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EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

Employment Agreement

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT | Document Parties: SIRIUS XM RADIO INC. You are currently viewing:
This Employment Agreement involves

SIRIUS XM RADIO INC.

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Title: EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Governing Law: New York     Date: 7/29/2009
Industry: Broadcasting and Cable TV     Law Firm: Wachtell Lipton     Sector: Services

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, Parties: sirius xm radio inc.
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Exhibit 10.1

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, dated as of July 28, 2009 (this “ Agreement ”), between SIRIUS XM RADIO INC., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and SCOTT A. GREENSTEIN (the “ Executive ”).

     In consideration of the mutual covenants and conditions set forth herein, the Company and the Executive agree as follows:

     1. Employment . Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company hereby employs the Executive, and the Executive hereby agrees to continue his employment with the Company.

     2. Duties and Reporting Relationship . (a) The Executive shall be employed in the capacity of President and Chief Content Officer of the Company. In such capacity, the Executive shall be responsible for management of all aspects of the Company’s programming and corporate brand marketing functions and all personnel working in such areas shall report to the Executive. During the Term (as defined below), the Executive shall, on a full-time basis and consistent with the needs of the Company, use his skills and render services to the best of his ability. The Executive shall perform such activities and duties consistent with his position as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company shall from time to time reasonably specify and direct. During the Term, the Executive shall not perform any consulting services for, or engage in any other business enterprises with, any third parties without the express written consent of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company or the General Counsel of the Company, other than passive investments.

     (b) The Executive shall generally perform his duties and conduct his business at the principal offices of the Company in New York, New York.

     (c) The Executive shall report solely to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

     3. Term . The term of this Agreement shall commence on July 28, 2009 (the “ Effective Date ”) and end on July 27, 2013, unless terminated earlier pursuant to the provisions of Section 6 (the “ Term ”).

     4. Compensation . (a) During the Term, the Executive shall be paid an annual base salary of $850,000; provided that on (i) January 1, 2010 such annual base salary shall be increased to no less than $925,000, (ii) January 1, 2011 such annual base salary shall be increased to no less than $1,000,000, (iii) January 1, 2012 such annual base salary shall be increased to no less than $1,100,000, (iv) January 1, 2013 such annual base salary shall be increased to no less than $1,250,000, and (v) thereafter may be subject to increase from time to time by recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company to, and approval by, the


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Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) (such amount, as increased, the “ Base Salary ”). All amounts paid to the Executive under this Agreement shall be in U.S. dollars. The Base Salary shall be paid at least monthly and, at the option of the Company, may be paid more frequently.

     (b) On the date hereof, the Company shall grant to the Executive an option to purchase 27,768,136 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $.001 per share (the “ Common Stock ”), at an exercise price of $0.43 per share, the closing price of the Common Stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the date hereof. Such options shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Option Agreement attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.

     (c) All compensation paid to the Executive hereunder shall be subject to any payroll and withholding deductions required by applicable law, including, as and where applicable, federal, New York state and New York City income tax withholding, federal unemployment tax and social security (FICA).

     5. Additional Compensation; Expenses and Benefits . (a) During the Term, the Company shall reimburse the Executive for all reasonable and necessary business expenses incurred and advanced by him in carrying out his duties under this Agreement. The Executive shall present to the Company an itemized account of all expenses in such form as may be required by the Company from time to time.

     (b) During the Term, the Executive shall be entitled to participate fully in any other benefit plans, programs, policies and fringe benefits which may be made available to the executive officers of the Company generally, including, without limitation, disability, medical, dental and life insurance and benefits under the Company’s 401(k) savings plan.

     (c) During the Term, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in any bonus plans generally offered to executive officers of the Company. Bonuses may be subject to the Executive’s individual performance and satisfaction of objectives established by the Board or the compensation committee thereof (the “ Compensation Committee ”). Bonuses may be paid in the form of cash, stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other securities of the Company.

     6. Termination . The date upon which the Executive’s employment with the Company under this Agreement is deemed to be terminated in accordance with any of the provisions of this Section 6 is referred to herein as the “ Termination Date .” A termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination also constitutes a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A (“ Section 409A ”) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”), and the regulations thereunder (a “ Separation from Service ”), and notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the date on which a Separation from Service takes place shall be the Termination Date.


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     (a) The Company has the right and may elect to terminate this Agreement for Cause at any time. For purposes of this Agreement, “ Cause ” means the occurrence or existence of any of the following:

     (i) (A) a material breach by the Executive of the terms of this Agreement, (B) a material breach by the Executive of the Executive’s duty not to engage in any transaction that represents, directly or indirectly, self-dealing with the Company or any of its affiliates (which, for purposes hereof, shall mean any individual, corporation, partnership, association, limited liability company, trust, estate, or other entity or organization directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with the Company) which has not been approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Board, or (C) the Executive’s violation of the Company’s Code of Ethics which is demonstrably and materially injurious to the Company, if any such material breach or violation described in clauses (A), (B) or (C), to the extent curable, remains uncured after 15 days have elapsed following the date on which the Company gives the Executive written notice of such material breach or violation;

     (ii) the Executive’s act of dishonesty, misappropriation, embezzlement, intentional fraud, or similar intentional misconduct by the Executive involving the Company or any of its affiliates;

     (iii) the Executive’s conviction or the plea of nolo contendere or the equivalent in respect of a felony;

     (iv) any damage of a material nature to any property of the Company or any of its affiliates caused by the Executive’s willful misconduct or gross negligence;

     (v) the repeated nonprescription use of any controlled substance or the repeated use of alcohol or any other non-controlled substance that, in the reasonable good faith opinion of the Board, renders the Executive unfit to serve as an officer of the Company or its affiliates;

     (vi) the Executive’s failure to comply with the Chief Executive Officer’s reasonable written instructions on a material matter within 5 days; or

     (vii) conduct by the Executive that in the reasonable good faith written determination of the Board demonstrates unfitness to serve as an officer of the Company or its affiliates, including a finding by the Board or any judicial or regulatory authority that the Executive committed acts of unlawful harassment or violated any other state, federal or local law or ordinance prohibiting discrimination in employment.

Termination of the Executive for Cause pursuant to this Section 6(a) shall be communicated by a Notice of Termination for Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, a “ Notice of Termination for Cause ” shall mean delivery to the Executive of a copy of a resolution or resolutions duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the directors (other than the Executive, if the Executive is then serving on the Board) present (in person or by teleconference) and voting at a meeting of the Board called and held for that purpose after 15 days’ notice to the Executive (which notice the Company shall use reasonable efforts to confirm that Executive has actually


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received and which notice for purposes of this Section 6(a) may be delivered, in addition to the requirements set forth in Section 17, through the use of electronic mail) and a reasonable opportunity for the Executive, together with the Executive’s counsel, to be heard before the Board prior to such vote, finding that in the good faith opinion of the Board, the Executive was guilty of conduct set forth in any of clauses (i) through (vii) of this Section 6(a) and specifying the particulars thereof in reasonable detail. For purposes of this Section 6(a), this Agreement shall terminate on the date specified by the Board in the Notice of Termination for Cause.

     (b) (i) This Agreement and the Executive’s employment shall terminate upon the death of the Executive.

     (ii) If the Executive is unable to perform the essential duties and functions of his position because of a disability, even with a reasonable accommodation, for one hundred eighty days within any three hundred sixty-five day period (“ Disability ”), the Company shall have the right and may elect to terminate the services of the Executive by a Notice of Disability Termination. The Executive shall not be terminated following a Disability except pursuant to this Section 6(b)(ii). For purposes of this Agreement, a “ Notice of Disability Termination ” shall mean a written notice that sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Executive’s employment under this Section 6(b)(ii). For purposes of this Agreement, no such purported termination shall be effective without such Notice of Disability Termination. This Agreement shall terminate on the day such Notice of Disability Termination is received by the Executive.

     (c) The Executive shall have the absolute right to terminate his employment at any time with or without Good Reason. Should the Executive wish to resign from his position with the Company during the Term, for other than Good Reason (as defined below), the Executive shall give at least fourteen days prior written notice to the Company. This Agreement shall terminate on the effective date of the resignation set forth in the notice of resignation, however, the Company may, at its sole discretion, instruct that the Executive perform no job responsibilities and cease his active employment immediately upon receipt of the notice from the Executive.

     (d) The Company shall have the absolute right to terminate the Executive’s employment without Cause at any time. This Agreement shall terminate one day following receipt of such notice by the Executive, however, the Company may, at its sole discretion, instruct that the Executive cease active employment and perform no more job duties immediately upon provision of such notice to the Executive.

     (e) Should the Executive wish to resign from his position with the Company for Good Reason during the Term, the Executive shall give seven days prior written notice to the Company. This Agreement shall terminate on the date specified in such notice, however, the Company may, at its sole discretion, instruct that the Executive cease active employment and perform no more job duties immediately upon receipt of such notice from the Executive.

     For purposes of this Agreement, “ Good Reason ” shall mean the continuance of any of the following events (without the Executive’s prior written consent) for a period of thirty days after delivery to the Company by the Executive of a notice of the occurrence of such event:


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     (i) the assignment to the Executive by the Company of duties not reasonably consistent with the Executive’s positions, duties, responsibilities, titles or offices at the commencement of the Term, any material reduction in the Executive’s duties or responsibilities as described in Section 2 or any removal of the Executive from or any failure to re-elect the Executive to any of such positions or the Executive not being the most senior executive, other than the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, who is responsible for all programming and corporate brand marketing activities and personnel (except in connection with the termination of the Executive’s employment for Cause, Disability or as a result of the Executive’s death or by the Executive other than for Good Reason); or

     (ii) the Executive ceasing to report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company; or

     (iii) any requirement that the Executive report for work to a location more than 25 miles from the Company’s current headquarters for more than 30 days in any calendar year, excluding any requirement that results from the damage or destruction of the Company’s current headquarters as a result of natural disasters, terrorism, acts of war or acts of God; or

      (iv) any reduction in the Base Salary; or

     (v) the Company’s failure to make a bona fide offer in writing to renew this Agreement, for an additional one-year term, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement (including the Base Salary set forth in Section 4(a), but excluding any equity–based compensation set forth in Section 4(b)), at least 90 days prior to (x) the fourth anniversary of the Effective Date and (y) each subsequent anniversary of the Effective Date following the fourth anniversary of the Effective Date; provided that (for purposes of this clause (y) only) this Agreement has been renewed on the previous anniversary of the Effective Date; or

      (vi) any material breach by the Company of this Agreement.

     (f) (i) If the employment of the Executive is terminated by the Company for Cause, by the Executive other than for Good Reason or due to death or Disability, the Executive shall, in lieu of any future payments or benefits under this Agreement, be entitled to (A) any earned but unpaid Base Salary and any business expenses incurred but not reimbursed, in each case, prior to the Termination Date and (B) any other vested benefits under any other benefit plans or programs in accordance with the terms of such plans and programs (collectively, the “ Accrued Payments and Benefits ”).

     (ii) If the employment of the Executive is terminated without Cause or the Executive terminates his employment for Good Reason, then the Executive shall have an absolute and unconditional right to receive, and the Company shall pay to the Executive without setoff, counterclaim or other withholding, except as set forth in Section 4(c), (A) the Accrued Payments and Benefits, (B) a lump sum amount equal to the sum of (x) the Executive’s annualized Base Salary then in effect and (y) an amount in cash equal to the bonus, whether


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denominated as an annual, performance, incentive, retention or other bonus, last paid (or due and payable) to the Executive in respect of the fiscal year immediately preceding the year in which the Termination Date occurs, and (C) the continuation, at the Company’s expense (by direct payment, not reimbursement to the Executive) of (1) medical and dental benefits in a manner that will not be taxable to the Executive and (2) life insurance benefits, on the same terms as provided by the Company for active employees for one year following the Termination Date. The lump sum amount contemplated by clause (B) above shall be paid on the 60 th day following the Termination Date.

     (g) The Company’s obligations under Section 6(f)(ii) shall be conditioned upon the Executive executing, delivering, and not revoking during the seven day revocation period a waiver and release of claims against the Company, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit B (the “ Release ”) within 60 days following the Termination Date; provided that the Executive shall have no obligation to execute such Release in order to receive the payments and benefits under Section 6(f)(ii) in the event that a Release executed by the Company has not been delivered by the Company to the Executive within five days following the Termination Date.

     (h) Notwithstanding any provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, if the Executive is a “specified employee” (within the meaning of Section 409A and determined pursuant to policies adopted by the Company) at the time of his Separation from Service and if any portion of the payments or benefits to be received by the Executive upon Separation from Service would be considered deferred compensation under Section 409A (“ Nonqualified Deferred Compensation ”), amounts that would otherwise be payable pursuant to this Agreement during the six-month period immediately following the Executive’s Separation from Service that constitute Nonqualified Deferred Compensation and benefits that would otherwise be provided pursuant to this Agreement during the six-month period immediately following the Executive’s Separation from Service that constitute Nonqualified Deferred Compensation will instead be paid or made available on the earlier of (x) the first business day of the seventh month following the date of the Executive’s Separation from Service and (y) the Executive’s death.

     7. Nondisclosure of Confidential Information . (a) The Executive acknowledges that in the course of his employment he will occupy a position of trust and confidence. The Executive shall not, except in connection with the performance of his functions or as required by applicable law, disclose to others or use, directly or indirectly, any Confidential Information.

     (b) “ Confidential Information ” shall mean information about the Company’s business and operations that is not disclosed by the Company for financial reporting purposes and that was learned by the Executive in the course of his employment by the Company, including, without limitation, any business plans, product plans, strategy, budget information, proprietary knowledge, patents, trade secrets, data, formulae, sketches, notebooks, blueprints, information and client and customer lists and all papers and records (including computer records) of the documents containing such Confidential Information, other than information that is publicly disclosed by the Company in writing. The Executive acknowledges that such Confidential Information is specialized, unique in nature and of great value to the Company, and that such information gives the Company a competitive advantage. The Executive agrees to deliver or return to the Company, at the Company’s request at any time or upon termination or


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expiration of his employment or as soon as possible thereafter, all documents, computer tapes and disks, records, lists, data, drawings, prints, notes and written information (and all copies thereof) furnished by or on behalf of the Company or prepared by the Executive in the course of his employment by the Company, provided that the Executive will be able to keep his cell phones, blackberries, personal computers, personal rolodex and the like so long as any Confidential Information is removed from such items.

      (c) The provisions of this Section 7 shall survive indefinitely.

     8. Covenant Not to Compete . During the Restricted Period (as defined below), the Executive shall not, directly or indirectly, enter into the employment of, render services to, or acquire any interest whatsoever in (whether for his own account as an individual proprietor, or as a partner, associate, stockholder, officer, director, consultant, trustee or otherwise), or otherwise assist, any person or entity engaged in any operations in North America involving the transmission of radio entertainment programming, the production of radio entertainment programming, the syndication of radio entertainment programming, the promotion of radio entertainment programming or the marketing of radio entertainment programming, in each case, in competition with the Company (each, a “ Competitive Activity ”); provided that nothing in this Agreement shall prevent the purchase or ownership by the Executive by way of investment of less than five percent of the shares or equity interest of any corporation or other entity. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Executive agrees that during the Restricted Period, the Executive shall not call on or otherwise solicit business or assist others to solicit business from any of the customers of the Company as to any product or service described above that competes with any product or service provided or marketed by the Company on the date of the Executive’s termination of employment with the Company during the Term (as such Term may be extended in accordance with Section 6(e)(5) of the Agreement) (the “ Milestone Date ”). The Executive agrees that during the Restricted Period he will not solicit or assist others to solicit the employment of or hire any employee of the Company without the prior written consent of the Company. For purposes of this Agreement, the “ Restricted Period ” shall mean the period of one year following the Milestone Date. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “radio” shall mean terrestrial radio, satellite radio, HD radio, internet radio and other audio delivered terrestrially, by satellite, HD or the internet (which audio is not coupled with moving visual elements, such as television, movies, or other moving visual images delivered via the internet or otherwise). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 8, it shall not be a violation of this Section 8 for the Executive to join a division or business line of a commercial enterprise with multiple divisions or business lines if such division or business line is not engaged in a Competitive Activity; provided that the Executive performs services solely for such non-competitive division or business line.

     9. Change of


 
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