FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
FOR OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
THIS AGREEMENT (the
“Agreement”) is made and entered into as of
________________, 20__ between Studio One Media, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), and __________________
(“Indemnitee”).
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS , the Certificate of Incorporation of the
Company requires the Company to indemnify and advance expenses to
its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted under
Delaware law, which includes Section 145 of the Delaware
General Corporation Law, as amended (“Law”);
and
WHEREAS , the Board of Directors of the Company has
adopted Bylaws (the “Bylaws”) that permit the
indemnification of the officers, directors, employees, or agents of
the Company to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law;
and
WHEREAS , in accordance with the authorization as
provided by the Law, the Company may purchase and maintain a policy
or policies of directors’ and officers’ liability
insurance (“D & O Insurance”), covering
certain liabilities which may be incurred by its officers or
directors in the performance of their obligations to the Company;
and
WHEREAS , Indemnitee has been serving and continues to
serve as a director and/or officer of the Company in part in
reliance on the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws and has provided valuable services to and for the Company;
and
WHEREAS , it is essential to the Company to retain and
attract as directors and officers the most capable persons
available; and
WHEREAS , both the Company and Indemnitee recognize the
increased risk of litigation and other claims currently being
asserted against directors and officers of corporations;
and
WHEREAS , in recognition of Indemnitee’s need for
(i) substantial protection against personal liability based on
Indemnitee’s reliance on the aforesaid Certificate of
Incorporation and Bylaws, (ii) specific contractual assurance that
the protection promised by the Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws will be available to Indemnitee (regardless of, among other
things, any amendment to or revocation of the Certificate of
Incorporation and Bylaws or any change in the composition of the
Company’s Board of Directors or acquisition transaction
relating to the Company), and (iii) an inducement to provide
effective services to the Company as a director and/or officer, the
Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification
of and the advancing of expenses to Indemnitee to the fullest
extent (whether partial or complete) permitted under Delaware law
and as set forth in this Agreement, and, to the extent insurance is
maintained, to provide for the continued coverage of Indemnitee
under the Company’s directors’ and officers’
liability insurance policies;
NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the above premises and of
Indemnitee continuing to serve the Company directly or, at its
request, with another enterprise, and intending to be legally bound
hereby, the parties agree as follows:
1.
Indemnity of Indemnitee . The Company hereby
agrees to hold harmless and indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent
authorized or permitted by the provisions of the Law, as such may
be amended from time to time, and the Bylaws (or other applicable
charter documents of the Company), as such may be amended,
notwithstanding that such indemnification is not specifically
authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation, the Company's Bylaws or by
statute. In the event of any change after the date of
this Agreement in any applicable law, statute or rule which expands
the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its
board of directors or an officer, employee, or agent, it is the
intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this
Agreement the greater benefits afforded by such
change. In the event of any change in any applicable
law, statute or rule which narrows the right of a Delaware
corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an
officer, employee, or agent, such change, to the extent not
otherwise required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to
this Agreement, shall have no effect on this Agreement or the
parties' rights and obligations hereunder. In
furtherance of the foregoing indemnification, and without limiting
the generality thereof:
(a)
Proceedings Other Than Proceedings by or in the Right of the
Company . Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights
of indemnification provided in this Section l(a) if, by reason
of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status (as hereinafter defined), he
is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or participant in any
Proceeding (as hereinafter defined) other than a Proceeding by or
in the right of the Company. Pursuant to this Section
1(a), Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses (as
hereinafter defined), judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid
in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his
behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or
matter therein, if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a
manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any criminal
Proceeding, the Indemnitee had no reasonable cause to believe his
conduct was unlawful.
(b)
Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company
. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of
indemnification provided in this Section 1(b) if, by reason of
Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, he was, is, or is threatened
to be made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding brought by
or in the right of the Company. Pursuant to this Section
1(b), Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually
and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with
such Proceeding if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a
manner the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed
to the best interests of the Company; provided, however, that, if
applicable law so provides, no indemnification against such
Expenses shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter in
such Proceeding as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to
be liable to the Company unless and to the extent that the Court of
Chancery of the State of Delaware shall determine that such
indemnification may be made.
(c)
Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly
Successful . Notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of
Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to and is successful,
on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding, he shall be
indemnified to the maximum extent permitted by law against all
Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf
in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly
successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or
otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or
matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee
against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on
his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim,
issue or matter. For purposes of this Section 1 and
without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter
in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall
be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or
matter.
2.
Additional Indemnity . In addition to, and
without regard to any limitations on, the indemnification provided
for in Section 1, the Company shall and hereby does indemnify and
hold harmless Indemnitee against all Expenses, judgments,
penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and
reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf if, by reason of
Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, he is, or is threatened to be
made, a party to or participant in any Proceeding (including a
Proceeding by or in the right of the Company), including, without
limitation, all liability arising out of the negligence or active
or passive wrongdoing of Indemnitee. The only limitation
that shall exist upon the Company’s obligations pursuant to
this Agreement shall be that the Company shall not be obligated to
make any payment to Indemnitee that is finally determined (under
the procedures, and subject to the presumptions, set forth in
Sections 6 and 7 hereof) to be unlawful under Delaware
law.
3.
Contribution in the Event of Joint Liability .
(a) Whether
or not the indemnification provided in Sections 1 and 2 hereof is
available, in respect of any threatened, pending or completed
action, suit or proceeding in which Company is jointly liable with
Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such action, suit or
proceeding), Company shall pay, in the first instance, the entire
amount of any judgment or settlement of such action, suit or
proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such
payment and Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of
contribution it may have against Indemnitee. Company
shall not enter into any settlement of any action, suit or
proceeding in which Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or
would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding) unless such
settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims
asserted against Indemnitee.
(b) Without
diminishing or impairing the obligations of the Company set forth
in the preceding subparagraph, if, for any reason, Indemnitee shall
elect or be required to pay all or any portion of any judgment or
settlement in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding in which Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or
would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding), Company
shall contribute to the amount of expenses (including
attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in
settlement actually and reasonably incurred and paid or payable by
Indemnitee in proportion to the relative benefits received by the
Company and all officers, directors or employees of the Company
other than the Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee
(or would be if joined in such action, suit or proceeding), on the
one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, from the transaction
from which such action, suit or proceeding arose; provided,
however, that the proportion determined on the basis of relative
benefit may, to the extent necessary to conform to law, be further
adjusted by reference to the relative fault of Company and all
officers, directors or employees of the Company other than the
Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if
joined in such action, suit or proceeding), on the one hand, and
Indemnitee, on the other hand, in connection with the events that
resulted in such expenses, judgments, fines or settlement amounts,
as well as any other equitable considerations which the law may
require to be considered.
(c) Company
hereby agrees to fully indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless from
any claims of contribution which may be brought by officers,
directors or employees of the Company other than the Indemnitee who
may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
4.
Indemnification for Expenses of a Witness
. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s
Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee
is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses
actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in
connection therewith.
5.
Advancement of Expenses . Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall advance all
Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with
any Proceeding by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status
within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a
statement or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or
advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final
disposition of such Proceeding. Such statement or
statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by
Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an
undertaking by or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses
advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is
not entitled to be indemnified against such
Expenses. Any advances and undertakings to repay
pursuant to this Section 5 shall be unsecured and interest
free. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligation of
the Company to advance Expenses pursuant to this Section 5 shall be
subject to the condition that, if, when and to the extent that the
Independent Counsel determines that Indemnitee would not be
permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, the Company shall
be entitled to be reimbursed, within thirty (30) days of such
determination, by Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to reimburse the
Company) for all such amounts theretofore paid; provided, however,
that if Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal
proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a
determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under
applicable law, any determination made by the Independent Counsel
that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under
applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be
required to reimburse the Company for any advance of Expenses until
a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (as to
which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or
lapsed).
6.
Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of Entitlement to
Indemnification . It is the intent of this Agreement
to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable
as may be permitted under the law and public policy of the State of
Delaware. Accordingly, the parties agree that the
following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of
any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification under this Agreement:
(a) To
obtain indemnification (including, but not limited to, the
advancement of Expenses and contribution by the Company) under this
Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written
request, including therein or therewith such documentation and
information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is
reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent
Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary
of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for
indemnification, advise the Board of Directors in writing that
Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
(b) Upon
written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the
first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination, if required
by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement
thereto shall be made in the specific case by the Board of
Directors; provided, however, in the event the Board of Directors
shall not agree to the indemnification of the Indemnitee with
respect to such matter according to the terms of this Agreement
within ten (10) days of receipt of the request from Indemnitee as
provide in Section 6(a) hereof, or in the event the Board of
Directors shall deny such indemnity, the determination with respect
to Indemnitee’s entitlement and all rights hereunder shall be
made by Independent Counsel selected as provided in Section 6(c)
hereof.
(c) If
the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made
by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, the
Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section
6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the
Indemnitee. The Board of Directors may, within five (5)
days after such written notice of selection shall have been given,
deliver to the Indemnitee a written objection to such selection;
provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the
ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the
requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in
Section 16 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth
with particularity the factual basis of such
assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the
person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If
a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent
Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and
until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that
such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20)
days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for
indemnification pursu
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