EXHIBIT 10.18
**CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT FOR PORTIONS OF THIS
EXHIBIT HAS BEEN REQUESTED**
the CW
TELEVISION NETWORK
March 9, 2006
Mr. Peter K. Schruth
CBS Corporation
51 West 52nd Street
Seventh Floor
New York, New York 10019
Dear Peter:
We are making the following offer
to affiliate with The CW Network on the terms and conditions
contained herein (“Offer”):
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1.
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DMA/Call
Letters:
Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM / KWBQ Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM / KRWB
Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, IL / WBUI Dayton, OH / WBDT Ft.
Myers-Naples, FL / WTVK Green Bay -Appleton,WI / WIWB Knoxville, TN
/ WBXX-TV Madison, WI / WBUW (Collectively, the
“Stations”)
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2.
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Lexington: The CW currently intends to grant an
affiliation for the Lexington, TN., DMA to Gray Broadcasting only
for broadcast on a digital station. If within the next two years,
either Gray or ACME is granted a license to construct a full-power
broadcast facility in the Lexington DMA, that licensee will be
granted the CW affiliation for that market.
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3.
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Term: 5 years commencing at the start of The
CW’s 2006/2007 broadcast season. ACME (but not any assignee
or transferee of the affiliation) will have the right, in its
discretion, to extend the Term for each Station collectively for 5
additional years, exercisable no later than the start of The
CW’s 2010/2011 broadcast season.
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4.
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Programming
for specified Non-Network time periods: Monday-Friday programming broadcast
between 5pm and the commencement of prime time will be generally
compatible with the network.
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5.
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Promotion/MarketingRequirements
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a) Each
affiliated station will use:
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(i)
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network supplied graphics package during all network &
non-network day-parts, and
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(ii)
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local
network station logo bug during all local day-parts.
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b) Each
Station logo will be based on the network logo localized by the
Station and subject to mutual approval, such approval not to be
unreasonably withheld.
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c) Commencing
7 weeks prior to launch and thru the end of the Term, between
6am-2am, Stations will endeavor to broadcast at least one (1)
promotional spot promoting CW series programming each hour
(excluding time periods with CW programming and station licensed
children’s programming). If The CW makes available to
Stations the opportunity to use a lower third pop-up banner in CW
prime time programming promoting Stations’ syndicated product
or local newscast, then at least once every half hour during access
Stations will use lower third pop-up banners promoting a specific
CW primetime series. The creative execution of the promotional
spots and the banners shall be subject to the approval of The CW
and the duration of the banners will be the same for The CW and for
the Stations.
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d) Launch
Promotion: Subject to payment by CW to Stations in the amount of
50% of Stations’ expenditures, the Stations will expend at
least $700,000 in the aggregate, for all of the Stations, in
out-of-pocket third party off air media and related re-branding
costs (from 7 weeks prior to launch thru the end of October 2006)
to launch The CW. All such promotion will contain a specific
reference to CW series including day and time (if appropriate to
the medium). The proposed allocation of this launch promotion
consideration, by station follows (amounts represent 100% gross
costs, to be split 50/50% between the stations and The
CW).
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Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM / KWBQ &
KRWB
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$
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110,000
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Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, IL /
WBUI
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70,000
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Dayton, OH /
WBDT
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130,000
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Ft.
Myers-Naples, FL / WTVK
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80,000
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Green Bay
-Appleton, WI / WIWB
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110,000
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Knoxville, TN /
WBXX-TV
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130,000
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Madison, WI /
WBUW
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70,000
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Total
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$
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700,000
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e) Co-op: The
CW will commit to granting advertising matching co-op to the
Stations, exclusive of any co-op in connection with the network
launch, in the aggregate amount of up to $500,000 (CW’s
share) per season, provided that the Stations commit to matching
such co-op dollar-for-dollar. (For clarity: The CW is committed to
spending up to $500,000 if the Stations, in the aggregate, spend
that amount.) The allocation of this annual amount, by station,
shall be determined and inclu
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