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Case Document

Final Judgment

Date
Document Type
Final Judgments + Proposed Final Judgments
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,    

                  Plaintiff,

                  v.

UNIVISION COMMUNICATIONS INC.

                 and

HISPANIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION,

                  Defendants.


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Civil Action No. 1:03CV00758

Judge: Rosemary M. Collyer

Entered: December 22, 2003



FINAL JUDGMENT

WHEREAS, plaintiff, United States of America, filed its Complaint on March 26, 2003, alleging that defendants, Univision Communications Inc. ("Univision") and Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation ("HBC"), violated Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 18, and plaintiff and defendants, by their attorneys, have consented to the entry of this Final Judgment without trial or adjudication of any issue of fact or law, and without this Final Judgment constituting any evidence against, or an admission by, any party with respect to any issue of fact or law;

AND WHEREAS, defendants have agreed to be bound by the provisions of this Final Judgment pending its approval by the Court;

AND WHEREAS, the essence of this Final Judgment is the prompt and certain divestiture of certain rights or assets by, and the imposition of related injunctive relief against, the defendants to ensure that competition is not substantially lessened;

AND WHEREAS, defendants have represented to plaintiff that the divestitures required below can and will be made and that defendants will later raise no claim of hardship or difficulty as grounds for asking the Court to modify any of the divestiture provisions contained below;

NOW THEREFORE, before the taking of any testimony, and without trial or adjudication of any issue of fact or law, and upon the consent of the parties, it is ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED as follows:

I. JURISDICTION

This Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of, and each of the parties to, this action. The Complaint states a claim upon which relief may be granted against defendants under Section 7 of the Clayton Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. § 18.

II. DEFINITIONS

As used in this Final Judgment:

A. "Univision" means defendant Univision Communications Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in Los Angeles, California, its successors and assigns, and its subsidiaries, divisions, groups, affiliates, partnerships, and joint ventures, and their directors, officers, managers, agents, and employees.

B. "HBC" means defendant Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation, a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in Dallas, Texas, its successors and assigns, and its subsidiaries, divisions, groups, affiliates, partnerships, and joint ventures, and their directors, officers, managers, agents, and employees.

C. "Entravision" means Entravision Communications Corporation, a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in Santa Monica, California, its successors and assigns, and its subsidiaries, divisions, groups, affiliates, partnerships, and joint ventures, and their directors, officers, managers, agents, and employees.

D. "Divestiture Assets" means that portion of the Entravision Holdings required to be divested under this Final Judgment.

E. "Entravision Holdings" means any equity interest, whether voting or nonvoting, of Entravision that defendants own or control, directly or indirectly, including, but not limited to, the 21,983,392 shares of Entravision's Class C common shares and the 14,943,231 shares of Entravision's Class A common shares owned by Univision as of the date of the filing of this Final Judgment.

F. The "Univision/HBC Merger" means the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization dated June 11, 2002, by and among Univision and HBC under which Univision will acquire 100 percent of the voting securities of HBC.

G. "Own" means to have or retain any right, title, or interest in any asset, including any ability to control or direct actions with respect to such asset, either directly or indirectly, individually or through any other party.

H. "Overlap Markets" are the following Metro Survey Areas: Dallas, Texas; El Paso, Texas; Las Vegas, Nevada; McAllen-Brownsville-Harlingen, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona; and San Jose, California. A Metro Survey Area is a geographical unit for which Arbitron, a company that surveys radio listeners, furnishes radio stations, advertisers, and advertising agencies in a particular area with data to aid in evaluating radio audience size composition.

III. APPLICABILITY

This Final Judgment applies to Univision and HBC, both individually and jointly, and all other persons in active concert or participation with any of them who receive actual notice of this Final Judgment by personal service or otherwise.

IV. EXCHANGE OF ENTRAVISION SHARES

A. Univision is hereby ordered and directed, prior to closing of the Univision/HBC Merger, to exchange all of its Entravision Class A and Class C common stock for a nonvoting equity interest with rights and restrictions as specified in the Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of Series U Preferred Stock (attached hereto as Schedule A and made a part of this Final Judgment).

B. Univision is hereby ordered and directed, prior to closing of the Univision/HBC Merger, to provide written certification and supporting documentation to plaintiff that all voting and director rights associated with Entravision's Class C common shares contained in Entravision's First Restated Certificate of Incorporation, dated July 24, 2000, and Entravision's Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, dated July 11, 2002, have been eliminated.

V. DIVESTITURE OF ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS

A. Defendants are hereby ordered and directed, in accordance with the terms of this Final Judgment, on or before three (3) years from the date of filing of this Final Judgment, to divest that portion of the Entravision Holdings sufficient to cause defendants to own no more than fifteen (15) percent of all outstanding shares of Entravision on a fully converted basis. On or before six (6) years from the date of filing of this Final Judgment, defendants shall divest that portion of the Entravision Holdings sufficient to cause defendants to own no more than ten (10) percent of all outstanding shares of Entravision on a fully converted basis.

B. Defendants are enjoined and restrained from the date of the filing of this Final Judgment until the completion of the divestitures required by Section V.A from acquiring, directly or indirectly, any additional shares of Entravision stock, except pursuant to a transaction that does not increase defendants' proportion of the outstanding equity of Entravision, such as a stock split, stock dividend, rights offering, recapitalization, reclassification, merger, consolidation, or corporate reorganization. Any additional Entravision equity acquired by defendants as specifically permitted in this Section V.B shall be part of the Entravision Holdings and be subject (1) to the divestiture obligations of Section V.A of this Final Judgment; and (2) to the rights and restrictions set forth in Section IV.A and embodied in the attached Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of Series U Preferred Stock.

C. Upon completion of the divestitures required by Section V.A, defendants may acquire additional shares of Entravision, but defendants are enjoined and restrained from owning any more than ten (10) percent of all outstanding shares of Entravision on a fully converted basis. Any additional Entravision shares acquired by defendants shall be subject to the rights and restrictions set forth in Section IV.A and embodied in the attached Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of Series U Preferred Stock.

D. The divestitures required by Section V.A may be made by open market sale, public offering, private sale, repurchase by Entravision, or a combination thereof. Such divestitures shall not be made by private sale or placement to any person who provides Spanish-language radio broadcasting services other than Entravision unless plaintiff, in its sole discretion, shall otherwise agree in writing.

E. Univision shall notify plaintiff no less than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the expiration of each of the time periods for the divestitures required by Section V.A of this Final Judgment of the arrangements it has made to complete each required divestiture in a timely fashion.

VI. ENTRAVISION GOVERNANCE

A. From the date of the filing of this Final Judgment and until its expiration, defendants are enjoined and restrained, directly or indirectly, from:

  1. suggesting or nominating, individually or as part of a group, any candidate for election to Entravision's Board of Directors, or having any officer, director, manager, employee, or agent serve as an officer, director, manager, employee, or in a comparable position with or for Entravision;
  2. participating in, being present at, or receiving any notes, minutes, or agendas of, information from, or any documents distributed in connection with, any nonpublic meeting of Entravision's Board of Directors or any committee thereof, or any other governing body of Entravision. For purposes of this provision, the term "meeting" includes any action taken by consent of the relevant directors in lieu of a meeting;
  3. voting or permitting to be voted any Entravision shares that defendants own, provided, however, that Univision shall have the right to vote on matters arising under the attached Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of Series U Preferred Stock;
  4. using or attempting to use any ownership interest in Entravision to exert any influence over Entravision in the conduct of Entravision's radio business;
  5. using or attempting to use any rights or duties under any television affiliation agreement or relationship between Univision and Entravision (including any duties Univision may have as national television sales representative for Entravision), to influence Entravision in the conduct of Entravision's radio business; and
  6. communicating to or receiving from any officer, director, manager, employee, or agent of Entravision any nonpublic information regarding any aspect of defendants' or Entravision's radio business, including any plans or proposals with respect thereto. Nothing in this prohibition, however, is intended to prevent: (1) Entravision from advertising its radio business on defendants' stations or to prevent defendants from advertising on Entravision's stations; (2) joint promotions between Entravision and defendants and communications regarding the same; (3) Univision from hiring Entravision personnel or Entravision from hiring Univision personnel; and (4) nonpublic communications regarding industry-wide issues or possible potential business transactions between the two companies provided that such communications do not violate the antitrust laws or any other applicable law or regulation.

B. Defendants are enjoined and restrained from preventing, or attempting to prevent, Entravision from making any changes in any corporate governance documents (including its First Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Second Amended and Restated Bylaws) to implement the prohibitions contained in Section VI.A.

C. Defendants are enjoined and restrained from exercising the rights contained in Section D(i) of the attached Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of Series U Preferred Stock except in connection with a decision by Entravision to merge, consolidate or otherwise reorganize Entravision with or into one or more entities which results in a transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of Entravision or a transfer of a majority of the voting power of Entravision.

VII. PERMITTED CONDUCT

A. Nothing in this Final Judgment shall prohibit individual managers, agents, and employees of defendants, other than individual directors and officers of defendants, from holding, acquiring, or selling shares of Entravision stock solely for personal investment, and any shares so held will not be subject to the requirements of Sections IV and V of this Final Judgment.

B. Nothing in this Final Judgment shall prohibit individual directors or officers of defendants from continuing to hold, sell, or otherwise dispose of shares of Entravision stock acquired prior to the filing of this Final Judgment and held solely for personal investment, and any shares so held will not be subject to the requirements of Sections IV and V of this Final Judgment. Individual directors and officers of defendants shall not acquire any additional shares of Entravision stock after the filing of this Final Judgment.

C. Nothing in this Final Judgment shall prohibit defendants from agreeing with Entravision to terminate the rights under Section D of the attached Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of Series U Preferred Stock.

D. Nothing in this Final Judgment shall prohibit defendants from entering into a transaction in which Univision would acquire a majority of the voting securities of Entravision so long as the transaction is subject to the reporting and waiting period requirements of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, 15 U.S.C. 18a; provided however, that Univision shall not acquire or retain any direct or indirect interest in Entravision's radio assets in any of the Overlap Markets as part of that transaction without the approval of plaintiff, in its sole discretion.

VIII. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE TRUSTEE

In the event that plaintiff, in its sole discretion, determines (a) that, upon receipt of the notice called for in Section V.E, defendants have not made arrangements that will result in completion of any divestiture within the time limits specified in Section V.A, or (b) that defendants have not completed any of the divestitures required in Section V.A within the specified time limits, the Court shall, upon application of plaintiff, appoint a trustee selected by plaintiff to effect such divestiture. Plaintiff may request, and the Court may appoint, a trustee before any of the time periods for divestiture specified in Section V.A expire. The following provisions apply to the trustee:

A. After the appointment of a trustee becomes effective, only that trustee shall have the right to sell the Divestiture Assets. The trustee shall have the power and authority to accomplish the divestitures to an acquirer(s) acceptable to plaintiff at such price and on such terms as are then obtainable upon the best reasonable effort by the trustee, and shall have such other powers as the Court shall deem appropriate. The trustee may hire at the cost and expense of defendants any investment bankers, attorneys, or other agents, who shall be solely accountable to the trustee, reasonably necessary in the trustee's judgment to assist in the divestitures.

B. Defendants shall not object to a sale by the trustee on any grounds other than the trustee's malfeasance. Any such objections by defendants must be conveyed in writing to plaintiff and the trustee within ten (10) calendar days after the trustee has provided the notice required under Sections VIII.E and F.

C. The trustee shall serve at the cost and expense of defendants, on such terms and conditions as plaintiff approves, and shall account for all monies derived from the sale of the assets sold by the trustee and all costs and expenses so incurred. After approval by the Court of the trustee's accounting, including fees for its services and those of any professionals and agents retained by the trustee, all remaining money shall be paid to defendants and the trust shall then be terminated. The compensation of the trustee and any professionals and agents retained by the trustee shall be reasonable in light of the value of the Divestiture Assets and based on a fee arrangement providing the trustee with incentives based on the price and terms of the divestitures and the speed with which they are accomplished.

D. Defendants shall use their best efforts to assist the trustee in accomplishing the required divestitures. The trustee and any consultants, accountants, attorneys, and other persons retained by the trustee shall have full and complete access to all information held by defendants relating to the Divestiture Assets. Defendants shall take no action to interfere with or to impede the trustee's accomplishment of the divestitures.

E. After his or her appointment becomes effective, the trustee shall file monthly reports with the Court and plaintiff, setting forth the trustee's efforts to accomplish the divestitures ordered under this Final Judgment. To the extent that such reports contain information that the trustee deems confidential, such reports shall not be filed in the public docket of the Court. Such reports shall include the name, address, and telephone number of each person who, during the preceding month, made an offer to acquire, expressed an interest in acquiring, entered into negotiations to acquire, or was contacted or made an inquiry about acquiring, any interest in the Divestiture Assets by means of private sale or placement, and shall describe in detail each contact with any such person. The trustee shall maintain full records of all efforts made to divest the Divestiture Assets.

F. If the trustee has not accomplished such divestitures within sixty (60) calendar days after his or her appointment, the trustee shall promptly file with the Court a report setting forth: (1) the trustee's efforts to accomplish the required divestitures, (2) the reasons, in the trustee's judgment, why the required divestitures have not been accomplished, and (3) the trustee's recommendations. To the extent such reports contain information that the trustee deems confidential, such reports shall not be filed in the public docket of the Court. The trustee at the same time shall furnish such reports to plaintiff, who shall have the right to make additional recommendations consistent with the purpose of the trust. The Court thereaftershall enter such orders as it deems appropriate to carry out the purpose of this Final Judgment, which may, if necessary, include extending the trust and the term of the trustee's appointment by a period requested by the United States.

IX. COMPLIANCE

A. Defendants shall maintain an antitrust compliance program which shall include designating, within thirty (30) days of filing of this Final Judgment, an Antitrust Compliance Officer with responsibility for achieving compliance with this Final Judgment. The Antitrust Compliance Officer shall, on a continuing basis, supervise the review of current and proposed activities to ensure compliance with this Final Judgment. In the event that individual is unable to perform his or her duties, defendants shall appoint, subject to plaintiff's approval, a replacement Antitrust Compliance Officer within five (5) working days. Should defendants fail to appoint a replacement acceptable to plaintiff within this time period, plaintiff shall appoint a replacement.

B. The Antitrust Compliance Officer shall be responsible for accomplishing the following activities:

(1)  distributing within forty-five (45) days of the filing of this Final Judgment, a copy of this Final Judgment to each current director and each current officer, and obtaining within ninety (90) days from the filing of this Final Judgment and retaining for the duration of this Final Judgment, a written certification from each such director or officer that he or she: (a) has received, read, understands, and agrees to abide by the terms of this Final Judgment; (b) understands that failure to comply with this Final Judgment may result in conviction for contempt of court; and (c) is not aware of any violation of this Final Judgment that has not been reported to plaintiff.

(2)  distributing within forty-five (45) days of the filing of this Final Judgment, a copy of this Final Judgment to each employee and any manager of any such employee who has any responsibility for or authority over the sale of advertising time on radio stations, and obtaining within ninety (90) days from the filing of this Final Judgment and retaining for the duration of this Final Judgment, a written certification from each such employee or manager that he or she: (a) has received this Final Judgment and has read, understands, and agrees to abide by the terms of Section VI of this Final Judgment; (b) understands that failure to comply with Section VI of this Final Judgment may result in conviction for contempt of court; and (c) is not aware of any violation of Section VI of this Final Judgment that has not been reported to plaintiff.

(3)  obtaining, within thirty (30) days from the time of such succession, a written certification from each director or officer identified in Section IX.B.1 who succeeds to such a position that he or she: (a) has received, read, understands, and agrees to abide by the terms of this Final Judgment; (b) understands that failure to comply with this Final Judgment may result in conviction for contempt of court; and (c) is not aware of any violation of this Final Judgment that has not been reported to plaintiff.

(4)  obtaining, within thirty (30) days from the time of such succession, a written certification from each employee or manager identified in Section IX.B.2. who succeeds to such a position that he or she: (a) has received this Final Judgment and has read, understands, and agrees to abide by the terms of Section VI of this Final Judgment; (b) understands that failure to comply with Section VI of this Final Judgment may result in conviction for contempt of court; and (c) is not aware of any violation of Section VI of this Final Judgment that has not been reported to plaintiff.

(5)  obtaining annually thereafter, and retaining for the duration of this Final Judgment, a written certification from (a) each director; (b) each officer with responsibility for or authority over the sale of advertising time on radio stations; (c) the individual or individuals with primary operational responsibility for the Univision Television Group (currently the co-Presidents of UTG); and (d) the individual or individuals with primary supervisory responsibility for National Sales within the Univision Television Group (currently the Senior Vice President of National Sales for UTG), that he or she: (i) has received, read, understands, and agrees to abide by the terms of this Final Judgment; (ii) understands that failure to comply with this Final Judgment may result in conviction for contempt of court; and (iii) is not aware of any violation of this Final Judgment that has not been reported to plaintiff.

C. Within sixty (60) days of filing of this Final Judgment, defendants shall certify to plaintiff that it has: (1) designated an Antitrust Compliance Officer, specifying his or her name, business address, and telephone number; and (2) distributed the Final Judgment in accordance with Section IX.B.1 and 2.

D. For the term of this Final Judgment, on or before each annual anniversary of the date of its filing, defendants shall file with plaintiff a statement as to the fact and manner of its compliance with the provisions of Sections V, VI, and IX.B, including a statement of the percentage of all outstanding shares of Entravision owned by defendants.

E. If the Antitrust Compliance Officer or any of defendants' directors, officers, or employees learn of any violation of this Final Judgment, defendants shall: (1) within three (3) business days take appropriate action to terminate or modify the activity so as to assure compliance with this Final Judgment, and (2) within ten (10) business days notify plaintiff of any such violation and the actions taken with respect to it.

X. PLAINTIFF'S ACCESS AND INSPECTION

A. For the purpose of determining or securing compliance with this Final Judgment, and subject to any legally recognized privilege, duly authorized representatives of the United States Department of Justice, including consultants and other persons retained by the United States, shall, upon written request of a duly authorized representative of the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division, and on reasonable notice to defendants, be permitted:

(1)  access during defendants' office hours to inspect and copy, or at plaintiff's option, to require defendants to provide copies of, all records and documents in its possession or control relating to any matters contained in this Final Judgment; and

(2)  to interview, either informally or on the record, defendants' directors, officers, employees, agents or other persons, who may have their individual counsel present, relating to any matters contained in this Final Judgment. The interviews shall be subject to the reasonable convenience of the interviewee and without restraint or interference by defendants.

B. Upon written request of a duly authorized representative of the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division, defendants shall submit written reports, under oath if requested, relating to any of the matters contained in this Final Judgment as may be requested.

C. No information or documents obtained by the means provided in this Section shall be divulged by plaintiff to any person other than an authorized representative of the executive branch of the United States, except in the course of legal proceedings to which the United States is a party (including grand jury proceedings), or for the purpose of securing compliance with this Final Judgment, or as otherwise required by law.

D. If, at the time information or documents are furnished by defendants to plaintiff, defendants represent and identify in writing the material in any such information or documents to which a claim of protection may be asserted under Rule 26(c)(7) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and defendants mark each pertinent page of such material, "Subject to claim of protection under Rule 26(c)(7) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure," then plaintiff shall give defendants ten (10) calendar days' notice prior to divulging such material in any legal proceeding (other than a grand jury proceeding) to which defendants are not a party.

XI. RETENTION OF JURISDICTION

This Court retains jurisdiction to enable any party to this Final Judgment to apply to this Court at any time for such further orders and directions as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out or construe this Final Judgment, to modify or terminate any of its provisions, to enforce compliance, and to punish any violations of its provisions.

XII. EXPIRATION OF FINAL JUDGMENT

Unless extended by this Court, this Final Judgment shall expire ten (10) years from the date of its entry.

XIII. PUBLIC INTEREST DETERMINATION

Entry of this Final Judgment is in the public interest.




DATED: 22 December 2003

   Court approval subject to
the Antitrust Procedures and
Penalties Act, 15 U.S.C. § 16.




/s/ Rosemary M. Collyer
United States District Judge

Updated April 18, 2023