to offset a portion of the capital gain recognized in the JV Sale Transaction and, as a result, we realized cash savings of $132.5 million, resulting in a remaining tax liability of $30.5 million associated with the JV Sale Transaction. We made estimated state and federal tax payments to settle $29 million of this tax liability during October 2013 and expect to fund the remaining liability when it becomes due in November 2013.





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Variable Interest Entities
 
In determining whether we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE for financial reporting purposes, we consider whether we have the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE and whether we have the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive returns that would be significant to the VIE. We consolidate VIEs when we are the primary beneficiary.
 
We have a JSA and an SSA with WBDT Television, LLC (“WBDT”), a third party licensee, for WBDT-TV in the Dayton, OH market. We also have JSAs and SSAs with affiliates of Vaughan Acquisition LLC (“Vaughan”), a third party licensee, for WTGS-TV in the Savannah, GA market, WYTV-TV in the Youngstown, OH market and KTKA-TV in the Topeka, KS market and SSAs with KASY-TV Licensee, LLC (“KASY”), a third-party licensee, for KWBQ-TV in the Santa Fe, NM market, KRWB-TV in the Roswell, NM market and KASY-TV in the Albuquerque, NM market. Under these agreements, we provide administrative services to these stations, have an obligation to reimburse certain of the stations' expenses, and we are compensated through a performance-based fee structure that provides us the benefit of certain returns from the operation of these stations.
 
We determined that WBDT, Vaughan and KASY are VIEs and as a result of the JSAs and/or SSAs, we have variable interests in these entities. We are the primary beneficiary of these entities, and therefore, we consolidate these entities within our consolidated financial statements.
 
The carrying amounts and classifications of the assets and liabilities of the variable interest entities described above, which have been included in our consolidating balance sheets as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 are as follows (in thousands):
 
September 30,
2013
 
December 31,
2012
ASSETS
 

 
 

Current assets:
 

 
 

Cash and cash equivalents
$
453

 
$
418

Accounts receivable, net
7,452

 
6,021

Other assets
1,078

 
2,092

Total current assets
8,983

 
8,531

Property and equipment, net
3,063

 
3,190

Broadcast licenses and other intangible assets, net
45,343

 
46,604

Other assets
3,735

 
2,055

Total assets
$
61,124

 
$
60,380

 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES
 

 
 

Current liabilities:
 

 
 

Current portion of long-term debt
$
1,216

 
$
1,451

Accounts payable
668

 

Accrued expenses
1,134

 
425

Program obligations
1,597

 
2,185

Total current liabilities
4,615

 
4,061

Long-term debt, excluding current portion
3,765

 
3,950

Program obligations
1,531

 
1,967

Other liabilities
51,213

 
50,402

Total liabilities
$
61,124

 
$
60,380

 
The assets of our consolidated VIEs can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs and may not be sold, or otherwise disposed of, except for assets sold or replaced with others of like kind or value. Other liabilities of $51.2 million and $50.4 million as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, serve to reduce the carrying value of the entities, and are eliminated in our consolidated financial statements. This reflects the fact that as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, LIN Television has an option that it may exercise if the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) attribution rules change. The option would allow LIN Television to acquire the assets or member’s interest of the VIE entities for a nominal exercise price, which is significantly less than the carrying value of their tangible and intangible net assets.

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Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest
 
The following table presents the activity of the redeemable noncontrolling interest included in our consolidated balance sheets related to Nami Media, Inc. (“Nami Media”), HYFN, Inc. (“HYFN”) and Dedicated Media, Inc. (“Dedicated Media”), which represents third parties’ proportionate share of our consolidated net assets (in thousands):
 
 
Redeemable
Noncontrolling
Interest
Balance as of December 31, 2012
$
3,242

Acquisition of redeemable noncontrolling interest
11,025

Net loss
(900
)
Share-based compensation
75

Balance as of September 30, 2013
$
13,442

 
Use of Estimates
 
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires our management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto. Our actual results could differ from these estimates. Estimates are used for the allowance for doubtful accounts in receivables, valuation of goodwill and intangible assets, assumptions used to determine fair value of financial instruments, amortization and impairment of program rights and intangible assets, share-based compensation and other long-term incentive compensation arrangements, pension costs, barter transactions, income taxes, employee medical insurance claims, useful lives of property and equipment, contingencies, litigation and net assets of businesses acquired.
 
Net Earnings per Common Share
 
Basic earnings per share (“EPS”) is computed by dividing income attributable to common shareholders by the number of weighted-average outstanding common shares.  Diluted EPS reflects the effect of the assumed exercise of share options and vesting of restricted shares only in the periods in which such effect would have been dilutive.
 
The following table sets forth the computation of the common shares outstanding used in determining basic and diluted EPS (in thousands):

 
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
Denominator for EPS calculation:
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
Weighted-average common shares, basic
 
52,791

 
53,066

 
52,328

 
54,715

Effect of dilutive securities:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Share options
 
3,064

 
1,287

 
3,050

 
1,274

Weighted-average common shares, diluted
 
55,855

 
54,353

 
55,378

 
55,989

 
We apply the treasury stock method to measure the dilutive effect of our outstanding share options and restricted share awards and include the respective common share equivalents in the denominator of our diluted EPS calculation.  Securities representing 0.1 million and 2.5 million common shares for the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and 0.1 million and 1.7 million common shares for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, were excluded from the computation of diluted EPS for these periods because their effect would have been anti-dilutive.  The net income per share amounts are the same for our class A, class B and class C common shares because the holders of each class are legally entitled to equal per share distributions whether through dividends or in liquidation.
 
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In July 2013 the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2013-11, “Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists” to eliminate diversity in practice.

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This ASU requires that companies net their unrecognized tax benefits against all same-jurisdiction net operating losses or tax credit carryforwards that would be used to settle the position with a tax authority. This new guidance is effective prospectively for annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2013 and interim periods therein. We prospectively adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2013 and it did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-2, “Reporting of Amounts Reclassified out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income,” which amends Accounting Standards Codification 220, “Comprehensive Income.” The amendments require an entity to disclose the impact of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income and into net income, by the respective line items of net income, if the amounts reclassified are reclassified to net income in their entirety in the same reporting period. The disclosure is required either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes. For amounts that are not reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures required under U.S. GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts. We prospectively adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2013 and it did not have a material impact on our financial statements.
 
In July 2012, there were revisions to the accounting standard for impairment tests of indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill. Under the revised standard a company can first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether further impairment testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets is necessary. A company can choose to perform the qualitative assessment on none, some, or all of its indefinite-lived intangible assets, and can also bypass the qualitative assessment and perform the quantitative impairment test for any indefinite-lived intangible in any period. The revised standard is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012. We adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2013 and do not expect it to have a material impact on our impairment tests of indefinite-lived intangible assets.

Note 2 — Acquisitions
 
Dedicated Media, Inc.
 
On April 9, 2013, LIN Television acquired a 60% interest (calculated on a fully diluted basis) in Dedicated Media, a multi-channel advertisement buying and optimization company.  Dedicated Media is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA and employs new technologies to create, plan and execute digital marketing campaigns on behalf of its clients.  The purchase price totaled $5.8 million, which was funded from cash on hand at the time of the acquisition.

Under the terms of our agreement with Dedicated Media, we agreed to purchase the remaining outstanding shares of Dedicated Media by no later than February 15, 2015 if Dedicated Media achieves both (i) a target earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) and (ii) a target gross profit in 2014, as outlined in the purchase agreement.  The purchase price of these shares is based on multiples of Dedicated Media’s 2014 EBITDA and gross profit.  Our maximum potential obligation under the purchase agreement is $26 million.  If Dedicated Media does not meet the target EBITDA or target gross profit in 2014, we have the option to purchase the remaining outstanding shares using the same purchase price multiple.
 
The following table summarizes the provisional allocation of the purchase price to the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed by us in the acquisition (in thousands):

Current assets
$
7,315

Equipment
158

Other intangible assets
4,620

Goodwill
1,796

Current liabilities
(4,303
)
Noncontrolling interest
(3,834
)
Total
$
5,752

 
The amount allocated to definite-lived intangible assets represents the estimated fair values of customer relationships of $3.9 million, completed technology of $0.5 million, and trademarks of $0.2 million. These intangible assets will be amortized over the estimated remaining useful lives of approximately 7 years for customer relationships, 4 years for completed technology and 2 years for trademarks.

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HYFN, Inc.
 
On April 4, 2013, LIN Television acquired a 50.1% interest (calculated on a fully diluted basis) in HYFN, a full service digital advertising agency specializing in the planning, development, deployment and support for websites, mobile sites, interactive banners, games and various applications for multiple devices.  The purchase price totaled $7.2 million, $6.9 million of which was funded from cash on hand and $0.3 million was accrued at the time of the acquisition and is expected to be paid in accordance with the provisions of the purchase agreement during the fourth quarter of 2013.
 
Under the terms of our agreement with HYFN, we agreed to purchase the remaining outstanding shares of HYFN by no later than February 15, 2016 if HYFN achieves both (i) a target EBITDA and (ii) target net revenues in 2015, as outlined in the transaction agreements.  The purchase price of these shares is based on multiples of HYFN’s 2015 net revenue and EBITDA.  Our maximum potential obligation under the terms of our agreement is approximately $62.4 million.  If HYFN does not meet the target EBITDA or target net revenues in 2015, we have the option to purchase the remaining outstanding shares using the same purchase price multiple.
 
The following table summarizes the provisional allocation of the purchase price to the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed by us in the acquisition (in thousands):
 
Current assets
$
3,759

Non-current assets
13

Equipment
179

Other intangible assets
3,580

Goodwill
9,160

Current liabilities
(920
)
Non-current liabilities
(1,361
)
Noncontrolling interest
(7,191
)
Total
$
7,219

 
The amount allocated to definite-lived intangible assets represents the estimated fair values of customer relationships of $2.4 million, completed technology of $1.1 million, and trademarks of $0.1 million. These intangible assets will be amortized over the estimated remaining useful lives of approximately 8 years for customer relationships, 3 years for completed technology and 3 years for trademarks.
 
Goodwill of $1.8 million and $9.2 million is the excess of the aggregate purchase price over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired, and primarily represents the benefits of the incremental revenue we expect to generate from the acquisitions of Dedicated Media and HYFN, respectively.  None of the goodwill recognized in connection with the acquisitions of Dedicated Media and HYFN is deductible for tax purposes.
 
Our obligations to purchase the noncontrolling interest holders’ shares of both Dedicated Media and HYFN are outside of our control, because they are based on the achievement of certain financial targets described above. Therefore, the noncontrolling interest related to Dedicated Media and HYFN as of September 30, 2013 has been reported as redeemable noncontrolling interest and classified as temporary equity on our consolidated balance sheets. As of the acquisition dates, the fair values of the noncontrolling interests were $3.8 million and $7.2 million for Dedicated Media and HYFN, respectively, and were measured based on the purchase prices for our 60% and 50.1% ownership interest in Dedicated Media and HYFN, respectively, and the net assets acquired as of the acquisition dates. As of September 30, 2013, we believe that achieving the financial targets is not yet probable and therefore, have not reflected these obligations in our consolidated financial statements.
 
If we do not purchase the remaining outstanding shares of Dedicated Media or HYFN by the dates set forth in the respective purchase agreements, the noncontrolling interest holders have the right to purchase our interest. The purchase price of these shares is based on the same purchase price multiple described above and is exercisable only if the applicable financial targets are not met and we do not elect to purchase the remaining interest. The fair value of this option is zero and no amounts related to these options are included in our consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2013.




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New Vision Television, LLC
 
On October 12, 2012, LIN Television completed its acquisition of television stations in eight markets that were previously owned by affiliates of New Vision Television, LLC (“New Vision”) for $334.9 million, subject to certain post-closing adjustments, and including the assumption of $14.3 million of finance lease obligations.  Concurrent with the acquisition, Vaughan, a third-party licensee, completed its acquisition of separately owned television stations (the “Vaughan Acquired Stations”) in three markets for $4.6 million from PBC Broadcasting, LLC (“PBC”).
 
LIN Television also agreed to provide certain services to the Vaughan Acquired Stations pursuant to JSAs and SSAs with Vaughan.  Under the JSAs and SSAs with Vaughan, we provide administrative and technical services, supporting the business and operation of the Vaughan Acquired Stations in exchange for commissions and fees that provide us the benefit of certain returns from the business of the Vaughan Acquired Stations.
 
The following table summarizes the allocation of the purchase price to the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed by both us and Vaughan in the acquisition (in thousands):
 
Program rights assets
$
2,040

Property and equipment
100,124

Broadcast licenses
133,120

Definite-lived intangible assets
55,837

Goodwill
65,024

Current liabilities
(417
)
Non-current liabilities
(2,239
)
Long-term debt assumed
(13,989
)
Total
$
339,500

 
The amount allocated to definite-lived intangible assets represents the estimated fair values of network affiliations of $30.8 million, favorable leases of $8.6 million, advertiser relationships of $6.1 million, retransmission consent agreements of $7 million, and other intangible assets of $3.3 million. These intangible assets will be amortized over the estimated remaining useful lives of approximately 2 years for network affiliations, 32 years for favorable leases, 10 years for advertiser relationships, 5 years for retransmission consent agreements, and a weighted average life of 6 years for other intangible assets.
 
ACME Television, LLC
 
On December 10, 2012, LIN Television acquired certain assets of the ACME Television, LLC (“ACME”) television stations KWBQ-TV, KRWB-TV and KASY-TV (collectively the “ACME Acquired Stations”), each of which serves the Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM market. KASY, an unrelated third party, acquired the remaining assets of the ACME Acquired Stations, including the FCC licenses. The aggregate purchase price for the ACME Acquired Stations was $19 million, of which we paid approximately $17.3 million and KASY paid approximately $1.7 million.
 
LIN Television also agreed to provide certain services to the ACME Acquired Stations pursuant to SSAs with KASY.  Under the SSAs with KASY, we provide administrative and technical services, supporting the business and operations of the ACME Acquired Stations in exchange for commissions and fees that provide us the benefit of certain returns from the business of the ACME Acquired Stations.
 
The following table summarizes the allocation of the purchase price to the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed by both us and KASY in the acquisition (in thousands):

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Current assets
$
1,656

Non-current assets
1,968

Other intangible assets
12,898

Goodwill
5,331

Non-current liabilities
(2,858
)
Total
$
18,995

 
Goodwill of $65 million and $5.3 million is the excess of the aggregate purchase price over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired, and primarily represents the benefits of synergies and economies of scale we expect to realize from the acquisitions of the television stations from New Vision and ACME, respectively.  All of the goodwill recognized in connection with the acquisitions of New Vision and ACME is deductible for tax purposes.

Net revenues and operating income of the television stations acquired during 2012 included in our consolidated statements of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 were $105.5 million and $2.5 million, respectively.
 
During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, certain measurement period adjustments were made to the initial allocation performed in the fourth quarter of 2012 for the New Vision acquisition and the New Vision and ACME acquisitions, respectively, which were not material to the consolidated financial statements.

Pro Forma Information
 
The following table sets forth unaudited pro forma results of operations as of September 30, 2012, assuming that the above acquisitions of television stations from New Vision and ACME, along with transactions necessary to finance the acquisitions, occurred on January 1, 2011 (in thousands):
 
 
Three Months Ended 
 September 30, 2012
 
Nine Months Ended 
 September 30, 2012
Net revenue
$
169,954

 
$
463,122

Net income
$
19,044

 
$
45,211

Basic income per common share attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
0.36

 
$
0.83

Diluted income per common share attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
0.35

 
$
0.81

 
This pro forma financial information is based on historical results of operations, adjusted for the allocation of the purchase price and other acquisition accounting adjustments, and is not necessarily indicative of what our results would have been had we operated the businesses since January 1, 2011. The pro forma adjustments for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 reflect depreciation expense, amortization of intangibles and amortization of program contract costs related to the fair value adjustments of the assets acquired, additional interest expense related to the financing of the transactions, exclusion of nonrecurring financing and transaction related costs and the related tax effects of the adjustments.
 
Nami Media, Inc.
 
On November 22, 2011, LIN Television acquired a 57.6% interest (a 50.1% interest calculated on a fully diluted basis) in Nami Media, a digital advertising management and technology company based in Los Angeles, CA. Under the terms of our agreement with Nami Media, we agreed to purchase the remaining outstanding shares of Nami Media in 2014 if Nami Media achieves a target EBITDA in 2013 as outlined in the purchase agreement. The purchase price of these shares is based on multiples of Nami Media’s 2013 net revenues and EBITDA. Our maximum potential obligation under the purchase agreement is $37.4 million. Additionally, if Nami Media does not meet the target EBITDA in 2013, we have the option to purchase the remaining outstanding shares using the same purchase price multiple. Our obligation to purchase the noncontrolling interest holders’ shares is essentially outside of our control, because it is based on the achievement of target EBITDA in 2013. Therefore, the noncontrolling interest related to Nami Media as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 has been reported as redeemable noncontrolling interest and classified as temporary equity on our consolidated balance sheets. As of the acquisition date, the fair value of the noncontrolling interest was $3.5 million, and was measured based on the purchase price for our 57.6% ownership interest and the net assets acquired as of the acquisition date.

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As of September 30, 2013, we believe that achievement of the financial targets is not probable and therefore, have not reflected these obligations in our consolidated financial statements.
 
In 2014, if we do not purchase the remaining outstanding shares of Nami Media by the date set forth in the purchase agreements, the noncontrolling interest holders have the right to purchase our interest in Nami Media. The purchase price of these shares is based on the same purchase price multiple described above and is exercisable only if the 2013 EBITDA target is not met and we do not elect to purchase the remaining interest. The fair value of this option is zero and no amounts related to these options are included in our consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012.

Note 3 — Discontinued Operations
 
WWHO-TV
 
On February 16, 2012, we completed the sale of substantially all of the assets of WWHO-TV, our CW affiliate serving Columbus, OH, to Manhan Media, Inc.  During the nine months ended September 30, 2012, we recorded a loss on the sale of WWHO-TV of $0.4 million ($0.3 million, net of tax).
 
WUPW-TV
 
On April 21, 2012, we completed the sale of substantially all of the assets of WUPW-TV to WUPW, LLC. During the nine months ended September 30, 2012, we recorded a gain on the sale of WUPW-TV of $18 million ($11.7 million, net of tax).
 
The following presents summarized information for the discontinued operations (in thousands):
 
 
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
WWHO-
TV
 
WUPW-
TV
 
Total
 
WWHO-
TV
 
WUPW-
TV
 
Total
Net revenues
$

 
$

 
$

 
$
440

 
$
2,193

 
$
2,633

Operating loss

 

 

 
(393
)
 
(1,166
)
 
(1,559
)
Net loss

 

 

 
(252
)
 
(766
)
 
(1,018
)
 
Note 4 —Investments
 
Joint Venture with NBCUniversal
 
As of December 31, 2012, we held a 20.38% interest in SVH, a joint venture with NBCUniversal, and accounted for our interest using the equity method as we did not have a controlling interest. SVH held a 99.75% interest in SVO, which is the operating company that managed KXAS-TV and KNSD-TV, the television stations that comprised the joint venture.
 
As further described in Note 1 — “Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 11 — “Commitments and Contingencies,” on February 12, 2013, LIN TV, LIN Television, and LIN Texas entered into, and simultaneously closed the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement among subsidiaries of NBCUniversal, Comcast, the GE Parties, and SVH.
 
Pursuant to the JV Sale Transaction, in exchange for LIN Television causing a $100 million capital contribution to be made to SVH (which was used to prepay a portion of the GECC Note), LIN TV was released from the GECC Guarantee and any further obligations related to any shortfall funding agreements. Further, LIN Texas sold its 20.38% equity interest in SVH to affiliates of NBCUniversal, and the LIN parties transferred their rights to receivables related to the Shortfall Funding Loans for $1. As a result of the JV Sale Transaction, neither we nor any of our direct or indirect subsidiaries have any further investment in or obligations (funding or otherwise) related to SVH, including, without limitation, to make any other unsecured shortfall loans or payments under the GECC Note or the GECC Guarantee. 


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Note 5 — Intangible Assets
 
Goodwill totaled $203.5 million and $192.5 million at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The change in the carrying amount of goodwill during the nine months ended September 30, 2013 was as follows (in thousands):
 
 
Goodwill
Balance as of December 31, 2012
$
192,514

Acquisitions
10,956

Balance as of September 30, 2013
$
203,470

 
The following table summarizes the carrying amounts of intangible assets (in thousands):
 
 
September 30, 2013
 
December 31, 2012
 
Gross Carrying
Amount
 
Accumulated
Amortization
 
Gross Carrying
Amount
 
Accumulated
Amortization
Broadcast licenses
$
536,515

 
$

 
$
536,515

 
$

Intangible assets subject to amortization (1)
86,606

 
(34,465
)
 
75,625

 
(16,071
)
Total
$
623,121

 
$
(34,465
)
 
$
612,140

 
$
(16,071
)
 
(1)
Intangible assets subject to amortization are amortized on a straight line basis and primarily include network affiliations, acquired customer relationships, completed technology, brand names, non-compete agreements, internal-use software, favorable operating leases, and retransmission consent agreements.
 
There were no events during the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012 that warranted an interim impairment test of our indefinite-lived intangible assets, including goodwill.

Note 6 — Debt
 
LIN LLC guarantees all of LIN Television’s debt.  All of the consolidated 100% owned subsidiaries of LIN Television fully and unconditionally guarantee LIN Television’s senior secured credit facility, the 83/8% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “83/8% Senior Notes”), and the 63/8% Senior Notes due 2021 (the “63/8% Senior Notes”) on a joint-and-several basis.

Debt consisted of the following (in thousands):
 
 
September 30,
2013
 
December 31,
2012
Senior Secured Credit Facility:
 

 
 

Revolving credit loans
$

 
$

$120,313 and $125,000 Term loans, net of discount of $368 and $435 as September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively
119,945

 
124,565

$315,000 and $257,400 Incremental term loans, net of discount of $1,768 and $2,020 as of September 30,2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively
313,232

 
255,380

83/8% Senior Notes due 2018
200,000

 
200,000

63/8% Senior Notes due 2021
290,000

 
290,000

Capital lease obligations
14,718

 
14,881

Other debt
4,457

 
5,401

Total debt
942,352

 
890,227

Less current portion
15,801

 
10,756

Total long-term debt
$
926,551

 
$
879,471

 
During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we paid $2.4 million and $7.1 million, respectively, of principal on the term loans and incremental term loans related to mandatory quarterly payments under our senior secured credit facility.

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In February 2013, pursuant to our existing credit agreement, we issued $60 million of new debt in the form of a tranche B-2 incremental term facility (the “Incremental Facility”).  The Incremental Facility is a five-year term loan facility and is subject to the terms of LIN Television’s existing credit agreement, dated as of October 26, 2011, as amended on December 24, 2012, by and among LIN Television, JP Morgan Chase Bank as Administrative Agent and the banks and other financial institutions party thereto (the “Credit Agreement”).  The proceeds of the Incremental Facility, as well as cash on hand and cash from revolving borrowings under the Credit Agreement, were used to fund the $100 million transferred to SVH by LIN Television pursuant to the JV Sale Transaction.
 
During the nine months ended September 30, 2012, we recorded a loss on extinguishment of debt of $2.1 million to our consolidated statement of operations, consisting of a write-down of deferred financing fees and unamortized discount related to the redemption of our 6½% Senior Subordinated Notes and our 6½% Senior Subordinated Notes — Class B (“6½% Senior Subordinated Notes”).
 
The fair values of our long-term debt are estimated based on quoted market prices for the same or similar issues (Level 2 inputs of the three-level fair value hierarchy).  The carrying amounts and fair values of our long-term debt were as follows (in thousands):
 
September 30,
2013
 
December 31,
2012
Carrying amount
$
927,634

 
$
875,346

Fair value
944,212

 
910,500

 
Note 7 — Fair Value Measurements
 
We record the fair value of certain financial assets and liabilities on a recurring basis.  The following table summarizes the financial assets measured at fair value in the accompanying financial statements using the three-level fair value hierarchy as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 (in thousands):
 
 
Significant
Observable
Inputs
 
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
 
 
(Level 2)
 
(Level 3)
 
Total
September 30, 2013:
 

 
 

 
 

Assets:
 

 
 

 
 

Deferred compensation related investments
$
678

 
$
3,075

 
$
3,753

 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2012:
 

 
 

 
 

Assets:
 

 
 

 
 

Deferred compensation related investments
$
619

 
$
2,461

 
$
3,080

 
For level two investments, the fair value of our investments is based upon the fair value of the investments selected by employees.  For level three investments, the fair value of our deferred compensation related investments is based on the cash surrender values of life insurance policies underlying our supplemental income deferral plan.
 
Note 8 — Retirement Plans
 
The following table shows the components of the net periodic pension cost and the contributions to our 401(k) Plan and the retirement plans (in thousands):
 

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Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
Net periodic pension cost (benefit):
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Interest cost
$
1,314

 
$
1,364

 
$
3,942

 
$
4,092

Expected return on plan assets
(1,670
)
 
(1,549
)
 
(5,010
)
 
(4,647
)
Amortization of net loss
428

 
431

 
1,284

 
1,293

Net periodic cost
$
72

 
$
246

 
$
216

 
$
738

Contributions:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

401(k) Plan
$
1,229

 
$
915

 
$
3,653

 
$
2,835

Defined contribution retirement plans
59

 
82

 
143

 
263

Defined benefit retirement plans
1,231

 
3,807

 
3,944

 
6,097

Total contributions
$
2,519

 
$
4,804

 
$
7,740

 
$
9,195


See Note 11 — “Retirement Plans” in Item 15 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 for a full description of our retirement plans.
 

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Note 9 — Restructuring
 
During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we recorded a restructuring charge of $0.5 million and $3.0 million, respectively, primarily related to severance and related costs as a result of the integration of the television stations acquired during 2012.  During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we made cash payments of $0.4 million and $2.8 million, respectively, related to these restructuring actions.  We expect to make cash payments of approximately $0.2 million during the remainder of 2013 related to these restructuring activities.
 
Also, during the year ended December 31, 2012, we recorded a restructuring charge of $2.4 million as a result of the consolidation of certain activities at our stations.  During the nine months ended September 30, 2013, we made cash payments of $0.7 million related to these restructuring actions.  We do not expect to make significant cash payments during the remainder of the year with respect to such transactions, as the majority of the restructuring activities are complete as of the date of this report.
 
 
Severance and
Related
Balance as of December 31, 2012
$
717

Charges
2,991

Payments
(3,474
)
Balance as of September 30, 2013
$
234

 

Note 10 — Income Taxes
 
We recorded a benefit from income taxes of $139.3 million and $135.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, compared to a provision for income taxes of $11.2 million and $24.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively.  The benefit from income taxes for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 was primarily a result of a $124.6 million discrete tax benefit recognized as a result of the Merger as well as an $18.2 million discrete tax benefit recognized as a result of the reversal of a state valuation allowance further described below. Our effective income tax rate was (772.2)% and 37.5% for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012, respectively.  The change in the effective income tax rate was primarily due to the tax benefits discussed above. We expect our effective income tax rate to range between 42% and 44% during the remainder of 2013.
 
As of December 31, 2012, we had a valuation allowance of $18.2 million offsetting certain state net operating loss carryforwards and other state deferred tax assets. During the third quarter of 2013, after evaluating our ability to recover certain net operating loss carryforwards due to the change in tax structure as a result of the Merger, we determined that we will more likely than not be able to realize these deferred tax assets. As a result, we reversed the valuation allowance and recognized a corresponding tax benefit of $18.2 million.

As a result of the JV Sale Transaction, we recognized $27.5 million and $0.9 million of incremental short-term deferred federal and state tax liabilities, respectively. The financial impact of the JV Sale Transaction and corresponding tax expense of $28.4 million was reflected in our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2012.  During the first quarter of 2013, approximately $163 million of short term deferred liabilities were reclassified to income taxes payable upon the consummation of the JV Sale Transaction.  As a result of the close of the Merger on July 30, 2013, $132.5 million of this tax liability was extinguished, resulting in a remaining tax liability of approximately $30.5 million associated with the JV Sale Transaction.  For further discussion regarding the JV Sale Transaction and the Merger, see Note 1 — “Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 11 — “Commitments and Contingencies.”
 
Note 11 — Commitments and Contingencies
 
We lease land, buildings, vehicles and equipment pursuant to non-cancelable operating lease agreements and we contract for general services pursuant to non-cancelable operating agreements that expire at various dates through 2036. In addition, we have entered into commitments for future syndicated entertainment and sports programming. Future payments for these non-cancelable operating leases and agreements, and future payments associated with syndicated television programs as of September 30, 2013 are as follows (in thousands):

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Commitments 
Year
 
Operating Leases
and Agreements
 
Syndicated
Television
Programming
 
Total
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2013
 
$
10,401

 
$
12,918

(1) 
$
23,319

2014
 
37,515

 
24,221

 
61,736

2015
 
29,663

 
19,112

 
48,775

2016
 
13,845

 
12,195

 
26,040

2017
 
11,699

 
2,499

 
14,198

Thereafter
 
10,893

 
367

 
11,260

Total obligations
 
$
114,016

 
$
71,312

 
$
185,328

 
 
(1) Includes $11.5 million of program obligations recorded on our consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2013.

Contingencies
 
GECC Guarantee and the Merger
 
GECC provided secured debt financing for the joint venture between NBCUniversal and us, in the form of an $815.5 million non-amortizing senior secured note due 2023 bearing interest at an initial rate of 8% per annum until March 1, 2013 and 9% per annum thereafter. The GECC Note was an obligation of the joint venture. As of December 31, 2012, we had a 20.38% equity interest in the joint venture and NBCUniversal had the remaining 79.62% equity interest, in which we and NBCUniversal each had a 50% voting interest. NBCUniversal operated two television stations, KXAS-TV, an NBC affiliate in Dallas, and KNSD-TV, an NBC affiliate in San Diego, pursuant to a management agreement. LIN TV had previously guaranteed the payment of principal and interest on the GECC Note.
 
On February 12, 2013, we, along with our wholly-owned subsidiaries, LIN Television and LIN Texas, entered into, and simultaneously closed the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement with subsidiaries of NBCUniversal, the GE Parties, Comcast, and SVH. The Transaction Agreement effected a series of transactions whereby in exchange for LIN Television causing a $100 million capital contribution to be made to SVH (which was used to prepay a portion of the GECC Note), LIN TV was released from the GECC Guarantee and any further obligations relating to the shortfall funding agreements.  Further, LIN Texas sold its 20.38% equity interest in SVH to affiliates of NBCUniversal, and the LIN parties transferred their rights to receivables related to the Shortfall Funding Loans for $1. The Transaction Agreement contains certain indemnifications and obligations with respect to representations and warranties; however, we do not anticipate that such obligations will result in any material liability to the Company.
 
We accrued for and expensed the $100 million capital contribution to SVH to secure the release of the guarantee and recorded the related tax effects in our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2012, because it represented a probable and estimable obligation of the Company.  In February 2013, we entered into a $60 million Incremental Facility and utilized $40 million of cash on hand and borrowings under our revolving credit facility to fund the $100 million payment. As a result of the JV Sale Transaction, after utilizing all of our available Federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards, we had an approximate $163 million income tax payable remaining, $132.5 million of which was extinguished as a result of the Merger described below.
 
On February 12, 2013, we also announced that LIN TV entered into the Merger Agreement with LIN LLC, a newly formed Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of LIN TV. On July 30, 2013, the shareholders of LIN TV approved the Merger and pursuant to the Merger Agreement, LIN TV was merged with and into LIN LLC with LIN LLC continuing as the surviving entity. The Merger enabled the surviving entity to be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and that change in classification was treated as a liquidation of LIN TV for federal income tax purposes with the result that LIN TV realized a capital loss in its 100% equity interest in LIN Television.
 
Based on an average of the opening and closing trading prices of LIN TV's class A common stock at the consummation of the Merger, LIN TV realized a capital loss of approximately $344 million, which represents the difference between its tax basis in the stock of LIN Television, and the fair market value of this stock as of July 30, 2013. 

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The capital loss realized and existing net operating losses were used to offset a portion of the capital gain recognized in the JV Sale Transaction and as a result, we realized tax savings of $132.5 million, resulting in a remaining tax liability of $30.5 million associated with the JV Sale Transaction. We made estimated state and federal tax payments to settle $29 million of this tax liability during October 2013 and expect to fund the remaining liability when it becomes due in November 2013.

Litigation
 
We are involved in various claims and lawsuits that are generally incidental to our business. We are vigorously contesting all of these matters. The outcome of any current or future litigation cannot be accurately predicted. We record accruals for such contingencies to the extent that we conclude it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. No estimate of the possible loss or range of loss can be made at this time because the inherently unpredictable nature of legal proceedings may be exacerbated by various factors, including: (i) the damages sought in the proceedings are unsubstantiated or indeterminate; (ii) discovery is not complete; (iii) the proceeding is in its early stages; (iv) the matters present legal uncertainties; (v) there are significant facts in dispute; or (vi) there is a wide range of potential outcomes. Although the outcome of these and other legal proceedings cannot be predicted, we believe that their ultimate resolution will not have a material adverse effect on us.
 
Note 12 — Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements
 
LIN Television, a 100% owned subsidiary of LIN LLC, is the primary obligor of our senior secured credit facility, our 83/8% Senior Notes and our 63/8% Senior Notes, which are further described in Note 6 — “Debt”.  LIN LLC fully and unconditionally guarantees all of LIN Television’s debt on a joint-and-several basis.  Additionally, all of the consolidated 100% owned subsidiaries of LIN Television fully and unconditionally guarantee LIN Television’s senior secured credit facility, our 83/8% Senior Notes and our 63/8% Senior Notes on a joint-and-several basis, subject to customary release provisions.  There are certain contractual restrictions on LIN Television’s ability to obtain funds in the form of dividends or loans from the non-guarantor subsidiaries.
 
The following condensed consolidating financial statements present the consolidated balance sheets, consolidated statements of operations, consolidated statements of comprehensive income and consolidated statements of cash flows of LIN LLC, LIN Television, as the issuer, the guarantor subsidiaries, and the non-guarantor subsidiaries of LIN Television and the elimination entries necessary to consolidate or combine the issuer with the guarantor and non-guarantor subsidiaries.  These statements are presented in accordance with the disclosure requirements under SEC Regulation S-X Rule 3-10.

The condensed consolidating balance sheet as of December 31, 2012, has been revised to correct certain immaterial errors relating to intercompany balances. The revisions comprise a $4.3 million decrease in advances to subsidiaries lines in the LIN Television and the Guarantor Subsidiaries columns, a $4.3 million decrease in intercompany liabilities in the LIN Television and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries columns, a $4.3 million decrease in the Total Members’ (deficit) equity line of the Guarantor column, and a $4.3 million increase in the Total Members’ (deficit) equity line of the Non-Guarantor column.


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Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet
As of September 30, 2013
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
ASSETS
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Current assets:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Cash and cash equivalents
$
2,000

 
$
23,702

 
$
2

 
$
2,013

 
$

 
$
27,717

Accounts receivable, net

 
84,913

 
29,236

 
17,011

 

 
131,160

Deferred income tax assets

 
2,754

 
808

 

 

 
3,562

Other current assets

 
4,369

 
931

 
1,770

 

 
7,070

Total current assets
2,000

 
115,738

 
30,977

 
20,794

 

 
169,509

Property and equipment, net

 
185,895

 
36,505

 
5,022

 

 
227,422

Deferred financing costs

 
17,159

 

 
97

 

 
17,256

Goodwill

 
169,492

 
18,518

 
15,460

 

 
203,470

Broadcast licenses, net

 

 
493,814

 
42,701

 

 
536,515

Other intangible assets, net

 
35,562

 
2,074

 
14,505

 

 
52,141

Advances to consolidated subsidiaries

 
6,390

 
1,050,764

 

 
(1,057,154
)
 

Investment in consolidated subsidiaries
73,095

 
1,587,537

 

 

 
(1,660,632
)
 

Other assets

 
51,510

 
2,690

 
1,318

 
(44,443
)
 
11,075

Total assets
$
75,095

 
$
2,169,283

 
$
1,635,342

 
$
99,897

 
$
(2,762,229
)
 
$
1,217,388

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTEREST AND MEMBERS’ EQUITY
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Current liabilities:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Current portion of long-term debt
$

 
$
14,544

 
$

 
$
1,257

 
$

 
$
15,801

Accounts payable

 
5,970

 
4,039

 
3,063

 

 
13,072

Income taxes payable

 
4,019

 
27,000

 

 

 
31,019

Accrued expenses

 
43,118

 
5,564

 
2,306

 

 
50,988

Program obligations

 
5,313

 
1,023

 
1,597

 

 
7,933

Total current liabilities

 
72,964

 
37,626

 
8,223

 

 
118,813

Long-term debt, excluding current portion

 
923,146

 

 
3,405

 

 
926,551

Deferred income tax liabilities

 
11,833

 
31,231

 
1,118

 

 
44,182

Program obligations

 
1,846

 
220

 
1,531

 

 
3,597

Intercompany liabilities
78

 
1,050,686

 

 
6,390

 
(1,057,154
)
 

Accumulated losses in excess of investment in consolidated subsidiaries

 

 

 

 

 

Other liabilities

 
37,635

 
73

 
44,443

 
(44,443
)
 
37,708

Total liabilities
78

 
2,098,110

 
69,150

 
65,110

 
(1,101,597
)
 
1,130,851

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Redeemable noncontrolling interest

 

 

 
13,442

 

 
13,442

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Total members’ equity
75,017

 
71,173

 
1,566,192

 
21,345

 
(1,660,632
)
 
73,095

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest and members’ equity
$
75,095

 
$
2,169,283

 
$
1,635,342

 
$
99,897

 
$
(2,762,229
)
 
$
1,217,388


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Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet
As of December 31, 2012
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
ASSETS
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Current assets:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Cash and cash equivalents
$

 
$
44,625

 
$
573

 
$
1,109

 
$

 
$
46,307

Accounts receivable, net

 
87,103

 
31,144

 
7,903

 

 
126,150

Deferred income tax assets

 
67,412

 

 
97

 
(67,509
)
 

Other current assets

 
4,850

 
554

 
1,459

 

 
6,863

Total current assets

 
203,990

 
32,271

 
10,568

 
(67,509
)
 
179,320

Property and equipment, net

 
197,125

 
39,534

 
4,832

 

 
241,491

Deferred financing costs

 
19,020

 

 
115

 

 
19,135

Goodwill

 
169,492

 
18,518

 
4,504

 

 
192,514

Broadcast licenses, net

 

 
493,814

 
42,701

 

 
536,515

Other intangible assets, net

 
48,897

 
2,775

 
7,882

 

 
59,554

Advances to consolidated subsidiaries

 
6,746

 
1,345,971

 

 
(1,352,717
)
 

Investment in consolidated subsidiaries

 
1,554,903

 

 

 
(1,554,903
)
 

Other assets

 
53,987

 
2,552

 
1,626

 
(45,280
)
 
12,885

Total assets
$

 
$
2,254,160

 
$
1,935,435

 
$
72,228

 
$
(3,020,409
)
 
$
1,241,414

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTEREST AND MEMBERS’ (DEFICIT) EQUITY
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Current liabilities:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Current portion of long-term debt
$

 
$
9,243

 
$

 
$
1,513

 
$

 
$
10,756

Accounts payable

 
14,335

 
3,385

 
1,235

 

 
18,955

Income taxes payable

 
372

 
394

 

 

 
766

Accrued expenses

 
37,020

 
115,605

 
621

 

 
153,246

Deferred income tax liabilities

 

 
235,728

 

 
(67,509
)
 
168,219

Program obligations

 
7,479

 
1,106

 
2,185

 

 
10,770

Total current liabilities

 
68,449

 
356,218

 
5,554

 
(67,509
)
 
362,712

Long-term debt, excluding current portion

 
875,512

 

 
3,959

 

 
879,471

Deferred income tax liabilities

 
10,910

 
29,000

 
646

 

 
40,556

Program obligations

 
2,222

 
92

 
1,967

 

 
4,281

Intercompany liabilities

 
1,345,971

 
3,842

 
2,904

 
(1,352,717
)
 

Accumulated losses in excess of investment in consolidated subsidiaries
91,564

 

 

 

 
(91,564
)
 

Other liabilities

 
42,660

 
56

 
45,280

 
(45,280
)
 
42,716

Total liabilities
91,564

 
2,345,724

 
389,208

 
60,310

 
(1,557,070
)
 
1,329,736

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Redeemable noncontrolling interest

 

 

 
3,242

 

 
3,242

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total members’ (deficit) equity
(91,564
)
 
(91,564
)
 
1,546,227

 
8,676

 
(1,463,339
)
 
(91,564
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest and members’ (deficit) equity
$

 
$
2,254,160

 
$
1,935,435

 
$
72,228

 
$
(3,020,409
)
 
$
1,241,414


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Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2013
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
Net revenues
$

 
$
106,982

 
$
45,335

 
$
14,458

 
$
(3,665
)
 
$
163,110

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating expenses:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Direct operating

 
37,105

 
17,973

 
9,532

 
(2,106
)
 
62,504

Selling, general and administrative

 
27,223

 
10,785

 
3,351

 
(40
)
 
41,319

Amortization of program rights

 
5,695

 
1,382

 
528

 

 
7,605

Corporate
277

 
10,405

 

 

 

 
10,682

Depreciation

 
9,285

 
1,788

 
356

 

 
11,429

Amortization of intangible assets

 
4,430

 
234

 
1,222

 

 
5,886

Restructuring

 
468

 

 

 

 
468

Loss from asset dispositions

 
(8
)
 
(1
)
 

 

 
(9
)
Operating (loss) income
(277
)
 
12,379

 
13,174

 
(531
)
 
(1,519
)
 
23,226

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other expense (income):
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Interest expense, net

 
14,146

 

 
(67
)
 
(103
)
 
13,976

Intercompany fees and expenses

 
7,891

 
(8,102
)
 
211

 

 

Other, net

 
2,053

 
1

 
1

 

 
2,055

Total other expense (income), net

 
24,090

 
(8,101
)
 
145

 
(103
)
 
16,031

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Loss) income from continuing operations before taxes and equity in income (loss) from operations of consolidated subsidiaries
(277
)
 
(11,711
)
 
21,275

 
(676
)
 
(1,416
)
 
7,195

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes


 
(147,671
)
 
8,510

 
(152
)
 

 
(139,313
)
Net (loss) income from continuing operations
(277
)
 
135,960

 
12,765

 
(524
)
 
(1,416
)
 
146,508

Equity in income (loss) from operations of consolidated subsidiaries
147,215

 
11,255

 

 


 
(158,470
)
 

Net income (loss)
146,938

 
147,215

 
12,765

 
(524
)
 
(159,886
)
 
146,508

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 
(430
)
 

 
(430
)
Net income (loss) attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
146,938

 
$
147,215

 
$
12,765

 
$
(94
)
 
$
(159,886
)
 
$
146,938


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Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income
For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2013
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
Net income (loss)
$
146,938

 
$
147,215

 
$
12,765

 
$
(524
)
 
$
(159,886
)
 
$
146,508

Amortization of pension net losses, net of tax of $169
259

 
259

 

 

 
(259
)
 
259

Comprehensive income (loss)
147,197

 
147,474

 
12,765

 
(524
)
 
(160,145
)
 
146,767

Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

 

 

 
(430
)
 

 
(430
)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
147,197

 
$
147,474

 
$
12,765

 
$
(94
)
 
$
(160,145
)
 
$
147,197


27

Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2013
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
Net revenues
$

 
$
311,221

 
$
130,972

 
$
35,841

 
$
(9,586
)
 
$
468,448

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating expenses:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Direct operating

 
108,313

 
54,886

 
22,825

 
(5,329
)
 
180,695

Selling, general and administrative

 
80,611

 
30,008

 
8,341

 
(303
)
 
118,657

Amortization of program rights

 
16,709

 
4,281

 
1,552

 

 
22,542

Corporate
277

 
29,770

 

 

 

 
30,047

Depreciation

 
27,954

 
5,420

 
1,013

 

 
34,387

Amortization of intangible assets

 
13,334

 
701

 
3,003

 

 
17,038

Restructuring

 
2,991

 

 

 

 
2,991

Loss (gain) from asset dispositions

 
193

 
(20
)
 

 

 
173

Operating (loss) income
(277
)
 
31,346

 
35,696

 
(893
)
 
(3,954
)
 
61,918

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other expense (income):
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Interest expense, net

 
42,124

 

 
151

 

 
42,275

Share of loss in equity investments
 

 
25

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
25

Intercompany fees and expenses

 
24,491

 
(24,702
)
 
211

 

 

Other, net

 
2,113

 
1

 
1

 

 
2,115

Total other expense (income), net

 
68,753

 
(24,701
)
 
363

 

 
44,415

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Loss) income from continuing operations before taxes and equity in income (loss) from operations of consolidated subsidiaries
(277
)
 
(37,407
)
 
60,397

 
(1,256
)
 
(3,954
)
 
17,503

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes

 
(158,607
)
 
24,159

 
(706
)
 

 
(135,154
)
Net (loss) income from continuing operations
(277
)
 
121,200

 
36,238

 
(550
)
 
(3,954
)
 
152,657

Equity in income (loss) from operations of consolidated subsidiaries
153,834

 
32,634

 

 

 
(186,468
)
 

Net income (loss)
153,557

 
153,834

 
36,238

 
(550
)
 
(190,422
)
 
152,657

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 
(900
)
 

 
(900
)
Net income attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
153,557

 
$
153,834

 
$
36,238

 
$
350

 
$
(190,422
)
 
$
153,557


28

Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2013
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
Net income (loss)
$
153,557

 
$
153,834

 
$
36,238

 
$
(550
)
 
$
(190,422
)
 
$
152,657

Amortization of pension net losses, net of tax of $507
777

 
777

 

 

 
(777
)
 
777

Comprehensive income (loss)
154,334

 
154,611

 
36,238

 
(550
)
 
(191,199
)
 
153,434

Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

 

 

 
(900
)
 

 
(900
)
Comprehensive income attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
154,334

 
$
154,611

 
$
36,238

 
$
350

 
$
(191,199
)
 
$
154,334


29

Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2012
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
Net revenues
$

 
$
83,940

 
$
48,229

 
$
1,879

 
$
(972
)
 
$
133,076

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating expenses:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Direct operating

 
21,956

 
16,092

 
1,116

 
(1,012
)
 
38,152

Selling, general and administrative

 
18,694

 
9,294

 
380

 
(3
)
 
28,365

Amortization of program rights

 
4,054

 
1,378

 
180

 

 
5,612

Corporate

 
8,310

 
954

 

 

 
9,264

Depreciation

 
4,843

 
1,897

 
84

 

 
6,824

Amortization of intangible assets

 
60

 
233

 
214

 

 
507

Loss (gain) from asset dispositions

 
26

 
(41
)
 

 

 
(15
)
Operating income (loss)

 
25,997

 
18,422

 
(95
)
 
43

 
44,367

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other expense (income):
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Interest expense, net

 
9,303

 

 
38

 
(31
)
 
9,310

Share of loss in equity investments

 

 
4,156

 

 

 
4,156

Loss on extinguishment of debt

 

 

 

 

 

Intercompany fees and expenses

 
16,310

 
(16,310
)
 

 

 

Other, net

 
89

 
(1
)
 

 

 
88

Total other expense (income), net

 
25,702

 
(12,155
)
 
38

 
(31
)
 
13,554

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Loss) income from continuing operations before taxes and equity in income (loss) from operations of consolidated subsidiaries

 
295

 
30,577

 
(133
)
 
74

 
30,813

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes

 
(975
)
 
12,231

 
(62
)
 

 
11,194

Net (loss) income from continuing operations

 
1,270

 
18,346

 
(71
)
 
74

 
19,619

Equity in income (loss) from operations of consolidated subsidiaries
19,659

 
18,389

 

 

 
(38,048
)
 

Net income (loss)
19,659

 
19,659

 
18,346

 
(71
)
 
(37,974
)
 
19,619

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 
(40
)
 

 
(40
)
Net income (loss) attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
19,659

 
$
19,659

 
$
18,346

 
$
(31
)
 
$
(37,974
)
 
$
19,659


30

Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income
For the Three Months Ended September 30, 2012
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
Net income (loss)
$
19,659

 
$
19,659

 
$
18,346

 
$
(71
)
 
$
(37,974
)
 
$
19,619

Amortization of pension net losses, net of tax of $169
262

 
262

 

 

 
(262
)
 
262

Comprehensive income (loss)
19,921

 
19,921

 
18,346

 
(71
)
 
(38,236
)
 
19,881

Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

 

 

 
(40
)
 

 
(40
)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
19,921

 
$
19,921

 
$
18,346

 
$
(31
)
 
$
(38,236
)
 
$
19,921

 

31

Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2012
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
Net revenues
$

 
$
228,344

 
$
126,136

 
$
5,481

 
$
(2,669
)
 
$
357,292

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating expenses:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Direct operating

 
64,558

 
44,848

 
3,662

 
(2,514
)
 
110,554

Selling, general and administrative

 
55,758

 
27,960

 
1,374

 
(301
)
 
84,791

Amortization of program rights

 
11,625

 
4,060

 
527

 

 
16,212

Corporate

 
22,345

 
1,884

 

 

 
24,229

Depreciation

 
14,373

 
5,654

 
207

 

 
20,234

Amortization of intangible assets

 
179

 
701

 
582

 

 
1,462

Loss (gain) from asset dispositions

 
30

 
(42
)
 

 

 
(12
)
Operating income (loss)

 
59,476

 
41,071

 
(871
)
 
146

 
99,822

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other expense (income):
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Interest expense, net

 
28,926

 

 
80

 
(60
)
 
28,946

Share of loss in equity investments

 
153

 
4,156

 

 

 
4,309

Loss on extinguishment of debt

 
2,099

 

 

 

 
2,099

Intercompany fees and expenses

 
48,930

 
(48,930
)
 

 

 

Other, net

 
176

 

 

 

 
176

Total other expense (income), net

 
80,284

 
(44,774
)
 
80

 
(60
)
 
35,530

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Loss) income from continuing operations before taxes and equity in income (loss) from operations of consolidated subsidiaries

 
(20,808
)
 
85,845

 
(951
)
 
206

 
64,292

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes

 
(9,839
)
 
34,338

 
(398
)
 

 
24,101

Net (loss) income from continuing operations

 
(10,969
)
 
51,507

 
(553
)
 
206

 
40,191

Loss from discontinued operations, net

 
(251
)
 
(744
)
 

 
(23
)
 
(1,018
)
(Loss) gain on the sale of discontinued operations, net

 
(289
)
 
11,678

 

 

 
11,389

Equity in income (loss) from operations of consolidated subsidiaries
51,043

 
62,552

 

 

 
(113,595
)
 

Net income (loss)
51,043

 
51,043

 
62,441

 
(553
)
 
(113,412
)
 
50,562

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 
(481
)
 

 
(481
)
Net income (loss) attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
51,043

 
$
51,043

 
$
62,441

 
$
(72
)
 
$
(113,412
)
 
$
51,043

 

32

Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2012
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
Net income (loss)
$
51,043

 
$
51,043

 
$
62,441

 
$
(553
)
 
$
(113,412
)
 
$
50,562

Amortization of pension net losses, net of tax of $509
784

 
784

 

 

 
(784
)
 
784

Comprehensive income (loss)
51,827

 
51,827

 
62,441

 
(553
)
 
(114,196
)
 
51,346

Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest

 

 

 
(481
)
 

 
(481
)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
51,827

 
$
51,827

 
$
62,441

 
$
(72
)
 
$
(114,196
)
 
$
51,827


33

Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2013
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
$
1,801

 
$
76,031

 
$
41,463

 
$
(282
)
 
$
(60,508
)
 
$
58,505

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Capital expenditures

 
(17,094
)
 
(2,372
)
 
(2,205
)
 

 
(21,671
)
Payments for business combinations, net of cash acquired

 
(10,082
)
 

 

 

 
(10,082
)
Proceeds from the sale of assets

 
56

 
20

 

 

 
76

Capital contribution to joint venture with NBCUniversal

 

 
(100,000
)
 

 

 
(100,000
)
Advances on intercompany borrowings

 
(4,400
)
 

 

 
4,400

 

Payments from intercompany borrowings

 
15,009

 
133,835

 

 
(148,844
)
 

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities

 
(16,511
)
 
31,483

 
(2,205
)
 
(144,444
)
 
(131,677
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Net proceeds on exercises of employee and director share-based compensation
199

 
1,251

 

 

 

 
1,450

Tax benefit from exercises of share options
 
 
2,180

 

 

 

 
2,180

Proceeds from borrowings on long-term debt

 
101,000

 

 

 

 
101,000

Principal payments on long-term debt

 
(48,385
)
 

 
(1,009
)
 

 
(49,394
)
Payment of long-term debt issue costs

 
(654
)
 

 

 

 
(654
)
Payment of dividend

 
(2,000
)
 
(58,508
)
 

 
60,508

 

Proceeds from intercompany borrowings

 

 

 
4,400

 
(4,400
)
 

Payments on intercompany borrowings

 
(133,835
)
 
(15,009
)
 

 
148,844

 

Net cash provided by (used in)financing activities
199

 
(80,443
)
 
(73,517
)
 
3,391

 
204,952

 
54,582

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
2,000

 
(20,923
)
 
(571
)
 
904

 

 
(18,590
)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period

 
44,625

 
573

 
1,109

 

 
46,307

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period
$
2,000

 
$
23,702

 
$
2

 
$
2,013

 
$

 
$
27,717


34

Table of Contents

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2012
(in thousands)
 
LIN Media LLC
 
LIN Television
Corporation
 
Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
 
Consolidating/
Eliminating
Adjustments
 
LIN Media LLC
Consolidated
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, continuing operations
$

 
$
93,607

 
$
(5,482
)
 
$
(229
)
 
$
23

 
$
87,919

Net cash used in operating activities, discontinued operations

 
(471
)
 
(2,242
)
 

 
(23
)
 
(2,736
)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

 
93,136

 
(7,724
)
 
(229
)
 

 
85,183

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Capital expenditures

 
(13,227
)
 
(4,474
)
 
(1,636
)
 

 
(19,337
)
Change in restricted cash

 
255,159

 

 

 

 
255,159

Payments for business combinations, net of cash acquired

 
(34,325
)
 

 

 

 
(34,325
)
Proceeds from the sale of assets

 
17

 
45

 

 

 
62

Shortfall loan to joint venture with NBCUniversal

 
(2,292
)
 

 

 

 
(2,292
)
Advances on intercompany borrowings

 
(2,000
)
 

 

 
2,000

 

Payments from intercompany borrowings

 
10,175

 

 

 
(10,175
)
 

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities, continuing operations

 
213,507

 
(4,429
)
 
(1,636
)
 
(8,175
)
 
199,267

Net cash provided by investing activities, discontinued operations

 
6,314

 
23,206

 

 

 
29,520

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

 
219,821

 
18,777

 
(1,636
)
 
(8,175
)
 
228,787

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Net proceeds on exercises of employee and director share-based compensation

 
652

 

 

 

 
652

Proceeds from borrowings on long-term debt

 
20,000

 

 

 

 
20,000

Principal payments on long-term debt

 
(307,922
)
 

 
(206
)
 

 
(308,128
)
Payment of long-term debt issue costs

 
(359
)
 

 

 

 
(359
)
Treasury shares purchased

 
(11,386
)
 

 

 

 
(11,386
)
Proceeds from intercompany borrowings

 

 

 
2,000

 
(2,000
)
 

Payments on intercompany borrowings

 

 
(10,175
)
 

 
10,175

 

Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities

 
(299,015
)
 
(10,175
)
 
1,794

 
8,175

 
(299,221
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

 
13,942

 
878

 
(71
)
 

 
14,749

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period

 
16,571

 
653

 
833

 

 
18,057

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period
$

 
$
30,513

 
$
1,531

 
$
762

 
$

 
$
32,806


35

Table of Contents

LIN Media LLC
Management’s Discussion and Analysis
 
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
 
Special Note about Forward-Looking Statements
 
This report contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to our financial condition, results of operations and business, including statements under this caption Item 2. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”.  All of these forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by our management, which, although we believe them to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain.  Therefore, you should not place undue reliance upon such estimates and statements.  We cannot assure you that any of such estimates or statements will be realized and actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such differences include those discussed under the caption Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 (“10-K”).  Many of these factors are beyond our control.
 
Forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date hereof.  We undertake no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Executive Summary
 
We own, operate or service 43 television stations and seven digital channels in 23 U.S. markets, with multiple network affiliates in 18 markets, along with a diverse portfolio of websites, apps and mobile products. Our operating revenues are primarily derived from the sale of advertising time to local, national and political advertisers. Less significant revenues are generated from our television station websites, retransmission consent fees, interactive revenues and other revenues.
 
During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, net revenues increased $30.0 million and $111.2 million compared to the same periods in 2012, primarily driven by an increase in our local revenues.  During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, local revenues, which include net local advertising sales, retransmission consent fees and television station website revenues, increased $32.5 million and $97.0 million compared to the same periods last year.  In addition, interactive revenues increased $8.7 million and $21.1 million, respectively, during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 compared to the same periods last year and national advertising sales increased $6.7 million and $20.3 million, respectively, during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 compared to the same periods last year.
 
Excluding the impact of our 2012 station acquisitions and the 2013 acquisitions of majority interests in HYFN, Inc. (“HYFN”) and Dedicated Media, Inc. (“Dedicated Media”), net revenues decreased $13.0 million and $9.2 million during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, as compared to the same periods in 2012 primarily due to a decrease in political advertising revenues.
 
On February 12, 2013, we, along with our wholly-owned subsidiaries LIN Television Corporation (“LIN Television”) and LIN Television of Texas, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“LIN Texas”) entered into and closed a transaction agreement (the “Transaction Agreement”) with NBC Telemundo License LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“NBC”), NBCU New LLC I, a Delaware limited liability company, NBCU New LLC II, a Delaware limited liability company, General Electric Company, a New York corporation (“GE”), General Electric Capital Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“GECC” and together with GE, the “GE Parties”), National Broadcasting Company Holding, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Comcast Corporation, a Pennsylvania corporation (“Comcast”), NBCUniversal Media, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“NBCUniversal”), Lone Star SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and Station Venture Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“SVH”). The Transaction Agreement effected a series of transactions related to the ownership and sale of LIN Texas’s 20.38% equity interest in SVH, a joint venture in which NBC, an affiliate of NBCUniversal, held the remaining 79.62% equity interest (collectively, the “JV Sale Transaction”). SVH held a 99.75% interest in Station Venture Operations, LP (“SVO”), which is the operating company that managed KXAS-TV and KNSD-TV, the television stations that comprised the joint venture. 

Also on February 12, 2013, we announced that we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with LIN Media, LLC, a newly formed Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of LIN TV (“LIN LLC”) and subsequently completed this merger on July 30, 2013.  For further information, see Note 1—“Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” Note 11 — “Commitments and Contingencies."


36

Table of Contents

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Certain of our accounting policies, as well as estimates we make, are critical to the presentation of our financial condition and results of operations since they are particularly sensitive to our judgment. Some of these policies and estimates relate to matters that are inherently uncertain. The estimates and judgments we make affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent liabilities. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those used for allowance for doubtful accounts in receivables, valuation of goodwill and intangible assets, amortization and impairment of program rights and intangible assets, share-based compensation and other long-term incentive compensation arrangements, pension costs, barter transactions, income taxes, employee medical insurance claims, useful lives of property and equipment, contingencies, litigation and net assets of businesses acquired. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions, and it is possible that such differences could have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In July 2013 the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2013-11, “Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists” to eliminate diversity in practice. This ASU requires that companies net their unrecognized tax benefits against all same-jurisdiction net operating losses or tax credit carryforwards that would be used to settle the position with a tax authority. This new guidance is effective prospectively for annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2013 and interim periods therein. We prospectively adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2013 and it did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-02, “Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income,” which amends Accounting Standards Codification 220, “Comprehensive Income.” The amendments require an entity to disclose the impact of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income and into net income, by the respective line items of net income, if the amounts reclassified are reclassified to net income in their entirety in the same reporting period. The disclosure is required either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes. For amounts that are not reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures required under U.S. GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts. We prospectively adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2013 and it did not have a material impact on our financial statements.
 
In July 2012, there were revisions to the accounting standard for impairment tests of indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill. Under the revised standard a company can first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether further impairment testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets is necessary. A company can choose to perform the qualitative assessment on none, some, or all of its indefinite-lived intangible assets, and can also bypass the qualitative assessment and perform the quantitative impairment test for any indefinite-lived intangible in any period. The revised standard is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012. Early adoption is permitted during 2012 if a company has not yet performed its 2012 annual impairment test or issued its financial statements. We adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2013 and do not expect it to have a material impact on our impairment tests of indefinite-lived intangible assets.

Results of Operations
 
Set forth below are key components that contributed to our operating results (in thousands):
 

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Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
 
2013
 
2012
 
$ Change
 
% Change
 
2013
 
2012
 
$ Change
 
% Change
 
Local revenues
$
105,541

 
$
73,072

 
$
32,469

 
44
 %
 
$
312,017

 
$
215,004

 
$
97,013

 
45
 %
 
National advertising sales
32,845

 
26,103

 
6,742

 
26
 %
 
94,913

 
74,627

 
20,286

 
27
 %
 
Political advertising sales
2,639

 
20,389

 
(17,750
)
 
-87
 %
 
4,656

 
30,970

 
(26,314
)
 
-85
 %
 
Interactive revenues
19,516

 
10,796

 
8,720

 
81
 %
 
49,394

 
28,300

 
21,094

 
74
 %
 
Other revenues
2,569

 
2,716

 
(147
)
 
-5
 %
 
7,468

 
8,391

 
(923
)
 
-11
 %
 
Net revenues
163,110

 
133,076

 
30,034

 
23
 %
 
468,448

 
357,292

 
111,156

 
31
 %
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Direct operating
62,504

 
38,152

 
24,352

 
64
 %
 
180,695

 
110,554

 
70,141

 
63
 %
 
Selling, general and administrative
41,319

 
28,365

 
12,954

 
46
 %
 
118,657

 
84,791

 
33,866

 
40
 %
 
Amortization of program rights
7,605

 
5,612

 
1,993

 
36
 %
 
22,542

 
16,212

 
6,330

 
39
 %
 
Corporate
10,682

 
9,264

 
1,418

 
15
 %
 
30,047

 
24,229

 
5,818

 
24
 %
 
Depreciation
11,429

 
6,824

 
4,605

 
67
 %
 
34,387

 
20,234

 
14,153

 
70
 %
 
Amortization of intangible assets
5,886

 
507

 
5,379

 
NM

(1) 
17,038

 
1,462

 
15,576

 
NM

(1) 
Restructuring
468

 

 
468

 
100
 %
 
2,991

 

 
2,991

 
100
 %
 
(Gain) loss from asset dispositions
(9
)
 
(15
)
 
6

 
-40
 %

173

 
(12
)
 
185

 
NM

(1) 
Total operating expenses
139,884

 
88,709

 
51,175

 
58
 %
 
406,530

 
257,470

 
149,060

 
58
 %
 
Operating income
$
23,226

 
$
44,367

 
$
(21,141
)
 
-48
 %
 
$
61,918

 
$
99,822

 
$
(37,904
)
 
-38
 %
 
 
(1) 
Percentage change not meaningful

Period Comparison
 
Revenues
 
Net revenues consist primarily of local revenues (which include net local advertising sales, retransmission consent fees and television station website revenues), net national advertising sales, interactive revenues, and political advertising sales.  Other revenues include barter revenues, production revenues, tower rental income and station copyright royalties.
 
During the three months ended September 30, 2013, net revenues increased $30.0 million, or 23%, compared to the same period in the prior year, of which $43.1 million related to television stations acquired during 2012 and to HYFN and Dedicated Media.  Excluding the impact of the television stations acquired during 2012 and of HYFN and Dedicated Media, net revenues decreased $13.1 million, or 10%, primarily due to a $17.9 million decrease in political revenues.  This decrease was partially offset by a $5.1 million increase in local revenues, primarily due to a growth in retransmission consent fee revenues as a result of contractual rate increases and renewals.
 
During the nine months ended September 30, 2013, net revenues increased by $111.2 million, or 31%, compared to the same period in the prior year, of which $120.9 million related to television stations acquired during 2012 and to HYFN and Dedicated Media.  Excluding the impact of the television stations acquired during 2012 and of HYFN and Dedicated Media, net revenues decreased $9.7 million, or 3%, primarily due to a $26.7 million decrease in political advertising sales and a $3.4 million decrease in other revenues. These decreases were partially offset by a $15.4 million increase in local revenues, primarily due to a growth in retransmission consent fee revenues as a result of contractual rate increases and renewals as well as a $5 million increase in interactive revenues.
 


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During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, the automotive category, which represented 27% and 26%, respectively, of local and national advertising sales, remained relatively consistent as compared to the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, during which the automotive category represented 27% and 25%, respectively, of local and national advertising sales.

Operating Expenses
 
Operating expenses increased $51.2 million and $149.1 million, or 58%, during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, compared to the same periods in the prior year, of which $42.8 million and $119.6 million of the increase for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, related to our 2012 station acquisitions as well as HYFN and Dedicated Media.  The increases during both periods were primarily due to increases in direct operating, selling general and administrative, depreciation and amortization expenses.
 
Direct operating expenses increased $24.4 million and $70.1 million during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, compared to the same periods last year, of which $19.4 million and $51.7 million, respectively, related to the 2012 station acquisitions as well as HYFN and Dedicated Media. The remainder of the increase was primarily a result of an increase in fees pursuant to network affiliation agreements, growth in employee compensation expense and growth in cost of sales related to our digital operations.
 
Selling, general and administrative, depreciation and amortization of intangible asset expenses increased $13.0 million, $4.6 million, and $5.4 million, respectively, during the three months ended September 30, 2013 as compared to the same period in the prior year and $33.9 million, $14.2 million and $15.6 million, respectively, during the nine months ended September 30, 2013 as compared to the same period last year.  The increases in selling, general and administrative, depreciation and amortization expense for both periods are all primarily as a result of our 2012 station acquisitions as well as the 2013 acquisitions of majority interests in HYFN and Dedicated Media.
 
Corporate expenses increased $1.4 million and $5.8 million during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, primarily due to expenses incurred related to the JV Sale Transaction and the Merger with LIN LLC, as well as increases in employee compensation expense and acquisition related expenses compared to the same periods last year.

Other Expense
 
The following summarizes the components of other expense, net (in thousands):
 
 
Three months ended September 30,
 
Nine months ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
Components of other expense, net:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Interest expense, net
$
13,976

 
$
9,310

 
$
42,275

 
$
28,946

Share of loss in equity investments

 
4,156

 
25

 
4,309

Loss on extinguishment of debt

 

 

 
2,099

Other expense, net
2,055

 
88

 
2,115

 
176

Total other expense, net
$
16,031

 
$
13,554

 
$
44,415

 
$
35,530

 
Other expense, net increased $2.5 million and $8.9 million, or 18% and 25% during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 compared to the same periods last year, primarily due to an increase in interest expense as further described below as well as an increase in other expense as a result of an impairment recorded during the third quarter of 2013 of a minority interest that we hold in a website platform service provider. These increases were partially offset by a $2.1 million decrease in loss on extinguishment of debt, which was a result of the redemption of our 61/2% Senior Subordinated Notes during the first quarter of 2012.

Interest Expense
 
The following summarizes the components of interest expense, net (in thousands):
 

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Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
Components of interest expense:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Senior secured credit facility
$
4,724

 
$
4,896

 
$
13,994

 
$
14,851

83/8% Senior Notes
4,312

 
4,396

 
13,005

 
13,044

63/8% Senior Subordinated Notes
4,686

 

 
14,486

 

61/2% Senior Subordinated Notes

 

 

 
595

61/2% Senior Subordinated Notes - Class B

 

 

 
306

Other
254

 
18

 
790

 
150

Total interest expense, net
$
13,976

 
$
9,310

 
$
42,275

 
$
28,946

 
Interest expense, net increased by $4.7 million and $13.3 million, or 50% and 46% during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 compared to the same periods last year, primarily as a result of the interest incurred on our 63/8% Senior Notes, which were issued during the fourth quarter of 2012 to finance a portion of the consideration paid to acquire the New Vision and ACME television stations. This increase was partially offset by a decrease in interest expense due to the redemption of our 61/2% Senior Subordinated Notes during the first quarter of 2012 as well as reductions in interest expense under our senior secured credit facility.

Income Taxes
 
Income taxes reflected a benefit from income taxes of $139.3 million and $135.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, as compared a provision for income taxes of $11.2 million and $24.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively.   The benefit from income taxes for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 was primarily a result of a $124.6 million discrete tax benefit recognized as a result of the Merger as well as an $18.2 million discrete tax benefit recognized as a result of the reversal of state valuation allowances. Our effective income tax rate was (772.2)% and 37.5% for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012, respectively.  The decrease in the effective income tax rate was primarily due to the tax benefits discussed above. We expect our effective income tax rate to range between 42% and 44% during the remainder of 2013, although we are currently analyzing the implementation of various tax strategies that could reduce our effective rate by 1%-3%.

Liquidity and Capital Resources
 
Our principal sources of funds for working capital have historically been cash from operations and borrowings under our senior secured credit facility.  As of September 30, 2013 we had unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $27.7 million, and a $75 million revolving credit facility, all of which was available, subject to certain covenant restrictions.  Our total outstanding debt as of September 30, 2013 was $942.4 million.

Joint Venture Sale Transaction and Merger
 
On February 12, 2013, we, along with our wholly-owned subsidiaries, LIN Television and LIN Texas, entered into, and simultaneously closed the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement with subsidiaries of NBCUniversal, the GE Parties, Comcast, and SVH. The Transaction Agreement effected a series of transactions whereby in exchange for LIN Television causing a $100 million capital contribution to be made to SVH (which was used to prepay a portion of the GECC Note), LIN TV was released from the GECC Guarantee and any further obligations relating to the shortfall funding agreements.  Further, LIN Texas sold its 20.38% equity interest in SVH to affiliates of NBCUniversal, and the LIN parties transferred their rights to receivables related to the Shortfall Funding Loans for $1. The Transaction Agreement contains certain indemnifications and obligations with respect to representations and warranties; however, we do not anticipate that such obligations will result in any material liability to the Company.  For further information, refer to Note 1 — “Basis for Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 11 — “Commitments and Contingencies” to our consolidated financial statements.
 
We accrued for and expensed the $100 million capital contribution to SVH to secure the release of the GECC Guarantee and recorded the related tax effects in our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2012 because it represented a probable and estimable obligation of the Company.  In February 2013, we issued a $60 million incremental term loan, and utilized $40 million of cash on hand and borrowings under our revolving credit facility to fund the $100 million payment.

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As a result of the JV Sale Transaction, after utilizing all of our available Federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards to offset the taxable gain recognized in such transaction, we had an approximate $163 million income tax payable remaining, $132.5 million of which was extinguished as a result of the Merger as described below.
 
Concurrent with the closing of the JV Sale Transaction, we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with LIN Media LLC, a newly formed Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of LIN TV (“LIN LLC”).  Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, which was approved by the shareholders of LIN TV on July 30, 2013, LIN TV was merged with and into LIN LLC with LIN LLC continuing as the surviving entity (the “Merger”).  The Merger enabled LIN TV to be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and that change in classification was treated as a liquidation of LIN TV for federal income tax purposes, with the result that LIN TV realized a capital loss in its 100% equity interest in LIN Television.
 
Based on an average of the opening and closing trading prices of LIN TV's class A common stock at the consummation of the Merger,  LIN TV realized a capital loss in the amount of approximately $344 million, which represents the difference between its tax basis in the stock of LIN Television, and the fair market value of such stock as of July 30, 2013.  The capital loss realized and existing net operating losses were used to offset a portion of the capital gain recognized in the JV Sale Transaction and, as a result, we realized cash savings of $132.5 million, resulting in a remaining tax liability of $30.5 million associated with the JV Sale Transaction. We made estimated state and federal tax payments to settle $29 million of this tax liability during October 2013 and expect to fund the remaining liability when it becomes due in November 2013.

We incurred approximately $2.7 million and $5.7 million in transaction costs related to the JV Sale Transaction and the Merger during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, and do not expect to incur significant additional costs during the remainder of 2013. These costs are classified as corporate expense in our consolidated statement of operations.
 
Our operating plan for the next 12 months anticipates that we generate cash from operations, utilize available borrowings, and make certain repayments of indebtedness, including mandatory repayments of term loans and incremental term loans under our senior secured credit facility. Our ability to borrow under our revolving credit facility is contingent on our compliance with certain financial covenants, which are measured, in part, by the level of earnings before interest expense, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) that we generate from our operations.  As of September 30, 2013, we were in compliance with all financial and nonfinancial covenants under our senior secured credit facility.
 
Our future ability to generate cash from operations and from borrowings under our senior secured credit facility could be adversely affected by a number of risks, which are discussed in the Liquidity and Capital Resources section within Item 7.  “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and in Item 1A.  “Risk Factors” in our 10-K and elsewhere herein.
 
Our liquidity position during 2013 has been, and over the next 12 months and beyond will primarily be affected by, but is not limited to, the following:
 
Continued growth in local and interactive revenues.  Our local revenues increased 44% and 45% during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, compared to the prior year.  Additionally, during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, our interactive revenues increased 81% and 74%, respectively.  Excluding the impact of the stations acquired during 2012 as well as of HYFN and Dedicated Media, our local revenues increased 7% during both the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, and our interactive revenues increased 10% and 18%, respectively, as compared to the same periods in the prior year.  We expect further growth in our local and interactive revenues, however, there can be no assurance that this will occur.

Cyclical fluctuations.  We experience significant fluctuations in our political advertising revenues since advertising revenues are generally higher in even-numbered years due to additional revenues associated with political advertising related to local and national elections.  During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, our net political advertising sales were $2.6 million and $4.7 million, respectively, compared to $20.4 million and $31 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012.  We anticipate decreased advertising revenues during the remainder of 2013 as a result of these cyclical fluctuations.
 
Employee benefit contributions.  Our employee benefit plan contributions include contributions to our pension plan and the 401(k) Plan. Volatility in the equity markets impacts the fair value of our pension plan assets and ultimately the cash

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funding requirements of our pension plan. We expect to contribute $1.5 million to our pension plan and $1.6 million to our 401(k) Plan during the remainder of 2013.
 
Payments related to capital expenditures.  We expect to make cash payments of approximately $8 million - $11 million related to capital expenditures during the remainder of 2013, primarily as a result of integration and completion of high definition broadcasting in some of our newly acquired markets, improvements in news gathering and production at our television stations, and software development costs at our digital companies.
 
Tax liability associated with the JV Sale Transaction.  We made estimated tax payments of $29 million in October 2013 to settle the majority of the tax liability associated with the JV Sale Transaction and expect to fund the remaining balance of the liability of $1.5 million when it becomes due in November 2013.
 
Other investments.  In connection with our acquisitions of Nami Media, Inc. (“Nami Media”), Dedicated Media, and HYFN, we may be required to purchase the remaining outstanding shares of these companies in 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively, if certain financial targets as defined in each applicable purchase agreement are met.  Our maximum potential obligation under the Nami Media, HYFN and Dedicated Media agreements is $37.4 million, $62.4 million, and $26 million, respectively.  However, we estimate that our total obligation will not exceed $50 million in the aggregate between 2014 and 2016. For further information see Note 2 — “Acquisitions” included in our 10-K.
 
Contractual Obligations
 
The following table summarizes the estimated future cash payments related to amendments to certain program obligations and operating contracts since December 31, 2012.
 
 
2013
 
2014-2015
 
2016-2017
 
2018 and
thereafter
 
Total
Program payments(1)
$
12,918

 
$
43,333

 
$
14,694

 
$
367

 
$
71,312

Operating agreements(2)
10,401

 
67,178

 
25,544

 
10,893

 
114,016

 
(1) 
We have entered into commitments for future syndicated news, entertainment and sports programming. We have $11.5 million of program obligations outstanding as of September 30, 2013 and unrecorded commitments of $59.8 million for programming that is not available to air as of September 30, 2013.
(2) 
 We have entered into a variety of agreements for services used in the operation of our stations including ratings services, consulting and research services, news video services, news weather services, marketing services and other operating contracts under non-cancelable operating agreements.
 
Other than as shown above, there were no material changes in our contractual obligations from those shown in Liquidity and Capital Resources within Item 7.  “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” of our 10-K.

Summary of Cash Flows
 
The following presents summarized cash flow information (in thousands):
 
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
 
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013 vs. 2012
Net cash provided by operating activities
$
58,505

 
$
85,183

 
$
(26,678
)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities
(131,677
)
 
228,787

 
(360,464
)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
54,582

 
(299,221
)
 
353,803

Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
$
(18,590
)
 
$
14,749

 
$
(33,339
)


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Net cash provided by operating activities decreased $26.7 million to $58.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2013, compared to net cash provided by operating activities of $85.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012.  The decrease is primarily attributable to an increase in cash interest expense of approximately $12.4 million and an increase in cash outflows related to working capital of $5.7 million. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in operating income year over year.

Net cash used in investing activities was $131.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2013, compared to net cash provided by investing activities of $228.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2012.  The net cash provided by investing activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2012 was primarily attributable to a decrease in restricted cash that had been placed on irrevocable deposit as of December 31, 2011 and was subsequently used to fund the aggregate redemption price of our 6 1/2% Senior Subordinated Notes in January 2012.  In addition, we received approximately $29.5 million of net cash proceeds related to the divestiture of substantially all of the assets of WWHO-TV and WUPW-TV during the nine months ended September 30, 2012.  The cash used in investing activities during the nine months ended September 30, 2013 was primarily a result of the $100 million capital contribution made to the joint venture in February 2013 in connection with the JV Sale Transaction, $21.7 million of capital expenditures, and approximately $10.1 million in cash payments related to the acquisitions of Dedicated Media and HYFN in April 2013, net of cash acquired.
 
Net cash provided by financing activities was $54.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2013, compared to net cash used in financing activities of $299.2 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2012.  The increase is primarily attributable to the redemption of $252 million of our 6 1/2%Senior Subordinated Notes during the nine months ended September 30, 2012 as well as an increase in proceeds from borrowings on long-term debt due to the new $60 million term loan entered into during the nine months ended September 30, 2013 in connection with the JV Sale Transaction.
 
Description of Indebtedness
 
LIN LLC guarantees all of LIN Television’s debt.  All of the consolidated 100% owned subsidiaries of LIN Television fully and unconditionally guarantee LIN Television’s senior secured credit facility, the 83/8% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “83/8% Senior Notes”), and the 63/8% Senior Notes due 2012 (the 63/8% Senior Notes) on a joint-and-several basis.
 
Debt consisted of the following (in thousands):
 
September 30,
2013
 
December 31,
2012
Senior Secured Credit Facility:
 

 
 

Revolving loans
$

 
$

$120,313 and $125,000 Term loans, net of discount of $368 and $435 as September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively
119,945

 
124,565

$315,000 and $257,400 Incremental term loans, net of discount of $1,768 and $2,020 as of September 30,2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively
313,232

 
255,380

83/8% Senior Notes due 2018
200,000

 
200,000

63/8% Senior Notes due 2021
290,000

 
290,000

Capital lease obligations
14,718

 
14,881

Other debt
4,457

 
5,401

Total debt
942,352

 
890,227

Less current portion
15,801

 
10,756

Total long-term debt
$
926,551

 
$
879,471

 
 
 
 
Total debt
$
942,352

 
$
890,227

Cash and cash equivalents
(27,717
)
 
(46,307
)
Consolidated net debt(1)
$
914,635

 
$
843,920

 
(1)
Consolidated net debt is a non-GAAP financial measure, and is equal to total debt less cash and cash equivalents.  For the purpose of our debt covenant calculations, our senior secured credit facility permits a maximum of $45 million to be offset against total debt in arriving at consolidated net debt.  For purposes of the table above, we have subtracted the total balance of our cash and cash equivalents as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 in arriving at consolidated net debt. We believe consolidated net debt provides investors with useful information about our financial position, and is one of the financial measures used to evaluate compliance with our debt covenants.

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During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we paid $2.4 million and $7.1 million, respectively, of principal on the term loans and incremental term loans related to mandatory quarterly payments under our senior secured credit facility.
 
See Note 7 — “Long-term Debt” included in Item 15 of our 10-K for a full description of our senior secured credit facility.


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Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
 
As of September 30, 2013, there has been no significant change in our exposure to market risk from those disclosed in our 10-K. For discussion of our exposure to market risk, refer to Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk contained in our 10-K.

Item 4. Controls and Procedures
 
a)
Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures.
 
Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of September 30, 2013. The term “disclosure controls and procedures,” as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), means controls and other procedures of a company that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms.  Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.  Management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving its objectives and management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.  Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of September 30, 2013, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.
 
b)
Changes in internal controls.
 
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation that occurred during the quarter ended September 30, 2013 that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect our internal control over financial reporting.


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Part II. Other Information
 
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
 
We are involved in various claims and lawsuits that are generally incidental to our business. We are vigorously contesting all of these matters. The outcome of any current or future litigation cannot be accurately predicted. We record accruals for such contingencies to the extent that we conclude it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. No further estimates of possible losses or range of losses can be made at this time because the inherently unpredictable nature of legal proceedings may be exacerbated by various factors, including: (i) the damages sought in the proceedings are unsubstantiated or indeterminate; (ii) discovery is not complete; (iii) the proceeding is in its early stages; (iv) the matters present legal uncertainties; (v) there are significant facts in dispute; or (vi) there is a wide range of potential outcomes. Although the outcome of these and other legal proceedings cannot be predicted, we believe that their ultimate resolution will not have a material adverse effect on us.

Item 1A. Risk Factors
 
In addition to the other information in this report, you should carefully consider the factors discussed in Part I Item 1A.  “Risk Factors” in our 10-K, which could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results.

 
Our defined benefit pension plan obligations are currently underfunded, and we may have to make significant cash payments to this plan, which would reduce the cash available for our business.
 
We have unfunded obligations under our defined benefit pension plan.  The funded status of the defined benefit pension plan depends on such factors as asset returns, market interest rates, legislative changes and funding regulations.  Our future required cash contributions and pension costs to the plan could increase if: (i) the returns on the assets of our plan were to decline in future periods; (ii) market interest rates were to decline; (iii) the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (‘‘PBGC’’) were to require additional contributions to the plan as a result of acquisitions; or (iv) other actuarial assumptions were to be modified.  Any such increases could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.  The need to make contributions, which may be substantial, to such plan may reduce the cash available to meet our other obligations, including our debt obligations with respect to our senior secured credit facility, the 83/8% Senior Notes and the 63/8% Senior Notes or to meet the needs of our business. In addition, the PBGC may terminate our defined benefit pension plan under limited circumstances, including in the event the PBGC concludes that the risk may increase unreasonably if such plan continues. In the event a defined benefit pension plan is terminated for any reason while it is underfunded, we could be required to make an immediate payment to the PBGC of all or a substantial portion of such plan’s underfunding, as calculated by the PBGC based on its own assumptions (which might result in a larger obligation than that based on the assumptions we have used to fund such plan).
 
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
 
None.

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
 
None.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosure
 
None.

Item 5. Other Information
 
None.


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Item 6. Exhibits —
 
3.1
 
Certificate of Formation of LIN Media LLC, dated as of February 11, 2013 (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-4 of LIN Media LLC (File No. 333-188297)) and incorporated by reference herein.
 
 
 
3.2
 
Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of LIN Media LLC, dated as of July 30, 2013 (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K12B of LIN Media LLC filed as of July 31, 2013 (File No. 001-36032)) and incorporated by reference herein.
 
 
 
3.3
 
Restated Certificate of Incorporation of LIN Television Corporation (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of LIN TV Corp. and LIN Television Corporation for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2003 (File No. 000-25206)) and incorporated by reference herein.
 
 
 
3.4
 
Restated Bylaws of LIN Television Corporation (filed as Exhibit 3.4 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 of LIN Television Corporation and LIN Holding Corp. (File No. 333-54003)) and incorporated by reference herein.
 
 
 
4.1
 
Form of specimen share certificate for class A common shares representing limited liability company interests in LIN Media LLC (included as Exhibit A to Annex B to the proxy statement/prospectus that is part of the Registration Statement on Form S-4 of LIN Media LLC (File No. 333-188297)) and incorporated by reference herein.
 
 
 
10.1
 
Incremental Term Loan Activation Notice Tranche B-2 Term Facility, dated as of February 12, 2013, by and between LIN Television and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K of LIN TV Corp. and LIN Television Corporation filed as of February 15, 2013 (File Nos. 001-31311 and 000-25206)) and incorporated by reference herein.
 
 
 
31.1
 
Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 of the Chief Executive Officer of LIN Media LLC
 
 
 
31.2
 
Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 of the Chief Financial Officer of LIN Media LLC
 
 
 
31.3
 
Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 of the Chief Executive Officer of LIN Television Corporation
 
 
 
31.4
 
Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 of the Chief Financial Officer of LIN Television Corporation
 
 
 
32.1
 
Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of LIN Media LLC
 
 
 
32.2
 
Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of LIN Television Corporation
 
 
 
101.INS*
 
XBRL Instance Document
 
 
 
101.SCH*
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
 
 
 
101.CAL*
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
 
 
 
101.LAB*
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
 
 
 
101.PRE*
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
 
 
 
101.DEF*
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
 
*
Pursuant to Rule 406T of Regulation S-T, these interactive data files are deemed not filed or part of a registration statement or prospectus for purposes of Sections 11 or 12 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Section 18, as amended, of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and otherwise are not subject to liability.

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SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each of LIN Media LLC and LIN Television Corporation, has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
 
LIN MEDIA LLC
 
LIN TELEVISION CORPORATION
 
 
Dated:
November 12, 2013
By:
/s/ Richard J. Schmaeling
 
Richard J. Schmaeling
 
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
 
(On behalf of each of the registrants and as Principal Financial Officer)
 
 
Dated:
November 12, 2013
By:
/s/ Nicholas N. Mohamed
 
Nicholas N. Mohamed
 
Vice President Controller
 
(Principal Accounting Officer)

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Table of Contents
 
Item 1. Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements of LIN Television Corporation
 

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Table of Contents

LIN Television Corporation
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(unaudited) 
 
September 30,
2013
 
December 31,
2012
 
(in thousands, except share data)
ASSETS
 

 
 

Current assets:
 

 
 

Cash and cash equivalents
$
25,717

 
$
46,307

Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts (2013 - $3,676; 2012 - $3,599)
131,238

 
126,150

Deferred income tax assets
3,562

 

Other current assets
7,070

 
6,863

Total current assets
167,587

 
179,320

Property and equipment, net
227,422

 
241,491

Deferred financing costs
17,256

 
19,135

Goodwill
203,470

 
192,514

Broadcast licenses, net
536,515

 
536,515

Other intangible assets, net
52,141

 
59,554

Other assets
11,075

 
12,885

Total assets (a)
$
1,215,466

 
$
1,241,414

 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTEREST AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY (DEFICIT)
 

 
 

Current liabilities:
 

 
 

Current portion of long-term debt
$
15,801

 
$
10,756

Accounts payable
13,072

 
18,955

Income taxes payable
31,019

 
766

Accrued expenses
50,988

 
153,246

Deferred income tax liabilities

 
168,219

Program obligations
7,933

 
10,770

Total current liabilities
118,813

 
362,712

Long-term debt, excluding current portion
926,551

 
879,471

Deferred income tax liabilities
44,182

 
40,556

Program obligations
3,597

 
4,281

Other liabilities
37,708

 
42,716

Total liabilities (a)
1,130,851

 
1,329,736

 
 
 
 
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 11)


 

 
 
 
 
Redeemable noncontrolling interest
13,442

 
3,242

 
 
 
 
LIN Television Corporation stockholder’s equity (deficit):
 

 
 

Common stock, $0.01 par value, 1,000 shares

 

Investment in parent company’s shares, at cost
(21,984
)
 
(21,984
)
Additional paid-in capital
1,140,365

 
1,130,239

Accumulated deficit
(1,012,601
)
 
(1,164,435
)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
(34,607
)
 
(35,384
)
Total stockholder’s equity (deficit)
71,173

 
(91,564
)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interest and stockholder's equity (deficit)
$
1,215,466

 
$
1,241,414

 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.
 
 
(a)
Our consolidated assets as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include total assets of: $61,124 and $60,380, respectively, of variable interest entities (“VIEs”) that can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. These assets include broadcast licenses and other intangible assets of: $45,343 and $46,604 and program rights of: $2,351 and $2,060 as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. Our consolidated liabilities as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include $4,930 and $4,577, respectively, of total liabilities of the VIEs for which the VIEs’ creditors have no recourse to the Company, including $3,128 and $4,152, respectively, of program obligations.  See further description in Note 1 — “Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.”

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LIN Television Corporation
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(unaudited) 
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
 
(in thousands, except per share data)
Net revenues
$
163,110

 
$
133,076

 
$
468,448

 
$
357,292

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating expenses:
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Direct operating
62,504

 
38,152

 
180,695

 
110,554

Selling, general and administrative
41,319

 
28,365

 
118,657

 
84,791

Amortization of program rights
7,605

 
5,612

 
22,542

 
16,212

Corporate
10,405

 
9,264

 
29,770

 
24,229

Depreciation
11,429

 
6,824

 
34,387

 
20,234

Amortization of intangible assets
5,886

 
507

 
17,038

 
1,462

Restructuring charge
468

 

 
2,991

 

(Gain) loss from asset dispositions
(9
)
 
(15
)
 
173

 
(12
)
Operating income
23,503

 
44,367

 
62,195

 
99,822

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other expense:
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

Interest expense, net
13,976

 
9,310

 
42,275

 
28,946

Share of loss in equity investments

 
4,156

 
25

 
4,309

Loss on extinguishment of debt

 

 

 
2,099

Other expense, net
2,055

 
88

 
2,115

 
176

Total other expense, net
16,031

 
13,554

 
44,415

 
35,530

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Income before (benefit from) provision for income taxes
7,472

 
30,813

 
17,780

 
64,292

(Benefit from) provision for income taxes
(139,313
)
 
11,194

 
(135,154
)
 
24,101

Income from continuing operations
146,785

 
19,619

 
152,934

 
40,191

Discontinued operations:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Loss from discontinued operations, net of a benefit from income taxes of $541

 

 

 
(1,018
)
Gain on the sale of discontinued operations, net of a provision for income taxes of $6,223

 

 

 
11,389

Net income
146,785

 
19,619

 
152,934

 
50,562

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests
(430
)
 
(40
)
 
(900
)
 
(481
)
Net income attributable to LIN Television Corporation
$
147,215

 
$
19,659

 
$
153,834

 
$
51,043

 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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LIN Television Corporation
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(unaudited) 
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
 
(in thousands)
Net income
$
146,785

 
$
19,619

 
$
152,934

 
$
50,562

Amortization of pension net losses, reclassified, net of tax of $169 for the three months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 and $507 and $509 for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively
259

 
262

 
777

 
784

Comprehensive income
147,044

 
19,881

 
153,711

 
51,346

Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
(430
)
 
(40
)
 
(900
)
 
(481
)
Comprehensive income attributable to LIN Television Corporation
$
147,474

 
$
19,921

 
$
154,611

 
$
51,827

 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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LIN Television Corporation
Consolidated Statement of Stockholder’s Equity
(unaudited)
(in thousands) 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment in
Parent
Company’s
 
Additional
 
 
 
Accumulated
Other
 
Total
 
Common Stock
 
Common
 
Paid-In
 
Accumulated
 
Comprehensive
 
Stockholder’s
 
Shares
 
Amount
 
Stock, at cost
 
Capital
 
Deficit
 
Loss
 
Equity
Balance as of December 31, 2012
1,000

 
$

 
$
(21,984
)
 
$
1,130,239

 
$
(1,164,435
)
 
$
(35,384
)
 
$
(91,564
)
Amortization of pension net losses, net of tax of $507

 

 

 

 

 
777

 
777

LIN Media LLC class A common shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans

 

 

 
488

 

 

 
488

LIN Media LLC class A common shares issued pursuant to exercise of stock options

 

 

 
767

 

 

 
767

Tax benefit from exercise of share options

 

 

 
2,180

 

 

 
2,180

Share-based compensation

 

 

 
6,691

 

 

 
6,691

Dividends declared
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(2,000
)
 
 
 
(2,000
)
Purchase of LIN Media LLC class A common shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income

 

 

 

 
153,834

 

 
153,834

Balance as of September 30, 2013
1,000

 
$

 
$
(21,984
)
 
$
1,140,365

 
$
(1,012,601
)
 
$
(34,607
)
 
$
71,173

 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.


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LIN Television Corporation
Consolidated Statement of Stockholder’s Deficit
(unaudited)
(in thousands)
 
 
Common Stock
 
Investment in
Parent
Company’s
Common
 
Additional
Paid-In
 
Accumulated
 
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
 
Total
Stockholder’s
 
Shares
 
Amount
 
Stock, at cost
 
Capital
 
Deficit
 
Loss
 
Deficit
Balance as of December 31, 2011
1,000

 
$

 
$
(10,598
)
 
$
1,122,133

 
$
(1,157,390
)
 
$
(38,777
)
 
$
(84,632
)
Amortization of pension net losses, net of tax of $509

 

 

 

 

 
784

 
784

LIN Media LLC class A common shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans

 

 

 
462

 

 

 
462

LIN Media LLC class A common shares issued pursuant to exercise of share options

 

 

 
192

 

 

 
192

Stock-based compensation

 

 

 
5,256

 

 

 
5,256

Purchase of LIN Media LLC class A common shares

 

 
(11,386
)
 

 

 

 
(11,386
)
Net income attributable to LIN Television Corporation

 

 

 

 
51,043

 

 
51,043

Balance as of September 30, 2012
1,000

 
$

 
$
(21,984
)
 
$
1,128,043

 
$
(1,106,347
)
 
$
(37,993
)
 
$
(38,281
)
 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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Table of Contents

LIN Television Corporation
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(unaudited)
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
(in thousands)
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

Net income
$
152,934

 
$
50,562

Loss from discontinued operations

 
1,018

Gain on the sale of discontinued operations

 
(11,389
)
Adjustment to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
 
 
 

Depreciation
34,387

 
20,234

Amortization of intangible assets
17,038

 
1,462

Amortization of financing costs and note discounts
2,723

 
1,746

Amortization of program rights
22,542

 
16,212

Cash payments for programming
(23,994
)
 
(17,202
)
Loss on extinguishment of debt

 
871

Share of loss in equity investments
25

 
4,309

Deferred income taxes, net
(7,144
)
 
23,256

Extinguishment of income tax liability related to the Merger
(132,542
)
 

Share-based compensation
6,766

 
5,308

Loss (gain) from asset dispositions
173

 
(12
)
Other, net
1,291

 
1,293

Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
 
 
 

Accounts receivable
3,113

 
(6,371
)
Other assets
(597
)
 
(1,634
)
Accounts payable
(9,609
)
 
(3,730
)
Accrued interest expense
3,761

 
1,865

Other liabilities and accrued expenses
(12,163
)
 
121

Net cash provided by operating activities, continuing operations
58,704

 
87,919

Net cash used in operating activities, discontinued operations

 
(2,736
)
Net cash provided by operating activities
58,704

 
85,183

 
 
 
 
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

Capital expenditures
(21,671
)
 
(19,337
)
Change in restricted cash

 
255,159

Payments for business combinations, net of cash acquired
(10,082
)
 
(34,325
)
Proceeds from the sale of assets
76

 
62

Shortfall loans to joint venture with NBCUniversal

 
(2,292
)
Capital contribution to joint venture with NBCUniversal
(100,000
)
 

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities, continuing operations
(131,677
)
 
199,267

Net cash provided by investing activities, discontinued operations

 
29,520

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities
(131,677
)
 
228,787

 
 
 
 
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
 

 
 

Net proceeds on exercises of employee and director stock-based compensation
1,251

 
652

Tax benefit from exercise of stock options
2,180

 

Proceeds from borrowings on long-term debt
101,000

 
20,000

Payment of dividend
(2,000
)
 

Principal payments on long-term debt
(49,394
)
 
(308,128
)
Payment of long-term debt issue costs
(654
)
 
(359
)
Treasury stock purchased

 
(11,386
)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
52,383

 
(299,221
)
 
 
 
 
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
(20,590
)
 
14,749

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period
46,307

 
18,057

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period
$
25,717

 
$
32,806

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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LIN Television Corporation
Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements
 
Note 1 — Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
 
Principles of Consolidation
 
LIN Television Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“LIN Television”), together with its subsidiaries, is a local multimedia company operating in the United States. LIN Television and its subsidiaries are affiliates of HM Capital Partners I LP (“HMC”). In these notes, the terms “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” mean LIN Television and all subsidiaries included in our consolidated financial statements. LIN Television is a wholly-owned subsidiary of LIN Media LLC (“LIN LLC”).
 
On July 30, 2013, LIN TV Corp., a Delaware corporation (“LIN TV”), completed its merger with and into LIN LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of LIN TV, with LIN LLC as the surviving entity (the “Merger”) pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated February 12, 2013, by and between LIN TV and LIN LLC (the “Merger Agreement”).  Entry into the Merger Agreement had previously been announced by LIN TV on its Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 15, 2013. 
 
LIN LLC filed a Current Report on Form 8-K on July 31, 2013 (the “Form 8-K”) for the purpose of establishing LIN LLC as the successor registrant to LIN TV pursuant to Rule 12g-3(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and to disclose certain related matters, including the consummation of the Merger.  Pursuant to Rule 12g-3(a) under the Exchange Act and in accordance with the filing of the Form 8-K, the class A common shares representing limited liability interests in LIN LLC, as the successor registrant to LIN TV, were deemed registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.  References to "LIN LLC," "we," "us," or the "Company" in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that include any period at and before the effectiveness of the Merger shall be deemed to refer to LIN TV as the predecessor registrant to LIN LLC.  For more information concerning the effects of the Merger and the succession of LIN LLC to LIN TV upon its effectiveness, please see the Form 8-K.

LIN LLC has no independent assets or operations and guarantees all of our debt. All of the consolidated wholly-owned subsidiaries of LIN Television fully and unconditionally guarantee our Senior Secured Credit Facility, 83/8% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “83/8% Senior Notes”) and 63/8% Senior Notes due 2021 (the “63/8% Senior Notes”) on a joint-and-several basis, subject to customary release provisions.
 
Our consolidated financial statements reflect the operations of WWHO-TV in Columbus, OH and WUPW-TV in Toledo, OH as discontinued for all periods presented. See Note 3—“Discontinued Operations” for further discussion of our discontinued operations.
 
The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).
 
In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited interim financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to state fairly our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented.  The interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.
 
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of our Company, our wholly-owned and majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries, and VIEs for which we are the primary beneficiary. We review all local marketing agreements (“LMAs”), shared services agreements (“SSAs”) or joint sales agreements (“JSAs”), to evaluate whether consolidation of entities party to such arrangements is required. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.  We conduct our business through our subsidiaries and have no operations or assets other than our investment in our subsidiaries and equity-method investments. We operate in one reportable segment.


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Joint Venture Sale Transaction and Merger
 
On February 12, 2013, we, along with LIN TV and our wholly-owned subsidiary, LIN Television of Texas, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (“LIN Texas”) entered into and closed a transaction agreement (the “Transaction Agreement”) with NBC Telemundo License LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“NBC”), NBCU New LLC I, a Delaware limited liability company, NBCU New LLC II, a Delaware limited liability company, General Electric Company, a New York corporation (“GE”), General Electric Capital Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“GECC” and together with GE, the “GE Parties”), National Broadcasting Company Holding, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Comcast Corporation, a Pennsylvania corporation (“Comcast”), NBCUniversal Media, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“NBCUniversal”), Lone Star SPV, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and Station Venture Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“SVH”).  The Transaction Agreement effected a series of transactions related to the ownership and sale of LIN Texas’s 20.38% equity interest in SVH, a joint venture in which NBC, an affiliate of NBCUniversal, held the remaining 79.62% equity interest (collectively, the “JV Sale Transaction”). SVH held a 99.75% interest in Station Venture Operations, LP (“SVO”), which is the operating company that managed KXAS-TV and KNSD-TV, the television stations that comprised the joint venture.
 
SVH was a limited partner in a business that operated an NBC affiliate in Dallas and an NBC affiliate in San Diego pursuant to a management agreement. At the time of LIN Texas’s acquisition of its interest in SVH in 1998, GECC provided secured debt financing to SVH in the form of a $815.5 million non-amortizing senior secured note due 2023 to GECC (the “GECC Note”), and, in connection with SVH’s assumption of the GECC Note, LIN TV guaranteed the payment of the full amount of principal and interest on the GECC Note (the “GECC Guarantee”).
 
In addition, during 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, we entered into agreements with SVH, the GE Parties and NBCUniversal pursuant to which LIN Television, the GE Parties and NBCUniversal caused to be provided to SVH certain unsecured shortfall funding loans (the “Shortfall Funding Loans”) on the basis of each party’s percentage of equity interest in SVH in order to fund interest payments on the GECC Note.
 
Pursuant to the JV Sale Transaction, in exchange for LIN Television causing a $100 million capital contribution to be made to SVH (which was used to prepay a portion of the GECC Note), LIN TV was released from the GECC Guarantee and any further obligations related to any shortfall funding agreements. Further, LIN Texas sold its 20.38% equity interest in SVH to affiliates of NBCUniversal, and the LIN parties transferred their rights to receivables related to the Shortfall Funding Loans for $1. As a result of the JV Sale Transaction, neither we nor any of our direct or indirect subsidiaries have any further investment in or obligations (funding or otherwise) related to SVH, including, without limitation, to make any other unsecured shortfall loans or payments under the GECC Note or the GECC Guarantee.
 
We accrued for and expensed the $100 million capital contribution to SVH to secure the release of the GECC Guarantee and recorded the related tax effects in our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2012 because it represented a probable and estimable obligation of the Company.  In February 2013, we entered into a $60 million incremental term loan facility and utilized $40 million of cash on hand and borrowings under our revolving credit facility to fund the $100 million payment. As a result of the JV Sale Transaction, after utilizing all of our available Federal net operating loss carryforwards to offset the taxable gain recognized in such transaction, we had an approximate $163 million income tax payable associated with this transaction remaining, $132.5 million of which was extinguished as a result of the closing of the Agreement and Plan of Merger further described below.
 
Concurrent with the closing of the JV Sale Transaction, LIN TV entered into the Merger Agreement with LIN LLC as described above. The Merger enabled the surviving entity to be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and the change in classification was treated as a liquidation of LIN TV for federal income tax purposes, with the result that LIN TV realized a capital loss in its 100% equity interest in LIN Television.
 
Based on an average of the opening and closing trading prices of LIN TV's class A common stock at the consummation of the Merger,  LIN TV realized a capital loss in the amount of approximately $344 million, which represents the difference between its tax basis in the stock of LIN Television, and the fair market value of such stock as of July 30, 2013.  The capital loss realized and existing net operating losses were used to offset a portion of the capital gain recognized in the JV Sale Transaction and, as a result, we realized cash savings of $132.5 million, resulting in a remaining tax liability of $30.5 million associated with the JV Sale Transaction. We made estimated state and federal tax payments to settle $29 million of this tax liability during October 2013 and expect to fund the remaining liability when it becomes due in November 2013.
 




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Variable Interest Entities
 
In determining whether we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE for financial reporting purposes, we consider whether we have the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE and whether we have the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive returns that would be significant to the VIE. We consolidate VIEs when we are the primary beneficiary.
 
We have a JSA and an SSA with WBDT Television, LLC (“WBDT”), a third party licensee, for WBDT-TV in the Dayton, OH market. We also have JSAs and SSAs with affiliates of Vaughan Acquisition LLC (“Vaughan”), a third party licensee, for WTGS-TV in the Savannah, GA market, WYTV-TV in the Youngstown, OH market and KTKA-TV in the Topeka, KS market and SSAs with KASY-TV Licensee, LLC (“KASY”), a third-party licensee, for KWBQ-TV in the Santa Fe, NM market, KRWB-TV in the Roswell, NM market and KASY-TV in the Albuquerque, NM market. Under these agreements, we provide administrative services to these stations, have an obligation to reimburse certain of the stations' expenses, and we are compensated through a performance-based fee structure that provides us the benefit of certain returns from the operation of these stations.
 
We determined that WBDT, Vaughan and KASY are VIEs and as a result of the JSAs and/or SSAs, we have variable interests in these entities. We are the primary beneficiary of these entities, and therefore, we consolidate these entities within our consolidated financial statements.

The carrying amounts and classifications of the assets and liabilities of the variable interest entities described above, which have been included in our consolidating balance sheets as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 are as follows (in thousands):
 
 
September 30, 2013
 
December 31,
2012
ASSETS
 

 
 

Current assets:
 

 
 

Cash and cash equivalents
$
453

 
$
418

Accounts receivable, net
7,452

 
6,021

Other assets
1,078

 
2,092

Total current assets
8,983

 
8,531

Property and equipment, net
3,063

 
3,190

Broadcast licenses and other intangible assets, net
45,343

 
46,604

Other assets
3,735

 
2,055

Total assets
$
61,124

 
$
60,380

 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES
 

 
 

Current liabilities:
 

 
 

Current portion of long-term debt
$
1,216

 
$
1,451

Accounts payable
668

 

Accrued expenses
1,134

 
425

Program obligations
1,597

 
2,185

Total current liabilities
4,615

 
4,061

Long-term debt, excluding current portion
3,765

 
3,950

Program obligations
1,531

 
1,967

Other liabilities
51,213

 
50,402

Total liabilities
$
61,124

 
$
60,380

 
The assets of our consolidated VIEs can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs and may not be sold, or otherwise disposed of, except for assets sold or replaced with others of like kind or value. Other liabilities of $51.2 million and $50.4 million as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, serve to reduce the carrying value of the entities, and are eliminated in our consolidated financial statements.

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This reflects the fact that as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, we have an option that we may exercise if the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) attribution rules change. The option would allow us to acquire the assets or member’s interest of the VIE entities for a nominal exercise price, which is significantly less than the carrying value of their tangible and intangible net assets.
 
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest
 
The following table presents the activity of the redeemable noncontrolling interest included in our consolidated balance sheets related to Nami Media, Inc. (“Nami Media”), HYFN, Inc. (“HYFN”) and Dedicated Media, Inc. (“Dedicated Media”), which represents third parties’ proportionate share of our consolidated net assets (in thousands):
 
 
Redeemable
Noncontrolling
Interest
Balance as of December 31, 2012
$
3,242

Acquisition of redeemable noncontrolling interest
11,025

Net loss
(900
)
Share-based compensation
75

Balance as of September 30, 2013
$
13,442

 
Use of Estimates
 
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires our management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto. Our actual results could differ from these estimates. Estimates are used for the allowance for doubtful accounts in receivables, valuation of goodwill and intangible assets, assumptions used to determine fair value of financial instruments, amortization and impairment of program rights and intangible assets, share-based compensation and other long-term incentive compensation arrangements, pension costs, barter transactions, income taxes, employee medical insurance claims, useful lives of property and equipment, contingencies, litigation and net assets of businesses acquired.
 
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In July 2013 the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2013-11, “Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists” to eliminate diversity in practice. This ASU requires that companies net their unrecognized tax benefits against all same-jurisdiction net operating losses or tax credit carryforwards that would be used to settle the position with a tax authority. This new guidance is effective prospectively for annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2013 and interim periods therein. We prospectively adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2013 and it did not have a material impact on our financial statements.
In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-2, “Reporting of Amounts Reclassified out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income,” which amends Accounting Standards Codification 220, “Comprehensive Income.” The amendments require an entity to disclose the impact of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income and into net income, by the respective line items of net income, if the amounts reclassified are reclassified to net income in their entirety in the same reporting period. The disclosure is required either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes. For amounts that are not reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures required under U.S. GAAP that provide additional detail about those amounts. We prospectively adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2013 and it did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In July 2012, there were revisions to the accounting standard for impairment tests of indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill. Under the revised standard a company can first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether further impairment testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets is necessary. A company can choose to perform the qualitative assessment on none, some, or all of its indefinite-lived intangible assets, and can also bypass the qualitative assessment and perform the quantitative impairment test for any indefinite-lived intangible in any period. The revised standard is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012.

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We adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2013 and do not expect it to have a material impact on our impairment tests of indefinite-lived intangible assets.

Note 2 — Acquisitions
 
Dedicated Media, Inc.
 
On April 9, 2013, we acquired a 60% interest (calculated on a fully diluted basis) in Dedicated Media, a multi-channel advertisement buying and optimization company.  Dedicated Media is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA and employs new technologies to create, plan and execute digital marketing campaigns on behalf of its clients.  The purchase price totaled $5.8 million, which was funded from cash on hand at the time of the acquisition.
 
Under the terms of our agreement with Dedicated Media, we agreed to purchase the remaining outstanding shares of Dedicated Media by no later than February 15, 2015 if Dedicated Media achieves both (i) a target earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) and (ii) a target gross profit in 2014, as outlined in the purchase agreement.  The purchase price of these shares is based on multiples of Dedicated Media’s 2014 EBITDA and gross profit.  Our maximum potential obligation under the purchase agreement is $26 million.  If Dedicated Media does not meet the target EBITDA or target gross profit in 2014, we have the option to purchase the remaining outstanding shares using the same purchase price multiple.
 
The following table summarizes the provisional allocation of the purchase price to the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed by us in the acquisition (in thousands):
 
Current assets
$
7,315

Equipment
158

Other intangible assets
4,620

Goodwill
1,796

Current liabilities
(4,303
)
Noncontrolling interest
(3,834
)
Total
$
5,752

 
The amount allocated to definite-lived intangible assets represents the estimated fair values of customer relationships of $3.9 million, completed technology of $0.5 million, and trademarks of $0.2 million . These intangible assets will be amortized over the estimated remaining useful lives of approximately 7 years for customer relationships, 4 years for completed technology and 2 years for trademarks.
 
HYFN, Inc.
 
On April 4, 2013, we acquired a 50.1% interest (calculated on a fully diluted basis) in HYFN, a full service digital advertising agency specializing in the planning, development, deployment and support for websites, mobile sites, interactive banners, games and various applications for multiple devices.  The purchase price totaled $7.2 million, $6.9 million of which was funded from cash on hand and $0.3 million was accrued at the time of the acquisition and is expected to be paid in accordance with the provisions of the purchase agreement during the fourth quarter of 2013.
 
Under the terms of our agreement with HYFN, we agreed to purchase the remaining outstanding shares of HYFN by no later than February 15, 2016 if HYFN achieves both (i) a target EBITDA and (ii) target net revenues in 2015, as outlined in the transaction agreements.  The purchase price of these shares is based on multiples of HYFN’s 2015 net revenue and EBITDA.  Our maximum potential obligation under the terms of our agreement is approximately $62.4 million.  If HYFN does not meet the target EBITDA or target net revenues in 2015, we have the option to purchase the remaining outstanding shares using the same purchase price multiple.
 
The following table summarizes the provisional allocation of the purchase price to the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed by us in the acquisition (in thousands):
 

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Current assets
$
3,759

Non-current assets
13

Equipment
179

Other intangible assets
3,580

Goodwill
9,160

Current liabilities
(920
)
Non-current liabilities
(1,361
)
Noncontrolling interest
(7,191
)
Total
$
7,219

 
The amount allocated to definite-lived intangible assets represents the estimated fair values of customer relationships of $2.4 million, completed technology of $1.1 million, and trademarks of $0.1 million . These intangible assets will be amortized over the estimated remaining useful lives of approximately 8 years for customer relationships, 3 years for completed technology and 3 years for trademarks.
 
Goodwill of $1.8 million and $9.2 million is the excess of the aggregate purchase price over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired, and primarily represents the benefits of the incremental revenue we expect to generate from the acquisitions of Dedicated Media and HYFN, respectively.  None of the goodwill recognized in connection with the acquisitions of Dedicated Media and HYFN is deductible for tax purposes.
 
Our obligations to purchase the noncontrolling interest holders’ shares of both Dedicated Media and HYFN are outside of our control, because they are based on the achievement of certain financial targets described above. Therefore, the noncontrolling interest related to Dedicated Media and HYFN as of September 30, 2013 has been reported as redeemable noncontrolling interest and classified as temporary equity on our consolidated balance sheets. As of the acquisition dates, the fair values of the noncontrolling interests were $3.8 million and $7.2 million for Dedicated Media and HYFN, respectively, and were measured based on the purchase prices for our 60% and 50.1% ownership interest in Dedicated Media and HYFN, respectively, and the net assets acquired as of the acquisition dates. As of September 30, 2013, we believe that achieving the financial targets is not yet probable and therefore, have not reflected these obligations in our consolidated financial statements.
 
If we do not purchase the remaining outstanding shares of Dedicated Media or HYFN by the dates set forth in the respective purchase agreements, the noncontrolling interest holders have the right to purchase our interest. The purchase price of these shares is based on the same purchase price multiple described above and is exercisable only if the applicable financial targets are not met and we do not elect to purchase the remaining interest. The fair value of this option is zero and no amounts related to these options are included in our consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2013.

New Vision Television, LLC
 
On October 12, 2012, we completed its acquisition of television stations in eight markets that were previously owned by affiliates of New Vision Television, LLC (“New Vision”) for $334.9 million, subject to certain post-closing adjustments, and including the assumption of $14.3 million of finance lease obligations.  Concurrent with the acquisition, Vaughan, a third-party licensee, completed its acquisition of separately owned television stations (the “Vaughan Acquired Stations”) in three markets for $4.6 million from PBC Broadcasting, LLC (“PBC”).
 
We also agreed to provide certain services to the Vaughan Acquired Stations pursuant to JSAs and SSAs with Vaughan.  Under the JSAs and SSAs with Vaughan, we provide administrative and technical services, supporting the business and operation of the Vaughan Acquired Stations in exchange for commissions and fees that provide us the benefit of certain returns from the business of the Vaughan Acquired Stations.
 
The following table summarizes the allocation of the purchase price to the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed by both us and Vaughan in the acquisition (in thousands):
 

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Program rights assets
$
2,040

Property and equipment
100,124

Broadcast licenses
133,120

Definite-lived intangible assets
55,837

Goodwill
65,024

Current liabilities
(417
)
Non-current liabilities
(2,239
)
Long-term debt assumed
(13,989
)
Total
$
339,500


The amount allocated to definite-lived intangible assets represents the estimated fair values of network affiliations of $30.8 million, favorable leases of $8.6 million, advertiser relationships of $6.1 million, retransmission consent agreements of $7 million, and other intangible assets of $3.3 million. These intangible assets will be amortized over the estimated remaining useful lives of approximately 2 years for network affiliations, 32 years for favorable leases, 10 years for advertiser relationships, 5 years for retransmission consent agreements, and a weighted average life of 6 years for other intangible assets.
 
ACME Television, LLC
 
On December 10, 2012, we acquired certain assets of the ACME Television, LLC (“ACME”) television stations KWBQ-TV, KRWB-TV and KASY-TV (collectively the “ACME Acquired Stations”), each of which serves the Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM market. KASY, an unrelated third party, acquired the remaining assets of the ACME Acquired Stations, including the FCC licenses. The aggregate purchase price for the ACME Acquired Stations was $19 million, of which we paid approximately $17.3 million and KASY paid approximately $1.7 million.
 
We also agreed to provide certain services to the ACME Acquired Stations pursuant to SSAs with KASY.  Under the SSAs with KASY, we provide administrative and technical services, supporting the business and operations of the ACME Acquired Stations in exchange for commissions and fees that provide us the benefit of certain returns from the business of the ACME Acquired Stations.
 
The following table summarizes the allocation of the purchase price to the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed by both us and KASY in the acquisition (in thousands):
 
Current assets
$
1,656

Non-current assets
1,968

Other intangible assets
12,898

Goodwill
5,331

Non-current liabilities
(2,858
)
Total
$
18,995

 
Goodwill of $65 million and $5.3 million is the excess of the aggregate purchase price over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired, and primarily represents the benefits of synergies and economies of scale we expect to realize from the acquisitions of the television stations from New Vision and ACME, respectively.  All of the goodwill recognized in connection with the acquisitions of New Vision and ACME is deductible for tax purposes.
 
Net revenues and operating income of the television stations acquired during 2012 included in our consolidated statements of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 were $105.5 million and $2.5 million, respectively.
 
During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, certain measurement period adjustments were made to the initial allocation performed in the fourth quarter of 2012 for the New Vision acquisition and the New Vision and ACME acquisitions, respectively, which were not material to the consolidated financial statements.
 




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Pro Forma Information
 
The following table sets forth unaudited pro forma results of operations as of September 30, 2012, assuming that the above acquisitions of television stations from New Vision and ACME, along with transactions necessary to finance the acquisitions, occurred on January 1, 2011 (in thousands):
 
 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2012
 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2012
Net revenue
$
169,954

 
$
463,122

Net income
$
19,044

 
$
45,211

Basic income per common share attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
0.36

 
$
0.83

Diluted income per common share attributable to LIN Media LLC
$
0.35

 
$
0.81


This pro forma financial information is based on historical results of operations, adjusted for the allocation of the purchase price and other acquisition accounting adjustments, and is not necessarily indicative of what our results would have been had we operated the businesses since January 1, 2011. The pro forma adjustments for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 reflect depreciation expense, amortization of intangibles and amortization of program contract costs related to the fair value adjustments of the assets acquired, additional interest expense related to the financing of the transactions, exclusion of nonrecurring financing and transaction related costs and the related tax effects of the adjustments.
 
Nami Media, Inc.
 
On November 22, 2011, we acquired a 57.6% interest (a 50.1% interest calculated on a fully diluted basis) in Nami Media, a digital advertising management and technology company based in Los Angeles, CA. Under the terms of our agreement with Nami Media, we agreed to purchase the remaining outstanding shares of Nami Media in 2014 if Nami Media achieves a target EBITDA in 2013 as outlined in the purchase agreement. The purchase price of these shares is based on multiples of Nami Media’s 2013 net revenues and EBITDA. Our maximum potential obligation under the purchase agreement is $37.4 million. Additionally, if Nami Media does not meet the target EBITDA in 2013, we have the option to purchase the remaining outstanding shares using the same purchase price multiple. Our obligation to purchase the noncontrolling interest holders’ shares is essentially outside of our control, because it is based on the achievement of target EBITDA in 2013. Therefore, the noncontrolling interest related to Nami Media as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 has been reported as redeemable noncontrolling interest and classified as temporary equity on our consolidated balance sheets. As of the acquisition date, the fair value of the noncontrolling interest was $3.5 million, and was measured based on the purchase price for our 57.6% ownership interest and the net assets acquired as of the acquisition date. As of September 30, 2013, we believe that achievement of the financial targets is not probable and therefore, have not reflected these obligations in our consolidated financial statements.
 
In 2014, if we do not purchase the remaining outstanding shares of Nami Media by the date set forth in the purchase agreements, the noncontrolling interest holders have the right to purchase our interest in Nami Media. The purchase price of these shares is based on the same purchase price multiple described above and is exercisable only if the 2013 EBITDA target is not met and we do not elect to purchase the remaining interest. The fair value of this option is zero and no amounts related to these options are included in our consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012.
 

Note 3 — Discontinued Operations
 
WWHO-TV
 
On February 16, 2012, we completed the sale of substantially all of the assets of WWHO-TV, our CW affiliate serving Columbus, OH, to Manhan Media, Inc.  During the nine months ended September 30, 2012, we recorded a loss on the sale of WWHO-TV of $0.4 million ($0.3 million, net of tax).
 
WUPW-TV
 
On April 21, 2012, we completed the sale of substantially all of the assets of WUPW-TV to WUPW, LLC. During the nine months ended September 30, 2012, we recorded a gain on the sale of WUPW-TV of $18 million ($11.7 million, net of tax).
The following presents summarized information for the discontinued operations (in thousands):

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Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
WWHO-
TV
 
WUPW-
TV
 
Total
 
WWHO-
TV
 
WUPW-
TV
 
Total
Net revenues
$

 
$

 
$

 
$
440

 
$
2,193

 
$
2,633

Operating loss

 

 

 
(393
)
 
(1,166
)
 
(1,559
)
Net loss

 

 

 
(252
)
 
(766
)
 
(1,018
)
 

Note 4 — Investments
 
Joint Venture with NBCUniversal
 
As of December 31, 2012, we held a 20.38% interest in SVH, a joint venture with NBCUniversal, and accounted for our interest using the equity method as we did not have a controlling interest. SVH held a 99.75% interest in SVO, which is the operating company that managed KXAS-TV and KNSD-TV, the television stations that comprised the joint venture.
 
As further described in Note 1 — “Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 11 — “Commitments and Contingencies,” on February 12, 2013, LIN TV, LIN Television, and LIN Texas entered into, and simultaneously closed the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement among subsidiaries of NBCUniversal, Comcast, the GE Parties, and SVH.
 
Pursuant to the JV Sale Transaction, in exchange for LIN Television causing a $100 million capital contribution to be made to SVH (which was used to prepay a portion of the GECC Note), LIN TV was released from the GECC Guarantee and any further obligations related to any shortfall funding agreements. Further, LIN Texas sold its 20.38% equity interest in SVH to affiliates of NBCUniversal, and the LIN parties transferred their rights to receivables related to the Shortfall Funding Loans for $1. As a result of the JV Sale Transaction, neither we nor any of our direct or indirect subsidiaries have any further investment in or obligations (funding or otherwise) related to SVH, including, without limitation, to make any other unsecured shortfall loans or payments under the GECC Note or the GECC Guarantee.
 
Note 5 — Intangible Assets
 
Goodwill totaled $203.5 million and $192.5 million at September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The change in the carrying amount of goodwill during the nine months ended September 30, 2013 was as follows (in thousands):
 
 
Goodwill
Balance as of December 31, 2012
$
192,514

Acquisitions
10,956

Balance as of September 30, 2013
$
203,470

 
The following table summarizes the carrying amounts of intangible assets (in thousands):
 
 
September 30, 2013
 
December 31, 2012
 
Gross Carrying
Amount
 
Accumulated
Amortization
 
Gross Carrying
Amount
 
Accumulated
Amortization
Broadcast licenses
$
536,515

 
$

 
$
536,515

 
$

Intangible assets subject to amortization (1)
86,606

 
(34,465
)
 
75,625

 
(16,071
)
Total
$
623,121

 
$
(34,465
)
 
$
612,140

 
$
(16,071
)
 
(1) 
Intangible assets subject to amortization are amortized on a straight line basis and primarily include network affiliations, acquired customer relationships, completed technology, brand names, non-compete agreements, internal-use software, favorable operating leases, and retransmission consent agreements.
 

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There were no events during the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012 that warranted an interim impairment test of our indefinite-lived intangible assets, including goodwill.
 
Note 6 — Debt
 
Debt consisted of the following (in thousands):
 
September 30,
2013
 
December 31,
2012
Senior Secured Credit Facility:
 

 
 

Revolving credit loans
$

 
$

$120,313 and $125,000 Term loans, net of discount of $368 and $435 as September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively
119,945

 
124,565

$315,000 and $257,400 Incremental term loans, net of discount of $1,768 and $2,020 as of September 30,2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively
313,232

 
255,380

83/8% Senior Notes due 2018
200,000

 
200,000

63/8% Senior Notes due 2021
290,000

 
290,000

Capital lease obligations
14,718

 
14,881

Other debt
4,457

 
5,401

Total debt
942,352

 
890,227

Less current portion
15,801

 
10,756

Total long-term debt
$
926,551

 
$
879,471

 
During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we paid $2.4 million and $7.1 million, respectively, of principal on the term loans and incremental term loans related to mandatory quarterly payments under our senior secured credit facility.
 
In February 2013, pursuant to our existing credit agreement, we issued $60 million of new debt in the form of a tranche B-2 incremental term facility (the “Incremental Facility”).  The Incremental Facility is a five-year term loan facility and is subject to the terms of our existing credit agreement, dated as of October 26, 2011, as amended on December 24, 2012, by and among LIN Television, JP Morgan Chase Bank as Administrative Agent and the banks and other financial institutions party thereto (the “Credit Agreement”).  The proceeds of the Incremental Facility, as well as cash on hand and cash from revolving borrowings under the Credit Agreement, were used to fund the $100 million transferred to SVH by LIN Television pursuant to the JV Sale Transaction.
 
During the nine months ended September 30, 2012, we recorded a loss on extinguishment of debt of $2.1 million to our consolidated statement of operations, consisting of a write-down of deferred financing fees and unamortized discount related to the redemption of our 6 ½% Senior Subordinated Notes and our 6 ½% Senior Subordinated Notes — Class B (“6 ½% Senior Subordinated Notes”).
 
The fair values of our long-term debt are estimated based on quoted market prices for the same or similar issues (Level 2 inputs of the three-level fair value hierarchy).  The carrying amounts and fair values of our long-term debt were as follows (in thousands):
 
 
September 30,
2013
 
December 31,
2012
Carrying amount
$
927,634

 
$
875,346

Fair value
944,212

 
910,500

 
Note 7 — Fair Value Measurements
 
We record the fair value of certain financial assets and liabilities on a recurring basis.  The following table summarizes the financial assets measured at fair value in the accompanying financial statements using the three-level fair value hierarchy as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 (in thousands):

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Significant
Observable
Inputs
 
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
 
 
 
(Level 2)
 
(Level 3)
 
Total
September 30, 2013:
 

 
 

 
 

Assets:
 

 
 

 
 

Deferred compensation related investments
$
678

 
$
3,075

 
$
3,753

 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2012:
 

 
 

 
 

Assets:
 

 
 

 
 

Deferred compensation related investments
$
619

 
$
2,461

 
$
3,080

 
For level two investments, the fair value of our investments is based upon the fair value of the investments selected by employees.  For level three investments, the fair value of our deferred compensation related investments is based on the cash surrender values of life insurance policies underlying our supplemental income deferral plan.
 
Note 8 — Retirement Plans
 
The following table shows the components of the net periodic pension cost and the contributions to our 401(k) Plan and the retirement plans (in thousands):
 
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2013
 
2012
Net periodic pension cost (benefit):
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Interest cost
$
1,314

 
$
1,364

 
$
3,942

 
$
4,092

Expected return on plan assets
(1,670
)
 
(1,549
)
 
(5,010
)
 
(4,647
)
Amortization of net loss
428

 
431

 
1,284

 
1,293

Net periodic cost
$
72

 
$
246

 
$
216

 
$
738

Contributions:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

401(k) Plan
$
1,229

 
$
915

 
$
3,653

 
$
2,835

Defined contribution retirement plans
59

 
82

 
143

 
263

Defined benefit retirement plans
1,231

 
3,807

 
3,944

 
6,097

Total contributions
$
2,519

 
$
4,804

 
$
7,740

 
$
9,195

 
See Note 11 — “Retirement Plans” in Item 15 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 for a full description of our retirement plans.
 
Note 9 — Restructuring
 
During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we recorded a restructuring charge of $0.5 million and $3.0 million, respectively, primarily related to severance and related costs as a result of the integration of the television stations acquired during 2012.  During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, we made cash payments of $0.4 million and $2.8 million, respectively, related to these restructuring actions.  We expect to make cash payments of approximately $0.2 million during the remainder of 2013 related to these restructuring activities.
 
Also, during the year ended December 31, 2012, we recorded a restructuring charge of $2.4 million as a result of the consolidation of certain activities at our stations.  During the nine months ended September 30, 2013, we made cash payments of $0.7 million related to these restructuring actions.  We do not expect to make significant cash payments during the remainder of the year with respect to such transactions, as the majority of the restructuring activities are complete as of the date of this report.
 

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Severance and
Related
Balance as of December 31, 2012
$
717

Charges
2,991

Payments
(3,474
)
Balance as of September 30, 2013
$
234

 
Note 10 — Income Taxes
 
We recorded a benefit from income taxes of $139.3 million and $135.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively, compared to a provision for income taxes of $11.2 million and $24.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively. The benefit from income taxes for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 was primarily a result of a $124.6 million discrete tax benefit recognized as a result of the Merger as well as an $18.2 million discrete tax benefit recognized as a result of the reversal of a state valuation allowance further described below. Our effective income tax rate was (772.2)% and 37.5% for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012, respectively.  The change in the effective income tax rate was primarily due to the tax benefits discussed above. We expect our effective income tax rate to range between 42% and 44% during the remainder of 2013.
 
As of December 31, 2012, we had a valuation allowance of $18.2 million offsetting certain state net operating loss carryforwards and other state deferred tax assets. During the third quarter of 2013, after evaluating our ability to recover certain net operating loss carryforwards due to the change in tax structure as a result of the Merger, we determined that we will more likely than not be able to realize these deferred tax assets. As a result, we reversed the valuation allowance and recognized a corresponding tax benefit of $18.2 million.
 
As a result of the JV Sale Transaction, we recognized $27.5 million and $0.9 million of incremental short-term deferred federal and state tax liabilities, respectively. The financial impact of the JV Sale Transaction and corresponding tax expense of $28.4 million was reflected in our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2012.  During the first quarter of 2013, approximately $163 million of short term deferred liabilities were reclassified to income taxes payable upon the consummation of the JV Sale Transaction.  As a result of the close of the Merger on July 30, 2013, $132.5 million of this tax liability was extinguished, resulting in a remaining tax liability of approximately $30.5 million associated with the JV Sale Transaction.  For further discussion regarding the JV Sale Transaction and the Merger, see Note 1 — “Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” and Note 11 — “Commitments and Contingencies.”
 
Note 11 — Commitments and Contingencies
 
We lease land, buildings, vehicles and equipment pursuant to non-cancelable operating lease agreements and we contract for general services pursuant to non-cancelable operating agreements that expire at various dates through 2036. In addition, we have entered into commitments for future syndicated entertainment and sports programming. Future payments for these non-cancelable operating leases and agreements, and future payments associated with syndicated television programs as of September 30, 2013 are as follows (in thousands):

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Commitments
Year
 
Operating Leases
and Agreements
 
Syndicated
Television
Programming
 
Total
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2013
 
$
10,401

 
$
12,918

(1) 
$
23,319

2014
 
37,515

 
24,221

 
61,736

2015
 
29,663

 
19,112

 
48,775

2016
 
13,845

 
12,195

 
26,040

2017
 
11,699

 
2,499

 
14,198

Thereafter
 
10,893

 
367

 
11,260

Total obligations
 
$
114,016

 
$
71,312

 
$
185,328

 
(1) Includes $11.5 million of program obligations recorded on our consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2013.
 
Contingencies
 
GECC Guarantee and the Merger
 
GECC provided secured debt financing for the joint venture between NBCUniversal and us, in the form of an $815.5 million non-amortizing senior secured note due 2023 bearing interest at an initial rate of 8% per annum until March 1, 2013 and 9% per annum thereafter. The GECC Note was an obligation of the joint venture. As of December 31, 2012, we had a 20.38% equity interest in the joint venture and NBCUniversal had the remaining 79.62% equity interest, in which we and NBCUniversal each had a 50% voting interest. NBCUniversal operated two television stations, KXAS-TV, an NBC affiliate in Dallas, and KNSD-TV, an NBC affiliate in San Diego, pursuant to a management agreement. LIN TV had previously guaranteed the payment of principal and interest on the GECC Note.
 
On February 12, 2013, we, along with our wholly-owned subsidiary, LIN Texas, entered into, and simultaneously closed the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement with subsidiaries of NBCUniversal, the GE Parties, Comcast, and SVH. The Transaction Agreement effected a series of transactions whereby in exchange for LIN Television causing a $100 million capital contribution to be made to SVH (which was used to prepay a portion of the GECC Note), LIN TV was released from the GECC Guarantee and any further obligations relating to the shortfall funding agreements.  Further, LIN Texas sold its 20.38% equity interest in SVH to affiliates of NBCUniversal, and the LIN parties transferred their rights to receivables related to the Shortfall Funding Loans for $1. The Transaction Agreement contains certain indemnifications and obligations with respect to representations and warranties; however, we do not anticipate that such obligations will result in any material liability to the Company.
 
We accrued for and expensed the $100 million capital contribution to SVH to secure the release of the guarantee and recorded the related tax effects in our consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2012, because it represented a probable and estimable obligation of the Company.  In February 2013, we entered into a $60 million Incremental Facility and utilized $40 million of cash on hand and borrowings under our revolving credit facility to fund the $100 million payment. As a result of the JV Sale Transaction, after utilizing all of our available Federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards, we had an approximate $163 million income tax payable remaining, $132.5 million of which was extinguished as a result of the Merger described below.
 
On February 12, 2013, we also announced that LIN TV entered into the Merger Agreement with LIN LLC, a newly formed Delaware limited liability company and wholly owned subsidiary of LIN TV. On July 30, 2013, the shareholders of LIN TV approved the Merger and pursuant to the Merger Agreement, LIN TV was merged with and into LIN LLC with LIN LLC continuing as the surviving entity. The Merger enabled the surviving entity to be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes and that change in classification was treated as a liquidation of LIN TV for federal income tax purposes with the result that LIN TV realized a capital loss in its 100% equity interest in LIN Television.
 
Based on an average of the opening and closing trading prices of LIN TV's class A common stock at the consummation of the Merger, LIN TV realized a capital loss of approximately $344 million, which represents the difference between its tax basis in

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the stock of LIN Television, and the fair market value of this stock as of July 30, 2013.  The capital loss realized and existing net operating losses were used to offset a portion of the capital gain recognized in the JV Sale Transaction and as a result, we realized tax savings of $132.5 million, resulting in a remaining tax liability of $30.5 million associated with the JV Sale Transaction. We made estimated state and federal tax payments to settle $29 million of this tax liability during October 2013 and expect to fund the remaining liability when it becomes due in November 2013.
 
Litigation
 
We are involved in various claims and lawsuits that are generally incidental to our business. We are vigorously contesting all of these matters. The outcome of any current or future litigation cannot be accurately predicted. We record accruals for such contingencies to the extent that we conclude it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. No estimate of the possible loss or range of loss can be made at this time because the inherently unpredictable nature of legal proceedings may be exacerbated by various factors, including: (i) the damages sought in the proceedings are unsubstantiated or indeterminate; (ii) discovery is not complete; (iii) the proceeding is in its early stages; (iv) the matters present legal uncertainties; (v) there are significant facts in dispute; or (vi) there is a wide range of potential outcomes. Although the outcome of these and other legal proceedings cannot be predicted, we believe that their ultimate resolution will not have a material adverse effect on us.
 

 

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