Table of Contents

 
 
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 20-F
     
o   REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
     
þ   ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 or 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2007
OR
     
o   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
     
o   SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of event requiring this shell company report
FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM                      TO                     
COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 1-12610
 
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
N/A
(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)
United Mexican States
(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
Av. Vasco de Quiroga No. 2000
Colonia Santa Fe
01210 Mexico, D.F.
Mexico

(Address of principal executive offices)
 
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
     
Title of each class   Name of each exchange on which registered
A Shares, without par value (“AShares”)   New York Stock Exchange (for listing purposes only)
B Shares, without par value (“B Shares”)   New York Stock Exchange (for listing purposes only)
L Shares, without par value (“L Shares”)   New York Stock Exchange (for listing purposes only)
Dividend Preferred Shares, without par value (“D Shares”)   New York Stock Exchange (for listing purposes only)
Global Depositary Shares (“GDSs”), each representing   New York Stock Exchange
five Ordinary Participation Certificates (Certificados de    
Participación Ordinarios) (“CPOs”)    
CPOs, each representing twenty-five A Shares, twenty-two    
B Shares thirty-five L Shares and thirty-five D Shares   New York Stock Exchange (for listing purposes only)
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None.
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act:
None.
The number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of
December 31, 2007 was:
112,113,216,990 A Shares
52,093,870,399 B Shares
82,876,553,776 L Shares
82,876,553,776 D Shares
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes þ No o
If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes o No þ
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 þ No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
Large accelerated filer þ            Accelerated filer o            Non-accelerated filer o
Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:
U.S. GAAP o            International Financial Reporting Standards as issued           Other þ
           by the International Accounting Standards Board o
If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow. Item 17 o Item 18 þ
If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes o No þ
 
 

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
         
PART 1
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PART II
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PART III
    130  
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  Exhibit 1.1
  Exhibit 2.11
  Exhibit 4.16
  Exhibit 4.17
  Exhibit 8.1
  Exhibit 12.1
  Exhibit 12.2
  Exhibit 13.1
  Exhibit 13.2
We publish our financial statements in accordance with Mexican Financial Reporting Standards ( Normas de Información Financiera ), or Mexican FRS, which differ in some significant respects from generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or U.S. GAAP, and accounting procedures adopted in other countries.

 

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Unless otherwise indicated, (i) information included in this annual report is as of December 31, 2007 and (ii) references to “Ps.” or “Pesos” in this annual report are to Mexican Pesos and references to “Dollars,” “U.S. Dollars,” “U.S. dollars,” “$,” or “U.S.$” are to United States dollars.
Part I
Item 1. Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisers
Not applicable.
Item 2. Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable
Not applicable.
Item 3. Key Information
Selected Financial Data
The following tables present our selected consolidated financial information as of and for each of the periods indicated. This data is qualified in its entirety by reference to, and should be read together with, our audited year-end financial statements. The following data for each of the years ended December 31, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 has been derived from our audited year-end financial statements, including the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, and the related consolidated statements of income, of changes in stockholders’ equity and of changes in financial position for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007 and the accompanying notes appearing elsewhere in this annual report. Unless otherwise indicated, all Peso information is stated in Pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007. The data should also be read together with “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects”.
The exchange rate used in translating Pesos into U.S. Dollars in calculating the convenience translations included in the following tables is determined by reference to the interbank free market exchange rate, or the Interbank Rate, as reported by Banco Nacional de México, S.A., or Banamex, as of December 31, 2007, which was Ps.10.9222 per U.S. Dollar. This annual report contains translations of certain Peso amounts into U.S. Dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. The exchange rate translations contained in this annual report should not be construed as representations that the Peso amounts actually represent the U.S. Dollar amounts presented or that they could be converted into U.S. Dollars at the rate indicated.
Our year-end financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Mexican FRS, which became effective on January 1, 2006 and which differ in some significant respects from U.S. GAAP. Prior to 2006, Mexican generally accepted accounting principles, or Mexican GAAP, were followed. The adoption of Mexican FRS did not have a significant effect on our consolidated financial statements. Note 23 to our year-end financial statements provides a description of the relevant differences between Mexican FRS, the accounting and reporting standards used in Mexico as of December 31, 2007, and U.S. GAAP as they relate to us, and a reconciliation to U.S. GAAP of net income and other items for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007 stockholders’ equity at December 31, 2006 and 2007. Any reconciliation to U.S. GAAP may reveal certain differences between our stockholders’ equity, net income and other items as reported under Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP. See “— Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Mexico — Differences Between Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP May Have an Impact on the Presentation of Our Financial Information”.
Effective April 1, 2004, we began consolidating Sky, in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46(R), “Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities”, or FIN 46(R), which is applicable under Mexican FRS NIF A-8, “Supplementary Financial Reporting Standards.”
At a general extraordinary meeting and at special meetings of the stockholders of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., or Televisa held on April 16, 2004, our stockholders approved the creation of a new class of capital stock, the B Shares, and the distribution of new shares to our stockholders as part of the recapitalization of our capital stock, or the Recapitalization, as described in the Information Statement dated March 25, 2004, which was submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, on Form 6-K on March 25, 2004. Except where otherwise indicated, all information in this annual report reflects our capital structure as of December 31, 2007.

 

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    Year Ended December 31,  
    2003     2004     2005     2006     2007     2007  
    (Millions of Pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007 or millions of U.S. Dollars)(1)  
(Mexican GAAP/FRS)
                                               
Income Statement Data:
                                               
Net sales
  Ps. 27,652     Ps. 32,704     Ps. 35,068     Ps. 39,358     Ps. 41,562     U.S.$ 3,805  
Operating income
    7,095       9,547       11,663       14,266       14,481       1,326  
Integral cost of financing, net(2)
    721       1,691       1,924       1,141       410       38  
Income from continuing operations
    4,153       6,214       8,330       9,519       9,018       826  
Loss from discontinued operations
    (76 )                              
Cumulative effect of accounting change, net
          (1,139 )     (546 )                  
Net income
    4,220       4,815       6,613       8,909       8,082       740  
Income from continuing operations per CPO(3)
    1.49       2.04       2.46       3.07       2.84        
Net income per CPO(3)
    1.46       1.66       2.27       3.07       2.84        
Weighted-average number of shares outstanding (in millions)(3)(4)
    352,421       345,206       341,158       339,776       333,653        
Cash dividend per CPO(3)
    0.23       1.41       1.49       0.37       1.50        
Shares outstanding (in millions, at year end)(4)
    218,840       341,638       339,941       337,782       329,960        
(U.S. GAAP) (5)
                                               
Income Statement Data:
                                               
Net sales
  Ps. 27,652     Ps. 32,704     Ps. 35,068     Ps. 39,358     Ps. 41,562     U.S.$ 3,805  
Operating income
    7,089       8,746       10,806       14,068       14,322       1,311  
Income from continuing operations
    3,498       4,696       7,368       8,308       8,233       754  
Net income
    3,498       4,696       7,368       8,308       8,233       754  
Income from continuing operations per CPO(3)
    1.21       1.61       2.44       2.76       2.86        
Net income per CPO(3)
    1.21       1.61       2.44       2.76       2.86        
Weighted-average number of Shares outstanding (in millions)(3)(4)
    352,421       345,206       341,158       339,776       333,653        
Shares outstanding (in millions, at year end)(4)
    218,840       341,638       339,941       337,782       329,960        
(Mexican GAAP/FRS)
                                               
Balance Sheet Data (end of year):
                                               
Cash and temporary investments
  Ps. 14,391     Ps. 18,566     Ps. 15,955     Ps. 16,405     Ps. 27,305     U.S.$ 2,500  
Total assets
    75,997       82,469       81,162       86,186       98,703       9,037  
Current portion of long-term debt and other notes payable(6)
    335       3,678       367       1,023       489       45  
Long-term debt, net of current portion(7)
    17,255       21,134       19,581       18,464       24,433       2,237  
Customer deposits and advances
    16,434       17,073       19,484       17,807       19,810       1,814  
Capital stock issued
    9,632       10,677       10,677       10,507       10,268       940  
Total stockholders’ equity (including minority interest)
    32,302       30,796       32,242       38,015       40,650       3,722  
(U.S. GAAP) (5)
                                               
Balance Sheet Data (end of year):
                                               
Cash and cash equivalents
  Ps. 11,667     Ps. 17,746     Ps. 15,833     Ps. 15,461     Ps. 25,480     U.S.$ 2,333  
Total assets
    79,407       91,877       88,724       91,806       103,809       9,504  
Current portion of long-term debt and other notes payable(6)
    335       3,678       367       1,023       489       45  
Long-term debt, net of current portion(7)
    17,255       21,134       19,582       18,464       24,433       2,237  
Total stockholders’ equity (excluding minority interest)
    28,379       29,170       30,589       35,799       36,580       3,349  
(Mexican GAAP/FRS)
                                               
Other Financial Information:
                                               
Capital expenditures(8)
  Ps. 1,249     Ps. 2,173     Ps. 2,849     Ps. 3,346     Ps. 3,878     U.S.$ 355  
(U.S. GAAP) (5)
                                               
Other Financial Information:
                                               
Cash provided by operating activities
    7,380       7,641       10,478       13,074       11,966       1,096  
Cash used for financing activities
    (3,110 )     (703 )     (9,412 )     (4,621 )     (1,254 )     (115 )
Cash used for investing activities
    (2,550 )     (673 )     (2,392 )     (8,216 )     (294 )     (27 )
Other Data (unaudited):
                                               
Average prime time audience share (TV broadcasting)(9)
    70.1 %     68.9 %     68.5 %     69.5 %     69.0 %      
Average prime time rating (TV broadcasting)(9)
    38.1       36.7       36.5       35.5       33.4        
Magazine circulation (millions of copies)(10)
    128       127       145       155       165        
Number of employees (at year end)
    12,300       14,100       15,100       16,200       17,800        
Number of Innova subscribers (in thousands at year end)(11)
    857       1,003       1,251       1,430       1,585        
Number of Cablevisión RGUs (in thousands at year end)(12)
    373       381       475       583       695        
Number of Esmas.com registered users (in thousands at year end)(13)
    3,085       3,665       4,212       4,447       4,500        
Notes to Selected Consolidated Financial Information:
     
(1)  
Except per Certificado de Participación Ordinario, or CPO, ratio, average audience share, average rating, magazine circulation, employee, subscriber, Revenue Generating Units, or RGUs, and registered user data. Information in these footnotes is in thousands of Pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007, unless otherwise indicated.
 
(2)  
Includes interest expense, interest income, foreign exchange gain or loss, net, and gain or loss from monetary position. See Note 18 to our year-end financial statements.
 
(3)  
For further analysis of income (loss) from continuing operations per CPO and net income per CPO (as well as corresponding amounts per A Share not traded as CPOs), see Note 20 (for the calculation under Mexican FRS) and Note 23 (for the calculation under U.S. GAAP) to our year-end financial statements.

 

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(4)  
As of December 31, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, we had four classes of common stock: A Shares, B Shares, D Shares and L Shares. For purposes of this table, the weighted-average number of shares for the year ended December 31, 2003, and the number of shares outstanding as of December 31, 2003, have been adjusted to conform to the 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 presentation. Our shares are publicly traded in Mexico, primarily in the form of CPOs, each CPO representing 117 shares comprised of 25 A Shares, 22 B Shares, 35 D Shares and 35 L Shares; and in the United States in the form of GDSs, each GDS representing 5 CPOs. Before March 22, 2006, each GDS represented 20 CPOs.
 
   
The number of CPOs and shares issued and outstanding for financial reporting purposes under Mexican GAAP/FRS and U.S. GAAP is different than the number of CPOs issued and outstanding for legal purposes, because under Mexican GAAP/FRS and U.S. GAAP shares owned by subsidiaries and/or the trusts created to implement our Stock Purchase Plan and our Long-Term Retention Plan are not considered outstanding for financial reporting purposes.
 
   
As of December 31, 2007, for legal purposes, there were approximately 2,461.2 million CPOs issued and outstanding, each of which was represented by 25 A Shares, 22 B Shares, 35 D Shares and 35 L Shares, and an additional number of approximately 58,926.6 million A Shares and 2,357.2 million B Shares (not in the form of CPO units). See Note 12 to our year-end financial statements.
 
(5)  
See Note 23 to our year-end financial statements.
 
(6)  
See Note 8 to our year-end financial statements.
 
(7)  
See “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Capital Resources — Indebtedness” and Note 8 to our year-end financial statements.
 
(8)  
Capital expenditures are those investments made by us in property, plant and equipment, which amounts are first translated from Mexican Pesos into U.S. Dollars, and the resulting aggregate U.S. Dollar amount is then translated to Mexican Pesos at year-end exchange rate for convenience purposes only; the aggregate amount of capital expenditures in Mexican Pesos does not indicate the actual amounts accounted for in our consolidated financial statements.
 
(9)  
“Average prime time audience share” for a period refers to the average daily prime time audience share for all of our networks and stations during that period, and “average prime time rating” for a period refers to the average daily rating for all of our networks and stations during that period, each rating point representing one percent of all television households. As used in this annual report, “prime time” in Mexico is 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week, and “weekday prime time” is 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Data for all periods reflects the average prime time audience share and ratings nationwide as published by the Mexican subsidiary of the Brazilian Institute of Statistics and Public Opinion, or Instituto Brasileño de Opinión Pública y Estadística, or IBOPE Mexico. For further information regarding audience share and ratings information and IBOPE Mexico, see “Information on the Company — Business Overview— Television — Television Broadcasting”.
 
(10)  
The figures set forth in this line item represent total circulation of magazines that we publish independently and through joint ventures and other arrangements and do not represent magazines distributed on behalf of third parties.

 

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(11)  
Innova, S. de R.L. de C.V., or Innova, our direct-to-home, or DTH, satellite service in Mexico, referred to alternatively as Sky for segment reporting purposes, commenced operations on December 15, 1996. The figures set forth in this line item represent the total number of gross active residential and commercial subscribers for Innova at the end of each year presented. For a description of Innova’s business and results of operations and financial condition, see “Information on the Company — Business Overview — DTH Joint Ventures — Mexico and Central America”. Under Mexican FRS, effective January 1, 2001 and through March 31, 2004, we did not recognize equity in results in respect of our investment in Innova in our income statement, as we recognized equity in losses of Innova up to the amount of our initial investment and subsequent capital contributions in Innova. See “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Equity in Earnings of Affiliates, Net”. Since April 1, 2004, Innova has been consolidated in our financial results.
 
(12)  
RGU is defined as an individual service subscriber who generates recurring revenue under each service provided by Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V., or Cablevisión (pay-TV, broadband internet and digital telephony). For example, a single subscriber paying for cable television, broadband internet and digital telephony services represents three RGUs. We believe it is appropriate to use the number of RGUs as a performance measure for Cablevisión given that this business provides other services in addition to pay-TV. See “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Cable and Telecom” and “Information on the Company — Business Overview — Cable and Telecom”.
 
(13)  
The results of operations of Esmas.com are included in the results of operations of our Other Businesses segment. See “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Other Businesses”. For a description of Esmas.com, see “Information on the Company — Business Overview — Other Businesses — Televisa Digital”. The figures set forth in this line item represent the number of registered users in each year presented. The term “registered user” means a visitor that has completed a profile questionnaire that enables the visitor to use the e-mail service provided by Esmas.com.

 

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Dividends
Decisions regarding the payment and amount of dividends are subject to approval by holders of a majority of the A Shares and B Shares voting together, generally, but not necessarily, on the recommendation of the Board of Directors, as well as a majority of the A Shares voting separately. Emilio Azcárraga Jean indirectly controls the voting of the majority of the A Shares and, as a result of such control, both the amount and the payment of dividends require his affirmative vote. See “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions — The Major Stockholders”. The amounts in this section are presented in nominal historical figures and therefore have not been restated in constant currency units due to a change in Mexican FRS whereby beginning January 1, 2008 we are no longer required to recognize the effects of inflation on our results. In February 2003, the Board of Directors proposed, and our stockholders approved at our annual general stockholders’ meeting in April 2003, the payment of a dividend in the aggregate amount of Ps.550.0 million, which consisted of a Ps.0.18936540977 dividend per CPO and a Ps.0.05260150265 dividend per A Share not in the form of CPOs. On March 25, 2004, our Board of Directors approved a dividend policy under which we currently intend to pay an annual regular dividend of Ps.0.35 per CPO. Also, on May 21, 2004, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a Ps.3,850.0 million cash distribution to stockholders, equivalent to Ps.1.219 per CPO, which included the annual regular dividend of Ps.0.35 per CPO, that is the dividend corresponding to the Series A and L shares and the cumulative preferred dividend corresponding to the Series D shares. On February 22, 2005, our Board of Directors approved a cash distribution to stockholders, equivalent to Ps.1.35 per CPO, equivalent to approximately Ps.4,250.0 million. On April 29, 2005, at a general stockholders’ meeting, our stockholders approved the payment of an extraordinary dividend of Ps.1.00 per CPO, which is in addition to our ordinary dividend of Ps.0.35 per CPO, for a total dividend of Ps.1.35 per CPO. On April 28, 2006 at a general stockholders’ meeting, our stockholders approved a cash distribution to stockholders for up to Ps.1,104 million, equivalent to Ps.0.00299145 per share, or Ps.0.35 per CPO. On April 27, 2007, at a general stockholders’ meeting, our stockholders approved a cash distribution to stockholders for up to Ps.4,401 million, which includes the payment of an extraordinary dividend of Ps.1.10 per CPO, which is in addition to our ordinary dividend of Ps.0.35 per CPO, for a total dividend of Ps.1.45 per CPO, equivalent to Ps.0.01239316239 per share. On April 30, 2008, at a general stockholders’ meeting, our stockholders approved a cash distribution to stockholders for up to Ps.2,276.3 million, which includes the payment of an extraordinary dividend of Ps.0.40 per CPO, which is in addition to our ordinary dividend of Ps.0.35 per CPO, for a total dividend of Ps.0.75 per CPO, equivalent to Ps.0.00641025641 per share. All of the recommendations of the Board of Directors related to the payment and amount of dividends were voted and approved at the applicable general stockholders’ meetings. The agreements related to some of our outstanding indebtedness contain covenants that restrict, among other things, the payment of dividends, under certain conditions.

 

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Exchange Rate Information
Since 1991, Mexico has had a free market for foreign exchange and, since 1994, the Mexican government has allowed the Peso to float freely against the U.S. Dollar. The Peso was relatively stable from 1999 to 2001. In 2003, the Peso declined in value against the U.S. Dollar and appreciated in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. There can be no assurance that the government will maintain its current policies with regard to the Peso or that the Peso will not depreciate or appreciate significantly in the future.
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high, low, average and period end noon buying rate in New York City for cable transfers for Pesos published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, expressed in Pesos per U.S. Dollar. The rates have not been restated in constant currency units and therefore represent nominal historical figures.
                                 
Period   High     Low     Average(1)     Period End  
2003
    11.4063       10.1130       10.7950       11.2420  
2004
    11.6350       10.8050       11.2897       11.1540  
2005
    11.4110       10.4135       10.8938       10.6275  
2006
    11.4600       10.4315       10.9048       10.7995  
2007
    11.2692       10.6670       10.9277       10.9169  
2008:
                               
January
    10.9730       10.8190       10.9057       10.8190  
February
    10.8236       10.6730       10.7679       10.7263  
March
    10.8490       10.6300       10.7328       10.6300  
April
    10.6005       10.4605       10.5244       10.5322  
May
    10.5701       10.3055       10.4381       10.3390  
June (through June 24)
    10.4365       10.2735       10.3352       10.2925  
 
     
(1)  
Annual average rates reflect the average of the daily exchange rate during the relevant period.
The above rates may differ from the actual rates used in the preparation of the financial statements and the other financial information appearing in this Form 20-F.
The Mexican economy has had balance of payment deficits and shortages in foreign exchange reserves. While the Mexican government does not currently restrict the ability of Mexican or foreign persons or entities to convert Pesos to U.S. Dollars, we cannot assure you that the Mexican government will not institute restrictive exchange control policies in the future, as has occurred from time to time in the past. To the extent that the Mexican government institutes restrictive exchange control policies in the future, our ability to transfer or to convert Pesos into U.S. Dollars and other currencies for the purpose of making timely payments of interest and principal of indebtedness, as well as to obtain foreign programming and other goods, would be adversely affected. See “— Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Mexico — Currency Fluctuations or the Devaluation and Depreciation of the Peso Could Limit the Ability of Our Company and Others to Convert Pesos into U.S. Dollars or Other Currencies, Which Could Adversely Affect Our Business, Financial Condition or Results of Operations”.
On June 24, 2008, the noon buying rate was 10.2925 per U.S.$1.00.

 

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Risk Factors
The following is a discussion of risks associated with our company and an investment in our securities. Some of the risks of investing in our securities are general risks associated with doing business in Mexico. Other risks are specific to our business. The discussion below contains information, among other things, about the Mexican government and the Mexican economy obtained from official statements of the Mexican government as well as other public sources. We have not independently verified this information. Any of the following risks, if they actually occur, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations or the price of our securities.
Risk Factors Related to Mexico
Economic and Political Developments in Mexico May Adversely Affect Our Business
Most of our operations and assets are located in Mexico. As a result, our financial condition, results of operations and business may be affected by the general condition of the Mexican economy, the devaluation of the Peso as compared to the U.S. Dollar, Mexican inflation, interest rates, regulation, taxation, social instability and other political, social and economic developments in or affecting Mexico over which we have no control.
Mexico Has Experienced Adverse Economic Conditions
Mexico has historically experienced uneven periods of economic growth. Mexican gross domestic product, or GDP, increased 3.1%, 4.9% and 3.2% in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. Inflation in 2005, 2006 and 2007 was 3.3%, 4.1% and 3.8%, respectively. Although these inflation rates tend to be lower than Mexico’s historical inflation rates, Mexico’s level of inflation may be higher than the annual inflation rates of its main trading partners, including the United States. Mexican GDP growth fell short of Mexican government estimates in 2007; however, according to Mexican government estimates, Mexican GDP is expected to grow by approximately 2.6% to 2.7%, while inflation is expected to be less than 4.0%, in 2008. We cannot assure you that these estimates will prove to be accurate.
If the Mexican economy should fall into a recession or if inflation and interest rates increase significantly, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected for the following reasons:
   
demand for advertising may decrease both because consumers may reduce expenditures for our advertisers’ products and because advertisers may reduce advertising expenditures; and
 
   
demand for publications, cable television, DTH satellite services, pay-per-view programming, telecommunication services and other services and products may decrease because consumers may find it difficult to pay for these services and products.
Developments in Other Emerging Market Countries or in the U.S. May Adversely Affect the Mexican Economy, the Market Value of Our Securities and Our Results of Operations
The market value of securities of Mexican companies, the economic and political situation in Mexico and our financial condition and results of operations are, to varying degrees, affected by economic and market conditions in other emerging market countries and in the United States. Although economic conditions in other emerging market countries and in the United States may differ significantly from economic conditions in Mexico, investors’ reactions to developments in any of these other countries may have an adverse effect on the market value or trading price of securities of Mexican issuers, including our securities, or on our business. In recent years, for example, prices of Mexican debt securities dropped substantially as a result of developments in Russia, Asia and Brazil.
Our operations, including the demand for our products or services, and the price of our securities, have also historically been adversely affected by increases in interest rates in the United States and elsewhere. As a result, an economic downturn in the United States could have a significant adverse effect on the Mexican economy, which, in turn, could affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Our profitability is affected by numerous factors, including changes in viewing preferences, priorities of advertisers and reductions in advertisers’ budgets. Historically, advertising in most forms of media has correlated positively with the general condition of the economy and thus, is subject to the risks that arise from adverse changes in domestic and global economic conditions, consumer confidence and spending, which may decline as a result of numerous factors outside of our control, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks and acts of war.

 

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Currency Fluctuations or the Devaluation and Depreciation of the Peso Could Limit the Ability of Our Company and Others to Convert Pesos into U.S. Dollars or Other Currencies, Which Could Adversely Affect Our Business, Financial Condition or Results of Operations
A significant portion of our indebtedness and a significant amount of our costs are U.S. Dollar-denominated, while our revenues are primarily Peso-denominated. As a result, decreases in the value of the Peso against the U.S. Dollar could cause us to incur foreign exchange losses, which would reduce our net income.
Severe devaluation or depreciation of the Peso may also result in governmental intervention, as has resulted in Argentina, or disruption of international foreign exchange markets. This may limit our ability to transfer or convert Pesos into U.S. Dollars and other currencies for the purpose of making timely payments of interest and principal on our indebtedness and adversely affect our ability to obtain foreign programming and other imported goods. The Mexican economy has suffered current account balance payment of deficits and shortages in foreign exchange reserves in the past. While the Mexican government does not currently restrict, and for more than 14 years has not restricted, the right or ability of Mexican or foreign persons or entities to convert Pesos into U.S. Dollars or to transfer other currencies outside of Mexico, there can be no assurance that the Mexican government will not institute restrictive exchange control policies in the future. To the extent that the Mexican government institutes restrictive exchange control policies in the future, our ability to transfer or convert Pesos into U.S. Dollars or other currencies for the purpose of making timely payments of interest and principal on indebtedness, including the notes, as well as to obtain imported goods would be adversely affected. Devaluation or depreciation of the Peso against the U.S. Dollar or other currencies may also adversely affect U.S. Dollar or other currency prices for our debt securities or the cost of imported goods.
High Inflation Rates in Mexico May Decrease Demand for Our Services While Increasing Our Costs
Mexico historically has experienced high levels of inflation, although the rates have been lower in recent years. The annual rate of inflation, as measured by changes in the Mexican National Consumer Price Index, or NCPI, was 3.3% for 2005, 4.1% for 2006 and 3.8% in 2007. An adverse change in the Mexican economy may have a negative impact on price stability and result in higher inflation than its main trading partners. High inflation rates can adversely affect our business and results of operations in the following ways:
   
inflation can adversely affect consumer purchasing power, thereby adversely affecting consumer and advertiser demand for our services and products; and
 
   
to the extent inflation exceeds our price increases, our prices and revenues will be adversely affected in “real” terms.
High Interest Rates in Mexico Could Increase Our Financing Costs
Mexico historically has had, and may continue to have, high real and nominal interest rates. The interest rates on 28-day Mexican government treasury securities averaged 9.2%, 7.2% and 7.2% for 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. High interest rates in Mexico could increase our financing costs and thereby impair our financial condition, results of operations and cash flow.
Political Events in Mexico Could Affect Mexican Economic Policy and Our Business, Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Although the Mexican economy has exhibited signs of improvement, general economic sluggishness continues. This continuing weakness in the Mexican economy, combined with recent political events, has slowed economic reform and progress.
The Mexican Congress is not controlled by any specific political party. Therefore, Felipe Calderón Hinojosa and his party, the Partido Acción Nacional , or the National Action Party, have faced opposition in Congress during the first year and a half of Felipe Calderón’s term.
Changes in laws, public policies and government programs may occur in the future. Such changes may have a material adverse effect on the Mexican economic and political situation which, in turn may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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National politicians are currently focused on crucial reforms regarding labor and energy laws which have not been and may not be approved. The effects on the social and political situation in Mexico could adversely affect the Mexican economy, including the stability of its currency, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, as well as market conditions and prices for our securities.
Mexican Antitrust Laws May Limit Our Ability to Expand Through Acquisitions or Joint Ventures
Mexico’s Ley Federal de Competencia Económica or Federal Antitrust Law, and related regulations may affect some of our activities, including our ability to introduce new products and services, enter into new or complementary businesses or joint ventures and complete acquisitions. See “Information on the Company — Business Overview — Investments — Alvafig”.
In addition, the Federal Antitrust Law and related regulations or conditions imposed by the Comisión Federal de Competencia, or Mexican Antitrust Commission, may adversely affect our ability to determine the rates we charge for our services and products or the manner in which we provide our products or services. Approval of the Mexican Antitrust Commission, is required for us to acquire certain businesses or enter into certain joint ventures. There can be no assurance that in the future the Mexican Antitrust Commission will authorize certain acquisitions or joint ventures related to our complementary businesses, the denial of which may adversely affect our business strategy, financial condition and results of operations.
Changes in Existing Mexican Laws and Regulations or the Imposition of New Ones May Negatively Affect Our Operations and Revenue
Existing laws and regulations, including among others, tax laws, could be amended, the manner in which laws and regulations are enforced or interpreted could change, and new laws or regulations could be adopted. Such changes could materially adversely affect our operations and our revenue.
Certain amendments to the existing Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión and the Ley Federal de Telecomunicaciones have been enacted. In May 2006, several members of the Senate of the Mexican Federal Congress filed a complaint before the Supreme Court of Justice of Mexico, seeking a declaration that such amendments were unconstitutional and therefore null and void. This complaint was resolved by the Supreme Court of Justice on June 5, 2007, declaring several provisions of the amendments to the Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión and to the Ley Federal de Telecomunicaciones unconstitutional and therefore null and void. Among the provisions declared as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Justice are the ones referred to in former Article 28 of the Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión , pursuant to which holders of concessions had the ability to request authorization to provide additional telecommunications services within the same spectrum covered by a current concession without having to participate in a public bid therefor and Article 16 of the Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión , pursuant to which concessions were granted for a fixed term of 20 years having the possibility to renew such concessions by obtaining from the Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes, or SCT, a certification of compliance with their obligations under the concession. As a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling, once the transition to digital television and digital radio broadcasting is completed, if we want to provide additional telecommunications services within the same spectrum granted for digital television or digital radio broadcasting, respectively, we will have to follow the provisions of Article 24 of the Ley Federal de Telecomunicaciones to obtain the concession therefor. Also, there is uncertainty as to how radio and television concessions will be renewed in the future, since the Supreme Court ruling has resulted in requiring the renewal of the concessions to be subject to a public bid process, with a right of preference over other participating bidders given to the incumbent concessionnaire. Additionally, some members of the Mexican Congress have expressed their intent to propose a new Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión , which could affect, among other things, the framework for granting or renewing concessions.
In 2007, the Mexican Federal Congress published an amendment to the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, or Mexican Constitution, pursuant to which, among other things, the Federal Electoral Institute (Instituto Federal Electoral, or IFE) has, during certain periods, the exclusive right to manage and use the Official Television Broadcast Time and the Official Radio Broadcast Time (jointly referred to in this annual report as Official Broadcast Time). For a description of Official Television Broadcast Time and Official Radio Broadcast Time, see “Information on the Company — Business Overview — Business Strategy — Maintaining our Leading Position in the Mexican Television Market — Advertising Sales Plan” and “Information on the Company — Business Overview — Other Businesses — Radio Advertising”. The IFE has the exclusive right to use the Official Broadcast Time for its own purposes and for the use of political parties in Mexico (as provided in the Mexican Constitution) for self promotion and, when applicable, to promote their electoral campaigns during election day, pre-campaign and campaign periods (referred to in this annual report as the Constitutional Amendment).

 

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The IFE and the political parties must comply with certain requirements included in the Constitutional Amendment for the use of Official Broadcast Time. During federal electoral periods, the IFE will be granted, per the Constitutional Amendment, 48 minutes per day in each radio station and television channel, to be used during pre-campaign periods in two and up to three minutes per broadcast hour in each radio station and television channel, of which all the political parties will be jointly entitled, to use one minute per broadcast hour. During campaign periods, at least 85% of the 48 minutes per day, shall be allocated among the political parties, and the remaining 15% may be used by the IFE for its own purposes. During non-electoral periods, the IFE will be assigned with up to 12% of the Official Broadcast Time, half of which shall be allocated among the political parties. In the event that local elections are held simultaneously with federal elections, the broadcast time granted to the IFE shall be used for the federal and the local elections. During any other local electoral periods, the allocation of broadcast time will be made pursuant to the criteria established by the Constitutional Amendment and as such criteria is reflected in applicable law.
In addition to the foregoing, pursuant to the Constitutional Amendment political parties are forbidden to purchase or acquire advertising time directly or through third parties, from radio or television stations; likewise, third parties shall not acquire advertising time from radio or television stations for the broadcasting of advertisements which may influence the electoral preferences of Mexican citizens, nor in favor or against political parties or candidates to offices elected by popular vote.
We believe we have been operating our business in compliance with the provisions of the Constitutional Amendment; however, we have filed legal actions contesting certain provisions of such Constitutional Amendment.
We cannot predict what impact the Constitutional Amendment will have upon our radio and television businesses at this time, nor can we predict the outcome of the legal actions brought by the Company against such Constitutional Amendment. A decrease in paid advertising of the nature described above could lead to a decrease in our television or radio revenues.
Differences Between Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP May Have an Impact on the Presentation of Our Financial Information
A principal objective of the securities laws of the United States, Mexico and other countries is to promote full and fair disclosure of all material corporate information. However, there may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers of securities listed in the United States than is regularly published by or about domestic issuers of listed securities. In addition, our financial statements are prepared in accordance with Mexican FRS, which differ from U.S. GAAP and accounting procedures adopted in other countries in a number of respects. Thus, financial statements and reported earnings of Mexican companies may differ from those of companies in other countries with the same financial performance. We are required, however, to file an annual report on Form 20-F containing financial statements reconciled to U.S. GAAP. See Note 23 to our financial statements for a description of the principal differences between Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP applicable to us. In addition, we do not publish U.S. GAAP information in our interim financial results.
Risk Factors Related to Our Major Stockholders
Emilio Azcárraga Jean has Substantial Influence Over Our Management and the Interests of Mr. Azcárraga Jean may Differ from Those of Other Stockholders
We have four classes of common stock: A Shares, B Shares, D Shares, and L Shares. As of May 31, 2008, approximately 45.48% of the outstanding A Shares, 2.71% of the outstanding B Shares, 2.83% of the outstanding D Shares and 2.83% of the outstanding L Shares of our company are held through a trust, or the Stockholder Trust, including shares in the form of CPOs, or the Stockholder Trust. The largest beneficiary of the Stockholder Trust is a trust for the benefit of Emilio Azcárraga Jean. As a result, Emilio Azcárraga Jean controls the voting of the shares held through the Stockholder Trust. The A Shares held through the Stockholder Trust constitute a majority of the A Shares whose holders are entitled to vote, because non-Mexican holders of CPOs and GDSs, are not permitted by law to vote the underlying A Shares. Accordingly, and so long as non-Mexicans own more than a minimal number of A Shares, Emilio Azcárraga Jean will have the ability to direct the election of 11 out of 20 members of our Board, as well as prevent certain actions by the stockholders, including the timing and payment of dividends, if he so chooses. See “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions — The Major Stockholders”.
As Controlling Stockholder, Emilio Azcárraga Jean Will Have the Ability to Limit Our Ability to Raise Capital, Which Would Require Us to Seek Other Financing Arrangements
Emilio Azcárraga Jean has the voting power to prevent us from raising money through equity offerings. Mr. Azcárraga Jean has informed us that if we conduct a primary sale of our equity, he would consider exercising his pre-emptive rights to purchase a sufficient number of additional A Shares in order to maintain such power. In the event that Mr. Azcárraga Jean is unwilling to subscribe for additional shares and/or prevents us from raising money through equity offerings, we would need to raise money through a combination of debt or other forms of financing, which we may not obtain, or if so, possibly not on favorable terms.

 

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Risk Factors Related to Our Business
The Operation of Our Business May Be Terminated or Interrupted if the Mexican Government Does Not Renew or Revokes Our Broadcast or Other Concessions
Under Mexican law, we need concessions from the SCT to broadcast our programming over our television and radio stations and our cable and DTH satellite systems. In July 2004, in connection with the adoption of a release issued by the SCT for the transition to digital television, all of our television concessions were renewed until 2021. The expiration dates for the concessions for our radio stations range from 2008 to 2016. Our cable telecommunications concessions expire in 2029 and our DTH concessions expire in 2020 and 2026. The expiration dates for the concessions for our telephone services range from 2018 to 2026. In the past, the SCT has typically renewed the concessions of those concessionaires that comply with the requisite procedures set forth for renewal under Mexican law and on the respective concession title; however, in connection with our television and radio concessions, there is uncertainty as to how radio and television concessions will be renewed in the future, since the Supreme Court ruling has resulted in requiring the renewal of the concessions to be subject to a public bid process, with a right of preference over other participating bidders given to the incumbent concessionnaire. See “ — Risk Factors Related to Mexico — Changes in Existing Mexican Laws and Regulations or the Imposition of New Ones May Negatively Affect Our Operations and Revenue”.
We Face Competition in Each of Our Markets That We Expect Will Intensify
We face competition in all of our businesses, including television advertising and other media businesses, as well as our strategic investments and joint ventures. In particular, we face substantial competition from TV Azteca, S.A. de C.V., or TV Azteca. We expect increased competition from Univision Communications, Inc., or Univision, as a result of the recent divestiture of our equity interest in Univision and the termination of a certain participation agreement by and among Televisa, Univision, certain principals of Univision, and Venevisión, or the Participation Agreement in connection with the acquisition of Univision by private equity investors. See “Information on the Company — Business Overview — Television — Television Industry in Mexico” and “Information on the Company — Business Overview — Television — Television Broadcasting”. In addition, the entertainment and communications industries in which we operate are changing rapidly because of evolving distribution technologies, including online and digital networks. Our principal competitors in the gaming industry are Corporación Interamericana de Entretenimiento, S.A.B. de C.V., or CIE, and Grupo Caliente S.A. de C.V., or Grupo Caliente.
The telecommunications industry in Mexico is becoming highly competitive, and we face significant competition. Cable operators, who were already authorized to provide bidirectional data and internet broadband services and who have been recently authorized by the Mexican government to also provide voice services, including Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP services, pose a risk to us. As the cable operators’ telephony income may be seen as incremental revenue, the price reduction and the vast coverage may prevent us from growing.
On October 2, 2006, the Mexican federal government enacted a new set of regulations known as Convergence Regulations ( Acuerdo de Convergencia de Servicios Fijos de Telefonía Local y Televisión y/o Audio Restringidos que se Proporcionan a Través de Redes Públicas Alámbricas e Inalámbricas ). The Convergence Regulations allow certain concessionaires of telecommunication services to provide other services not included in their original concessions. Cable television providers may be allowed to provide internet and telephone services if certain requirements and conditions are met. In addition, telephone operators, such as Teléfonos de México, S.A.B. de C.V. or Telmex, may be allowed to provide cable television services if certain requirements and conditions are met. We believe that we may face significant competition from new entrants providing telephony services or cable television services, including cable television providers and telephone operators. See “Information on the Company — Business Overview — Cable and Telecom”.
In November 2006, the Mexican Federal Power Commission, or CFE ( Comisión Federal de Electricidad ), announced that it had obtained an authorization from the Mexican government, through the Ministry of Communications and Transportation, to use their power lines and infrastructure to provide telecommunication services to cable operators using a new technology model known as power line communications, or PLC, and broadband over power lines communications, or BPL. We believe that this action will result in a significant reduction in the lease prices for infrastructure, as the CFE owns approximately 21,000 kilometers of power lines that could be used to transmit voice, data and video. We are uncertain as to how the CFE authorization to render telecommunication services could affect us, as well as the overall telecommunications landscape in Mexico.

 

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Our future success will be affected by these changes, which we cannot predict. Consolidation in the entertainment, telecommunications and broadcast industries could further intensify competitive pressures. As the pay television, or pay-TV, market in Mexico matures, we expect to face competition from an increasing number of sources, including emerging technologies that provide new services to pay-TV customers and require us to make significant capital expenditures in new technologies and exclusive content. Developments may limit our access to new distribution channels and exclusive content, may require us to make significant capital expenditures in order to have access to new digital and other distribution channels or may create additional competitive pressures on some or all of our businesses.
The Seasonal Nature of Our Business Affects Our Revenue and a Significant Reduction in Fourth Quarter Net Sales Could Impact Our Results of Operations
Our business reflects seasonal patterns of advertising expenditures, which is common in the television broadcast industry, as well as cyclical patterns in periodic events such as the World Cup, the Olympics and political elections. We typically recognize a disproportionately large percentage of our television broadcasting advertising net sales in the fourth quarter in connection with the holiday shopping season. For example, in 2005, 2006 and 2007 we recognized 31.5%, 29.4% and 31.9% respectively, of our net sales in the fourth quarter of the year. Accordingly, a significant reduction in fourth quarter advertising revenue could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Current Litigation We Are Engaged In With Univision May Affect Our Relationship With Univision
In May 2005, Televisa, S.A. de C.V., or Televisa, a subsidiary of the Company, filed a complaint (which was subsequently amended) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, or the Court, alleging that Univision breached the Program License Agreement, or PLA, as amended, among Televisa Internacional, S.A. de C.V. and Univision, as well as the December 19, 2001 letter agreement between Televisa and Univision relating to soccer broadcast rights, or the Soccer Agreement, among other claims (the “District Court Action”). Univision filed related answers denying all allegations and asserting affirmative defenses, as well as related counterclaims against Televisa and the Company. Univision also claimed that the Company had breached other agreements between the parties, including a Participation Agreement entered into as of October 2, 1996 and a Telefutura Production Services Agreement. In addition, Univision claimed that the Company breached a Guaranty dated December 19, 2001, by which, among other things, the Company guaranteed that the Company’s affiliates (including Televisa) would produce a specified minimum number of telenovelas.
During 2006, Televisa and the Company answered the counterclaims, denying them and asserting affirmative defenses based on Univision’s alleged breaches of the agreements, including the PLA, the Guaranty and the Soccer Agreement. Televisa also amended its complaint again, adding the Company as a plaintiff. In their amended complaint, Televisa and the Company asked for a declaration by the court that they had the right to suspend their performance under and to terminate the PLA, the Guaranty and the Soccer Agreement as a result of Univision’s alleged material breaches of those agreements. Univision filed amended counterclaims, seeking, among other things, a declaration by the Court that Televisa and the Company do not have the right to terminate or suspend performance of their obligations under the PLA or the Soccer Agreement. Also, in 2006, Televisa filed a separate lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court, State of California seeking a judicial determination that on or after December 19, 2006, Televisa may transmit or permit others to transmit any television programming into the United States from Mexico by means of the internet. That lawsuit was stayed. In October 2006, Univision added a new counterclaim in the District Court Action for a judicial declaration that on or after December 19, 2006, Televisa may not transmit or permit others to transmit any television programming into the United States by means of the internet (“Univision Internet Counterclaim”).
During 2006 and 2007, in connection with the Company’s complaint in the District Court Action, Univision made payments to the Company under protest of the disputed royalties and of other license fees that Univision alleges have been overcharged and is seeking recovery of these amounts via its counterclaims. The Company has recognized these payments made by Univision as customer deposits and advances in its consolidated balance sheets (see Note 16 to our year-end financial statements).
After a continuance motion, in June 2007, the Court, among other things, reset the trial date of the District Court Action for January 18, 2008. After an additional continuance motion, in October 2007, the Court reset the trial date in the District Court Action for March 18, 2008.
In October 2007, Univision filed a motion for summary judgment whereby it sought a judgment from the Court that Televisa’s claimed breaches of the PLA between Univision and Televisa were not material, and, therefore the PLA was not subject to termination by Televisa. On December 21, 2007, the Court issued an order denying Univision’s motion for summary judgment.

 

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On January 11, 2008, Univision filed a motion to continue the trial date to October 2008. Televisa opposed Univision’s motion. On February 5, 2008, the Court denied Univision’s motion to continue the trial date, and rescheduled the trial in the District Court Action for April 29, 2008.
On April 7, 2008, Univision dismissed without prejudice its counterclaims against Televisa with the exception of its claim for recoupment of disputed royalty payments made to the Company under protest and its claim for a judicial declaration that, on or after December 19, 2006, Televisa may not transmit or permit others to transmit any television programming into the United States by means of the internet, and Televisa dismissed its claim that Univision engaged in unauthorized, significant edits to certain programs licensed to Univision under the PLA and thereby infringed Televisa’s copyrights and breached the PLA with respect to such programs.
On April 22, 2008, the Court in the District Court Action conducted a final pre-trial conference. During the final pre-trial conference, the Court confirmed that the trial would commence on April 29, 2008. Further, the Court ordered that the trial of the Univision Internet Counterclaim will be bifurcated and tried to the Court after the conclusion of the jury trial regarding Televisa’s claims and Univision’s recoupment counterclaim.
On April 28, 2008, at the request of Televisa and Univision, the Court reset the trial date in the District Court Action for July 1, 2008. On June 12, 2008, at the request of Televisa and Univision, the Court further postponed the trial date for October 14, 2008.
We cannot predict how this dispute will affect our overall business relationship with Univision and our overall business. The Company believes the remaining counterclaims and affirmative defenses made by Univision are without merit and will defend its position vigorously.
We Have Experienced Substantial Losses, Primarily in Respect of Our Investments in Innova, and May Continue to Experience Substantial Losses as a Result of Our Participation in Innova, Which Would Adversely Affect Our Net Income
We have invested a significant amount to develop DTH satellite services primarily in Mexico. Although Innova, our DTH joint venture in Mexico, referred to herein, for segment reporting purposes, as Sky, has generated positive cash flow in 2005, 2006 and 2007, we have, in the past, experienced substantial losses and substantial negative cash flow, and we may experience substantial losses over the next several years, as a result of our participation in Innova, which would adversely affect our net income. We cannot assure you that Innova will continue to generate net income in the upcoming years, principally due to the substantial capital expenditures and investments required to expand and improve its DTH service, the impact of any potential devaluation of the Peso versus the U.S. Dollar on Innova’s financial structure, as well as the strong competition that exists in the pay-TV industry in Mexico. See Notes 1(b) and 11 to our year-end financial statements. See “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects”.
Televisa Does Not Maintain Complete Control Over the Operations of Innova
We own a 58.7% interest in Innova, our DTH joint venture in Mexico. The balance of Innova’s equity is indirectly owned by The DIRECTV Group, Inc., or DIRECTV (48% owned by Liberty) through its subsidiaries DTH (Mexico) Investment, LTD, DIRECTV Latin America Holdings, Inc., or DIRECTV Holdings, and DIRECTV Latin America LLC, or DTVLA. Although we hold a majority of Innova’s equity, DIRECTV has significant governance rights, including the right to block any transaction between us and Innova. Accordingly, we do not have complete control over the operations of Innova. The indenture that governs the terms of the notes issued by Innova in September 2003 and the credit agreements entered into by Corporación Novavisión, S. de R.L. de C.V., a subsidiary of Innova, in December 2007, contain covenants that restrict the ability of Innova to pay dividends and make investments and other restricted payments.
In connection with a letter agreement entered into in October 2004, we and DIRECTV Holdings entered into an agreement in February 2005 under which we acquired the right to buy additional interests in Innova from DIRECTV Holdings, which was consummated on April 27, 2006, resulting in us indirectly owning 58.7% of Innova and DIRECTV indirectly owning 41.3% of Innova. We paid approximately U.S.$59 million for the additional equity stake in Innova. See “Information on the Company — Business Overview — DTH Joint Ventures”.
We Have Evaluated the Possibility of Potential Losses in Innova in Case of Business Interruption Due to the Loss of Transmission and Loss of the Use of Satellite Transponders, Which Would Adversely Affect Our Net Income
Media and telecom companies, including Innova, rely on satellite transmissions to conduct their day-to-day business. Any unforeseen and sudden loss of transmission or non-performance of the satellite for Innova (satellite operator) can cause huge losses to Innova’s business. The unforeseen loss of transmission may be caused due to the satellite’s loss of the orbital slot or the reduction in the satellite’s functional life.

 

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The size of the business interruption impact for Innova in the case of a satellite loss exceeds the capability of the insurance market to adequately cover this risk. In order to reduce the possibility of financial consequences resulting from an unforeseen loss of transmission, Innova has entered into an agreement to launch a backup satellite jointly with Sky Brasil Servicos Ltda., or Sky Brasil, and continues to analyze alternatives to reduce the risk until the new satellite is launched and fully operational. We cannot predict the extent of losses to Innova in the case of current or new satellite loss or the effectiveness of any alternative strategy.
Risk Factors Related to Our Securities
Any Actions Stockholders May Wish to Bring Concerning Our Bylaws or the CPO Trust Must Be Brought in a Mexican Court
Our bylaws provide that you must bring any legal actions concerning our bylaws in courts located in Mexico City. The trust agreement governing the CPOs provides that you must bring any legal actions concerning the trust agreement in courts located in Mexico City. All parties to the trust agreement governing the CPOs, including the holders of CPOs, have agreed to submit these disputes only to Mexican courts.
Non-Mexicans May Not Hold A Shares, B Shares or D Shares Directly and Must Have Them Held in a Trust at All Times
Non-Mexicans may not directly own A Shares, B Shares or D Shares, but may hold them indirectly through a CPO trust, which will control the voting of the A Shares and B Shares. Under the terms of the CPO Trust, beginning in December 2008, a non-Mexican holder of CPOs or GDSs may instruct the CPO Trustee to request that we issue and deliver certificates representing each of the shares underlying its CPOs so that the CPO Trustee may sell, to a third party entitled to hold the shares, all of these shares and deliver to the holder any proceeds derived from the sale.
Non-Mexican Holders of Our Securities Forfeit Their Securities if They Invoke the Protection of Their Government
Pursuant to Mexican law, our bylaws provide that non-Mexican holders of CPOs and GDSs may not ask their government to interpose a claim against the Mexican government regarding their rights as stockholders. If non-Mexican holders of CPOs and GDSs violate this provision of our bylaws, they will automatically forfeit the A Shares, B Shares, L Shares and D Shares underlying their CPOs and GDSs to the Mexican government.
Non-Mexican Holders of Our Securities Have Limited Voting Rights
Non-Mexican holders of GDSs are not entitled to vote the A Shares, B Shares and D Shares underlying their securities. The L Shares underlying GDSs, the only series of our Shares that can be voted by non-Mexican holders of GDSs, have limited voting rights. These limited voting rights include the right to elect two directors and limited rights to vote on extraordinary corporate actions, including the delisting of the L Shares and other actions which are adverse to the holders of the L Shares. For a brief description of the circumstances under which holders of L Shares are entitled to vote, see “Additional Information — Bylaws — Voting Rights and Stockholders’ Meetings.”
Our Antitakeover Protections May Deter Potential Acquirors and May Depress Our Stock Price
Certain provisions of our bylaws could make it substantially more difficult for a third party to acquire control of us. These provisions in our bylaws may discourage certain types of transactions involving the acquisition of our securities. These provisions may also limit our stockholders’ ability to approve transactions that may be in their best interests and discourage transactions in which our stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their Shares over the then current market price, and could possibly adversely affect the trading volume in our equity securities. As a result, these provisions may adversely affect the market price of our securities. Holders of our securities who acquire Shares in violation of these provisions will not be able to vote, or receive dividends, distributions or other rights in respect of, these securities and would be obligated to pay us a penalty. For a description of these provisions, see “Additional Information — Bylaws — Antitakeover Protections.”

 

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GDS Holders May Face Disadvantages When Attempting to Exercise Voting Rights as Compared to Other Holders of Our Securities
In situations where we request that The Bank of New York, the depositary, ask holders for voting instructions, holders may instruct the depositary to exercise their voting rights, if any, pertaining to the deposited securities underlying their GDSs. The depositary will attempt, to the extent practical, to arrange to deliver voting materials to these holders. We cannot assure holders of GDSs that they will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that they can instruct the depositary how to vote the deposited securities underlying their GDSs, or that the depositary will be able to forward those instructions and the appropriate proxy request to the CPO Trustee in a timely manner. For stockholders’ meetings, if the depositary does not receive voting instructions from holders of GDSs or does not forward such instructions and appropriate proxy request in a timely manner, if requested in writing from us, it will provide a proxy to a representative designated by us to exercise these voting rights. If no such written request is made by us, the depositary will not represent or vote, attempt to represent or vote any right that attaches to, or instruct the CPO Trustee to represent or vote, the shares underlying the CPOs in the relevant meeting and, as a result, the underlying shares will be voted in the manner described under “Additional Information — Bylaws — Voting Rights and Stockholders’ Meetings — Holders of CPOs.” For CPO Holders’ meetings, if the depositary does not timely receive instructions from a Mexican or non-Mexican holder of GDSs as to the exercise of voting rights relating to the underlying CPOs in the relevant CPO holders’ meeting, the depositary and the custodian will take such actions as are necessary to cause such CPOs to be counted for purposes of satisfying applicable quorum requirements and, unless we in our sole discretion have given prior written notice to the depositary and the custodian to the contrary, vote them in the same manner as the majority of the CPOs are voted at the relevant CPOs holders’ meeting.
This means that holders of GDSs may not be able to exercise their right to vote and there may be nothing they can do if the deposited securities underlying their GDSs are not voted as they request.
The Interests of Our GDS Holders Will Be Diluted if We Issue New Shares and These Holders Are Unable to Exercise Preemptive Rights for Cash
Under Mexican law and our bylaws, our stockholders have preemptive rights. This means that in the event that we issue new Shares for cash, our stockholders will have a right to subscribe the number of Shares of the same series necessary to maintain their existing ownership percentage in that series. U.S. holders of our GDSs cannot exercise their preemptive rights unless we register any newly issued Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Act, or qualify for an exemption from registration. If U.S. holders of GDSs cannot exercise their preemptive rights, the interests of these holders will be diluted in the event that we issue new Shares for cash. We intend to evaluate at the time of any offering of preemptive rights the costs and potential liabilities associated with registering any additional Shares. We cannot assure you that we will register under the Securities Act any new Shares that we issue for cash. In that connection, in 2002 we did not register the 430.3 million A Shares authorized, issued and subscribed in connection with our Long Term Retention Plan. Accordingly, the voting rights of GDS holders were diluted. See “Directors, Senior Management and Employees — Long-Term Retention Plan” and “Additional Information — Bylaws — Preemptive Rights.” In addition, although the Deposit Agreement provides that the depositary may, after consultation with us, sell preemptive rights in Mexico or elsewhere outside the U.S. and distribute the proceeds to holders of GDSs, under current Mexican law these sales are not possible.
The Protections Afforded to Minority Stockholders in Mexico Are Different From Those in the U.S.
In accordance with the Ley del Mercado de Valores , or the Mexican Securities Market Law, as amended, we amended our bylaws to increase the protections afforded to our minority stockholders in an effort to try to ensure that our corporate governance procedures are substantially similar to international standards. See “Additional Information — Mexican Securities Market Law” and “Additional Information — Bylaws — Other Provisions — Appraisal Rights and Other Minority Protections.” Notwithstanding these amendments, under Mexican law, the protections afforded to minority stockholders are different from those in the U.S. In particular, the law concerning fiduciary duties of directors is not well developed, there is no procedure for class actions or stockholder derivative actions and there are different procedural requirements for bringing stockholder lawsuits. As a result, in practice, it may be more difficult for our minority stockholders to enforce their rights against us or our directors or major stockholders than it would be for stockholders of a U.S. company.
The new Mexican Securities Market Law provides additional protection to minority stockholders, such as (i) providing stockholders of a public company representing 5% or more of the capital stock of the public company, an action for liability against the members and secretary of the Board and relevant management of the public company, and (ii) establishing additional responsibilities on the audit committee in all issues that have or may have an effect on minority stockholders and their interests in an issuer or its operations.

 

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It May Be Difficult to Enforce Civil Liabilities Against Us or Our Directors, Executive Officers and Controlling Persons
We are organized under the laws of Mexico. Substantially all of our directors, executive officers and controlling persons reside outside the U.S., all or a significant portion of the assets of our directors, executive officers and controlling persons, and substantially all of our assets, are located outside of the U.S., and some of the parties named in this annual report also reside outside of the U.S. As a result, it may be difficult for you to effect service of process within the United States upon these persons or to enforce against them or us in U.S. courts judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the U.S. We have been advised by our Mexican counsel, Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C., that there is doubt as to the enforceability, in original actions in Mexican courts, of liabilities predicated solely on U.S. federal securities laws and as to the enforceability in Mexican courts of judgments of U.S. courts obtained in actions predicated upon the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal securities laws.

 

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Forward-Looking Statements
This annual report and the documents incorporated by reference into this annual report contain forward-looking statements. We may from time to time make forward-looking statements in periodic reports to the SEC on Form 6-K, in annual report to stockholders, in prospectuses, press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by our officers, directors or employees to analysts, institutional investors, representatives of the media and others. Examples of these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to:
   
projections of operating revenues, net income (loss), net income (loss) per share, capital expenditures, dividends, capital structure or other financial items or ratios;
 
   
statements of our plans, objectives or goals, including those relating to anticipated trends, competition, regulation and rates;
 
   
our current and future plans regarding our online and wireless content division, Televisa Digital;
 
   
statements concerning our current and future plans regarding our investment in the Spanish television channel Gestora de Inversiones Audiovisuales La Sexta, S.A., or La Sexta;
 
   
statements concerning our current and future plans regarding our gaming business;
 
   
statements concerning our current and future plans regarding the introduction of fixed telephony service by Cablevisión;
 
   
statements concerning our transactions with and/or litigation involving Univision;
 
   
statements concerning our series of transactions with DIRECTV and News Corporation, or News Corp.;
 
   
statements concerning our transactions with NBC Universal’s Telemundo Communications Group, or Telemundo;
 
   
statements concerning our plans to build and launch a new transponder satellite;
 
   
statements about our acquisition of Editorial Atlántida, S.A., or Editorial Atlántida;
 
   
statements about our recent acquisition of shares of companies owning the majority of the assets of Bestel, S.A. de C.V., or Bestel;
 
   
statements about our future economic performance or statements concerning general economic, political or social conditions in the United Mexican States, or Mexico, or other countries in which we operate or have investments; and
 
   
statements or assumptions underlying these statements.
Words such as “believe”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “expect”, “intend”, “target”, “estimate”, “project”, “predict”, “forecast”, “guideline”, “may”, “should” and similar words and expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying these statements.
Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in these forward-looking statements. These factors, some of which are discussed under “Key Information — Risk Factors”, include economic and political conditions and government policies in Mexico or elsewhere, inflation rates, exchange rates, regulatory developments, customer demand and competition. We caution you that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive and that other risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. You should evaluate any statements made by us in light of these important factors.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information, future developments or other factors.

 

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Item 4. Information on the Company
History and Development of the Company
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. is a sociedad anónima bursátil, or limited liability stock corporation, which was organized under the laws of Mexico in accordance with the Ley General de Sociedades Mercantiles, or Mexican Companies Law. Grupo Televisa was incorporated under Public Deed Number 30,200, dated December 19, 1990, granted before Notary Public Number 73 of Mexico City, and registered with the Public Registry of Commerce in Mexico City on Commercial Page (folio mercantil) Number 142,164. Pursuant to the terms of our estatutos sociales, or bylaws, our corporate existence continues through 2105. Our principal executive offices are located at Avenida Vasco de Quiroga, No. 2000, Colonia Santa Fe, 01210 México, D.F., México. Our telephone number at that address is (52) (55) 5261-2000.
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., is the largest media company in the Spanish-speaking world and a major participant in the international entertainment business. We operate broadcast channels in Mexico and complement our network coverage through affiliated stations throughout the country. In 2007 our broadcast television channels had an average sign-on to sign-off audience share of 70.9%. We produce pay television channels with national and international feeds, which reach more than 18.2 million subscribers throughout Latin America, the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific. We export our programs and formats to television networks around the world. In 2007, we exported 60,308 hours of programming to over 60 countries. We distribute our content in the United States through Univision.
We believe we are the most important Spanish-language magazine publisher in the world, as measured by circulation, with an annual circulation of approximately 165 million magazines publishing 92 titles in more than 20 countries.
We own 58.7% of Sky, a DTH satellite television provider in Mexico. We are also a shareholder in two Mexican cable companies, Cablevisión and Televisión Internacional, S.A. de C.V., or TVI, and own 99.99% of the capital stock of Alvafig, S.A. de C.V., or Alvafig, a company holding an equity stake in Cablemás, S.A. de C.V., or Cablemás, a large cable operator in Mexico.
We also own Esmas.com, one of the leading digital entertainment web portals in Latin America, a gaming business which includes bingo parlors and a nationwide lottery, a 50% stake in a radio company that reaches 70% of the Mexican population, a feature film production and distribution company, soccer teams and a stadium in Mexico.
We also own an unconsolidated equity stake in La Sexta, a free-to-air television channel in Spain, and in OCESA, one of the leading live entertainment companies in Mexico.
Capital Expenditures
The table below sets forth our actual capital expenditures, investments and acquisitions for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007 and our projected capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2008. For a discussion of how we intend to fund our projected capital expenditures, investments and acquisitions for 2008, as well as a more detailed description of our capital expenditures, investments and acquisitions in prior years, see “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Capital Resources — Liquidity” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Capital Resources — Capital Expenditures, Acquisitions and Investments, Distributions and Other Sources of Liquidity.”
                                 
    Year Ended December 31,(1)  
    2005     2006     2007     2008  
    (Actual)     (Actual)     (Actual)     (Forecast)  
    (Millions of U.S. Dollars)  
Capital expenditures(2)
  U.S.$ 248.3     U.S.$ 298.5     U.S.$ 355.1     U.S.$ 360.0  
La Sexta(3)
    1.4       132.4       89.9       64.8  
Other acquisitions and investments(4)(5)
    68.0       437.7       416.2       112.0  
 
                       
Total capital expenditures and investments
  U.S.$ 317.7     U.S.$ 868.6     U.S.$ 861.2     U.S.$ 536.8  
 
                       
 
     
(1)  
Amounts in respect of some of the capital expenditures, investments and acquisitions we made in 2005, 2006 and 2007 were paid for in Mexican Pesos. These Mexican Peso amounts were translated into U.S. Dollars at the Interbank Rate in effect on the dates on which a given capital expenditure, investment or acquisition was made. As a result, U.S. Dollar amounts presented in the table immediately above are not comparable to: (i) data regarding capital expenditures set forth in “Key Information — Selected Financial Data”, which is presented in constant Pesos of purchasing power as of December 31, 2007 and, in the case of data presented in U.S. Dollars, is translated at a rate of Ps.10.9222 to one U.S. Dollar, the Interbank Rate as of December 31, 2007, and (ii) certain data regarding capital expenditures set forth under “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Capital Resources — Capital Expenditures, Acquisitions and Investments, Distributions and Other Sources of Liquidity”.

 

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(2)  
Reflects capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment, as well as general capital expenditures, in all periods presented. Also includes U.S.$51.1 million in 2005, U.S.$75.9 million in 2006 and U.S.$78.7 million in 2007 for the expansion and improvement of our cable business; U.S.$109.2 million in 2005, U.S.$91.2 million in 2006 and U.S.$122.3 million in 2007 for the expansion and improvement of our Sky segment and U.S.$22.5 million in 2006 and U.S.$41.4 million in 2007 for our gaming business.
 
(3)  
In 2005 and 2006 we made capital contributions related to our 40% interest in La Sexta in the amount of U.S.$1.4 and U.S.$132.4 million, respectively ( 1.2 million and 104.6 million). During 2007, we made additional capital contributions of U.S.$89.9 million ( 65.9 million). Our projected total investment in La Sexta for 2008 is U.S.$64.8 million ( 44.4 million).
 
(4)  
In November 2005, we acquired Comtelvi, S. de R.L. de C.V., or Comtelvi, from a third party for an aggregate amount of U.S.$39.1 million. At the time of acquisition, Comtelvi had structured note investments and other financial instrument assets and liabilities, as well as tax losses of Ps.3,575.3 million that were used by us in the fourth quarter of 2005. See Note 2 to our year-end financial statements.
 
(5)  
In the first quarter of 2006, we completed the acquisition of certain operating assets, consisting primarily of trademarks, intellectual property rights and other publishing assets owned by Editora Cinco, S.A., or Editora Cinco, a publishing company in Mexico and Latin America, for an aggregate amount of U.S.$15.0 million. In the second quarter of 2006, we acquired part of the minority interest in Innova that was formerly owned by Liberty Media International, Inc., or Liberty Media, for an amount of U.S.$58.7 million to increase the interest in our Sky business to 58.7%. In the fourth quarter of 2006, we invested U.S.$258.0 million in long-term notes convertible into 99.99% of the equity of Alvafig, the holding company of a 49% interest in Cablemás, a large cable operator in Mexico. In the second half of 2007, we acquired Editorial Atlántida, a leading publishing company in Argentina for an aggregate amount of U.S.$78.8 million. In the fourth quarter of 2007, we acquired the majority of the assets of Bestel, a privately held, facilities-based telecommunications business in Mexico for an amount of U.S.$256.0 million in cash plus an additional capital contribution of U.S.$69.0 million. In the first quarter of 2008, we invested U.S.$100.0 million in an additional issuance of long-term notes of Alvafig, which proceeds were used by Alvafig to acquire shares representing approximately 11% of Cablemás’ aggregate capital stock. In 2008, we project to make additional capital contributions in Volaris, our 25% interest in a low-cost carrier airline in Mexico, in the amount of up to U.S.$12.0 million.
In 2005, 2006 and 2007, we relied on a combination of operating revenues, borrowings and net proceeds from dispositions to fund our capital expenditures, acquisitions and investments. We expect to fund our capital expenditures in 2008, other than cash needs in connection with any potential investments and acquisitions, through a combination of cash from operations and cash on hand. We intend to finance our potential investments or acquisitions in 2008 through available cash from operations, cash on hand and/or borrowings. The amount of borrowings required to fund these cash needs in 2008 will depend upon the timing of cash payments from advertisers under our advertising sales plan.
Business Overview
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., is the largest media company in the Spanish-speaking world and a major participant in the international entertainment business. We operate broadcast channels in Mexico and complement our network coverage through affiliated stations throughout the country. In 2007 our broadcast television channels had an average sign-on to sign-off audience share of 70.9%. We produce pay television channels with national and international feeds, which reach subscribers throughout Latin America, the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific. We export our programs and formats to television networks around the world. In 2007, we exported 60,308 hours of programming to over 60 countries. We distribute our content in the United States through Univision.

 

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We believe we are the most important Spanish-language magazine publisher in the world, as measured by circulation, with an annual circulation of approximately 165 million magazines publishing 92 titles in more than 20 countries.
We own 58.7% of Sky, a DTH satellite television provider in Mexico. We are also a shareholder in two Mexican cable companies, Cablevisión and TVI, and own 99.99% of the capital stock of Alvafig, a company holding an equity stake in Cablemás, a large cable operator in Mexico.
We also own Esmas.com, one of the leading digital entertainment web portals in Latin America, a gaming business which includes bingo parlors and a nationwide lottery, a 50% stake in a radio company that reaches 70% of the Mexican population, a feature film production and distribution company, soccer teams and a stadium in Mexico.
We also own an unconsolidated equity stake in La Sexta, a free-to-air television channel in Spain, and in OCESA, one of the leading live entertainment companies in Mexico.
Business Strategy
We intend to leverage our position as the largest media company in the Spanish-speaking world to continue expanding our business while maintaining profitability and financial discipline. We intend to do so by maintaining our leading position in the Mexican television market, by continuing to produce high quality programming and by improving our sales and marketing efforts while maintaining high operating margins.
By leveraging all our business segments and capitalizing on their synergies to extract maximum value from our content, we also intend to continue expanding our pay-TV networks business, increasing our international programming sales worldwide and strengthening our position in the growing U.S.-Hispanic market. We also intend to continue developing Sky, our DTH platform, strengthen our position in the cable and telecommunications industry, continue developing our publishing business and become an important player in the gaming industry.
We intend to continue to expand our business by developing new business initiatives and/or through business acquisitions and investments in Mexico, the United States and elsewhere.
Maintaining Our Leading Position in the Mexican Television Market
Continuing to Produce High Quality Programming. We aim to continue producing the type of high quality television programming that has propelled many of our programs to the top of the national ratings and audience share in Mexico. In 2006 and 2007, our networks aired 84% and 73%, respectively, of the 200 most-watched television programs in Mexico, according to IBOPE Mexico. We have launched a number of initiatives in creative development, program scheduling and on-air promotion. These initiatives include improved production of our highly rated telenovelas, new comedy and game show formats and the development of reality shows and new series. We have improved our scheduling to be better aligned with viewer habits by demographic segment while improving viewer retention through more dynamic on-air graphics and pacing. We have enhanced tune-in promotion both in terms of creative content and strategic placement. In addition, we plan to continue expanding and leveraging our exclusive Spanish-language video library, exclusive rights to soccer games and other events, as well as cultural, musical and show business productions.
As a result of the strategic alliance agreement entered into with NBC Universal’s Telemundo, we will distribute Telemundo content in Mexico on an exclusive basis across multiple platforms including broadcast television, pay television and our emerging digital platforms. In April 2008, we began broadcasting Telemundo’s original programming on Channel 9. In addition, later this year we will distribute, via Sky and Cablevisión, a new pay television channel in Mexico produced by Telemundo principally featuring Telemundo branded content. See “— Television — Programming — Foreign-Produced Programming”.
Improving Our Sales and Marketing Efforts. Over the past few years we have improved our television broadcasting advertising sales strategy by: (i) introducing a cost per rating point basis pricing system; (ii) implementing differentiated pricing by quarter, by channel and by time of day; (iii) reorganizing our sales force into teams focusing on each of our divisions; and (iv) emphasizing a compensation policy for salespeople that is performance-based, with variable commissions tied to year-end results for a larger portion of total compensation.

 

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Maintaining High Operating Segment Income Margins. Our television broadcasting operating segment income margin for 2006 and 2007 was 50.5% and 49.6%, respectively. We intend to continue maintaining high television broadcasting operating segment income margins by increasing revenues and controlling costs and expenses.
Advertising Sales Plan. Our sales force is organized into separate teams, each of which focuses on a particular segment of our business. We sell commercial time in two ways: upfront and scatter basis. Advertisers that elect the upfront option lock in prices for the upcoming year, regardless of future price changes. Advertisers that choose the upfront option make annual prepayments, with cash or short-term notes, and are charged the lowest rates for their commercial time, given the highest priority in schedule placement, and given a first option in advertising during special programs. Scatter advertisers, or advertisers who choose not to make upfront payments but rather advertise from time to time, risk both higher prices and lack of access to choice commercial time slots. We sell advertising to our customers on a cost per rating point basis. For a description of our advertising sales plan, see “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Total Segment Results — Advertising Rates and Sales”.
We currently sell only a portion of our available television advertising time. We use a portion of our television advertising time to satisfy our legal obligation to the Mexican government to provide up to 18 minutes per day of our broadcast time between 6:00 a.m. and midnight for public service announcements and 30 minutes per day for public programming (referred to in this annual report as Official Television Broadcast Time), and our remaining available television advertising time to promote, among other things, our television products. We sold approximately 66%, 63% and 59% of total available national advertising time on our networks during prime time broadcasts in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively, and approximately 56%, 52% and 50% of total available national advertising time during all time periods in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. See “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Total Segment Results — Television Broadcasting”.
Continue Building Our Pay Television Platforms
DTH. We believe that Ku-band DTH satellite services offer an enhanced opportunity for expansion of pay television services into cable households seeking to upgrade reception of our broadcasting and in areas not currently serviced by operators of cable or multi-channel, multi-point distribution services. We own a 58.7% interest in Innova, or Sky, our joint venture with DIRECTV. Innova is a DTH company in Mexico, with approximately 1,585,100 subscribers, of which 103,100 were commercial subscribers as of December 31, 2007.
In December 2007, Innova and Sky Brasil reached an agreement with Intelsat Corporation and Intelsat LLC, to build and launch a new 24-transponder satellite, IS-16, for which service will be dedicated to Sky and Sky Brasil over the satellite’s estimated 15-year life. The satellite will provide back up for both platforms, and will also double Sky’s current capacity. Innova plans to use this extra capacity for High Definition, or HD, and other value-added services. The satellite will be manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation and is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2009. For a description of our satellites, see “— Property, Plant and Equipment — Satellites”.
The key components of our DTH strategy include:
   
offering high quality programming, including rights to our four over-the-air broadcast channels, exclusive broadcasts of sporting events, such as the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the Spanish Soccer League and a variety of Mexican Soccer League games, reality shows and other programs produced by us, or with respect to which we have exclusive rights;
 
   
capitalizing on our relationship with DIRECTV and local operators in terms of technology, distribution networks, infrastructure and cross-promotional opportunities;
 
   
capitalizing on the low penetration of pay-TV services in Mexico;
 
   
expanding our DTH services in Central America and the Caribbean;
 
   
providing superior digital Ku-band DTH satellite services and emphasizing customer service quality; and
 
   
continuing to leverage our strengths and capabilities to develop new business opportunities and expand through acquisitions.

 

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Pay Television Networks. Through our 14 pay-TV brands and 31 national and international feeds, we reached more than 18.2 million subscribers throughout Latin America, the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific in 2007. Our pay-TV channels include three music, four movie, and seven variety and entertainment channels. Through TuTV, our joint venture with Univision, we distribute five pay-TV channels within the United States. These channels, whose content includes film, music and lifestyle programming, reached more than 1.8 million households in 2007.
Cable. With a subscriber base of over 496,500 and 551,400 basic subscribers (all of which were digital subscribers), as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively, and over 1.56 million homes passed as of December 31, 2007, Cablevisión, the Mexico City cable system in which we own a 51% interest, is one of the most important cable television operators in Mexico. Cablevisión’s strategy aims to increase its subscriber base, average monthly revenues per subscriber and penetration rate by:
   
continuing to offer high quality programming;
   
upgrading its existing cable network into a broadband bidirectional network;
   
maintaining its 100% digital service in order to stimulate new subscriptions, substantially reduce piracy and offer new value-added services;
   
increasing the penetration of its high-speed and bidirectional internet access and other multimedia services as well as providing a platform to offer internet protocol, or IP, and telephony services;
   
continuing the roll out of digital set-top boxes and the roll out, which began in the third quarter of 2005, of advanced digital set-top boxes which allow the transmission of high definition programming and recording capability; and
   
continuing to leverage our strengths and capabilities to develop new business opportunities and expand through acquisitions.
Cablevisión has introduced a variety of new multimedia communications services over the past few years, such as interactive television and other enhanced program services, including high-speed internet access through cable modem as well as IP telephony. As of December 31, 2007, Cablevisión had 146,000 cable modem customers compared to 96,000 at December 31, 2006. The growth we have experienced in Cablevisión has been driven primarily by the conversion of our system from analog to digital format. Accordingly, Cablevisión has concluded its plan to switch its analog subscriber base to the digital service. In addition, Cablevisión introduced video on demand, or VOD, services and, in May 2007 received governmental approval to introduce telephony services. On July 2, 2007, Cablevisión began to offer IP telephony services in certain areas of Mexico City and as of December 31, 2007, it had 9,000 IP telephone lines in service. By the end of 2008, Cablevisión plans to offer the service in every area in which its network is bidirectional.
Expanding Our Publishing Business
With a total annual circulation of approximately 165 million magazines during 2007, we believe our subsidiary, Editorial Televisa, S.A. de C.V., or Editorial Televisa, is the most important Spanish-speaking publishing company in the world in number of magazines distributed. Editorial Televisa publishes 92 titles, some of which have different editions for each different market. Among the 92 titles, 62 are fully owned and produced in-house and the remaining 30 titles are licensed from world-renowned publishing houses, including the Spanish-language editions of some of the most prestigious brands in the world. Editorial Televisa distributes its titles to more than 20 countries, including Mexico, the United States and countries throughout Latin America. During the last three years, Editorial Televisa implemented an aggressive commercial strategy in order to increase its market share and advertising revenues. As a result of this strategy, according to IBOPE Mexico, Editorial Televisa’s market share in Mexico grew to 49% in 2007. According to Simmons (an independent research company), five of the top ten Hispanic market magazines in the United States are published and distributed by Editorial Televisa. We believe that Editorial Televisa leads at least 15 of the 20 markets in which we compete in terms of readership.
In the second half of 2007, we acquired Editorial Atlántida, a leading publishing company in Argentina, for approximately U.S.$78.8 million. Editorial Atlántida publishes a total of 11 magazines and operates a book publishing business, interactive websites, and numerous brand-extension projects.
During 2007, we launched five new titles of which two are fully-owned (namely, Cinemania, a monthly movies magazine, and Lola, Erase Una Vez, a telenovela-themed magazine) and three are licensed from third parties (namely, the Spanish version of National Geographic Traveler, pursuant to a license agreement with National Geographic Society, the Spanish language version of Woman’s Health and Runner’s World, pursuant to a license agreement with Rodale, Inc.).

 

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Increasing Our International Programming Sales Worldwide and Strengthening Our Position in the Growing U.S.-Hispanic Market
We license our programs to television broadcasters and pay-TV providers in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe and Africa. Excluding the United States, in 2007, we licensed 60,308 hours of programming in over 60 countries throughout the world. We intend to continue exploring ways of expanding our international programming sales.
In November 2005, the government of Spain granted a concession for a nationwide free-to-air analog television channel and two nationwide free-to-air digital television channels to La Sexta, a consortium that includes Televisa, which holds a 40% equity interest therein; Grupo Arbol and the Mediapro Group, which control a 51% equity interest, indirectly, through their interest in GAMP Audiovisual, S.A., or GAMP; and as of November 2006, Gala Capital Market, S.L. or Gala, which holds a 9% equity interest which it acquired from GAMP. La Sexta began broadcasting on March 27, 2006. With our investment in La Sexta, we expect to capitalize on the size of and growth trends in Spain’s advertising market, as well as the potential synergies between the country’s entertainment market and our current markets. For a description of our arrangements with La Sexta, see “— Investments — La Sexta”.
The U.S.-Hispanic population, estimated to be 45.5 million, or approximately 15.1% of the U.S. population according to U.S. Census estimates published May 1, 2008, is currently one of the fastest growing segments in the U.S. population, with the growth among Hispanics responsible for half of the U.S. population gains between 2000 and 2007. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the Hispanic population will double to approximately 20% of the U.S. population by the year 2020. The Hispanic population accounted for estimated disposable income in 2006 of U.S.$822 billion, or 8.6% of the total U.S. disposable income, an increase of 64% since 2000. Hispanics are expected to account for U.S.$1.0 trillion of U.S. consumer spending, or 9.7% of the U.S. total disposable income, by 2010, outpacing the expected growth in total U.S. consumer expenditures.
We intend to leverage our unique and exclusive content, media assets and long-term associations with others to benefit from the growing demand for entertainment among the U.S.-Hispanic population.
We supply television programming for the U.S.-Hispanic market through Univision, the leading Spanish-language media company in the United States. During 2007, Televisa provided 36% of Univision Network’s non-repeat broadcast hours, including most of its 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. weekday prime time programming, 15% of TeleFutura Network’s non-repeat broadcast hours and substantially all of the programming broadcast on Galavision Network. In exchange for this programming, during 2005, 2006 and 2007, Univision paid Televisa U.S.$109.8 million, U.S.$126.9 million and U.S.$138.0 million, respectively, in royalties. For a description of our arrangements with Univision, see “— Univision”.
In March 2007, at the closing of the acquisition of Univision, all of Televisa’s shares and warrants in Univision were cancelled and converted into cash in an aggregate amount of U.S.$1,094.4 million. As a result of such conversion, we no longer hold an equity interest in Univision. We are also no longer bound by the provisions of the Participation Agreement, except in the case that we enter into certain transactions involving direct broadcast satellite or DTH satellite to the U.S. market. The Participation Agreement had formerly restricted our ability to enter into certain transactions involving Spanish-language television broadcasting and a Spanish-language television network in the U.S. without first offering Univision the opportunity to acquire a 50% economic interest. Subject to certain restrictions which may continue to bind Televisa by reason of the PLA, and other limited exceptions, we can now engage in certain business opportunities in the growing U.S. Hispanic marketplace relating to programming or otherwise without offering Univision participation in such opportunities. See “— Univision”.
We maintain a joint venture, TuTv, with Univision through which we operate and distribute a suite of Spanish-language television channels for digital cable and satellite delivery in the United States. TuTv currently distributes five cable channels, including two movie channels and three channels featuring music videos, celebrity lifestyle and interviews and entertainment news programming. In 2007, channels distributed by TuTv reached approximately 1.8 million subscribers through EchoStar Communications Corporation, DIRECTV (PR), Cox, Charter and other smaller systems. See “— Univision”.

 

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Developing New Businesses and Expanding through Acquisitions
We plan to continue leveraging our strengths and capabilities to develop new business opportunities and expand through acquisitions and investments in Mexico, the United States and elsewhere. Any such acquisition or investment, which could be funded using cash on hand, our equity securities and/or the issuance of debt securities, could be substantial in size.
In 2006, we launched our gaming business which consists of bingo and sports books halls, and a national lottery. As of April 30, 2008, we had opened 16 bingo and sports books halls, under the brand name “Play City”. We plan to open 65 bingo and sports books halls over the course of the next five years. In addition, during 2007 we launched Multijuegos, an online lottery with access to a nationwide network of more than 5,500 electronic terminals. The bingo and sports books halls and Multijuegos are operated under a permit from the Secretaría de Gobernación , or Mexican Ministry of the Interior, to establish, among other things, up to 65 bingo and sports books halls and number draws throughout Mexico, referred to as the Gaming Permit.
In March 2006, our subsidiary, Corporativo Vasco de Quiroga, S.A. de C.V. or CVQ, acquired a 50% interest in TVI in the amount of Ps.798.3 million, which was substantially paid in cash. We agreed to pay additional purchase price adjustments of Ps.19.3 million in the second quarter of 2006, Ps.19.2 million in the first quarter of 2007, and Ps.19.4 million in the first quarter of 2008. No additional purchase price adjustments are required under the agreement. In addition, as part of the agreement, we agreed to provide funding to TVI in the form of a loan in the nominal amount of Ps.240.6 million, which has been converted into capital stock. The ownership structure of TVI was not changed after the capitalization of the loan.
TVI is a telecommunications company offering pay television, data and voice services in the metropolitan area of Monterrey. As of December 31, 2007, TVI had 784,948 homes passed, served more than 164,800 cable television subscribers, 71,400 high-speed internet subscribers and 16,300 telephone lines.
CVQ notified the Mexican Antitrust Commission of its intent to acquire a 50% interest in TVI, and after appealing the decision of such authority at the first stage of the process on February 23, 2007, the Mexican Antitrust Commission authorized the intended acquisition, subject to compliance with certain conditions. We believe that as of this date, CVQ has complied on a regular basis with all of such conditions. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Mexico — Mexican Antitrust Laws May Limit Our Ability to Expand Through Acquisitions or Joint Ventures”.
In November 2006, we invested U.S.$258.0 million in long-term notes, convertible, at our option and subject to regulatory approval, into 99.99% of the equity of Alvafig, which holds 49% of the voting equity of Cablemás. In February 2008, we invested U.S.$100.0 million in an additional issuance of long-term notes of Alvafig, which proceeds were used by Alvafig to acquire limited voting shares of Cablemás equity, convertible into ordinary voting shares, which represent approximately 11% of Cablemás aggregate capital stock. Cablemás operates in 48 cities. As of December 31, 2007, the Cablemás cable network served more than 797,000 cable television subscribers, 220,400 high-speed internet subscribers and 41,000 IP-telephony lines, with approximately 2,200,000 homes passed. On August 8, 2007, the Mexican Antitrust Commission authorized, subject to compliance with certain conditions, the conversion of our long-term notes into 99.99% of the equity of Alvafig, and on December 11, 2007, after we appealed the first decision of the Mexican Antitrust Commission, the conversion of our long-term convertible notes into 99.99% of the equity of Alvafig was authorized subject to compliance with certain new conditions. These conditions include, among others, that we make available certain channels to pay-TV operators on non-discriminatory terms and that our pay-TV platforms carry upon request and subject to certain conditions, over the air channels operating in the same geographic zones where such pay-TV platforms provide their services. On May 13, 2008, the Mexican Antitrust Commission announced that the Company has complied with the conditions imposed by the Mexican Antitrust Commission, authorizing the conversion by the Company of the convertible long-term notes issued by Alvafig into 99.99% of its capital stock. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the Company must comply with the Mexican Antitrust Commission’s conditions on a continued basis. On May 16, 2008, we converted all of the convertible long-term notes into 99.99% of the capital stock of Alvafig.
In December 2007, our indirect majority-owned subsidiary, Cablestar, S.A. de C.V., or Cablestar, completed the acquisition of shares of companies owning the majority of the assets of Bestel, a privately held, facilities-based telecommunications company in Mexico, for U.S.$256.0 million in cash plus an additional capital contribution of U.S.$69.0 million. In connection with the financing of the acquisition of the majority of the assets of Bestel, Cablemás, TVI and Cablevisión, which hold 15.4%, 15.4% and 69.2% of the equity stock of Cablestar, respectively, entered into five year term loan facilities for U.S.$50.0 million, U.S.$50.0 million and U.S.$225.0 million, respectively. These loans are intended to be syndicated during the life of the facility. Bestel focuses on providing data and long-distance services solutions to carriers and other telecommunications service providers in both Mexico and the United States. Bestel owns a fiber-optic network of approximately 8,000 kilometers that covers several important cities and economic regions in Mexico and has direct crossing of its network into Dallas, Texas and San Diego, California in the United States. This enables the company to provide connectivity between the United States and Mexico.

 

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We expect that in the future we may identify and evaluate opportunities for strategic acquisitions of complementary businesses, technologies or companies. We may also consider joint ventures and other collaborative projects and investments.
Television
Television Industry in Mexico
General. There are ten television stations operating in Mexico City and approximately 457 other television stations elsewhere in Mexico. Most of the stations outside of Mexico City retransmit programming originating from the Mexico City stations. We own and operate four of the ten television stations in Mexico City, Channels 2, 4, 5 and 9. These stations are affiliated with 220 repeater stations and 33 local stations outside of Mexico City. See “— Television Broadcasting”. We also own an English-language television station in Mexico on the California border. Our major competitor, TV Azteca, owns and operates Channels 7 and 13 in Mexico City, which we believe are affiliated with 84 and 92 stations, respectively, outside of Mexico City. Televisora del Valle de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., or Televisora del Valle de M é xico, owns the concession for CNI Channel 40, a UHF channel that broadcasts throughout the Mexico City metropolitan area. The Mexican government currently operates two stations in Mexico City, Channel 11, which has 8 repeater stations, and Channel 22. There are also 20 independent stations outside of Mexico City which are unaffiliated with any other stations. See “— Television Broadcasting”.
We estimate that approximately 22.1 million Mexican households have television sets, representing approximately 91.0% of the total households in Mexico as of December 31, 2007. We believe that approximately 97.6% of all households in Mexico City and the surrounding area have television sets.
Ratings and Audience Share. All television ratings and audience share information included in this annual report relate to data supplied by IBOPE Mexico, a privately owned market research firm based in Mexico City. IBOPE Mexico is one of the 15 global branch offices of IBOPE Mexico. IBOPE Mexico conducts operations in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and 25 other Mexican cities with a population over 500,000, and the survey data provided in this annual report covers data collected from national surveys. IBOPE Mexico reports that its television surveys have a margin of error of plus or minus 5%.
As used in this annual report, “audience share” for a period means the number of television sets tuned into a particular program as a percentage of the number of households watching over-the-air television during that period without regard to the number of viewers. “Rating” for a period refers to the number of television sets tuned into a particular program as a percentage of the total number of all television households. “Average audience share” for a period refers to the average daily audience share during that period, and “average rating” for a period refers to the average daily rating during that period with each rating point representing one percent of all television households. “Prime time” is 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week, “weekday prime time” is 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and “sign-on to sign-off” is 6:00 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. The average ratings and average audience share for our television networks and local affiliates and programs relate to conventional over-the-air television stations only; cable services, multi-channel, multi-point distribution system and DTH satellite services, videocassettes and video games are excluded.
Programming
Programming We Produce. We produce the most Spanish-language television programming in the world. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, we produced approximately 57,500 hours, 64,700 hours and 68,800 hours, respectively, of programming for broadcast on our network stations and through our cable operations and DTH satellite joint ventures, including programming produced by our local stations.
We produce a variety of programs, including telenovelas, newscasts, situation comedies, game shows, reality shows, children’s programs, comedy and variety programs, musical and cultural events, movies and educational programming. Our telenovelas are broadcast either dubbed or subtitled in a variety of languages throughout the world. In 2006, we successfully co-produced a new primetime sitcom entitled “Amor Mio”, which captured 39.9% of the viewers across Mexico upon its debut and 36.0% during its broadcast in Mexico.

 

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Our programming also includes broadcasts of special events and sports events in Mexico promoted by us and others. Among the sports events that we broadcast are soccer games of our and other teams and professional wrestling matches. See “— Other Businesses — Sports and Show Business Promotions”. In 2005, we broadcast certain matches of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the FIFA Confederations Cup and the FIFA under 17 World Championship. In 2006, we broadcast the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In 2007, we broadcast the 2007 FIFA under-20 World Cup, certain matches of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the Copa America.
Our programming is produced primarily at our 29 studios in Mexico City. We also operate 18 fully equipped remote control units. Some of our local television stations also produce their own programming. These local stations operate 36 studios and 32 fully equipped remote control units. See “— Television Broadcasting — Local Affiliates”.
Foreign-Produced Programming. We license and broadcast television programs produced by third parties outside Mexico. Most of this foreign programming is from the United States and includes television series, movies and sports events, including coverage of Major League Baseball games and National Football League games. Foreign-produced programming represented approximately 33%, 40% and 49% of the programming broadcast on our four television networks in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. A substantial majority of the foreign-produced programming aired on our networks was dubbed into Spanish and was aired on Channels 4 and 5, with the remainder aired on Channel 9.
Talent Promotion. We operate Centro de Educación Artística, a school in Mexico City to develop and train actors and technicians. We provide instruction free of charge, and a substantial number of the actors appearing on our programs have attended the school. We also promote writers and directors through a writers’ school as well as various contests and scholarships.
Television Broadcasting
We operate four television networks that can be viewed throughout Mexico on our affiliated television stations through Channels 2, 4, 5 and 9 in Mexico City. The following table indicates the total number of operating television stations in Mexico affiliated with each of our four networks, as well as the total number of local affiliates, as of December 31, 2007.
                                                 
    Wholly                                
    Owned                                
    Mexico City     Wholly     Majority     Minority              
    Anchor     Owned     Owned     Owned     Independent     Total  
    Stations     Affiliates     Affiliates     Affiliates     Affiliates     Stations  
Channel 2
    1       124       2             1       128  
Channel 4
    1                               1  
Channel 5
    1       61                   4       66  
Channel 9
    1       14                   14       29  
Subtotal
    4       199       2             19       224  
Border Stations
          1                         1  
Local (Stations) Affiliates
          18             1       14       33  
 
                                   
Total
    4       218       2       1       33       258  
 
                                   
The programs shown on our networks are among the most watched television programs in Mexico. Based on IBOPE Mexico surveys during 2005, 2006 and 2007, our networks aired 162, 168 and 146, respectively, of the 200 most watched television programs throughout Mexico and produced 17, 22 and 16, respectively, of the 25 most watched television programs in Mexico. Most of the remaining top 25 programs in those periods were soccer games and special feature films that were aired on our networks.
The following charts compare the average audience share and average ratings during prime time hours, weekday prime time hours and from sign-on to sign-off hours, of our television networks as measured by the national audience, from January 2005 through December 2007, shown on a bimonthly basis.
Average Audience Share
January 2005 — December 2007(1)
(GRAPH)
 
     
(1)  
Source: IBOPE Mexico national surveys.

 

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Average Ratings
January 2005 — December 2007(1)
(GRAPH)
 
     
(1)  
Source: IBOPE Mexico national surveys.
Channel 2 Network. Channel 2, which is known as “ El Canal de las Estrellas ”, or “The Channel of the Stars”, together with its affiliated stations, is the leading television network in Mexico and the leading Spanish-language television network in the world, as measured by the size of the audience capable of receiving its signal. Channel 2’s programming is broadcast 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on 128 television stations located throughout Mexico. The affiliate stations generally retransmit the programming and advertising transmitted to them by Channel 2 without interruption. Such stations are referred to as “repeater” stations. We estimate that the Channel 2 Network reaches approximately 21.8 million households, representing 98.6% of the households with television sets in Mexico. The Channel 2 Network accounted for a majority of our national television advertising sales in each of 2005, 2006 and 2007.
According to the Política Nacional para la Introducción de los Servicios de Televisión Digital Terrestre or the National Policy for the Introduction of Terrestrial Digital Television Services in Mexico dictated by the SCT, in May 2005, Mexico City’s Channel 2 obtained a license to transmit DTV services on Channel 48 as its second channel throughout the transition period from analog to digital television, which is estimated to end by the year 2021. Also, six repeaters of the Channel 2 network located in Guadalajara, Monterrey, and four cities along the border with the United States of America have obtained similar licenses. Since December 2005, these DTV stations have been in place and fully operational.
The following table shows the average audience share of the Channel 2 Network during prime time hours, weekday prime time hours and sign-on to sign-off hours for the periods indicated:
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2005(1)     2006(1)     2007(1)  
Prime time hours
    31.8 %     32.8 %     29.9 %
Weekday prime time hours
    36.2 %     37.3 %     33.6 %
Sign-on to sign-off hours
    30.3 %     31.8 %     29.7 %
 
     
(1)  
Source: IBOPE Mexico national surveys.
The Channel 2 Network targets the average Spanish-speaking family as its audience. Its programs include soap operas (telenovelas), news, entertainment, comedy and variety programs, movies, game shows, reality shows and sports. The telenovelas make up the bulk of the prime time lineup and consist of romantic dramas that unfold over the course of 120 to 200 half-hour episodes. Substantially all of Channel 2’s programming is aired on a first-run basis and virtually all of it, other than Spanish-language movies, is produced by us.
Channel 5 Network. In addition to its anchor station, Channel 5 is affiliated with 65 repeater stations located throughout Mexico. We estimate that the Channel 5 Network reaches approximately 20.3 million households, representing approximately 91.9% of households with television sets in Mexico. We believe that Channel 5 offers the best option to reach the 18-34 year old demographic, and we have extended its reach into this key group by offering new content.
According to the Política Nacional para la Introducción de los Servicios de Televisión Digital Terrestre or the National Policy for the Introduction of Terrestrial Digital Television Services in Mexico dictated by the SCT, in September 2005, Mexico City’s Channel 5 obtained a license to transmit DTV services in Channel 50 as its second channel during the transition period estimated to end by the year 2021. Also, two repeaters of the Channel 5 network had obtained a similar license. Since December 2005, these DTV stations have been in place and fully operational.
The following table shows the average audience share of the Channel 5 Network during prime time hours, weekday prime time hours and sign-on to sign-off hours during the periods indicated:
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2005(1)     2006(1)     2007(1)  
Prime time hours
    17.4 %     16.9 %     18.7 %
Weekday prime time hours
    15.9 %     14.9 %     16.6 %
Sign-on to sign-off hours
    20.1 %     19.1 %     20.6 %
 
     
(1)  
Source: IBOPE Mexico national surveys.

 

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We believe that Channel 5 has positioned itself as the most innovative television channel in Mexico with a combination of reality shows, sitcoms, dramas, movies, cartoons and other children’s programming. The majority of Channel 5’s programs are produced outside of Mexico, primarily in the United States. Most of these programs are produced in English. In 2007, we aired 21 of the 50 top-rated movies.
Channel 4 Network. Channel 4 broadcasts in the Mexico City metropolitan area and, according to our estimates, reaches over 5.0 million households, representing approximately 22.7% of television households in Mexico in 2007. As described above, as part of our plan to attract medium-sized and local Mexico City advertisers, we focused the reach of this network throughout Mexico and revised the format of Channel 4 to create 4TV in an effort to target viewers in the Mexico City metropolitan area. We currently sell local advertising time on 4TV to medium-sized and local advertisers at rates comparable to those charged for advertising on local, non-television media, such as radio, newspapers and billboards. However, by purchasing local advertising time on 4TV, medium-sized and local advertisers are able to reach a wider audience than they would reach through local, non-television media.
According to the Política Nacional para la Introducción de los Servicios de Televisión Digital Terrestre or the National Policy for the Introduction of Terrestrial Digital Television Services in Mexico dictated by the SCT, in September 2005, Mexico City’s Channel 4 obtained a license to transmit DTV services in Channel 49 as its second channel during the transition period estimated to end by the year 2021. As of December 2005, this DTV station is installed and fully operational.
The following table shows the average audience share of the Channel 4 Network during prime time hours, weekday prime time hours and sign-on to sign-off hours during the periods indicated, including audience share for local stations:
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2005(1)     2006(1)     2007(1)  
Prime time hours
    6.0 %     6.1 %     7.3 %
Weekday prime time hours
    6.3 %     6.5 %     8.1 %
Sign-on to sign-off hours
    7.6 %     7.5 %     8.6 %
 
     
(1)  
Source: IBOPE Mexico national surveys.
4TV targets young adults and stay-at-home parents. Its programs consist primarily of news, comedy, sports, and entertainment shows produced by us, as well as a late night home shopping program, foreign-produced series, mini-series and movies, which are dubbed or subtitled in Spanish. In an attempt to attract a larger share of the Mexico City television audience, in recent years, 4TV also began broadcasting three new local newscasts relating to the Mexico City metropolitan area.
Channel 9 Network. In addition to its anchor station, Channel 9 is affiliated with 28 repeater stations, approximately one-third of which are located in central Mexico. We estimate that Channel 9 reaches approximately 16.0 million households, representing approximately 72.4% of households with television sets in Mexico. Channel 9 broadcasts in all of the 26 cities other than Mexico City that are covered by national surveys.
According to the Política Nacional para la Introducción de los Servicios de Televisión Digital Terrestre or the National Policy for the Introduction of Terrestrial Digital Television Services in Mexico dictated by the SCT, in October 2006, Mexico City’s Channel 9 obtained a license to transmit DTV services in Channel 44 as its second channel during the transition period estimated to end by the year 2021. As of January 2007, this DTV station is in place and fully operational. Also, as disclosed above, in April 2008, we began broadcasting Telemundo’s original programming on Channel 9.
The following table shows the average audience share of the Channel 9 Network during prime time hours, weekday prime time hours and sign-on to sign-off hours during the periods indicated:
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2005(1)     2006(1)     2007(1)  
Prime time hours
    13.4 %     13.7 %     13.1 %
Weekday prime time hours
    10.6 %     11.4 %     10.7 %
Sign-on to sign-off hours
    12.2 %     12.6 %     12.1 %
 
     
(1)  
Source: IBOPE Mexico national surveys.

 

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The Channel 9 Network targets families as its audience. Its programs principally consist of movies, sports, sitcoms, game shows, news and re-runs of popular programs from Channel 2.
Local Affiliates. There are currently 33 local television stations affiliated with our networks, of which 18 stations are wholly owned, one station is minority owned and 14 stations are independent affiliated stations. These stations receive part of their programming from Channels 4 and 9. See “— Channel 4 Network”. The remaining programs aired consist primarily of programs licensed from our program library and locally produced programs. The locally produced programs include news, game shows, musicals and other cultural programs and programs offering professional advice. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, the local television stations owned by us produced 38,900 hours, 43,300 hours and 48,100 hours, respectively, of programming. Each of the local affiliates maintains its own sales department and sells advertising time during broadcasts of programs that it produces and/or licenses. Generally, we pay the affiliate stations that we do not wholly own a fixed percentage of advertising sales for network affiliation.
According to the Política Nacional para la Introducción de los Servicios de Televisión Digital Terrestre or the National Policy for the Introduction of Terrestrial Digital Television Services in Mexico dictated by the SCT, six of the 18 local stations wholly owned have obtained licenses to transmit DTV services in their service area during the transition period estimated to end by year 2021. These six DTV stations are in place and fully operational.
Border Stations. We currently own a television station on the Mexico/U.S. border that broadcasts English-language programs, as an affiliate of the Fox Television network under an affiliation agreement with Fox, and under renewable permits issued by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, to the station and to Fox Television that authorize electronic cross-border programming transmissions. The station, XETV, is licensed to Tijuana and serves the San Diego television market. XETV is operated through a station operating agreement with Bay City Television, a U.S. corporation indirectly owned by Televisa. XETV’s FCC cross-border permit was renewed in 2003 for a five-year term expiring in June 2008. Fox’s cross-border FCC permit was renewed in December 2006 for a five-year term expiring November 1, 2011. The Fox affiliation agreement for XETV expires in 2008. We have been informed by Fox about its intention not to extend the term of the agreement. We are considering possible actions to be taken by the Company, including litigation against Fox for breach of contract.
Advertising Sales Plan. Our sales force is organized into separate teams, each of which focuses on a particular segment of our business. We sell commercial time in two ways: upfront and scatter basis. Advertisers that elect the upfront option lock in prices for the upcoming year, regardless of future price changes. Advertisers that choose the upfront option make annual prepayments, with cash or short-term notes, and are charged the lowest rates for their commercial time, given the highest priority in schedule placement, and given a first option in advertising during special programs. Scatter advertisers, or advertisers who choose not to make upfront payments but rather advertise from time to time, risk both higher prices and lack of access to choice commercial time slots. We sell advertising to our customers on a cost per rating point basis. For a description of our advertising sales plan, see “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Total Segment Results — Advertising Rates and Sales”.
We currently sell only a portion of our available television advertising time. We use a portion of our television advertising time to satisfy our legal obligation to the Mexican government to provide Official Television Broadcast Time, and our remaining available television advertising time to promote, among other things, our television products. We sold approximately 66%, 63% and 59% of total available national advertising time on our networks during prime time broadcasts in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively, and approximately 56%, 52% and 50% of total available national advertising time during all time periods in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. See “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Total Segment Results — Television Broadcasting”.
Pay Television Networks. We produce or license a suite of Spanish and English-language television channels for pay-TV systems in Mexico, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia. These channels include programming such as general entertainment, telenovelas, movies and music-related shows, interviews and videos. Some of the programming included in these channels is produced by us while other programming is acquired or commissioned from third parties. As of December 2007, we had over 18.2 million subscribers worldwide.

 

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In 2005, 2006 and 2007, we produced approximately 7,900 hours, 10,100 hours and 10,100 hours, respectively, of programming and videos, for broadcast on our pay-TV channels. The names and brands of our channels include: Telehit , Ritmoson Latino , Bandamax , De Película , De Película Clásico , Unicable , Cinema Golden Choice 1 & 2, Cinema Golden Choice Latinoamérica, Canal de Telenovelas , American Network , Canal de las Estrellas Latinoamérica, Canal de las Estrellas Europa , Canal 2 Delay-2hrs and Clasico TV.
TuTv, which operates and distributes a suite of Spanish-language television channels in the United States, began operations in the second quarter of 2003 and currently distributes five cable channels, including two movie channels and three channels featuring music videos, celebrity lifestyle and interviews and entertainment news programming. See “— Univision”. In May 2003, TuTv entered into a five-year distribution agreement with EchoStar Communications Corporation to distribute three of TuTv’s five channels. The term of such agreement was extended in 2007, and it will expire in May 2009. See “— Univision”.
Programming Exports. We license our programs and our rights to programs produced by other television broadcasters and pay-TV providers in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Europe and Africa. We collect licensing fees based on the size of the market for which the license is granted or on a percentage of the advertising sales generated from the programming. In addition to the programming licensed to Univision, we licensed approximately 52,900 hours, 48,927 hours and 60,308 hours of programming in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. See “— Univision” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Total Segment Results — Programming Exports”. As of December 31, 2007, we had approximately 208,378 half-hours of television programming in our library available for licensing.
Expansion of Programming Reach. Our programs can be seen in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Europe and Africa. We intend to continue to expand our sales of Spanish-language programming internationally through pay-TV services.
Publishing
Publishing
We believe we are the most important publisher and distributor of magazines in Mexico, and of Spanish-language magazines in the world, as measured by circulation.
With a total circulation of approximately 165 million copies in 2007, we publish 92 titles that are distributed in 20 countries, including the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru and Panama, among others. See “— Publishing Distribution”. Our main publications in Mexico include a weekly entertainment and telenovelas magazine, TV y Novelas , Vanidades , a popular bi-weekly magazine for women; Caras , a fortnightly leading lifestyle and socialite magazine; Eres , a bi-weekly magazine for teenagers; Conozca Más , a monthly science and culture magazine; and Furia Musical , a bi-weekly musical magazine that promotes principally Banda and Onda Grupera music performers. Our other main publications in Latin America and the United States include Vanidades, TV y Novelas U.S.A. and Caras.
We publish the Spanish-language edition of several magazines, including Cosmopolitan , Good Housekeeping , Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen , and Popular Mechanics through a joint venture with Hearst Communications, Inc.; PC Magazine and EGM Electronic Gaming Monthly , pursuant to a license agreement with Ziff-Davis Media, Inc.; Maxim , pursuant to a license agreement with Alpha Media Group, Inc.; Marie Claire , pursuant to a license agreement with Marie Claire Album; Men’s Health and Prevention , pursuant to a license agreement with Rodale Press, Inc.; ESPN Magazine pursuant to a license agreement with ESPN Magazine, LLC; Sport Life and Automóvil Panamericano , as well as other special editions of popular automotive magazines, through a joint venture with Motorpress Iberica, S.A.; Muy Interesante and Padres e Hijos pursuant to a joint venture with GyJ España Ediciones, S.L.C. en C.; Disney Princesas , Disney Winnie Pooh, Disney Hadas, Power Rangers and W.I.T.C.H ., pursuant to a license agreement with Disney Consumer Products Latin America, Inc. and Nick pursuant to a license agreement with MTV Networks Latin America, Inc. We also publish a Spanish-language edition of National Geographic and of National Geographic Kids in Latin America and in the United States through a licensing agreement with National Geographic Society.
In the second half of 2007, we acquired Editorial Atlántida, a leading publishing company in Argentina, for approximately U.S.$78.8 million. Editorial Atlántida publishes a total of 11 magazines and operates a book publishing business, interactive websites, and numerous brand-extension projects.

 

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During 2007, we launched five new titles of which two are fully-owned (namely, Cinemania , a monthly movies magazine, and Lola, Erase Una Vez , a telenovela-themed magazine) and three are licensed from third parties (namely, the Spanish version of National Geographic Traveler , pursuant to a license agreement with National Geographic Society, the Spanish language version of Woman’s Health and Runner’s World pursuant to a license agreement with Rodale, Inc.).
Publishing Distribution
We estimate that we distribute approximately 60%, in terms of volume, of the magazines circulated in Mexico through our subsidiary, Distribuidora Intermex, S.A. de C.V., or Intermex. We believe that our distribution network reaches over 300 million Spanish-speaking people in 20 countries, including Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru and Panama. We also estimate that our distribution network reaches over 25,000 points of sale in Mexico and over 80,000 points of sale outside of Mexico. We also own publishing distribution operations in six countries. Our publications are also sold in the United States, the Caribbean and elsewhere through independent distributors. In 2006 and 2007, 75% and 70.7%, respectively, of the publications distributed by our company were published by our Publishing division. In addition, our distribution network sells a number of publications published by joint ventures and independent publishers, as well as DVD’s, calling cards and other consumer products.
Cable and Telecom
The Cable Television Industry in Mexico. Cable television offers multiple channels of entertainment, news and informational programs to subscribers who pay a monthly fee. These fees are based on the package of channels they receive. See “— Digital Cable Television Services”. According to Mexico’s cable television trade organization, Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Televisión por Cable , or CANITEC, there were approximately 1,150 cable concessions in Mexico as of December 31, 2007, serving approximately 4 million subscribers.
Mexico City Cable System. We own a 51% interest in Cablevisión, one of the most important cable television operators in Mexico, which provides cable television services to subscribers in Mexico City and surrounding areas. As of December 31, 2006 and 2007, Cablevisión had over 496,500 and 551,400 basic subscribers, respectively. As of December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, approximately 283,200, 496,500 and 551,400 subscribers, respectively, were digital subscribers. CPOs, each representing two series A shares and one series B share of Cablevisión, are traded on the Mexican Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “CABLE”.
Digital Cable Television Services. Cablevisión is the first multi-system operator in Mexico to offer an on-screen interactive programming guide, video on demand, high definition channels as well as Motorola and TiVo ® DVR services throughout Mexico City. Along with its digital cable service, Cablevisión also offers high speed internet and a competitive digital telephone service in a 100% bundled portfolio. Through its world class network, Cablevisión is able to distribute high quality video content, unique video services, last generation interactivity with “Cablevisión On Demand”, 1080i high definition, impulse and order pay-per-view, a-la-carte programming, among other products and services, with added value features and premium solutions for consumers. Cablevisión 100% digital cable service offers five main programming packages options ranging in price from Ps.289.00 to Ps.635.00 (VAT included), which include up to 262 linear channels: 198 video channels (this comprises 10 over-the-air channels, Fox, ESPN, CNN International, HBO, Disney Channel, TNT, and others), 56 audio channels and 26 pay-per-view channels.
Pay-Per-View Channels. Cablevisión currently offers 26 pay-per-view cable television channels in each of its digital service packages. Pay-per-view channels show films and special events programs, including sports and musical events.
Cable Television Revenues. Cablevisión’s revenues are generated from subscriptions for its cable services and from sales of advertising to local and national advertisers. Subscriber revenues come from monthly service and rental fees, and to a lesser extent, one-time installation fees. Its current monthly service fees range in price from Ps.289.00 to Ps.635.00. See “— Digital Cable Television Services”. The Mexican government does not currently regulate the rates Cablevisión charges for its basic and digital premium service packages, although we cannot assure you that the Mexican government will not regulate Cablevisión’s rates in the future. If the SCT were to determine that the size and nature of Cablevisión’s market presence was significant enough so as to have an anti-competitive effect, then the SCT could regulate the rates Cablevisión charges for its various services.
Cable Television Initiatives. Cablevisión plans to continue offering the following multimedia communications services to its subscribers:
   
enhanced programming services, including video games; and
   
IP telephony services.

 

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In May 2007, Cablevisión received a concession to offer fixed telephony services through its network. On July 2, 2007, Cablevisión began to offer IP telephony services in certain areas of Mexico City and by the end of 2008 plans to offer the service in every area in which its network is bidirectional.
In order to provide these multimedia communications services, Cablevisión requires a cable network with bi-directional capability operating at a speed of at least 750 MHz and a digital set-top box. In order to provide these new services, Cablevisión is in the process of upgrading its existing cable network. Cablevisión’s cable network currently consists of more than 12,086 kilometers with over 1.56 million homes passed. In 2007, Cablevisión expanded its network by over 400 kilometers. As of December 31, 2007, 17.17% of Cablevisión’s network runs at least at 450 MHz, approximately 5.96% of Cablevisión’s network runs at least at 550 MHz, approximately 15.82% of Cablevisión’s network runs at least at 750 MHz, approximately 46.5% runs at least at 870 MHz, approximately 14.54% of Cablevisión’s network runs at least at 1 GHz, and approximately 80.13% of Cablevisión’s network has bidirectional capability.
In December 2007, our indirect majority-owned subsidiary, Cablestar, completed the acquisition of shares of companies owning the majority of the assets of Bestel, a privately held, facilities-based telecommunications company in Mexico, for U.S.$256.0 million in cash plus an additional capital contribution of U.S.$69.0 million. In connection with the financing of the acquisition of the majority of the assets of Bestel, Cablemás, TVI and Cablevisión, which hold 15.4%, 15.4% and 69.2% of the equity stock of Cablestar, respectively, entered into five year term loan facilities for U.S.$50.0 million, U.S.$50.0 million and U.S.$225.0 million, respectively. These loans are intended to be syndicated during the life of the facilities. Bestel focuses on providing data and long-distance services solutions to carriers and other telecommunications service providers in both Mexico and the United States. Bestel owns a fiber-optic network of approximately 8,000 kilometers that covers several important cities and economic regions in Mexico and has direct crossing of its network into Dallas, Texas and San Diego, California in the United States. This enables the company to provide connectivity between the United States and Mexico.
Other Businesses
Televisa Digital. Televisa Digital is our online and wireless content division. This venture includes Esmas, our Spanish-language horizontal internet portal; Esmas Móvil, our wireless value added service unit; Gyggs, our social networking site; and Esmas Player, our new media business unit that operates our music on demand, video on demand, live TV and media manager for our users. Televisa Digital leverages our unique and extensive Spanish-language content, including news, sports, business, music and entertainment, editorials, life and style, technology, culture, shopping, health, kids and an opinion survey channel, and offers a variety of services, including search engines, chat forums, recruitment services and news bulletins. With a wide range of content channels, online and mobile services, and with more than 165 million page views, and approximately 7.5 million monthly unique users in 2007, we believe that Esmas.com has positioned itself as one of the leading digital entertainment portals in Mexico and Hispanic territories. Currently, 55% of our traffic is from Mexico and the rest comes from the U.S. and Latin America. Currently, we control 100% of the venture.
In connection with the series of agreements we entered into with Univision in December 2001, as described under “— Univision”, we amended the previous PLA such that, for a five-year period ending in December 2006, we agreed to limit our rights to transmit over the internet our programming to which Univision had television rights in the United States. For a description of current litigation we filed against Univision relating to our rights with respect to internet distribution, see “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Business — Current Litigation We Are Engaged In With Univision May Affect Our Relationship With Univision.”
Since April 2004, Esmas.com has been offering premium content service to mobile phones while leveraging the cell phone networks in Mexico, the U.S., Latin America and Spain. Esmas.com sent approximately 220 million and 170 million messages to approximately 9.5 million and 9.0 million mobile phone users, respectively.
The offered service consists of text information of sports, news, events, sweepstakes, contests, downloading of photos and ring-tones. We believe that due to the Mexican public’s affinity for the high quality and wide range of Televisa’s programming content, Esmas.com has become one of the leading Premium Short Message Service, or PSMS, content providers in Mexico and in Latin America.

 

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Sports and Show Business Promotions. We actively promote a wide variety of sports events and cultural, musical and other entertainment productions in Mexico. Most of these events and productions are broadcast on our television stations, cable television system, radio stations and DTH satellite services. See “— Television — Programming”, “— Cable and Telecom — Digital Cable Television Services”, “— Cable and Telecom — Pay-Per-View Channels”, “— Radio Stations”, and “— DTH Joint Ventures — Mexico and Central America”.
Soccer. We have title to some of Mexico’s professional soccer teams. These teams currently play in the Mexican First Division and are among the most popular and successful teams in Mexico. In 2005, América , one of our teams, won the Mexican First Division championship played during the first season of 2005. Each team plays two 17 game regular seasons per year. The best teams of each regular season engage in post-season championship play.
We own the Azteca Stadium which has a seating capacity of approximately 105,000 people. Azteca Stadium has hosted two World Cup Soccer Championships. In addition, América and the Mexican National Soccer team generally play their home games at this stadium. We have exclusive rights to broadcast the home games of certain Mexican First Division soccer teams.
Promotions. We promote a wide variety of concerts and other shows, including beauty pageants, song festivals and nightclub shows of popular Mexican and international artists.
Feature Film Production and Distribution. We produce first-run Spanish-language feature films, some of which are among Mexico’s top films based on box office receipts. We co-produced two feature films in 2005, none in 2006 and four in 2007, and have co-produced one feature film between January and March 2008. We have previously established co-production arrangements with Mexican film production companies, as well as with major international companies such as Miravista, Warner Bros. and Plural Entertainment and Lions Gate Films. We will continue to consider entering into co-production arrangements with third parties in the future, although no assurance can be given in this regard.
We distribute our films to Mexican movie theaters and later release them on video for broadcast on cable and network television. In 2005 and 2006, we released two and two, respectively, of our feature films through movie theaters, including La Última Noche and Puños Rosas . We also distribute our feature films outside of Mexico.
We have a first option to purchase rights in Mexico to distribute feature films of CIE in movie theatres and broadcast these films on our cable and television networks. We have not purchased any feature films from CIE in 2005, 2006 or 2007.
We distribute feature films produced by non-Mexican producers in Mexico. Under an agreement with Warner Bros. which we extended in 2007 until December 31, 2009, we are the exclusive distributor in Mexico of feature films produced by Warner Bros. In 2005, 2006, 2007 and up to March 2008 we distributed 52, 40, 49 and 14 feature films, respectively, including several U.S. box office hits. We also distribute independently produced non-Mexican and Mexican films in Mexico, the United States and Latin America.
At December 31, 2007, we owned or had rights to approximately 744 Spanish-language films and 186 movies on video titles. Many of these films and titles have been shown on our television networks, cable system and DTH services.
Gaming Business. In May 2005, we obtained the Gaming Permit from the Secretaría de Gobernación and in 2006 we launched our gaming business. As of April 30, 2008, we had 16 bingo and sports books halls open and operating under the brand name “Play City”. We plan to open 65 bingo and sports books halls in total over the course of the next five years. In addition, in 2007 we launched Multijuegos, an online lottery with access to a nationwide network of electronic terminals. Our principal competitors in the gaming industry are, with respect to bingo and sports books halls, CIE and Grupo Caliente and, with respect to Multijuegos, the governmental lotteries of Pronósticos and Lotería Nacional.
Radio Stations. Our radio business, Sistema Radiópolis, S.A. de C.V., or Radiópolis, is operated under a joint venture with Grupo Prisa, S.A., a leading Spanish communications group. Under this joint venture, we hold a controlling 50% full voting stake in this subsidiary and we have the right to appoint the majority of the members of the joint venture’s board of directors. Except in the case of matters that require unanimous board and/or stockholder approval, such as extraordinary corporate transactions, the removal of directors and the amendment of the joint venture’s organizational documents, among others, we control the outcome of most matters that require board of directors and/or stockholder approval. We also have the right to appoint Radiópolis’s Chief Financial Officer. The election of Radiópolis’s Chief Executive Officer requires a unanimous vote from the joint venture’s board of directors.

 

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Radiópolis owns and operates 17 radio stations in Mexico, including three AM and three FM radio stations in Mexico City, five AM and two FM radio stations in Guadalajara, one AM station in Monterrey, one FM radio station in Mexicali and repeater radio stations of XEW-AM in San Luis Potosí and Veracruz. Some Radiópolis stations transmit powerful signals which reach beyond the market areas they serve. For example, XEW-AM and XEWA-AM transmit signals that under certain conditions may reach the southern part of the United States. XEW-AM may also reach most of southern Mexico. In June 2004, Radiópolis entered into an agreement with Radiorama, S.A. de C.V., or Radiorama, one of Mexico’s leading radio networks, which added 41 affiliate stations (22 AM and 19 FM) to Radiópolis’ existing network, expanding its total network, including owned and operated and affiliate stations, to 90 stations (including 13 combination stations). After giving effect to the transaction with Radiorama, we estimate that Radiópolis’ radio stations reach 38 cities in Mexico. Our programs aired through our radio stations network reach approximately 70% percent of Mexico’s population. We plan to continue exploring expanding the reach of our radio programming and advertising through affiliations with third parties and through acquisitions.
According to Investigadores Internacionales Asociados, S.C., or INRA, in 2005, 2006 and 2007, XEW-AM ranked, on average, ninth, eighth and tenth, respectively, among the 34 stations in the Mexico City metropolitan area AM market, XEQ-FM, ranked, on average, eleventh, sixth and seventh, respectively, among the 29 stations in the Mexico City metropolitan area FM market, and XEBA ranked, on average, second, first and second, respectively, among 26 stations in the Guadalajara City metropolitan FM market. INRA conducts daily door-to-door and automobiles interviews in the Mexico City metropolitan area to determine radio listeners’ preferences. Outside Mexico City, INRA conducts periodic surveys. We believe that no other independent surveys of this nature are routinely conducted in Mexico.
Our radio stations use various program formats, which target specific audiences and advertisers, and cross-promote the talent, content and programming of many of our other businesses, including television, sports and news. We produce some of Mexico’s top-rated radio formats, including W Radio (News-talk), Estadio W (Sports), Ke Buena (Mexican music), 40 Principales (Pop music) and Besame Radio (Spanish ballads). W Radio, Ke Buena and 40 Principales formats are also broadcast through the internet.
The successful exclusive radio broadcasting of the 2006 Soccer World Cup placed Radiópolis among the highest rating sports-broadcasting radio stations in Mexico.
During the last four years, Radiópolis has organized 16 massive live musical events with leading artists in both musical formats, gathering a record attendance of approximately 90,000 people during the last nine events, which were performed at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The events organized by Radiópolis have become among the most popular music-related events among the musical radio stations in Mexico.
Radio Advertising. We sell both national and local advertising on our radio stations. Our radio advertising sales force sells advertising time primarily on a scatter basis. See” — Television — Television Broadcasting — Advertising Sales Plan”. In addition, we use some of our available radio advertising time to satisfy our legal obligation to the Mexican government to provide up to 35 minutes per day of our broadcast time, between 6:00 a.m. and midnight for public service announcements, and 30 minutes per day for official programming (referred to in this annual report as “Official Radio Broadcast Time”).
Investments
OCEN. In October 2002, we acquired a 40% stake in Ocesa Entretenimiento, S.A. de C.V., or OCEN, a subsidiary of CIE, which owns all of the assets related to CIE’s live entertainment business unit in Mexico. OCEN’s business includes the production and promotion of concerts, theatrical, family and cultural events, as well as the operation of entertainment venues, the sale of entrance tickets (under an agreement with Ticketmaster Corporation), food, beverages and souvenirs, the organization of special and corporate events and the booking and management of Latin singers. As part of the agreement, OCEN has access to our media assets to promote its events throughout Mexico, and we have the right of first refusal to broadcast on our over-the-air channels and pay-TV ventures movies and events produced and distributed by CIE.
During 2005, OCEN acquired for U.S.$1.6 million, 51% of a company named As Deporte, S.A. de C.V., the principal marathon and athletic competition producer in Mexico, and promoter of other sporting events, such as the Ironman competition. Additionally, OCEN sold, for U.S.$2.0 million, 60% of a company named Creatividad y Espectaculos, S.A. de C.V., or Audiencias Cautivas, a corporate events producer in Mexico.
During 2007, OCEN promoted more than 4,270 events and managed 14 entertainment venues in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, providing an entertainment platform that has helped establish OCEN as a principal live entertainment company in Mexico.
Mutual Fund Venture. In October 2002, we entered into a joint venture with a group of investors, including Manuel Robleda, former president of the Mexican Stock Exchange, to establish “Más Fondos”, the first mutual fund distribution company in Mexico. Más Fondos sells mutual funds that are owned and managed by third parties to individual and institutional investors, and currently distributes 151 funds managed by twelve entities. The company operates under a license granted by the CNBV. We currently have a 40.84% interest in Más Fondos.

 

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Volaris. In October 2005, we acquired a 25% interest in Controladora Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A. de C.V. and in Concesionaria Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A. de C.V., (jointly, “Vuela”), pursuant to which we made a capital contribution in the amount of U.S.$25.0 million. During 2006, we made capital contributions of U.S.$7.5 million, and in 2008 we will make capital contributions of up to U.S.$12.0 million. We are not obligated to make any further capital contributions to Vuela. Vuela has obtained a concession to own, manage and operate a low-cost carrier airline in Mexico, which is called Volaris. Volaris began operations in March 2006. Our partners in this venture are Sinca Inbursa, S.A. de C.V., The Discovery Americas I, L.P., a private equity fund managed by Protego Asesores Financieros and Discovery Capital Corporation, and Grupo TACA, one of the leading airline operators in Latin America. We provide the in-flight entertainment for Volaris. For a description of the transaction, see “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions — Related Party Transactions — Transactions and Arrangements With Our Directors and Officers”.
La Sexta. In November 2005, the government of Spain granted a concession for a nationwide free-to-air analog television channel and two nationwide free-to-air digital television channels to La Sexta, a consortium that includes Televisa, which holds a 40% equity interest therein; Grupo Arbol and the Mediapro Group, which control a 51% equity interest, indirectly, through their interest in GAMP; and as of November 2006, Gala, which holds a 9% equity interest which it acquired from GAMP.
As part of the agreement with our partners to (i) complete funding the La Sexta business plan in its entirety for the first three years of operations, and (ii) to acquire part of the capital stock of Imagina (formerly, “Grupo Afinia”), an entity which resulted from the merger between the Mediapro Group and Grupo Arbol, we received, among other rights, a call option under which we had the right to subscribe, at a price of €80.0 million, a percentage of the capital stock of Imagina that was to be determined by the application of a formula related to the enterprise value of Imagina at the time of the exercise of the call option.
In exchange for the call option and certain other rights granted in connection therewith, we agreed to grant Mediapro Arbol, an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Imagina, a credit facility for up to 80.0 million Euros to be used exclusively for equity contributions by Imagina to La Sexta; provided, among other obligations, that if a third party acquired a portion of the capital stock of Imagina, and any borrowings had been made thereunder, the credit facility would be cancelled and any outstanding amount would have to be repaid to us with the proceeds from the acquisition by the third party.
In March 2007, Torreal Sociedad de Capital de Riesgo de Regimen Simplificado, S.A., acquired a 20% stake in Imagina. As a result of such acquisition, (i) the credit facility has been cancelled, and no repayment of the credit facility was necessary because no borrowings had been made thereunder; and (ii) our partners decided to terminate the call option granted to us in connection with the possible Imagina investment and paid a €29 million termination fee.
With the investment in La Sexta, we expect to capitalize on the size and growth trends in Spain’s advertising market, as well as the potential synergies between the country’s entertainment market and our current markets. La Sexta began broadcasting on March 27, 2006.
During 2008, we will make additional capital contributions of €44.4 million. We are not obligated and do not expect to have to make any additional contributions in the near future.
During the period from January 1, 2008 through June 13, 2008, we made additional capital contributions related to our 40% interest in La Sexta in the aggregate amount of €24.8 million.
For a description of our commitments of capital contributions in 2007 and 2008 related to this investment, See “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments — Contractual Obligations Off the Balance Sheet.”
Walmex. In January 2006, we entered into an agreement with Wal-Mart de México, or Walmex, pursuant to which we deployed, in almost 300 of their stores, a digital signage network which is a form of in-store advertising in which content and messages are displayed on liquid-crystal displays, or LCD screens, typically with the goal of delivering targeted messages to specific locations at specific times. The network uses IP to broadcast, at every venue, tailor made content we produce specifically for this kind of point-of-purchase private television network which includes news, entertainment, and the production of the advertisement spots for Walmex’s suppliers.

 

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TVI. In March 2006, our subsidiary CVQ acquired a 50% interest in TVI, in the amount of Ps.798.3 million, which was substantially paid in cash. We agreed to pay additional purchase price adjustments based on the terms of the purchase agreement. These purchase price adjustments were for Ps.19.3 million in the second quarter of 2006, Ps.19.2 million in the first quarter of 2007 and Ps.19.4 million in the first quarter of 2008. No additional purchase price adjustments are required under the agreement. In addition, as part of the agreement, we agreed to provide funding to TVI in the form of a loan in the nominal amount of Ps. 240.6 million, which has been converted into capital stock. The ownership structure of TVI was not changed after the capitalization of the loan.
TVI is a telecommunications company offering pay television, data and voice services in the metropolitan area of Monterrey. As of December 31, 2007, it had 784,948 homes passed, served more than 164,800 cable television subscribers, 71,400 high-speed internet subscribers and 16,300 telephone lines.
CVQ notified the Mexican Antitrust Commission of its intent to acquire a 50% interest in TVI, and after appealing the decision of such authority at the first stage of the process on February 23, 2007, the Mexican Antitrust Commission authorized the intended acquisition, subject to compliance with certain conditions. We believe that as of the date of this annual report, CVQ has complied on a regular basis with all of such conditions. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Mexico — Mexican Antitrust Laws May Limit Our Ability to Expand Through Acquisitions or Joint Ventures”.
Alvafig. In November 2006, we invested U.S.$258.0 million in long-term notes convertible, at our option and subject to regulatory approval, into 99.99% of the equity of Alvafig, which holds 49% of the voting equity of Cablemás. In February 2008, we invested U.S.$100.0 million in an additional issuance of long-term notes of Alvafig, which proceeds were used by Alvafig to acquire limited voting shares of Cablemás equity, convertible into ordinary voting shares, which represent approximately 11% of Cablemás aggregate capital stock. Cablemás operates in 48 cities. As of December 31, 2007, the Cablemás cable network served more than 797,000 cable television subscribers, 220,400 high-speed internet subscribers and 41,000 IP-telephony lines, with approximately 2,200,000 homes passed. On August 8, 2007, the Mexican Antitrust Commission authorized, subject to compliance with certain conditions, the conversion of our long-term notes into 99.99% of the equity of Alvafig, and on December 11, 2007, after we appealed the first decision of the Mexican Antitrust Commission, the conversion of our long-term convertible notes into 99.99% of the equity of Alvafig was authorized subject to compliance with certain new conditions. These conditions include, among others, that we make available certain channels to pay-TV operators on non-discriminatory terms and that our pay-TV platforms carry upon request and subject to certain conditions, over the air channels operating in the same geographic zones where such pay-TV platforms provide their services. On May 13, 2008, the Mexican Antitrust Commission announced that the Company has complied with the conditions imposed by the Mexican Antitrust Commission, authorizing the conversion by the Company of the convertible long-term notes issued by Alvafig into 99.99% of its capital stock. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the Company must comply with the Mexican Antitrust Commission’s conditions on a continued basis. On May 16, 2008, we converted all of the convertible long-term notes into 99.99% of the capital stock of Alvafig.
We have investments in several other businesses. See Note 5 to our year-end financial statements.
DTH Joint Ventures
Background. In November 1995, we, along with Globopar, News Corp. and, at a later date, Liberty Media, agreed to form a number of joint ventures to develop and operate DTH satellite services for Latin America and the Caribbean basin.
In October 1997, we and our partners formed MCOP, a U.S. partnership in which we, News Corp., and Globopar each indirectly held a 30% interest and in which Liberty Media indirectly held a 10% interest, to make investments in, and to supply programming and other services to, the Sky platforms in Latin America outside of Mexico and Brazil. DIRECTV purchased all of our equity interests in MCOP in November 2005. In addition, until October 2004, each of Televisa, News Corp., Globopar and Liberty Media indirectly held an interest (in the same proportion as their interests in MCOP were then held) in Sky Latin America Partners, or ServiceCo, a U.S. partnership formed to provide certain business and management services, and DTH Techco Partners, or TechCo, a U.S. partnership formed to provide certain technical services from two uplink facilities located in Florida. DIRECTV purchased all of our equity interests in TechCo in October 2005.
Digital Ku-band DTH satellite services commenced operations for the first time in Mexico and Brazil in the fourth quarter of 1996, in Colombia in the fourth quarter of 1997, in Chile in the fourth quarter of 1998 and in Argentina in the fourth quarter of 2000. We indirectly own interests in DTH satellite joint ventures in Mexico and Central America. In July 2002, we ceased operations in Argentina. We do not own any equity interest in the venture in Brazil. No assurance can be given that the DTH joint venture we currently run or that we may own in the future will be successful. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Business — We Have Experienced Substantial Losses, Primarily in Respect of Our Investments in Innova, and May Continue to Experience Substantial Losses as a Result of Our Participation in Innova, Which Would Adversely Affect Our Net Income”.

 

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For a description of capital contributions and loans we have made to date to those ventures, see “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Capital Resources — Capital Expenditures, Acquisitions and Investments, Distributions and Other Sources of Liquidity” and “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions — Related Party Transactions — Capital Contributions and Loans”.
We have also been developing channels exclusively for pay-TV broadcast. Through our relationship with DIRECTV, we expect that our DTH satellite service will continue to negotiate favorable terms for programming rights with both third parties in Mexico and with international suppliers from the United States, Europe and Latin America and elsewhere.
In December 2003, News Corp. acquired a 34% equity interest in DIRECTV, and transferred its ownership interest in DIRECTV to Fox Entertainment Group, Inc., an 82% owned subsidiary of News Corp. Innova’s Social Part Holders Agreement provides that neither we nor News Corp. nor DIRECTV may directly or indirectly operate or acquire an interest in any business that operates a DTH satellite system in Mexico and other countries in Central America and the Caribbean (subject to limited exceptions).
In October 2004, DIRECTV Mexico announced that it was shutting down its operations and we, Innova, News Corp., DIRECTV, Liberty Media and Globopar entered into a series of agreements relating to our DTH joint ventures. With respect to the DTH joint venture in Mexico:
   
Innova and DIRECTV Mexico entered into a purchase and sale agreement, pursuant to which Innova agreed to purchase DIRECTV Mexico’s subscriber list for two promissory notes with an aggregate original principal amount of approximately Ps.665.7 million;
   
Innova and DIRECTV Mexico entered into a letter agreement which provided for cash payments to be made by Innova or DIRECTV Mexico based on the number of subscribers successfully migrating to Innova, the applicable sign-up fees for migrating subscribers, or certain migrated subscribers churning shortly after migration, among other specified payments under the agreement;
   
Innova, Innova Holdings and News Corp. entered into an option agreement, pursuant to which News Corp. was granted options to acquire up to a 15% equity interest in each of Innova and Innova Holdings, dependent upon the number of subscribers successfully migrating to Innova, in exchange for the two promissory notes referred above that were delivered to DIRECTV Mexico;
   
DIRECTV and News Corp. entered into a purchase agreement pursuant to which DIRECTV acquired (i) the right (which DIRECTV concurrently assigned to DTVLA) to purchase from News Corp. the options granted to News Corp. by Innova and Innova Holdings to purchase up to an additional 15% of the outstanding equity of each of such entities pursuant to the option agreement described above and (ii) the right to acquire News Corp.’s 30% interest in Innova and Innova Holdings;
   
DIRECTV and Liberty Media, entered into a purchase agreement pursuant to which DIRECTV agreed to purchase all of Liberty Media’s 10% interest in Innova and Innova Holdings for U.S.$88.0 million in cash. DIRECTV agreed that we may purchase two-thirds ( 2/3) of any equity interest in Innova and Innova Holdings sold by Liberty Media;
   
pursuant to the DTH agreement we entered into with News Corp., Innova, DIRECTV and DTVLA, with respect to certain DTH platforms owned or operated by News Corp. or DIRECTV or their affiliates and subject to certain restrictions, we have the right to require carriage of five of our channels on any such platform serving Latin America (including Puerto Rico but excluding Mexico, Brazil and countries in Central America), two of our channels on any such platform serving the United States or Canada, and one of our channels on any such platform serving areas other than the United States and Latin America;
   
we, News Corp., Innova, DIRECTV and DTVLA entered into a DTH agreement that, among other things, governs the rights of the parties with respect to DTVLA’s announced shutdown of its Mexican DTH business, planned shutdown of its existing DTH business in certain countries in Central America, the carriage of certain of our programming channels by Innova and other DTH platforms of DIRECTV, DTVLA, News Corp. and their respective affiliates, and the waiver and potential release of certain claims between certain of the parties; and
   
we and Innova entered into a channel licensing agreement pursuant to which Innova will pay us a royalty fee to carry our over-the-air channels on its DTH service.

 

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In connection with the October 2004 reorganization, with respect to the DTH joint ventures elsewhere in Latin America:
   
we entered into a purchase and sale agreement with DIRECTV, pursuant to which, among other things, (i) DIRECTV acquired all of our direct equity interests in ServiceCo, (ii) DIRECTV agreed to purchase all of our indirect equity interests in MCOP and (iii) DIRECTV has agreed to indemnify us for any and all losses arising out of our status as a partner in MCOP;
   
DIRECTV also agreed to purchase each of News Corp.’s, Liberty Media’s and Globopar’s equity interests in TechCo (a U.S. partnership formed to provide technical services from a main uplink facility in Miami Lakes, Florida and a redundancy site in Port St. Lucie, Florida), ServiceCo and MCOP; and
   
PanAmSat Corporation (now Intelsat Corporation) unconditionally released us from any and all obligations related to the MCOP transponder lease.
In February 2006, DIRECTV notified us that the DTH business operations of DIRECTV Mexico have ceased and the following transactions were completed:
   
DIRECTV Holdings exercised its right to acquire News Corp.’s 30% interest in Innova and DTVLA exercised the right to purchase the options granted to News Corp. by Innova and Innova Holdings to purchase up to an additional 12% of the outstanding equity of each of such entities pursuant to the previously disclosed option agreement;
   
DTVLA exercised an option to purchase 12% of Innova and Innova Holdings which was based on the number of subscribers successfully migrating to Innova, by delivering to Innova and Innova Holdings the two promissory notes issued in connection with Innova’s purchase of DIRECTV Mexico’s subscriber list for cancellation in October 2004;
   
DIRECTV Mexico made cash payments to Innova totaling approximately U.S.$2.7 million pursuant to a letter agreement entered into by both parties in October 2004 in connection with the purchase of the DIRECTV Mexico’s subscriber list. The payments were made due to certain ineligible subscribers, applicable sign-up costs, and other costs under the side letter;
   
DIRECTV Holdings purchased all of Liberty Media’s 10% interest in Innova. As described below, we exercised the right to acquire two-thirds of this 10% equity interest acquired from Liberty Media; and
   
we entered into an amended and restated guaranty with PanAmSat Corporation (now Intelsat Corporation) pursuant to which the proportionate share of Innova’s transponder lease obligation guaranteed by us was to cover a percentage of the transponder lease obligations equal to our percentage ownership of Innova. As a result of our acquisition of two-thirds of the equity interests that from Liberty Media, the guarantee has been readjusted to cover a percentage of the transponder lease obligations equal to our percentage ownership of Innova.
On April 27, 2006 we acquired two-thirds of the equity interests that DIRECTV acquired from Liberty Media, therefore we and DIRECTV own 58.7% and 41.3%, respectively, of Innova’s equity.
DIRECTV also purchased all of our equity interests in TechCo in October 2005 and in MCOP in November 2005. As a result of these transactions, both TechCo and MCOP are wholly owned by DIRECTV.
On March 27, 2008 News Corp. and Liberty Media announced the closing of a series of transactions, including a transaction in which Liberty obtained a controlling stake in DIRECTV whereby News Corp. transferred to Liberty its 41% interest in DIRECTV’s outstanding shares. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Business — We Have Experienced Substantial Losses, Primarily in Respect of Our Investments in Innova, and May Continue to Experience Substantial Losses as a Result of Our Participation in Innova, Which Would Adversely Affect Our Net Income”.

 

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Mexico and Central America. We operate “Sky”, our DTH satellite joint venture in Mexico, through Innova. We indirectly own 58.7% of this joint venture. As of December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, Innova’s DTH satellite pay-TV service had approximately 1,250,600, 1,430,100 and 1,585,100 gross active subscribers, respectively. Innova primarily attributes its successful growth to its superior programming content, its exclusive transmission of sporting events such as soccer tournaments and special events such as reality shows, its high quality customer service and its nationwide distribution network with more than 3,300 points of sale. In addition to the above, Innova also experienced growth during 2005, due to new subscribers migrating from DIRECTV Mexico, during 2006, due to exclusive broadcasting of 34 out of the 64 matches of the 2006 Soccer World Cup and during 2007, due to new subscribers from operations in Costa Rica and The Dominican Republic. Sky continues to offer the highest quality and exclusive content in the Mexican pay-TV industry. Its programming packages combine our over-the-air channels with other DTH exclusive channels produced by News Corp.
During 2007, Sky offered exclusive content such as one out of every four soccer matches from the Mexican First Division Tournament, every game of the Spanish soccer league, the NFL Sunday ticket, the Major League Baseball and the NBA PASS. SKY also added new channels to its lineup, including five interactive channels providing information to its subscribers, such as weather, sports highlights, and others, as well as Baby First, a channel created specifically for babies and toddlers, the Channel 13 delay and two movie channels, City Vibe and City Mix. In addition to new programming contracts, Sky continues to operate under arrangements with a number of third party programming providers to provide additional channels to its subscribers, including HBO, MaxPrime, Cinemax, Movie City, Cinecanal, E! Entertainment, The Disney Channel, National Geographic, Canal Fox, Fox Sports, Fox News, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, TNT, CNN, The Cartoon Network and ESPN. Sky also has arrangements with the following studios to show films on an as-needed basis: 20th Century Fox, Universal Studios International, Buenavista International, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., and Independent Studios.
In 2005, Sky purchased from Televisa certain rights to the 2006 Soccer World Cup. Sky aired all of the 64 games of the World Cup, out of which 34 were exclusively available to Sky subscribers. The cost of these rights plus production costs were U.S.$19.0 million.
Sky currently offers 222 digital channels through five programming packages: Basic (82 video channels, 50 audio channels and 22 pay-per-view); Fun (117 video channels, 50 audio channels and 29 pay-per-view); Movie City (125 video channels, 50 audio channels and 29 pay-per-view); HBO/Max (128 video channels, 50 audio channels and 29 pay-per-view); and Universe (143 video channels, 50 audio channels and 29 pay-per-view) for a monthly fee of Ps.228.00, Ps.302.00, Ps.428.00, Ps.478.00 and Ps.618.00, respectively. The subscriber receives a “prompt payment” discount if the monthly subscription payment is made within 12 days after the billing date.
Programming package monthly fees for residential subscribers, net of a prompt payment discount if the subscriber pays within 12 days of the billing date, are the following: Basic Ps.151.00, Fun Ps.267.00, Movie City Ps.381.00, HBO/Max Ps.431.00 and Universe Ps.571.00. Monthly fees for each programming package do not reflect a monthly rental fee in the amount of Ps.161.00 for the decoder necessary to receive the service (or Ps.148.00 if the subscriber pays within 12 days of the billing date) and a one-time installation fee of Ps.999.00, which is reduced to Ps.849.00 if the subscriber pays the monthly programming fees via an automatic charge to a debit card or for free if payment is charged directly to a credit card.
Sky devotes 20 pay-per-view channels to family entertainment and movies and eight channels are devoted to adult entertainment. In addition, Sky assigns five extra channels exclusively for special events, known as Sky Events, which include boxing matches, concerts, sports and movies. Sky provides some Sky Events at no additional cost while it sells others on a pay-per-view basis.
In order to more effectively compete against cable operators in the Mexican Pay-TV market, in September 2005, Sky launched the “Multiple Box” concept, which allows its current and new subscribers to have up to 4 boxes in their homes with independent programming on each TV.
The installation fee is based on the number of set up boxes and the method of payment chosen by the subscriber. The monthly cost consists of a programming fee plus a rental fee for each additional box.
Programming. We and News Corp. are major sources of programming content for our DTH joint venture and have granted our DTH joint venture exclusive DTH satellite service broadcast rights to all of our and News Corp.’s existing and future program services (including pay-per-view services on DTH), subject to some pre-existing third party agreements and other limited exceptions. In addition to sports, news and general entertainment programming, we provide our DTH joint venture in Mexico with exclusive DTH satellite service broadcast rights to our four over-the-air broadcast channels. Our DTH satellite service also has exclusive DTH broadcast rights in Mexico to Fox News and Canal Fox, one of the leading pay-TV channels in Mexico. Through its relationships with us and DIRECTV, we expect that the DTH satellite service in Mexico will be able to continue to negotiate favorable terms for programming both with third parties in Mexico and with international suppliers from the United States, Europe and Latin America. As a result of the Mexican Antitrust Commission’s rulings, when a competing DTH satellite service commences operations in Mexico, we are required, subject to certain conditions, to grant to that new DTH operator broadcast rights to some of our channels. In the short term, competing DTH satellite pay-TV services may commence operations in Mexico. We cannot predict when such services will commence operations or if they will comply with all requirements for us to provide them with our channels.

 

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Univision
We have a number of programming and financial arrangements with Univision, the leading Spanish-language media company in the United States, which owns and operates the Univision Network, the most-watched Spanish-language television network in the United States; the TeleFutura broadcast and Galavision satellite/cable television networks; several dozen full power and low power television broadcast stations; and 68 radio stations constituting the largest Spanish-language radio broadcasting company in the United States and the Univision Music Group, the leading Spanish-language music recording and publishing company in terms of music record sales in the United States. Information regarding Univision’s business which appears in this annual report has been derived primarily from public filings made by Univision with the SEC and the FCC.
We previously owned shares and warrants representing an approximate 11.3% equity interest in Univision, on a fully diluted basis. On March 29, 2007, Univision was acquired by a group of investors, and, as a result, all of Televisa’s shares and warrants in Univision have been cancelled and have been converted into cash in an aggregate amount of approximately U.S.$1,094.4 million. As a result of the closing of the acquisition of Univision, we lost our right to designate a member to the board of directors of Univision. Accordingly, our former designee to the board of directors of Univision, Ricardo Maldonado Yaez, resigned from the board.
We and Venevisión, a Venezuelan media company, have agreed to supply programming to Univision under program license agreements, including the PLA, that expire in December 2017 (unless earlier terminated), under which we and Venevisión granted Univision an exclusive license to broadcast in the United States, solely over the Univision Network, Galavision Network and TeleFutura Network, substantially all Spanish-language television programming, including programming with Spanish subtitles, for which we or Venevisión own the United States distribution rights, subject to exceptions, including certain co-productions. See “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Total Segment Results — Programming Exports”. We are entitled, in addition to our 9% programming royalty on net time sales in respect of the Univision and Galavision Networks, to a 12% programming royalty on net time sales of the TeleFutura Network, subject to certain adjustments, including minimum annual royalties of U.S.$5.0 million in respect of TeleFutura for 2003, increasing by U.S.$2.5 million each year up to U.S.$12.5 million. In exchange for programming royalties based upon combined net time sales regardless of the amount of our and Venevisión’s programming used by Univision, we have agreed that we will provide Univision with 8,531 hours of programming per year for the term of the agreement. See “Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Business — Current Litigation We Are Engaged In With Univision May Affect Our Relationship With Univision” for a description of our current disputes with Univision relating to royalties under the PLA and relating to our internet distribution rights, and our claim in such disputes that we believe we have the right to terminate the PLA due to uncured and uncurable material breaches. In 2007, Televisa programming represented approximately 36% of Univision’s and 15% of TeleFutura Networks’ non-repeat broadcast hours, respectively. The PLA, by its terms, survives the Univision merger.
We and Univision entered into definitive agreements in April 2003 to commence a joint venture to introduce our satellite and cable pay-TV programming into the United States. The joint venture company, TuTv, commenced operations in the second quarter of 2003. It currently distributes five channels, including two of our existing movie channels and three channels featuring music videos, celebrity lifestyle and interviews and entertainment news programming, and will create future channels available in the United States that feature our programming. In May 2003, TuTv entered into a five-year distribution agreement with EchoStar Communications Corporation for three of the five existing channels. The term of such agreement was extended in 2007, and it will expire in May 2009. TuTv is jointly controlled by Univision and us.
We have an international program rights agreement with Univision that requires Univision to grant us and Venevisión the right to broadcast, outside the United States, programs produced by Univision for broadcast on the Univision Network or Galavision Network under this agreement. We have the exclusive right to broadcast, among others, programs produced before October 2, 1996 (the “Grandfathered Programs”) in Mexico, and Venevisión has the exclusive right to broadcast these programs in Venezuela. We and Venevisión each have an undivided right to broadcast the Grandfathered Programs in all other territories (other than the United States, but including Puerto Rico). As for programs other than Grandfathered Programs (“New Programs”), we and Venevisión have the exclusive broadcast and related merchandising rights for Mexico and Venezuela, respectively, but Univision retains all rights for the rest of the world. The rights to the Grandfathered Programs and New Programs granted to us and Venevisión will continue until the termination of the relevant program license agreement and will revert back to Univision.
In May 31, 2005, we entered into a program license agreement with Univision whereby we have granted Univision an exclusive right to broadcast our television programming in Puerto Rico with some exceptions. We are entitled to a 12% programming royalty on the net time sales in respect to the Puerto Rico Stations. The terms and conditions of this agreement are similar to the program license agreement that we executed with Univision for the territory of the United States. We also had an option to acquire a 10% interest in these stations, but we decided not to exercise this option.

 

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As a result of the closing of the acquisition of Univision, we are no longer bound by the provisions of the Participation Agreement, except in the case that we enter into certain transactions involving direct broadcast satellite or DTH satellite to the U.S. market. The Participation Agreement had formerly restricted our ability to enter into certain transactions involving Spanish-language television broadcasting and a Spanish-language television network in the U.S. without first offering Univision the opportunity to acquire a 50% economic interest. Subject to compliance with the limited restrictions of the surviving terms of the Participation Agreement and the terms of the PLA, we can now engage in business opportunities in the growing U.S. Hispanic marketplace relating to programming and other businesses without offering Univision participation in such opportunities. We cannot predict how our overall business relationship with Univision will be affected by the recent acquisition of Univision by an investor acquiring group. We are engaged in litigation with Univision, as described in “Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Business — Current Litigation We Are Engaged In With Univision May Affect Our Relationship With Univision”, and “Additional Information — Legal Proceedings”. The Company expects to explore with Univision the possibility of a resolution of issues between them in the litigation potentially including possible joint endeavors or interests. There is no assurance that any such agreement will be reached. See “Information on the Company — Business Overview— Business Strategy — Developing New Businesses and Expanding Through Acquisitions.”
Competition
We compete with various forms of media and entertainment companies in Mexico, both Mexican and non-Mexican.
Television Broadcasting
Our television stations compete for advertising revenues and for the services of recognized talent and qualified personnel with other television stations (including the stations owned by TV Azteca) in their markets, as well as with other advertising media, such as radio, newspapers, outdoor advertising, cable television and a multi-channel, multi-point distribution system, or MMDS, and DTH satellite services. We generally compete with 199 channels throughout Mexico, including the channels of our major competitor, TV Azteca, which owns and operates Channels 7 and 13 in Mexico City, which we believe are affiliated with 176 stations outside of Mexico City. Televisora del Valle de M é xico owns the concession for Channel 40, a UHF channel that broadcasts in the Mexico City metropolitan area. Based upon IBOPE Mexico surveys, during 2005, 2006 and 2007 the combined average audience share throughout Mexico of both the Channel 7 and 13 networks was 31.5%, 30.5% and 31.0%, respectively, during prime time, and 29.8%, 29.0% and 29.1%, respectively, during sign-on to sign-off hours. See “— Television — Television Industry in Mexico”.
In addition to the foregoing channels, there are additional operating channels in Mexico with which we also compete, including Channel 11, which has 8 repeater stations, and Channel 22 in Mexico City, which are operated by the Mexican government. Our television stations are the leading television stations in their respective markets. See “— Television — Television Broadcasting”.
Our English and Spanish-language border stations compete with English and Spanish-language television stations in the United States, and our Spanish-language productions compete with other English and Spanish-language programs broadcast in the United States.
We are a major supplier of Spanish-language programming in the United States and throughout the world. We face competition from other international producers of Spanish-language programming and other types of programming.
Publishing
Each of our magazine publications competes for readership and advertising revenues with other magazines of a general character and with other forms of print and non-print media. Competition for advertising is based on circulation levels, reader demographics and advertising rates.

 

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Cable and Telecom
According to the most recent information from CANITEC, there were approximately 1,150 cable concessions in Mexico as of December 31, 2007 serving approximately 4 million subscribers. Cablevisión is one of the largest cable system operators in Mexico City and one of seven cable system operators in the areas surrounding Mexico City. Cablevisión also competes with Innova, our DTH joint venture. See “— Cable and Telecom — Mexico City Cable System” and “— DTH Satellite Services”. Cablevisión also faces competition from MVS Multivisión, S.A. de C.V., or Multivisión, a MMDS operator, in Mexico City and the surrounding areas. MMDS, commonly called wireless cable, is a microwave transmission system which operates from a head end similar to that of a cable system. Multivisión has been in operation for more than 15 years and offers 15 channels to its subscribers. Some of the channels that Multivisión broadcasts compete directly with the Cablevisión channels, as well as Cablevisión’s 26 pay-per-view channels. Furthermore, since Cablevisión operates under non-exclusive franchises, other companies may obtain permission to build cable television systems and MMDS systems in areas where Cablevisión presently operates. In addition, pursuant to the Ley Federal de Telecomunicaciones , or the Telecommunications Law, Cablevisión is required to provide access to its cable network to the extent it has available capacity on its network.
In addition, in connection with internet access services and other new products and multimedia communications services, cable operators, such as Cablevisión, who were already authorized to provide bidirectional data and internet broadband services, have been authorized by the Mexican government to also provide voice services, including VoIP services.
On October 2, 2006, the Mexican federal government enacted a new set of regulations known as the Convergence Regulations. The Convergence Regulations allow certain concessionaires of telecommunication services to provide other services not included in their original concessions. Cable television providers may be allowed to provide internet and telephone services. In addition, telephone operators, such as Telmex, may be allowed to provide cable television services if certain requirements and conditions are met. We believe that we may face significant competition from new entrants providing telephony services, including cable television providers. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to our Business — We Face Competition in Each of Our Markets That We Expect Will Intensify”.
In addition, in November 2006, the CFE announced that it had obtained an authorization from the Mexican government, through the Ministry of Communications and Transportation, to use their power lines and infrastructure to provide telecommunication services to cable operators using a new technology model known as PLC and BPL. We believe that this action will result in a significant reduction in the lease prices for infrastructure, as the CFE owns approximately 21,000 kilometers of power lines that could be used to transmit voice, data and video.
As a result of the aforementioned, Cablevisión will face competition from several media and telecommunications companies throughout Mexico, including internet service providers, DTH services and other personal communications and telephone companies, including us and our affiliates.
Radio
The radio broadcast business is highly competitive in Mexico. Our radio stations compete with other radio stations in their respective markets, as well as with other advertising media, such as television, newspapers, magazines and outdoor advertising. Among our principal competitors in the radio broadcast business are Grupo Radio Centro, S.A. de C.V., which owns or operates approximately 100 radio stations throughout Mexico, 14 of which are located in Mexico City, and Grupo Acir, which owns or operates approximately 160 radio stations in Mexico, seven of which are located in Mexico City.
Competition for audience share in the radio broadcasting industry in Mexico occurs primarily in individual geographic markets. Our radio stations are located in highly competitive areas. However, the strength of the signals broadcast by a number of our stations enables them to reach a larger percentage of the radio audience outside the market areas served by their competitors.
Feature Film Production and Distribution
Production and distribution of feature films is a highly competitive business in Mexico. The various producers compete for the services of recognized talent and for film rights to scripts and other literary property. We compete with other feature film producers, Mexican and non-Mexican, and distributors in the distribution of films in Mexico. See “— Other Businesses — Feature Film Production and Distribution”. Our films also compete with other forms of entertainment and leisure time activities.
DTH Satellite Services
Innova presently competes with, or expects to compete with, among others, cable systems (including Cablevisión), MMDS systems, national broadcast networks (including our four networks), regional and local broadcast stations, unauthorized C-band and Ku-band television signals obtained by Mexican viewers on the gray market, radio, movie theaters, video rental stores, internet and other entertainment and leisure activities generally.

 

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Innova’s main DTH competitor in Mexico used to be DTVLA, which operated DIRECTV Mexico. In October 2004, DTVLA announced that it was shutting down DIRECTV Mexico’s operations and agreed to sell its subscriber list to Innova.
Consolidation in the entertainment and broadcast industries could further intensify competitive pressures. As the pay-TV market in Mexico matures, and as the offering of bundled services that include internet, data and telephony increases, Innova expects to face competition from an increasing number of sources. Emerging technologies that provide new services to pay-TV customers as well as new competitors in the DTH field or telecommunication players entering into video services would require us to make significant capital expenditures in new technologies.
We are aware that other entities have obtained concessions to provide DTH satellite services in Mexico and may commence operations in the short term. Potential joint ventures with foreign DTH platforms could also accelerate competition in Mexico’s DTH and pay-TV market.
Gaming Business
Our principal competitors in the gaming industry are, with respect to bingo and sports halls, CIE and Grupo Caliente, and, with respect to Multijuegos, the governmental lotteries of Pronósticos and Lotería Nacional.
Regulation
Our business, activities and investments are subject to various Mexican federal, state and local statutes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures, which are constantly subject to change, and are affected by the actions of various Mexican federal, state and local governmental authorities. The material Mexican federal, state and local statutes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures to which our business, activities and investments are subject are summarized below. Station XETV, Tijuana, which broadcasts Fox television network programming in the San Diego television market, is also subject to certain regulatory requirements of the FCC, including the obligation to obtain permits for cross-border transmission of programming broadcast to the United States and to obtain licenses to operate microwave and/or satellite earth station transmitting equipment within the U.S. These summaries do not purport to be complete and should be read together with the full texts of the relevant statutes, rules, regulations, policies and procedures described therein.
Television
Mexican Television Regulations
Concessions. Mexico’s federal antitrust law has been amended by Congress. The amendments to the Mexican Federal Antitrust Law approved by the Mexican Federal Congress have been in full force and effect as of June 29, 2006. The amendments include, among other things, the following newly regulated activities: predatory pricing, exclusivity discounts, cross subsidization and any acts by an agent that result in cost increases or in the creation of obstacles in the production process of its competitors or the demand of the goods or services offered by such competitor. As of the date of this annual report, such amendments have not had a material adverse impact upon our business; however, we cannot predict how these amendments will impact our business in the future.
Certain amendments to the existing Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión and the Ley Federal de Telecomunicaciones have been enacted. In May 2006, several members of the Senate of the Mexican Federal Congress filed a complaint before the Supreme Court of Justice of Mexico, seeking a declaration that such amendments were unconstitutional and therefore null and void. This complaint was resolved by the Supreme Court of Justice on June 5, 2007, declaring several provisions of the amendments to the Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión and to the Ley Federal de Telecomunicaciones unconstitutional and therefore null and void. Among the provisions declared as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Justice are the ones referred to in former Article 28 of the Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión , pursuant to which holders of concessions had the ability to request authorization to provide additional telecommunications services within the same spectrum covered by a current concession without having to participate in a public bid therefor and Article 16 of the Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión , pursuant to which concessions were granted for a fixed term of 20 years having the possibility to renew such concessions by obtaining from the SCT a certification of compliance with their obligations under the concession. As a result of the Supreme Court’s ruling, once the transition to digital television and digital radio broadcasting is completed, if we want to provide additional telecommunications services within the same spectrum granted for digital television or digital radio broadcasting,

 

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respectively, we will have to follow the provisions of Article 24 of the Ley Federal de Telecomunicaciones to obtain the concession therefor. Also, there is uncertainty as to how radio and television concessions will be renewed in the future, since the Supreme Court ruling has resulted in requiring the renewal of the concessions to be subject to a public bid process, with a right of preference over other participating bidders given to the incumbent concessionnaire. Additionally, some members of the Mexican Congress have expressed their intent to propose a new Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión , which could affect, among other things, the framework for granting or renewing concessions. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Business — The Operation of Our Business May Be Terminated or Interrupted if the Mexican Government Does Not Renew or Revokes Our Broadcast or Other Concessions”. Also, either the SCT or the Federal Telecommunications Commission shall provide notice in the Diario Oficial de la Federación , or the Official Gazette of the Federation, of the call for bids and the available television frequencies, and make available the prerequisites for bids from interested parties for a maximum of 30 days.
The bidders shall comply with the following requirements:
   
proof of Mexican nationality;
   
submission of a business plan;
   
submission of technical specifications and descriptions;
   
submission of a plan for coverage;
   
submission of an investment program;
   
submission of a financial program;
   
submission of plans for technical development and actualization;
   
submission of plans for production and programming;
   
receipt of a guaranty to ensure the continuation of the process until the concession is granted or denied; and
   
a request for a favorable opinion from the Mexican Antitrust Commission.
Before granting the concession, the Federal Telecommunications Commission shall review the plans and programs submitted and the goals expressed by the bidder for consistency, as well as the results of the call for bids through the public auction. Within 30 days of the determination of a winning bid, such bidder has to provide proof of the required payment.
Concessions may be granted for a term of up to 20 years.
If the SCT determines that (i) the bidders’ applications do not guarantee the best conditions for the rendering of radio and television services, or (ii) that the offered payment proposals are not sufficient, or, that (iii) the submitted applications do not fulfill the requirements established under the bidding call or the bidding bases, it may terminate the bidding process and not grant the concession to any of the applicants.
The SCT may void the grant of any concession or terminate or revoke the concession at any time, upon the occurrence of, among others, the following events:
   
failure to construct broadcasting facilities within a specified time period;
   
changes in the location of the broadcasting facilities or changes in the frequency assigned without prior governmental authorization;
   
direct or indirect transfer of the concession, the rights arising therefrom or ownership of the broadcasting facilities without prior governmental authorization;

 

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transfer or encumbrance, in whole or in part, of the concession, the rights arising therefrom, the broadcasting equipment or any assets dedicated to the concessionaire’s activities, to a foreign government, company or individual, or the admission of any such person as a partner in the concessionaire’s business;
   
failure to broadcast for more than 60 days without reasonable justification;
   
any amendment to the bylaws of the concessionaire that is in violation of applicable Mexican law; and
   
any breach to the terms of the concession title.
None of our concessions has ever been revoked or otherwise terminated.
We believe that we have operated our television concessions substantially in compliance with their terms and applicable Mexican law. If a concession is revoked or terminated, the concessionaire could be required to forfeit to the Mexican government all of its assets or the Mexican government could have the right to purchase all the concessionaire’s assets. In our case, the assets of our licensee subsidiaries generally consist of transmitting facilities and antennas. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Business — The Operation of Our Business May Be Terminated or Interrupted if the Mexican Government Does Not Renew or Revokes Our Broadcast or Other Concessions”.
In July 2004, in connection with the adoption of a release issued by the SCT for the transition to digital television, all of our television concessions were renewed until 2021. The expiration dates for the concessions for our radio stations range from 2008 to 2016. Our cable telecommunications concessions expire in 2029 and our DTH concessions expire in 2020 and 2026. The expiration dates for the concessions for our telephone services range from 2018 to 2026. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Business — The Operation of Our Business May Be Terminated or Interrupted if the Mexican Government Does Not Renew or Revokes Our Broadcast or Other Concessions”.
Supervision of Operations. The SCT regularly inspects the television stations and the companies to which concessions have been granted must file annual reports with the SCT.
Television programming is subject to various regulations, including prohibitions on foul language and programming which is offensive or is against the national security or against public order. Under Mexican regulations, the Secretaría de Gobernación , or the Mexican Ministry of the Interior, reviews most television programming and classifies the age group for which the programming is acceptable for viewing. Programs classified for adults may be broadcast only after 10:00 p.m.; programs classified for adults and teenagers over 15 years old may be broadcast only after 9:00 p.m.; programs classified for adults and teenagers under 15 years old may be broadcast only after 8:00 p.m.; and programs classified for all age groups may be shown at any time.
Television programming is required to promote Mexico’s cultural, social and ideological identity. Each concessionaire is also required to transmit each day, free of charge, up to 30 minutes of programming regarding cultural, educational, family counseling and other social matters using programming provided by the Mexican government. Historically, the Mexican government has not used a significant portion of this time.
Networks. There are no Mexican regulations regarding the ownership and operation of a television network, such as the Channel 2, 4, 5 and 9 networks, apart from the regulations applicable to operating a television station as described above.
Restrictions on Advertising. Mexican law regulates the type and content of advertising broadcast on television. Concessionaires may not broadcast misleading advertisements. Under current law, advertisements of alcoholic beverages (other than beer and wine) may be broadcast only after 10:00 p.m. As of January 20, 2004, advertisements for tobacco products are prohibited by amendment to the Ley General de Salud , or the Public Health Law. Advertising for alcoholic beverages must not be excessive and must be combined with general promotions of nutrition and general hygiene. The advertisements of some products and services, such as medicine and alcohol, require approval of the Mexican government prior to their broadcast. Moreover, the Mexican government must approve any advertisement of lotteries and other games.
No more than 18% of broadcast time may be used for advertisements on any day. The SCT approves the minimum advertising rates. There are no restrictions on maximum rates. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Mexico — Changes in Existing Mexican Laws and Regulations or the Imposition of New Ones May Negatively Affect Our Operations and Revenue”.

 

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Broadcast Tax. Since 1969, radio and television stations have been subject to a tax which may be paid by granting the Mexican government the right to use 12.5% of all daily broadcast time. In October 2002, the 12.5% tax was replaced by the obligation to the Mexican government to provide up to 18 minutes per day of our television broadcast time and 35 minutes per day of our radio broadcast time between 6:00 a.m. and midnight, in each case distributed in an equitable and proportionate manner. Any time not used by the Mexican government on any day is forfeited. Generally, the Mexican government uses all or substantially all of the broadcast time available under this tax.
Foreign Ownership. Non-Mexican ownership of shares of Mexican enterprises is restricted in some economic sectors, including broadcast television, cable television, radio and DTH satellite services and certain telecommunications services. Under Mexico’s Ley de Inversión Extranjera , or Foreign Investment Law, the Radio and Television Law, and the Reglamento de la Ley de Inversión Extranjera , or the Foreign Investment Law Regulations, foreign investors may not vote the capital stock of Mexican broadcasting companies (other than through “neutral investment” mechanisms, such as through the CPOs held by certain of our stockholders). See “— Satellite Communications — Mexican Regulation of DTH Satellite Services”.
Radio
The regulations applicable to the operation of radio stations in Mexico are identical in all material respects to those applicable to television stations. As of December 31, 2007, the expiration dates of our radio concessions ranged from 2008 to 2016. See “— Television”, “— Other Businesses — Radio Stations” and “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Business — The Operation of Our Business May Be Terminated or Interrupted if the Mexican Government Does Not Renew or Revokes Our Broadcast or Other Concessions”.
Cable Television
Concessions. Cable television operators now apply for a public telecommunications network concession from the SCT in order to operate their networks and provide cable television services and other multimedia communications services. Applications are submitted to the SCT and, after a formal review process, a public telecommunications network concession is granted for an initial term of up to 30 years. Cablevisión obtained a telecommunications concession, which expires in 2029, and its concession to transmit the over-the-air UHF restricted television channel 46 expires in 2010. Pursuant to its public telecommunications concession, Cablevisión can provide cable television, limited audio transmission services, specifically music programming, bidirectional internet access and unlimited data transmission services in Mexico City and surrounding areas in the State of Mexico. In addition, in May 2007 the SCT granted Cablevisión a concession allowing Cablevisión to provide local telephony services using the telephony public network. The scope of Cablevisión’s public telecommunications concession is much broader than the scope of its former cable television concession, which covered only cable television services and audio programming. A public telecommunications concession may be renewed upon its expiration, or revoked or terminated prior to its expiration in a variety of circumstances including:
   
unauthorized interruption or termination of service;
   
interference by the concessionaire with services provided by other operators;
   
noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the public telecommunications concession;
   
the concessionaire’s refusal to interconnect with other operators;
   
loss of the concessionaire’s Mexican nationality;
   
unauthorized assignment, transfer or encumbrance, in whole or in part, of the concession or any rights or assets;
   
the liquidation or bankruptcy of the concessionaire; and
   
ownership or control of the capital stock of the concessionaire by a foreign government.
In addition, the SCT may establish under any public telecommunications concession further events which could result in revocation of the concession. Under current Mexican laws and regulations, upon the expiration or termination of a public telecommunications concession, the Mexican government has the right to purchase those assets of the concessionaire that are directly related to the concession, at market value.

 

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Cable television operators, including Cablevisión, are subject to the Telecommunications Law and, since February 2000, have been subject to the Reglamento del Servicio de Televisión y Audio Restringidos , or the Restricted Television and Audio Services Regulations. Under current Mexican law, cable television operators are classified as public telecommunications networks, and must conduct their business in accordance with Mexican laws and regulations applicable to public telecommunications networks which, in addition to the Telecommunications Law and the Restricted Television and Audio Services Regulations, includes the Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión and the Reglamento de la Ley Federal de Radio y Televisión.
Under the applicable Mexican law, the Mexican government, through the SCT, may also temporarily seize or even expropriate all of a public telecommunications concessionaire’s assets in the event of a natural disaster, war, significant public disturbance or threats to internal peace and for other reasons related to preserving public order or for economic reasons. The Mexican government is obligated by Mexican law to compensate the concessionaire, both for the value of the assets seized and related profits.
Supervision of Operations. The SCT regularly inspects the operations of cable systems and cable television operators must file annual reports with the SCT.
Under Mexican law, programming broadcast on Cablevisión networks is not subject to judicial or administrative censorship. However, this programming is subject to various regulations, including prohibitions on foul language, programming which is against good manners and customs or programming which is against the national safety or against public order.
Mexican law also requires cable television operators, including Cablevisión, to broadcast programming that promotes Mexican culture, although cable television operators are not required to broadcast a specified amount of this type of programming.
In addition to broadcasting programming that promotes Mexican culture, cable television operators must also set aside a specified number of their channels, which number is based on the total number of channels they transmit, to transmit programming provided by the Mexican government. Cablevisión currently broadcasts programming provided by the Mexican government on three of its channels, Channel 11, Channel 22 and Channel 5, a channel used by the Mexican Congress.
Restrictions on Advertising. Mexican law restricts the type of advertising which may be broadcast on cable television. These restrictions are similar to those applicable to advertising broadcast on over-the-air Channels 2, 4, 5 and 9. See “— Regulation — Television — Mexican Television Regulations — Restrictions on Advertising”.
Government Participation. Pursuant to the terms of cable concessions, cable television operators, including Cablevisión through September 23, 1999, were required to pay, on a monthly basis, absent a waiver from the Mexican government, up to 15% of revenues derived from subscriber revenues and substantially all other revenues, including advertising revenues, to the Mexican government in exchange for use of the cable concession. Most cable concessionaires, including Cablevisión, obtained a waiver on an annual basis to pay 9% of their revenues as participation to the Mexican government, as opposed to 15%. Under the Federal Telecommunications Law and accompanying regulations, cable television operators with public telecommunications network concessions, including Cablevisión, no longer have to pay the Mexican government any percentage of their revenues.
Forfeiture of Assets. Under Mexican regulations, at the end of the term of a public telecommunications concession, assets of concessionaires may be purchased by the Mexican government at market value.
Non-Mexican Ownership of Public Telecommunications Networks
Under current Mexican law, non-Mexicans may currently own up to 49% of the outstanding voting stock of Mexican companies with a public telecommunications concession. However, non-Mexicans may currently own up to all of the outstanding voting stock of Mexican companies with a public telecommunications concession to provide cellular telephone services, provided, that the requisite approvals are obtained from the Comisión Nacional de Inversiones Extranjeras , or the Foreign Investment Commission.
Application of Existing Regulatory Framework to Internet Access and IP Telephony Services
Cablevisión may be required, under Mexican law, to permit other concessionaires to connect their network to its network in a manner that enables its customers to choose the network by which the services are carried.

 

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To the extent that a cable television operator has any available capacity on its network, as a public telecommunications network, Mexican law requires the operator to offer third party providers access to its network. Cablevisión currently does not have any capacity available on its network to offer to third party providers and does not expect that it will have capacity available in the future given the broad range of services it plans to provide over its network.
Satellite Communications
Mexican Regulation of DTH Satellite Services. Concessions to broadcast DTH satellite services are for an initial term of up to 30 years, and are renewable for up to 30 years. We received a 30-year concession to operate DTH satellite services in Mexico utilizing SatMex satellites on May 24, 1996. On November 27, 2000, we received an additional 20-year concession to operate our DTH satellite service in Mexico using the PAS-9 satellite system, a foreign-owned satellite system.
Like a public telecommunications network concession, a DTH concession may be revoked or terminated by the SCT prior to the end of its term in certain circumstances, which for a DTH concession include:
   
the failure to use the concession within 180 days after it was granted;
   
a declaration of bankruptcy of the concessionaire;
   
failure to comply with the obligations or conditions specified in the concession;
   
unlawful assignments of, or encumbrances on, the concession; or
   
failure to pay to the government the required fees.
At the termination of a concession, the Mexican government has the preemptive right to acquire the assets of a DTH satellite service concessionaire. In the event of a natural disaster, war, significant public disturbance or for reasons of public need or interest, the Mexican government may temporarily seize and expropriate all assets related to a concession, but must compensate the concessionaire for such seizure. The Mexican government may collect fees based on DTH satellite service revenues of a satellite concessionaire.
Under the Telecommunications Law, DTH satellite service concessionaires may freely set customer fees but must notify the SCT of the amount, except that if a concessionaire has substantial market power, the SCT may determine fees that may be charged by such concessionaire. The Telecommunications Law specifically prohibits cross-subsidies.
Non-Mexican investors may currently own up to 49% of full voting equity of DTH satellite system concessionaires; provided that Mexican investors maintain control of the operation. Foreign investors may increase their economic participation in the equity of a concessionaire through neutral investment mechanisms such as the CPO trust.
Regulation of DTH Satellite Services in Other Countries. Our current and proposed DTH joint ventures in other countries are and will be governed by laws, regulations and other restrictions of such countries, as well as treaties that such countries have entered into, regulating the delivery of communications signals to, or the uplink of signals from, such countries. In addition, the laws of some other countries establish restrictions on our ownership interest in some of these DTH joint ventures as well as restrictions on programming that may be broadcast by these DTH joint ventures.
Mexican Gaming Regulations
Pursuant to Mexico’s Federal Law of Games and Draws, or Ley Federal de Juegos y Sorteos , or Gaming Law, and its accompanying regulations, the Reglamento de la Ley Federal de Juegos y Sorteos , or Gaming Regulations, the Secretaría de Gobernación , or Mexican Ministry of the Interior, has the authority to permit the operation of all manner of games and lotteries that involve betting. This administrative authorization is defined as a permit under the Gaming Regulations. Under the Gaming Regulations, each permit establishes the terms for the operation of the respective activities authorized under the permit and the specific periods for operation of those activities. Permits for games and lotteries that involve betting have a maximum term of 25 years. The holder of the relevant permit must comply with all the terms provided in the permit, the Gaming Law and the Gaming Regulations.

 

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In 2004, the Chamber of Deputies of the Mexican Congress filed a complaint before the Supreme Court of Justice of Mexico, seeking a declaration that the enactment of the Gaming Regulations was unconstitutional and, therefore, null and void. In January 2007, the Supreme Court of Justice declared the Gaming Regulations constitutional.
Mexican Antitrust Law
Mexico’s federal antitrust law and the accompanying regulations, the Reglamento de la Ley Federal de Competencia Económica , may affect some of our activities, including our ability to introduce new products and services, enter into new or complementary businesses and complete acquisitions or joint ventures. In addition, the federal antitrust law and the accompanying regulations may adversely affect our ability to determine the rates we charge for our services and products. In addition, approval of the Mexican Antitrust Commission is required for us to acquire certain businesses or enter into certain joint ventures. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Mexico — Mexican Antitrust Laws May Limit Our Ability to Expand Through Acquisitions or Joint Ventures” and “ — Changes in Existing Mexican Laws and Regulations or the Imposition of New Ones May Negatively Affect Our Operations and Revenue”.
The most recent amendments to the Mexican Antitrust Law, in full force as of June 29, 2006, include among other things the following newly regulated activities: predatory pricing, exclusivity discounts, cross subsidization, and any acts by an agent that result in cost increases or in the creation of obstacles in the production process of its competitors or the demand of the goods or services offered by such competitor.
Under the amendment, the review process of mergers and acquisitions by the Mexican Antitrust Commission, is modified by:
   
Raising the thresholds to make a concentration a reportable transaction.
   
Empowering the Mexican Antitrust Commission to issue a waiting order before a reported transaction may be closed, if such order is issued within ten business days from the date the transaction is reported to the Antitrust Commission.
   
Requiring the Mexican Antitrust Commission to rule upon a reported transaction that the filing party deems that it does not notoriously restrain competition (attaching the necessary evidence), within 15 business days from the filing date.
Additionally, the amendments provide for a significant enhancement of the Mexican Antitrust Commission authority:
   
An overreaching authority to determine whether competition, effective competition, market power and competition conditions in a specific market exist or not, either such determination is required under the antitrust law or if required under any other statute that requires a determination of market conditions.
   
To issue binding opinions in competition matters whether required by specific statutes, or required by other federal authorities. Such opinions shall also be issued in connection with decrees, regulations, governmental determinations and other governmental acts (such as public bid rules) which may have an anticompetitive effect.
   
To issue an opinion related to effective competition conditions in a specific market or to the market power of a given agent in a market.
   
To issue an opinion related to the granting of concessions, licenses or permits or the transfer of equity interests in concessionaries or licensees, are to be obtained if so required by the relevant statues or the bid rules.
   
To perform visits to economic agents with the purpose of obtaining evidence of violations to the law, including the ability to obtain evidence of the incurrence of a vertical or horizontal restraint. In all cases, the Mexican Antitrust Commission must obtain a judicial subpoena in order to proceed with the visits. Any agent that is subject to such order is bound to allow such visits and to cooperate fully with the Mexican Antitrust Commission.
The amendments also provide for changes in the investigation process of possible illegal conducts.

 

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Mexican Electoral Amendment
In 2007, the Mexican Federal Congress published an amendment to the Mexican Constitution, pursuant to which, among other things, the IFE has the exclusive right to manage and use the Official Broadcast Time during pre-campaign and campaign periods and also during election day. For a description of Official Television Broadcast Time and Official Radio Broadcast Time, see “— Business Overview — Maintaining Our Leading Position in the Mexican Television Market — Advertising Sales Plan” and “— Business Overview — Other Businesses — Radio Advertising”. The IFE has the exclusive right to use the Official Broadcast Time for its own purposes and for the use of political parties in Mexico (as provided in the Mexican Constitution) for self promotion and, when applicable, to promote their electoral campaigns.
The IFE and the political parties must comply with certain requirements included in the Constitutional Amendment for the use of Official Broadcast Time. During federal electoral periods, the IFE will be granted, per the Constitutional Amendment, 48 minutes per day in each radio station and television channel, to be used during pre-campaign periods in two and up to three minutes per broadcast hour in each radio station and television channel, of which all the political parties will be jointly entitled, to use one minute per broadcast hour. During campaign periods, at least 85% of the 48 minutes per day, shall be allocated among the political parties, and the remaining 15% may be used by the IFE for its own purposes. During non-electoral periods, the IFE will be assigned with up to 12% of the Official Broadcast Time, half of which shall be allocated among the political parties. In the event that local elections are held simultaneously with federal elections, the broadcast time granted to the IFE shall be used for the federal and the local elections. During any other local electoral periods, the allocation of broadcast time will be made pursuant to the criteria established by the Constitutional Amendment and as such criteria are reflected in applicable law.
In addition to the foregoing, pursuant to the Constitutional Amendment political parties are forbidden to purchase or acquire advertising time directly or through third parties, from radio or television stations; likewise, third parties shall not acquire advertising time from radio or television stations for the broadcasting of advertisements which may influence the electoral preferences of Mexican citizens, nor in favor or against political parties or candidates to offices elected by popular vote.
We believe we have been operating our business in compliance with the provisions of the Constitutional Amendment; however, we have filed legal actions contesting certain provisions of such Constitutional Amendment.
We cannot predict what impact the Constitutional Amendment will have upon our radio and television businesses at this time, nor can we predict the outcome of the legal actions brought by the Company against such Constitutional Amendment. A decrease in paid advertising of the nature described above could lead to a decrease in our television or radio revenues.
Significant Subsidiaries
The table below sets forth our significant subsidiaries and Innova, a consolidated variable interest entity, as of December 31, 2007.
                 
    Jurisdiction of        
    Organization or     Percentage  
Name of Significant Subsidiary   Incorporation     Ownership(1)  
Corporativo Vasco de Quiroga, S.A. de C.V.(2)
  Mexico     100.0 %
CVQ Espectáculos, S.A. de C.V.(2)(3)
  Mexico     100.0 %
Editora Factum, S.A. de C.V.(3)(4)
  Mexico     100.0 %
Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B de C.V.(3)(5)
  Mexico     51.0 %
Editorial Televisa, S.A. de C.V.(3)(6)
  Mexico     100.0 %
Factum Mas, S.A. de C.V.(3)(7) )(8)
  Mexico     100.0 %
Sky DTH, S. de R.L. de C.V.(7)
  Mexico     100.0 %
Innova, S. de R.L. de C.V. (Innova)(9)
  Mexico     58.7 %
Grupo Distribuidoras Intermex, S.A. de C.V.(3)(10)
  Mexico     100.0 %
Paxia, S.A. de C.V.(3)(11)
  Mexico     100.0 %
Sistema Radiópolis, S.A. de C.V.(2)(3)(12)
  Mexico     50.0 %
Telesistema Mexicano, S.A. de C.V.(13)
  Mexico     100.0 %
G-Televisa-D, S.A. de C.V.(14)
  Mexico     100.0 %
Televisa, S.A. de C.V.(15)
  Mexico     100.0 %
Televisa Juegos, S.A. de C.V.(2)(3)(16)
  Mexico     100.0 %
Televisión Independiente de México, S.A. de C.V.(3)(13)
  Mexico     100.0 %
 
     
(1)  
Percentage of equity owned by us directly or indirectly through subsidiaries or affiliates.
 
(2)  
One of four direct subsidiaries through which we conduct the operations of our Other Businesses segment, excluding Internet operations.
 
(3)  
While this subsidiary is not a significant subsidiary within the meaning of Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X under the Securities Act, we have included this subsidiary in the table above to provide a more complete description of our operations.

 

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(4)  
Subsidiary through which we own equity interests in and conduct the operations of our Cable and Telecom segment.
 
(5)  
Indirect subsidiary through which we conduct the operations of our Cable and Telecom segment.
 
(6)  
Direct subsidiary through which we conduct the operations of our Publishing segment.
 
(7)  
One of two subsidiaries through which we own our equity interest in Innova.
 
(8)  
Direct subsidiary through which we own equity interests in and conduct our Internet business.
 
(9)  
Consolidated variable interest entity through which we conduct the operations of our Sky segment. We currently own a 58.7% interest in Innova.
 
(10)  
Direct subsidiary through which we conduct the operations of our Publishing Distribution segment.
 
(11)  
Direct subsidiary through which we maintain 99.99% of the capital stock of Alvafig, a holding company with an interest of 49% in Cablemás, a large cable operator in Mexico.
 
(12)  
Direct subsidiary through which we conduct the operations of our Radio business.
 
(13)  
One of two direct subsidiaries through which we conduct the operations of our Television Broadcasting, Pay Television Networks and Programming Exports segments.
 
(14)  
Indirect subsidiary through which we conduct certain operations of our Television Broadcasting segment.
 
(15)  
Indirect subsidiary through which we conduct the operations of our Television Broadcasting, Pay Television Networks and Programming Exports segments.
 
(16)  
Direct subsidiary through which we conduct the operations of our Gaming business.
On June 29, 2007, shareholders voted on the merger of Campus América, S.A. de C.V., and Linking Media, S.A. de C.V. with and into Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. The main purpose of the merger was to simplify the corporate structure of Grupo Televisa, reducing unnecessary administrative costs. The merger did not have an effect on the securities of Grupo Televisa, including its CPOs.
Property, Plant and Equipment
Broadcasting, Office and Production Facilities. Our properties consist primarily of broadcasting, production facilities, television and reporter stations, technical operations facilities, workshops, studios and office facilities, most of which are located in Mexico. We own most of our properties or lease offices and facilities through indirect wholly owned and majority owned subsidiaries. There are no major encumbrances on any of our properties, and we currently do not have any significant plans to construct any new properties or expand or improve our existing properties. Our principal offices, which we own, are located in Santa Fe, a suburb of Mexico City. Each of our television stations has individual transmission facilities located in Mexico, substantially all of which we own. Our television production operations are concentrated in two locations in Mexico City, 16 studios in San Angel and 13 studios located in Chapultepec. We own substantially all of these studios. The local television stations wholly or majority owned by us have in the aggregate 39 production studios. We own other properties used in connection with our operations, including a training center, technical operations facilities, studios, workshops, television and repeater stations, and office facilities. We beneficially own Azteca Stadium, which seats approximately 105,000 people, through a trust arrangement that was renewed in 1993 for a term of 30 years and that may be extended for additional periods. In the aggregate, these properties, excluding Azteca Stadium, currently represent approximately 4.6 million square feet of space, of which over 3.2 million square feet are located in Mexico City and the surrounding areas, and approximately 1.4 million square feet are located outside of Mexico City and the surrounding areas.
Our cable television, radio, publishing and Mexican DTH satellite service businesses are located in Mexico City. We also own the transmission and production equipment and facilities of our radio stations located outside Mexico City.

 

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We also own or lease over a total of 557,866 square feet in properties in the United States, Latin America, Spain and Switzerland in connection with our operations there. We own or lease all of these properties through indirect wholly owned and majority owned subsidiaries. The following table summarizes our real estate and lease agreements in the United States, Latin America, Spain and Switzerland.
             
    Number of      
Operations   Properties     Location
Television and news activities
           
Owned properties
    2     San Diego, California(1)
Leased properties
          Buenos Aires, Argentina(1)
 
    4     Madrid, Spain(2)
 
          San Diego, California(1)
Zug, Switzerland(1)
Publishing activities
         
Owned properties
    8     Miami, Florida(1)
 
          Santiago, Chile(1)
 
          Quito, Ecuador(1)
 
          Guayaguil, Ecuador(1)
 
          Cali, Colombia(1)
 
          Alicate, Colombia(1)
 
          Buenos Aires, Argentina(2)
Leased properties
    10     Beverly Hills, California(1)
 
          Miami, Florida(1)
 
          New York, New York(1)
 
          Medellín, Colombia(1)
 
          Bogota, Colombia(3)
 
          Quito, Ecuador(1)
 
          Caracas, Venezuela(1)
 
          San Juan, Puerto Rico(1)
Publishing distribution and other activities
           
Owned properties
    2     Lima, Peru(1)
 
          Guayaquil, Ecuador(1)
Leased properties
    80     Quito, Ecuador(2)
 
          Guayaquil, Ecuador(1)
 
          Buenos Aires, Argentina(1)
 
          Panamá, Panamá(2)
 
          Santiago, Chile (45)
 
          Armenia, Colombia(1)
 
          Barranquilla, Colombia(3)
 
          Bogota, Colombia(3)
 
          Bucaramanga, Colombia(1)
 
          Cali, Colombia(5)
 
          Cartagena, Colombia(1)
 
          Colombia, Colombia(2)
 
          Ibage, Colombia(1)
 
          Manizales, Colombia(1)
 
          Medellín, Colombia(4)
 
          Pasto, Colombia(1)
 
          Pompayan, Colombia(1)
 
          Pereira, Colombia(1)
 
          Santa Martha, Colombia(1)
 
          Sincelejo, Colombia,(1)
 
          Villavicencio, Colombia(1)
 
          Lima, Peru(1)
DTH
           
Leased properties
    1     San José, Costa Rica(1)
Telephony
           
Leased properties
    6     San Antonio, Texas(3)
 
          Dallas, Texas(1)
 
          Laredo, Texas(1)
 
          McAllen, Texas(1)

 

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Satellites. We currently use transponder capacity on four satellites: Satmex V, which reaches Mexico, the United States, Latin America, except Brazil, and the Caribbean; Intelsat 3-R (formerly PAS 3-R), which reaches North America, Western Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean; and Galaxy 16 (formerly Galaxy IVR), which reaches Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. The Intelsat 9 (formerly PAS-9) satellite is currently functioning and its period of operation is expected to last 15 years (life expectancy through 2019). With Intelsat, we are evaluating alternatives to replace Intelsat 9. Intelsat 9 provides coverage of Central America, Mexico, the Southern United States and the Caribbean. Intelsat will launch a back-up satellite for our DTH joint venture operations in the fourth quarter of 2009, and we estimate that it will start operations in the first quarter of 2010. For a description of guarantees related to our DTH joint venture transponder obligations, see Note 11 to our year-end financial statements.
On September 20, 1996, PanAmSat, our primary satellite service provider, agreed to provide U.S. transponder service on three to five PAS-3R Ku-band transponders, at least three of which were intended to be for the delivery of DTH satellite services to Spain. Under the PAS-3R transponder contract, as amended, we were required to pay for five transponders at an annual fee for each transponder of U.S.$3.1 million. We currently have available transponder capacity on two 36 MHz C-band transponders on Galaxy 16 (formerly, Galaxy IVR), which reaches Mexico, the United States and Canada, due to an exchange with three of the five 54 MHz Ku-band transponders on PAS-3R described above. For each of the 36 MHz C-band transponders we pay an annual fee of approximately U.S.$3.7 million.
On December 2005, we signed an extension with PanAmSat, for the use of three transponders on PAS-3R satellite until 2009 and 2012 and two transponders in Galaxy IVR (replaced by Galaxy 16) satellite until 2016.
PanAmSat and DIRECTV announced the completion of the sale of PanAmSat on August 20, 2004, to affiliates of Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co. L.P., The Carlyle Group and Providence Equity Partners, Inc.
On June 19, 2006, the FCC announced that it has approved the merger of Intelsat, Ltd., or Intelsat, with PanAmSat Holding Corporation, or PanAmSat. Intelsat and PanAmSat announced the conclusion of their merger transaction on July 3, 2006. Previously, on August 29, 2005, Intelsat and PanAmSat announced the merger of both companies by means of an acquisition of PanAmSat by Intelsat, creating a world-class communications solution provider. As of today, the merger has not had a material effect on our relationship with PanAmSat, although we cannot predict our future relationship with the new company.
On August 14, 2006, Televisa’s main network broadcast operation was successfully relocated from satellite Galaxy IVR to Galaxy 16. Televisa’s broadcast was formerly conducted through Galaxy IVR, which experienced an irreparable damage that shortened its expected operational life.
On February 1, 2007, Intelsat renamed some of their satellite fleet recently acquired with the merger with PanAmSat: current names for PAS-9 and PAS-3R are IS-9 and IS-3R, respectively. Intelsat kept the name of Galaxy 16. In December 2007, Innova and Sky Brasil reached an agreement with Intelsat Corporation and Intelsat LLC to build and launch a new 24-transponder satellite, IS-16, for which service will be dedicated to Sky and Sky Brasil over the satellite’s estimated 15-year life. The satellite will be manufactured by Orbital Sciences Corporation and is expected to launch in the fourth quarter of 2009.
With several new domestic and international satellites having been launched recently, and with several others scheduled for launch in the next few years, including those scheduled for launch by the new Intelsat company, we believe that we will be able to secure satellite capacity to meet our needs in the future, although no assurance can be given in this regard.
Insurance. We maintain comprehensive insurance coverage for our offices, equipment and other property, subject to some limitations, that result from a business interruption due to natural disasters or other similar events, however, we do not maintain business interruption insurance for our DTH business in case of loss of satellite transmission.

 

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Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects
You should read the following discussion together with our year-end financial statements and the accompanying notes, which appear elsewhere in this annual report. This annual report contains forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates and beliefs. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed below and elsewhere in this annual report, particularly in “Key Information — Risk Factors.” In addition to the other information in this annual report, investors should consider carefully the following discussion and the information set forth under “Key Information — Risk Factors” before evaluating us and our business.
Preparation of Financial Statements
Our year-end financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Mexican FRS, which differ in some significant respects from U.S. GAAP. Note 23 to our year-end financial statements describes certain differences between Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP as they relate to us through December 31, 2007. Note 23 to our year-end financial statements provides a reconciliation to U.S. GAAP of net income and total stockholders’ equity. Note 23 to our year-end financial statements also presents all other disclosures required by U.S. GAAP, as well as condensed financial statement data.
As required by Mexican FRS, our financial statements were adjusted through December 31, 2007, to reflect changes in purchasing power of the Peso due to inflation. These changes were based on the NCPI. Beginning on January 1, 2008, and under certain circumstances, we are no longer required by Mexican FRS to recognize the effects of inflation in our books and records, except those recognized through December 31, 2007.
Results of Operations
The following tables set forth our results of operations data for the indicated periods as a percentage of net sales:
                         
    Year Ended December 31,(1)  
    2005     2006     2007  
Operating Segment Net Sales
                       
Television Broadcasting
    55.4 %     53.8 %     49.7 %
Pay Television Networks
    3.3       3.4       4.3  
Programming Exports
    5.6       5.4       5.3  
Publishing
    7.5       7.4       7.8  
Publishing Distribution
    1.2       1.1       1.1  
Sky
    17.9       19.1       19.7  
Cable and Telecom
    4.2       5.1       6.1  
Other Businesses
    4.9       4.7       6.0  
 
                 
Total Segment Net Sales
    100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %
Intersegment Operations
    (3.1 )     (2.8 )     (2.6 )
 
                 
Total Consolidated Net Sales
    96.9 %     97.2 %     97.4 %
 
                 
Total Net Sales
                       
Cost of Sales(2)
    45.4 %     42.7 %     43.6 %
Selling Expenses(2)
    8.2       7.9       7.9  
Administrative Expenses(2)
    5.7       6.1       5.9  
Depreciation and Amortization
    7.4       7.1       7.8  
 
                 
Consolidated Operating Income
    33.3       36.2       34.8  
 
                 
Total
    100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %
 
                 
 
     
(1)  
Certain segment data set forth in these tables may vary from certain data set forth in our year-end consolidated financial statements due to differences in rounding. The segment net sales and total segment net sales data set forth in this annual report reflect sales from intersegment operations in all periods presented. See Note 22 to our year-end financial statements.
 
(2)  
Excluding depreciation and amortization.

 

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Summary of Business Segment Results
The following table sets forth the net sales and operating segment income (loss) of each of our business segments and intersegment sales and corporate expenses for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2003, we adopted the provisions of Bulletin B-5, “Financial Information by Segments” issued by the Mexican Institute of Public Accountants, or MIPA, which contains provisions that are similar to the standards previously applied by us under International Accounting Standard No. 14, “Segment Reporting”. These standards require us to look to our internal organizational structure and reporting system to identify our business segments. In accordance with these standards, we currently classify our operations into eight business segments: Television Broadcasting, Pay Television Networks, Programming Exports, Publishing, Publishing Distribution, Sky, Cable and Telecom, and Other Businesses. In 2007 we changed the names of two of our segments — “Sky Mexico” to “Sky”, because we began operations in Central America, and “Cable Television” to “Cable and Telecom” due to the consolidation of Bestel, a telecommunication company, into this segment. The Company’s Radio business was presented as a separate reportable segment in 2005 and 2006. Beginning in 2007 “Radio” was classified into the “Other Businesses” segment since its operations are no longer significant to the Company’s consolidated financial statements taken as a whole. In 2004, we changed the names of two of our segments — “Programming for Pay Television” to “Pay Television Networks” and “Programming Licensing” to “Programming Exports” — in order to make the descriptions more accurate. See “— Recently Issued Mexican Financial Reporting Standards” and Note 1(t) to our year-end financial statements. Our results for 2005, 2006 and 2007, include Sky as a segment. Effective April 1, 2004, we adopted the guidelines of FIN 46(R) in accordance with Mexican FRS NIF A-8, “Supplementary Financial Reporting Standards”. Before adopting FIN 46(R), we accounted for our investment in Sky by applying the equity method and recognized equity in results in excess of our investment up to the amount of the guarantees made by us in connection with certain capital lease obligations of Sky. See Note 1(g) to our year-end financial statements.
                         
    Year Ended December 31,(1)  
    2005     2006     2007  
    (Millions of Pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007)  
Operating Segment Net Sales
                       
Television Broadcasting
  Ps. 20,049.8     Ps. 21,760.4     Ps. 21,213.2  
Pay Television Networks
    1,199.7       1,379.0       1,852.0  
Programming Exports
    2,025.3       2,190.3       2,262.1  
Publishing
    2,705.1       2,993.9       3,311.9  
Publishing Distribution
    434.2       449.8       479.2  
Sky
    6,463.3       7,732.9       8,402.2  
Cable and Telecom
    1,517.1       2,059.4       2,611.6  
Other Businesses
    1,801.9       1,922.3       2,560.4  
 
                 
Total Segment Net Sales
    36,196.4       40,488.0       42,692.6  
Intersegment Operations
    (1,128.4 )     (1,130.3 )     (1,131.1 )
 
                 
Total Consolidated Net Sales
  Ps. 35,068.0     Ps. 39,357.7     Ps. 41,561.5  
 
                 
Operating Segment Income (Loss)
                       
Television Broadcasting
  Ps. 9,557.6     Ps. 10,996.3     Ps. 10,518.1  
Pay Television Networks
    559.4       707.9       1,150.2  
Programming Exports
    721.9       902.0       1,032.0  
Publishing
    518.4       576.7       624.4  
Publishing Distribution
    7.1       18.7       28.5  
Sky
    2,717.2       3,689.1       4,037.9  
Cable and Telecom
    528.6       847.5       947.2  
Other Businesses
    (138.4 )     (224.9 )     (266.0 )
 
                 
Total Operating Segment Income(2)
    14,471.8       17,513.3       18,072.3  
Corporate Expenses(2)
    (197.0 )     (467.8 )     (368.3 )
Depreciation and Amortization
    (2,611.6 )     (2,779.8 )     (3,223.1 )
 
                 
Total Consolidated Operating Income(3)
  Ps. 11,663.2     Ps. 14,265.7     Ps. 14,480.9  
 
                 
 
     
(1)  
Certain segment data set forth in these tables may vary from certain data set forth in our year-end financial statements due to differences in rounding. The segment net sales and total segment net sales data set forth in this annual report reflect sales from intersegment operations in all periods presented. See Note 22 to our year-end financial statements.
 
(2)  
The operating segment income (loss), and total operating segment income data set forth in this annual report do not reflect corporate expenses or depreciation and amortization in any period presented, but are presented herein to facilitate the discussion of segment results.
 
(3)  
Total consolidated operating income reflects corporate expenses and depreciation and amortization in all periods presented. See Note 22 to our year-end financial statements.

 

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Seasonality
Our results of operations are seasonal. We typically recognize a disproportionately large percentage of our overall advertising net sales in the fourth quarter in connection with the holiday shopping season. For example, in 2005, 2006 and 2007, we recognized 29.7%, 28.3% and 29.9%, respectively, of our net sales in the fourth quarter of the year. Our costs, in contrast to our revenues, are more evenly incurred throughout the year and generally do not correlate to the amount of advertising sales.
Results of Operations for the Year Ended December 31, 2007
Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2006
Total Segment Results
Net Sales
Our net sales increased by Ps.2,203.8 million, or 5.6%, to Ps.41,561.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 from Ps.39,357.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase reflects a revenue growth in our Sky, Cable and Telecom, Pay Television Networks, Publishing, Programming Exports, Publishing Distribution and Other Businesses segments, partially offset by a decrease in our Television Broadcasting segment in our 2007 results due to the inclusion of the political campaigns and Soccer World Cup advertising in our 2006 results.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales increased by Ps.1,336.8 million, or 8.0%, to Ps.18,128.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 from Ps.16,791.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase was due to higher costs in our Cable and Telecom, Sky, Publishing, Publishing Distribution, Pay Television Networks and Other Businesses segments. These increases were partially offset by lower cost of sales in our Television Broadcasting and Programming Exports segments.
Selling Expenses
Selling expenses increased by Ps.147.3 million, or 4.7%, to Ps.3,277.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 from Ps.3,130.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase was attributable to higher selling expenses in our Publishing, Cable and Telecom, Pay Television Networks and Other Businesses segments, as a result of increases in promotional and advertising expenses and commissions paid. These increases were partially offset by lower selling expenses in our Programming Exports, Sky, Publishing Distribution and Television Broadcasting segments.
Administrative Expenses
Administrative expenses increased by Ps.61.2 million, or 2.6%, to Ps.2,452.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.2,390.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase reflects the administrative expense growth in our Cable and Telecom, Publishing, Sky, Television Broadcasting, Pay Television Networks, Publishing Distribution and Other Businesses segments. These increases were partially offset by lower administrative expenses in our Programming Exports segment as well as a decrease in corporate expenses due to a reduction in share-based compensation expense, which amounted to Ps.140.5 million in 2007, compared with Ps.243.9 million in 2006.

 

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Television Broadcasting
Television Broadcasting net sales are derived primarily from the sale of advertising time on our national television networks, Channels 2, 4, 5 and 9, and local stations, including our English language station on the Mexico/U.S. border. The contribution of local stations net sales to Television Broadcasting net sales was 13.5% in 2006 and 13.3% in 2007. No Television Broadcasting advertiser accounted for more than 10% of Television Broadcasting advertising sales in any of these years.
Television Broadcasting net sales, representing 53.8% and 49.7% of our total segment net sales for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively, decreased by Ps.547.2 million, or 2.5%, to Ps.21,213.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 from Ps.21,760.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This decrease was attributable to the broadcast in 2006 of the FIFA World Cup, political advertising related to the presidential election in Mexico and an unexpected slowdown in consumer spending in Mexico, which led to a decline in advertising revenues during 2007.
Television Broadcasting operating segment income decreased by Ps.478.2 million, or 4.3%, to Ps.10,518.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 from Ps.10,996.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This decrease was due to a decrease in net sales, partially offset by a decrease in cost of sales due to the transmission rights of the FIFA World Cup in 2006 and a decrease in operating expenses driven by lower provision for doubtful trade accounts.
Advertising Rates and Sales
We sell commercial time in two ways: upfront and scatter basis. Advertisers that elect the upfront option lock in prices for the upcoming year, regardless of future price changes. Advertisers that choose the upfront option make annual prepayments, with cash or short-term notes, are charged the lowest rates for their commercial time, are given the highest priority in schedule placement, and are given a first option in advertising during special programs. Scatter advertisers, or advertisers who choose not to make upfront payments but rather advertise from time to time, risk both higher prices and lack of access to choice commercial time slots. We sell advertising to our customers on a cost per rating point basis.
The Mexican government does not restrict our ability to set our advertising rates. In setting advertising rates and terms, we consider, among other factors, the likely effect of rate increases on the volume of advertising sales. We have historically been flexible in setting rates and terms for our television advertising. Nominal rate increases have traditionally varied across daytime hours, and the same price increases have not been implemented for all programs, with higher increases in certain programs as a result of high demand for advertising during certain hours.
During 2006 and 2007, we increased our nominal advertising rates. During prime time broadcasts, we sold an aggregate of 1,493 hours of advertising time in 2006 and 1,416 hours in 2007. During sign-on to sign-off hours, we sold 3,216 hours of advertising time in 2006 and 3,050 hours in 2007. Television Broadcasting advertising time that is not sold to the public is primarily used to satisfy our legal obligation to the Mexican government to provide Official Television Broadcast Time and to promote, among other things, our television products.
As of December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2007, we had received Ps.15,946.0 million (nominal) and Ps.16,085.0 million (nominal), respectively, of advertising deposits for television advertising time during 2007 and 2008, representing approximately U.S.$1,476.1 million and U.S.$1,472.7 million at the applicable year-end exchange rates. Approximately 61.9% and 67.9% of these deposits as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively, were in the form of short-term, non-interest bearing notes, with the remainder in each of these years consisting of cash deposits. The weighted average maturity of these notes at December 31, 2006 and 2007 was 3.6 months.
Pay Television Networks
Pay Television Networks net sales are derived primarily from revenues received in exchange for providing television channels to pay television providers servicing the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, Australia, Latin America and Canada, including other cable systems in Mexico and the DTH satellite joint venture in which we have an interest. Pay television networks net sales also include the revenues from TuTv, our pay-TV joint venture in the United States with Univision, in this segment. Revenues from advertising time sold with respect to programs provided to cable systems in Mexico and internationally are also reflected in this segment. Pay Television Networks sell advertising independently from our other media-related segments on a scatter basis.
Pay Television Networks net sales, representing 3.4% and 4.3% of our total segment net sales for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively, increased by Ps.473.0 million, or 34.3%, to Ps.1,852.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 from Ps.1,379.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase reflects higher revenues from signals sold in Mexico and Latin America, higher sales of TuTv, and an increase in advertising sales in Mexico.

 

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Pay Television Networks operating segment income increased by Ps.442.3 million, or 62.5%, to Ps.1,150.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.707.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, primarily due to higher sales. This increase was partially offset by an increase in cost of sales, mainly in costs of programs produced by us and an increase in operating expenses due to higher promotional and advertising expenses.
Programming Exports
Programming Exports net sales consist primarily of revenues from program license agreements and principally relate to our telenovelas and our variety programs. In 2006 and 2007, 67.0% and 68.1%, respectively, of net sales for this segment were attributable to programming licensed under our program license agreement with Univision. In 2006 and 2007, we received U.S.$126.9 million and U.S.$138.0 million, respectively, in program royalties from Univision, related to the Univision Network and Galavision Network. In 2003, Univision became bound to pay an additional 12% in royalties from the net time sales of the TeleFutura Network, subject to certain adjustments and credits, establishing a minimum annual royalty of U.S.$5.0 million in respect of TeleFutura for 2003, increasing by U.S.$2.5 million for each subsequent year up to U.S.$12.5 million. See “Information on the Company — Business Overview — Univision”. We also license programming to broadcasters in Latin America, the Middle East, Russia and other countries.
Programming Exports net sales, representing 5.4% and 5.3% of our total segment net sales for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively, increased by Ps.71.8 million, or 3.3%, to Ps.2,262.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.2,190.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase was primarily due to higher royalties paid to us under the PLA entered into with Univision in the amount of U.S.$138.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 as compared to U.S.$126.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, as well as an increase in export sales to Europe, Asia and Africa. These increases were partially offset by lower export sales to Latin America and a negative translation effect on foreign-currency denominated sales.
Programming Exports operating segment income increased by Ps.130.0 million, or 14.4%, to Ps.1,032.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 from Ps.902.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase was primarily due to the increase in net sales, as well as a decrease in cost of sales due to lower programming costs and operating expenses, primarily due to a decrease in the provision for doubtful trade accounts and market research.
Publishing
Publishing net sales are primarily derived from the sale of advertising pages in our various magazines, as well as magazine sales to distributors. Our Publishing segment sells advertising independently from our other media-related segments. Advertising rates are based on the publication and the assigned space of the advertisement.
Publishing net sales, representing 7.4% and 7.8% of our total segment net sales for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively, increased by Ps.318.0 million, or 10.6%, to Ps.3,311.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 from Ps.2,993.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase was driven by a greater number of advertising pages sold as well as higher revenues from magazine circulation in Mexico and abroad, including incremental revenues generated by the acquisition in the second half of 2007 of Editorial Atlántida, a publishing company in Argentina. This increase was partially offset by a negative translation effect on foreign-currency denominated sales.
Publishing operating segment income increased by Ps.47.7 million, or 8.3%, to Ps.624.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.576.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase reflects higher sales that were partially offset by higher cost of sales and operating expenses, due to the acquisition of Editorial Atlántida, as well as an increase in costs of supplies and personnel, promotional and advertising expenses.
Publishing Distribution
Publishing Distribution net sales are primarily derived from the distribution of magazines published by us, our joint ventures or independent publishers and pursuant to licenses and other arrangements with third parties.

 

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Of the total volume of magazines we distributed, approximately, 75.0% in 2006 and 70.7% in 2007 were published by our Publishing segment.
Publishing Distribution net sales, representing 1.1% of our total segment net sales for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, increased by Ps.29.4 million, or 6.5%, to Ps.479.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.449.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. The increase was attributable to higher distribution in Mexico and abroad of magazines published by the Company, as well as an increase of distribution sales of magazines published by third parties and sold abroad. These increases were partially offset by the negative translation effect on foreign-currency denominated sales.
Publishing Distribution operating segment income increased by Ps.9.8 million, or 52.4%, to Ps.28.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 from Ps.18.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. These results reflect higher sales and lower operating expenses, driven by lower provision for doubtful trade accounts that were partially offset by an increase in cost of sales, primarily due to higher charges related to the distribution of magazines.
Sky
Sky net sales are primarily derived from program services, installation fees and equipment rental to subscribers, and national advertising sales.
Sky net sales representing 19.1% and 19.7% of our total segment net sales for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively, increased by Ps.669.3 million or 8.7% to Ps.8,402.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.7,732.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase was primarily due to a 10.8% increase in its subscriber base, which as of December 31, 2007 reached 1,585,100 gross active subscribers (including 103,100 commercial subscribers) compared to 1,430,100 gross active subscribers as of December 31, 2006 of which 91,100 were commercial subscribers, as well as the launch of operations in Central America in 2007. This increase was partially offset by lower advertising revenues primarily due to the absence of Soccer World Cup advertising in 2006.
Sky operating segment income increased by Ps.348.8 million or 9.5% to Ps.4,037.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.3,689.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase was due to the increase in net sales and lower promotional expenses, partially offset by higher programming costs associated with the increase of our subscriber base.
Cable and Telecom
Cable and Telecom net sales are derived from Cable Television services and advertising sales. Net sales for Cable Television services generally consist of monthly subscription fees for basic and premium service packages, fees charged for pay-per-view programming and, to a significantly lesser extent, monthly rental and one-time installation fees, broadband internet and telephone services subscription (beginning in the third quarter of 2007). The telecommunications business derives revenues from providing data and long-distance services solutions to carriers and other telecommunications service providers through its fiber-optic network. Net sales for Cable Television advertising consist of revenues from the sale of advertising on Cablevisión. From July 2005 to October 2007, Maximedios Alternativos, S.A. de C.V. was Cablevisión’s sales agent for advertising time. See “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions — Related Party Transactions — Transactions and Arrangements With Affiliates and Related Parties of Our Directors, Officers and Major Stockholders”. Rates are based on the day and time the advertising is aired, as well as the type of programming in which the advertising is aired. Cable subscription and advertising rates are adjusted periodically in response to inflation and in accordance with market conditions.
Cable and Telecom net sales, representing 5.1% and 6.1% of our total segment net sales for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively, increased by Ps.552.2 million, or 26.8%, to Ps.2,611.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2007 from Ps.2,059.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase was primarily due to (i) a 10.8% increase in the number of video subscribers, which, as of December 31, 2007, reached 539,662 subscribers, compared with 486,825 subscribers reported as of December 31, 2006; (ii) the acquisition of the majority of the assets of Bestel, a telecommunication company, in December 2007; (iii) a 52% increase in broadband subscribers to 145,973 as of December 31, 2007 compared with 96,035 reported as of December 31, 2006; (iv) the addition of 9,015 telephony subscribers during the year; (v) a 3% average rate increase effective March 1, 2007; and (vi) higher advertising sales.
Cable and Telecom operating segment income increased by Ps.99.7 million, or 11.8%, to Ps.947.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.847.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. These results reflect higher sales that were partially offset by an increase in cost of sales, primarily due to higher signal and personnel costs, and costs associated with the acquisition of the majority of the assets of Bestel as well as promotional and advertising expenses.

 

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Other Businesses
Other Businesses net sales are primarily derived from the promotion of sports and special events in Mexico, the distribution of feature films, revenues from our internet businesses, which includes revenues from advertisers for advertising space on Esmas.com, and revenues related to our PSMS messaging service, gaming (beginning in the second quarter of 2006), and radio.
Other Businesses net sales, representing 4.7% and 6.0% of our total segment net sales for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively, increased by Ps.638.1 million, or 33.2%, to Ps.2,560.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.1,922.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase was primarily due to higher sales related to our gaming, feature-film distribution, and internet businesses. This increase was partially offset by lower sales in our radio and sport events production businesses in 2007, primarily due to political campaigns and the Soccer World Cup in 2006.
Other Businesses operating segment loss increased by Ps.41.1 million, or 18.3%, to Ps.266.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.224.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase reflects higher cost of sales and operating expenses related to our gaming and internet businesses, partially offset by higher total segment sales and lower costs in our radio and sport events production.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization expense increased by Ps.443.3 million, or 15.9%, to Ps.3,223.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.2,779.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This change was due to higher depreciation expense for decoders in connection with the increase in the subscriber bases in our Sky and Cable and Telecom segments, installation of new digital decoder equipment, the depreciation expense derived of our telecommunication company, as well as an increase in depreciation expenses in our Other Businesses segment related to our gaming business.
Non-operating Results
Other Expense, Net
Other expense, net, increased by Ps.65.3 million, or 7.4%, to Ps.953.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, compared with Ps.888.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase reflected primarily a loss on disposition of shares in connection with the sale of our interest in Univision during the first quarter of 2007, as well as an impairment adjustment to reduce the carrying value of goodwill in our Television Broadcasting segment, donations, and professional services in connection with certain litigation and other matters. See “Additional Information — Legal Proceedings”. These unfavorable variances were partially offset by income derived from the cancellation of an option to acquire an equity stake in the parent company of the controlling partners of La Sexta, and the absence of non-recurring expenses incurred in connection with the tender offer made by Sky in 2006 for most of its Senior Notes due 2013.
The impairment adjustment to goodwill in our Television Broadcasting segment relates to the operations of a U.S. television station, which was adversely affected in 2007 by a decrease in operational margins.
Integral Cost of Financing
Integral cost of financing significantly impacts our financial statements in periods of high inflation or currency fluctuations. Under Mexican FRS, integral cost of financing reflects:
   
interest expense, including the restatement of our UDI denominated notes in 2006;
   
interest income;
   
foreign exchange gain or loss attributable to monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies (including gains or losses from derivative instruments); and
   
gain or loss attributable to holding monetary assets and liabilities exposed to inflation.

 

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Our foreign exchange position is affected by our assets or liabilities denominated in foreign currencies. We record a foreign exchange gain or loss if the exchange rate of the Peso to the other currencies in which our monetary assets or liabilities are denominated varies.
The expenses attributable to the integral cost of financing decreased by Ps.730.8 million, or 64%, to Ps.410.2 million for the year ended December 31,2007 from Ps.1,141 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This decrease reflected primarily a Ps.709.3 million increase in interest income primarily in connection with a higher average amount of temporary, held to-maturity and available-for-sale investments; and a favorable impact of Ps.413.6 million in net foreign exchange results, driven primarily by a higher average amount of our net foreign-currency asset position. These favorable variances were partially offset by a Ps.166.6 million increase in interest expense, due mainly to a higher average amount of our outstanding debt; and a Ps.225.5 million increase in loss from monetary position, resulting from a higher net monetary asset position.
Equity in Losses of Affiliates, Net
This line item reflects our equity participation in the operating results and net assets of unconsolidated businesses in which we maintain an interest, but over which we have no control. We recognized equity in losses of affiliates up to the amount of our initial investment and subsequent capital contributions, or beyond that amount when guaranteed commitments have been made by us in respect of obligations incurred by affiliates.
Equity in losses of affiliates, net, increased by Ps.124.5 million, or 19.9%, to Ps.749.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, compared with Ps.624.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase reflected primarily the absence of equity in earnings of Univision, which we recognized through June 2006, a reduction of equity in earnings of OCEN, a live-entertainment venture in Mexico, and EMI Televisa Music, a music joint venture in the United States. These unfavorable variances were partially offset by a reduction in equity in loss of La Sexta, our 40% interest in a free-to-air television channel in Spain, which began operations in March 2006.
Income Taxes
Income taxes increased by Ps.1,257.1 million, or 60.1%, to Ps.3,349.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2007, from Ps.2,092.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2006. This increase reflected primarily a higher effective income tax rate.
We are authorized by the Mexican tax authorities to compute our income tax and asset tax on a consolidated basis. Mexican controlling companies are allowed to consolidate, for income tax purposes, income or losses of their Mexican subsidiaries up to 100% of their share ownership in such subsidiaries.
We and our Mexican subsidiaries were also subject to an asset tax, at a tax rate of 1.25% through December 31, 2007, on the adjusted gross value of some of our assets. The asset tax was computed on a fully consolidated basis. The Mexican corporate income tax rate in 2005, 2006 and 2007 was 30%, 29% and 28%, respectively. In accordance with the current Mexican Income Tax Law, the corporate income tax rate in the subsequent years will be 28%. On October 1, 2007, the Mexican government enacted the new Flat Rate Business Tax (“Impuesto Empresarial a Tasa Única” or “IETU”). This law became effective as of January 1, 2008. The law introduces a flat tax, which replaces Mexican asset tax and is applied along with Mexican regular income tax. In general, Mexican companies are subject to paying the greater of the flat tax or the income tax. The flat tax is calculated by applying a tax rate of 16.5% in 2008, 17% in 2009, and 17.5% in 2010 and the following years. Although the flat tax is defined as a minimum tax, it has a wider taxable base as some of the tax deductions allowed for income tax purposes are not allowed for the flat tax. The flat tax is calculated on a cash flow basis. As of December 31, 2007, this tax law change did not have an effect on the Company’s deferred tax position, and the Company does not expect to have a significant financial impact as a consequence of this new flat tax in the near future.
Minority Interest Net Income
Minority interest reflects that portion of operating results attributable to the interests held by third parties in the businesses which are not wholly-owned by us, including our Sky (since April 2004), Cable and Telecom, and Radio businesses.
Minority interest net income increased by Ps.325.5 million, or 53.3%, to Ps.935.9 million in 2007, from Ps.610.4 million in 2006. This increase reflected primarily a higher portion of consolidated net income attributable to interests held by minority equity owners in our Sky segment, which was partially offset by a lower portion of consolidated net income attributable to interests held by minority stockholders in our Cable and Telecom segment.

 

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Majority Interest Net Income
We generated majority interest net income in the amount of Ps.8,082.5 million in 2007, a decrease of 9.3% as compared to net income of Ps.8,908.9 million in 2006. The net decrease of Ps.826.4 million reflected:
   
a Ps.65.3 million increase in other expense, net;
   
a Ps.124.5 million increase in equity in earnings of affiliates, net;
   
a Ps.1,257.1 million increase in income taxes; and
   
a Ps.325.5 million increase in minority interest net income.
These changes were partially offset by:
   
a Ps.215.2 million increase in operating income; and
   
a Ps.730.8 million decrease in integral cost of financing, net.
Results of Operations for the Year Ended December 31, 2006
Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2005
Total Segment Results
Net Sales
Our net sales increased by Ps.4,289.7 million, or 12.2%, to Ps.39,357.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from Ps.35,068.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase reflects a revenue growth in all of our business segments, partially offset by a decrease in our feature films distribution and internet businesses.
Cost of Sales
Cost of sales increased by Ps.863.8 million, or 5.4%, to Ps.16,791.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from Ps.15,927.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was due to higher costs in the Television Broadcasting, Sky, Cable and Telecom, Publishing, Pay Television Networks, Publishing Distribution and Other Businesses segments. These increases were partially offset by lower cost of sales in our Programming Exports segment.
Selling Expenses
Selling expenses increased by Ps.252.5 million, or 8.8%, to Ps.3,130.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from Ps.2,877.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was attributable to higher selling expenses in our Publishing, Television Broadcasting, Sky, Programming Exports, Cable and Telecom, Pay Television Networks and Other Businesses segments, as a result of increases in promotional and advertising expenses and commissions paid. These increases were partially offset by lower selling expenses in our Publishing Distribution segment.
Administrative Expenses
Administrative expenses increased by Ps.402.7 million, or 20.3%, to Ps.2,390.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.1,988.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase reflects the administrative expense growth in our Sky, Cable and Telecom, Television Broadcasting, Publishing, Publishing Distribution and Other Businesses segments, as well as the increase in corporate expenses due to the adoption of the guidelines of the International Financial Reporting Standard 2, “Share-based Payment”, at the end of 2005, for which we recognized in 2006 a share-based compensation expense of Ps.243.9 million. These increases were partially offset by lower administrative expenses in our Pay Television Networks and Programming Exports segments.

 

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Television Broadcasting
Television Broadcasting net sales increased by Ps.1,710.6 million, or 8.5%, to Ps.21,760.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from Ps.20,049.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was attributable to the broadcast of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, political advertising related to the presidential election in Mexico and higher ratings in our telenovelas.
Television Broadcasting operating segment income increased by Ps.1,438.7 million, or 15.1%, to Ps.10,996.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from Ps.9,557.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was due to the increase in net sales, partially offset by an increase in cost of sales due to the transmission rights of the 2006 FIFA World Cup and an increase in operating expenses driven by higher commissions paid and provision for doubtful trade accounts.
Pay Television Networks
Pay Television Networks net sales increased by Ps.179.3 million, or 14.9%, to Ps.1,379.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from Ps.1,199.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase reflects higher revenues from signals sold in Mexico and Latin America, higher sales of TuTv, and an increase in advertising sales in Mexico.
Pay Television Networks operating segment income increased by Ps.148.5 million, or 26.6%, to Ps.707.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.559.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2005, primarily due to higher sales and a decrease in operating expenses, partially offset by an increase in cost of sales mainly by costs of programs produced by us and higher costs from transmission rights of programs produced by third parties.
Programming Exports
Programming Exports net sales increased by Ps.165.0 million, or 8.1%, to Ps.2,190.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.2,025.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was primarily due to higher royalties paid to us under the PLA entered into with Univision in the amount of U.S.$126.9 million, for the year ended December 31, 2006, as compared to U.S.$109.8 million, for the year ended December 31, 2005, as well as an increase in export sales to Latin America and Europe. These increases were partially offset by lower export sales to Asia and Africa and a negative translation effect on foreign-currency denominated sales.
Programming Exports operating segment income increased by Ps.180.1 million, or 24.9%, to Ps.902.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from Ps.721.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was primarily due to the increase in net sales, as well as a decrease in cost of sales primarily due to lower programming costs. This increase was partially offset by an increase in operating expenses primarily due to higher market research and advertising expenses.
Publishing
Publishing net sales increased by Ps.288.8 million, or 10.7%, to Ps.2,993.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from Ps.2,705.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase reflects sales of Editora Cinco (which we began to consolidate beginning January 2006) in the amount of Ps.134.2 million, and higher revenues from magazine circulation and advertising pages sold both in Mexico and abroad, partially offset by a negative translation effect on foreign-currency denominated sales.
Publishing operating segment income increased by Ps.58.3 million, or 11.3%, to Ps.576.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.518.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase primarily reflects the increase in net sales and was partially offset by increases in cost of sales and operating expenses due to the consolidation of Editora Cinco, as well as increases in costs of supplies, promotional and advertising expenses as well as higher personnel and distribution services costs resulting from an increase in subscriptions to our magazines.
Publishing Distribution
Publishing Distribution net sales increased by Ps.15.6 million, or 3.6%, to Ps.449.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.434.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was primarily attributable to higher distribution sales abroad of magazines published by us and by third parties, and was partially offset by lower circulation in Mexico of magazines published by third parties and the negative translation effect of foreign-currency denominated sales.

 

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Publishing Distribution operating segment income increased by Ps.11.6 million, or 163.4%, to Ps.18.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from Ps.7.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was attributable to the increase in net sales as well as a decrease in operating expenses, driven by lower provision for doubtful trade accounts; partially offset by higher cost of sales primarily due to higher charges related to the distribution of magazines.
Sky
Sky net sales, increased by Ps.1,269.6 million or 19.6% to Ps.7,732.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.6,463.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was primarily due to a 14.4% increase in its subscriber base, which as of December 31, 2006 reached 1,430,100 gross active subscribers (including 91,100 commercial subscribers) compared to 1,250,600 gross active subscribers as of December 31, 2005 (of which 70,100 were commercial subscribers) and higher advertising revenues.
Sky operating segment income increased by Ps.971.9 million or 35.8% to Ps.3,689.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.2,717.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was due to the increase in net sales, partially offset by higher programming and activation costs, associated with our larger subscriber base as well as an increase in operating expenses due to higher promotion and personnel expenses.
Cable and Telecom
Cable and Telecom net sales increased by Ps.542.3 million, or 35.7%, to Ps.2,059.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from Ps.1,517.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was primarily due to a 17.5% increase in the number of video subscribers, which, as of December 31, 2006, reached 486,825 subscribers compared with 414,450 subscribers reported as of December 31, 2005. We also had a 57.5% increase in our broadband subscriber base to 96,035 at December 31, 2006, compared with 60,986 at December 31, 2005, and a 6% rate increase in Cablevisión video service packages effective March 1, 2006.
Cable and Telecom operating segment income increased by Ps.318.9 million, or 60.3%, to Ps.847.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.528.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase primarily reflects the increase in net sales, partially offset by an increase in cost of sales due to higher signal costs associated with the subscriber base growth, and an increase in operating expenses primarily in personnel costs as well as maintenance and advertising expenses.
Other Businesses
Other Businesses net sales increased by Ps.120.4 million, or 6.7%, to Ps.1,922.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.1,801.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase was primarily due to higher sales related to our radio, due to the broadcast of the 2006 FIFA World Cup and political advertising, sport events productions and our gaming business. This increase was partially offset by lower sales in our feature films distribution business as well as in our internet business due to lower sales related to our SMS messaging service.
Other Businesses operating segment loss increased by Ps.86.5 million, or 62.5%, to Ps.224.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.138.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase reflects an increase in cost of sales and operating expenses related to our gaming business, partially offset by the increase in net sales in our radio business and lower cost of sales in our feature films distribution and internet businesses.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization expense increased by Ps.168.2 million, or 6.4%, to Ps.2,779.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.2,611.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This change was due to higher depreciation expense for decoders in connection with the increase in the subscriber bases in our Sky and Cable and Telecom segments, installation of new digital decoder equipment, as well as an increase in depreciation expenses in our Other Businesses segment related to our new gaming business.

 

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Non-Operating Results
Other Expense, Net
Other expense, net, increased by Ps.117.2 million, or 15.2%, to Ps.888.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared with Ps.770.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase reflected primarily the recognition of certain non-recurring expenses incurred in connection with the tender offer made by Sky in the second quarter of 2006 for most of its Senior Notes due 2013 and an increase in advisory and professional services. This increase was partially offset by the absence of loss on disposition of both investments and fixed assets in 2006. In 2006, other expense, net, primarily included expenses of debt placement, donations and advisory and professional services.
Integral Cost of Financing
The expense attributable to the integral cost of financing decreased by Ps.782.9 million, or 40.7%, to Ps.1,141.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2006 from Ps.1,923.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This decrease reflected primarily a Ps.587.8 million decrease in net foreign-exchange loss resulting primarily from the difference between the spot rate and the foreign-exchange rate of the cross-currency interest rate swap agreements, or coupon swaps, we entered into; 1.66% depreciation of the Mexican Peso against the U.S. Dollar in 2006 compared with a 4.69% appreciation of the Mexican Peso against the U.S. Dollar in 2005; a Ps.294.1 million decrease in interest expense, primarily due to both a lower average amount of outstanding debt and a reduction in the weighted-average interest rate; and a Ps.129.0 million increase in interest income primarily in connection with a higher average amount of temporary investments.
These favorable variances were partially offset by a Ps.228.0 million increase in loss from monetary position resulting primarily from a higher net monetary asset position, and a higher annual inflation rate in 2006 (4.05%) compared with 2005 (3.3%).
Equity in Results of Affiliates, Net
Equity in results of affiliates, net, decreased by Ps.797.7 million to an equity in losses of affiliates of Ps.624.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared with an equity in earnings of affiliates of Ps.172.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This decrease reflected primarily an equity in loss of La Sexta, our 40% interest in a free-to-air television channel in Spain, which began operations in March 2006. In addition, beginning July 1, 2006, we reclassified our investment in Univision as a current available-for-sale financial asset. Therefore, this line item does not reflect any results from our investment in Univision since that date.
Income Taxes
Income taxes increased by Ps.1,281.4 million, to Ps.2,092.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, from Ps.811.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase reflected both a higher income tax base and a higher effective income tax rate. We are authorized by the Mexican tax authorities to compute our income tax and asset tax on a consolidated basis. Mexican controlling companies are allowed to consolidate, for income tax purposes, income or losses of their Mexican subsidiaries up to 100% of their share ownership in such subsidiaries (through December 31, 2004, such percentage was 60%).
We and our Mexican subsidiaries were also subject to an asset tax, at a tax rate of 1.8% through December 31, 2006, on the adjusted book value of some of our assets. The asset tax is computed on a fully consolidated basis. As of January 1, 2007, the rate was lowered to 1.25% and the asset base to which the rate is applied increased. The rate has now been applied to gross assets versus an adjusted book value of assets.
Cumulative Loss of Accounting Change, Net
In 2005, the cumulative loss of accounting change of Ps.546.4 million, reflected (i) the cumulative loss effect of Ps.349.4 million, in connection with the initial accrual of share-based compensation expense for benefits granted to executives and employees under the terms of our Stock Purchase Plan and Long-term Retention Plan, in accordance with the guidelines of IFRS 2, “Share-based Payment”, issued by the International Accounting Standards Board; and (ii) the cumulative loss effect of Ps.197.0 million, net of income taxes, in connection with the initial accrual of certain severance payments, in accordance with the guidelines of revised Bulletin D-3, “Labor Obligations”, issued by the MIPA.

 

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Minority Interest Net Income
Minority interest in consolidated net income decreased by Ps.560.0 million, or 47.9%, to Ps.610.4 million for the year ended December 31, in 2006, from Ps.1,170.4 million from the year ended December 31, 2005. This decrease reflected primarily a lower portion of net income attributable to the interest held by minority equity owners in the Sky business.
Majority Interest Net Income
We generated majority interest net income in the amount of Ps.8,908.9 million in 2006, an increase of 34.7% as compared to net income of Ps.6,613.4 million in 2005. The net increase of Ps.2,295.5 million reflected:
   
a Ps.2,602.5 million increase in operating income;
   
a Ps.782.9 million decrease in integral cost of financing, net;
   
a Ps.546.4 million decrease in cumulative loss of accounting change; and
   
a Ps.560.0 million decrease in minority interest.
These changes were partially offset by:
   
a Ps.117.2 million increase in other expense, net;
   
a Ps.1,281.4 million increase in income taxes; and
   
a Ps.797.7 million decrease in equity in results of affiliates, net.
Effects of Devaluation and Inflation
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated:
   
the percentage that the Peso devalued or appreciated against the U.S. Dollar;
   
the Mexican inflation rate;
   
the U.S. inflation rate; and
   
the percentage change in Mexican GDP compared to the prior period.
                         
    Year Ended  
    December 31,  
    2005     2006     2007  
Devaluation (appreciation) of the Peso as compared to the U.S. Dollar(1)
    (4.7 )%     1.7 %     1.1 %
Mexican inflation rate(2)
    3.3       4.1       3.8  
U.S. inflation rate
    3.4       2.5       4.1  
Increase in Mexican GDP(3)
    3.1       4.9       3.2  
 
     
(1)  
Based on changes in the Interbank Rates, as reported by Banamex, at the end of each period, which were as follows: Ps.10.6265 per U.S. Dollar as of December 31, 2005; Ps.10.8025 per U.S. Dollar as of December 31, 2006; and Ps.10.9222 per U.S. Dollar as of December 31, 2007.
 
(2)  
Based on changes in the NCPI from the previous period, as reported by the Mexican Central Bank, which were as follows: 116.3 in 2005; 121.0 in 2006; and 125.6 in 2007.
 
(3)  
As reported by the Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática , or INEGI, and, in the case of GDP information for 2007, as estimated by INEGI.

 

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The general condition of the Mexican economy, the devaluation of the Peso as compared to the U.S. Dollar, inflation and high interest rates have in the past adversely affected, and may in the future adversely affect, our:
   
Advertising and Other Revenues. Inflation in Mexico adversely affects consumers. As a result, our advertising customers may purchase less advertising, which would reduce our advertising revenues, and consumers may reduce expenditures for our other products and services, including pay television services.
   
U.S. Dollar-denominated Revenues and Operating Costs and Expenses. We have substantial operating costs and expenses denominated in U.S. Dollars. These costs are principally due to our activities in the United States, the costs of foreign-produced programming and publishing supplies and the leasing of satellite transponders. The following table sets forth our U.S. Dollar-denominated revenues and operating costs and expenses for 2005, 2006 and 2007:
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2005     2006     2007  
    (Millions of U.S. Dollars)  
Revenues
    U.S.$385       U.S.$470       U.S.$570  
Operating costs and expenses
    393       529       615  
On a consolidated basis, in 2005, 2006 and 2007, our U.S. Dollar-denominated costs and expenses exceeded, and they could continue to exceed in the future, our U.S. Dollar-denominated revenues. As a result we will continue to remain vulnerable to future devaluation of the Peso, which would increase the Peso equivalent of our U.S. Dollar-denominated costs and expenses.
   
Depreciation and Amortization Expense. Prior to January 1, 2008, we restated our non-monetary Mexican and foreign assets to give effect to inflation. The restatement of these assets in periods of high inflation, as well as the devaluation of the Peso as compared to the U.S. Dollar, increased the carrying value of these assets, which in turn increased the related depreciation expense.
   
Integral Cost of Financing. The devaluation of the Peso as compared to the U.S. Dollar generated foreign exchange losses relating to our net U.S. Dollar-denominated liabilities and increases the Peso equivalent of our interest expense on our U.S. Dollar-denominated indebtedness. Foreign exchanges losses, derivatives used to hedge foreign exchange risk and increased interest expense increased our integral cost of financing.
We have also entered into and will continue to consider entering into additional financial instruments to hedge against Peso devaluations and reduce our overall exposure to the devaluation of the Peso as compared to the U.S. Dollar, inflation and high interest rates. We cannot assure you that we will be able to enter into financial instruments to protect ourselves from the effects of the devaluation of the Peso as compared to the U.S. Dollar, inflation and increases in interest rates, or if so, on favorable terms. In the past we have designated, and from time to time in the future we may designate, certain of our investments or other assets as effective hedges against Peso devaluations. In connection with our net investment in shares of Univision, we designated as an effective hedge of foreign exchange exposure a portion of the U.S. Dollar principal amount with respect to our outstanding Senior Notes due 2011, 2025 and 2032, which amounted to U.S.$971.9 million as of December 31, 2006 (see Notes 1(c), 2 and 9 to our year-end financial statements). As long as we maintained our net investment in shares of Univision, a hedge of the designated principal amounts of our debt was effective, and any foreign exchange gain or loss attributable to this hedging long-term debt was credited or charged directly to equity (accumulated other comprehensive result) for Mexican FRS purposes. On March 29, 2007, we sold our investment in shares of Univision, and the hedge of the designated principal amount of our Senior Notes was discontinued on that date. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Mexico”, “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk — Market Risk Disclosures” and Note 9 to our year-end financial statements.
Inflation Under Mexican FRS. Mexican FRS requires that our financial statements recognize the effects of inflation. In particular, our financial statements reflect the:
   
restatement of Mexican non-monetary assets (other than transmission rights, inventories and equipment of non-Mexican origin), non-monetary liabilities and stockholders’ equity using the NCPI; and
   
restatement of all inventories at net replacement cost.

 

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U.S. GAAP Reconciliation
For a discussion of the principal quantitative and disclosure differences between Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP as they relate to us through December 31, 2007, see Note 23 to our year-end financial statements.
Recently Issued U.S. Accounting Standards
SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements,” was issued in September 2006. This Statement defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in U.S. GAAP, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. This Statement applies under other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value measurements, the Board having previously concluded in those accounting pronouncements that fair value is the relevant measurement attribute. Accordingly, this Statement does not require any new fair value measurements. However, for some entities, the application of this Statement will change current practice. The definition of fair value retains the exchange price notion in earlier definitions of fair value. This Statement clarifies that the exchange price is the price in an orderly transaction between market participants to sell the asset or transfer the liability in the market in which the reporting entity would transact for the asset or liability, that is, the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability. The transaction to sell the asset or transfer the liability is a hypothetical transaction at the measurement date, considered from the perspective of a market participant that holds the asset or owes the liability. Therefore, the definition focuses on the price that would be received to sell the asset or paid to transfer the liability (an exit price), not the price that would be paid to acquire the asset or received to assume the liability (an entry price). This Statement also emphasizes that fair value is a market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement. This Statement shall be effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. Earlier application is encouraged. FASB Staff Position 157-2 delays the effective date of SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements,” for non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities, except for items that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually). This FSP defers the effective date of SFAS No. 157 for the above types of items to fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2008, and interim periods within those fiscal years. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, the adoption of SFAS No. 157 will have on our financial position, results of operations and disclosures.
In February 2007, the FASB published SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities.” This statement permits entities to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value that are not currently required to be measured at fair value. The objective is to improve financial reporting by providing entities with the opportunity to mitigate volatility in reported earnings caused by measuring related assets and liabilities differently without having to apply complex hedge accounting provisions. This statement also establishes presentation and disclosure requirements designed to facilitate comparisons between entities that choose different measurement attributes for similar types of assets and liabilities. This statement does not affect any existing accounting literature that requires certain assets and liabilities to be carried at fair value. This statement does not establish requirements for recognizing and measuring dividend income, interest income, or interest expense. This statement does not eliminate disclosure requirements included in other accounting standards, including requirements for disclosures about fair value measurements included in SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements,” and SFAS No. 107, “Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments.” SFAS No. 159 will be effective for all fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. We are currently evaluating the impact this statement will have on our financial position, results of operations and disclosures, should we elect to measure certain financial instruments at fair value.
In December 2007, the FASB published SFAS No. 141(R), which replaces SFAS No. 141, “Business Combinations.” This statement improves the reporting of information about a business combination and its effects. This statement establishes principles and requirements for how the acquirer will recognize and measure the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any non-controlling interest in the acquisition. Also, the statement determines the recognition and measurement of goodwill acquired in the business combination or a gain from a bargain purchase, and finally, sets forth the disclosure requirements to enable users of the financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of the business combination. SFAS No 141(R) will be effective for all business combinations with an acquisition date on or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period after December 15, 2008, and earlier adoption is prohibited. We will adopt this pronouncement on January 1, 2009.
In December 2007, the FASB published SFAS No. 160 on “Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements — an amendment of ARB No. 51.” This statement addresses the reporting of minority interests in the results of the parent and provides guidance for the recording of such interests in the financial statements. It also provides guidance for the recording of various transactions related to the minority interests, as well as certain disclosure requirements. SFAS No. 160 will be effective for fiscal years and interim periods after December 15, 2008, and earlier adoption is prohibited. The presentation and disclosure requirements of SFAS No. 160 must be applied retrospectively for all periods presented. We will adopt this pronouncement on January 1, 2009. We are currently evaluating the impact this statement will have on our financial position, results of operations and disclosures.

 

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On March 19, 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, “Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, an amendment of FASB Statement No. 133.” This new standard requires enhanced disclosures for derivative instruments, including those used in hedging activities. It is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008, with early adoption encouraged. The adoption of SFAS No. 161 is not expected to have a material impact on our results of operations and financial condition.
In May 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 162, “The Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles,” which identifies the sources of accounting principles and the framework for selecting principles to be used in the preparation of financial statements of nongovernmental entities that are presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the United States. This Statement shall be effective 60 days following the SEC’s approval of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) amendments to AU Section 411, “The Meaning of Present Fairly in Conformity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.” Any effect of applying the provisions of this Statement shall be reported as a change in accounting principles in accordance with SFAS No. 154, “Accounting Changes and Error Corrections.” An entity shall follow the disclosure requirements of that Statement, and additionally, disclose the accounting principles that were used before and after the application of the provisions of this Statement and the reason why applying this Statement resulted in a change in accounting principles. The adoption of SFAS No. 162 is not expected to have a material impact on the results of operations and financial condition.
Recently Issued Mexican Financial Reporting Standards
Beginning in June 2004, the Mexican Board for Research and Development of Financial Reporting Standards, or Consejo Mexicano para la Investigación y Desarrollo de Normas de Información Financiera, or CINIF, assumed the responsibility for setting Financial Reporting Standards in Mexico, or Mexican FRS. Before that date, the MIPA was responsible for issuing accounting principles generally accepted in Mexico. Mexican FRS are comprised of: (i) Financial Reporting Standards, or Normas de Información Financiera, or NIF, and NIF Interpretations, or Interpretaciones a las NIF, or INIF, issued by the CINIF; (ii) Bulletins of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in Mexico, or Mexican GAAP, issued through May 2004 by the MIPA that have not been modified, replaced or superseded by new NIF; and (iii) International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS, issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, or IASB, that are supplementary in Mexico when no general or specific guidance is provided by either NIF or applicable Bulletins of Mexican GAAP.
In August 2007, the CINIF issued three new standards that became effective as of January 1, 2008, as follows:
NIF B-10, Effects of Inflation , establishes standards for recognizing the effects of inflation in an entity’s financial statements as measured by changes in a general price index only and does not provide standards for valuation of any assets or liabilities. NIF B-10 provides criteria for identifying both inflationary and non-inflationary environments, and provides guidelines to cease or start recognizing the effects of inflation in financial statements when the general price index applicable to a specific entity is up to or above 26% in a cumulative three-year period. NIF B-10 includes an option for the accounting treatment of the result from holding non-monetary assets recognized by an entity as accumulated other comprehensive income or loss under previous guidelines by either recycling this result from stockholders’ equity to income as it is realized, or reclassifying the outstanding balance of such result to retained earnings in the period in which this standard becomes effective. Additionally, restatement of financial statements for earlier periods presented is not required by NIF B-10. Since the cumulative inflation in Mexico measured by the NCPI in the three-year period ended December 31, 2007 was below 26%, the Mexican companies in Televisa ceased recognizing the effects of inflation in financial statements beginning January 1, 2008. In addition, effective January 1, 2008, Televisa classified in retained earnings the outstanding balances of cumulative loss from holding non-monetary assets and accumulated monetary loss in the aggregate amount of approximately Ps.2,672.5 million, in accordance with the guidelines provided by NIF B-10.
NIF D-3, Benefits to Employees , replaces the previous Mexican GAAP Bulletin D-3, Labor Obligations , and provides standards for recognizing those benefits granted by an entity to its employees, including direct, termination and retirement benefits, as well as other related provisions. NIF D-3 requires shorter amortization periods for items subject to be amortized, including an option to recognize any actual gain or loss in income, and does not require the recognition of a transition asset or liability other than benefits granted in a plan amendment (prior service cost). NIF D-3 eliminates the recognition of an additional liability determined on the actual computation of retirement benefits without consideration of salary increases; consequently, a related intangible asset and an eventual stockholders’ equity adjustment derived from the recognition of this additional liability, are no longer required by this new standard. NIF D-3 also requires the recognition of any termination benefit costs directly in income as a provision, with no deferral of any unrecognized prior service cost or related actual gain or loss. Additionally, NIF D-3 recognizes the employees’ profit sharing required to be paid under certain circumstances in Mexico, as a direct benefit to employees. The provisions of NIF D-3 are not expected to have a significant effect on our consolidated financial statements.

 

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NIF D-4, Income Taxes , replaces the previous Mexican GAAP Bulletin D-4, Accounting for Income Tax, Asset Tax and Employees’ Profit Sharing , and provides additional guidance for valuation, presentation and disclosure of both current and deferred income taxes accrued for a period. NIF D-4 eliminates from its scope the accounting for employees’ profit sharing, since this line item is deemed an ordinary expense associated with benefits to employees, and therefore under the scope of NIF D-3. NIF D-4 also recognizes the Mexican asset tax paid as a tax credit to the extent of its expected recovery. In addition, NIF D-4 requires the reclassification to retained earnings of any outstanding cumulative effect of deferred income taxes recognized in stockholders’ equity, in the period in which this standard becomes effective. The provisions of NIF D-4 are not expected to have a significant effect on Televisa’s consolidated financial statements. In accordance with the guidelines provided by NIF D-4, effective January 1, 2008, Televisa classified in retained earnings the outstanding balance of cumulative loss effect of deferred income taxes in the amount of approximately Ps.3,224.4 million.
In November 2007, the CINIF issued two standards that became effective as of January 1, 2008, as follows:
NIF B-2, Statement of Cash Flows , requires a statement of cash flows as part of a full set of financial statements in place of a statement of changes in financial position. The statement of cash flows classifies cash receipts and payments according to whether they stem from operating, investing, or financing activities and provides a definition of each category. Cash flows from operating activities can be reported by directly showing major classes of operating cash receipts and payments (the direct method), or by reporting the same amount of net cash flow from operating activities indirectly by adjusting net income to reconcile it to net cash flow from operating activities (the indirect method) by removing the effects of (a) all deferrals of past operating cash receipts and accruals of expected future operating cash receipts and payments and (b) all items that are included in net income that do not affect operating cash receipts and payments. NIF B-2 also requires that a statement of cash flows report the reporting currency equivalent of foreign currency cash flows, using the current exchange rate at the time of the cash flows. The effect of exchange rate changes on cash held in foreign currencies is reported as a separate item in the reconciliation of beginning and ending balances of cash and cash equivalents. Restatement of financial statements for years provided before 2008 is not required by NIF B-2.
NIF B-15, Translation of Foreign Currencies , replaces the previous Mexican GAAP Bulletin B-15, Foreign Currency Transactions and Translation of Financial Statements of Foreign Operations , and introduces the concepts of accounting currency, functional currency and reporting currency. NIF B-15 sets forth procedures for translating financial statements from the accounting currency of a foreign operation into the applicable functional currency, and from the functional currency of a foreign operation into the required reporting currency. NIF B-15 also permits that an entity may present its financial statements in a reporting currency other than its functional currency. Restatement of financial statements for years provided before 2008 is not required by NIF B-15. The provisions of NIF B-15 are not expected to have a significant effect on our consolidated financial statements.
In December 2007, the CINIF issued the INIF 8, Effects of the Flat Rate Business Tax . This interpretation became effective in October 2007, and requires a company to evaluate the effects of the new Flat Rate Business Tax that became effective in Mexico beginning in January 2008, on its deferred income tax asset or liability position for the fourth quarter of 2007, based on projected results of operations for periods beginning in 2008. The provisions of INIF 8 did not have a significant effect on our consolidated financial statements.
Critical Accounting Policies
We have identified certain key accounting policies upon which our consolidated financial condition and results of operations are dependent. The application of these key accounting policies often involve complex considerations and assumptions and the making of subjective judgments or decisions on the part of our management. In the opinion of our management, our most critical accounting policies under both Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP are those related to the accounting for programming, equity investments, the evaluation of definite lived and indefinite lived long-lived assets, and deferred income taxes. For a full description of these and other accounting policies, see Note 1 and Note 23 to our year-end financial statements.`
Accounting for Programming. We produce a significant portion of programming for initial broadcast over our television networks in Mexico, our primary market. Following the initial broadcast of this programming, we then license some of this programming for broadcast in secondary markets, such as the United States, Latin America (including Mexico), Asia and Europe. Under Mexican FRS, in order to properly capitalize and subsequently amortize production costs related to this programming, we must estimate the expected future benefit period over which a given program will generate revenues (generally, over a five-year period). We then capitalize the production costs related to a given program over the expected future benefit period. Under this policy, we generally expense approximately 70% of the production costs related to a given program in the year of its initial broadcast and defer and expense the remaining production costs over the remainder of the expected future benefit period. See Note 1(e) to our year-end financial statements.

 

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We estimate expected future benefit periods based on past historical revenue patterns for similar types of programming and any potential future events, such as new outlets through which we can exploit or distribute our programming, including our consolidated subsidiaries and equity investees, among other outlets. To the extent that a given future expected benefit period is shorter than we estimate, we may have to write-off capitalized production costs sooner than anticipated. Conversely, to the extent that a given future expected benefit period is longer than we estimate, we may have to extend the amortization schedule for the remaining capitalized production costs.
We also purchase programming from, and enter into license arrangements with, various third party programming producers and providers, pursuant to which we receive the rights to broadcast programming produced by third parties over our television networks in Mexico and/or our pay television and other media outlets. In the case of programming acquired from third parties, we estimate the expected future benefit period based on the anticipated number of showings in Mexico over our television networks and/or our pay television and other media outlets. In the case of programming licensed from third parties, we estimate the expected future benefit period based upon the term of the license. To the extent that a given future expected benefit period is shorter than we estimate, we may have to write off the purchase price or the license fee sooner than anticipated. Conversely, to the extent that a given future expected benefit period is longer than we estimate, we may have to extend the amortization schedule for the remaining portion of the purchase price or the license fee.
Equity Investments.   Some of our investments are structured as equity investments. See Notes 1(g) and 2 to our year-end financial statements. As a result, under both Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP, the results of operations attributable to these investments are not consolidated with the results of our various segments for financial reporting purposes, but are reported as equity in income (losses) of affiliates in our consolidated income statement. See Note 5 to our year-end financial statements.
In the past we have made significant capital contributions and loans to our joint ventures, and we, in the future, may make additional capital contributions and loans to at least some of our joint ventures. In the past, these ventures have generated, and they may continue to generate operating losses and negative cash flows as they continue to build and expand their respective businesses.
We periodically evaluate our investments in these joint ventures for impairment, taking into consideration the performance of these ventures as compared to projections related to net sales, expenditures and subscriber growth, strategic plans and future required cash contributions, among other factors. In doing so, we evaluate whether any declines in value are other than temporary. We have taken impairment charges in the past for some of these investments. Given the dynamic environments in which these businesses operate, as well as changing macroeconomic conditions, we cannot assure you that our future evaluations would not result in our recognizing additional impairment charges for these investments.
Once the carrying balance of a given investment is reduced to zero, we evaluate whether we should suspend the equity method of accounting, taking into consideration both quantitative and qualitative factors, such as guarantees we have provided to these ventures, future funding commitments and expectations as to the viability of the business. These conditions may change from year to year, and accordingly, we periodically evaluate whether to continue to account for our various investments under the equity method.
Goodwill and Other Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets.   Under Mexican FRS, we ceased amortizing our goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets, beginning January 1, 2004 and 2003, respectively. We assess our goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment using fair value measurement techniques under Mexican FRS, which is similar to U.S. GAAP in this regard. However, Mexican FRS does not require a two-step impairment evaluation process for goodwill but rather, a direct comparison of fair value to carrying value.
The identification and measurement of impairment to goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives involves the estimation of fair values. These estimates and assumptions could have a significant impact on whether or not an impairment charge is recognized and also the magnitude of any such charge. We perform valuation analyses with the assistance of third parties and consider relevant internal data, as well as other market information, which is publicly available. Estimates of fair value are primarily determined using discounted cash flows and market comparisons. These approaches use significant estimates and assumptions including projected future cash flows (including timing), discount rate reflecting the risk inherent in future cash flows, perpetual growth rate, determination of appropriate market comparables and the determination of whether a premium or discount should be applied to comparables. Inherent in these estimates and assumptions is a certain level of risk, which we believe we have considered in our valuations. Nevertheless, if future actual results differ from estimates, a possible impairment charge may be recognized in future periods related to the write-down of the carrying value of goodwill and other intangibles in addition to the amounts recognized previously.

 

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Long-lived Assets.   Under both Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP, we present certain long-lived assets and capitalized costs other than goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets in our consolidated balance sheet. Long-lived assets are tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset is no longer recoverable from future discounted projected cash flows. Estimates of future cash flows involve considerable management judgment. These estimates are based on historical data, future revenue growth, anticipated market conditions, management plans, assumptions regarding projected rates of inflation and currency fluctuations, among other factors. If these assumptions are not correct, we would have to recognize a write-off or write-down or accelerate the amortization schedule related to the carrying value of these assets. See Notes 1(j), 7 and 17 to our year-end financial statements. Unlike U.S. GAAP, Mexican FRS allows the reversal in subsequent periods of previously taken impairment charges.
Deferred Income Taxes.   Under both Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP, we record a valuation allowance to reduce our deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. While we have considered future taxable income and ongoing prudent and feasible tax planning strategies in assessing the need for the valuation allowance, in the event we were to determine that we would be able to realize our deferred tax assets in the future in excess of the net recorded amount, an adjustment to the deferred tax asset would increase income in the period such determination was made. Should we determine that we would not be able to realize all or part of our net deferred tax asset in the future, an adjustment to the deferred tax asset would be charged to income in the period such determination was made.
We adopted Interpretation No. 48 “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes” (“FIN 48”) under the U.S. GAAP Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued in July 2006, which interprets FASB Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 109, effective as of January 1, 2007. FIN 48 prescribes a comprehensive model for the recognition, measurement, financial statement presentation and disclosure of uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. FIN 48 provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. We classify income tax-related interest and penalties as income taxes in the financial statements. The adoption of this pronouncement had no effect on our overall financial position or results of operations.
Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Capital Resources
Liquidity.   We generally rely on a combination of operating revenues, borrowings and net proceeds from dispositions to fund our working capital needs, capital expenditures, acquisitions and investments. Historically, we have received, and continue to receive, most of our advertising revenues in the form of upfront advertising deposits in the fourth quarter of a given year, which we in turn used, and continue to use, to fund our cash requirements during the rest of the quarter in which the deposits were received and for the first nine months of the following year. As of December 31, 2007, December 31, 2006, and December 31, 2005, we had received Ps.16,085.0 million (nominal), Ps.15,946.0 million (nominal) and Ps.14,232.7 million (nominal), respectively, of advertising deposits for television advertising during 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively, representing U.S.$1.5 billion, U.S.$1.5 billion, and U.S.$1.3 billion, respectively, at the applicable year-end exchange rates. The deposits as of December 31, 2007, represented a 0.9% (nominal) increase, or 3.2% decrease in real terms, as compared to year-end 2006, and deposits as of December 31, 2006 represented a 12% (nominal) increase, or 8.3% in real terms, as compared to year-end 2005. Approximately 67.9%, 61.9% and 57.5% of the advanced payment deposits as of each of December 31, 2007, December 31, 2006, and December 31, 2005, respectively, were in the form of short-term, non-interest bearing notes, with the remainder in each of those years consisting of cash deposits. The weighted average maturity of these notes at December 31, 2007 and December 31, 2006, was 3.6 months and at December 31, 2005, was 3.1 months.
We expect to fund our operating cash needs during 2008, other than cash needs in connection with any potential investments and acquisitions, through a combination of financing, cash from operations and cash on hand. We intend to finance our potential investments or acquisitions in 2008 through available cash from operations, cash on hand and/or borrowings. The amount of borrowings required to fund these cash needs in 2008 will depend upon the timing of cash payments from advertisers under our advertising sales plan.
Net income adjusted for non-cash items.   Non-cash items represent primarily depreciation and amortization, deferred income taxes, stock-based compensation and equity in results of affiliates, exclusive of changes in working capital. The Peso amounts in this section are expressed in millions of Pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007.
In 2007, we generated positive net income adjusted for non-cash items of Ps.13,839.5 million, as compared to a positive net income adjusted for non-cash items of Ps.14,617.8 million during 2006. This change was due primarily to a Ps.2,907.8 million increase in income and asset taxes. This decrease in our net income adjusted for non-cash items was partially offset by:
   
a Ps.555.1 million increase in operating income;
   
a Ps.729.2 million decrease in integral cost of financing, which was due primarily to an increase in interest income and in foreign exchange gain; and
   
a Ps.845.2 million decrease in other expense, net.

 

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In 2006, we generated positive net income adjusted for non-cash items of Ps.14,617.8 million, as compared to a positive net income adjusted for non-cash items of Ps.10,208.6 million during 2005. This change was due primarily to the following:
   
a Ps.3,014.5 million increase in operating income;
   
a Ps.861.7 million decrease in income and asset taxes; and
   
a Ps.780.9 million decrease in integral cost of financing, which was due primarily to a decrease in foreign exchange loss and interest expense.
The increases in our net income adjusted for non-cash items were partially offset by a Ps.247.9 million increase in other expense, net.
In 2005, we generated positive net income adjusted for non-cash items of Ps.10,208.6 million, as compared to a positive net income adjusted for non-cash items of Ps.8,966.3 million during 2004. This change was due primarily to the following:
   
a Ps.2,412.6 million increase in operating income; and
   
a Ps.96.6 million decrease in other expense, net.
The increases in our net income adjusted for non-cash items were partially offset by:
   
a Ps.1,050.9 million increase in income and asset taxes; and
   
a Ps.216.0 million increase in integral cost of financing, which was due primarily to an increase in foreign exchange loss.
Capital Expenditures, Acquisitions and Investments, Distributions and Other Sources of Liquidity.
During 2008, we expect to:
   
make aggregate expenditures for property, plant and equipment of approximately U.S.$360.0 million, which amount includes capital expenditures in the amount of approximately U.S.$85.0 million, U.S.$120.0 million and U.S.$50.0 million for the expansion and improvements of our Cable and Telecom, Sky and gaming segments, respectively;
   
make investments related to our 40% interest in La Sexta for an aggregate amount of €44.4 million (U.S.$64.8 million);
   
make an additional investment of U.S.$100.0 million in Alvafig to increase its interest in the capital stock of Cablemás; and
   
make additional capital contributions in Volaris, our 25% interest in a low-cost carrier airline in Mexico for up to U.S.$12.0 million.
During 2007, we:
   
made aggregate capital expenditures totaling U.S.$355.1 million, including U.S.$78.7 million for our Cable and Telecom segment, U.S.$122.3 million for Sky, U.S.$41.4 million for gaming, and U.S.$112.7 million in our Television Broadcasting and Other Business segments;
   
made investments related to our 40% interest in La Sexta for an aggregate amount of €65.9 million (U.S.$89.9 million);
   
acquired Editorial Atlántida, a leading publishing company in Argentina, for approximately U.S.$78.8 million; and
   
acquired in December 2007 shares of companies that hold the majority of the assets of Bestel, a privately held, facilities-based telecommunications company in Mexico by our indirect majority-owned subsidiary, Cablestar for U.S.$256.0 million in cash plus an additional capital contribution of U.S.$69.0 million.

 

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During 2006, we:
   
made aggregate capital expenditures totaling U.S.$298.5 million, including U.S.$75.9 million for our cable television segment, U.S.$91.2 million for Sky, U.S.$22.5 million for gaming, and U.S.$108.9 million in our Television Broadcasting and Other Business segments;
   
made investments related to our 40% interest in La Sexta for an aggregate amount of U.S.$132.4 million (€104.6 million), and capital contributions of U.S.$7.5 million in Volaris related to our 25% interest in this venture;
   
acquired a 50% interest in TVI, a cable television company in Mexico, in the amount of Ps.798.3 million, which was substantially paid in cash, and provided funding to TVI in the form of a loan in the nominal amount of Ps. 240.6 million; and
   
invested U.S.$258.0 million in long-term notes convertible, at our option, into 99.99% of the equity of Alvafig, which held, at such time, 49% of the equity of Cablemás, a large cable operator in Mexico, with a coupon rate of 8% in the first year and 10% in the four remaining years.
Refinancings.   In May 2004, we entered into a five-year credit agreement with a Mexican bank for an aggregate principal amount of Ps.1,162.5 million, which net proceeds were used by us to repay any outstanding amounts under the U.S.$100.0 million syndicated term loan. For a description of the terms of the Ps.1,162.5 million long-term credit agreement, see “— Indebtedness” below.
In October 2004, we entered into a seven and one-half-year credit agreement with a Mexican bank for an aggregate principal amount of Ps.2,000.0 million. Net proceeds of this loan were used principally to prefund a portion of our U.S.$200.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8 5/8% Senior Notes due in August 2005.
In March 2005, we issued U.S.$400.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2025. We applied the net proceeds from this issuance, as well as cash on hand, to fund our tender offers for any or all or our U.S.$300.0 million aggregate principal amount outstanding of our 8.00% Senior Notes due 2011 and our Ps.3,839 million (equivalent to approximately U.S.$336.9 million) aggregate principal amount of 8.15% UDI-denominated Notes due 2007. For a description of our 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2025, see “— Indebtedness” below.
In May 2005, we reopened our 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2025 for an additional U.S.$200.0 million for an aggregate principal amount of U.S.$600.0 million of 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2025 outstanding.
In April 2006, Innova successfully completed a cash tender offer to purchase its U.S.$300.0 million 9.375% Senior Notes due 2013 tendering 96.25% of the notes. This tender offer was funded by entering into two bank loans due in 2016 denominated in Pesos for a notional amount of Ps.3,500.0 million at an average fixed interest rate for the first three years of 8.84%.
In May 2007, we issued Ps.4,500 million aggregate principal amount of 8.49% Senior Notes due 2037. We used the net proceeds from the issuance to replenish our cash position following the payment, with cash on hand, of Ps.992.9 million of our 8.15% UDI-denominated notes that matured in April 2007 and for the repurchase of our shares. We used the remaining net proceeds from this issuance for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of other outstanding indebtedness and the continued repurchase of our shares, subject to market conditions and other factors. See Note 8 to our year-end financial statements.
In May 2008, we issued U.S.$500.0 million Senior Notes due 2018. We intend to use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes, including to repay outstanding indebtedness and repurchase our shares, among other uses, in each case, subject to market conditions and other factors.

 

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Indebtedness.   As of December 31, 2007, our consolidated long-term portion of debt amounted to Ps.24,922.0 million, and our consolidated current portion of debt was Ps.488.6 million. As of December 31, 2006, our consolidated long-term portion of debt amounted to Ps.19,487.7 million, and our consolidated current portion of debt was Ps.1,023.5 million. As of December 31, 2005, our consolidated long-term portion of debt amounted to Ps.19,949.4 million, and our consolidated current portion of debt was Ps.367.6 million. The following table sets forth a description of our outstanding indebtedness as of December 31, 2007, on a historical, actual basis. Information in the following table is presented in millions of constant Pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007:
                             
    Debt Outstanding(1)  
    December 31,                  
    2007     Interest         Maturity  
Description of Debt   Actual     Rate(2)     Denomination   of Debt  
Long-term debt
                           
8% Senior Notes(2)(3)
    785.8       8.0 %   U.S. Dollars     2011  
8.5% Senior Notes(2)
    3,276.7       8.5 %   U.S. Dollars     2032  
6.625% Senior Notes(2)(3)
    6,553.3       6.625 %   U.S. Dollars     2025  
8.49% Senior Notes(7)
    4,500.0       8.490 %   Pesos     2037  
Innova’s 9.375% Senior Notes(4)(8)
    122.9       9.375 %   U.S. Dollars     2013  
Banamex loan due 2009(8)
    1,162.5       9.70 %   Pesos     2009  
Banamex loan due 2010 and 2012(8)
    2,000.0       10.35 %   Pesos   2010 and 2012  
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. loan(5)
    2,457.4       5.330 %   U.S. Dollars     2012  
Santander Serfin loan(4)(8)
    1,400.0       8.98 %   Pesos     2016  
Banamex loan due 2008(8)
    480.0       8.925 %   Pesos     2008  
Banamex loan due 2016(4)(8)
    2,100.0       8.74 %   Pesos     2016  
Other debt(6)
    83.4       4.95 %   Various     2008-2022  
 
                         
Total debt (including current maturities)
    24,922.0             15.2 years (9)
Less: current maturities
    488.6           Various   December 2008  
 
                         
Total long-term debt
    24,433.4                      
 
                         
 
     
(1)  
U.S. Dollar-denominated debt is translated into Pesos at an exchange rate of Ps.10.9222 per U.S. Dollar, the Interbank Rate, as reported by Banamex, as of December 31, 2007.
 
(2)  
These Senior Notes are unsecured obligations of the Company, rank equally in right of payment with all existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company, and are junior in right of payment to all of the existing and future liabilities of the Company’s subsidiaries. Interest on the Senior Notes due 2011, 2025, 2032 and 2037, including additional amounts payable in respect of certain Mexican withholding taxes, is 8.41%, 6.97%, 8.94% and 8.93% per annum, respectively, and is payable semi-annually. These Senior Notes may not be redeemed prior to maturity, except in the event of certain changes in law affecting the Mexican withholding tax treatment of certain payments on the securities, in which case the securities will be redeemable, as a whole but not in part, at the option of the Company. The Senior Notes due 2011 and 2032 were priced at 98.793% and 99.431%, respectively, for a yield to maturity of 8.179% and 8.553%, respectively. The indenture governing these Senior Notes contains covenants that limit the ability of the Company and certain restricted subsidiaries engaged in Television Broadcasting, Pay Television Networks and Programming Exports, to incur or assume liens, perform sale and leaseback transactions, and consummate certain mergers, consolidations and similar transactions. Substantially all of these Senior Notes are registered with the SEC.
 
(3)  
In March and May 2005, the Company issued these Senior Notes in the aggregate amount of U.S.$400.0 million and U.S.$200.0 million, respectively, which were priced at 98.081% and 98.632%, respectively, for a yield to maturity of 6.802% and 6.787%, respectively. The net proceeds of the U.S.$400.0 million issuance, together with cash on hand, were used to fund the Company’s tender offers made for any or all of the Senior Notes due 2011 and the UDI-denominated Notes due 2007, and prepay a portion of the outstanding principal amount of these securities in the amount of U.S.$222.0 million and Ps.3,045,427 (nominal Ps.2,935,097), respectively. The net proceeds of the U.S.$200.0 million issuance were used for corporate purposes, including the prepayment of some of the Company’s outstanding indebtedness.
 
(4)  
These Senior Notes are unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of Sky. Interest on these Senior Notes, including additional amounts payable in respect of certain Mexican withholding taxes, is 9.8580%, and is payable semi-annually. Sky may, at its own option, redeem these Senior Notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after September 19, 2008 at redemption prices from 104.6875% to 101.5625% between September 19, 2008 through September 18, 2011, or 100% commencing on September 19, 2011, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. In March and April 2006, Sky entered into two 10-year loans with Mexican banks in the aggregate principal amount of Ps.3,500,000 to fund, together with cash on hand, a tender offer and consent solicitation made for any or all of the Senior Notes due 2013, and prepaid a principal amount of U.S.$288.7 million or 96.2% of these securities. The total aggregate amount paid by Sky in connection with this tender offer was U.S.$324.3 million, which included related consents and accrued and unpaid interest. The 10-year Sky indebtedness is guaranteed by the Company and includes a nominal Ps.2,100,000 loan with an annual interest rate of 8.74% and a Ps.1,400,000 loan with an annual interest rate of 8.98% for the first three years, and the Mexican interbank interest rate of “TIIE” plus 24 basis points for the remaining seven years. Interest on these two 10-year loans is payable on a monthly basis.

 

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(5)  
In December 2007, Cablevisión entered into a 5-year term loan facility in the aggregate principal amount of U.S.$225.0 million in connection with the financing for the acquisition of Letseb and Bestel USA, Inc. This loan is intended to be syndicated during the life of the facility. Annual interest on this loan facility is payable on a quarterly basis at LIBOR plus an applicable margin that may range from 0.375% to 0.625% depending on a leverage ratio. Under the terms of the loan facility, Cablevisión and subsidiaries are required to (a) maintain certain financial coverage ratios related to indebtedness and interest expense, and (b) comply with certain restrictive covenants, primarily on debt, liens, investments and acquisitions, capital expenditures, asset sales, consolidations, mergers and similar transactions.
 
(6)  
Includes notes payable to banks, bearing annual interest rates in a range of 0.11 to 1.25 points above LIBOR. The maturities of these notes are between 2008 and 2022.
 
(7)  
In May 2007, the Company issued these Senior Notes in the aggregate principal amount of Ps.4,500,000. The net proceeds from this issuance were used to replenish the Company’s cash position following the payment, with cash on hand, of Ps.992,900 of our outstanding 8.15% UDI-denominated Notes that matured in April 2007 and for the repurchase of the Company’s shares. The Company used the remaining net proceeds from this issuance for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of other outstanding indebtedness and the continued repurchase of the Company’s shares, subject to market conditions and other factors. The Company may, at its own option, redeem these Senior Notes, in whole or in part, at any time at a redemption price equal to the greater of the principal amount of the Senior Notes or the present value of future cash flows, at the redemption date, of principal and interest amounts of the Senior Notes discounted at a fixed rate of comparable Mexican Government Bonds.
 
(8)  
Includes in 2006 and 2007, outstanding balances of long-term loans in the principal amount of Ps.480,000, Ps.1,162,460 and Ps.2,000,000, in connection with certain credit agreements entered into by the Company with a Mexican bank, with various maturities through 2012. Interest on these loans ranges from 8.925% to 10.350% per annum and is payable on a monthly basis. Under the terms of these credit agreements, the Company and certain restricted subsidiaries engaged in Television Broadcasting, Pay Television Networks and Programming Exports are required to maintain (a) certain financial coverage ratios related to indebtedness and interest expense; and (b) certain restrictive covenants on indebtedness, dividend payments, issuance and sale of capital stock, and liens. The balance in 2006 and 2007 also includes the Sky long-term loans discussed in paragraph (3) above in the aggregate principal amount of Ps.3,500,000.
 
(9)  
Actual weighted average maturity of long-term debt as of December 31, 2007.
Interest Expense.   Interest expense for 2007 was Ps.2,177.0 million, Ps.13.0 million of which was attributable to the restatement of our UDI-denominated notes due 2007.
The following table sets forth our interest expense for the years indicated (in millions of U.S. Dollars and millions of Mexican Pesos):
                         
    Year Ended December 31,(1)(2)  
    2005     2006     2007  
Interest payable in U.S. Dollars
  U.S.$ 118.0     U.S.$ 95.6     U.S.$ 87.2  
Amounts currently payable under Mexican withholding taxes(3)
    6.3       4.2       3.7  
 
                 
Total interest payable in U.S. Dollars
  U.S.$ 124.3     U.S.$ 99.8     U.S.$ 90.9  
 
                 
Peso equivalent of interest payable in U.S. Dollars
  Ps.    1,487.5     Ps.    1,156.4     Ps.    1,014.4  
Interest payable in Pesos
    782.7       812.7       1,149.6  
Restatement of UDI-denominated Notes Due 2007
    34.3       41.3       13.0  
 
                 
Total interest expense(4)
  Ps.    2,304.5     Ps.    2,010.4     Ps.    2,177.0  
 
                 
 
     
(1)  
U.S. Dollars are translated into Pesos at the rate prevailing when interest was recognized as an expense for each period and restated to Pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007.
 
(2)  
Interest expense in these periods includes amounts effectively payable in U.S. Dollars as a result of U.S. Dollar-Peso swaps.
 
(3)  
See “Additional Information — Taxation — Federal Mexican Taxation”.
 
(4)  
Total interest expense amounts in these periods exclude capitalized and hedged interest expense.

 

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Guarantees.   We guarantee our proportionate share of our DTH joint ventures’ minimum commitments for use on PanAmSat (now Intelsat Corporation) IS-9 satellite’s transponders for periods of up to 15 years. The amount of these guaranteed commitments is estimated to be an aggregate of U.S.$92.8 million as of December 31, 2007, related to Innova. In October 2005, in a series of related transactions, we disposed of our 30% interest in Techco and were released of any obligation in connection with a guarantee granted by us in respect of certain of Techco’s indebtedness.
In February 2006, in connection with the transactions with DIRECTV, we entered into an amended and restated guarantee with PanAmSat, pursuant to which the proportionate share of Innova’s transponder lease obligation on satellite 1S-9 (formerly PAS-9) guaranteed by us was adjusted from 51.0% to 52.8%. In April 2006, we acquired additional equity interests in Innova from DIRECTV (as described below), and the guarantee was readjusted from 52.8% to 58.7% to cover a percentage of the transponder lease obligations equal to our percentage ownership of Innova at that time. See “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions — Related Party Transactions”, “Information on the Company – Business Overview— DTH Joint Ventures” and Note 11 to our year-end financial statements.
Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments
Our contractual obligations and commercial commitments consist primarily of long-term debt, as described above, satellite transponder obligations and transmission rights obligations.
Contractual Obligations on the Balance Sheet
The following table summarizes our contractual obligations on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2007 (these amounts do not include interest):
                                         
    Payments Due by Period  
            Less Than                    
            12 Months     12-36 Months     36-60 Months     After  
            January 1,     January 1,     January 1,     60 Months  
            2008 to     2009 to     2011 to     Subsequent to  
            December 31,     December 31,     December 31,     December 31,  
    Total     2008     2010     2012     2012  
    (Thousands of U.S. Dollars)  
8% Senior Notes due 2011
  U.S.$ 71,951     U.S.$     U.S.$     U.S.$ 71,951     U.S.$  
8.5% Senior Notes due 2032
    300,000                               300,000  
6.625% Senior Notes due 2025
    600,000                               600,000  
8.49% Senior Notes due 2037
    412,005                               412,005  
Innova’s 9.375% Senior Notes due 2013
    11,251                               11,251  
Banamex loan due 2008
    43,947       43,947                          
Banamex loan due 2009
    106,431               106,431                  
Banamex loan due 2010 and 2012
    183,114               91,557       91,557          
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. loan due 2012
    225,000                       225,000          
Banamex loan due 2016
    192,269                               192,269  
Santander Serfin loan due 2016
    128,179                               128,179  
Other debt
    7,631       792       3,622       296       2,921  
 
                             
Long-term debt
    2,281,778       44,739       201,610       388,804       1,646,625  
Satellite transponder obligation
    103,718       8,944       21,275       26,747       46,752  
Transmission rights(1)
    259,146       81,222       67,443       75,902       34,579  
 
                             
Total contractual obligations
  U.S.$ 2,644,642     U.S.$ 134,905     U.S.$ 290,328     U.S.$ 491,453     U.S.$ 1,727,956  
 
                             
 
     
(1)  
This liability reflects our transmission rights obligations related to programming acquired or licensed from third party producers and suppliers, and special events, which are reflected for in our consolidated balance sheet within trade accounts payable (current liabilities) and other long-term liabilities.

 

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Contractual Obligations off the Balance Sheet
The following table summarizes our contractual obligations off the balance sheet as of December 31, 2007:
                                         
    Payments Due by Period  
            Less Than                    
            12 Months     12-36 Months     36-60 Months     After 60  
            January 1,     January 1,     January 1,     Months  
            2008 to     2009 to     2011 to     Subsequent to  
            December 31,     December 31,     December 31,     December 31,  
    Total     2008     2010     2012     2012  
    (Thousands of U.S. Dollars)  
Satellite transponder commitments(1)
  U.S.$ 50,075     U.S.$ 14,665     U.S.$ 16,944     U.S.$ 9,480     U.S.$ 8,986  
Agreement with Intelsat Corporation(2)
    138,600             138,600              
Capital expenditures commitments(3)
    15,900       15,900                    
Lease commitments(4)
    61,609       15,954       25,516       9,087       11,052  
Other(5)
    64,773       64,773                    
 
                             
Total contractual obligations
  U.S.$ 330,957     U.S.$ 111,292     U.S.$ 181,060     U.S.$ 18,567     U.S.$ 20,038  
 
                             
 
     
(1)  
Our minimum commitments for the use of satellite transponders under operating lease contracts.
 
(2)  
Agreement of Sky and Sky Brasil with Intelsat Corporation to build and launch a new 24-transponder satellite in the fourth quarter of 2009. See Note 11 to our year-end financial statements.
 
(3)  
Our commitments for capital expenditures include U.S.$7,640, which are related to improvements to leasehold facilities of our gaming operations.
 
(4)  
Our minimum non-cancellable lease commitments for facilities under operating lease contracts, which are primarily related to our gaming business, under operating leases expiring through 2046. See Note 11 to our year-end financial statements.
 
(5)  
We have commitments of capital contributions in 2008 related to our 40% equity interest in La Sexta in the aggregate amount of €44.4 million (U.S.$64,773).

 

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Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees
Board of Directors
The following table sets forth the names of our current directors and their alternates, their dates of birth, their principal occupation, their business experience, including other directorships, and their years of service as directors or alternate directors. Each of the following directors and alternate directors were elected or ratified for a one-year term by our stockholders at our April 27, 2007 annual stockholders’ meeting.
             
Name and Date of Birth   Principal Occupation   Business Experience   First Elected
Emilio Fernando Azcárraga Jean
(02/21/68)
  Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer and President of the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa   Member of the Board of Banco Nacional de México, S.A., former Member of the Board of Teléfonos de México, S.A.B. de C.V. and former Vice Chairman of the Board of Univision   December 1990
 
           
In alphabetical order:
           
Alfonso de Angoitia Noriega
(01/17/62)
  Executive Vice President and Member of the Executive Office of the Chairman and Member of the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa   Former Chief Financial Officer of Grupo Televisa and former Alternate Member of the Board of Univision and Partner, Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C. (1994-1999)   April 1998
 
           
María Asunción Aramburuzabala
Larregui (05/02/63)
  Chief Executive Officer of Tresalia Capital, S.A. de C.V.   Partner and Vice Chairwoman of the Board and Member of the Executive Committee of Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V. and Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. and Member of the Boards of Grupo Financiero Banamex, S.A. de C.V., Banco Nacional de México, S.A. and América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V.   July 2000
 
           
Pedro Aspe Armella (07/07/50)
  Co-Chairman of the Board of Evercore Partners   Member of the Boards of The McGraw-Hill Companies and Xignux, Chairman of the Board of Volaris and former Member of the Board of Vector Casa de Bolsa, S.A. de C.V.   April 2003
 
           
Julio Barba Hurtado (05/20/33)
  Legal Advisor to the Board, Member of the Executive Committee and Secretary to the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee of Grupo Televisa   Former Assistant Secretary of the Board and Legal Advisor to Televisa, S.A. de C.V.   December 1990
 
           
José Antonio Bastón Pati ñ o
(04/13/68)
  Corporate Vice President of Television and Member of the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa   Former Vice President of Operations of Grupo Televisa, former General Director of Programming of Grupo Televisa and former Member of the Board of Univision   April 1998

 

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Name and Date of Birth   Principal Occupation   Business Experience   First Elected
Alberto Bailleres González
(08/22/31)
  President of Grupo Bal, S.A. de C.V.   Member of the Boards of Valores Mexicanos, Casa de Bolsa, S.A. de C.V., Desc., S.A.B. de C.V., Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (FEMSA), Grupo Financiero BBVA Bancomer, S.A. de C.V., Industrias Peoles, S.A.B. de C.V., Grupo Nacional Provincial, S.A.B., Grupo Palacio de Hierro, S.A.B. de C.V., Profuturo GNP, S.A. de C.V., Aseguradora Porvenir GNP, S.A. de C.V. and President of the Board of Governors of the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, A.C. (ITAM)   April 2004
 
           
Manuel Jorge Cutillas Covani
(03/01/32)
  Former President and Chief Executive Officer of Grupo Bacardi Limited   Member of the Board of Bacardi Limited and former Chairman of the Board of Grupo Bacardi Limited   April 1994
 
           
José Antonio Fernández
Carbajal (2/15/54)
  Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. and Chairman of the Board of Coca-Cola Femsa, S.A.B. de C.V.   Member of the Boards of BBVA Bancomer, S.A., Grupo Industrial Saltillo, S.A.B. de C.V., Industrias Peoles, S.A.B. de C.V., and Grupo Industrial Bimbo, S.A.B. de C.V.   April 2007
 
           
Carlos Fernández González
(09/29/66)
  Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V.   Member of the Boards of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., Grupo Financiero Santander, S.A.B. de C.V. and Emerson Electric, Co. Member of the Board and Partner of Finaccess Mexico, S.A.B. de C.V. and Partner and CEO of Tenedora San Carlos, S.A. de C.V.   July 2000
 
           
Bernardo Gómez Martínez
(07/24/67)
  Executive Vice President, Member of the Executive Office of the Chairman and Member of the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa   Former President of the Mexican Chamber of Television and Radio Broadcasters and Deputy to the President of Grupo Televisa   April 1999
 
           
Claudio X. González Laporte (05/22/34)
  Chairman of the Board of Kimberly-Clark de México, S.A.B. de C.V.   Member of the Boards of Kimberly-Clark Corporation, General Electric Co., Kellogg Company, Home Depot, Inc., Alfa, S.A.B. de C.V., Grupo Carso, S.A.B. de C.V., América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V. and Investment Company of America, former President of the Mexican Business Council and former Chief Executive Officer of Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, S.A.B. de C.V.   April 1997
 
           
Roberto Hernández Ramírez
(03/24/42)
  Chairman of the Board of Banco Nacional de México, S.A.   Former Chief Executive Officer of Banco Nacional de México, S.A. and Member of the Boards of Citigroup, Inc., Gruma, S.A.B. de C.V., Grupo Financiero Banamex Accival, S.A. de C.V., and the Nature Conservancy and World Monuments Fund   April 1992

 

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Name and Date of Birth   Principal Occupation   Business Experience   First Elected
Enrique Krauze Kleinbort
(09/17/47)
  Director and Partner of Editorial Clío Libros y Videos, S.A. de C.V.   Director and Partner of Editorial Vuelta, S.A. de C.V.   April 1996
 
           
Germán Larrea Mota Velasco
(10/26/53)
  Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Grupo México, S.A.B. de C.V.   Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Copper Corporation and Grupo Ferroviario Mexicano, S.A. de C.V., former Chairman of the Board and former Chief Executive Officer of Asarco Incorporated, former Member of the Boards of Banco Nacional de México, S.A. and Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, S.A. de C.V., and former President of Grupo México, S.A.B. de C.V.   April 1999
 
           
Gilberto Pérezalonso Cifuentes
(03/06/43)
  Member of the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee of Grupo Televisa   Former Chief Executive Officer of Aerovias de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., and former Chief Executive Officer of Corporación GEO, S.A.B. de C.V. Former Member of the Boards of Grupo Gigante, S.A.B. de C.V. Southern Peru Copper Corporation and Afore Banamex, S.A. Member of the Boards of Consorcio Aeroméxico S.A.B de C.V. and Telefónica Móviles México, S.A. de C.V.   April 1998
 
           
Alejandro Quintero Iñiguez
(02/11/50)
  Corporate Vice President of Sales and Marketing and Member of the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa   Stockholder of Grupo TV Promo, S.A. de C.V. and former Advisor to former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo   April 1998
 
           
Fernando Senderos Mestre
(03/03/50)
  Chairman of the Board and President of the Executive Committee of DESC, S.A. de C.V., Dine, S.A.B. de C.V. and Grupo Kuo, S.A.B. de C.V. (formerly DESC, S.A. de C.V.)   Member of the Boards of Teléfonos de México, S.A.B. de C.V., Alfa, S.A.B. de C.V., Kimberly-Clark de México, S.A.B. de C.V. and Industrias Peoles, S.A.B. de C.V. and former Chief Executive Officer of DESC, S.A. de C.V.   April 1992
 
           
Enrique Francisco José Senior
Hernández (08/03/43)
  Managing Director of Allen & Company, LLC   Member of the Boards of Pics Retail Networks, Coca-Cola Femsa, S.A.B. de C.V., Cinemark USA Inc. and Non Traditional Media and former Executive Vice President of Allen & Company, LLC   April 2001
 
           
Lorenzo H. Zambrano Trevio (03/27/44)
  Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Cemex, S.A.B. de C.V.   Member of the Boards of Alfa, S.A.B. de C.V., IBM, Citigroup, Allianz, Grupo Financiero Bancomer, S.A. de C.V. Empresas ICA, Sociedad Controladora, S.A.B. de C.V., Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. and Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V.   April 1999

 

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Name and Date of Birth   Principal Occupation   Business Experience   First Elected
Alternate Directors:
           
In alphabetical order:
           
Herbert A. Allen III (06/08/67)
  President of Allen & Company LLC   Former Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Allen & Company Incorporated, Member of the Board of Convera Corporation   April 2002
 
           
Juan Pablo Andrade Frich
(06/05/64)
  Asset Manager of Tresalia Capital, S.A. de C.V.   Former Member of the Boards of Televicentro, S.A. de C.V. and Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V.   July 2000
 
           
Lucrecia Aramburuzabala
Larregui de Fernandez
(03/29/67)
  Private Investor   Former employee of Tresalia Capital, S.A. de C.V. and Member of the Board of Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V. and former Member of the Board of Televicentro, S.A. de C.V.   July 2000
 
           
Félix José Araujo Ramírez
(03/20/51)
  Vice President of Televisa Regional   Former Private Investor in Promoción y Programación de la Provincia, S.A. de C.V., Promoción y Programación del Valle de Lerma, S.A. de C.V., Promoción y Programación del Sureste, S.A. de C.V., Teleimagen Profesional del Centro, S.A. de C.V. and Estrategia Satélite, S.C.   April 2002
 
           
Joaquín Balcárcel Santa Cruz
(01/04/69)
  Vice President — Legal and General Counsel of Grupo Televisa   Former Vice President and General Counsel of Television, Former Legal Director of Grupo Televisa and former associate at Martínez, Algaba, Estrella, De Haro y Galván-Duque, S.C.   April 2000
 
           
Rafael Carabias Príncipe
(11/13/44)
  Chief Financial Officer of Gestora de Inversiones Audiovisuales La Sexta, S.A.   Former Member of the Boards of Promecap, S.C. and Grupo Financiero del Sureste, S.A., former Director of Corporate Finance of Scotiabank Inverlat, S.A. and former Vice President of Administration of Grupo Televisa   April 1999
 
           
Francisco José Chévez Robelo
(07/03/29)
  Retired Partner of Chévez, Ruiz, Zamarripa y Cía., S.C. and Chairman of the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee of Grupo Televisa and Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V.   Member of the Board of Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V. and former Partner of Chévez, Ruíz, Zamarripa y Cía., S.C.   April 2003
 
           
José Luis Fernández Fernández
(05/18/59)
  Partner of Chévez, Ruíz, Zamarripa y Cia., S.C.   Former Member of the Boards of Alexander Forbes, S.A. de C.V. and Afore Bital, S.A.   April 2002

 

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Name and Date of Birth   Principal Occupation   Business Experience   First Elected
Salvi Rafael Folch Viadero
(08/16/67)
  Chief Financial Officer of Grupo Televisa   Former Vice President of Financial Planning of Grupo Televisa, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Comercio Más, S.A. de C.V. and former Vice Chairman of Banking Supervision of the National Banking and Securities Commission   April 2002
 
           
Leopoldo Gómez González Blanco
(04/06/59)
  Vice President of Newscasts of Grupo Televisa   Former Director of Information to the President of Grupo Televisa   April 2003
 
           
Jorge Agustín Lutteroth
Echegoyen (01/24/53)
  Vice President and Corporate Controller of Grupo Televisa   Former Senior Partner of Coopers & Lybrand Despacho Roberto Casas Alatriste, S.C.   April 2000
 
           
Alberto Javier Montiel
Castellanos (11/22/45)
  Director of Montiel Font y Asociados, S.C. and Member of the Audit and Corporate Practices Committees of Grupo Televisa and Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V.   Former Tax Vice President of Grupo Televisa and Former Tax Director of Wal-Mart de México, S.A.B. de C.V.   April 2002
 
           
Raúl Morales Medrano (05/12/70)
  Partner of Chévez, Ruiz, Zamarripa y Cia., S.C.   Former Senior Manager of Chévez, Ruiz, Zamarripa y Cia., S.C.   April 2002
María Asunción Aramburuzabala Larregui and Lucrecia Aramburuzabala Larregui are sisters. Carlos Fernández González is the husband of Lucrecia Aramburuzabala Larregui and the brother-in-law of María Asunción Aramburuzabala Larregui.
María Asunción Aramburuzabala Larregui and Carlos Fernández González were beneficiaries of the Investor Trust (as defined in “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions — The Major Stockholders”), which, before August 17, 2005, was one of our major stockholders through the ownership of 5.15% of the total issued and outstanding Shares. These Shares were then held in the Stockholder Trust. See “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions — The Major Stockholders”. Pursuant to the Stockholder Trust agreement, the Investor Trust was entitled to nominate one individual to our Board of Directors so long as the Shares it held through the Stockholder Trust constituted more than 2% of the total issued and outstanding Shares. See “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions — The Major Stockholders” for a further discussion of the rights of the Investor Trust.
Our Board of Directors
General.   The management of our business is vested in our Board of Directors. Our bylaws currently provide for a Board of Directors of 20 members, at least 25% of which must be “independent directors” under Mexican law (as described below), with the same number of alternate directors. The Mexican Securities Market Law provides that the following persons, among others, do not qualify as independent:
   
our principals, employees or managers, as well as the statutory auditors, or comisarios , of our subsidiaries, including those individuals who have occupied any of the described positions within a period of 12 months preceding the appointment;
   
individuals who have significant influence over our decision making processes;
   
controlling stockholders, in our case, the beneficiaries of the Stockholder Trust;
   
partners or employees of any company which provides advisory services to us or any company that is part of the same economic group as we are and that receives 10% or more of its income from us;
   
significant clients, suppliers, debtors or creditors, or members of the Board or executive officers of any such entities; or
   
spouses, family relatives up to the fourth degree, or cohabitants of any of the aforementioned individuals.

 

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Election of Directors.   A majority of the members of our Board of Directors must be Mexican nationals and must be elected by Mexican stockholders. At our annual stockholders’ meeting on April 27, 2007 and at our annual meetings thereafter, a majority of the holders of the A Shares voting together elected, or will have the right to elect, eleven of our directors and corresponding alternates and a majority of the holders of the B Shares voting together elected, or will have the right to elect, five of our directors and corresponding alternates. At our special stockholders’ meetings, a majority of the holders of the L Shares and D Shares will each continue to have the right to elect two of our directors and alternate directors, each of which must be an independent director. Ten percent holders of A Shares, B Shares, L Shares or D Shares will be entitled to nominate, a director and corresponding alternates. Each alternate director may vote in the absence of a corresponding director. Directors and alternate directors are elected for one-year terms by our stockholders at each annual stockholders’ meeting, and each serves for up to a 30 day term once the one-year appointment has expired or upon resignation; in this case, the Board of Directors is entitled to appoint provisional directors without the approval of the stockholders meeting. All of the current and alternate members of the Board of Directors were elected by our stockholders at our 2007 annual stockholders’ special and general meetings, which were held on April 27, 2007.
Quorum; Voting.   In order to have a quorum for a meeting of the Board of Directors, generally at least 50% of the directors or their corresponding alternates must be present. However, in the case of a meeting of the Board of Directors to consider certain proposed acquisitions of our capital stock, at least 75% of the directors or their corresponding alternates must be present. In the event of a deadlock of our Board, our Chairman will have the deciding vote.
Meetings; Actions Requiring Board Approval.   Our bylaws provide that our Board must meet at least once a quarter, and that our Chairman, 25% of the Board, our Secretary or alternate Secretary or the Chairman of the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee may call for a Board meeting.
Pursuant to the Mexican Securities Market Law and our bylaws, our Board of Directors must approve, among other matters:
   
our general strategy;
   
with input from the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee, on an individual basis: (i) any transactions with related parties, subject to certain limited exceptions; (ii) the appointment of our Chief Executive Officer, his compensation and removal for justified causes; (iii) our financial statements; (iv) unusual or non-recurrent transactions and any transactions or series of related transactions during any calendar year that involve (a) the acquisition or sale of assets with a value equal to or exceeding 5% of our consolidated assets, or (b) the giving of collateral or guarantees or the assumption of liabilities, equal to or exceeding 5% of our consolidated assets; (v) agreements with our external auditors; and (vi) accounting policies within GAAP;
   
creation of special committees and granting them the power and authority, provided that the committees will not have the authority, which by law or under our bylaws is expressly reserved for the stockholders or the Board;
   
matters related to antitakeover provisions provided for in our bylaws; and
   
the exercise of our general powers in order to comply with our corporate purpose.
Duty of Care and Duty of Loyalty.   The Mexican Securities Market Law imposes a duty of care and a duty of loyalty on directors. The duty of care requires our directors to act in good faith and in the best interests of the company. In carrying out this duty, our directors are required to obtain the necessary information from the Chief Executive Officer, the executive officers, the external auditors or any other person to act in the best interests of the company. Our directors are liable for damages and losses caused to us and our subsidiaries as a result of violating their duty of care.
The duty of loyalty requires our directors to preserve the confidentiality of information received in connection with the performance of their duties and to abstain from discussing or voting on matters in which they have a conflict of interest. In addition, the duty of loyalty is breached if a stockholder or group of stockholders is knowingly favored or if, without the express approval of the Board of Directors, a director takes advantage of a corporate opportunity. The duty of loyalty is also breached, among other things, by (i) failing to disclose to the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee or the external auditors any irregularities that the director encounters in the performance of his or her duties; or (ii) disclosing information that is false or misleading or omitting to record any transaction in our records that could affect our financial statements. Directors are liable for damages and losses caused to us and our subsidiaries for violations of this duty of loyalty. This liability also extends to damages and losses caused as a result of benefits obtained by the director or directors or third parties, as a result of actions of such directors.
Our directors may be subject to criminal penalties of up to 12 years’ imprisonment for certain illegal acts involving willful misconduct that result in losses to us. Such acts include the alteration of financial statements and records.

 

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Liability actions for damages and losses resulting from the violation of the duty of care or the duty of loyalty may be exercised solely for our benefit and may be brought by us, or by stockholders representing 5% or more of our capital stock, and criminal actions only may be brought by the Mexican Ministry of Finance, after consulting with the Mexican National Banking and Securities Commission. As a safe harbor for directors, the liabilities specified above (including criminal liability) will not be applicable if the director acting in good faith (i) complied with applicable law, (ii) made the decision based upon information provided by our executive officers or third-party experts, the capacity and credibility of which could not be subject to reasonable doubt, (iii) selected the most adequate alternative in good faith or if the negative effects of such decision could not have been foreseeable, and (iv) complied with stockholders’ resolutions provided the resolutions do not violate applicable law.
The members of the board are liable to our stockholders only for the loss of net worth suffered as a consequence of disloyal acts carried out in excess of their authority or in violation of our bylaws.
In accordance with the Mexican Securities Market Law, supervision of our management is entrusted to our Board of Directors, which shall act through an Audit and Corporate Practices Committee for such purposes, and to our external auditor. The Audit and Corporate Practices Committee (together with the Board of Directors) replaces the statutory auditor ( comisario ) that previously had been required by the Mexican Companies Law.
Audit and Corporate Practices Committee.   The Audit and Corporate Practices Committee is currently composed of three members: Francisco José Chévez Robelo, the Chairman, Alberto Montiel Castellanos and Gilberto Pérezalonso Cifuentes. These members were elected at our ordinary stockholders’ meeting held on April 27, 2007 and Board of Directors Meeting held on October 27, 2006. The Chairman of the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee is appointed at our stockholders’ meeting, and the board of directors appoints the remaining members.
The Audit and Corporate Practices Committee is responsible for, among other things: (i) supervising our external auditors and analyzing their reports, (ii) analyzing and supervising the preparation of our financial statements, (iii) informing the Board of Directors of our internal controls and their adequacy, (iv) requesting reports of our Board of Directors and executive officers whenever it deems appropriate, (v) informing the Board of any irregularities that it may encounter, (vi) receiving and analyzing recommendations and observations made by the stockholders, directors, executive officers, our external auditors or any third party and taking the necessary actions, (vii) calling stockholders’ meetings, (viii) supervising the activities of our Chief Executive Officer, (ix) providing an annual report to the Board of Directors, (x) providing opinions to our Board of Directors, (xi) requesting and obtaining opinions from independent third parties and (xii) assisting the Board in the preparation of annual reports and other reporting obligations.
The Chairman of the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee, shall prepare an annual report to our Board of Directors with respect to the findings of the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee, which shall include, among other things (i) the status of the internal controls and internal audits and any deviations and deficiencies thereof, taking into consideration the reports of external auditors and independent experts, (ii) the results of any preventive and corrective measures taken based on results of investigations in respect of non-compliance of operating and accounting policies, (iii) the evaluation of external auditors, (iv) the main results from the review of our financial statements and those of our subsidiaries, (v) the description and effects of changes to accounting policies, (vi) the measures adopted as result of observations of stockholders, directors, executive officers and third parties relating to accounting, internal controls, and internal or external audits; (vii) compliance with stockholders’ and directors’ resolutions; (viii) observations with respect to relevant directors and officers; (ix) the transactions entered into with related parties; and (x) the remunerations paid to directors and officers.
Committees of Our Board of Directors.   Our Board of Directors has an Executive Committee. Each member is appointed for a one-year term at each annual general stockholders’ meeting. Our bylaws provide that the Executive Committee may generally exercise the powers of the Board of Directors, except those expressly reserved for the Board in our bylaws or by applicable law. The Executive Committee currently consists of Emilio Azcárraga Jean, Alfonso de Angoitia Noriega, Bernardo Gómez Martínez, José Antonio Bastón Patiño, Julio Barba Hurtado, and Alejandro Quintero Iñiguez.

 

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Executive Officers
The following table sets forth the names of our executive officers, their dates of birth, their current position, their prior business experience and the year in which they were appointed to their current positions:
             
Name and Date of Birth   Principal Position   Business Experience   First Appointed
Emilio Fernando Azcárraga
Jean (02/21/68)
  Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer and President of the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa   Member of the Board of Banco Nacional de México, S.A., former Member of the Board of Teléfonos de México, S.A.B. de C.V. and former Vice Chairman of the Board of Univision   March 1997
 
           
In alphabetical order:
           
Alfonso de Angoitia Noriega
(01/17/62)
  Executive Vice President and Member of the Executive Office of the Chairman and Member of the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa   Former Chief Financial Officer of Grupo Televisa, Member of the Board and of the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa, former Alternate Member of the Board of Univision and Partner, Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C. (1994-1999)   January 2004
 
           
Félix José Araujo Ramírez
(03/20/51)
  President of Telesistema Mexicano, S.A. de C.V.; Vice President of Televisa Regional   Former Private Investor in Promoción y Programación de la Provincia, S.A. de C.V., Promoción y Programación del Valle de Lerma, S.A. de C.V., Promoción y Programación del Sureste, S.A. de C.V., Teleimagen Profesional del Centro, S.A. de C.V. and Estrategia Satélite, S.C.   January 1993
 
           
Maximiliano Arteaga Carlebach
(12/06/42)
  Vice President of Operations, Technical Service and Television Production of Grupo Televisa   Former Vice President of Operations — Televisa Chapultepec, former Vice President of Administration — Televisa San Angel and Chapultepec and former Vice President of Administration and Finance of Univisa, Inc.   March 2002
 
           
José Antonio Bastón Patiño
(04/13/68)
  Corporate Vice President of Television of Grupo Televisa   Member of the Board and of the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa, former Vice President of Operations of Grupo Televisa, former General Director of Programming of Grupo Televisa and former Member of the Board of Univision   February 2001
 
           
Jean Paul Broc Haro (08/08/62)
  Chief Executive Officer of Cablevisión   Former General Manager of Pay Television Networks of Grupo Televisa   February 2003
 
           
Salvi Rafael Folch Viadero
(08/16/67)
  Chief Financial Officer of Grupo Televisa   Former Vice President of Financial Planning of Grupo Televisa, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Comercio Más, S.A. de C.V. and former Vice Chairman of Banking Supervision of the National Banking and Securities Commission   January 2004
 
           
Bernardo Gómez Martínez
(07/24/67)
  Executive Vice President and Member of the Executive Office of the Chairman and Member of the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa   Former Deputy to the President of Grupo Televisa, member of the Board and of the Executive Committee of Televisa and former President of the Mexican Chamber of Television and Radio Broadcasters   January 2004

 

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Name and Date of Birth   Principal Position   Business Experience   First Appointed
Eduardo Michelsen Delgado
(03/03/71)
  Chief Executive Officer of Editorial Televisa   Former Vice President of Operations of Editorial Televisa International, former General Director of Grupo Semana and former Project Director for McKinsey & Co.   March 2001
 
           
Jorge Eduardo Murguía Orozco
(01/25/50)
  Vice President of Production of Grupo Televisa   Former Administrative Vice President and former Director of Human Resources of Televisa   March 1992
 
           
Alejandro Quintero Iñiguez
(02/11/50)
  Corporate Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Grupo Televisa   Member of the Board and of the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa, Stockholder and Member of the Board of Grupo TV Promo, S.A. de C.V. and former advisor to former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo   April 1998
 
           
Francisco Javier Mérida
Guzmán (07/31/67)
  Chief Executive Officer of Sistema Radiópolis   Former Chief Executive Officer and National Sales Manager of Cadena SER   October 2006
 
           
Alexandre Moreira Penna Da
Silva (12/25/54)
  Chief Executive Officer of Innova   Former Vice President of Corporate Finance of Grupo Televisa and former Managing Director of JPMorgan Chase   January 2004
Compensation of Directors and Officers
For the year ended December 31, 2007, we paid our directors, alternate directors and executive officers for services in all capacities aggregate compensation of approximately nominal Ps.407 million (U.S.$37.3 million using the Interbank Rate, as reported by Banamex, as of December 31, 2007).
We made Ps.86 million in contributions to our pension and seniority premium plans on behalf of our directors, alternate directors and executive officers in 2007. Projected benefit obligations as of December 31, 2007 were approximately Ps.60 million.
In addition, we have granted our executive officers and directors rights to purchase CPOs under the Stock Purchase Plan and the Long-Term Retention Plan. See “— Stock Purchase Plan” and “— Long-Term Retention Plan” below.
Use of Certain Assets and Services
We maintain an overall security program for Mr. Azcárraga, other top executives, their families, in some cases, and for other specific employees and service providers, as permitted under our “Política de Seguridad” policy, due to business-related security concerns. We refer to the individuals described above as Key Personnel. Our security program includes the use of our personnel, assets and services to accomplish security objectives.
According to this program, we require, under certain circumstances, that certain authorized Key Personnel use aircrafts, either owned or leased by us, for non-business, as well as business travel for our benefit rather than as a personal benefit. The use of such aircrafts is carried out in accordance with, among others, our “Política de Seguridad” policy, which establishes guidelines under which authorized Key Personnel may use such aircrafts for personal purposes. If the use of such aircrafts for personal purposes exceeds the specified number of hours, the relevant Key Personnel must reimburse us for the cost of operating the aircrafts during the excess time of use. The aggregate amount of compensation set forth in “— Compensation of Directors and Officers” does include the cost to us of providing this service.
In addition, certain Key Personnel is provided with security systems and equipment for their residences and/or automobiles and with security advice and personal protection services at their residences. The use of these security services is provided in accordance with our “Política de Seguridad” policy. The cost of these systems and services are incurred as a result of business-related concerns and are not considered for their personal benefit. As a result, the Company has not included such cost in “— Compensation of Directors and Officers”.

 

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Stock Purchase Plan
Pursuant to the terms of our stock purchase plan, as amended, we may grant eligible participants, who consist of key executives and other personnel, rights to purchase CPOs and/or CPO equivalents or we may conditionally sell CPOs and/or CPO equivalents to these participants. Our stockholders have authorized the allocation of up to 8% of our capital stock to this and any other plans we may establish from time to time for the benefit of our employees. See “— Long-Term Retention Plan”. Pursuant to the stock purchase plan, the exercise or sale prices of the CPOs and/or CPO equivalents are based on then current market prices at the time the options are granted or the conditional sale agreement is executed. We have implemented the stock purchase plan by means of a special purpose trust. The CPOs, CPO equivalents and underlying shares that are part of the stock purchase plan will be held by the special purpose trust and will be voted with the majority of the CPOs, CPO equivalents and underlying shares represented at the relevant meeting until these securities are transferred to plan participants or otherwise sold in the open market. In accordance with the stock purchase plan, our President and the technical committee of the special purpose trust have broad discretion to make decisions related to the stock purchase plan, including the ability to accelerate vesting terms, to release or transfer CPOs and/or CPO equivalents, subject to conditional sale agreements, to plan participants in connection with sales for purposes of making the payment of the related purchase price, and to implement amendments to the stock purchase plan, among others.
The stock purchase plan has been implemented in several stages since 1999, through a series of conditional sales to plan participants of CPOs. The conditional sale agreements entered into by plan participants since the implementation of the stock purchase plan through the fourth quarter of 2001 were terminated for several reasons, including the failure of plan participants to pay the purchase price and the fact that the average closing price per CPO on the Mexican Stock Exchange fell below certain thresholds for a 15 trading day period.
As of March 2004, allocations and conditional sale agreements have been made or executed with respect to approximately 118 million CPOs, generally at exercise prices ranging from approximately Ps.11.21 to Ps.19.10 (approximately U.S.$1.01 to U.S.$1.73) per CPO (in certain cases, adjusted upwards by a specified percentage ranging from 2% to 6%, depending upon whether the purchase price is paid in Pesos or in U.S. Dollars, generally from the date of the relevant conditional sale agreement through the date of payment(s)). Pursuant to the related conditional sale agreements, rights to approximately 30.0 million CPOs vested in February 2003, approximately 17.5 million CPOs vested in March 2004, approximately 17.5 million CPOs vested in March 2005, approximately 9.5 million CPOs vested in July 2005, approximately 18.7 million vested in March 2006, approximately 10.7 million vested in July 2006, approximately 3.7 million vested in November 2006, approximately 0.7 million vested in March 2007, 7.1 million vested in July 2007, 0.1 million vested in February 2008, and 0.7 million vested in March 2008. Rights to the remaining CPOs currently vest no later than 2008. Rights to purchase these CPOs currently expire in 2011. Unless the technical committee of the special purpose trust or our President determines otherwise, these CPOs will be held in the special purpose trust until they are transferred to plan participants or otherwise sold in the open market, subject to the conditions set forth in the related conditional sale agreements. Any CPOs not transferred to plan participants pursuant to the relevant conditional sale agreement may be allocated to other existing or future plan participants, provided that the rights of the original plan participants to purchase these CPOs have expired or are terminated. See Notes 12 and 23 to our year-end financial statements.
In December 2002, we registered for sale CPOs by the special purpose trust to plan participants pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act. The registration of these CPOs permits plan participants who are not affiliates and/or the special purpose trust on behalf of these plan participants to sell their CPOs that have vested into the Mexican and/or U.S. markets through ordinary brokerage transactions without any volume or other limitations or restrictions. Those plan participants who are affiliates may only sell their vested CPOs either pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act or in reliance on an exemption from registration. All or a portion of the net proceeds from any such sales would be used to satisfy the purchase price obligations of these plan participants pursuant to their conditional sale agreements. As of December 31, 2007, approximately 74.1 million stock purchase plan CPOs transferred to employee plan participants, have been sold in open market transactions. Additional sales took place during the three-months ended March 31, 2008, and will continue to take place during or after 2008.

 

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Long-Term Retention Plan
At our general extraordinary and ordinary stockholders’ meeting held on April 30, 2002, our stockholders authorized the creation and implementation of a Long-Term Retention Plan, which supplements our existing stock purchase plan. At the meeting, our stockholders also authorized the issuance of A Shares in an aggregate amount of up to 4.5% of our capital stock at the time the A Shares are issued, a portion of the 8% of our capital stock previously authorized by our stockholders for these plans, as well as the creation of one or more special purpose trusts to implement the Long-Term Retention Plan. One of these special purpose trusts currently owns approximately 133.8 million CPOs or CPO equivalents, of which approximately 50% are in the form of CPOs and the remaining 50% are in the form of A, B, D and L Shares. During 2006, approximately 9.7 million CPOs were early vested. During the three-month period ended March 31, 2008, approximately 12.1 million CPOs were vested. We estimate that the remaining CPOs and CPOs equivalents will become granted and/or vested in periods between 2008 and 2023. Pursuant to our Long-Term Retention Plan, we may grant eligible participants, who consist of unionized and non-unionized employees, including key personnel, awards as stock options, conditional sales, restricted stock or other similar arrangements. As approved by our stockholders, the exercise or sale price, as the case may be, is based (i) on the average trading price of the CPOs during the first six months of 2003, or (ii) on the price determined by the Board, the technical committee of the special purpose trust or the President of Televisa, in either case, adjusted by any applicable discount, including discounts attributable to limitations on the disposition of the Shares or CPOs that are subject to the Long-Term Retention Plan. The CPOs and their underlying shares as well as A, B, D and L Shares that are part of the Long-Term Retention Plan will be held by the special purpose trust and will be voted (y) with the majority of those securities, as the case may be, represented at the relevant meeting or (z) as determined by the technical committee of the special purpose trust, until these securities are transferred to plan participants or otherwise sold in the open market. As of December 31, 2007 approximately 4.9 million Long-Term Retention Plan CPOs that were transferred to employee plan participants were sold in the open market. During the three-month period ended March 31, 2008, approximately 3.2 million Long-Term Retention Plan CPOs from the Long-Term Retention Plan CPOs that vested in January 2008 were sold in the open market. Additional sales will continue to take place during or after 2008.
In April 2007, the Board of Directors, with the input from the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee, reviewed the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and determined to include our Chief Executive Officer in the Long-Term Retention Plan of the Company as well as in any other plan to be granted by the Company to its employees in the future. See “— Compensation of Directors and Officers”. As a consequence thereof, as of May 2007, the Chief Executive Officer was awarded, under the Long-Term Retention Plan, approximately 5.5 million CPOs or CPO equivalents, either in the form of CPOs or shares, to be exercised at a price of approximately Ps.60.65 per CPO (subject to adjustments depending on the result of operations of the Company). The CPOs granted to the Chief Executive Officer may be exercised in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Pursuant to the resolutions adopted by our stockholders, we have not, and do not intend to, register shares under the Securities Act that are allocated to the Long-Term Retention Plan.
As of May 2007, awards under the Long-Term Retention Plan have been granted or reserved with respect to approximately 51.3 million CPOs or CPO equivalents, either in the form of CPOs or Shares, of which rights with respect to approximately 37.7 million CPOs or CPO equivalents shall vest between 2008 and 2010 at a price of approximately Ps.13.45 per CPO and rights with respect to approximately 6 million CPOs or CPO equivalents shall vest between 2010 and 2012 as described in the above paragraph at a weighted-average price of approximately Ps.56.93 per CPO. The remaining 7.6 million CPOs or CPO equivalents may be exercised at a price of approximately Ps.28.05 per CPO in periods commencing in 2008 and ending in 2023 (in certain cases, adjusted upwards by a specified percentage similar to the interest rate generated by government liquid securities). Pursuant to the resolutions adopted by our stockholders’ meeting, we have not, and do not intend to, register shares under the Securities Act that are allocated to the Long-Term Retention Plan.
At our annual general ordinary stockholders’ meeting held on April 30, 2008, our stockholders approved the implementation of the second stage of the Long-Term Retention Plan. The shareholders approved grants of up to 25 million CPOs per year, or CPO equivalents, under this stage of the Long-Term Retention Plan. The price at which the CPOs will be transferred to beneficiaries is based on the lowest of (i) the closing price on March 31 of the year in which the CPOs are transferred, and (ii) the average price of the CPOs during the first three months of the year in which the CPOs are transferred, less dividends, operating income before depreciation and amortization, or OIBDA (including OIBDA affected by acquisitions), and liquidity discounts, among others.

 

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Share Ownership of Directors and Officers
Share ownership of our directors, alternate directors and executive officers is set forth in the table under “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions — Related Party Transactions”. Except as set forth in this table, none of our directors, alternate directors or executive officers is currently the beneficial owner of more than 1% of any class of our capital stock or conditional sale agreements or options representing the right to purchase more than 1% of any class of our capital stock.
Employees and Labor Relations
The following table sets forth the number of employees and a breakdown of employees by main category of activity and geographic location as of the end of each year in the three-year period ended December 31, 2007:
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2005     2006     2007  
Total number of employees
    15,076       16,205       17,810  
Category of activity:
                       
Employees
    15,042       16,170       17,777  
Executives
    34       35       33  
Geographic location:
                       
Mexico
    13,680       14,629       15,871  
Latin America (other than Mexico)
    954       1,131       1,473  
U.S
    435       437       466  
Spain
    7       8       0  
As of December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, approximately 42%, 41% and 39% of our employees, respectively, were represented by unions. We believe that our relations with our employees are good. Under Mexican law, the agreements between us and most of our television, radio and cable television union employees are subject to renegotiation on an annual basis in January of each year. We also have union contracts with artists, musicians and other employees, which are also renegotiated on an annual basis.

 

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Item 7. Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions
The following table sets forth information about the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by our directors, alternate directors, executive officers and each person who is known by us to own more than 5% of the currently outstanding A Shares, B Shares, L Shares or D Shares as of May 31, 2008. Except as set forth below, we are not aware of any holder of more than 5% of any class of our Shares.
                                                                         
                                                                    Aggregate  
                                                                    Percentage of  
    Shares Beneficially Owned(1)(2)     Outstanding  
    A Shares     B Shares     D Shares     L Shares     Shares  
            Percentage             Percentage             Percentage             Percentage     Beneficially  
Identity of Owner   Number     of Class     Number     of Class     Number     of Class     Number     of Class     Owned  
Azcárraga Trust(3)
    52,991,825,693       44.1 %     67,814,604       0.1 %     107,886,870       0.1 %     107,886,870       0.1 %     15.3 %
Inbursa Trust(3)
    1,657,549,900       1.4 %     1,458,643,912       2.6 %     2,320,569,860       2.7 %     2,320,569,860       2.7 %     2.2 %
Davis Advisers(4)
    4,759,684,375       4.0 %     4,188,522,250       7.4 %     6,663,558,125       7.8 %     6,663,558,125       7.8 %     6.4 %
Dodge & Cox, Inc.(5)
    4,528,824,000       3.8 %     3,985,365,120       7.1 %     6,340,353,600       7.4 %     6,340,353,600       7.4 %     6.1 %
AIM Trimark Investments(6)
    3,821,137,500       3.2 %     3,362,601,000       6.0 %     5,349,592,500       6.2 %     5,349,592,500       6.2 %     5.1 %
Fidelity Management & Research(7)
    3,106,817,750       2.6 %     2,733,999,620       4.9 %     4,349,544,850       5.1 %     4,349,544,850       5.1 %     4.2 %
     
(1)  
Unless otherwise indicated, the information presented in this section is based on the number of shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of May 31, 2008. The number of shares issued and outstanding for legal purposes as of May 31, 2008 was 61,227,485,550 series A Shares, 53,880,187,284 series B Shares, 85,718,479,770 series D Shares and 85,718,479,770 series L Shares, in the form of CPOs, and an additional 58,926,613,375 series A Shares, 2,357,207,692 series B Shares, 238,595 series D Shares and 238,595 series L Shares not in the form of CPOs. For financial reporting purposes under Mexican FRS only, the number of shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of May 31, 2008 was 59,193,648,400 series A Shares, 52,090,410,592 series B Shares, 82,871,107,760 series D Shares and 82,871,107,760 series L Shares in the form of CPOs, and an additional 52,915,848,965 series A Shares, 186,537 series B Shares, 238,541 series D Shares and 238,541 series L Shares not in the form of CPOs. The number of shares authorized, issued and outstanding for financial reporting purposes under Mexican FRS as of May 31, 2008 does not include: (i) 25,906,797 CPOs and an additional 516,887,975 series A Shares, 20,675,534 series B Shares, 25 series D Shares and 25 series L Shares not in the form of CPOs acquired by one of our subsidiaries, Televisa, S.A. de C.V., substantially all of which are currently held by the trust created to implement our stock purchase plan; and (ii) 55,446,689 CPOs and an additional 5,493,876,435 series A Shares, 2,336,345,621 series B Shares, 29 series D Shares and 29 series L Shares not in the form of CPOs acquired by the trust we created to implement our long-term retention plan. See Note 12 to our year-end financial statements.
 
(2)  
Except indirectly through the Stockholder Trust, none of our directors and executive officers currently beneficially owns more than 1% of our outstanding A Shares, L Shares or D Shares. See “Directors, Senior Management and Employees — Share Ownership of Directors and Officers”. This information is based on information provided by directors and executive officers.
 
(3)  
For a description of the Stockholder Trust, see “— The Major Stockholders” below.
 
(4)  
Based solely on information included in the report on Form 13F filed on March 31, 2008 by Davis Advisers.
 
(5)  
Based solely on information included in the report on Form 13F filed on March 31, 2008 by Dodge & Cox, Inc.
 
(6)  
Based solely on information included in the report on Form 13F filed on March 31, 2008 by AIM Trimark Investments.
 
(7)  
Based solely on information included in the report on Form 13F filed on March 31, 2008 by Fidelity Management & Research.
The Major Stockholders
Approximately 45.48% of the outstanding A Shares, 2.71% of the outstanding B Shares, 2.83% of the outstanding D Shares and 2.83% of the outstanding L Shares are held through the Stockholder Trust, including shares in the form of CPOs. The beneficiaries of the Stockholder Trust are a trust for the benefit of Emilio Azcárraga Jean, or the Azcárraga Trust, and a trust for the benefit of Promotora Inbursa, S.A. de C.V., or the Inbursa Trust. Promotora Inbursa, S.A. de C.V. is an indirect subsidiary of Grupo Financiero Inbursa, S.A.B. de C.V.

 

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On August 17, 2005, a trust for the benefit of María Asunción Aramburuzabala Larregui, Lucrecia Aramburuzabala Larregui de Fernández, Maria de las Nieves Fernández González, Antonino Fernández Rodríguez and Carlos Fernández González (the “Investor Trust”) released its Shares held in the Stockholder Trust, which represented 19.84% of the Shares held then through the Stockholder Trust. On July 1, 2005 the Inbursa Trust released 15,514,667,113 Shares from the Stockholder Trust, which represent two-thirds of the Shares it held through the Stockholder Trust before July 1, 2005.
The Azcárraga Trust beneficially owns 87.29% of the Televisa shares held through the Stockholder Trust, and the Inbursa Trust beneficially owns 12.71% of the Televisa shares held through the Stockholder Trust.
The Televisa shares held through the Stockholder Trust are voted by the trustee as instructed by a Technical Committee comprising five members — three appointed by the Azcárraga Trust and one appointed by each of the Inbursa Trust and the Investor Trust. On August 17, 2005, the Investor Trust released all of its shares held in the Stockholder Trust. Accordingly, the Investor Trust is no longer entitled to appoint a member of the Technical Committee. Therefore, decisions by the Technical Committee shall be approved by members appointed by the Azcárraga Trust and the Inbursa Trust. Accordingly, except as described below, Emilio Azcárraga Jean will control the voting of the shares held through the Stockholder Trust. In elections of directors, the Technical Committee will instruct the trustee to vote the A Shares held through the Stockholder Trust for individuals designated by Mr. Azcárraga Jean. The A Shares held through the Stockholder Trust constitute a majority of the A Shares whose holders are entitled to vote them, because non-Mexican holders of CPOs and GDSs are not permitted by law to vote the underlying A Shares. Accordingly, so long as non-Mexicans own more than a minimal number of A Shares, Mr. Azcárraga Jean will have the ability to direct the election of eleven out of 20 members of our Board and in addition, since he controls the majority of A Shares, certain key matters including dividend payments, mergers, spin-offs, changes in corporate purpose, changes of nationality and amendments to the anti-takeover provisions of our bylaws require his vote in favor.
Pursuant to Televisa’s bylaws, holders of Series B shares are entitled to elect five out of 20 members of the Board of Directors. The Stockholder Trust regulates the manner in which stockholders participating in such trust are entitled to propose nominees as members of the Board of Directors to be elected by holders of Series B Shares. In accordance with the Stockholder Trust, the five nominees for which the trustee will vote the B Shares held by the Stockholder Trust are proposed by the stockholders participating in the Stockholder Trust, as follows (i) Emilio Azcárraga Jean is entitled to propose two nominees to be members of the Board of Directors elected by Series B Shares; (ii) the Investors Trust was entitled to propose one nominee, so long as the shares it held through the Stockholder Trust constituted more than 2% of the total issued and outstanding Televisa shares, however, on August 17, 2005, the Investor Trust released all of its shares held through the Stockholder Trust; and (iii) until the Inbursa Trust is entitled to release all its Televisa shares from the Stockholder Trust, and so long as the shares it holds through the Stockholder Trust constitute more than 2% of the total issued and outstanding Televisa shares, the Inbursa Trust will be entitled to propose two nominees. In the event that one of the nominees proposed by the Inbursa Trust is not elected to our Board of Directors, then so long as Mr. Azcárraga Jean has the ability to direct the election of 11 Board members, the A Shares held through the Stockholder Trust will be voted for one individual nominated by the Inbursa Trust to serve on our Board.
Because the B Shares held through the Stockholder Trust constitute only 2.71% of the total B Shares outstanding, there can be no assurance that individuals nominated by the Stockholder Trust beneficiaries will be elected to our Board.
Pursuant to the arrangements constituting the Stockholder Trust, Emilio Azcárraga Jean agreed to consult with the Inbursa Trust and the Investor Trust as to the voting of shares held through the Stockholder Trust on matters specifically set forth in the Stockholder Trust agreement, including increases or reductions in the capital stock of Televisa; merger, split-up, dissolution, liquidation or bankruptcy proceedings of Televisa; related party transactions, extensions of credit or share repurchases, in each case exceeding specified thresholds; and selection of the chairman of Televisa’s Board of Directors, if different from Emilio Azcárraga Jean. Due to the Investor Trust releasing all the Shares it held through the Stockholder Trust on August 17, 2005, Emilio Azcárraga Jean is no longer obligated to consult on these matters with the Investor Trust. If the Inbursa Trust requests that shares be voted in a particular way on such a matter, and Mr. Azcárraga Jean declines to do so, the Inbursa Trust may immediately release its Televisa shares from the Stockholder Trust. These consultation rights will terminate if the Inbursa Trust ceases to be party to the Stockholder Trust or if it owns less than 2% of the total capital stock of Televisa.
The beneficiaries of the Stockholder Trust will have only limited rights to transfer or pledge their trust interests without the consent of the other trust beneficiaries, but they may transfer freely to affiliated parties as defined in the Stockholder Trust Agreement.

 

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Except for two million CPOs which were released to the Fernández family immediately upon the completion of the Recapitalization, the Stockholder Trust beneficiaries were not permitted to release shares from the trust before July 1, 2005. Beginning July 1, 2005, the Investor Trust was permitted to release or sell any or all of its Shares from the Stockholder Trust. On August 17, 2005 the Investor Trust released all its Shares held in the Stockholder Trust. On January 13, 2006, a group of stockholders led by María Asunción Aramburuzabala Larregui, sold approximately 60 million of our CPOs which were formerly held by the Investor Trust.
Beginning on July 1, 2005, the Inbursa Trust was allowed to release or sell up to two-thirds of its Shares held in the Stockholder Trust and beginning on July 1, 2009 it will be allowed to release or sell its remaining Shares held in the Stockholder Trust. On July 1, 2005 the Inbursa Trust released 15,514,667,113 Shares from the Stockholders Trust, which represented two-thirds of the Shares it held through the Stockholders Trust before July 1, 2005.
In addition, as described above, if the Inbursa Trust requests that Shares be voted in a particular way on any matter specifically set forth in the Stockholder Trust Agreement, and Mr. Azcárraga Jean declines to do so, the Inbursa Trust may immediately release its Shares.
Related Party Transactions
Transactions and Arrangements With Innova.   In 2005, 2006 and 2007, we engaged in, and we expect that we will continue to engage in, transactions with Innova, including, without limitation, the transaction described below. We hold a 58.7% equity interest in Innova through a consolidated joint venture with DIRECTV. Beginning April 1, 2004, we began including the assets, liabilities and results of operations of Innova in our consolidated financial statements (see Note 1(b) to our year-end financial statements). Although we hold a majority of Innova’s equity, DIRECTV has significant governance rights, including the right to block any transaction between us and Innova.
Capital Contributions and Loans
Programming.   Pursuant to an agreement between us and Innova, we have granted Innova exclusive DTH rights to some program services in Mexico. Innova paid us Ps.420.2 million, Ps.683.4 million and Ps.791.4 million for these rights in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. Innova currently pays the rates paid by third party providers of cable television, subject to certain exceptions, and MMDS services in Mexico for our various programming services. In addition, pursuant to the agreement and subject to certain exceptions, we cannot charge Innova higher rates than the rates that we charge third party providers of cable television and MMDS services in Mexico for our various programming services.
In 2005 Innova, purchased from Televisa certain rights to the 2006 Soccer World Cup, including the rights to air all 64 games of the World Cup, out of which 34 were exclusively available to Sky subscribers. The cost of these rights plus production costs amounted to U.S.$19.0 million.
Advertising Services.   Innova purchased magazine advertising space and television and radio advertising time from us in connection with the promotion of its DTH satellite services in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and we expect that Innova will continue to do so in the future. For television, radio and magazine advertising, Innova paid and will continue to pay the rates applicable to third party advertisers. Innova paid Ps.148.4 million, Ps.155.6 million and Ps.176.7 million for advertising services in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Guarantees.   We have guaranteed a portion of Innova’s payments to Intelsat Corporation (formerly PanAmSat Corporation) for transponder services on satellite IS-9 (formerly PAS-9). Our guarantee is currently limited to 58.7% of Innova’s obligations under the transponder lease. Innova is obligated to pay a monthly service fee of U.S.$1.7 million to PanAmSat for satellite signal reception and retransmission service from transponders on the IS-9 satellite through September 2015. As of December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, we had guaranteed payments in the amount of U.S.$101.4 million and U.S.$104.8 million and U.S.$92.8 million respectively, which represented 51% of Innova’s obligations to PanAmSat at the end of each of 2005 and 2006 and 58.7% of Innova’s obligations to Intelsat Corporation (formerly PanAmSat Corporation) at the end of 2006 and at the end of 2007. See “Information on the Company – Business Overview— DTH Joint Ventures”. See Note 11 to our year-end financial statements. If Innova does not pay these fees in a timely manner, we will be required to pay our proportionate share of its obligations to Intelsat. We have also guaranteed 100% of Corporación Novavision, S. de R.L. de C.V.’s payment obligation under both the Ps.2.1 billion, 8.3-year bank loan with Banamex, as well as the Ps.1.4 billion, 8.3-year bank loan with Banco Santander Serfin, S.A.

 

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In July 2005, we entered into a long-term credit agreement with Innova in the aggregate principal amount of Ps.1,012,000, with a partial maturity (50%) in 2010 and the remainder in 2011, and interest of 10.55% per annum payable on a monthly basis. The proceeds from the credit agreement were used to prepay all of the outstanding amounts under a long-term credit agreement entered into in December 2004 between Innova and a Mexican bank in the same principal amount, and with the same maturity and interest conditions. In November 2005, Innova prepaid Ps.512 million of this loan at par and no penalty was incurred. In November 2006, Innova prepaid the Ps.500.0 million outstanding amount of this loan. No penalties were incurred and the payment was done with Innova’s cash on hand.
Tax Sharing Agreement.   We have a tax sharing agreement with Innova, which sets forth certain of our rights and obligations, as well as those of Innova, with respect to Innova’s liability for federal income and asset taxes imposed under Mexican tax laws. We received an authorization from Mexican tax authorities to include Innova’s results in our consolidated tax return for purposes of determining our income and asset taxes. Tax profits or losses obtained by Innova are consolidated with our tax profits or losses up to 100% of our percentage ownership of Innova, which is currently 58.7%. Pursuant to the tax sharing agreement, in no event shall Innova be required to remit to us an amount in respect of its federal income and asset taxes that is in excess of the product of (x) the amount that Innova would be required to pay on an individual basis, as if Innova had filed a separate tax return, and (y) with respect to asset and income taxes, our direct or indirect percentage ownership of Innova’s capital stock.
For additional information concerning transactions with Innova, as well as amounts paid to us by Innova pursuant to these transactions in 2005, see Note 16 to our year-end financial statements and Note 9 to Innova’s year-end financial statements. See also “Information on the Company — Business Overview — DTH Joint Ventures — Mexico and Central America”.
Transactions and Arrangements with MCOP.   In November 2005, DIRECTV purchased all of our equity interest in MCOP, a DTH non-consolidated joint venture in Latin America outside of Mexico and Brazil.
Transactions and Arrangements with TechCo.   In October 2005, DIRECTV purchased all of our equity interest in TechCo, our U.S. partnership formed to provide certain technical services from a main uplink facility in Miami Lakes, Florida and a redundancy site in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Prior to such sale, in 2003, 2004 and 2005, we engaged in transactions with TechCo, including, without limitation, the transaction described below.
Guarantees.   Until October 2005, we guaranteed 36% of TechCo’s payments in respect of its capital lease obligations. TechCo was obligated to make payments under its capital leases with various maturities between 2005 and 2007 for an aggregate amount of U.S.$27.4 million in respect of its capital lease obligations. As of December 31, 2004, we had guaranteed payments by TechCo in the aggregate amount of U.S.$9.9 million.
For additional information concerning transactions with TechCo, see Note 2 to our year-end financial statements. See also “Information on the Company — Business Overview — DTH Joint Ventures — Mexico and Central America”.
Transactions and Arrangements With Univision.   In 2005, 2006 and 2007 we engaged in, and we expect that we will continue to engage in, certain transactions with Univision. Until March 2007, we owned 39,289,534 shares and warrants representing an approximate 11.3% equity stake in Univision, on a fully diluted basis. For a description of programming and other agreements between us and Univision, as well as royalties paid to us by Univision pursuant to programming agreements, see “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Total Segment Results — Programming Exports”, “Information on the Company – Business Overview— Univision” and Note 16 to our year end financial statements.
In April 2006, we designated Ricardo Maldonado Yaez, Secretary to our Board of Directors, as a director of Univision. As of the closing of the acquisition of Univision on March 29, 2007, we lost our right to designate a member to the board of directors of Univision. Accordingly, Ricardo Maldonado Yaez resigned from the Univision board of directors.
Transactions and Arrangements With Vuela. In 2007, Editorial Televisa, our subsidiary, entered into an agreement with Vuela pursuant to which Vuela distributes five different magazines edited and produced by Editorial Televisa. Under this agreement, Vuela distributes these magazines at no cost to its clients, in boarding terminals at airports located in the Mexican territory and on its airplanes. Televisa pays Vuela 10% of the net advertising sales generated by these magazines. We believe that such percentage is comparable to the amounts paid to third parties in similar types of transactions.
Pursuant to a license agreement between Televisa and Vuela, we granted Vuela the right to broadcast some of our television programs in the audio and video systems installed in Vuela’s aircrafts, facilities, and vehicles. Under this license agreement Vuela pays Televisa a monthly royalty in the amount of Ps.100,000. In addition, Televisa entered into an agreement with Vuela pursuant to which Televisa sells airplane screen advertising to be aired in the audio and video systems installed in Vuela’s aircrafts. Televisa pays Vuela a monthly fixed consideration of Ps.100,000 and a variable consideration of 15% of the revenues obtained by Televisa from such airplane screen sales. During 2007, Televisa paid Vuela the amount of Ps.597,853.80 as variable consideration under such agreement. We believe that such amount is comparable to those paid to third parties in these types of transactions.

 

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We entered into a lease agreement with Vuela pursuant to which Vuela leases approximately 2,000 meters of the real estate adjacent to our principal headquarters in Santa Fe, Mexico City. Under this lease agreement, Vuela pays Televisa a monthly fixed consideration of U.S.$8,538 and an additional variable consideration of approximately U.S.$10,673 depending on the total fraction actually used by Vuela during each month. We believe that such amounts are comparable to those paid to third parties in these types of transactions.
Transactions and Arrangements With Our Directors and Officers. We invested Ps.55 million (approximately U.S.$5 million) in the equity of Centros de Conocimiento Tecnológico, or CCT, a company that builds, owns and operates technological schools in Mexico and in which Claudio X. Gonzalez Laporte and Carlos Fernandez Gonzalez, two of our directors, own a minority interest. We currently hold 15% of the equity of CCT.
Certain of our executive officers have in the past, and from time to time in the future may, purchase debt securities issued by us and/or Innova from third parties in negotiated transactions. Certain of our executive officers and directors participate in our stock purchase plan and Long-Term Retention Plan. See “Directors, Senior Management and Employees — Stock Purchase Plan” and “—Long-Term Retention Plan.”
Transactions and Arrangements With Affiliates and Related Parties of Our Directors, Officers and Major Stockholders
Production Services.   FV Productions, LLC., a television production company owned by Ultra Enterprises, Inc. and Ultra Enterprises II, LLC, provides, from time to time, production services as required by Televisa, S.A. de C.V. Ultra Enterprises, Inc. and Ultra Enterprises II, LLC are currently controlled by Grupo Televicentro, S.A. de C.V., or Televicentro, where Mr. Emilio Azcárraga Jean, our Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board, acts as a sole stockholder. FV Productions, LLC has provided Televisa the following production services: (i) during 2004, production services for the production of a telenovela entitled “Inocente de Ti”, which consisted of 135 episodes and had a cost of U.S.$5,640,482.76; (ii) during 2004 and ending in 2005, production services for the production of a telenovela entitled “El Amor no Tiene Precio”, which consisted of 279 episodes and had a cost of U.S.$11,280,007.00; (iii) during 2006 and ending in 2007, production services for the production of a telenovela entitled “Las Dos Caras de Ana”, which consisted of 120 episodes and had a cost of U.S.$7,711,682.00 and (iv) during 2007, production services for the production of the telenovela entitled “Bajo Las Riendas del Amor”, which consists of 150 episodes and had a cost of U.S.$14,041,532. We believe that the fees paid by Televisa to FV Productions, LLC for the referred production services are comparable to those paid to third parties for these types of services. In addition, in June 2004, Televicentro granted Televisa a call option to require Televicentro to sell and Televisa granted Televicentro a put option to require Televisa to purchase, shares representing all of the outstanding equity interest of Ultra Enterprises, Inc. owned by Televicentro or by its subsidiary TVC Holdings U.S.A., LLC at the time of exercise of the option. The options may be exercised at any time prior to June 30, 2009 for a price equal to 3.6 times the average of the operating income before depreciation and amortization of Ultra Enterprises, Inc. for the two years prior to the exercise of the option.
Consulting Services.   Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales, S.C., a consulting firm which is controlled by Ariana Azcárraga De Surmont, the sister of Emilio Azcárraga Jean, has, from time to time during 2005, 2006 and 2007 provided consulting services and research in connection with the effects of our programming, especially telenovelas, on our viewing audience. Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales, S.C. has provided us with such services in 2007, and we expect to continue these arrangements through 2008.
Distribution Services.   Until 2007, Intermex, our subsidiary, distributed magazines edited and produced by Compañía Editorial Cinemania, S.A. de C.V., a company in which the brother-in-law of Emilio Azcarraga Jean has a 30% participation. Compañía Editorial Cinemania, S.A. de C.V. paid Intermex 42% of the net sales of the magazines, based on the sale price of the magazines. We believe that such percentage is comparable to those paid to third parties in this type of transaction.
Loans from Banamex.   From time to time in the past and in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, Banamex made loans to us, Televicentro and several other of our affiliates and we expect that this will continue to be the case in the future. These loans were made to us, Televicentro and our affiliates, including Innova and its subsidiary, Corporación Novavisión, S. de R.L. de C.V., on terms substantially similar to those offered by Banamex to third parties. Emilio Azcárraga Jean, our Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board, is a member of the Board of Banamex. One of our directors, Roberto Hernández Ramírez, is the Chairman of the Board of Banamex. Mr. Hernández was also a member of the Board of, and the beneficial owner of less than 1% of the outstanding capital stock of, Citigroup, Inc., the entity that indirectly controls Banamex. Lorenzo H. Zambrano Trevio, one of our directors, is also a member of the Board of Banamex. For a description of amounts outstanding under, and the terms of, our existing credit facilities with Banamex, see “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Capital Resources — Indebtedness”.

 

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Advertising Services.   Two of our directors, María Asunción Aramburuzabala Larregui and Carlos Fernández González, and one of our alternate directors, Lucrecia Aramburuzabala Larregui, are members of the Board of, as well as stockholders of, Grupo Modelo, S.A.B. de C.V., or Grupo Modelo, the leading producer, distributor and exporter of beer in Mexico. Carlos Fernández González also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Grupo Modelo. Alfonso de Angoitia Noriega, Director of the Company, is also a member of the board of directors of Grupo Modelo. Grupo Modelo purchased advertising services from us in connection with the promotion of its products from time to time in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and we expect that this will continue to be the case in the future. Grupo Modelo paid and will continue to pay rates applicable to third party advertisers for these advertising services.
During 2007, Editorial Televisa, our subsidiary, entered into advertising agreements with Comercializadora IMU, S.A. de C.V., or IMU, a company controlled by the brother-in-law of Emilio Azcárraga Jean, whereby IMU provides advertising services to Editorial Televisa by promoting magazines edited by Editorial Televisa, at billboards installed at bus stops. Editorial Televisa pays IMU the amount of Ps.8.8 million for such services. Likewise, Editorial Televisa entered into an advertising agreement with IMU whereby Editorial Televisa promotes IMU’s products and/or services in the magazines it edits. IMU pays Televisa the amount of Ps.4.4 million for such services. We believe that the terms and conditions of these advertising agreements are on arm’s length basis.
Several other members of our current Board serve as members of the Boards and/or stockholders of other companies. See “Directors, Senior Management and Employees”. Some of these companies, including Banamex, Kimberly-Clark de México, S.A.B. de C.V., Grupo Financiero Santander, S.A.B. de C.V., FEMSA and Teléfonos de México, S.A.B. de C.V., among others, purchased advertising services from us in connection with the promotion of their respective products and services from time to time in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and we expect that this will continue to be the case in the future. Similarly, Alejandro Quintero Iñiguez, a member of the Board and the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. and our Corporate Vice President of Sales and Marketing, is a stockholder and member of the Board of Grupo TV Promo, S.A. de C.V., or Grupo TV Promo and TV Promo, S.A. de C.V., or TV Promo. Grupo TV Promo and TV Promo are Mexican companies which render services of publicity, promotion and advertisement to third parties; these entities act as licensees of the Company for the use and exploitation of certain images and/or trademarks of shows and novelas produced by the Company; and produce promotional campaigns and events for the Company and for some of the Company’s clients. Grupo TV Promo and TV Promo jointly with other entities in which Mr. Alejandro Quintero has a direct and/or indirect participation, such as Producción y Creatividad Musical, S.A. de C.V. and TV Promo International, Inc. have purchased and will continue to purchase advertising services from us, some of which are referred to the aforementioned promotional campaigns. The companies described above pay rates applicable to third party advertisers that purchase unsold advertising services, which are lower than the rates paid by advertisers that purchase advertising in advance or at regular rates. Alejandro Quintero does not currently receive any form of compensation from Grupo TV Promo and/or TV Promo, other than dividends to which he may be entitled to receive as stockholder, as the case may be. During 2006 and 2007, TV Promo purchased unsold advertising from Televisa for a total of Ps.166.7 million and Ps. 160.0 million, respectively.
Agency Services.   From July 2005 to October 2007, Maximedios Alternativos, S.A. de C.V., or Maximedios, a Mexican company, was Televisa’s sales agent for the sale of in-store television advertising, airplane screen advertising, sponsorship of our soccer teams, as well as pay-TV advertising sales (which includes Innova, Televisa Networks, and Cablevisión). Televisa, Innova, Televisa Networks and Cablevisión, respectively paid Maximedios 15% of the revenues from advertising sales made on their behalf and Televisa paid Maximedios 15% of the revenues from airplane screen sales and in-store advertising and 5% of the revenues from sponsorships. Alejandro Quintero Iñiguez, a member of the Board and the Executive Committee of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. and our Corporate Vice President of Sales and Marketing jointly with other members of his family, are majority stockholders and members of the Board of Grupo TV Promo, S.A. de C.V. and Producción y Creatividad Musical, S.A. de C.V., companies that have a majority interest in Maximedios.

 

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Alejandro Quintero does not currently receive any form of compensation from Maximedios, other than dividends to which he may be entitled to receive as indirect stockholder. During 2006 and 2007, Televisa and the aforementioned affiliates, paid Maximedios the amount of Ps.114.0 million and Ps.49.6 million, respectively, as sales commissions. We believe that such amount is comparable to those paid to third parties for these types of services.
Legal and Advisory Services.   During 2005, 2006 and 2007, Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C., a Mexican law firm, provided us with legal and advisory services, and we expect that this will continue to be the case in the future. Alfonso de Angoitia Noriega, a partner on leave of absence from the law firm of Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C., is one of our directors, a member of our Executive Committee, an Executive Vice President and was a member of the Related Party Transactions Committee. Alfonso de Angoitia Noriega does not currently receive any form of compensation from, or participates in any way in the profits of, Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C. Ricardo Maldonado Yáez, a partner from the law firm of Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C., serves also as Secretary of our Board of Directors and Secretary to the Executive Committee of our Board of Directors. We believe that the fees we paid for these services were comparable to those that we would have paid another law firm for similar services. See Note 16 to our year-end financial statements.
Potential Sale of Property. During 2006 and 2007, Maximiliano Arteaga Carlebach, Vice President of Operations of Televisa, purchased from Televisa two lots we owned in the residential zone of Playas del Conchal, in Alvarado, Veracruz, for Ps. 2.5 million in the aggregate.
We recently entered into a purchase agreement with Icon Servicios Administrativos, S. de R.L. de C.V., or Icon, related to a sale to Icon of a portion of the real estate adjacent to our principal headquarters in Santa Fe, Mexico City for a purchase price preliminarily estimated to be approximately U.S.$80.0 million. A stockholder of Icon is Mr. Adolfo Fastlicht Kurian, the brother-in-law of Mr. Emilio Azcárraga Jean, our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. This sale is still subject to a number of closing conditions and regulatory approvals as well as obtaining a third party appraisal.

 

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Item 8. Financial Information
See “Item 18 — Financial Statements” and pages F-1 through F-55, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9. The Offer and Listing
Trading History of CPOs and GDSs
Since December 1993, the GDSs have been traded on the NYSE and the CPOs have been traded on the Mexican Stock Exchange. In September 2007, we removed JPMorgan Chase Bank as the depository for the GDSs and appointed The Bank of New York pursuant to a new deposit agreement.
The table below shows, for the periods indicated, the high and low market prices in nominal Pesos for the CPOs on the Mexican Stock Exchange, giving effect to the March 1, 2000 10-for-1 stock split in all cases.
                 
    Nominal Pesos per CPO(1)  
    High     Low  
2003
  Ps. 23.56     Ps. 12.63  
2004
  Ps. 34.93     Ps. 22.22  
2005
  Ps. 44.13     Ps. 29.20  
2006
  Ps. 60.88     Ps. 37.67  
First Quarter
    44.96       40.49  
Second Quarter
    49.72       37.67  
Third Quarter
    47.00       39.89  
Fourth Quarter
    60.88       46.17  
December
    60.88       58.22  
2007
  Ps. 68.10     Ps. 48.29  
First Quarter
    66.68       58.99  
Second Quarter
    68.10       57.19  
Third Quarter
    62.06       52.50  
Fourth Quarter
    57.43       48.29  
December
    54.29       51.66  
2008 (through June 24, 2008)
    57.35       44.81  
First Quarter
    52.91       44.81  
January
    50.90       44.81  
February
    49.93       45.32  
March
    52.91       45.76  
Second Quarter (through June 24, 2008)
    57.35       47.68  
April
    54.35       48.72  
May
    57.35       51.74  
June (through June 24, 2008)
    54.37       47.68  
 
     
(1)  
Source: Mexican Stock Exchange.

 

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The table below shows, for the periods indicated, the high and low market prices in U.S. Dollars for the GDSs on the NYSE, giving effect to the March 22, 2006 1:4 GDS ratio change in all cases.
                 
    U.S. Dollars per GDS(1)  
    High     Low  
2003
  U.S.$ 10.5675     U.S.$ 5.815  
2004
  U.S.$ 15.6625     U.S.$ 9.8075  
2005
  U.S.$ 20.775     U.S.$ 13.1875  
2006
  U.S.$ 28.20     U.S.$ 16.38  
First Quarter
    21.35       18.77  
Second Quarter
    22.87       16.38  
Third Quarter
    21.51       18.11  
Fourth Quarter
    28.20       21.13  
December
    28.20       26.65  
2007
  U.S.$ 31.14     U.S.$ 22.04  
First Quarter
    30.12       26.35  
Second Quarter
    31.14       26.35  
Third Quarter
    28.89       23.48  
Fourth Quarter
    26.59       22.04  
December
    25.47       23.72  
2008 (through June 24, 2008)
  U.S.$ 27.68     U.S.$ 20.85  
First Quarter
    24.77       20.85  
January
    23.77       20.85  
February
    23.16       21.07  
March
    24.77       20.97  
Second Quarter (through June 24, 2008)
    27.68       23.90  
April
    26.04       23.32  
May
    27.68       24.91  
June (through June 24, 2008)
    26.30       23.90  
 
     
(1)  
Source: NYSE.
Trading prices of the CPOs and the GDSs will be influenced by our results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements, future prospects and by economic, financial and other factors and market conditions. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Mexico — Economic and Political Developments in Mexico May Adversely Affect Our Business.” There can be no assurance that prices of the CPOs and the GDSs will, in future, be within the ranges set forth above. We believe that as of June 23, 2008, approximately 333,861,439 GDSs were held of record by 114 persons with U.S. addresses. Before giving effect to the Recapitalization, substantially all of the outstanding A Shares not held through CPOs were owned by Televicentro and a special purpose trust created for our Long Term Retention Plan, as described under “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions” and “Directors, Senior Management and Employees — Long-Term Retention Plan.”
Trading on the Mexican Stock Exchange
Overview
The Mexican Stock Exchange, located in Mexico City, is the only stock exchange in Mexico. Operating continuously since 1907, the Mexican Stock Exchange is organized as a corporation with variable capital, or sociedad anónima de capital variable . Securities trading on the Mexican Stock Exchange occurs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Mexico City time, each business day. Since January 1999, all trading on the Mexican Stock Exchange has been effected electronically. The Mexican Stock Exchange may impose a number of measures to promote an orderly and transparent trading price of securities, including the operation of a system of automatic suspension of trading in shares of a particular issuer when price fluctuation exceeds certain limits. The Mexican Stock Exchange may also suspend trading in shares of a particular issuer as a result of the disclosure of a material event, or when the changes in the volume traded or share price are not consistent with either the historic performance or information publicly available. The Mexican Stock Exchange may resume trading in the shares when it deems that the material events have been adequately disclosed to public investors or when it deems that the issuer has adequately explained the reasons for the changes in the volume traded or prevailing share price. Under current regulations, in certain cases when the relevant securities are simultaneously traded on a stock exchange outside of Mexico, the Mexican Stock Exchange may consider the measures adopted by the other stock exchange in order to suspend and/or resume trading in the issuer’s shares.
Settlement is effected two business days after a share transaction on the Mexican Stock Exchange. Deferred settlement, even by mutual agreement, is not permitted without the approval of the CNBV. Most securities traded on the Mexican Stock Exchange, including the CPOs, are on deposit with S.D. Indeval, S.A. de C.V., Institución para el Depósito de Valores, or Indeval, a privately owned securities depositary that acts as a clearinghouse, depositary and custodian, as well as a settlement, transfer and registration agent for Mexican Stock Exchange transactions, eliminating the need for physical transfer of securities.
Although the Mexican Securities Market Law provides for the existence of an over-the-counter market, no such market for securities in Mexico has been developed.

 

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Market Regulation and Registration Standards
In 1946, the Comisión Nacional de Valores , or the National Securities Commission, commonly known as the CNV, was established to regulate stock market activity. In 1995, the CNV and the Comisión Nacional Bancaria , or the National Banking Commission, were merged to form the CNBV. The Mexican Securities Market Law, which took effect in 1975, introduced important structural changes to the Mexican financial system, including the organization of brokerage firms as corporations with variable capital, or sociedades anónimas de capital variable . The Mexican Securities Market Law sets standards for authorizing companies to operate as brokerage firms, which authorization is granted at the discretion of the Ministry of Finance upon the recommendation of the CNBV. In addition to setting standards for brokerage firms, the Mexican Securities Market Law empowers the CNBV, among other things, to regulate the public offering and trading of securities and to impose sanctions for the illegal use of insider information. The CNBV regulates the Mexican securities market, the Mexican Stock Exchange and brokerage firms through a board of governors composed of thirteen members, five of which are appointed by the Ministry of Finance.
In June 2001, the Mexican Securities Market Law required issuers to increase the protections offered to minority stockholders and to impose corporate governance controls on Mexican listed companies in line with international standards. The Mexican Securities Market Law then in effect expressly permitted Mexican listed companies, with prior authorization from the CNBV, to include in their bylaws anti-takeover defenses such as stockholder rights plans, or poison pills. We amended our bylaws to include certain of these protections at our general extraordinary stockholders’ meeting, which was held on April 30, 2002. See “Additional Information — Bylaws — Other Provisions — Appraisal Rights and Other Minority Protections” and “Additional Information — Bylaws —Antitakeover Protections.”
To offer securities to the public in Mexico, an issuer must meet specific qualitative and quantitative requirements, and generally only securities for which an application for registration in the National Registry of Securities, or NRS, maintained by the CNBV has been approved by the CNBV may be listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange. This approval does not imply any kind of certification or assurance related to the merits or the quality of the securities or the solvency of the issuer.
In March 2003, the CNBV issued general rules, or General CNBV Rules, applicable to issuers and other securities market participants. The General CNBV Rules, which repealed several previously enacted rules, or circulares , of the CNBV, now provide a single set of rules governing issuers and issuer activity, among other things.
The General CNBV Rules have mandated that the Mexican Stock Exchange adopt minimum requirements for issuers to be registered with the CNBV and have their securities listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange. To be registered, issuers will be required to have, among other things:
   
a minimum number of years of operating history;
   
a minimum financial condition;
   
a minimum number of shares or CPOs to be publicly offered to public investors;
   
a minimum price for the securities to be offered;
   
a minimum of 15% of the capital stock placed among public investors;
   
a minimum of 200 holders of shares or of shares represented by CPOs, who are deemed to be public investors under the General CNBV Rules, upon the completion of the offering;
   
the following distribution of the securities offered pursuant to an offering in Mexico: (i) at least 50% of the total number of securities offered must be placed among investors who acquire less than 5% of the total number of securities offered; and (ii) no investor may acquire more than 40% of the total number of securities offered; and
 
   
complied with certain corporate governance requirements.

 

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To maintain its registration, an issuer will be required to have, among other things:
   
a minimum financial condition;
 
   
minimum operating conditions, including a minimum number of trades;
 
   
a minimum trading price of its securities;
 
   
a minimum of 12% of the capital stock held by public investors;
 
   
a minimum of 100 holders of shares or of shares represented by CPOs who are deemed to be public investors under the General CNBV Rules; and
 
   
complied with certain corporate governance requirements.
The CNBV has the authority to waive some of these requirements in some circumstances. Also, some of these requirements are applicable for each series of shares of the relevant issuer.
The Mexican Stock Exchange will review annually compliance with the foregoing and other requirements, some of which may be further reviewed on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. The Mexican Stock Exchange must inform the CNBV of the results of its review and this information must, in turn, be disclosed to investors. If an issuer fails to comply with any of the foregoing requirements, the Mexican Stock Exchange will request that the issuer propose a plan to cure the violation. If the issuer fails to propose such plan, if the plan is not satisfactory to the Mexican Stock Exchange or if the issuer does not make substantial progress with respect to the corrective measures, trading of the relevant series of shares on the Mexican Stock Exchange will be temporarily suspended until the situation is corrected. In addition, if the issuer fails to propose the plan or ceases to follow such plan once proposed, the CNBV may suspend or cancel the registration of the shares. In such event, the issuer must evidence the mechanisms to protect the rights of public investors and market in general.
Issuers of listed securities are required to file unaudited quarterly financial statements and audited annual financial statements as well as various periodic reports with the CNBV and the Mexican Stock Exchange. Pursuant to the General CNBV Rules, the internal regulations of the Mexican Stock Exchange must be amended to include, among other things, the implementation of the Sistema Electrónico de Envío y Difusión de Información , or the SEDI, an automated system for the electronic transfer of the information required to be filed with the Mexican Stock Exchange, which will be similar to, but will replace, the existing Sistema Electrónico de Comunicación con Emisores de Valores , or EMISNET. Issuers of listed securities must prepare and disclose their financial information by a Mexican Stock Exchange-approved system known as the Sistema de Información Financiera Computarizada , or Computerized Financial Information System, commonly known as the SIFIC. Immediately upon its receipt, the Mexican Stock Exchange makes that information available to the public.
The General CNBV Rules and the internal regulations of the Mexican Stock Exchange require issuers of listed securities to file through the SEDI information on the occurrence of material events affecting the relevant issuer. Material events include, but are not limited to:
   
the entering into or termination of joint venture agreements or agreements with key suppliers;
 
   
the creation of new lines of businesses or services;
 
   
significant deviations in expected or projected operating performance;
 
   
the restructuring or payment of significant indebtedness;
 
   
material litigation or labor conflicts;
 
   
changes in dividend policy;
 
   
the commencement of any insolvency, suspension or bankruptcy proceedings;
 
   
changes in the directors; and
 
   
any other event that may have a material adverse effect on the results, financial condition or operations of the relevant issuer.

 

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If there is unusual price volatility of the securities listed, the Mexican Stock Exchange must immediately request that the issuer inform the public as to the causes of such volatility or, if the issuer is unaware of such causes, make a statement to that effect. In addition, the Mexican Stock Exchange must immediately request that issuers disclose any information relating to relevant material events, when it deems the information currently disclosed to be insufficient, as well as instruct issuers to clarify such information when it deems the information to be confusing. The Mexican Stock Exchange may request issuers to confirm or deny any material events that have been disclosed to the public by third parties when it deems that the material event may affect or influence the securities being traded. The Mexican Stock Exchange must immediately inform the CNBV of any requests made to issuers. The CNBV may also make any of these requests directly to issuers. An issuer may delay the disclosure of material events under some circumstances, including where the information being offered is not related to transactions that have been completed.
The CNBV and the Mexican Stock Exchange may suspend the dealing in securities of an issuer:
   
if the issuer does not adequately disclose a material event; or
 
   
upon price or volume volatility or changes in the offer or demand in respect of the relevant securities, which are not consistent with the historic performance of the securities and could not be explained solely by the information made publicly available under the General CNBV Rules.
The Mexican Stock Exchange must immediately inform the CNBV and the general public of any such suspension. An issuer may request that the CNBV or the Mexican Stock Exchange resume trading, provided it demonstrates that the causes triggering the suspension have been resolved and that it is in full compliance with the periodic reporting requirements under the applicable law. If its request has been granted, the Mexican Stock Exchange will determine the appropriate mechanism to resume trading in its securities. If trading of an issuer is suspended for more than 20 business days and the issuer is authorized to resume trading without conducting a public offering, the issuer must disclose through the SEDI, before trading resumes, a description of the causes that resulted in the suspension and reasons why it is now authorized to resume trading.
Likewise, if the securities of an issuer are traded on both the Mexican Stock Exchange and a foreign securities market, that issuer must file with the CNBV and the Mexican Stock Exchange on a simultaneous basis the information that it is required to file pursuant to the laws and regulations of the relevant other jurisdiction.
Pursuant to the Mexican Securities Market Law, stockholders of issuers listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange must disclose any transactions through or outside of the Mexican Stock Exchange that result in exceeding 10% ownership stake of an issuer’s capital stock. These stockholders must also inform the CNBV of the results of these transactions the day after their completion. See “Additional Information — Mexican Securities Market Law.”
Additionally, related parties of an issuer who increase or decrease their ownership stake, in one or more transactions, by 5% or more, shall disclose such transactions. The Mexican Securities Market Law also requires stockholders holding 10% or more of the capital stock of companies listed in the registry to notify the CNBV of any ownership changes in shares of the company.

 

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Item 10. Additional Information
Mexican Securities Market Law
On April 25, 2002, the CNBV issued general rules to regulate public tender offers and the obligation to disclose share acquisitions above certain thresholds, as well as share acquisitions of the capital stock of public companies by related parties. Subject to certain exceptions, any acquisition of shares of a public company which increases the acquiror’s ownership to 10% or more, but not more than 30%, of the company’s outstanding capital stock must be disclosed to the CNBV and the Mexican Stock Exchange by no later than the day following the acquisition. Any acquisition of shares by a related party that increases such party’s ownership interest in a public company by 5% or more of the company’s outstanding capital stock must also be disclosed to the CNBV and the Mexican Stock Exchange by no later than the day following the acquisition. In addition, any intended acquisition of shares of a public company which increases the potential acquiror’s ownership to 30% or more, but not more than 50%, of the company’s voting shares requires the potential acquiror to make a tender offer for the greater of (i) the percentage of the capital stock intended to be acquired or (ii) 10% of the outstanding capital stock. Finally, any intended acquisition of shares of a public company which increases the potential acquiror’s ownership to more than 50% of the company’s voting shares requires the potential acquiror to make a tender offer for 100% of the outstanding capital stock. Bylaw provisions regarding mandatory tender offers in the case of these acquisitions may differ from the requirements summarized above, provided that they are more protective to minority stockholders than those afforded by law. See “— Bylaws — Antitakeover Protections.”
On December 30, 2005, a new Mexican Securities Market Law was enacted and published in the Official Gazette. The new Securities Market Law became effective on June 28, 2006 and in some cases allowed an additional period of 180 days (late December 2006) for issuers to incorporate in their by-laws the new corporate governance and other requirements derived from the new law. The new Mexican Securities Market Law changed the Mexican securities laws in various material respects. In particular the new law (i) clarifies the rules for tender offers, dividing them in voluntary and mandatory, (ii) clarifies standards for disclosure of holdings applicable to stockholders of public companies, (iii) expands and strengthens the role of the board of directors of public companies, (iv) determines with precision the standards applicable to the board of directors and the duties of the board, each director, its secretary, the general director and executive officers (introducing concepts such as the duty of care, duty of loyalty and safe harbors), (v) replaces the statutory auditor (comisario) and its duties with the audit committee, the corporate practices committee and the external auditors, (vi) clearly defines the role of the general director and executive officers and their responsibilities, (vii) improves rights of minorities, and (vii) improves the definition of applicable sanctions for violations to the Mexican Securities Market Law, including the payment of punitive damages and criminal penalties.
The new Mexican Securities Market Law does not substantially modify the reporting obligations of issuers of equity securities listed in the Mexican Stock Exchange. The new Mexican Securities Market Law reinforces insider trading restrictions and specifically includes, within such restrictions, trading in options and derivatives the underlying security of which is issued by such entity. Among other changes, the new Mexican Securities Market Law provides for a course of action available to anyone who traded (as a counterparty) with someone in possession of privileged information to seek the appropriate indemnification.
Pursuant to the new Mexican Securities Market Law:
   
members of a listed issuer’s board of directors,
 
   
stockholders controlling 10% or more of a listed issuer’s outstanding share capital,
 
   
advisors,
 
   
groups controlling 25% or more of a listed issuer’s outstanding share capital and
 
   
other insiders
must inform the CNBV of any transactions undertaken with securities of a listed issuer.
In addition, under the new Mexican Securities Market Law insiders must abstain from purchasing or selling securities of the issuer within 90 days from the last sale or purchase, respectively.

 

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The new Mexican Securities Market Law has, in some respects, modified the rules governing tender offers conducted in Mexico. Under the new law, tender offers may be voluntary or mandatory. All tender offers must be open for at least 20 business days and purchases thereunder are required to be made pro-rata to all tendering stockholders. Any intended purchase resulting in a 30% or greater holding requires the tender to be made for the greater of 10% of the company’s capital stock or the share capital intended to be acquired; if the purchase is aimed at obtaining control, the tender must be made for 100% of the outstanding shares. In calculating the intended purchase amount, convertible securities, warrants and derivatives the underlying security of which are such shares must be considered. The new law also permits the payment of certain amounts to controlling stockholders over and above the offering price if these amounts are fully disclosed, approved by the board of directors and paid in connection with non-compete or similar obligations. The new law also introduces exceptions to the mandatory tender offer requirements and specifically provides for the consequences, to a purchaser, of not complying with these tender offer rules (lack of voting rights, possible annulment of purchases, etc.) and other rights available to prior stockholders of the issuer.
The new Mexican Securities Market Law ratifies that public companies may insert provisions in their by-laws pursuant to which the acquisition of control of the company, by the company’s stockholders or third parties, may be prevented, if such provisions (i) are approved by stockholders without the negative vote of stockholders representing 5% or more of the outstanding shares, (ii) do not exclude any stockholder or group of stockholders, and (iii) do not restrict, in an absolute manner, the change of control.
Bylaws
Set forth below is a brief summary of some significant provisions of our bylaws and Mexican law. This description does not purport to be complete, and is qualified by reference in its entirety to our bylaws, which have been filed as an exhibit to this annual report and Mexican law. For a description of the provisions of our bylaws relating to our Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Audit and Corporate Practices Committee, see “Directors, Senior Management and Employees.”
Organization and Register
Televisa is a sociedad anónima bursátil , or limited liability stock corporation, organized under the laws of Mexico in accordance with the Mexican Companies Law. Televisa was incorporated under Public Deed Number 30,200, dated December 19, 1990, granted before Notary Public Number 73 of Mexico City, D.F., and registered with the Public Registry of Commerce of Mexico City, under Commercial Page ( folio mercantil ) Number 142,164. We have a general corporate purpose, the specifics of which can be found in Article Four of our bylaws.
We maintain a stock registry, and in accordance with Mexican law, we only recognize those holders listed in our stock registry as our stockholders. Our stockholders may hold their share in the form of physical certificates or through book-entries with institutions that have accounts with Indeval. The CPO Trustee is the holder of record for Shares represented by CPOs. Accounts may be maintained at Indeval by brokers, banks and other entities approved by the CNBV.
Voting Rights and Stockholders’ Meetings
Holders of A Shares . Holders of A Shares have the right to vote on all matters subject to stockholder approval at any general stockholders’ meeting and have the right, voting as a class, to appoint eleven members of our Board of Directors and the corresponding alternate directors. In addition to requiring approval by a majority of all Shares entitled to vote together on a particular corporate matter, certain corporate matters must be approved by a majority of the holders of A Shares voting separately. These matters include mergers, dividend payments, spin-offs, changes in corporate purpose, changes of nationality and amendments to the anti-takeover provisions of our bylaws.
Holders of B Shares . Holders of B Shares have the right to vote on all matters subject to stockholder approval at any general stockholders’ meeting and have the right, voting as a class, to appoint five members of our Board of Directors and the corresponding alternate directors. The five directors and corresponding alternate directors elected by the holders of the B Shares will be elected at a stockholders’ meeting that must be held within the first four months after the end of each year.

 

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Holders of D Shares and L Shares . Holders of D Shares, voting as a class, are entitled to vote at special meetings to elect two of the members of our Board of Directors and the corresponding alternate directors, each of which must be an independent director. In addition, holders of D Shares are entitled to vote on the following matters at extraordinary general meetings:
   
our transformation from one type of company to another;
 
   
any merger (even if we are the surviving entity);
 
   
extension of our existence beyond our prescribed duration;
 
   
our dissolution before our prescribed duration (which is currently December);
 
   
a change in our corporate purpose;
 
   
a change in our nationality; and
 
   
the cancellation from registration of the D Shares or the securities which represent the D Shares with the securities or special section of the NRS and with any other Mexican or foreign stock exchange in which such shares or securities are registered.
Holders of L Shares, voting as a class, are entitled to vote at special meetings to elect two of the members of our Board of Directors and the corresponding alternate directors, each of which must be an independent director. Holders of L Shares are also entitled to vote at extraordinary general meetings on the following matters:
   
our transformation from one type of company to another;
 
   
any merger in which we are not the surviving entity; and
 
   
the cancellation from registration of the L Shares or the securities that represent the L Shares with the special section of the NRS.
The two directors and corresponding alternate directors elected by each of the holders of the D Shares and the L Shares are elected annually at a special meeting of those holders. Special meetings of holders of D Shares and L Shares must also be held to approve the cancellation from registration of the D Shares or L Shares or the securities representing any of such shares with the NRS, as the case may be, and in the case of D Shares, with any other Mexican or foreign stock exchange in which such shares or securities are registered. All other matters on which holders of L Shares or D Shares are entitled to vote must be considered at an extraordinary general meeting. Holders of L Shares and D Shares are not entitled to attend or to address meetings of stockholders at which they are not entitled to vote. Under Mexican law, holders of L Shares and D Shares are entitled to exercise certain minority protections. See “— Other Provisions — Appraisal Rights and Other Minority Protections.”
Other Rights of Stockholders . Under Mexican law, holders of shares of any series are also entitled to vote as a class in a special meeting governed by the same rules that apply to extraordinary general meetings, as described below, on any action that would prejudice the rights of holders of shares of such series, but not rights of holders of shares of other series, and a holder of shares of such series would be entitled to judicial relief against any such action taken without such a vote. Generally, the determination of whether a particular stockholder action requires a class vote on these grounds could initially be made by the Board of Directors or other party calling for stockholder action. In some cases, under the Mexican Securities Market Law and the Mexican Companies Law, the Board of Directors, the Audit Committee, the Corporate Practices Committee, or a Mexican court on behalf of those stockholders representing 10% of our capital stock could call a special meeting. A negative determination would be subject to judicial challenge by an affected stockholder, and the necessity for a class vote would ultimately be determined by a court. There are no other procedures for determining whether a particular proposed stockholder action requires a class vote, and Mexican law does not provide extensive guidance on the criteria to be applied in making such a determination.
General stockholders’ meetings may be ordinary general meetings or extraordinary general meetings. Extraordinary general meetings are those called to consider specific matters specified in Article 182 of the Mexican Companies Law and our bylaws, including, among others, amendments to our bylaws, our dissolution, liquidation or split-up, our merger and transformation from one form of company to another, increases and reductions in our capital stock, the approval of certain acquisitions of shares, including a change of control, as set forth in the antitakeover provisions in our bylaws and any action for civil liabilities against the members of our Board of Directors, its Secretary, or members of our Audit and Corporate Practices Committee. In addition, our bylaws require an extraordinary general meeting to consider the cancellation of registration of the D Shares or L Shares or the securities representing these Shares with the NRS, as the case may be, and in the case of D Shares, with any other Mexican or foreign stock exchange in which such Shares or securities are registered. General meetings called to consider all other matters are ordinary meetings which are held at least once each year within four months following the end of each fiscal year. Stockholders may be represented at any stockholders’ meeting by completing a form of proxy provided by us, which proxy is available within fifteen days prior to such meeting, and designating a representative to vote on their behalf. The form of proxy must comply with certain content requirements as set forth in the Mexican Securities Market Law and in our bylaws.

 

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Holders of CPOs . Holders of CPOs who are Mexican nationals or Mexican corporations whose bylaws exclude foreign ownership of their shares are entitled to exercise voting rights with respect to the A Shares, B Shares, D Shares and L Shares underlying their CPOs. The CPO Trustee will vote such shares as directed by Mexican holders of CPOs, which must provide evidence of Mexican nationality. Non-Mexican holders of CPOs may only vote the L Shares held in the CPO Trust and are not entitled to exercise any voting rights with respect to the A Shares, B Shares and D Shares held in the CPO Trust. Voting rights in respect of these A Shares, B Shares and D Shares may only be exercised by the CPO Trustee. A Shares, B Shares and D Shares underlying the CPOs of non-Mexican holders or holders that do not give timely instructions as to voting of such Shares, (a) will be voted at special meetings of A Shares, B Shares or D Shares, as the case may be, as instructed by the CPO Trust’s Technical Committee (which consists of members of the Board of Directors and/or Executive Committee, who must be Mexican nationals), and (b) will be voted at any general meeting where such series has the right to vote in the same manner as the majority of the outstanding A Shares held by Mexican nationals or Mexican corporations (directly, or through the CPO Trust, as the case may be) are voted at the relevant meeting. L Shares underlying the CPOs of any holders that do not give timely instructions as to the voting of such Shares will be voted, at special meetings of L Shares and at general extraordinary meetings where L Shares have voting rights, as instructed by the Technical Committee of the CPO Trust. The CPO Trustee must receive voting instructions five business days prior to the stockholders’ meeting. Holders of CPOs that are Mexican nationals or Mexican corporations whose bylaws exclude foreign ownership of their Shares also must provide evidence of nationality, such as a copy of a valid Mexican passport or birth certificate, for individuals, or a copy of the bylaws, for corporations.
As described in “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions,” A Shares held through the Stockholder Trust constitute a majority of the A Shares whose holders are entitled to vote them, because non-Mexican holders of CPOs and GDSs are not permitted to vote the underlying A Shares. Accordingly, the vote of A Shares held through the Stockholder Trust generally will determine how the A Shares underlying our CPOs are voted. B Shares held through the Stockholder Trust constitute 2.71% of the outstanding B Shares but represent a greater percentage of B Shares whose holders are entitled to vote them, because non-Mexican holders of CPOs and GDSs are not permitted to vote the underlying B Shares.
Holders of GDRs . Global Depositary Receipts, or GDRs evidencing GDSs are issued by The Bank of New York, the Depositary, pursuant to the Deposit Agreement we entered into with the Depositary and all holders from time to time of GDSs. Each GDR evidences a specified number of GDSs. A GDR may represent any number of GDSs. Only persons in whose names GDRs are registered on the books of the Depositary will be treated by us and the Depositary as owners and holders of GDRs. Each GDS represents the right to receive five CPOs which will be credited to the account of Banco Inbursa, S.A., the Custodian, maintained with Indeval for such purpose. Each CPO represents financial interests in, and limited voting rights with respect to, 25 A Shares, 22 B Shares, 35 L Shares and 35 D Shares held pursuant to the CPO Trust.
The Depositary will mail information on stockholders’ meetings to all holders of GDRs. At least six business days prior to the relevant stockholders’ meeting, GDR holders may instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights, if any, pertaining to the CPOs represented by their GDSs, and the underlying Shares. Since the CPO Trustee must also receive voting instructions five business days prior to the stockholders’ meeting, the Depositary may be unable to vote the CPOs and underlying Shares in accordance with any written instructions. Holders that are Mexican nationals or Mexican corporations whose bylaws exclude foreign ownership of their Shares are entitled to exercise voting rights with respect to the A Shares, B Shares, D Shares and L Shares underlying the CPOs represented by their GDSs. Such Mexican holders also must provide evidence of nationality, such as a copy of a valid Mexican passport or birth certificate, for individuals, or a copy of the bylaws, for corporations.
Non-Mexican holders may exercise voting rights only with respect to L Shares underlying the CPOs represented by their GDSs. They may not direct the CPO Trustee as to how to vote the A Shares, B Shares or D Shares represented by CPOs or attend stockholders’ meetings. Under the terms of the CPO Trust Agreement, the CPO Trustee will vote the A Shares, B Shares, D Shares and L Shares represented by CPOs held by non-Mexican holders (including holders of GDRs) as described under “— Holders of CPOs.” If the Depositary does not timely receive instructions from a Mexican or Non-Mexican holder of GDRs as to the exercise of voting rights relating to the A Shares, B Shares, D Shares or L Shares underlying the CPOs, as the case may be, in the relevant stockholders’ meeting then, if requested in writing by us, the Depositary will give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us to vote the Shares. If no such written request is made by us, the Depositary will not represent or vote, attempt to represent or vote any right that attaches to, or instruct the CPO Trustee to represent or vote, the Shares underlying the CPOs in the relevant stockholders’ meeting and, as a result, the underlying shares will be voted in the same manner described under “— Holders of CPOs” with respect to shares for which timely instructions as to voting are not given.

 

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If the Depositary does not timely receive instructions from a Mexican or non-Mexican holder of GDRs as to the exercise of voting rights relating to the underlying CPOs in the relevant CPO holders’ meeting, the Depositary and the Custodian will take such actions as are necessary to cause such CPOs to be counted for purposes of satisfying applicable quorum requirements and, unless we in our sole discretion have given prior written notice to the Depositary and the Custodian to the contrary, vote them in the same manner as the majority of the CPOs are voted at the relevant CPOs holders’ meeting.
Under the terms of the CPO Trust, beginning in December 2008, a non-Mexican holder of CPOs or GDSs may instruct the CPO Trustee to request that we issue and deliver certificates representing each of the Shares underlying its CPOs so that the CPO Trustee may sell, to a third party entitled to hold the Shares, all of those Shares and deliver to the holder any proceeds derived from the sale.
Dividend Rights
At our annual ordinary general stockholders’ meeting, our Board of Directors is required to submit our financial statements from the previous fiscal year to the holders of our A Shares and B Shares voting together and a majority of the A Shares voting separately. Once our stockholders approve these financial statements, they must then allocate our net profits for the previous fiscal year. Under Mexican law, at least 5% of our net profits must be allocated to a legal reserve, until the amount of this reserve equals 20% of our paid-in capital stock. Thereafter, our stockholders may allocate our net profits to any special reserve, including a reserve for share repurchases. After this allocation, the remainder of our net profits will be available for distribution as dividends. The vote of the majority of the A Shares and B Shares voting together, and a majority of the A Shares voting separately, is necessary to approve dividend payments. As described below, in the event that dividends are declared, holders of D Shares will have preferential rights to dividends as compared to holders of A Shares, B Shares and L Shares. Holders of A Shares, B Shares and L Shares have the same financial or economic rights, including the participation in any of our profits.
Preferential Rights of D Shares
Holders of D Shares are entitled to receive a cumulative fixed preferred annual dividend in the amount of Ps. 0.00034177575 per D Share before any dividends are payable in respect of A Shares, B Shares and L Shares. If we pay any dividends in addition to the D Share fixed preferred dividend, then such dividends shall be allocated as follows:
   
first, to the payment of dividends with respect to the A Shares, the B Shares and the L Shares, in an equal amount per share, up to the amount of the D Share fixed preferred dividend; and
   
second, to the payment of dividends with respect to the A Shares, B Shares, D Shares and L Shares, such that the dividend per share is equal.
Upon any dissolution or liquidation of our company, holders of D Shares are entitled to a liquidation preference equal to:
   
accrued but unpaid dividends in respect of their D Shares; plus
   
the theoretical value of their D Shares as set forth in our bylaws. See “— Other Provisions — Dissolution or Liquidation.”
Limitation on Capital Increases
Our bylaws provide that, in the event shares of a given series are issued as a result of a capital increase (in respect of a cash capital contribution), each holder of shares of that series will have a preferential right to subscribe to new shares of that series, in proportion to the number of such holder’s existing Shares of that series. In addition, primary issuances of A Shares, B Shares, D Shares and L Shares in the form of CPOs may be limited under the Mexican Securities Market Law. As a result of grandfathering provisions, our existing CPO structure will not be affected by the amendments to the law. However, in the case of primary issuances of additional A Shares, B Shares, L Shares and D Shares in the form of CPOs, any new L Shares and D Shares may be required to be converted into A Shares or other voting stock within a term specified by the CNBV, which in no event shall exceed five years. Moreover, under the Mexican Securities Market Law, the aggregate amount of shares of an issuer with limited or non-voting rights may not exceed 25% of the total shares held by public investors. The vote of the holders of a majority of the A Shares is necessary to approve capital increases.

 

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Preemptive Rights
In the event of a capital increase, a holder of existing shares of a given series has a preferential right to subscribe to a sufficient number of shares of the same series in order to maintain the holder’s existing proportionate holdings of shares of that series. Stockholders must exercise their preemptive rights within the time period fixed by our stockholders at the meeting approving the issuance of additional shares. This period must continue for at least fifteen days following the publication of notice of the issuance in the Diario Oficial de la Federación and in a newspaper of general circulation in Mexico City. Under Mexican law, stockholders cannot waive their preemptive rights in advance or be represented by an instrument that is negotiable separately from the corresponding share.
U.S. holders of GDSs may exercise preemptive rights only if we register any newly issued shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or qualify for an exemption from registration. We intend to evaluate at the time of any offering of preemptive rights the costs and potential liabilities associated with registering additional shares. In addition, if our stockholders’ meeting approves the issuance of shares of a particular series, holders of shares of other series may be offered shares of that particular series.
Limitations on Share Ownership
Ownership by non-Mexicans of shares of Mexican enterprises is regulated by the Foreign Investment Law and the accompanying Foreign Investment Law Regulations. The Economics Ministry and the Foreign Investment Commission are responsible for the administration of the Foreign Investment Law and the Foreign Investment Law Regulations. The Foreign Investment Law reserves certain economic activities exclusively for the Mexican State, certain other activities exclusively for Mexican individuals or Mexican corporations and limits the participation of non-Mexican investors to certain percentages in regard to other enterprises engaged in activities specified therein. Foreign investors may freely participate in up to 100% of the capital stock of Mexican companies or entities except for those existing companies engaged in specific activities, as described below and those with assets exceeding specified amounts established annually by the Foreign Investment Commission, in which case an approval from the Foreign Investment Commission will be necessary in order for foreign investment to exceed 49% of the capital stock. The Foreign Investment Law reserves certain economic activities exclusively for the Mexican state and reserves certain other activities (including television and radio broadcasting) exclusively for Mexican nationals, consisting of Mexican individuals and Mexican corporations the charters of which contain a prohibition on ownership by non-Mexicans of the corporation’s capital stock (a “foreign exclusion clause”). However, the Foreign Investment Law grants broad authority to the Foreign Investment Commission to allow foreign investors to own specified interests in the capital of certain Mexican enterprises. In particular, the Foreign Investment Law provides that certain investments, which comply with certain conditions, are considered “neutral investments” and are not included in the calculation of the foreign investment percentage for the relevant Mexican entity.
In order to comply with these restrictions, we have limited the ownership of our A Shares and B Shares to Mexican individuals, Mexican companies the charters of which contain a foreign exclusion clause, credit institutions acting as trustees (such as the CPO Trustee) in accordance with the Foreign Investment Law and the Foreign Investment Law Regulations, and trusts or stock purchase, investment and retirement plans for Mexican employees. The criteria for an investor to qualify as Mexican under our bylaws are stricter than those generally applicable under the Foreign Investment Law and Foreign Investment Law Regulations. A holder that acquires A Shares or B Shares in violation of the restrictions on non-Mexican ownership will have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to those A Shares or B Shares and could also be subject to monetary sanctions. The D Shares are subject to the same restrictions on ownership as the A Shares and B Shares. However, the foregoing limitations do not affect the ability of non-Mexican investors to hold A Shares, B Shares, D Shares and L Shares through CPOs, or L Shares directly, because such instruments constitute a “neutral investment” and do not affect control of the issuing company, pursuant to the exceptions contained in the Foreign Investment Law. The sum of the total outstanding number of A Shares and B Shares is required to exceed at all times the sum of the total outstanding L Shares and D Shares.
The Foreign Investment Law and Foreign Investment Law Regulations also require that we and the CPO Trust register with the National Registry of Foreign Investments. In addition to the limitations established by the Foreign Investment Law, the Mexican Federal Radio and Television Law provides restrictions on ownership by non-Mexicans of shares of Mexican enterprises holding concessions for radio and television such as those held indirectly by us. Non-Mexican states and governments are prohibited under our bylaws and Mexican Federal Radio and Television Law from owning Shares of Televisa and are, therefore, prohibited from being the beneficial or record owners of the A Shares, B Shares, D Shares, L Shares, CPOs and GDSs. We have been advised by our Mexican counsel, Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C., that ownership of the A Shares, B Shares, D Shares, L Shares, CPOs and GDSs by pension or retirement funds organized for the benefit of employees of non-Mexican state, municipal or other governmental agencies will not be considered as ownership by non-Mexican states or governments for the purpose of our bylaws or the Radio and Television Law.

 

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We may restrict transfers or, to the extent permitted under applicable law, cause the mandatory sale or disposition of CPOs and GDRs where such transfer or ownership, as the case may be, might result in ownership of CPOs or GDRs exceeding the limits under applicable law or our bylaws, the CPO Trust Agreement or the CPO Deed. Non-Mexican states and governments are prohibited under our bylaws and Radio and Television Law from owning our Shares and are, therefore, prohibited from being beneficial or record owners of GDRs.
Other Provisions
Forfeiture of Shares . As required by Mexican law, our bylaws provide that for L Shares and CPOs, our non-Mexican stockholders formally agree with the Foreign Affairs Ministry:
   
to be considered as Mexicans with respect to the L Shares and CPOs that they acquire or hold, as well as to the property, rights, concessions, participations or interests owned by us or to the rights and obligations derived from any agreements we have with the Mexican government; and
   
not to invoke the protection of their own governments with respect to their ownership of L Shares and CPOs.
Failure to comply is subject to a penalty of forfeiture of such a stockholders’ capital interests in favor of Mexico. In the opinion of Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C., our Mexican counsel, under this provision a non-Mexican stockholder is deemed to have agreed not to invoke the protection of its own government by asking such government to interpose a diplomatic claim against the Mexican government with respect to the stockholders’ rights as a stockholder, but is not deemed to have waived any other rights it may have, including any rights under the U.S. securities laws, with respect to its investment in Televisa. If the stockholder should invoke governmental protection in violation of this agreement, its shares could be forfeited to the Mexican government.
Exclusive Jurisdiction . Our bylaws provide that legal action relating to the execution, interpretation or performance of the bylaws shall be brought only in federal courts located in Mexico City.
Duration . Our corporate existence under our bylaws continues until 2105.
Dissolution or Liquidation . Upon any dissolution or liquidation of our company, our stockholders will appoint one or more liquidators at an extraordinary general stockholders’ meeting to wind up our affairs. The approval of holders of the majority of the A Shares is necessary to appoint or remove any liquidator. Upon a dissolution or liquidation, holders of D Shares will be entitled to both accrued but unpaid dividends in respect of their D Shares, plus the theoretical value of their D Shares (as set forth in our bylaws). The theoretical value of our D Shares is Ps. 0.00683551495 per share. Thereafter, a payment per share will be made to each of the holders of A Shares, B Shares and L Shares equivalent to the payment received by each of the holders of D Shares. The remainder will be distributed equally among all stockholders in proportion to their number of Shares and amount paid.
Redemption . Our bylaws provide that we may redeem our Shares with distributable profits without reducing our capital stock by way of a stockholder resolution at an extraordinary stockholders’ meeting. In accordance with Mexican law and our bylaws:
   
any redemption shall be made on a pro-rata basis among all of our stockholders;
   
to the extent that a redemption is effected through a public tender offer on the Mexican Stock Exchange, the stockholders’ resolution approving the redemption may empower our Board to specify the number of shares to be redeemed and appoint the related intermediary or purchase agent; and
 
   
any redeemed shares must be cancelled.
Share Repurchases . As required by Mexican law, our bylaws provide that we may repurchase our Shares on the Mexican Stock Exchange at then prevailing market prices. The amount of capital stock allocated to share repurchases and the amount of the corresponding reserve created for this purpose is determined annually by our stockholders at a ordinary general stockholders’ meeting. The aggregate amount of resources allocated to share repurchases in any given year cannot exceed the total amount of our net profits in any given year, including retained earnings. Share repurchases must be charged to either our net worth if the repurchased Shares remain in our possession or our capital stock if the repurchased Shares are converted into treasury shares, in which case our capital stock is reduced automatically in an amount equal to the theoretical value of any repurchased Shares, if any. Any surplus is charged to the reserve for share repurchases. If the purchase price of the Shares is less than the theoretical value of the repurchased Shares, our capital stock account will be affected by an amount equal to the theoretical value of the repurchased Shares. Under Mexican law, we are not required to create a special reserve for the repurchase of shares, nor do we need the approval of our Board to effect share repurchases. In addition, any repurchased Shares cannot be represented at any stockholders’ meeting.

 

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Conflicts of Interest . Under Mexican Law, any stockholder that votes on a transaction in which his, her or its interests conflict with our interests may be liable for damages, but only if the transaction would not have been approved without his, her or its vote. In addition, any member of the Board of Directors that votes on a transaction in which his, her or its interests conflict, with our interests may be liable for damages. The Securities Market Law also imposes a duty of care and a duty of loyalty on directors as has been described in Item 6. In addition, pursuant to the Mexican Securities Market Law, the Board of Directors, with input from the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee, must review and approve transactions and arrangements with related parties. See “Directors, Senior Management and Employees – Our Board of Directors – Meetings; Actions Requiring Board Approval.”
Appraisal Rights and Other Minority Protections . Whenever our stockholders approve a change in our corporate purpose or jurisdiction of organization or our transformation from one type of company to another, any stockholder entitled to vote that did not vote in favor of these matters has the right to receive payment for its A Shares, B Shares, D Shares or L Shares in an amount calculated in accordance with Mexican law. However, stockholders must exercise their appraisal rights within fifteen days after the stockholders’ meeting at which the matter was approved. Because the holders of L Shares and D Shares may only vote in limited circumstances, appraisal rights are generally not available to them. See “— Voting Rights and Stockholders’ Meetings.”
Because the CPO Trustee must vote at a general stockholders’ meeting, the A Shares, B Shares and D Shares held by non-Mexicans in the CPO Trust in the same manner as the majority of the A Shares held by Mexican nationals (directly, or through the CPO Trust, as the case may be), the A Shares, B Shares and D Shares underlying CPOs held by non-Mexicans will not be voted against any change that triggers the appraisal rights of the holders of these Shares. Therefore, these appraisal rights will not be available to holders of CPOs (or GDRs) with respect to A Shares, B Shares or D Shares. The CPO Trustee will exercise such other corporate rights at special stockholders’ meetings with respect to the underlying A Shares, B Shares and D Shares as may be directed by the Technical Committee of the CPO trust.
The Mexican Securities Market Law and our bylaws include provisions that permit:
   
holders of at least 10% of our outstanding capital stock to request our Chairman of the Board or of the Audit and Corporate Practices Committee to call a stockholders’ meeting in which they are entitled to vote;
   
subject to the satisfaction of certain requirements under Mexican law, holders of at least 5% of our outstanding capital stock to bring an action for civil liabilities against our directors;
   
holders of at least 10% of our Shares that are entitled to vote and are represented at a stockholders’ meeting to request postponement of resolutions with respect to any matter on which they were not sufficiently informed; and
   
subject to the satisfaction of certain requirements under Mexican law, holders of at least 20% of our outstanding capital stock to contest and suspend any stockholder resolution.
See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Securities — The Protections Afforded to Minority Stockholders in Mexico Are Different From Those in the U.S.” In addition, in accordance with the Mexican Securities Market Law, we are also subject to certain corporate governance requirements, including the requirement to maintain an audit committee, a corporate practices committee, and to elect independent directors. The protections afforded to minority stockholders under Mexican law are generally different from those in the U.S. and many other jurisdictions. Substantive Mexican law concerning fiduciary duties of directors has not been the subject of extensive judicial interpretation in Mexico, unlike many states in the U.S. where duties of care and loyalty elaborated by judicial decisions help to shape the rights of minority stockholders. Mexican civil procedure does not contemplate class actions or stockholder derivative actions, which permit stockholders in U.S. courts to bring actions on behalf of other stockholders or to enforce rights of the corporation itself. Stockholders in Mexico also cannot challenge corporate actions taken at stockholders’ meetings unless they meet stringent procedural requirements. See “— Voting Rights and Stockholders’ Meetings.” As a result of these factors, it is generally more difficult for our minority stockholders to enforce rights against us or our directors or Major Stockholders than it is for stockholders of a corporation established under the laws of a state of the U.S. In addition, under U.S. securities laws, as a foreign private issuer we are exempt from certain rules that apply to domestic U.S. issuers with equity securities registered under the Security Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, including the proxy solicitation rules. We are also exempt from many of the corporate governance requirements of the New York Stock Exchange.

 

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Antitakeover Protections
General . Our bylaws provide that, subject to certain exceptions, (i) any person, entity or group of persons and/or entities that wishes to acquire beneficial ownership of common Shares (as defined below) which, when coupled with common Shares previously beneficially owned by such persons or their affiliates, represent 10% or more of our outstanding common Shares, (ii) any competitor or group of competitors that wishes to acquire beneficial ownership of Shares which, when coupled with Shares previously beneficially owned by such competitor, group of competitors or their affiliates, represent 5% or more of our outstanding capital stock, (iii) any person, entity or group of persons and/or entities that wishes to acquire beneficial ownership of Shares representing 10% or more of our outstanding Shares, and (iv) any competitor or group of competitors that wishes to acquire beneficial ownership of Shares representing 5% or more of our capital stock, must obtain the prior approval of our Board of Directors and/or of our stockholders, as the case may be, subject to certain exceptions summarized below. Holders that acquire Shares in violation of these requirements will not be considered the beneficial owners of such Shares under our bylaws and will not be registered in our stock registry. Accordingly, these holders will not be able to vote such Shares or receive any dividends, distributions or other rights in respect of these Shares. In addition, pursuant to our bylaws, these holders will be obligated to pay us a penalty in an amount equal to the market value of the Shares so acquired. Pursuant to our bylaws, “Shares” are defined as the shares (of any class or series) representing our capital stock, and any instruments or securities that represent such shares or that grant any right with respect to or are convertible into those shares, expressly including CPOs.
Pursuant to our bylaws, a “competitor” is generally defined as any person or entity who, directly or indirectly, is engaged in any of the following businesses or activities: television production and broadcasting, pay television production, program licensing, direct-to-home satellite services, publishing (newspaper and/or magazine), publishing distribution, music recording, cable television, the transmission of programming and/or other content by any other means known or to be known, radio broadcasting and production, the promotion of professional sports and other entertainment events, paging services, production, feature film/motion picture production and distribution, dubbing and/or the operation of an Internet portal. A “competitor” is also defined to include any person, entity and/or group that is engaged in any type of business or activity in which we may be engaged from time to time and from which we derive 5% or more of our consolidated income.
Board Notices, Meetings, Quorum Requirements and Approvals . To obtain the prior approval of our Board, a potential acquiror must properly deliver a written notice that states, among other things: (i) the number and class/type of our Shares it beneficially owns, (ii) the percentage of Shares it beneficially owns with respect to both our outstanding capital stock and the respective class/type of our Shares, (iii) the number and class/type of Shares it intends to acquire, (iv) the number and class/type of Shares it intends to grant or share a common interest or right, (v) its identity, or in the case of an acquiror which is a corporation, trust or legal entity, its stockholders or beneficiaries as well as the identity and nationality of each person effectively controlling such corporation, trust or legal entity, (vi) its ability to acquire our Shares in accordance with our bylaws and Mexican law, (vii) its source of financing the intended acquisition, (viii) if it has obtained any financing from one of its related parties for the payment of the Shares, (ix) the purpose of the intended acquisition, (x) if it intends to acquire additional common Shares in the future, which coupled with the current intended acquisition of common Shares and the common Shares previously beneficially owned by the potential acquiror, would result in ownership of 20% or more of our common Shares, (xi) if it intends to acquire control of us in the future, (xii) if the acquiror is our competitor or if it has any direct or indirect economic interest in or family relationship with one of our competitors, and (xiii) the identity of the financial institution, if any, that will act as the underwriter or broker in connection with any tender offer.
Either the Chairman, the Secretary or the Alternate Secretary of our Board of Directors must call a Board meeting within 10 calendar days following the receipt of the written notice and the Board meeting must be held within 45 calendar days following the call. Action by written consent is not permitted. With the exception of acquisitions that must be approved by the general extraordinary stockholders’ meeting as described below in “Stockholder Notices, Meetings, Quorum Requirements and Approvals,” in order to proceed with any acquisition of Shares that require Board authorization as set forth in our bylaws, such acquisition must be approved by at least the majority of the members of our Board present at a meeting at which at least 75% of the members of our Board are present. Such acquisitions must be acted upon by our Board within 60 calendar days following the receipt of the written notice described above, unless the Board determines that it does not have sufficient information upon which to base its decision. In such case, the Board shall deliver a written request to the potential acquiror for any additional information that it deems necessary to make its determination. The 60 calendar days referred to above will commence following the receipt of the additional information from the potential acquiror to render its decision.

 

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Stockholder Notices, Meetings, Quorum Requirements and Approvals . In the event (i) of a proposed acquisition of Shares that would result in a “change of control,” (ii) that our Board cannot hold a Board meeting for any reason, (iii) of a proposed acquisition by a competitor and having certain characteristics, or (iv) that the Board determines that the proposed acquisition must be approved by our stockholders at a general extraordinary stockholders’ meeting, among others, then the proposed acquisition must be approved by the holders of at least 75% of our outstanding common Shares at a general extraordinary stockholders’ meeting (both in the case of first and subsequent calls) at which the holders of at least 85% of our outstanding common Shares are present. In addition, any proposed merger, spin-off, or capital increase or decrease which results in a change of control must also be approved by the holders of at least 75% of our outstanding common Shares at a general extraordinary stockholders’ meeting (both in the case of first and subsequent calls) at which the holders of at least 85% of our outstanding common Shares are present. Pursuant to our bylaws, a “change of control” is defined as the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the acquisition or transfer of ownership of a majority of our outstanding common Shares, (ii) the ability of a person, entity or group, other than the person who currently has the ability to, directly or indirectly, elect a majority of the members of our Board of Directors, to elect a majority of the members of our Board of Directors or (iii) the ability of a person, entity or group, other than the person who currently has the ability to, directly or indirectly, determine our administrative decisions or policies, to determine our administrative decisions or policies. In the event that the general extraordinary stockholders’ meeting must approve the proposed acquisition, either the Chairman, the Secretary or the Alternate Secretary of our Board of Directors must publish a call for a general extraordinary stockholders’ meeting in the Official Gazette of the Federation and two other newspapers of general circulation in Mexico City at least 30 calendar days prior to such meeting (both in the case of first and subsequent calls). Once the call for the general extraordinary stockholders’ meeting has been published, all information related to the agenda for the meeting must be available for review by the holders of common Shares at the offices of our Secretary.
Mandatory Tender Offers in the Case of Certain Acquisitions . If either our Board of Directors or our stockholders at a general extraordinary stockholders’ meeting, as the case may be, authorize an acquisition of common Shares which increases the acquiror’s ownership to 20% or more, but not more than 50%, of our outstanding common Shares, without such acquisition resulting in a change of control, then the acquiror must effect its acquisition by way of a cash tender offer for a specified number of Shares equal to the greater of (x) the percentage of common Shares intended to be acquired or (y) 10% of our outstanding capital stock. In the event that our stockholders approve an acquisition that would result in a change of control, the acquiror must effect its acquisition by way of a cash tender offer for 100% of our total outstanding capital stock at a price which cannot be lower than the highest of the following: (i) the book value of the common Shares and CPOs as reported on the last quarterly income statement approved by the Board of Directors, (ii) the highest closing price of the common Shares, on any stock exchange during any of the three hundred-sixty-five (365) days preceding the date of the stockholders’ resolution approving the acquisition; or (iii) the highest price paid for any Shares, at any time by the acquiror. All tender offers must be made in Mexico and the U.S. within 60 days following the date on which the acquisition was approved by our Board of Directors or stockholders’ meeting, as the case may be. All holders must be paid the same price for their common Shares. The provisions of our bylaws summarized above regarding mandatory tender offers in the case of certain acquisitions are generally more stringent than those provided for under the Mexican Securities Market Law. In accordance with the Mexican Securities Market Law, bylaw provisions regarding mandatory tender offers in the case of certain acquisitions may differ from the requirements set forth in such law, provided that those provisions are more protective to minority stockholders than those afforded by law. In these cases, the relevant bylaw provisions, and not the relevant provisions of the Mexican Securities Market Law, will apply to certain acquisitions specified therein.
Exceptions . The provisions of our bylaws summarized above will not apply to (i) transfers of common Shares and/or CPOs by operation of the laws of inheritance, (ii) acquisitions of common Shares and/or CPOs by any person who, directly or indirectly, is entitled to appoint the greatest number of members to our Board of Directors, as well as by (A) entities controlled by such person, (B) affiliates of such person, (C) the estate of such person, (D) certain family members of such person, and (E) such person, when such person acquires any common Shares and/or CPOs from any entity, affiliate, person or family member referred to in (A), (B) and (D) above, and (iii) acquisitions or transfers of common Shares and/or CPOs by us, our subsidiaries or affiliates, or any trust created by us or any of our subsidiaries.
Amendments to the Antitakeover Provisions . Any amendments to these antitakeover provisions must be authorized by the CNBV and registered before the Public Registry of Commerce at our corporate domicile.
Enforceability of Civil Liabilities
We are organized under the laws of Mexico. Substantially all of our directors, executive officers and controlling persons reside outside of the U.S., all or a significant portion of the assets of our directors, executive officers and controlling persons, and substantially all of our assets, are located outside of the U.S. and some of the experts named in this annual report also reside outside of the U.S. As a result, it may not be possible for you to effect service of process within the U.S. upon these persons or to enforce against them or us in U.S. courts judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the U.S. We have been advised by our Mexican counsel, Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C., that there is doubt as to the enforceability, in original actions in Mexican courts, of liabilities predicated solely on U.S. federal securities laws and as to the enforceability in Mexican courts of judgments of U.S. courts obtained in actions predicated upon the civil liability provisions of U.S. federal securities laws. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risks Factors Related to Our Securities — It May Be Difficult to Enforce Civil Liabilities Against Us or Our Directors, Executive Officers and Controlling Persons.”

 

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Material Contracts
We have been granted a number of concessions by the Mexican government that authorize us to broadcast our programming over our television and radio stations and our cable and DTH systems. These concessions are described under “Information on the Company — Business Overview — Regulation.” If we are unable to renew, or if the Mexican government revokes, any of the concessions for our significant television stations, our business would be materially adversely affected. See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Business — The Operation of Our Business May Be Terminated or Interrupted if the Mexican Government Does Not Renew or Revokes Our Broadcast or Other Concessions”.
We operate our DTH satellite service in Mexico and Central America through a partnership with DIRECTV. See “Information on the Company — Business Overview — DTH Joint Ventures.”
We completed a refinancing of our indebtedness in 2000, which refinancing involved a tender offer for our outstanding Series A Senior Notes, Series B Senior Notes and Senior Discount Debentures and the amendment of the related indentures, as well as the issuance of Ps.3.0 billion (nominal) as of April 14, 2000 of UDI-denominated notes. We also amended our working capital facility with Banamex in July 2000. We issued U.S.$200.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8 5/8% Senior Notes due 2005 in August 2000, U.S.$300.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8% Senior Notes due 2011 in September 2001, refinanced approximately U.S.$100.0 million of our indebtedness through a five-year U.S.$100.0 million term loan facility in December 2001 and U.S.$300.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 8.5% Senior Notes due 2032. We redeemed all of our remaining Senior Discount Debentures and terminated the related indentures in May 2001. In addition, in May 2003, we repaid all of the remaining Series A Senior Notes, which matured in May 2003, with the net proceeds from a long-term credit agreement that we entered into with a Mexican bank for an aggregate principal amount of Ps.800.0 million. Also, in March 2005, we completed a refinancing involving a tender offer for each of our outstanding U.S.$300.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8.00% Senior Notes due 2011 and our outstanding Ps. 3.0 billion (nominal) as of April 14, 2000 of our UDI-denominated notes due 2007. As part of this refinancing, we also issued U.S.$400.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2025. In May 2005, through a reopening of the same series of note, we issued an additional U.S.$200.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2025. In addition, we repaid all of the remaining Series B Senior Notes due 2005. In April 2007, we paid all of the remaining UDI-denominated notes, which matured in April 2007. In May 2007, we issued Ps.4,500.00 million aggregate principal amount of 8.49% Senior Notes due 2037. In May 2008, we issued U.S.$500.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018. For a description of the material terms of the amended indentures related to the Series A Senior Notes and Series B Senior Notes, the UDI-denominated notes, our 8% Senior Notes due 2011, our 8.5% Senior Notes due 2032, our 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2025, our 8.49% Senior Notes due 2037, and our 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018, our facilities with a Mexican bank, our five-year term U.S.$100.0 million loan facility and our Ps.800.0 million long-term credit agreement, see “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Capital Resources — Refinancings” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Capital Resources — Indebtedness.”
On May 17, 2004, we entered into a long-term credit agreement with Banamex for an aggregate amount of Ps.1,162.5 million, which matures in 2009. The annual interest rate is 9.70%. See “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Capital Resources — Indebtedness.”
On October 22, 2004, we entered into another long-term credit agreement with Banamex for an aggregate amount of Ps.2,000.0 million which matures in 2012. The interest rate is 10.35%. For more information regarding this credit agreement, see “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects — Results of Operations — Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Capital Resources — Indebtedness.”
In December 2007, our subsidiary, Innova, and Sky Brasil reached an agreement with Intelsat Corporation and Intelsat LLC, to build and launch a new 24-transponder satellite, IS-16. The agreement contemplates payment of a one-time fixed fee in the aggregate amount of U.S.$138.6 million that will be paid in two installments, the first in the fourth quarter of 2009, and the second in the fourth quarter of 2010, as well as a monthly service fee of U.S.$150,000 commencing on the service start date.

 

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In December 2007, our indirect majority-owned subsidiary, Cablestar, completed the acquisition of shares of companies owning the majority of the assets of Bestel, a privately held, facilities-based telecommunications company in Mexico, for U.S.$256.0 million in cash plus an additional capital contribution of U.S.$69.0 million. In connection with the financing of the acquisition of the majority of the assets of Bestel, Cablemás, TVI and Cablevisión, which hold 15.4%, 15.4% and 69.2% of the equity stock of Cablestar, respectively, entered into five year term loan facilities for U.S.$50.0 million, U.S.$50.0 million and U.S.$225.0 million, respectively. These loans are intended to be syndicated during the life of the facility. Bestel focuses on providing data and long-distance services solutions to carriers and other telecommunications service providers in both Mexico and the United States. Bestel owns a fiber-optic network of approximately 8,000 kilometers that covers several important cities and economic regions in Mexico and has direct crossing of its network into Dallas, Texas and San Diego, California in the United States. This enables the company to provide connectivity between the United States and Mexico.
Our transactions and arrangements with related parties are described under “Major Stockholders and Related Party Transactions — Related Party Transactions”.
For a description of our material transactions and arrangements with Univision, see “Information on the Company — Business Overview — Univision.”
Legal Proceedings
In June 2003, the Company was notified by the Mexican tax authority of a federal tax claim made against the Company for approximately Ps. 996 million, including inflationary effects, penalties and surcharges, for an alleged asset tax liability for the year 1994. In the fourth quarter of 2007, the Company settled this tax liability according to the tax amnesty provided in the Law on Transitional Federal Revenue for fiscal year 2007; therefore, there is no longer a tax liability for the Company.
In October 2001, a claim for damages was filed in connection with an alleged copyright infringement on a technical written work titled La Lupa, or Catch the Clue. In November 2002, a final judgment was entered against us whereby we were declared liable for an amount equal to 40% of the income generated from such work. In January 2005, a motion to enforce the final judgment was filed and the parties are currently in the process of arguing before the court the amounts that we will be liable to pay to plaintiffs. Although we currently believe that the ultimate amount of damages will not be material, no assurances can be given in this regard.
We were named as a defendant in a first amended complaint dated February 23, 2006 purportedly filed by Welk Group Inc., or Welk, in California Superior Court. The complaint alleged that plaintiff owns rights to three sound recordings that we (and others) supposedly used without permission as background music (i) in certain episodes of three of our television shows (El Chavo del 8, El Chapulin Colorado and Chespirito) and (ii) possibly in ring tones and video games. The plaintiff also named our distributors in the United States (Univision, Galavision and Xenon Pictures), as well as Roberto Gomez Bola ñ os, the original producer of the shows, as defendants. Plaintiff sought to recover “all gains, direct and indirect profits” from defendants’ alleged wrongful conduct. On November 29, 2007, parties reached an amicable resolution of the matter and executed an out-of-court settlement. As a result, all of plaintiff’s claims have been dismissed with prejudice. The terms of the settlement agreement are confidential.
On October 18, 2004, Darlene Investments, LLC, or Darlene, a minority owner of DTVLA, filed an action in the Circuit Court of the 11th Judicial District in and for Miami-Dade County, Florida against DTVLA, DIRECTV, DIRECTV International, Inc., DIRECTV Latin America Holdings, Inc. (together, the “DIRECTV Defendants”); News Corp. Ltd.; Televisa; MCOP; Innova and Globo Communicacoes e Participacoes, S.A. The complaint sought an injunction based on allegations that the DIRECTV Defendants breached fiduciary and contractual duties to Darlene by entering into transactions with MCOP, Sky Brasil and Innova in respect of their respective DTH satellite services and that the remaining defendants aided and abetted the DIRECTV Defendant’s alleged breaches of their contractual and fiduciary duties. The complaint also asserted claims for monetary damages against the DIRECTV Defendants and News Corp. based on fraud and tortuous interference with contract. The DIRECTV Defendants moved to stay the action pending arbitration on the grounds that disputes between the DIRECTV Defendants and Darlene were subject to arbitration under their relevant contracts. On November 3, 2005, the motion to stay was granted and the judge essentially stayed all proceedings pending the arbitration among Darlene, DIRECTV and DTVLA. On January 1, 2007 Darlene filed a notice of voluntary dismissal of action therefore terminating the above-mentioned proceeding.
In May 2005, Televisa, S.A. de C.V., or Televisa, a subsidiary of the Company, filed a complaint (which was subsequently amended) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, or the Court, alleging that Univision breached the PLA, as well as the December 19, 2001 letter agreement between Televisa and Univision relating to soccer broadcast rights, or the Soccer Agreement, among other claims. Univision filed related answers denying all allegations and asserting affirmative defenses, as well as related counterclaims against Televisa and the Company. Univision also claimed that the Company had breached other agreements between the parties, including a Participation Agreement entered into as of October 2, 1996 and a Telefutura Production Services Agreement. In addition, Univision claimed that the Company breached a Guaranty dated December 19, 2001, by which, among other things, the Company guaranteed that the Company’s affiliates (including Televisa) would produce a specified minimum number of telenovelas.

 

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During 2006, Televisa and the Company answered the counterclaims, denying them and asserting affirmative defenses based on Univision’s alleged breaches of the agreements, including the PLA, the Guaranty and the Soccer Agreement. Televisa also amended its complaint again, adding the Company as a plaintiff. In their amended complaint, Televisa and the Company asked for a declaration by the court that they had the right to suspend their performance under and to terminate the PLA, the Guaranty and the Soccer Agreement as a result of Univision’s alleged material breaches of those agreements. Univision filed amended counterclaims, seeking, among other things, a declaration by the Court that Televisa and the Company do not have the right to terminate or suspend performance of their obligations under the PLA or the Soccer Agreement. Also, in 2006, Televisa filed a separate lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court, State of California seeking a judicial determination that on or after December 19, 2006, Televisa may transmit or permit others to transmit any television programming into the United States from Mexico by means of the internet. That lawsuit was stayed. In October 2006, Univision added a new counterclaim in the District Court Action for a judicial declaration that on or after December 19, 2006, Televisa may not transmit or permit others to transmit any television programming into the United States by means of the internet.
During 2006 and 2007, in connection with the Company’s complaint in the District Court Action, Univision made payments to the Company under protest of the disputed royalties and of other license fees that Univision alleges have been overcharged and is seeking recovery of these amounts via its counterclaims. The Company has recognized these payments made by Univision as customer deposits and advances in its consolidated balance sheets (see Note 16 to our year-end financial statements).
After a continuance motion, in June 2007, the Court, among other things, reset the trial date of the District Court Action for January 18, 2008. After an additional continuance motion, in October 2007, the Court reset the trial date in the District Court Action for March 18, 2008.
In October 2007, Univision filed a motion for summary judgment whereby it sought a judgment from the Court that Televisa’s claimed breaches of the PLA between Univision and Televisa were not material, and, therefore, the PLA was not subject to termination by Televisa. On December 21, 2007, the Court issued an order denying Univision’s motion for summary judgment.
On January 11, 2008, Univision filed a motion to continue the trial date to October 2008. Televisa opposed Univision’s motion. On February 5, 2008, the Court denied Univision’s motion to continue the trial date, and rescheduled the trial in the District Court Action for April 29, 2008.
On April 7, 2008, Univision dismissed without prejudice its counterclaims against Televisa with the exception of its claim for recoupment of disputed royalty payments made to the Company under protest and its claim for a judicial declaration that, on or after December 19, 2006, Televisa may not transmit or permit others to transmit any television programming into the United States by means of the internet, and Televisa dismissed its claim that Univision engaged in unauthorized, significant edits to certain programs licensed to Univision under the PLA and thereby infringed Televisa’s copyrights and breached the PLA with respect to such programs.
On April 22, 2008, the Court in the District Court Action conducted a final pre-trial conference. During the final pre-trial conference, the Court confirmed that the trial would commence on April 29, 2008. Further, the Court ordered that the trial of the Univision Internet Counterclaim will be bifurcated and tried to the Court after the conclusion of the jury trial regarding Televisa’s claims and Univision’s recoupment counterclaim.
On April 28, 2008, at the request of Televisa and Univision, the Court reset the trial date in the District Court Action for July 1, 2008. On June 12, 2008, at the request of Televisa and Univision, the Court further postponed the trial date for October 14, 2008.
We cannot predict how this dispute will affect our overall business relationship with Univision and our overall business. The Company believes the remaining counterclaims and affirmative defenses made by Univision are without merit and will defend its position vigorously.
See “Key Information — Risk Factors — Risk Factors Related to Our Business — Current Litigation We Are Engaged In With Univision May Affect Our Relationship With Univision”.
There are other various legal actions and other claims pending against us that are incidental to the ordinary course of our business. Our management does not consider these actions or claims to be material. See Note 11 to our year-end financial statements.

 

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New York Stock Exchange Corporate Governance Standards
As a foreign private issuer with shares listed on the NYSE, we are subject to different corporate governance requirements than a U.S. company under the NYSE listing standards. With certain exceptions, foreign private issuers are permitted to follow home country practice standards. Pursuant to Rule 303. A11 of the NYSE listed company manual, we are required to provide a summary of the significant ways in which our corporate governance practices differ from those required for U.S. companies under the NYSE listing standards.
We are a Mexican corporation with shares, in the form of CPOs listed on the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores , or Mexican Stock Exchange. Our corporate governance practices are governed by our bylaws, the Mexican Securities Market Law, and the regulations issued by the CNBV and the Mexican Stock Exchange. Although compliance is not mandatory, we also substantially comply with the Mexican Code of Best Corporate Practices ( Código de Mejores Prácticas Corporativas ), which was created in January 1999 by a group of Mexican business leaders and was endorsed by the Mexican Banking and Securities Commission. See “— Bylaws” for a more detailed description of our corporate governance practices.
The table below sets forth a description of the significant differences between corporate governance practices required for U.S. companies under the NYSE listing standards and the Mexican corporate governance standards that govern our practices.
     
NYSE rules   Mexican rules
Listed companies must have a majority of independent directors.
  The Mexican Securities Market Law requires that listed companies have at least 25% of independent directors. Our stockholder’s meeting is required to make a determination as to the independence of the directors. The definition of independence under the Mexican Securities Market Law differs in some aspects from the one applicable to U.S. issuers under the NYSE standard and prohibits, among other relationships, an independent director from being an employee or officer of the company or a stockholder that may have influence over our officers, relevant clients and contractors, as well as certain relationships between the independent director and family members of the independent director. In addition, our bylaws broaden the definition of independent director. Our bylaws provide for an executive committee of our board of directors. The executive committee is currently composed of six members, and there are no applicable Mexican rules that require any of the members to be independent. The executive committee may generally exercise the powers of our board of directors, subject to certain exceptions. Our Chief Executive Officer is a member of our board of directors and the executive committee.
 
   
Listed companies must have a nominating/corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors.
  Listed companies are required to have a corporate practices committee.
 
   
Listed companies must have a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors.
  The Mexican Code of Best Corporate Practices recommends listed companies to have a compensation committee. While these rules are not legally binding, companies failing to comply with the Code’s recommendation must disclose publicly why their practices differ from those recommended by the Code.
 
   
Listed companies must have an audit committee with a minimum of three members and must be independent.
  The Mexican Securities Market Law requires that listed companies must have an audit committee. The Chairman and the majority of the members must be independent.
 
   
 
   
Non-management directors must meet at regularly scheduled executive sessions without management.
  Our non-management directors are not required to meet at executive sessions. The Mexican Code of Best Corporate Practices does not expressly recommend executive sessions.
 
   
Listed companies must require shareholder approval for equity compensation plans, subject to limited exemptions.
  Companies listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange are required to obtain shareholder approval for equity compensation plans, provided that such plans are subject to certain conditions.
 
   
Listed companies must adopt and disclose a code of business conduct and ethics for directors, officers and employees, and promptly disclose any waivers of the code for directors or executive officers.
  Companies listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange are not required to adopt a code of ethics. However, we have adopted a code of ethics which is available free of charge through our offices. See Item 16B “Code of Ethics” for directions on how to obtain a copy of our code of ethics. Waivers involving any of our executive officers or directors will be made only by our Board of Directors or a designated committee of the Board.

 

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Exchange Controls
For a description of exchange controls and exchange rate information, see “Key Information — Exchange Rate Information.”
Taxation
U.S. Taxes
General. The following is a summary of the anticipated material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of GDSs, CPOs and the A Shares, B Shares, L Shares and D Shares underlying the CPOs (referred to herein as the “Underlying Shares”), in each case, except as otherwise noted, by U.S. Holders (as defined below). This discussion does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be relevant to a particular beneficial owner of GDSs, CPOs or Underlying Shares based on the beneficial owner’s particular circumstances. For example, with respect to U.S. Holders, the following discussion does not address the U.S. federal income tax consequences to a U.S. Holder:
   
that owns, directly, indirectly or through attribution, 2% or more of the total voting power or value of our outstanding Underlying Shares (including through ownership of GDSs);
   
that is a dealer in securities, insurance company, financial institution, tax-exempt organization, U.S. expatriate, broker-dealer or trader in securities; or
 
   
whose functional currency is not the U.S. Dollar.
Also, this discussion does not consider:
   
the tax consequences to the stockholders, partners or beneficiaries of a U.S. Holder; or
   
special tax rules that may apply to a U.S. Holder that holds GDSs, CPOs or Underlying Shares as part of a “straddle,” “hedge,” “conversion transaction,” “synthetic security” or other integrated investment.
In addition, the following discussion does not address any aspect of state, local or non-U.S. tax laws other than Mexican tax laws. Further, this discussion generally applies only to U.S. Holders that hold the CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code § 1986, as amended (referred to herein as the “Code”).
The discussion set forth below is based on the U.S. federal income tax laws as in force on the date of this annual report, including:
   
the Code, applicable U.S. Treasury regulations and judicial and administrative interpretations, and
   
the convention between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Mexican States for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income, including the applicable protocols, collectively referred to herein as the “U.S.–Mexico Tax Treaty,” and
   
is subject to changes to those laws and the U.S.–Mexico Tax Treaty subsequent to the date of this annual report, which changes could be made on a retroactive basis, and
   
is also based, in part, on the representations of the Depositary with respect to the GDSs and on the assumption that each obligation in the Deposit Agreement relating to the GDSs and any related agreements will be performed in accordance with their terms.

 

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As used in this section, the term “U.S. Holder” means a beneficial owner of CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares that is, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:
   
a citizen or individual resident of the United States;
   
a corporation (or entity treated as a corporation for such purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, or any State thereof or the District of Columbia;
   
an estate the income of which is included in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of source; or
   
a trust, if either (x) it is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more “United States persons” has the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (y) it has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a “United States person.”
If a partnership (or an entity or arrangement classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in the partnership generally will depend on the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership, and partnerships holding CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares should consult their own tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of purchasing, owning and disposing of CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares.
An individual may be treated as a resident of the United States in any calendar year for U.S. federal income tax purposes by being present in the United States on at least 31 days in that calendar year and for an aggregate of at least 183 days during a three-year period ending at the close of that year. For purposes of this calculation, all of the days present in the current year, one-third of the days present in the immediately preceding year and one-sixth of the days present in the second preceding year would be counted. Residents are taxed for U.S. federal income purposes as if they were U.S. citizens.
The application of the U.S.–Mexico Tax Treaty to U.S. Holders is conditioned upon, among other things, the assumptions that the U.S. Holder:
   
is not a resident of Mexico for purposes of the U.S.–Mexico Tax Treaty;
   
is an individual who has a substantial presence in the United States;
   
is entitled to the benefits of the U.S.–Mexico Tax Treaty under the limitation on benefits provision contained in Article 17 of the U.S.–Mexico Tax Treaty; and
   
does not have a fixed place of business or a permanent establishment in Mexico with which its ownership of CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares is effectively connected.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, U.S. Holders of GDSs and CPOs will be treated as the beneficial owners of the Underlying Shares represented by the GDSs and CPOs.

 

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Dividends. Any distribution paid by us, including the amount of any Mexican taxes withheld, will be included in the gross income of a U.S. Holder as a dividend, treated as ordinary income, to the extent that the distribution is paid out of our current and/or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. U.S. Holders will not be entitled to claim a dividends received deduction for dividends received from us. Distributions that are treated as dividends received from us in taxable years beginning before January 1, 2011 by a non-corporate U.S. Holder who meets certain eligibility requirements will qualify for U.S. federal income taxation at a reduced rate of 15% or lower if we are a “qualified foreign corporation.” We generally will be a “qualified foreign corporation” if either (i) we are eligible for benefits under the U.S.–Mexico Tax Treaty or (ii) the Underlying Shares or GDSs are listed on an established securities market in the United States. As we are eligible for benefits under the U.S.–Mexico Tax Treaty and the GDSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, we presently are a “qualified foreign corporation,” and we generally expect to be a “qualified foreign corporation” during such taxable years, but no assurance can be given that a change in circumstances will not affect our treatment as a “qualified foreign corporation” in any of such taxable years. A non-corporate U.S. Holder will not be eligible for the reduced rate (a) if the U.S. Holder has not held the Underlying Shares, CPOs or GDSs for at least 61 days of the 121-day period beginning on the date which is 60 days before the ex-dividend date, (b) to the extent the U.S. Holder is under an obligation to make related payments on substantially similar or related property or (c) with respect to any portion of a dividend that is taken into account as investment income under Section 163(d)(4)(B) of the Code. Any days during which a U.S. Holder has diminished the U.S. Holder’s risk of loss with respect to the Underlying Shares, CPOs or GDSs (for example, by holding an option to sell such Underlying Shares, CPOs or GDSs) is not counted towards meeting the 61-day holding period. Special rules apply in determining the foreign tax credit limitation with respect to dividends subject to U.S. federal income taxation at the reduced rate. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors concerning whether dividends received by them qualify for the reduced rate.
To the extent, if any, that the amount of a distribution exceeds our current and/or accumulated earnings and profits, the distribution will first reduce the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in its Underlying Shares, CPOs or GDSs and, to the extent the distribution exceeds the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis, it will be treated as gain from the sale of the U.S. Holder’s Underlying Shares, CPOs or GDSs.
The U.S. Dollar value of any dividends paid in Pesos, including the amount of any Mexican taxes withheld, will be calculated by reference to the interbank exchange rate in effect on the date of receipt by the U.S. Holder or, with respect to the GDSs, The Bank of New York, in its capacity as Depositary, regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted into U.S. Dollars. U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the treatment of any foreign currency gain or loss on any dividends paid in Pesos that are not converted into U.S. Dollars on the day the Pesos are received. For U.S. foreign tax credit purposes, dividends distributed by us on CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares generally will constitute foreign source “passive income” or, in the case of some U.S. Holders, foreign source “general category income”.
In general, pro rata distributions of additional shares with respect to the Underlying Shares that are part of a pro rata distribution to all of our stockholders generally (including U.S. Holders of GDSs) will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax.
A beneficial owner of CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares that is not a U.S. Holder and is not a partnership (or an entity or arrangement classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) will not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax on a dividend paid with respect to the CPOs, GDSs or the Underlying Shares, unless the dividend is effectively connected with the conduct by the beneficial owner of a trade or business in the United States.
Capital Gains. Gain or loss recognized by a U.S. Holder on a taxable sale or exchange of CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares will be subject to U.S. federal income taxation as capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale or exchange and the U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares. Such capital gain or loss generally will be long-term capital gain or loss if the CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares have been held for more than one year at the time of disposition.
Such capital gains generally will be U.S. source income, unless the gains are subject to Mexican taxation, in which case such gains generally will be treated as arising in Mexico under the U.S.–Mexico Tax Treaty. If capital gains are subject to Mexican taxation under the U.S.–Mexico Tax Treaty, a U.S. Holder generally may elect to treat such gains as foreign source income for U.S. foreign tax credit limitation purposes. However, any such Mexican taxes may not be used to offset U.S. federal income tax on any other item of income, and foreign taxes on any other item of income cannot be used to offset U.S. federal income tax on such gains. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors.
Capital losses recognized on the sale or exchange of CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares generally will offset U.S. source income. Deposits and withdrawals of CPOs for GDSs and of Underlying Shares for CPOs by U.S. Holders will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax.

 

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A beneficial owner of CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares that is not a U.S. Holder and is not a partnership (or an entity or arrangement classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain recognized on a sale or exchange of CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares unless:
   
the gain is effectively connected with the beneficial owner’s conduct of a trade or business in the United States; or
   
the beneficial owner is an individual who holds CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares as a capital asset, is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the sale or exchange and meets other requirements.
U.S. Backup Withholding. A U.S. Holder may be subject to U.S. information reporting and U.S. backup withholding on dividends paid on Underlying Shares, and on proceeds from the sale or other disposition of CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares, unless the U.S. Holder:
   
is a corporation or comes within an exempt category; or
 
   
provides a taxpayer identification number, certifies as to no loss of exemption from backup withholding tax and otherwise complies with the applicable requirements of the backup withholding rules.
The amount of any backup withholding will be allowed as a credit against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle such holder to a refund, provided, however, that certain required information is timely furnished to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. A beneficial owner of CPOs, GDSs or Underlying Shares that is not a U.S. Holder may be required to comply with certification and identification procedures in order to establish its exemption from backup withholding.
Federal Mexican Taxation
General. The following is a general summary of the principal tax consequences under the Mexican Income Tax Law, Federal Tax Code and rules as currently in effect (the “Mexican Tax Legislation”), all of which are subject to change or interpretation, and under the U.S.-Mexico Tax Treaty, of the purchase, ownership and disposition of CPOs, GDSs or underlying A Shares, B Shares, L Shares and D Shares by a person that is not a resident of Mexico for tax purposes, as defined below.
U.S. Holders should consult with their own tax advisors as to their entitlement to benefits afforded by the U.S.-Mexico Tax Treaty. Mexico has also entered into and is negotiating with various countries regarding other tax treaties that may have an effect on the tax treatment of CPOs, GDSs or underlying shares. Holders should consult with their tax advisors as to their entitlement to the benefits afforded by these treaties.
This discussion does not constitute, and shall not be considered as, legal or tax advice to holders.
According to the Mexican Tax Legislation:
 
an individual is a Mexican tax resident if the individual has established his permanent home in Mexico. When an individual, in addition to his permanent home in Mexico, has a permanent home in another country, the individual will be a Mexican tax resident if his center of vital interests is located in Mexico. This will be deemed to occur if, among other circumstances, either (i) more than 50% of the total income obtained by the individual in the calendar year is Mexican source or (ii) when the individual’s center of professional activities is located in Mexico. Mexican nationals who filed a change of tax residence to a country or jurisdiction that does not have a comprehensive exchange of information agreement with Mexico in which her/his income is subject to a preferred tax regime pursuant to the provisions of the Mexican Income Tax Law, will be considered Mexican residents for tax purposes during the year of filing of the notice of such residence change and during the following three years. Unless otherwise proven, a Mexican national is considered a Mexican tax resident;
 
 
a legal entity is considered a Mexico tax resident if it maintains the main administration of its head office, business, or the effective location of its management in Mexico.
 
 
a foreign person with a permanent establishment in Mexico will be required to pay taxes in Mexico in accordance with the Mexican Tax Legislation for income attributable to such permanent establishment; and
 
 
a foreign person without a permanent establishment in Mexico will be required to pay taxes in Mexico in respect of revenues proceeding from sources of wealth located in national territory.
Dividends. Dividends, either in cash or in any other form, paid with respect to the shares underlying the CPOs, including those CPOs represented by GDSs, will not be subject to Mexican withholding tax.

 

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When dividends are paid from our “previously taxed net earnings account,” or “ cuenta de utilidad fiscal neta ,” we will not be required to pay any Mexican corporate income tax on the dividends. During 2008, if dividends are not paid from our “previously taxed net earnings account,” we will be required to pay a 28% Mexican corporate income tax (“CIT”) on the dividends multiplied by 1.3889.
Sales or Other Dispositions. Deposits and withdrawals of CPOs for GDSs and of underlying A Shares, B Shares, L Shares and D Shares for CPOs will not give rise to Mexican tax or transfer duties.
Generally, the sale or other disposition of CPOs, GDSs or underlying A Shares, L Shares and D Shares will not be subject to any Mexican income tax if the sale is carried out through the Mexican Stock Exchange (or a recognized securities market located in a country with which Mexico has entered into a tax treaty) fulfilling the requirements established in the Mexican Tax Legislation.
Sales or other dispositions of CPOs, GDSs or underlying A Shares, B Shares, L Shares and D Shares made in other circumstances would be subject to Mexican income tax. However, under the U.S.-Mexico Tax Treaty, any U.S. Holder that is eligible to claim the benefits of the U.S.-Mexico Tax Treaty may be exempt from Mexican tax on gains realized on a sale or other disposition of CPOs and shares underlying the CPOs in a transaction that is not carried out through the Mexican Stock Exchange or such other approved securities markets. The U.S. Holder will be exempt under the U.S.-Mexico Tax Treaty if the U.S. Holder did not own directly or indirectly 25% or more of the our outstanding shares within the 12-month period preceding such sale or disposition. Gains realized by other Holders that are eligible to receive benefits pursuant to other income tax treaties to which Mexico is a party may be exempt from Mexican income tax in whole or in part. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors as to their possible eligibility under such other income tax treaties. Appropriate tax residence certifications must be obtained by Holders eligible for U.S.-Mexico Tax Treaty benefits.
Other Mexican Taxes. There are no estate, gift, or succession taxes applicable to the ownership, transfer or disposition of CPOs, GDSs or underlying A Shares, B Shares, L Shares and D Shares. However, a gratuitous transfer of CPOs, GDSs or underlying A Shares, B Shares, L Shares and D Shares may, in some circumstances, result in the imposition of a Mexican federal tax upon the recipient. There are no Mexican stamp, issuer, registration or similar taxes or duties payable by holders of GDSs, CPOs, or underlying A Shares, B Shares, L Shares and D Shares.
Documents on Display
For further information with respect to us and our CPOs and GDSs, we refer you to the filings we have made with the SEC. Statements contained in this annual report concerning the contents of any contract or any other document are not necessarily complete. If a contract or document has been filed as an exhibit to any filing we have made with the SEC, we refer you to the copy of the contract or document that has been filed. Each statement in this annual report relating to a contract or document filed as an exhibit to any filing we have made with the SEC is qualified in its entirety by the filed exhibit.
Televisa is subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and in accordance therewith files reports and other information with the SEC. Reports and other information filed by Televisa with the SEC can be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at its Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Such materials can also be inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc., 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005. Any filings we make electronically will be available to the public over the Internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
We furnish The Bank of New York, the depositary for our GDSs, with annual reports in English. These reports contain audited consolidated financial statements that have been prepared in accordance with Mexican FRS, and include reconciliations of net income and stockholders’ equity to U.S. GAAP. The historical financial statements included in these reports have been examined and reported on, with an opinion expressed by, an independent auditor. The depositary is required to mail our annual reports to all holders of record of our GDSs. The Deposit Agreement for the GDSs also requires us to furnish the depositary with English translations of all notices of stockholders’ meetings and other reports and communications that we send to holders of our CPOs. The depositary is required to mail these notices, reports and communications to holders of record of our GDSs.
As a foreign private issuer, we are not required to furnish proxy statements to holders of our CPOs or GDSs in the U.S.

 

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Item 11. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Market Risk Disclosures
Market risk is the exposure to an adverse change in the value of financial instruments caused by interest rate changes, foreign currency fluctuations, inflation and changes in the market value of investments. The following information includes “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ from those presented. Unless otherwise indicated, all information below is presented on a Mexican FRS basis in constant Pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007.
Risk Management. We are exposed to market risks arising from changes in interest rates, inflation, foreign currency exchange rates and equity prices, in both the Mexican and U.S. markets. Our risk management activities are monitored by our Risk Management Committee and reported to our Executive Committee.
We monitor our exposure to interest rate risk by: (i) evaluating differences between interest rates on our outstanding debt and short-term investments and market interest rates on similar financial instruments; (ii) reviewing our cash flow needs and financial ratios (interest coverage); (iii) assessing current and forecasted trends in the relevant markets; and (iv) evaluating peer group and industry practices. This approach allows us to establish the optimal liability’s interest rate “mix” between variable and fixed rate debt.
Foreign exchange risk is monitored by assessing our net monetary liability position in U.S. Dollars and our forecasted cash flow needs for anticipated U.S. Dollar investments and servicing our U.S. Dollar-denominated debt. Equity price risk is assessed by evaluating the long-term value of our investment in both domestic and foreign affiliates, versus comparable investments in the marketplace. We classify our equity investments, consisting of investments in both domestic and foreign affiliates, as long-term assets.
In compliance with the procedures and controls established by our Risk Management Committee, in 2005, 2006 and 2007 we entered into certain derivative financial transactions with certain financial institutions in order to manage our exposure to market risks resulting from changes in foreign exchange rates, interest rates, inflation and the price of our common stock. Our objective in managing foreign currency and inflation fluctuations is to reduce earnings and cash flow volatility. See Notes 1(p) and 9 to our year-end financial statements.
Foreign Currency, Exchange Rate Risk
From November 2005 through January 2006, we entered into forward exchange contracts on a notional amount of U.S.$120.0 million to exchange U.S. Dollars and Pesos at a fixed exchange rate in June 2006 in order to cover our U.S. Dollar cash flow requirements.
Interest Rate Risk
In connection with the Senior Notes due 2011, 2025 and 2032 and Sky’s Senior Notes due 2013, we entered into cross-currency interest rate swap agreements, or coupon swaps, that allow us to hedge against Peso depreciation on the interest payments for a period of five years. As a result of the tender of the Senior Notes due 2011, we reclassified part of the “coupon swap” agreements to the recently issued Senior Notes due 2025. During the second quarter of 2005, we entered into an additional U.S.$242.0 million of the principal amount. In November 2005, we entered into option contracts that allow our counterparty to extend the maturity of such coupon swaps for one year on a principal amount of U.S.$890.0 million. In January 2008, we terminated part of these option contracts early for a notional amount of U.S.$200.0 million and with no material additional gain or loss. During the first quarter of 2006, as a result of the cash tender offer of Senior Notes due 2013, Sky terminated U.S.$288.75 million of the principal amount of the “coupon swaps” early to match the notional amount of notes tendered. As of May 31, 2008, such cross-currency interest rate swap agreements correspond to interest payments on U.S.$900.98 million of the principal amount.
As of May 31, 2008, and December 31, 2007 and 2006, the net fair value of the cross-currency interest rate swap agreements including the option contracts was a liability of U.S$21.9 million, U.S$18.1 million and U.S.$29.2 million, respectively. The increase in the potential loss in fair value for such instruments from a hypothetical 5% adverse change in quoted Mexican Peso exchange rate would be approximately U.S.$7.0 million, U.S.$9.9 million and U.S.$13.4 million at May 31, 2008, and December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
During March and April 2005, May 2007 and November 2007 in connection with and ahead of the issuance and reopening of the Senior Notes due 2025 and ahead of the issuance of the Senior Notes due 2037 and the Senior Notes due 2018 we entered into agreements that allow us to hedge against increases in the U.S. Treasury interest rates, and to hedge against increases on the M Bono interest rates on the pricing date of the Notes for a notional amount of U.S.$500.0 million, Ps.2,000.00 million and U.S.$150.0 million, respectively. These hedges resulted in an accumulated net loss of U.S.$3.4 million and a net gain of Ps.45.1 million.

 

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In connection with Sky’s variable rate bank loans guaranteed by Televisa, in December 2006, we entered into forward starting interest rate swap agreements on a notional amount of Ps.1,400 million. These agreements involve the exchange of amounts based on a variable interest rate for an amount based on fixed rates, without exchange of the notional amount upon which the payments are based. These agreements will allow us to fix the coupon payments for a period of seven years at an interest rate of 8.415% starting on April 2009.
As of May 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the net fair value of the interest rate swap was an asset of Ps.34 million and, Ps34.1 million, respectively. The potential loss in fair value for such instruments from a hypothetical 50 bps adverse change in market interest rates would be approximately Ps.39.3 million, and Ps.35.4 million at May 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively. This sensitivity analysis assumes a downward parallel shift in the Mexican Interest Rates Swaps Yield Curve.
In December 2007, in connection with the Empresas Cablevisión variable rate loan denominated in U.S. Dollars and due 2012, we entered into a cross-currency swap agreement on a nominal amount of U.S.$225.0 million. This agreement involves the exchange of variable rate coupon payments in U.S. Dollars for fixed rate coupon payments in Pesos, and the principal amount in U.S. Dollars for a principal amount in Pesos. The principal amount for the final exchange is Ps.2,435.0 million with an interest rate of 8.365% for the coupon payments.
As of May 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the net fair value of the cross-currency swap was a (liability) asset of U.S.$(15.3) million and U.S.$1.8 million, respectively. The potential loss in fair value for such instruments from a hypothetical 50 bps adverse change in market interest rates would be approximately U.S.$5.3 million and U.S.$4.4 million at May 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively. This sensitivity analysis assumes a downward parallel shift in the Mexican Interest Rates Swap Yield Curve.
Sensitivity and Fair Value Analyses
The sensitivity analyses that follow are intended to present the hypothetical change in fair value or loss in earnings due to changes in interest rates, inflation rates, foreign exchange rates and debt and equity market prices as they affect our financial instruments at December 31, 2006 and 2007. These analyses address market risk only and do not present other risks that we face in the ordinary course of business, including country risk and credit risk. The hypothetical changes reflect our view of changes that are reasonably possible over a one-year period. For purposes of the following sensitivity analyses, we have made conservative assumptions of expected near-term future changes in U.S. interest rates, Mexican interest rates, inflation rates and Peso to U.S. Dollar exchange rates of 10%, 10%, 10% and 5%, respectively. The results of the analyses do not purport to represent actual changes in fair value or losses in earnings that we will incur.
                         
    Fair Value at December 31,  
    2006     2007     2007  
    (Millions of Pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007 or millions of U.S. Dollars)(1)  
Assets:
                       
Temporary investments(2)
  Ps. 15,703.8     Ps. 26,461.4     U.S.$ 2,422.7  
Liabilities:
                       
U.S. Dollar-denominated debt:
                       
Senior Notes due 2011(3)
    880.9       861.3       78.9  
Senior Notes due 2032(4)
    4,186.4       4,046.1       370.4  
Innova’s Senior Notes due 2013(5)
    133.0       132.7       12.2  
Senior Notes due 2025(6)
    7,050.5       6,747.5       617.8  
J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. Loan due 2012(7)
          2,456.5       224.9  
Peso-denominated debt:
                       
Senior Notes due 2037(8)
          4,280.6       391.9  
Long-term notes payable to Mexican Banks(9)
    7,598.9       7,403.8       677.9  
Derivative financial instruments(10)
    326.8       219.0       20.0  
 
     
(1)  
Peso amounts have been converted to U.S. Dollars solely for the convenience of the reader at a nominal exchange rate of Ps.10.9222 per U.S. Dollar, the Interbank Rate as of December 31, 2007.
 
(2)  
At December 31, 2007, our temporary investments consisted of fixed rate short-term deposits, structured notes and corporate fixed income securities (primarily Peso- and U.S. Dollar-denominated in 2006 and 2007). Given the short-term nature of these investments, an increase in U.S. and/or Mexican interest rates would not significantly decrease the fair value of these investments.

 

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(3)  
At December 31, 2007, fair value exceeded the carrying value of these notes by Ps.75.4 million (U.S.$6.9 million). The increase in the fair value of these notes of a hypothetical 10% increase in the quoted market price of these notes would amount to approximately Ps.161.6 million (U.S.$14.8 million) at December 31, 2007.
 
(4)  
At December 31, 2007, fair value exceeded the carrying value of these notes by Ps.769.4 million (U.S.$70.4 million). The increase in the fair value of these notes of a hypothetical 10% increase in the quoted market price of these notes would amount to approximately Ps.1,174.0 million (U.S.$107.5 million) at December 31, 2007.
 
(5)  
At December 31, 2007, fair value exceeded the carrying value of these notes by Ps.9.8 million (U.S.$0.9 million). The increase in the fair value of these notes of a hypothetical 10% increase in the quoted market price of these notes would amount to approximately Ps.23.1 million (U.S.$2.1 million) at December 31, 2007.
 
(6)  
At December 31, 2007, fair value exceeded the carrying value of these notes by Ps.194.2 million (U.S.$17.8 million). The increase in the fair value of these notes of a hypothetical 10% increase in the quoted market price of these notes would amount to approximately Ps.868.9 million (U.S.$79.5 million) at December 31, 2007.
 
(7)  
At December 31, 2007, carrying value exceeded the fair value of these notes by Ps.1.0 million (U.S.$0.1 million). Assuming an increase in the fair value of these notes of a hypothetical 10% increase in the quoted market price of these notes, the fair value would exceed the carrying value by approximately Ps.244.6 million (U.S.$22.4 million) at December 31, 2007.
 
(8)  
At December 31, 2007, carrying value exceeded the fair value of these notes by Ps.219.4 million (U.S.$20.1 million). Assuming an increase in the fair value of these notes of a hypothetical 10% increase in the quoted market price of these notes, the fair value would exceed the carrying value by approximately Ps.208.6 million (U.S.$19.1 million) at December 31, 2007.
 
(9)  
At December 31, 2007, fair value exceeded the carrying value of these notes by Ps.261.3 million (U.S.$23.9 million). At December 31, 2007, a hypothetical 10% increase in Mexican interest rates would increase the fair value of these notes by approximately Ps.1,001.7 million (U.S.$91.7 million) at December 31, 2007.
 
(10)  
Given the nature of these derivative instruments, an increase of 10% in the interest and or exchange rates would not have a significant impact on the fair value of these financial instruments.
We are also subject to the risk of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, resulting from the net monetary position in U.S. Dollars of our Mexican operations, as follows:
                 
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2006     2007  
    (In millions of U.S. Dollars)  
U.S. Dollar-denominated monetary assets, primarily short-term investments and long-term notes receivable
  U.S.$ 2,199.9     U.S.$ 2,130.1  
U.S. Dollar-denominated monetary liabilities, primarily senior debt securities and other notes payable
    1,276.4       1,725.0  
 
           
 
    (923.5 )     (405.1 )
Derivative instruments, net
    6.3       4.7  
 
           
Net asset position
  U.S.$ (917.2 )   U.S.$ (400.4 )
 
           
At December 31, 2007, a hypothetical 5.0% depreciation in the U.S. Dollar to Peso exchange rate would result in a gain in earnings of Ps.218.7 million. This depreciation rate is based on the December 31, 2007 forecast of the U.S. Dollar to Peso exchange rate for 2008 by the Mexican government for such year.

 

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Item 12. Description of Securities Other than Equity Securities
Not applicable.
Part II
Item 13. Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies
Not applicable.
Item 14. Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds
Not applicable.
Item 15. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Based on the evaluation as of December 31, 2007, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in the Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) are effective to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including our Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
The Company’s management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting and for the assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act.
Management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007. In making this assessment, management used the criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Based on this assessment, management has concluded that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2007.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
There was no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) that occurred during the year ended December 31, 2007 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
PricewaterhouseCoopers, an independent registered public accounting firm, has audited the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, as stated in their report which is included herein.
Item 16A. Audit Committee Financial Expert
Our board of directors has determined that Mr. Francisco José Chévez Robelo is our audit committee financial expert. Mr. Francisco José Chévez Robelo is “independent” and meets the requisite qualifications as defined in Item 16A of Form 20-F.

 

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Item 16B. Code of Ethics
We have adopted a written code of ethics that applies to all of our employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer.
You may request a copy of our code of ethics, at no cost, by writing to or telephoning us as follows:
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
Avenida Vasco de Quiroga, No. 2000
Colonia Santa Fe, 01210 México, D.F., México.
Telephone: (52) (55) 5261-2000.
Item 16C. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
PricewaterhouseCoopers acted as our independent auditor for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007.
The chart below sets forth the total amount billed by our independent auditors for services performed in the years 2006 and 2007, and breaks down these amounts by category of service:
                 
    2006     2007  
    (in millions of Pesos in purchasing power  
    as of December 31, 2007)  
Audit Fees
  Ps. 53.8     Ps. 54.6  
Audit-Related Fees
    14.5       3.8  
Tax Fees
    5.0       7.1  
Other Fees
    8.9       0.2  
 
           
Total
  Ps. 82.2     Ps. 65.7  
 
           
“Audit Fees” are the aggregate fees billed by our independent auditor for the audit of our consolidated annual financial statements, services related to regulatory financial filings with the SEC and attestation services that are provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.
“Audit-Related Fees” are fees charged by our independent auditor for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” This category comprises fees billed for independent accountant review of our interim financial statements in connection with the offering of our debt securities, advisory services associated with our financial reporting, and due diligence reviews in connection with potential acquisitions and business combinations.
“Tax Fees” are fees for professional services rendered by the Company’s independent auditor for tax compliance in connection with our subsidiaries and interests in the United States, as well as tax advice on actual or contemplated transactions.
“Other Fees” are fees charged by our independent auditor primarily for performing royalty compliance reviews in 2006 for certain revenue reported in our Programming Exports segment.
We have procedures for the review and pre-approval of any services performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The procedures require that all proposed engagements of PricewaterhouseCoopers for audit and non-audit services are submitted to the audit committee for approval prior to the beginning of any such services.
Audit Committee Pre-approval Policies and Procedures
Our audit committee is responsible, among other things, for the appointment, compensation and oversight of our external auditors. To assure the independence of our independent auditors, our audit committee pre-approves annually a catalog of specific audit and non-audit services in the categories Audit Services, Audit-Related Services, Tax-Related Services, and Other Services that may be performed by our auditors, as well as the budgeted fee levels for each of these categories. All other permitted services must receive a specific approval from our audit committee. Our external auditor periodically provides a report to our audit committee in order for our audit committee to review the services that our external auditor is providing, as well as the status and cost of those services.

 

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During 2006 and 2007, none of the services provided to us by our external auditors were approved by our audit committee pursuant to the de minimus exception to the pre-approval requirement provided by paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.
Item 16D. Exemptions from the Listing Standards for Audit Committees
Not applicable.
Item 16E. Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, information regarding purchases of any of our equity securities registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act made by us or on our behalf or by or on behalf of any affiliated purchaser (as that term is defined in Rule 10b-18(a)(3) under the Exchange Act):
Purchases of Equity Securities by Televisa(3)
                                 
                            Maximum Number (or  
                    Total Number of     Appropriate Mexican Peso  
                    CPOs     Value) of CPOs  
    Total Number             Purchased as part of     that May Yet Be  
    of CPOs     Average Price     Publicly Announced     Purchased Under the  
Purchase Date   Purchased     Paid per CPO(1)     Plans or Programs     Plans or Programs(2)  
January 1 to January 31
    1,829,000       60.781037       137,464,600     Ps. 1,668,894,542  
February 1 to February 29
    2,700,000       63.355787       140,164,600       1,497,833,918  
March 1 to March 31
    9,799,400       62.136777       149,964,000       888,930,781  
April 1 to April 30
    5,698,400       64.364994       155,662,400       17,962,627,860  
May 1 to May 31
    9,876,000       62.924817       165,538,400       17,341,182,352  
June 1 to June 30
    11,100,000       59.819166       176,638,400       16,677,189,637  
July 1 to July 31
    2,550,000       58.156673       179,188,400       16,528,890,127  
August 1 to August 31
    5,815,000       54.979506       185,003,400       16,209,184,262  
September 1 to September 30
    4,646,500       55.973979       189,649,900       15,949,101,159  
October 1 to October 31
    3,150,000       53.401222       192,799,900       15,780,887,309  
November 1 to November 30
    7,375,500       50.823180       200,175,400       15,406,040,894  
December 1 to December 31
    2,649,900       52.808291       202,825,300       15,266,104,241  
Total
    67,189,700     Ps. 58.854755       202,825,300     Ps. 15,266,104,241  
 
     
(1)  
The values have not been restated in constant Mexican Pesos and therefore represent nominal historical figures.
 
(2)  
Our share repurchase program was announced in September of 2002 and is set to expire December 31, 2008. Our share repurchase program is limited to a total amount of U.S.$400 million. The total amount of our share repurchase program was updated in accordance with the resolution of the Grupo Televisa S.A.B.’s general stockholders meeting, held on April 27, 2007.
 
(3)  
Table does not include repurchases or purchases by the special purpose trust formed in connection with our stock purchase plan.

 

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Purchases of Equity Securities by Special Purpose Trust
formed in connection with Stock Purchase Plan(1)
CPOs
                                 
                            Maximum Number (or  
                            Appropriate Mexican Peso  
                            Value) of CPOs  
                    Total Number of     that May Yet Be  
    Total Number             CPOs     Purchased Under the  
    of CPOs     Average Price     Purchased as part of     Stock Purchase  
Purchase Date   Purchased     Paid per CPO(2)     the Stock Purchase Plan     Plan(3)  
January 1 to January 31
    350,000     Ps. 59.7301       59,513,300          
February 1 to February 29
    750,000       63.2971       60,263,300          
March 1 to March 31
    938,300       61.6196       61,201,600          
April 1 to April 30
    1,830,000       64.7597       63,031,600          
May 1 to May 31
    1,360,000       63.0424       64,391,600          
June 1 to June 30
    1,300,000       60.1698       65,691,600          
July 1 to July 31
    260,000       57.7627       65,951,600          
August 1 to August 31
    100,000       55.2000       66,051,600          
September 1 to September 30
    395,000       55.2544       66,446,600          
October 1 to October 31
          0.0000       66,446,600          
November 1 to November 30
          0.0000       66,446,600          
December 1 to December 31
    200,000       52.0463       66,646,600          
Total
    7,483,300     Ps. 61.6623       66,646,600          
 
     
(1)  
See “Directors, Senior Management and Employees — Stock Purchase Plan” for a description of the implementation, limits and other terms of our Stock Purchase Plan.
 
(2)  
The values have not been restated in constant Mexican Pesos and therefore represent nominal historical figures.
 
(3)  
Since the number of additional shares that may be issued pursuant to our Stock Purchase Plan is affected by, among other things, the number of shares held by the special equity trust, periodic grants made to certain executives, the performance of those executives and the number of shares subject to other employee benefit plans, it would be misleading to imply that there is a defined maximum number of shares that remain to be purchased pursuant to our Stock Purchase Plan.
Part III
Item 17. Financial Statements
We have responded to Item 18 in lieu of Item 17.
Item 18. Financial Statements
See pages F-1 through F-55, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 19. Exhibits
Documents filed as exhibits to this annual report appear on the following
(a) Exhibits.

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX
         
Exhibit        
Number       Description of Exhibits
1.1
    English translation of Amended and Restated Bylaws ( Estatutos Sociales ) of the Registrant, dated as of April 30, 2008.
2.1
    Indenture relating to Senior Debt Securities, dated as of August 8, 2000, between the Registrant, as Issuer, and The Bank of New York, as Trustee (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form F-4 (File number 333-12738), as amended (the “2000 Form F-4”), and incorporated herein by reference).
2.2
    Third Supplemental Indenture relating to the 8% Senior Notes due 2011, dated as of September 13, 2001, between the Registrant, as Issuer, and The Bank of New York and Banque Internationale à Luxembourg, S.A. (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.4 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form F-4 (File number 333-14200) (the “2001 Form F-4”) and incorporated herein by reference).
2.3
    Fourth Supplemental Indenture relating to the 8.5% Senior Exchange Notes due 2032 between the Registrant, as Issuer, and The Bank of New York and Dexia Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (previously filed with the Securities Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.5 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form F-4 (the “2002 Form F-4”) and incorporated herein by reference).
2.4
    Fifth Supplemental Indenture relating to the 8% Senior Notes due 2011 between Registrant, as Issuer, and The Bank of New York and Dexia Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.5 to the 2001 Form F-4 and incorporated herein by reference).
2.5
    Sixth Supplemental Indenture relating to the 8.5% Senior Notes due 2032 between Registrant, as Issuer, and The Bank of New York and Dexia Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.7 to the 2002 Form F-4 and incorporated herein by reference).
2.6
    Seventh Supplemental Indenture relating to the 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2025 between Registrant, as Issuer, and The Bank of New York and Dexia Banque Internationale à Luxembourg, dated March 18, 2005 (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 2.8 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2004 (the “2004 Form 20-F”) and incorporated herein by reference).
2.7
    Eighth Supplemental Indenture relating to the 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2025 between Registrant, as Issuer, and The Bank of New York and Dexia Banque Internationale à Luxembourg, dated May 26, 2005 (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 2.9 to the 2004 Form 20-F and incorporated herein by reference).
2.8
    Ninth Supplemental Indenture relating to the 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2025 between Registrant, as Issuer, The Bank of New York and Dexia Banque Internationale à Luxembourg, dated September 6, 2005 (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 2.8 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2005 (the “2005 Form 20-F”) and incorporated herein by reference).
2.9
    Tenth Supplemental Indenture related to the 8.49% Senior Notes due 2037 between Registrant, as Issuer, The Bank of New York and The Bank of New York (Luxembourg) S.A., dated as of May 9, 2007 (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 2.9 to the 2006 Form 20-F and incorporated herein by reference).
2.10
    Form of Eleventh Supplemental Indenture related to the 8.49% Senior Exchange Notes due 2037 between Registrant, as Issuer, The Bank of New York and The Bank of New York (Luxembourg) S.A. (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.12 to the Registrants’s Registration Statement on Form F-4/A (File number 333-144460) (the 2007 Form F-4/A) and incorporated herein by reference).
2.11
    Twelfth Supplemental Indenture related to the 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018 between Registrant, as Issuer, The Bank of New York and The Bank of New York (Luxembourg) S.A., dated as of May 12, 2008
2.12
    Form of Deposit Agreement between the Registrant, The Bank of New York, as depositary and all holders and beneficial owners of the Global Depositary Shares, evidenced by Global Depositary Receipts (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form F-6 (File number 333-146130) (the “2007 Form F-6”) and incorporated herein by reference).
4.1
    Form of Indemnity Agreement between the Registrant and its directors and executive officers (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form F-4 (File number 33-69636), as amended, (the “1993 Form F-4”) and incorporated herein by reference).
4.2
    Amended and Restated Collateral Trust Agreement, dated as of June 13, 1997, as amended, among PanAmSat Corporation, Hughes Communications, Inc., Satellite Company, LLC, the Registrant and IBJ Schroder Bank and Trust Company (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2001 (the “2001 Form 20-F”) and incorporated herein by reference).

 

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Exhibit        
Number       Description of Exhibits
4.3
    Amended and Restated Program License Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2001, by and between Productora de Teleprogramas, S.A. de C.V. and Univision Communications Inc. (“Univision”) (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 10.7 to the 2001 Form F-4 and incorporated herein by reference).
4.4
    Participation Agreement, dated as of October 2, 1996, by and among Univision, Perenchio, the Registrant, Venevision and certain of their respective affiliates (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 10.8 to Univision’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File number 333-6309) (the “Univision Form S-1”) and incorporated herein by reference).
4.5
    Amended and Restated International Program Rights Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2001, by and among Univision, Venevision and the Registrant (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 10.9 to the 2001 Form F-4 and incorporated herein by reference).
4.6
    Co-Production Agreement, dated as of March 27, 1998, between the Registrant and Univision Network Limited Partnership (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to Univision’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997 and incorporated herein by reference).
4.7
    Program License Agreement, dated as of May 31, 2005, between Registrant and Univision (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.7 to the 2005 Form 20-F and incorporated herein by reference).
4.8
    Amended and Restated Bylaws ( Estatutos Sociales ) of Innova, S. de R.L. de C.V. (“Innova”) dated as of December 22, 1998 (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to Innova’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference).
4.9
    English translation of investment agreement, dated as of March 26, 2006, between Registrant and M/A and Gestora de Inversiones Audiovisuales La Sexta, S.A. (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.7 to the 2005 Form 20-F and incorporated herein by reference).
4.10
    English summary of Ps.1,162.5 million credit agreement, dated as of May 17, 2004, between the Registrant and Banamex (the “May 2004 Credit Agreement”) and the May 2004 Credit Agreement (in Spanish) (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.9 to the 2004 Form 20-F and incorporated herein by reference).
4.11
    English summary of amendment to the May Credit Agreement and the amendment to the May 2004 Credit Agreement (in Spanish) (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.10 to the 2004 Form 20-F and incorporated herein by reference).
4.12
    English summary of Ps.2,000.0 million credit agreement, dated as of October 22, 2004, between the Registrant and Banamex (the “October 2004 Credit Agreement”) and the October Credit Agreement (in Spanish) (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.11 to the 2004 Form 20-F and incorporated herein by reference).
4.13
    English translation of Ps.2,100.0 million credit agreement, dated as of March 10, 2006, by and among Innova, the Registrant and Banamex (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.7 to the 2005 Form 20-F and incorporated herein by reference).
4.14
    English summary of Ps.1,400.0 million credit agreement, dated as of April 7, 2006, by and among Innova, the Registrant and Banco Santander Serfin, S.A. (the “April 2006 Credit Agreement”) and the April Credit Agreement (in Spanish) (previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Exhibit 4.7 to the 2005 Form 20-F and incorporated herein by reference).
4.15
    Administration Trust Agreement relating to Trust No. 80375, dated as of March 23, 2004, by and among Nacional Financiera, S.N.C., as trustee of Trust No. 80370, Banco Inbursa, S.A., as trustee of Trust No. F/0553, Banco Nacional de México, S.A., as trustee of Trust No. 14520-1, Nacional Financiera, S.N.C., as trustee of Trust No. 80375, Emilio Azcárraga Jean, Promotora Inbursa, S.A. de C.V., Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. and Grupo Televicentro, S.A. de C.V. (as previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to Schedules 13D or 13D/A in respect of various parties’ to the Trust Agreement (File number 005-60431) and incorporated herein by reference).
4.16
    Full-Time Transponder Service Agreement, dated as of November _____, 2007, by and among Intelsat Corporation, Intelsat LLC, Corporación de Radio y Televisión del Norte de México, S. de R. L. de C.V. and SKY Brasil Serviços Ltda.
4.17
    Credit Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2007, by and among Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., as sole bookrunner and lead arranger.
8.1
    List of Subsidiaries of Registrant.
12.1
    CEO Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, dated June 25, 2008.
12.2
    CFO Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, dated June 25, 2008.
13.1
    CEO Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, dated June 25, 2008.
13.2
    CFO Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, dated June 25, 2008.

 

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(b) Financial Statement Schedules
All financial statement schedules relating to the Registrant are omitted because they are not required or because the required information, if material, is contained in the audited year-end financial statements or notes thereto.

 

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SIGNATURE
The Registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.
Date June 25, 2008
             
    GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Salvi Folch Viadero    
 
           
 
      Name: Salvi Folch Viadero    
 
      Title:   Chief Financial Officer    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Jorge Lutteroth Echegoyen    
 
           
 
    Name: Jorge Lutteroth Echegoyen    
 
   
Title:  Vice President — Controller
   

 

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INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF
GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.
         
    Page  
    F-2  
 
       
    F-3  
 
       
    F-4  
 
       
    F-5  
 
       
    F-6  
 
       
    F-7  
 
       

 

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Table of Contents

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.:
In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated balance sheets and the related consolidated statements of income, of changes in stockholders’ equity and of changes in financial position, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. (the “Company”) and its subsidiaries at December 31, 2007 and 2006, and the results of their operations and changes in their financial position for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2007 in conformity with Mexican Financial Reporting Standards. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, based on the criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The Company’s management is responsible for these financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in “Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting” appearing on Item 15. Our responsibility is to express opinions on these financial statements and on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audits (which were integrated audits in 2007 and 2006). We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and with generally accepted auditing standards in Mexico. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audits of the financial statements included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we consider necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
Mexican Financial Reporting Standards vary in certain significant respects from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Information relating to the nature and effect of such differences is presented in Note 23 to the consolidated financial statements.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
PricewaterhouseCoopers, S.C.
C.P.C. José Miguel Arrieta Méndez
Audit Partner

México, D. F.
June 24, 2008

 

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Table of Contents

Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
As of December 31, 2006 and 2007
(In thousands of Mexican pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007)
(Notes 1 and 2)
                         
    Notes     2006     2007  
ASSETS
                       
Current:
                       
Cash
          Ps. 701,245     Ps. 843,531  
Temporary investments
            15,703,829       26,461,365  
 
                   
 
            16,405,074       27,304,896  
Trade notes and accounts receivable, net
    3       14,108,702       17,294,674  
Other accounts and notes receivable, net
            1,544,287       2,590,330  
Due from affiliated companies
    16       191,761       195,023  
Transmission rights and programming
    4       3,167,943       3,154,681  
Inventories
            801,943       833,996  
Available-for-sale investment
            12,266,318        
Other current assets
            800,068       653,260  
 
                   
Total current assets
            49,286,096       52,026,860  
Transmission rights and programming
    4       3,557,738       5,252,748  
Investments
    5       5,959,873       8,115,584  
Property, plant and equipment, net
    6       21,764,425       25,171,331  
Intangible assets and deferred charges, net
    7       5,592,695       8,098,667  
Other assets
            25,325       38,286  
 
                   
Total assets
          Ps. 86,186,152     Ps. 98,703,476  
 
                   
LIABILITIES
                       
Current:
                       
Current portion of long-term debt
    8     Ps. 1,023,445     Ps. 488,650  
Current portion of satellite transponder lease obligation
    8       89,415       97,696  
Trade accounts payable
            3,580,467       4,457,519  
Customer deposits and advances
            17,528,635       17,145,053  
Taxes payable
            1,223,814       684,497  
Accrued interest
            271,915       307,814  
Due to affiliated companies
    16       39,566       127,191  
Other accrued liabilities
            2,124,712       2,173,926  
 
                   
Total current liabilities
            25,881,969       25,482,346  
Long-term debt, net of current portion
    8       18,464,257       24,433,387  
Satellite transponder lease obligation, net of current portion
    8       1,162,531       1,035,134  
Customer deposits and advances
            278,282       2,665,185  
Other long-term liabilities
            541,671       2,849,369  
Deferred taxes
    19       1,544,741       1,272,834  
Pension plans, seniority premiums and severance indemnities
    10       297,824       314,921  
 
                   
Total liabilities
            48,171,275       58,053,176  
 
                   
Commitments and contingencies
    11                  
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
                       
Capital stock issued, no par value
    12       10,506,856       10,267,570  
Additional paid-in capital
            4,547,944       4,547,944  
 
                   
 
            15,054,800       14,815,514  
 
                   
Retained earnings:
    13                  
Legal reserve
            2,135,423       2,135,423  
Reserve for repurchase of shares
            4,626,882       1,240,869  
Unappropriated earnings
            17,343,579       21,713,378  
Net income for the year
            8,908,943       8,082,463  
 
                   
 
            33,014,827       33,172,133  
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net
    14       (3,808,377 )     (3,009,468 )
Shares repurchased
    12       (7,888,974 )     (7,939,066 )
 
                   
 
            21,317,476       22,223,599  
 
                   
Total majority interest
            36,372,276       37,039,113  
Minority interest
    15       1,642,601       3,611,187  
 
                   
Total stockholders’ equity
            38,014,877       40,650,300  
 
                   
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
          Ps. 86,186,152     Ps. 98,703,476  
 
                   
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
Consolidated Statements of Income
For the Years Ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007
(In thousands of Mexican pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007,
except per CPO amounts)
(Notes 1 and 2)
                                 
    Notes   2005     2006     2007  
Net sales
    22     Ps. 35,068,013     Ps. 39,357,699     Ps. 41,561,526  
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)
            15,927,359       16,791,197       18,128,007  
Selling expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization)
            2,877,753       3,130,230       3,277,526  
Administrative expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization)
            1,988,090       2,390,785       2,452,027  
Depreciation and amortization
    6 and 7       2,611,629       2,779,772       3,223,070  
 
                         
Operating income
    22       11,663,182       14,265,715       14,480,896  
Other expense, net
    17       770,899       888,070       953,352  
Integral cost of financing, net
    18       1,923,961       1,141,028       410,214  
Equity in (earnings) losses of affiliates, net
    5       (172,913 )     624,843       749,299  
 
                         
Income before income taxes
            9,141,235       11,611,774       12,368,031  
Income taxes
    19       811,076       2,092,478       3,349,641  
 
                         
Income before cumulative loss of accounting change
            8,330,159       9,519,296       9,018,390  
Cumulative loss of accounting change, net
    1(n)(r)       546,386              
 
                         
Consolidated net income
            7,783,773       9,519,296       9,018,390  
Minority interest net income
    15       1,170,359       610,353       935,927  
 
                         
Majority interest net income
    13     Ps. 6,613,414     Ps. 8,908,943     Ps. 8,082,463  
 
                         
Majority interest net income per CPO
    20     Ps. 2.27     Ps. 3.07     Ps. 2.84  
 
                         
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity
For the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007
(In thousands of Mexican pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007)
(Notes 1 and 2)
                                                                 
                            Accumulated                          
    Capital                     Other                          
    Stock     Additional     Retained     Comprehensive     Shares     Total     Minority     Total  
    Issued     Paid-In     Earnings     Loss     Repurchased     Majority     Interest     Stockholders’  
    (Note 12)     Capital     (Note 13)     (Note 14)     (Note 12)     Interest     (Note 15)     Equity  
Balance at January 1, 2005
  Ps. 10,677,114     Ps. 4,547,944     Ps. 25,586,027     Ps. (2,858,311 )   Ps. (7,022,500 )   Ps. 30,930,274     Ps. (134,482 )   Ps. 30,795,792  
Dividends
                (4,648,726 )                 (4,648,726 )           (4,648,726 )
Repurchase of capital stock
                            (1,289,552 )     (1,289,552 )           (1,289,552 )
Sale of repurchase shares
                (366,181 )           705,792       339,611             339,611  
Increase in minority interest
                                        1,053,123       1,053,123  
Stock-based compensation
                349,302                   349,302             349,302  
Comprehensive income (loss)
                6,613,414       (970,514 )           5,642,900             5,642,900  
 
                                               
Balance at December 31, 2005
    10,677,114       4,547,944       27,533,836       (3,828,825 )     (7,606,260 )     31,323,809       918,641       32,242,450  
Dividends
                (1,161,839 )                 (1,161,839 )           (1,161,839 )
Share cancellation
    (170,258 )           (1,575,231 )           1,745,489                    
Repurchase of capital stock
                            (3,224,515 )     (3,224,515 )           (3,224,515 )
Sale of repurchase shares
                (609,049 )           1,196,312       587,263             587,263  
Increase in minority interest
                                        723,960       723,960  
Benefit from capital contribution of minority interest in Sky
                385,596                   385,596             385,596  
Loss on minority interest acquisition of Sky
                (711,311 )                 (711,311 )           (711,311 )
Stock-based compensation
                243,882                   243,882             243,882  
Comprehensive income
                8,908,943       20,448             8,929,391             8,929,391  
 
                                               
Balance at December 31, 2006
    10,506,856       4,547,944       33,014,827       (3,808,377 )     (7,888,974 )     36,372,276       1,642,601       38,014,877  
Dividends
                (4,506,492 )                 (4,506,492 )           (4,506,492 )
Share cancellation
    (239,286 )           (3,386,013 )           3,625,299                    
Repurchase of capital stock
                            (3,948,331 )     (3,948,331 )           (3,948,331 )
Sale of repurchase shares
                (173,169 )           272,940       99,771             99,771  
Increase in minority interest
                                        1,968,586       1,968,586  
Stock-based compensation
                140,517                   140,517             140,517  
Comprehensive income
                8,082,463       798,909             8,881,372             8,881,372  
 
                                               
Balance at December 31, 2007
  Ps. 10,267,570     Ps. 4,547,944     Ps. 33,172,133     Ps. (3,009,468 )   Ps. (7,939,066 )   Ps. 37,039,113     Ps. 3,611,187     Ps. 40,650,300  
 
                                               
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Financial Position
For Years Ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007
(In thousands of Mexican pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007)
(Notes 1 and 2)
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Operating activities:
                       
Consolidated net income
  Ps. 7,783,773     Ps. 9,519,296     Ps. 9,018,390  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to resources provided by operating activities:
                       
Equity in (earnings) losses of affiliates
    (172,913 )     624,843       749,299  
Depreciation and amortization
    2,611,629       2,779,772       3,223,070  
Impairment of long-lived assets and other amortization
    105,314       176,884       541,996  
Deferred taxes
    (850,520 )     1,292,645       (358,122 )
Loss on disposition of available-for sale investment in Univision
                565,862  
Loss (gain) on disposition of affiliates
    184,904       (19,556 )     (41,527 )
Stock-based compensation
          243,882       140,517  
Cumulative loss of accounting change
    546,386              
 
                 
 
    10,208,573       14,617,766       13,839,485  
 
                 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
                       
(Increase) decrease in:
                       
Trade notes and accounts receivable, net
    (2,474,612 )     894,378       (3,090,936 )
Transmission rights and programming
    1,054,584       778,059       (1,878,256 )
Inventories
    50,276       (112,827 )     (32,053 )
Other accounts and notes receivable and other current assets
    860,008       (1,104,190 )     (443,962 )
Increase (decrease) in:
                       
Customer deposits and advances
    2,411,073       (1,676,832 )     1,840,116  
Trade accounts payable
    807,911       390,413       840,911  
Other liabilities, taxes payable and deferred taxes
    (801,669 )     560,690       519,488  
Pension plans, seniority premiums and severance indemnities
    80,598       90,360       17,097  
 
                 
 
    1,988,169       (179,949 )     (2,227,595 )
 
                 
Resources provided by operating activities
    12,196,742       14,437,817       11,611,890  
 
                 
Financing activities:
                       
Issuance of Senior Notes due 2025
    6,883,712              
Issuance of Senior Notes due 2037
                4,500,000  
Empresas Cablevisión’s long-term loan due 2012
                2,457,495  
Prepayments of Senior Notes and UDIs denominated Notes
    (6,131,987 )           (1,017,093 )
Prepayments of Senior Notes due 2013
          (3,315,749 )      
Other increase in debt
          3,631,565       50,051  
Other decrease in debt
    (5,808,505 )     (888,623 )     (675,234 )
Repurchase and sale of capital stock
    (949,941 )     (2,637,252 )     (3,848,560 )
Dividends paid
    (4,648,726 )     (1,161,839 )     (4,506,492 )
Gain on valuation of available-for-sale investments
          (565,862 )      
Loss on minority interest acquisition of Sky
          (711,311 )      
Benefit from capital contribution of minority interest in Sky
          385,596        
Minority interest
    (117,236 )     113,607       1,032,659  
Translation effect
    121,145       17,202       32,877  
 
                 
Resources used for financing activities
    (10,651,538 )     (5,132,666 )     (1,974,297 )
 
                 
Investing activities:
                       
Due from affiliated companies, net
    577,463       (644,409 )     32,636  
Investments
    (1,297,043 )     (4,938,453 )     (3,385,342 )
Disposition of investments
    113,379       7,194,364       700,689  
Investments in property, plant and equipment
    (2,956,172 )     (3,428,532 )     (3,915,439 )
Disposition of property, plant and equipment
    342,256       532,676       704,310  
Investments in goodwill and other intangible assets
    (1,790,712 )     (1,224,707 )     (3,310,968 )
Disposition of goodwill and other intangible assets
    728,683       5,924,375        
Available-for-sale investment in shares of Univision
          (12,266,318 )     12,266,318  
Acquisition of Telecom net assets
                (1,975,666 )
Other assets
    126,367       (4,026 )     7,430  
 
                 
Resources (used for) provided by investing activities
    (4,155,779 )     (8,855,030 )     1,123,968  
 
                 
Net (decrease) increase in cash and temporary investments
    (2,610,575 )     450,121       10,761,561  
Net increase in cash and temporary investments upon Telecom acquisition
                138,261  
Cash and temporary investments at beginning of year
    18,565,528       15,954,953       16,405,074  
 
                 
Cash and temporary investments at end of year
  Ps. 15,954,953     Ps. 16,405,074     Ps. 27,304,896  
 
                 
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the Years Ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007
(In thousands of Mexican pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007,
except per CPO, per share and exchange rate amounts)
1. Accounting Policies
The principal accounting policies followed by Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. (the “Company”) and its consolidated entities (collectively, the “Group”) and observed in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements are summarized below.
(a) Basis of Presentation
The financial statements of the Group are presented on a consolidated basis in accordance with Mexican Financial Reporting Standards (“Mexican FRS”) issued by the Mexican Financial Reporting Standards Board (“Consejo Mexicano para la Investigación y Desarrollo de Normas de Información Financiera” or “CINIF”), and include the recognition of the effects of inflation on financial information.
Mexican FRS are comprised of: (i) Financial Reporting Standards (“Normas de Información Financiera” or “NIF”) and NIF Interpretations (“Interpretaciones a las NIF” or “INIF”) issued by the CINIF; (ii) Bulletins of generally accepted accounting principles in Mexico (“Mexican GAAP”) issued through May 2004 by the Mexican Institute of Public Accountants (“MIPA”) that have not been modified, replaced or superseded by new NIF; and (iii) International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) that are supplementary in Mexico when no general or specific guidance is provided by either NIF or applicable Bulletins of Mexican GAAP.
The consolidated financial statements include the net assets and results of operations of all companies in which the Company has a controlling interest (subsidiaries). The consolidated financial statements also include the accounts of variable interest entities in which the Group is deemed the primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity is the party that absorbs a majority of the entity’s expected losses, receives a majority of the entity’s expected residual returns, or both, as a result of ownership, contractual or other financial interest in the entity. See Note 1(b) for further discussion of all variable interest entities. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated from the financial statements.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with Mexican FRS requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
These consolidated financial statements were authorized for issuance on June 20, 2008, by the Group’s Chief Financial Officer.

 

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(b) Members of the Group
At December 31, 2007, the Group consisted of the Company and various consolidated entities, including the following:
             
    Company’s    
Consolidated Entities   Ownership(1)   Business Segments(2)
Telesistema Mexicano, S.A. de C.V. and subsidiaries, including Televisa, S.A. de C.V.
    100 %   Television Broadcasting, Pay Television Networks and Programming Exports
Televisión Independiente de México, S.A. de C.V. and subsidiaries
    100 %   Television Broadcasting
TuTv, LLC (“TuTv”)(3)
    50 %   Pay Television Networks
Editorial Televisa, S.A. de C.V. and subsidiaries
    100 %   Publishing
Grupo Distribuidoras Intermex, S.A. de C.V. and subsidiaries
    100 %   Publishing Distribution
Innova, S. de R. L. de C.V. and subsidiaries (collectively, “Sky”)(3)
    58.7 %   Sky
Empresas Cablevisión, S. A. B. de C.V. (“Empresas Cablevisión”) and subsidiaries
    51 %   Cable and Telecom
Paxia, S.A. de C.V., including its investment in Alvafig, S.A. de C.V. (“Alvafig”)(3)
    100 %   Cable and Telecom
Corporativo Vasco de Quiroga, S.A. de C.V. and subsidiaries
    100 %   Other Businesses
CVQ Espectáculos, S.A. de C.V. and subsidiaries
    100 %   Other Businesses
Sistema Radiópolis, S.A. de C.V. and subsidiaries
    50 %   Other Businesses
Televisa Juegos, S.A. de C.V. and subsidiaries
    100 %   Other Businesses
 
     
(1)  
Percentage of equity interest directly or indirectly held by the Company in the holding entity.
 
(2)  
See Note 22 for a description of each of the Group’s business segments.
 
(3)  
The Group has identified Sky, TuTv and Alvafig as variable interest entities and the Group as the primary beneficiary of the investment in each of these entities. The Group has 58.7% interest in Sky, a satellite television provider. TuTv is a 50% joint venture with Univision Communications Inc. (“Univision”), engaged in the distribution of the Group’s Spanish-speaking programming packages in the United States. Alvafig is a holding company owning 49% of the equity in Cablemás, S.A. de C.V. (“Cablemás”), the second largest cable operator in Mexico (see Notes 2 and 5).
The Group’s Television Broadcasting, Sky, Cable and Telecom, and Radio businesses require concessions (licenses) granted by the Mexican Federal Government for a fixed term, subject to renewal in accordance with Mexican law. Also, the Group’s Gaming business, which is reported in the Other Businesses segment, requires a permit granted by the Mexican Federal Government for a fixed term. Additionally, the Group’s Sky business in certain Central American and Caribbean countries requires concessions granted by local regulatory authorities for a fixed term and subject to renewal. At December 31, 2007, the expiration dates of the Group’s concessions and permit were as follows:
     
Businesses   Expiration Dates
Television Broadcasting
  In 2021
Sky
  Various from 2020 to 2027
Cable and Telecom
  Various from 2018 to 2030
Radio
  Various from 2008 to 2016
Gaming
  In 2030
(c) Foreign Currency Translation
Monetary assets and liabilities of Mexican companies denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the prevailing exchange rate at the balance sheet date. Resulting exchange rate differences are recognized in income for the year, within integral cost of financing.
Assets, liabilities and results of operations of non-Mexican subsidiaries are first converted to Mexican FRS, including restating to recognize the effects of inflation based on the inflation of each foreign country, and then translated to Mexican pesos utilizing the exchange rate as of the balance sheet date at year-end. Resulting translation differences are recognized in equity as part of the other comprehensive income or loss. Assets and liabilities of non-Mexican operations that are integral to Mexican operations are converted to Mexican FRS and translated to Mexican pesos by utilizing the exchange rate of the balance sheet date at year-end for monetary assets and liabilities, with the related adjustment included in net income, and historical exchange rates for non-monetary items.

 

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In connection with its investment in shares of Univision, the Group designated as an effective hedge of foreign exchange exposure a portion of the outstanding principal amount of its U.S.-dollar-denominated Senior Notes due 2011, 2025 and 2032, which amounted to U.S.$971.9 million as of December 31, 2006. The investment in shares of Univision was disposed by the Group in March 2007, and through that date any foreign exchange gain or loss attributable to this long-term debt was credited or charged directly to equity (other comprehensive income or loss) (see Notes 2 and 9).
(d) Temporary Investments
The Group considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of one year or less, to be temporary investments. Temporary investments are valued at market value.
As of December 31, 2006 and 2007, temporary investments consisted of fixed short-term deposits, structured notes and corporate fixed income securities (primarily U.S. dollars and Mexican pesos), with an average yield of approximately 4.69% for U.S. dollar deposits and 7.38% for Mexican peso deposits in 2006, and approximately 5.34% for U.S. dollar deposits and 7.18% for Mexican peso deposits in 2007.
(e) Transmission Rights and Programming
Programming is comprised of programs, literary works, production talent advances and films.
Transmission rights and literary works are valued at the lesser of acquisition cost or net realizable value. Programs and films are valued at the lesser of production cost, which consists of direct production costs and production overhead, or net realizable value. Payments for production talent advances are initially capitalized and subsequently included as direct or indirect costs of program production.
The Group’s policy is to capitalize the production costs of programs which benefit more than one annual period and amortize them over the expected period of future program revenues based on the Company’s historical revenue patterns for similar productions.
Transmission rights, programs, literary works, production talent advances and films are restated by using the National Consumer Price Index (“NCPI”) factors, and specific costs for some of these assets, which are determined by the Group on the basis of last purchase price or production cost, or replacement cost whichever is more representative. Cost of sales is determined based on restated costs, and calculated for the month in which such transmission rights, programs, literary works, production talent advances and films are matched with related revenues.
Transmission rights and literary works are amortized over the lives of the contracts. Transmission rights in perpetuity, are amortized on a straight-line basis over the period of the expected benefit as determined based upon past experience, but not exceeding 25 years.
(f) Inventories
Inventories of paper, magazines, materials and supplies are valued at the lesser of acquisition cost or net realizable value. Inventories are restated by using the NCPI factors and specific costs for some of these assets, which are determined by the Group on the basis of last purchase price.
(g) Investments
Investments in companies in which the Group exercises significant influence or joint control are accounted for by the equity method. The Group recognizes equity in losses of affiliated companies up to the amount of its initial investment and subsequent capital contributions, or beyond that when guaranteed commitments have been made by the Group in respect of obligations incurred by investees, but not in excess of such guarantees. If an affiliated company for which the Group had recognized equity losses up to the amount of its guarantees generates net income in the future, the Group would not recognize its proportionate share of this net income until the Group first recognizes its proportionate share of previously unrecognized losses.
Investments in debt securities that the Group has the ability and intent to hold to maturity are classified as investments “held-to-maturity,” and reported at amortized cost. Investments in debt securities not classified as held-to-maturity are classified as “available-for-sale,” and are recorded at fair value with unrealized gains and losses included in consolidated stockholders’ equity as accumulated other comprehensive result (see Notes 5 and 14).
Other investments are accounted for at cost.

 

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(h) Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, plant and equipment are recorded at acquisition cost and thereafter are restated to constant Mexican pesos using the NCPI, except for equipment of non-Mexican origin, which is restated using an index which reflects the inflation in the respective country of origin and the exchange rate of the Mexican Peso against the currency of such country at the balance sheet date (“Specific Index”).
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment is based upon the restated carrying value of the assets in use and is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets ranging principally from 20 to 65 years for buildings, from 5 to 20 years for buildings improvements, from 3 to 20 years for technical equipment and from 3 to 10 years for other property and equipment.
(i) Intangible Assets and Deferred Financing Costs
Intangible assets and deferred financing costs are recognized at cost and thereafter restated using the NCPI.
Intangible assets are composed of goodwill, publishing trademarks, television network concession, licenses and software, subscriber list and other items. Goodwill, publishing trademarks and television network concession are intangible assets with indefinite lives and are not amortized. Indefinite-lived intangibles are assessed annually for impairment or more frequently, if circumstances indicate a possible impairment exists. Licenses and software, subscriber list and other items are intangible assets with finite lives and are amortized, on a straight-line basis, over their estimated useful lives, which range principally from 3 to 20 years.
Deferred financing costs consist of fees and expenses incurred in connection with the issuance of long-term debt. These financing costs are amortized over the period of the related debt (see Note 7).
(j) Impairment of Long-lived Assets
The Group reviews for impairment the carrying amounts of its long-lived assets, tangible and intangible, including goodwill (see Note 7), at least once a year, or whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that these carrying amounts may not be recoverable. To determine whether an impairment exists, the carrying value of the reporting unit is compared with its fair value. Fair values estimates are based on quoted market values in active markets, if available. If quoted market prices are not available, the estimate of fair value is based on various valuation techniques, including discounted value of estimated future cash flows, market multiples or third-party appraisal valuations.
(k) Customer Deposits and Advances
Customer deposit and advance agreements for television advertising services provide that customers receive preferential prices that are fixed for the contract period, for television broadcast advertising time based on rates established by the Group. Such rates vary depending on when the advertisement is aired, including the season, hour, day, rating and type of programming.
Customer deposits and advances for television advertising services are considered non-monetary items since they are non-refundable and are applied at rates in effect when they were received. Accordingly, these deposits and advances are restated to recognize the effects of inflation by using the NCPI.
(l) Stockholders’ Equity
The capital stock and other stockholders’ equity accounts (other than the result from holding non-monetary assets account and the foreign currency translation adjustments account) include the effect of restatement, determined by applying the change in the NCPI between the dates capital was contributed or net results were generated to the most recent period end. The restatement represents the amount required to maintain the contributions, share repurchases and accumulated results in Mexican pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007.
(m) Revenue Recognition
The Group derives the majority of its revenues from media and entertainment-related business activities both domestically and internationally. Revenues are recognized when the service is provided and collection is probable. A summary of revenue recognition policies by significant activity is as follows:
   
Advertising revenues, including deposits and advances from customers for future advertising, are recognized at the time the advertising services are rendered.
   
Revenues from program services for pay television and licensed television programs are recognized when the programs are sold and become available for broadcast.

 

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Revenues from magazine subscriptions are initially deferred and recognized proportionately as products are delivered to subscribers. Revenues from the sales of magazines are recognized on the date of circulation of delivered merchandise, net of a provision for estimated returns.
   
The revenue from publishing distribution is recognized upon distribution of the products.
   
Sky program service revenues, including advances from customers for future DTH program services and installation fees, are recognized at the time the DTH service is provided.
   
Cable television, internet and telephone subscription, and pay-per-view and installation fees are recognized in the period in which the services are rendered.
   
Revenues from telecommunications and data services are recognized in the period in which these services are provided.
   
Revenues from attendance to soccer games, including revenues from advance ticket sales for soccer games and other promotional events, are recognized on the date of the relevant event.
   
Motion picture production and distribution revenues are recognized as the films are exhibited.
   
Gaming revenues consist of the net win from gaming activities, which is the difference between amounts wagered and amounts paid to winning patrons.
(n) Pension Plans, Seniority Premiums and Severance Indemnities
Plans exist for pension and retirement payments for substantially all of the Group’s employees, funded through an irrevocable trust. Payments to the trust are determined in accordance with actuarial computations of funding requirements. Pension payments are made by the trust administrators.
Increases or decreases in the seniority premium liability are based upon actuarial calculations.
Beginning January 1, 2005, severance indemnities to dismissed personnel, other than those arising from restructurings, are recognized based upon actuarial calculations. Before that date, severance indemnities to dismissed personnel were charged to income in the year in which they were incurred. In connection with this accounting change, the Group recognized a cumulative loss effect of accounting change in the amount of Ps.197,084, net of an income tax benefit of Ps.84,465, for the year ended December 31, 2005.
(o) Income Taxes
The income taxes and the asset tax are recognized in income as they are incurred.
The recognition of deferred income taxes is made by using the comprehensive asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred income taxes are calculated by applying the respective income tax rate to the temporary differences between the accounting and tax values of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements.
(p) Derivative Financial Instruments
The Group recognizes derivative financial instruments as either assets or liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets and measures those instruments at fair value. The accounting for changes in the fair value of a derivative depends on the intended use of the derivative and the resulting designation. For a derivative instrument designated as a fair value hedge, the gain or loss is recognized in income in the period of change together with the offsetting loss or gain on the hedged item attributed to the risk being hedged. For a derivative financial instrument designated as a cash flow hedge, the effective portion of the derivative’s gain or loss is initially reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income and subsequently reclassified into income when the hedged exposure affects income. The ineffective portion of the gain or loss is reported in income immediately. For derivative instruments that are not designated as accounting hedges, changes in fair value are recognized in income in the period of change. During the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, none of the Group’s derivatives qualified for hedge accounting.

 

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(q) Comprehensive Income
Comprehensive income includes the net income for the period presented in the income statement plus other results for the period reflected in the stockholders’ equity which are from non-owner sources (see Note 14).
(r) Stock-based Compensation
In 2005, the Group adopted the guidelines of the IFRS 2, “Share-based payment,” issued by the IASB. IFRS 2 requires accruing in stockholders’ equity for share-based compensation expense as measured at fair value at the date of grant, and applies to those equity benefits granted to officers and employees (see Note 12). Before adopting IFRS 2, the Group recognized these equity benefits in consolidated stockholders’ equity, when such benefits became vested. In connection with the adoption of IFRS 2, the Group recognized a non-taxable cumulative loss of accounting change at December 31, 2005, in the amount of Ps.349,302, which was reflected in its consolidated statement of income for the year then ended. Adoption of IFRS 2 is required under the scope of Mexican FRS NIF A-8, Supplementary Financial Reporting Standards. The Group recognized a stock-based compensation expense of Ps.243,882 and Ps.140,517 for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively, which was accounted for in consolidated income as an administrative expense.
(s) Prior Years’ Financial Statements
The Group’s financial statements for prior years have been restated to Mexican pesos in purchasing power as of December 31, 2007, by using a restatement factor derived from the change in the NCPI, which for 2005 and 2006 was 1.0796 and 1.0375, respectively. Had the alternative weighted average factor allowed under Mexican FRS been applied to restate the Group’s financial statements for prior years, which included the results of Mexican and non-Mexican subsidiaries, the restatement factor for 2005 and 2006 would have been 1.0821 and 1.0400, respectively.
         
The NCPI at December 31 was:
       
2004
    112.550  
2005
    116.301  
2006
    121.015  
2007
    125.564  
Beginning in January 2007, the Group adopted the provisions of Mexican FRS NIF B-3, Statement of Income , and INIF 4, Presentation of the Employees’ Profit Sharing in the Statement of Income . Accordingly, the Group’s consolidated statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2005 and 2006 have been reclassified to conform to the presentation required by these provisions, and included the reclassification of restructuring and non-recurring charges and statutory employees’ profit sharing that were previously reported as separate lines into the other expense, net line.
(t) Recently Issued Mexican FRS
In August 2007, the CINIF issued three new standards that became effective as of January 1, 2008, as follows:
NIF B-10, Effects of Inflation , establishes standards for recognizing the effects of inflation in an entity’s financial statements as measured by changes in a general price index only, and does not provide standards for valuation of any assets or liabilities. NIF B-10 provides criteria for identifying both inflationary and non- inflationary environments, and provides guidelines to cease or start recognizing the effects of inflation in financial statements when the general price index applicable to a specific entity is up to or above 26%, respectively, in a cumulative three-year period. NIF B-10 includes an option for the accounting treatment of the result from holding non-monetary assets recognized by an entity as accumulated other comprehensive income or loss under previous guidelines by either recycling this result from stockholders’ equity to income as it is realized, or reclassifying the outstanding balance of such result to retained earnings in the period in which this standard becomes effective. Additionally, restatement of financial statements for earlier periods presented is not required by NIF B-10. Since the cumulative inflation in Mexico measured by the NCPI in the three-year period ended December 31, 2007 was below 26%, the Mexican companies in the Group ceased recognizing the effects of inflation in financial statements beginning January 1, 2008. In addition, effective January 1, 2008, the Group classified in retained earnings the outstanding balances of cumulative loss from holding non-monetary assets and accumulated monetary loss in the aggregate amount of Ps.2,672,502, in accordance with the guidelines provided by NIF B-10 (see Note 14).

 

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NIF D-3, Benefits to Employees , replaces the previous Mexican GAAP Bulletin D-3, Labor Obligations, and provides standards for recognizing those benefits granted by an entity to its employees, including direct, termination and retirement benefits, as well as other related provisions. NIF D-3 requires shorter amortization periods for items subject to be amortized, including an option to recognize in income any actuarial gain or loss, and does not require the recognition of a transition asset or liability other than benefits granted in a plan amendment (prior service cost). NIF D-3 eliminates the recognition of an additional liability determined on the actuarial computation of retirement benefits without consideration of salary increases; consequently, a related intangible asset and an eventual stockholders’ equity adjustment derived from the recognition of this additional liability, are no longer required by this new standard. NIF D-3 also requires the recognition of any termination benefit costs directly in income as a provision, with no deferral of any unrecognized prior service cost or related actuarial gain or loss. Additionally, NIF D-3 recognizes the employees’ profit sharing required to be paid under certain circumstances in Mexico, as a direct benefit to employees. The provisions of NIF D-3 are not expected to have a significant effect on the Group’s consolidated financial statements.
NIF D-4, Income Taxes , replaces the previous Mexican GAAP Bulletin D-4, Accounting for income tax, asset tax and employees’ profit sharing , and provides additional guidance for valuation, presentation and disclosure of both current and deferred income taxes accrued for a period. NIF D-4 eliminates from its scope the accounting for employees’ profit sharing, since this line item is deemed an ordinary expense associated with benefits to employees, and therefore, now is under the scope of NIF D-3. NIF D-4 also recognizes the Mexican asset tax paid as a tax credit to the extent of its expected recovery. In addition, NIF D-4 requires the reclassification to retained earnings of any outstanding cumulative effect of deferred income taxes recognized in stockholders’ equity, in the period in which this standard becomes effective. The provisions of NIF D-4 are not expected to have a significant effect on the Group’s consolidated financial statements. Effective January 1, 2008, the Group classified in retained earnings the outstanding balance of cumulative loss effect of deferred income taxes in the amount of Ps.3,224,437, in accordance with the guidelines provided by NIF D-4 (see Note 14).
In November 2007, the CINIF issued two standards that became effective as of January 1, 2008, as follows:
NIF B-2, Statement of Cash Flows , requires a statement of cash flows as part of a full set of financial statements in place of a statement of changes in financial position. The statement of cash flows classifies cash receipts and payments according to whether they stem from operating, investing, or financing activities and provides a definition of each category. Cash flows from operating activities can be reported by directly showing major classes of operating cash receipts and payments (the direct method), or by reporting the same amount of net cash flow from operating activities indirectly by adjusting net income to reconcile it to net cash flow from operating activities (the indirect method). Restatement of financial statements for years provided before 2008 is not required by NIF B-2.
NIF B-15, Translation of Foreign Currencies , replaces the previous Mexican GAAP Bulletin B-15, Foreign Currency Transactions and Translation of Financial Statements of Foreign Operations , and introduces the concepts of accounting currency, functional currency and reporting currency. NIF B-15 sets forth procedures for translating financial statements from the accounting currency of a foreign operation into the applicable functional currency, and from the functional currency of a foreign operation into the required reporting currency. NIF B-15 also permits that an entity may present its financial statements in a reporting currency other than its functional currency. Restatement of financial statements for years provided before 2008 is not required by NIF B-15. The provisions of NIF B-15 are not expected to have a significant effect on the Group’s consolidated financial statements.
In December 2007, the CINIF issued the INIF 8, Effects of the Flat Rate Business Tax . This Interpretation became effective in October 2007, and requires a company to evaluate the effects of the new Flat Rate Business Tax that became effective in Mexico beginning in January 2008, on its deferred income tax asset or liability position for the fourth quarter of 2007, based on projected results of operations for periods beginning in 2008. The provisions of INIF 8 did not have a significant effect on the Group’s consolidated financial statements.
2. Acquisitions, Investments and Dispositions
In October 2005, in a series of related transactions, the Group disposed its 30% interest in DTH TechCo Partners (“TechCo”), a general partnership that provided technical services to DTH ventures in Latin America through September 2005, and was released of any obligation in connection with a guarantee granted by the Group in respect of certain TechCo’s indebtedness. As a result of this disposal, the Group recognized a pretax loss of approximately Ps.172,896 as other expense, which primarily consisted of the aggregate amount of the carrying value of the Group’s net investment in TechCo, which included amounts receivable in connection with long-term loans made by the Group to TechCo (see Note 17).

 

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In October 2005, the Group acquired 40% of the outstanding capital stock of Gestora de Inversiones Audiovisuales La Sexta, S.A. (“La Sexta”) for an aggregate amount of approximately 1.2 million euros (Ps.16,541). In November 2005, the government of Spain granted a concession to La Sexta to operate for 10 years a free-to-air television channel, which started operations in March 2006. During 2006 and 2007, the Group made additional capital contributions related to its 40% interest in La Sexta in the amount of approximately 104.6 million euros (Ps.1,535,176) and 65.9 million euros (Ps.1,004,697), respectively. The Group’s investment in La Sexta is accounted for using the equity method. Also, in connection with this investment and the framework agreement entered into by the Company in March 2006 with the MediaPro Group and the Grupo Árbol (the controlling partners of the company that holds a majority equity interest in La Sexta), the Group received, among other rights: (i) a call option under which the Group could subscribe, at a price of 80 million euros, a certain percentage of the capital stock of Imagina Media Audiovisual, S. A. (“Imagina”), the parent company that holds all of the shares of the MediaPro Group and the Grupo Árbol; and (ii) a right of first refusal until June 2011 to acquire a certain percentage of the capital stock of Imagina. During 2007, a third party acquired a 20% stake in Imagina. As a result of this acquisition, Imagina paid the Company 29 million euros (Ps.462,083) as a termination fee for the cancellation of the call option to subscribe a certain percentage of the capital stock of Imagina (see Notes 5, 11 and 17).
In October 2005, the Group agreed to participate with a 25% interest in Concesionaria Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A. de C.V. (“Volaris”), a low-cost carrier airline with a concession to operate in Mexico. In 2005 and 2006, the Group made initial capital contributions in Volaris in the amount of U.S.$25.0 million (Ps.292,412) and U.S.$7.5 million (Ps.87,408), respectively. The Group’s investment in Volaris is accounted for using the equity method (see Note 5).
In November 2005, the Group completed the acquisition of all of the outstanding equity of Comtelvi, S. de R. L. de C.V. (“Comtelvi”), an entity owned by a third party that at the time of acquisition had structured note investments and other financial instrument assets and liabilities, as well as tax losses of approximately Ps.3,575,276 that were used by the Group in the fourth quarter of 2005 (see Note 19). The total consideration paid in connection with this acquisition was the equivalent of U.S.$39.1 million (Ps.458,223).
In December 2005, the Group entered into a series of agreements to acquire certain operating assets, which were owned by Editora Cinco, S.A., a Colombian publisher, comprising primarily a group of magazine publishing trademarks and related rights in Mexico, Colombia, Chile and the United States, in an aggregate amount of approximately U.S.$15.0 million (Ps.172,448).
In February 2006, affiliates of The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (“DIRECTV”) completed the acquisition of equity interests in Sky, which were formerly held by News Corporation (“News Corp.”) and Liberty Media Corp. (“Liberty Media”). This acquisition included the capitalization of the purchase price of the list of subscribers sold by DIRECTV Mexico to Sky in the aggregate amount of Ps.665,653. As a result of these transactions, the Group’s equity stake in Sky was reduced from 60% to 52.7%, and DIRECTV became the owner of the remaining 47.3% stake. In April 2006, the Group exercised its right to acquire two-thirds of the equity interest in Sky that DIRECTV acquired from Liberty Media. This minority interest acquisition amounted to approximately U.S.$58.7 million (Ps.699,891), and was financed with cash on hand. After this transaction, the Group (i) increased its equity stake in Sky from 52.7% to 58.7%, and DIRECTV became the owner of the remaining 41.3%; and (ii) recognized the excess of the purchase price over the carrying value of this minority interest as a capital distribution made to DIRECTV in the amount of Ps.711,311.
In March 2006, the Group acquired a 50% interest in Televisión Internacional, S. A. de C. V. (“TVI”), a cable television company with a license to operate in the city of Monterrey and surrounding areas, which expires in 2026, in the amount of Ps.798,304, which was substantially paid in cash. In conjunction with this transaction, the Group provided TVI with a short-term financing at the acquisition date in the principal nominal amount of Ps.240,589, with an annual interest rate equal to the Mexican inter-bank rate plus 150 basis points, and maturity in March 2007, and paid a first purchase price adjustment in the second quarter of 2006, in the amount of Ps.19,287. Also, during the first half of 2007, the Group (i) paid a second purchase price adjustment in the amount of Ps.19,155; (ii) recognized a final third purchase price adjustment to be paid in 2008, subject to certain conditions, in the amount of Ps.18,417; and (iii) capitalized all of the amounts receivable from TVI in the aggregate amount of Ps.269,028, in connection with the short-term financing provided at the acquisition date. In the third quarter of 2007, the Group completed a final valuation of this acquisition and recognized a related goodwill in the amount of Ps.405,264. This transaction was approved by the Mexican regulatory authorities in 2007 (see Notes 5 and 7).

 

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Beginning in the third quarter of 2006, the Group announced its intention to have its investment in shares and warrants of Univision common stock cashed out in connection with the merger contemplated by a related agreement entered into by Univision and an acquiring investor group. Accordingly, the Group (i) classified its investment in shares of Univision common stock as a current available-for-sale financial asset; (ii) discontinued the recognition of any equity method result related to this investment; (iii) recorded this financial asset at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses included in the Group’s consolidated stockholders’ equity as accumulated other comprehensive income or loss; and (iv) this financial asset was hedged by the Group’s outstanding Senior Notes due 2011, 2025 and 2032, in the aggregate amount of approximately U.S.$971.9 million. As of December 31, 2006, the Group owned 16,594,500 shares Class “A” and 13,593,034 shares Class “T” of common stock of Univision, as well as warrants to acquire 6,374,864 shares Class “A” and 2,727,136 shares Class “T” of common stock of Univision, most of which had an exercise price of U.S.$38.261 per share and expired in December 2017. Most of the warrants to acquire shares of Univision common stock did not have a carrying value at December 31, 2006, since the exercise price was greater than the tender offer price. The proposed merger was concluded by Univision on March 29, 2007, and the 30,187,534 shares of Univision common stock owned by the Group were converted, like all shares of Univision common stock, into cash at U.S.$36.25 per share. Also, under the terms of the merger agreement, all of the Group’s warrants to acquire shares of Univision common stock were cancelled. The aggregate cash amount received by the Group in connection with the closing of this merger was of approximately U.S.$1,094.4 million (Ps.12,385,515). As a result of this disposition, the Group recognized in consolidated income for the year ended December 31, 2007, a non-cash loss of Ps.669,473 (see Notes 1 (c), 9, 11,14 and 17).
In November 2006, the Group invested U.S.$258 million (Ps.2,943,986) in convertible debentures of Alvafig, S.A. de C.V. (“Alvafig”), which holds 49% of the voting equity of Cablemás. These debentures are convertible into 99.99% of the equity of Alvafig and have a five-year maturity. Annual interest on these debentures is 8% in the first year and 10% in the remaining four years, and is payable on an annual basis. Cablemás is the second largest cable operator in Mexico operating in 48 cities. The conversion of these debentures into equity of Alvafig is subject to approval by the Mexican regulatory authorities and the compliance with certain regulatory requirements. The debentures cannot be called before maturity by the issuer, and are secured by substantially all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Alvafig. In February 2008, the Group made an additional investment of U.S.$100 million (Ps.1,082,560) in convertible debentures of Alvafig, which proceeds were used by this entity to increase its interest in the outstanding equity of Cablemás to approximately 54.6%, and retain a 49% of the voting equity of Cablemás (see Notes 1 (b) and 5).
In August 2007, the Group acquired substantially all of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Editorial Atlántida, S.A. (“Atlántida”), a leading magazine publishing company in Argentina, in the aggregate amount of approximately U.S.$78.8 million (Ps.885,377), which was paid in cash. The Group completed a purchase price allocation of this transaction and recognized a related goodwill in the amount of Ps.668,338 (see Note 7).
In August 2007, the Group announced an agreement signed by Cablestar, S.A. de C.V. (“Cablestar”), an indirect subsidiary of the Company and Empresas Cablevisión, to acquire the majority of the assets of Bestel, S.A. de C.V. (“Bestel”), a Mexican facilities-based telecommunications company engaged in providing data and long-distance services solutions to carriers and other telecommunications service providers through a fiber-optic network of approximately 8,000 kilometers that covers the most important cities and economic regions of Mexico and crosses directly into the United States in the cities of San Antonio, Texas and San Diego, California. In December 2007, after obtaining the approval from the Mexican regulatory authorities, Cablestar completed this transaction by acquiring, at an aggregate purchase price of U.S.$256 million (Ps.2,772,352), all of the outstanding equity of Letseb, S.A. de C.V. (“Letseb”) and Bestel USA, Inc. (“Bestel USA”), the companies that owned the majority of assets of Bestel. In connection with this acquisition: (i) Cablestar made an additional capital contribution to Letseb in the amount of U.S.$69 million (Ps.747,236), which was used by Letseb to pay certain pre-acquisition liabilities; (ii) the Company granted a guarantee to a third-party creditor for any amounts payable in connection with a Letseb’s long-term liability in the amount of U.S.$80 million; (iii) Empresas Cablevisión issued long-term debt to finance this acquisition in the amount of U.S.$225 million (Ps.2,457,495); (iv) Cablemás and TVI made capital contributions for an aggregate amount of U.S.$100 million related to their aggregate 30.8% minority interest in Cablestar; and (v) Cablestar recognized an excess of the purchase price over the carrying value of the acquired net assets in the amount of approximately Ps.1,552,054, based upon a preliminary valuation. The Group expects to complete a final valuation and purchase price allocation of this transaction in the first half of 2008 (see Notes 7 and 8).
3. Trade Notes and Accounts Receivable
Trade notes and accounts receivable as of December 31, consisted of:
                 
    2006     2007  
Non-interest bearing notes received from customers as deposits and advances
  Ps. 12,406,785     Ps. 14,753,180  
Accounts receivable, including value-added tax receivables related to advertising services
    2,773,345       3,507,639  
Allowance for doubtful accounts
    (1,071,428 )     (966,145 )
 
           
 
  Ps. 14,108,702     Ps. 17,294,674  
 
           

 

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4. Transmission Rights and Programming
At December 31, transmission rights and programming consisted of:
                 
    2006     2007  
Transmission rights
  Ps. 3,721,400     Ps. 5,439,918  
Programming
    3,004,281       2,967,511  
 
           
 
    6,725,681       8,407,429  
 
           
Non-current portion of:
               
Transmission rights
    1,950,823       3,626,320  
Programming
    1,606,915       1,626,428  
 
           
 
    3,557,738       5,252,748  
 
           
Current portion of transmission rights and programming
  Ps. 3,167,943     Ps. 3,154,681  
 
           
5. Investments
At December 31, the Group had the following investments:
                         
                    Ownership%  
                    as of December 31,  
    2006     2007     2007  
Accounted for by the equity method:
                       
Cablemás(a)
  Ps. 2,978,532     Ps. 3,208,265       49%  
La Sexta (see Note 2)
    757,166       1,238,576       40%  
Ocesa Entretenimiento, S. A. de C. V. (“OCEN”)(b)
    522,808       448,158       40%  
Volaris (see Note 2)
    266,970       202,949       25%  
TVI (see Note 2)
    101,407       324,508       50%  
Other
    99,518       132,758          
 
                   
 
    4,726,401       5,555,214          
 
                   
Other investments:
                       
Held-to-maturity debt securities (see Note 1(g))(c)
    940,238       2,525,204          
TVI (see Note 2)
    266,378                
Other
    26,856       35,166          
 
                   
 
    1,233,472       2,560,370          
 
                   
 
  Ps. 5,959,873     Ps. 8,115,584          
 
                   
 
     
(a)  
The Group has identified Alvafig as a variable interest entity, and the Group as the primary beneficiary of the investment in this entity. Hence, the assets of Alvafig, consisting of a 49% equity interest in Cablemás (including goodwill of Ps.1,870,393), as well as its liabilities and results of operations have been included in the consolidated financial statements of the Company (see Notes 1 (b) and 2).
 
(b)  
OCEN is a majority-owned subsidiary of Corporación Interamericana de Entretenimiento, S.A. de C.V. (“CIE”), and is engaged in the live entertainment business in Mexico. In the third quarter of 2006, and in the second and third quarter of 2007, OCEN paid dividends to the Group in the aggregate amount of Ps.106,429 and Ps.94,382 respectively (see Note 16).
 
(c)  
Held-to-maturity securities represent structured notes and corporate fixed income securities with long-term maturities. These investments are stated at cost.

 

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The Group recognized equity in comprehensive income (loss) of affiliates for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, as follows:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net
  Ps. 172,913     Ps. (624,843 )   Ps. (749,299 )
Equity in other comprehensive (loss) income of affiliates:
                       
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net
    (313,807 )     578,481       171,297  
Result from holding non-monetary assets, net
    (960 )     (7,161 )     2,151  
(Loss) gain on equity accounts, net
    (204,485 )     57,930       5,382  
 
                 
 
  Ps. (346,339 )   Ps. 4,407     Ps. (570,469 )
 
                 
6. Property, Plant and Equipment, Net
Property, plant and equipment as of December 31, consisted of:
                 
    2006     2007  
Buildings
  Ps. 8,709,933     Ps. 9,178,003  
Buildings improvements
    1,694,047       1,715,965  
Technical equipment(1)
    20,875,135       26,330,386  
Satellite transponders
    1,757,780       1,789,890  
Furniture and fixtures
    597,683       672,426  
Transportation equipment
    1,310,538       1,411,444  
Computer equipment
    1,653,994       2,162,639  
 
           
 
    36,599,110       43,260,753  
Accumulated depreciation
    (20,180,600 )     (22,750,195 )
 
           
 
    16,418,510       20,510,558  
Land
    4,138,684       4,232,721  
Construction in progress
    1,207,231       428,052  
 
           
 
  Ps. 21,764,425     Ps. 25,171,331  
 
           
 
     
(1)  
In 2007 includes telecommunications facilities in connection with the acquisition of Letseb and Bestel USA (see Note 2).
At December 31, 2006 and 2007, the Group’s Mexican subsidiaries had technical, transportation and computer equipment of non-Mexican origin totaling Ps.5,022,958 and Ps.5,029,332, respectively, net of accumulated depreciation (see Note 1(h)).
Had the NCPI been applied to restate all of the Group’s net equipment, the net balance of property, plant and equipment as of December 31, 2006 and 2007 would have been Ps.22,032,839 and Ps.25,190,443, respectively.
Depreciation charged to income in 2005, 2006 and 2007 was Ps.2,250,354, Ps.2,438,234 and Ps.2,793,310, respectively.
Satellite transponders are recorded as an asset equal to the net present value of committed payments under a 15-year service agreement entered into with Intelsat Corporation (“Intelsat”, formerly PanAmSat Corporation) for 12 KU-band transponders on Intelsat’s satellite IS-9 (see Note 8). As of December 31, 2006 and 2007, satellite transponders, net of accumulated depreciation, amounted to Ps.1,015,607 and Ps.914,832, respectively.

 

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7. Intangible Assets and Deferred Charges, Net
The balances of intangible assets and deferred charges as of December 31, were as follows (see Note 1(i)):
                                                 
    2006     2007  
    Gross                     Gross              
    Carrying     Accumulated     Net Carrying     Carrying     Accumulated     Net Carrying  
    Amount     Amortization     Amount     Amount     Amortization     Amount  
Intangible assets with indefinite lives:
                                               
Goodwill
                  Ps. 2,267,077                     Ps. 3,978,277  
Publishing and TVI trademarks
                    602,741                       806,278  
Television network concession
                    650,603                       650,603  
TVI concession
                    147,108                       262,925  
Telecom concession
                                          29,113  
Intangible assets with finite lives and deferred charges:
                                               
Licenses and software
  Ps. 845,232     Ps. (475,648 )     369,584     Ps. 1,026,841     Ps. (632,998 )     393,843  
Subscriber list Sky
    615,449       (302,041 )     313,408       749,945       (461,509 )     288,436  
Subscriber list TVI
    50,887             50,887       52,495       (13,011 )     39,484  
Leasehold improvements
    280,282       (71,825 )     208,457       821,257       (138,663 )     682,594  
Other intangible assets
    266,175       (127,657 )     138,518       294,035       (157,214 )     136,821  
Deferred financing costs (see Note 8)
    1,085,933       (241,621 )     844,312       1,107,744       (277,451 )     830,293  
 
                                   
 
  Ps. 3,143,958     Ps. (1,218,792 )   Ps. 5,592,695     Ps. 4,052,317     Ps. (1,680,846 )   Ps. 8,098,667  
 
                                   
Amortization of intangible assets with finite lives (other than goodwill) and deferred financing costs charged to income in 2005, 2006 and 2007, was Ps.458,557, Ps.424,958 and Ps.478,063, respectively, of which Ps.51,903, Ps.49,849 and Ps.48,303 in 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively, were recorded as interest expense (see Note 18) and Ps.45,379 and Ps.33,571 in 2005 and 2006, respectively, were recorded as other expense in connection with the extinguishment of long-term debt (see Note 17).
The changes in the net carrying amount of goodwill and trademarks for the year ended December 31, 2007, were as follows:
                                                 
                    Foreign                        
    Balance as of             Currency                     Balance as of  
    December 31,             Translation     Adjustments/     Impairment     December 31,  
    2006     Acquisitions     Adjustments     Reclassifications     Adjustments     2007  
Goodwill:
                                               
Television Broadcasting(1)
  Ps. 1,403,519     Ps.     Ps.     Ps.     Ps. (493,693 )   Ps. 909,826  
Cable and Telecom
          1,552,054                         1,552,054  
Publishing Distribution
    24,544       668,338       (2,773 )                 690,109  
Other Businesses
    39,406                               39,406  
Equity-method investees(2)
    799,608       269,028             (281,754 )           786,882  
 
                                   
 
  Ps. 2,267,077     Ps. 2,489,420     Ps. (2,773 )   Ps. (281,754 )   Ps. (493,693 )   Ps. 3,978,277  
 
                                   
Trademarks(3):
                                               
Publishing
  Ps. 552,731     Ps. 141,093     Ps. 1,242     Ps.     Ps.     Ps. 695,066  
Telecom
          21,860                         21,860  
TVI
    50,010       39,342                         89,352  
 
                                   
 
  Ps. 602,741     Ps. 202,295     Ps. 1,242     Ps.     Ps.     Ps. 806,278  
 
                                   
 
     
(1)  
See Note 17.
 
(2)  
See Note 5.
 
(3)  
See Note 2.

 

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8. Long-term Debt and Satellite Transponder Lease Obligation
Long-term debt and satellite transponder lease obligation outstanding as of December 31, were as follows:
                 
    2006     2007  
U.S. dollar debt:
               
8% Senior Notes due 2011(1)(2)
  Ps. 806,468     Ps. 785,863  
8.50% Senior Notes due 2032(1)
    3,362,570       3,276,660  
6.625% Senior Notes due 2025(1)(2)
    6,725,139       6,553,320  
9.375% Senior Notes due 2013(3)(8)
    126,108       122,886  
JPMorgan Chase Bank loan facility(4)
          2,457,495  
Other(5)
    38,943       33,032  
Mexican peso debt:
               
8.49% Senior Notes due 2037(1)(6)
          4,500,000  
8.15% UDI-denominated Notes due 2007(2)(6)(7)
    1,017,093        
Bank loans(3)(8)
    7,410,945       7,142,460  
Other currency debt
    436       50,321  
 
           
Total long-term debt
    19,487,702       24,922,037  
Less: Current portion
    1,023,445       488,650  
 
           
Long-term debt, net of current portion
  Ps. 18,464,257     Ps. 24,433,387  
 
           
Satellite transponder lease obligation(9)
  Ps. 1,251,946     Ps. 1,132,830  
Less: Current portion
    89,415       97,696  
 
           
Satellite transponder lease obligation, net of current portion
  Ps. 1,162,531     Ps. 1,035,134  
 
           
 
     
(1)  
These Senior Notes are unsecured obligations of the Company, rank equally in right of payment with all existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company, and are junior in right of payment to all of the existing and future liabilities of the Company’s subsidiaries. Interest on the Senior Notes due 2011, 2025, 2032 and 2037, including additional amounts payable in respect of certain Mexican withholding taxes, is 8.41%, 6.97%, 8.94% and 8.93% per annum, respectively, and is payable semi-annually. These Senior Notes may not be redeemed prior to maturity, except in the event of certain changes in law affecting the Mexican withholding tax treatment of certain payments on the securities, in which case the securities will be redeemable, as a whole but not in part, at the option of the Company. The Senior Notes due 2011 and 2032 were priced at 98.793% and 99.431%, respectively, for a yield to maturity of 8.179% and 8.553%, respectively. The agreement of these Senior Notes contains covenants that limit the ability of the Company and certain restricted subsidiaries engaged in Television Broadcasting, Pay Television Networks and Programming Exports, to incur or assume liens, perform sale and leaseback transactions, and consummate certain mergers, consolidations and similar transactions. Substantially all of these Senior Notes are registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
 
(2)  
In March and May 2005, the Company issued these Senior Notes in the aggregate amount of U.S.$400.0 million and U.S.$200.0 million, respectively, which were priced at 98.081% and 98.632%, respectively, for a yield to maturity of 6.802% and 6.787%, respectively. The net proceeds of the U.S.$400.0 million issuance, together with cash on hand, were used to fund the Group’s tender offers made for any or all of the Senior Notes due 2011 and the UDI-denominated Notes due 2007, and prepay a portion of the outstanding principal amount of these securities in the amount of approximately U.S.$222.0 million and Ps.3,045,427 (nominal Ps.2,935,097), respectively. The net proceeds of the U.S.$200.0 million issuance were used for corporate purposes, including the prepayment of some of the Group’s outstanding indebtedness.
 
(3)  
These Senior Notes are unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of Sky. Interest on these Senior Notes, including additional amounts payable in respect of certain Mexican withholding taxes, is 9.8580%, and is payable semi-annually. Sky may, at its own option, redeem these Senior Notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after September 19, 2008 at redemption prices from 104.6875% to 101.5625% between September 19, 2008 through September 18, 2011, or 100% commencing on September 19, 2011, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. In March and April 2006, Sky entered into two 10-year loans with Mexican banks in the aggregate principal amount of Ps.3,500,000 to fund, together with cash on hand, a tender offer and consent solicitation made for any or all of the Senior Notes due 2013, and prepaid a principal amount of approximately U.S.$288.7 million or 96.2% of these securities. The total aggregate amount paid by Sky in connection with this tender offer was of approximately U.S.$324.3 million, which included related consents and accrued and unpaid interest. The 10-year Sky indebtedness is guaranteed by the Company and includes a nominal Ps.2,100,000 loan with an annual interest rate of 8.74% and a Ps.1,400,000 loan with an annual interest rate of 8.98% for the first three years, and the Mexican interbank interest rate of “TIIE” plus 24 basis points for the remaining seven years. Interest on these two 10-year loans is payable on a monthly basis.
 
(4)  
In December 2007, Empresas Cablevisión entered into a 5-year term loan facility in the aggregate principal amount of U.S.$225 million in connection with the financing for the acquisition of Letseb and Bestel USA (see Note 2). This loan is intended to be syndicated during the life of the facility. Annual interest on this loan facility is payable on a quarterly basis at LIBOR plus an applicable margin that may range from 0.375% to 0.625% depending on a leverage ratio. Under the terms of the loan facility, Empresas Cablevisión and subsidiaries are required to (a) maintain certain financial coverage ratios related to indebtedness and interest expense, and (b) comply with certain restrictive covenants, primarily on debt, liens, investments and acquisitions, capital expenditures, asset sales, consolidations, mergers and similar transactions.

 

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(5)  
Includes notes payable to banks, bearing annual interest rates in a range of 0.11 to 1.25 points above LIBOR. The maturities of these notes are between 2008 and 2010.
 
(6)  
In May 2007, the Company issued these Senior Notes in the aggregate principal amount of Ps.4,500,000. The net proceeds from this issuance were used to replenish the Group’s cash position following the payment, with cash on hand, of approximately Ps.992,900 of our outstanding 8.15% UDI-denominated Notes that matured in April 2007 and for the repurchase of the Company’s shares. The Group intends to use the remaining net proceeds from this issuance for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of other outstanding indebtedness and the continued repurchase of the Company’s shares, subject to market conditions and other factors. The Company may, at its own option, redeem these Senior Notes, in whole or in part, at any time at a redemption price equal to the greater of the principal amount of the Senior Notes or the present value of future cash flows, at the redemption date, of principal and interest amounts of the Senior Notes discounted at a fixed rate of comparable Mexican Government Bonds.
 
(7)  
Notes denominated in Mexican Investment Units (“Unidades de Inversión” or “UDIs”), representing 258,711,400 UDIs at December 31, 2006. Interest on these notes was payable semi-annually. The balance as of December 31, 2006 includes restatement of Ps.275,561.
 
(8)  
Includes in 2006 and 2007, outstanding balances of long-term loans in the principal amount of Ps.480,000, Ps.1,162,460 and Ps.2,000,000, in connection with certain credit agreements entered into by the Company with a Mexican bank, with various maturities from 2008 through 2012. Interest on these loans is, in a range of 8.925% to 10.350% per annum, and is payable on a monthly basis. Under the terms of these credit agreements, the Company and certain restricted subsidiaries engaged in television broadcasting, pay television networks and programming exports are required to maintain (a) certain financial coverage ratios related to indebtedness and interest expense; and (b) certain restrictive covenants on indebtedness, dividend payments, issuance and sale of capital stock, and liens. The balance in 2006 and 2007 also includes the Sky long-term loans discussed in paragraph (3) above mentioned in the aggregate principal amount of Ps.3,500,000.
 
(9)  
Sky is committed to pay a monthly fee of U.S.$1.7 million under a capital lease agreement entered into with Intelsat Corporation (formerly PanAmSat Corporation) in February 1999 for satellite signal reception and retransmission service from 12 KU-band transponders on satellite IS-9, which became operational in September 2000. The service term for IS-9 will end at the earlier of (a) the end of 15 years or (b) the date IS-9 is taken out of service. The obligations of Sky under the IS-9 agreement are proportionately guaranteed by the Company and the other Sky equity owners in relation to their respective ownership interests (see Notes 6 and 11).
Maturities of Debt and Satellite Transponder Lease Obligation
Debt maturities for the years subsequent to December 31, 2007, are as follows:
         
2008
  Ps. 488,650  
2009
    1,167,321  
2010
    1,034,705  
2011
    787,412  
2012
    3,459,190  
Thereafter
    17,984,759  
 
     
 
  Ps. 24,922,037  
 
     
Future minimum payments under satellite transponder lease obligation for the years subsequent to December 31, 2007, are as follows:
         
2008
  Ps. 222,813  
2009
    222,813  
2010
    222,813  
2011
    222,813  
2012
    222,813  
Thereafter
    595,174  
 
     
 
    1,709,239  
Less: amount representing interest
    576,409  
 
     
 
  Ps. 1,132,830  
 
     
9. Financial Instruments
The Group’s financial instruments recorded on the balance sheet include cash, temporary investments, accounts and notes receivable, the available-for-sale investment in Univision classified as a current financial asset as of December 31, 2006 (see Note 2), debt securities classified as held-to-maturity investments, accounts payable, debt and derivative financial instruments. For cash, temporary investments, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and short-term notes payable due to banks and other financial institutions, the carrying amounts approximate fair value due to the short maturity of these instruments. The available-for-sale investment in Univision and the debt securities classified as available-for-sale investments are recorded at fair value. The fair value of the Group’s long-term debt securities are based on quoted market prices. Escrow deposits (see Note 5) bear interest at market rates and the carrying value approximates fair value.

 

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The fair value of warrants to purchase shares of common stock of Univision was based upon an option pricing model. The fair value of the long-term loans that the Group borrowed from leading Mexican banks (see Note 8) was estimated using the borrowing rates currently available to the Group for bank loans with similar terms and average maturities. The fair value of held-to-maturity securities, and currency option, interest rate swap and share put option agreements was based on quotes obtained from financial institutions.
The carrying and estimated fair values of the Group’s financial instruments at December 31, were as follows:
                                 
    2006     2007  
    Carrying Value     Fair Value     Carrying Value     Fair Value  
Non-derivative financial instruments:
                               
Assets:
                               
Available-for-sale investment in Univision (see Note 2)
  Ps. 12,266,318     Ps. 12,266,318     Ps.     Ps.  
Held-to-maturity securities (see Note 5)
    1,185,767       1,185,767       2,525,204       2,525,204  
Liabilities:
                               
Senior Notes due 2011, 2025 and 2032
  Ps. 10,894,177     Ps. 12,117,806     Ps. 10,615,843     Ps. 11,654,879  
Senior Notes due 2037
                4,500,000       4,280,581  
Other long-term debt securities
    126,108       133,022       122,886       132,717  
UDI-denominated long-term securities
    1,017,093       1,033,993              
Long-term notes payable to Mexican banks
    7,410,945       7,598,921       7,142,460       7,403,793  
Syndicated loan facility
                2,457,495       2,456,471  
Derivative financial instruments:
                               
Assets:
                               
Sky’s interest rate swaps(a)
  Ps. 737     Ps. 737     Ps. 36,040     Ps. 36,040  
Sky’s foreign currency forwards(b)
                999       999  
Interest rate cross currency swaps(c)
                19,397       19,397  
Liabilities:
                               
Interest rate treasury lock(d)
  Ps.     Ps.     Ps. 77,595     Ps. 77,595  
Interest rate swaps(e)
    327,499       327,499       197,891       197,891  
 
     
(a)  
In February 2004, Sky entered into coupon swap agreements to hedge a portion of its U.S. dollar foreign exchange exposure related to its Senior Notes due 2013. Under these transactions, Sky receives semi-annual payments calculated based on the aggregate notional amount of U.S.$11.3 million at an annual rate of 9.375%, and Sky makes monthly payments calculated based on an aggregate notional amount of approximately Ps.123,047 at an annual rate of 10.25%. These transactions will terminate in September 2008. As of December 31, 2006 and 2007, Sky recorded the change in fair value of these transactions in the integral cost of financing (foreign exchange loss).
 
(b)  
As of December 31, 2007, Sky had foreign currency forward contracts to cover a portion of its foreign currency cash flow requirements for an aggregate amount of U.S.$15 million to exchange U.S. dollars and Mexican pesos in 2008 at an average exchange rate of Ps.10.89 per U.S.$1.00 dollar.
 
(c)  
In December 2007, in connection with the issuance of its U.S.$225 million long-term debt, Empresas Cablevisión entered into cross currency swaps agreements to hedge interest rate risk and foreign currency exchange risk on such long-term debt.
 
(d)  
In the third quarter of 2007, the Company entered into interest rate lock agreements to hedge the risk that the cost of a future issuance of fixed-rate debt may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates. Under these agreements, the Company agrees to pay or receive an amount equal to the difference between the net present value of the cash flows for a notional principal amount of indebtedness based on the existing yield of a U.S. treasury bond at the date when the agreements are established and at the date when the agreements are settled.
 
   
The notional amounts of the agreements are not exchanged. Interest rate lock agreements are reflected at fair value in the Group’s consolidated balance sheet and the related gains or losses on these agreements are recognized in income as integral cost of financing (interest expense). At December 31, 2007, the Company had outstanding interest rate lock agreements for an aggregate U.S.$150.0 million notional principal amount of indebtedness.
 
(e)  
In order to reduce the adverse effects of exchange rates on the Senior Notes due 2011, 2025 and 2032, during 2004 and 2005, the Company entered into interest rate swap agreements with various financial institutions that allow the Company to hedge against Mexican peso depreciation on interest payments for a period of five years. Under these transactions, the Company receives semi-annual payments based on the aggregate notional amount U.S.$890 million as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, at an average annual rate of 7.37%, and the Company makes semi-annual payments based on an aggregate notional amount of approximately Ps.9,897,573 as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, at an average annual rate of 8.28%, without an exchange of the notional amount upon which the payments are based. In the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, the Company recorded a loss and (gain) of Ps.91,550 and Ps.(1,440), respectively, in the integral cost of financing (foreign exchange loss) derived of the change in fair value of these transactions. In November 2005, the Group entered into option contracts that allow the counterparty to extend the maturity of the swap agreements for one additional year on the notional amount of U.S.$890.0 million.

 

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10. Pension Plans, Seniority Premiums and Severance Indemnities
Certain companies in the Group have collective bargaining contracts which include defined benefit pension plans for substantially all of their employees. Additionally, the Group has a defined benefit pension plan for executives. All pension benefits are based on salary and years of service rendered.
Under the provisions of the Mexican labor law, seniority premiums are payable based on salary and years of service, to employees who resign or are terminated prior to reaching retirement age. Some companies in the Group have seniority premium benefits which are greater than the legal requirement. After retirement age employees are no longer eligible for seniority premiums.
Pension and seniority premium amounts are actuarially determined by using real assumptions (net of inflation) and attributing the present value of all future expected benefits proportionately over each year from date of hire to age 65. The Group used a 4% discount rate and 2% salary scale for 2005, 2006 and 2007. The Group used a 5%, 5.4% and 9.3% return on assets rate for 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively. The Group makes voluntary contributions from time to time to trusts for the pension and seniority premium plans which are generally deductible for tax purposes. As of December 31, 2006 and 2007, plan assets were invested in a portfolio that primarily consisted of debt and equity securities, including shares of the Company. Pension and seniority premium benefits are paid when they become due.
The pension plan, seniority premium and severance indemnity liability (see Note 1(n)) as of December 31, was as follows:
                 
    2006     2007  
Pension plans:
               
Actuarial present value of benefit obligations:
               
Vested benefit obligations
  Ps. 318,167     Ps. 329,413  
Non-vested benefit obligations
    352,767       374,373  
 
           
Accumulated benefit obligation
    670,934       703,786  
Benefit attributable to projected salaries
    163,189       168,381  
 
           
Projected benefit obligation
    834,123       872,167  
Plan assets
    1,254,603       1,153,205  
 
           
Plan assets in excess of projected benefit obligation
    420,480       281,038  
 
           
Items to be amortized over a period from 5 to 18 years:
               
Transition obligation
    120,534       107,436  
Unrecognized prior service cost
    (13,851 )     (11,828 )
Unrecognized net gain
    (644,624 )     (435,665 )
 
           
 
    (537,941 )     (340,057 )
 
           
Net projected liability
    (117,461 )     (59,019 )
 
           
Seniority premiums:
               
Actuarial present value of benefit obligations:
               
Vested benefit obligations
    145,616       148,016  
Non-vested benefit obligations
    104,796       95,142  
 
           
Accumulated benefit obligation
    250,412       243,158  
Benefit attributable to projected salaries
    19,676       18,783  
 
           
Projected benefit obligation
    270,088       261,941  
Plan assets
    548,355       475,525  
 
           
Plan assets in excess of projected benefit obligation
    278,267       213,584  
 
           
Items to be amortized over a period from 5 to 8 years:
               
Transition obligation
    105,790       83,912  
Unrecognized prior service cost
    (115,726 )     (106,446 )
Unrecognized net gain
    (92,444 )     (7,569 )
 
           
 
    (102,380 )     (30,103 )
 
           

 

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    2006     2007  
Net projected asset
    175,887       183,481  
 
           
Severance indemnities:
               
Actuarial present value of benefit obligations:
               
Non-vested benefit obligations
    342,472       386,180  
 
           
Accumulated benefit obligation
    342,472       386,180  
Benefit attributable to projected salaries
    27,907       27,521  
 
           
Projected benefit obligation
    370,379       413,701  
Plan assets
           
 
           
Projected benefit obligation in excess of plan assets
    (370,379 )     (413,701 )
 
           
Items to be amortized over a period from 5 to 6 years:
               
Unrecognized net loss (gain)
    14,129       (25,682 )
 
           
Net projected liability
    (356,250 )     (439,383 )
 
           
Total labor liabilities
  Ps. (297,824 )   Ps. (314,921 )
 
           
The components of net periodic pension, seniority premium and severance indemnity plan cost (income) as of December 31, consist of the following:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Service cost
  Ps. 89,698     Ps. 96,435     Ps. 97,878  
Interest cost
    47,212       52,896       55,804  
Expected return on plan assets
    (60,251 )     (81,152 )     (168,141 )
Net amortization and deferral
    20,216       8,421       (9,280 )
 
                 
Net cost (income)
  Ps. 96,875     Ps. 76,600     Ps. (23,739 )
 
                 
11. Commitments and Contingencies
At December 31, 2007, the Group had commitments in an aggregate amount of Ps.173,664, of which Ps.83,446 were commitments related to gaming operations, Ps.45,557 were commitments to acquire television technical equipment, Ps.40,042, were commitments for the acquisition of software and related services, and Ps.4,619 were construction commitments for building improvements and technical facilities.
In the second half of 2005, the Group entered into a series of agreements with EMI Group PLC (“EMI”), a world leading recording music company, by which (i) a 50/50 joint venture music company (“Televisa EMI Music”) was created in Mexico in October 2005; and (ii) the Group became a 50/50 partner of EMI’s U.S. Latin music operations (“EMI Televisa Music”) beginning September 1, 2005. In accordance with the terms of such agreements, and under certain specific circumstances, (i) in the case of Televisa EMI Music, either party will have the right to acquire the other party’s interest in Televisa EMI Music in accordance with an agreed formula, and (ii) in the case of EMI Televisa Music, the Group may require EMI to purchase or EMI may require the Group to sell its 50% interest in the U.S. venture operations. These joint ventures did not require any significant capital funding by the Group during 2006 and 2007. The Group may fund up to 50% of certain working capital requirements of EMI Televisa Music during 2008, in the form of long-term loans.
At December 31, 2007, the Group had the following aggregate minimum annual commitments for the use of satellite transponders (other than transponders for DTH television services described below):
         
    Thousands of  
    U.S. Dollars  
2008
  U.S.$ 14,665  
2009
    11,006  
2010
    5,938  
2011
    4,740  
2012 and thereafter
    13,726  
 
     
 
  U.S.$ 50,075  
 
     
The Group has guaranteed a 58.7% of Sky minimum commitments for use of satellite transponders over a period ending in 2015. As of December 31, 2007, this guarantee is estimated to be an aggregate of approximately U.S.$92.8 million (undiscounted) as of December 31, 2007 (see Notes 2, 8 and 9).

 

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The Company has guaranteed the obligation of Sky for direct loans in an aggregate amount of Ps.3,500,000, which are reflected in the December 31, 2007 balance sheet as liabilities (see Note 8).
The Group leases facilities, primarily for its Gaming business, under operating leases expiring through 2046. The Group’s Gaming business started operations in the second quarter of 2007. As of December 31, 2007, non-cancellable annual lease commitments (undiscounted) are as follows:
         
2008
  Ps. 174,250  
2009
    148,242  
2010
    130,453  
2011
    75,160  
2012
    24,086  
Thereafter
    120,709  
 
     
 
  Ps. 672,900  
 
     
At December 31, 2007, the Group had commitments of capital contributions to be made in 2008 related to its 40% equity interest in La Sexta in the aggregate amount of approximately 44.4 million euros (Ps.707,465) (see Notes 2 and 5).
In June 2003, the Company was notified by the Mexican tax authority of a federal tax claim made against the Company for an alleged asset tax liability for the year 1994. As of December 31, 2007, the Company accrued Ps.71,313 to settle this claim in accordance with a tax amnesty provided by the Mexican tax law.
During 2006 and 2007, the Group filed petitions with Mexican Federal Courts in response to assertions made by the Mexican tax authorities that the Group owed withheld income taxes in connection with the acquisition of exclusivity rights of certain soccer players from foreign entities in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. As of December 31, 2007, the Group accrued Ps.16,796 to settle this caim in accordance with a tax amnesty provided by the Mexican tax law (see Note 17).
There are other various legal actions and other claims pending against the Group incidental to its businesses and operations. In the opinion of the Group’s management, none of these proceedings will have a material adverse effect on the Group’s financial position or results of operations.
In November 2007, Sky and Sky Brasil Servicos Ltda. (“Sky Brasil”) reached an agreement with Intelsat Corporation, and an affiliate, to build and launch a new 24-transponder satellite (“IS-16”) for which service will be dedicated to Sky and Sky Brasil over the satellite’s estimated 15-year service life. The IS-16, which is expected to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2009, will provide back up for both platforms, and will also double Sky’s current capacity. The agreement considers the payment related to Sky of a one-time fixed fee in the aggregate amount of U.S.$138.6 million that will be paid in two installments, the first one of U.S.$27.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2009, and the second one of U.S.$110.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. The agreement also considers the payment related to Sky of a monthly service fee of U.S.$150 thousand to be paid from the start of service date through September 2015.
Univision
In May 2005, Televisa, S.A. de C.V. (“Televisa”), a subsidiary of the Company, filed a complaint (which was subsequently amended) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (the “Court”) alleging that Univision breached the Second Amended and Restated Program License Agreement entered into as of December 19, 2001 (the “PLA”) between Televisa Internacional, S.A. de C.V., a predecessor company, and Univision, as well as the December 19, 2001 letter agreement between Televisa and Univision relating to soccer broadcast rights (the “Soccer Agreement”), among other claims (“District Court Action”). Univision filed related answers denying all allegations and asserting affirmative defenses, as well as related counterclaims against Televisa and the Company. Univision also claimed that the Company had breached other agreements between the parties, including a Participation Agreement entered into as of October 2, 1996 and a Telefutura Production Services Agreement. In addition, Univision claimed that the Company breached a Guaranty dated December 19, 2001, by which, among other things, the Company guaranteed that the Company’s affiliates (including Televisa) would produce a specified minimum number of novellas.

 

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During 2006, Televisa and the Company answered the counterclaims, denying them and asserting affirmative defenses based on Univision’s alleged breaches of the agreements, including the PLA, the Guaranty and the Soccer Agreement. Televisa also amended its complaint again, adding the Company as a plaintiff. In their amended complaint, Televisa and the Company asked for a declaration by the Court that they had the right to suspend their performance under and to terminate the PLA, the Guaranty and the Soccer Agreement as a result of Univision’s alleged material breaches of those agreements. Univision filed amended counterclaims, seeking, among other things, a declaration by the Court that Televisa and the Company do not have the right to terminate or suspend performance of their obligations under the PLA or the Soccer Agreement. Also, in 2006, Televisa filed a separate lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court, State of California seeking a judicial determination that on or after December 19, 2006, Televisa may transmit or permit others to transmit any television programming into the United States from Mexico by means of the Internet. That lawsuit was stayed. In October 2006, Univision added a new counterclaim in the District Court Action for a judicial declaration that on or after December 19, 2006, Televisa may not transmit or permit others to transmit any television programming into the United States by means of the Internet.
During 2005, 2006 and 2007, in connection with the Company’s complaint in the District Court Action, Univision made payments to the Group under protest of the disputed royalties and of other license fees that Univision alleges have been overcharged, and is seeking recovery of these amounts via its counterclaims. The Group has recognized these payments made by Univision as customer deposits and advances in its consolidated balance sheets (see Note 16).
After a continuance motion, in June 2007, the Court, among other things, reset the trial date for January 18, 2008 in the District Court Action. After an additional continuance motion, in October 2007, the Court reset the trial date in the District Court Action for March 18, 2008.
In October 2007, Univision filed a motion for summary judgment whereby it sought a judgment from the Court that its claimed breaches of the long-term PLA between Univision and Televisa were not material and therefore the PLA was not subject to termination by Televisa. On December 21, 2007, the Court issued its order denying Univision’s motion for summary judgment.
On January 11, 2008, Univision filed a motion to continue the trial to October 2008. Televisa opposed Univision’s motion. On February 5, 2008, the Court denied Univision’s motion to continue the trial date, and rescheduled the trial in the District Court Action for April 29, 2008.
On April 6, 2008, Univision dismissed without prejudice its counterclaims against Televisa with the exception of its claim for recoupment of disputed royalty payments made to the Company on the protest and its claim for a judicial declaration that, on or after December 19, 2006, Televisa would not transmit or permit others to transmit any television programming into the United States by means of the internet.
On April 22, 2008, the Court in the District Court Action conducted a final pre-trial conference. During the final pre-trial conference, the Court confirmed that the trial would commence on April 29, 2008. Further, the Court ordered that the trial of the Univision Internet Counterclaim will be bifurcated and tried by the Court after the conclusion of the jury trial regarding Televisa’s claims and Univision’s recoupment counterclaim.
On April 28, 2008, at the request of Televisa and Univision, the Court reset the trial date in the District Court Action for July 1, 2008. On June 12, 2008, at the request of Televisa and Univision, the Court further postponed the trial date for October 14, 2008.
The Group cannot predict how its overall business relationship with Univision will be affected by this dispute. The Group believes the counterclaims and affirmative defenses made by Univision are without merit and will defend vigorously.
12. Capital Stock, Stock Purchase Plan and Long-term Retention Plan
Capital Stock
The Company has four classes of capital stock: Series “A” Shares, Series “B” Shares, Series “D” Shares and Series “L” Shares, with no par value. The Series “A” Shares and Series “B” Shares are common shares. The Series “D” Shares are limited-voting and preferred dividend shares, with a preference upon liquidation. The Series “L” Shares are limited-voting shares.
The Company’s shares are publicly traded in Mexico, primarily in the form of Ordinary Participation Certificates (“CPOs”), each CPO representing 117 shares comprised of 25 Series “A” Shares, 22 Series “B” Shares, 35 Series “D” Shares and 35 Series “L” Shares; and in the United States in the form of Global Depositary Shares (“GDS”), each GDS representing five CPOs (before March 22, 2006 each GDS was represented by 20 CPOs). Non-Mexican holders of CPOs do not have voting rights with respect to the Series “A”, Series “B” and Series “D” Shares.

 

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At December 31, 2007, shares of capital stock and CPOs consisted of (in millions):
                                         
    Authorized     Repurchased     Acquired by a     Acquired by a        
    and     by the     Company’s     Company’s        
    Issued(1)     Company(2)     Trust(3)     Subsidiary(4)     Outstanding  
Series “A” Shares
    121,709.7       (1,254.1 )     (7,164.8 )     (1,177.6 )     112,113.2  
Series “B” Shares
    57,606.3       (1,103.6 )     (3,806.7 )     (602.2 )     52,093.8  
Series “D” Shares
    87,896.5       (1,755.7 )     (2,339.2 )     (925.0 )     82,876.6  
Series “L” Shares
    87,896.5       (1,755.7 )     (2,339.2 )     (925.0 )     82,876.6  
 
                             
Total shares
    355,109.0       (5,869.1 )     (15,649.9 )     (3,629.8 )     329,960.2  
 
                             
Shares in the form of CPOs
    293,824.8       (5,869.1 )     (7,819.8 )     (3,092.2 )     277,043.7  
 
                             
CPOs
    2,511.3       (50.2 )     (66.8 )     (26.4 )     2,367.9  
 
                             
 
     
(1)  
As of December 31, 2007, the authorized and issued capital stock amounted to Ps.10,267,570 (nominal Ps.2,427,353).
 
(2)  
In 2005, 2006 and 2007, the Company repurchased 3,645.5 million, 6,714.1 million and 7,861.2 million shares in the form of 31.2 million, 57.4 million and 67.2 million CPOs, respectively, in the amount of Ps.1,150,000, Ps.2,692,926 and Ps.4,049,902, respectively, in connection with a share repurchase program that was approved by the Company’s stockholders and exercised at the discretion of management. In April 2006, the Company’s stockholders approved (i) the cancellation of 5,888.5 million shares of capital stock in the form of 50.3 million CPOs, which were repurchased by the Company under this program in 2004, 2005 and 2006; and (ii) up to 15% of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock as the amount of shares that can be repurchased by the Company. In April 2007, the Company’s stockholders approved (i) the cancellation of 8,275.8 million shares of capital stock in the form of 70.7 million CPOs, which were repurchased by the Company in 2006 and 2007.
 
(3)  
In connection with the Company’s Long-Term Retention Plan described below.
 
(4)  
In connection with the Company’s Stock Purchase Plan described below.
On December 21, 2006, the Company’s stockholders approved certain changes to the Company’s bylaws to conform with applicable regulations for Mexican public companies in accordance with the Mexican Stock Market law, which became effective in June 2006. These changes included, among others, the creation of a corporate practice committee, additional duties for the audit committee, more specific responsibilities for members of the board of directors and the corporate executive officer, and a new name for the nature of company under which the Company’s is incorporated, which changed from “Sociedad Anónima” or “S.A.” (limited liability company) to “Sociedad Anónima Bursátil” or “S.A.B.” (public limited liability company).
Under the Company’s bylaws, the Company’s Board of Directors consists of 20 members, of which the holders of Series “A” Shares, Series “B” Shares, Series “D” Shares and Series “L” Shares, each voting as a class, are entitled to elect eleven members, five members, two members and two members, respectively.
Holders of Series “D” Shares are entitled to receive an annual, cumulative and preferred dividend equivalent to 5% of the nominal capital attributable to those Shares (nominal Ps.0.00034177575 per share) before any dividends are payable in respect of Series “A” Shares, Series “B” Shares or Series “L” Shares. Holders of Series “A” Shares, Series “B” Shares and Series “L” Shares are entitled to receive the same dividends as holders of Series “D” Shares if stockholders declare dividends in addition to the preferred dividend that holders of Series “D” Shares are entitled to. If the Company is liquidated, Series “D” Shares are entitled to a liquidation preference equal to the nominal capital attributable to those Shares (nominal Ps.0.00683551495 per share) before any distribution is made in respect of Series “A” Shares, Series “B” Shares and Series “L” Shares.
At December 31, 2007, the restated tax value of the Company’s common stock was Ps.23,186,027. In the event of any capital reduction in excess of the tax value of the Company’s common stock, such excess will be treated as dividends for income tax purposes (see Note 13).
Stock Purchase Plan
The Company adopted a Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) that provides, in conjunction with the Long-term Retention Plan described below, for the grant of options to sell up to 8% of the Company’s capital stock to key Group employees. Pursuant to this Plan, as of December 31, 2007, the Company had assigned approximately 117.4 million CPOs, at market prices, subject to certain conditions, including vesting periods within five years from the time the awards are granted. The shares sold pursuant to the Plan, some of which have been registered pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act of the United States, can only be transferred to the plan participants when the conditions set forth in the Plan and the related agreements are satisfied. During 2005, 2006 and 2007, approximately 26.9 million CPOs, 33.1 million CPOs, and 7.8 million CPOs, respectively, were exercised pursuant to this Plan in the amount of Ps.337,799, Ps.443,941 and Ps.123,653, respectively, and transferred to the Plan participants.

 

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Long-term Retention Plan
The Company adopted a Long-term Retention Plan (the “Retention Plan”) which supplements the Company’s existing Stock Purchase Plan described above, and provides for the grant and sale of the Company’s capital stock to key Group employees. Pursuant to the Retention Plan, as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, the Company had assigned approximately 47.4 million CPOs and 52.5 million CPOs, respectively, at a weighted-average price of Ps.13.45 per CPO and Ps.18.39 per CPO, respectively, subject to certain conditions, including a vesting period between 2008 and 2012. During 2006, approximately 9,675 thousand CPOs were early exercised pursuant to this Retention Plan in the amount of Ps.117,959.
As of December 31, 2007, the designated Retention Plan trust owned approximately 133.8 million CPOs or CPOs equivalents, including approximately 7.6 million CPOs or CPOs equivalents that have been reserved to a group of employees, and may be granted at a price of approximately Ps.28.05 per CPO, subject to certain conditions, in vesting periods between 2009 and 2023. In 2004, as a result of the Recapitalization described above and other related transactions, the designated Retention Plan trust received a number of Series “B”, Series “D” and Series “L” Shares against the delivery of the same number of Series “A” Shares.
Beginning in 2005, in connection with the Company’s Plan and Retention Plan, the Group determined the stock-based compensation expense, as required by IFRS 2 (see Note 1(r)), by using the Black-Scholes pricing model at the date on which the stock was granted to personnel under the Group’s stock-based compensation plans, on the following arrangements and weighted-average assumptions:
                                 
    Stock     Long-term  
    Purchase Plan     Retention Plan  
Arrangements:
                               
Year of grant
    2003       2004       2004       2007  
Number of CPOs granted
    2,360       32,918       46,784       5,971  
Contractual life
  3-5 years   1-3 years   4-6 years   3-5 years
Assumptions:
                               
Dividend yield
    3.00 %     3.00 %     3.00 %     3.00 %
Expected volatility(1)
    31.88 %     21.81 %     22.12 %     21.98 %
Risk-free interest rate
    9.35 %     6.52 %     8.99 %     7.54 %
Expected life of awards (in years)
  4.01 years   2.62 years   4.68 years   3.68 years
 
     
(1)  
Volatility was determined by reference to historically observed prices of the Group’s CPO.
A summary of the stock awards for employees as of December 31, is presented below (in constant pesos and thousands of CPOs):
                                 
    2006     2007  
            Weighted-             Weighted-  
            Average             Average  
    CPOs     Exercise Price     CPOs     Exercise Price  
Stock Purchase Plan:
                               
Outstanding at beginning of year
    48,182       14.99       18,416       16.30  
Granted
                40       10.30  
Exercised
    (29,050 )     12.39       (5,074 )     15.85  
Forfeited
    (716 )     13.07       (66 )     10.30  
 
                           
Outstanding at beginning of year
    18,416       16.30       13,316       15.74  
 
                           
Exercisable at end of year
    8,492       15.80       11,236       16.24  
 
                           
Long-Term Retention Plan:
                               
Outstanding at beginning of year
    46,784       12.10       47,390       11.75  
Granted
    1,340       11.75       5,971       56.93  
Exercised
                (4,851 )     11.73  
Forfeited
    (734 )     11.75       (856 )     10.30  
 
                           
Outstanding at beginning of year
    47,390       11.75       47,654       14.00  
 
                           
Exercisable at end of year
    9,675       11.75       4,824       10.30  
 
                           

 

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As of December 31, 2007, the weighted-average remaining contractual life of the awards under the Stock Purchase Plan and the Long-term Retention Plan is 0.5 and 1.32 years, respectively.
13. Retained Earnings
In accordance with Mexican law, the legal reserve must be increased by 5% of annual net profits until it reaches 20% of the capital stock amount. In 2005 and 2006, the Company’s stockholders approved increases to the legal reserve amounting to Ps.240,794 and Ps.193,802, respectively. This reserve is not available for dividends, but may be used to reduce a deficit or may be transferred to stated capital. Other appropriations of profits require the vote of the stockholders.
In prior years the Company’s stockholders approved appropriating from retained earnings a reserve amounting to Ps.7,764,593 for the repurchase of shares, at the discretion of management. Through December 31, 2007, this reserve has been used in an amount of Ps.6,523,724, in connection with the cancellation of shares repurchased by the Company.
In April 2005, the Company’s stockholders approved the payment of a dividend in the aggregate amount of Ps.4,648,726 (nominal Ps.4,214,750), which consisted of nominal Ps.1.35 per CPO and nominal Ps.0.01153846153 per share of Series “A”, “B”, “D” and “L,” not in the form of a CPO, and was paid in cash in May 2005.
In April 2006, the Company’s stockholders approved the payment of a dividend in the aggregate amount of Ps.1,161,839 (nominal Ps.1,087,049), which consisted of nominal Ps.0.35 per CPO and nominal Ps.0.00299145 per share of Series “A”, “B”, “D” and “L,” not in the form of a CPO, and was paid in cash in May 2006.
In April 2007, the Company’s stockholders approved the payment of a dividend in the aggregate amount of Ps.4,506,492 (nominal Ps.4,384,719), which consisted of nominal Ps.1.45 per CPO and nominal Ps.0.01239316239 per share of series “A”, “B”, “D” and “L”, not in the form of a CPO, and was paid in cash in May 2007.
Dividends, either in cash or in other forms, paid by the Mexican companies in the Group will be subject to income tax if the dividends are paid from earnings that have not been subject to Mexican income taxes computed on an individual company basis under the provisions of the Mexican Income Tax Law. In this case, dividends will be taxable by multiplying such dividends by a 1.3889 factor and applying to the resulting amount the income tax rate of 28%.
At December 31, 2007, cumulative earnings that have been subject to income tax and can be distributed by the Company free of Mexican withholding tax were approximately Ps.1,081,163. In addition, the payment of dividends is restricted under certain circumstances by the terms of certain Mexican peso loan agreements (see Note 8).

 

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14. Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Comprehensive income related to the majority interest for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, was as follows:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Net income
  Ps. 6,613,414     Ps. 8,908,943     Ps. 8,082,463  
 
                 
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net:
                       
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net(1)
    (192,360 )     595,682       204,174  
Result from holding non-monetary assets, net(2)
    (573,669 )     (67,302 )     23,491  
Result from available for-sale investments, net(3)
          (565,862 )     565,862  
(Loss) gain on equity accounts of investees, net(4)
    (204,485 )     57,930       5,382  
 
                 
Total other comprehensive (loss) income, net
    (970,514 )     20,448       798,909  
 
                 
Comprehensive income
  Ps. 5,642,900     Ps. 8,929,391     Ps. 8,881,372  
 
                 
 
     
(1)  
The amounts for 2005 and 2006 include the foreign exchange gain (loss) of, Ps.450,057 and Ps.(594,267), respectively, which relate to the hedge of the Group’s net investment in Univision as a foreign entity investment through June 30, 2006 (see Notes 1(c) and 18).
 
(2)  
Represents the difference between specific costs (net replacement cost or Specific Index) of non-monetary assets and the restatement of such assets using the NCPI, net of deferred tax (provision) benefit of Ps.229,603, Ps.31,439 and Ps.(7,523) for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively.
 
(3)  
The amount for 2006 includes a foreign exchange loss of Ps.(617,148); a foreign exchange gain of Ps.559,845, which relates to the hedge of the Group’s investment in Univision as an available-for-sale investment beginning in July 2006; a loss on monetary position of Ps.(433,492); and a fair value loss effect of Ps.(75,067). In 2007, the net amount of Ps.565,862 was applied to consolidated income as other expense, net (see Note 18).
 
(4)  
Represents the gains or losses on the dilution of investments in equity investees, as well as other comprehensive income recognized by equity investees.

 

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The changes in components of accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, were as follows:
                                                         
    Gain             Result from     Cumulative     Cumulative     Cumulative        
    (Loss) on             Available-     Result from     Result from     Effect of     Accumulated  
    Equity     Accumulated     For-Sale     Holding Non-     Foreign     Deferred     Other  
    Accounts of     Monetary     Financial     Monetary     Currency     Income     Comprehensive  
    Investees     Result     Assets     Assets     Translation     Taxes     Loss  
Balance at January 1, 2005
  Ps. 4,377,223     Ps. (35,186 )   Ps.     Ps. (2,019,836 )   Ps. (1,956,075 )   Ps. (3,224,437 )   Ps. (2,858,311 )
Current year change
    (204,485 )                 (573,669 )     (192,360 )           (970,514 )
 
                                         
Balance at December 31, 2005
    4,172,738       (35,186 )           (2,593,505 )     (2,148,435 )     (3,224,437 )     (3,828,825 )
Current year change
    57,930             (565,862 )     (67,302 )     595,682             20,448  
 
                                         
Balance at December 31, 2006
    4,230,668       (35,186 )     (565,862 )     (2,660,807 )     (1,552,753 )     (3,224,437 )     (3,808,377 )
Current year change
    5,382             565,862       23,491       204,174             798,909  
 
                                         
Balance at December 31, 2007
  Ps. 4,236,050     Ps. (35,186 )   Ps.     Ps. (2,637,316 )   Ps. (1,348,579 )   Ps. (3,224,437 )   Ps. (3,009,468 )
 
                                         
Cumulative result from holding non-monetary assets as of December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007 is net of a deferred income tax benefit of Ps.358,975, Ps.390,414 and Ps.382,891, respectively.
15. Minority Interest
Minority interest at December 31, consisted of:
                 
    2006     2007  
Capital stock(1)
  Ps. 3,964,514     Ps. 1,398,744  
(Accumulated losses) retained earnings(1)
    (2,526,961 )     1,665,069  
Cumulative result from holding non-monetary assets
    (345,034 )     (389,720 )
Accumulated monetary result
    (521 )     (161 )
Cumulative effect of deferred income taxes
    (59,750 )     1,328  
Net income for the year
    610,353       935,927  
 
           
 
  Ps. 1,642,601     Ps. 3,611,187  
 
           
 
     
(1)  
During 2007 Sky capitalized accumulated losses.
16. Transactions with Related Parties
The principal transactions carried out by the Group with affiliated companies, including equity investees, stockholders and entities in which stockholders have an equity interest, for the years ended December 31, were as follows:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Revenues:
                       
Royalties (Univision)(a)
  Ps. 1,195,360     Ps. 1,466,561     Ps.  
Soccer transmission rights (Univision)
    98,947       99,673        
Programming production and transmission rights(b)
    100,625       36,460       98,836  
Administrative services(c)
    79,611       55,602       65,586  
Interest income
    1,344       17,145        
Advertising(d)
    34,976       90,938       80,122  
 
                 
 
  Ps. 1,510,863     Ps. 1,766,379     Ps. 244,544  
 
                 
Costs:
                       
Donations
  Ps. 114,627     Ps. 105,901     Ps. 98,029  
Administrative services(c)
    28,727       11,633       30,101  
Other
    251,885       79,834       263,714  
 
                 
 
  Ps. 395,239     Ps. 197,368     Ps. 391,844  
 
                 
 
     
(a)  
The Group receives royalties from Univision for programming provided pursuant to a program license agreement that expires in December 2017. Royalties are determined based upon a percentage of combined net sales of Univision, which was 9% plus an incremental percentage of up to 3% over additional sales. Univision was no longer considered a related party during 2007 (see Note 2).
 
(b)  
Services rendered to Endemol and other affiliates in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
 
(c)  
The Group receives revenue from and is charged by affiliates for various services, such as equipment rental, security and other services, at rates which are negotiated. The Group provides management services to affiliates, which reimburse the Group for the incurred payroll and related expenses.
 
(d)  
Advertising services rendered to OCEN in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and Volaris in 2006 and 2007.

 

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Other transactions with related parties carried out by the Group in the normal course of business include the following:
(1) A consulting firm owned by a relative of one of the Group’s directors, which has, from time to time, provided consulting services and research in connection with the effects of the Group’s programming on its viewing audience. Total fees for such services during 2006 and 2007 amounted to Ps.19,281 and Ps.20,816, respectively.
(2) From time to time, a Mexican bank made loans to the Group, on terms substantially similar to those offered by the bank to third parties. Some members of the Group’s Board serve as board members of this bank.
(3) Two of the Group’s directors and one of the Group’s alternate directors are members of the board as well as stockholders of a Mexican company, which is a producer, distributor and exporter of beer in Mexico. Such company purchases advertising services from the Group in connection with the promotion of its products from time to time, paying rates applicable to third-party advertisers for these advertising services.
(4) Several other members of the Company’s current board serve as members of the boards and/or are stockholders of other companies, some of which purchased advertising services from the Group in connection with the promotion of their respective products and services, paying rates applicable to third-party advertisers for these advertising services.
(5) During 2005, 2006 and 2007, a professional services firm in which a current director maintains interest provided legal advisory services to the Group in connection with various corporate matters. Total fees for such services amounted to Ps.19,128, Ps.17,256 and Ps.21,831, respectively.
(6) A television production company, indirectly controlled by a company where a member of the board and executive of the Company is a stockholder, provided production services to the Group in 2005, 2006 and 2007, in the amount of Ps.123,202, Ps.84,229 and Ps.153,364, respectively.
(7) During 2006 and 2007 the Group paid sale commissions to a company where a member of the board and executive of the Company is a stockholder, in the amount of Ps.113,972 and Ps.49,614, respectively.
(8) During 2005, 2006 and 2007, a company in which a current director and executive of the Company is a stockholder, purchased unsold advertising from the Group for a total of Ps.156,225, Ps.166,741 and Ps.160,000, respectively.
The balances of receivables and (payables) between the Group and affiliates as of December 31, were as follows:
                 
    2006     2007  
Receivables:
               
Grupo TV Promo, S.A. de C.V.
  Ps.     Ps. 103,500  
Univision (see Note 2)
    108,122        
Editorial Clío, Libros y Videos, S.A. de C.V.
    7,182       9,241  
Volaris (see Note 2)
    34,374       10,859  
OCEN (see Note 5)
    2,027       28,666  
Other
    40,056       42,757  
 
           
 
  Ps. 191,761     Ps. 195,023  
 
           
Payables:
               
TechCo (see Note 2)
  Ps. (4,229 )   Ps. (71,159 )
News Corp. (see Note 2)
    (24,397 )     (50,303 )
Other
    (10,940 )     (5,729 )
 
           
 
  Ps. (39,566 )   Ps. (127,191 )
 
           

 

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All significant account balances included in amounts due from affiliates bear interest. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, average interest rates of 9.6%, 7.5% and 7.7% were charged, respectively. Advances and receivables are short-term in nature; however, these accounts do not have specific due dates.
Customer deposits and advances as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, included deposits and advances from affiliates and other related parties, which were primarily made by Univision (see Note 11), OCEN, Editorial Clío, Libros y Videos, S.A. de C.V., and Volaris in 2006 and 2007, in an aggregate amount of Ps.297,917 and Ps.161,286, respectively.
17. Other Expense, Net
Other expense (income) for the years ended December 31, is analyzed as follows:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Loss (gain) on disposition of investments, net (see Note 2)
  Ps. 172,896     Ps.     Ps. 669,473  
Donations (see Note 16)
    129,609       135,001       150,224  
Financial advisory and professional services(1)
    78,252       102,876       191,495  
Employees’ profit sharing(2)
    21,493       31,649       20,821  
Loss on disposition of fixed assets
    119,938             37,989  
Restructuring severance costs
    44,645       46,984       27,736  
Impairment adjustments(3)
          93,464       493,693  
Expenses of debt placement(4)
    195,536       496,999        
Termination fee income for the cancellation of a call option (see Note 2)
                (462,083 )
Other expense (income), net(5)
    8,530       (18,903 )     (175,996 )
 
                 
 
  Ps. 770,899     Ps. 888,070     Ps. 953,352  
 
                 
 
     
(1)  
Includes financial advisory services in connection with contemplated dispositions and strategic planning projects and professional services in connection with certain litigation and other matters (see Notes 2, 12 and 16).
 
(2)  
The Mexican companies in the Group are required by law to pay employees, in addition to their agreed compensation and benefits, employees’ profit sharing at the statutory rate of 10% based on their respective taxable incomes (calculated without reference to inflation adjustments and tax loss carryforwards).
 
(3)  
During 2006 and 2007, the Group tested for impairment the carrying value of certain trademarks of its Publishing segment, and goodwill of certain business of its Television Broadcasting segment, respectively. As a result of such testing, an impairment adjustment was made to trademarks in 2006, and goodwill in 2007, of Ps.93,464 and Ps.493,693, respectively.
 
(4)  
In 2005, these expenses were related to Senior Notes due 2011 and Notes denominated in Mexican UDIs due 2007, and in 2006, these expenses were related to Senior Notes due 2013 (see Note 8).
 
(5)  
In 2007, includes primarily a cancellation of a provision for certain contingencies in connection with the acquisition of exclusivity rights of certain soccer players from foreign entities (see Note 11).
18. Integral Cost of Financing
Integral cost of financing for the years ended December 31, consisted of:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Interest expense(1)
  Ps. 2,304,503     Ps. 2,010,425     Ps. 2,176,998  
Interest income
    (1,006,364 )     (1,135,400 )     (1,844,653 )
Foreign exchange loss (gain), net(2)
    785,493       197,678       (215,897 )
(Gain) loss from monetary position(3)
    (159,671 )     68,325       293,766  
 
                 
 
  Ps. 1,923,961     Ps. 1,141,028     Ps. 410,214  
 
                 
 
     
(1)  
Interest expense in 2005, 2006 and 2007, includes Ps.41,109, Ps.41,341 and Ps.13,034, respectively, derived from the UDI index restatement of Company’s UDI-denominated debt securities and a net gain from related derivative contracts of Ps.6,803, in 2005, (see Notes 8 and 9).

 

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(2)  
Includes in 2005, 2006 and 2007 a net loss (gain) from foreign currency derivative contracts of Ps.768,987, Ps.59,916 and Ps.(39,087), respectively. A foreign exchange (gain) loss in 2005, 2006 and 2007 of Ps.(450,057), Ps.34,422, and Ps.211,520, respectively, related to the hedge of the Group’s net investment in Univision, was recognized in 2005 and 2006 in consolidated stockholders’ equity as other comprehensive income or loss, and in 2007 in consolidated income as other expense, net (see Notes 1(c) and 14).
 
(3)  
The gain or loss from monetary position represents the effects of inflation, as measured by the NCPI in the case of Mexican companies, or the general inflation index of each country in the case of foreign subsidiaries, on the monetary assets and liabilities at the beginning of each month. It also includes monetary loss in 2005, 2006 and 2007 of Ps.143,831, Ps.111,652 and Ps.135,548, respectively, arising from temporary differences of non-monetary items in calculating deferred income tax (see Note 19).
19. Income Taxes
The Company is authorized by the Mexican tax authorities to compute its income tax and asset tax on a consolidated basis. Mexican controlling companies are allowed to consolidate, for income tax purposes, income or losses of their Mexican subsidiaries up to a certain percentage of their share ownership in such subsidiaries, which was 100% as of December 31, 2006, and 2007. The asset tax is computed on a fully consolidated basis.
The Mexican corporate income tax rate in 2005, 2006 and 2007 was 30%, 29% and 28%, respectively. In accordance with the current Mexican Income Tax Law, the corporate income tax rate in subsequent years will be 28%.
The income tax provision for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007 was comprised as follows:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Income tax and asset tax, current
  Ps. 1,661,596     Ps. 799,833     Ps. 3,707,763  
Income tax and asset tax, deferred
    (850,520 )     1,292,645       (358,122 )
 
                 
 
  Ps. 811,076     Ps. 2,092,478     Ps. 3,349,641  
 
                 
The following items represent the principal differences between income taxes computed at the statutory rate and the Group’s provision for income tax and the asset tax.
                         
    %     %     %  
    2005     2006     2007  
Tax at the statutory rate on income before provisions
    30       29       28  
Differences in inflation adjustments for tax and book purposes
    1             2  
Hedge
    1              
Special tax consolidation items
    (2 )            
Unconsolidated income tax
                1  
Minority interest
    (2 )           (4 )
Excess in tax provision of prior years
    (1 )            
Changes in valuation allowances:
                       
Asset tax
          3       3  
Tax loss carryforwards
    (1 )     3        
Foreign operations
    (5 )     (2 )     (5 )
Equity in losses (earnings) of affiliates, net
          1       2  
Use of tax losses(a)
    (12 )     (16 )      
 
                 
Provision for income tax and the asset tax
    9       18       27  
 
                 
 
     
(a)  
In 2005, this amount represents the effect of the use of tax losses in connection with the acquisition of Comtelvi (see Note 2). In 2006, this amount represents the effect of the use of tax deductions related to certain transactions made by the Group in connection with a corporate reorganization.

 

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The Group has tax loss carryforwards at December 31, 2007, as follows:
                 
    Amount     Expiration  
Operating tax loss carryforwards:
               
Unconsolidated:
               
Mexican subsidiaries(1)
  Ps. 2,899,932     From 2008 to 2017
Non-Mexican subsidiaries(2)
    1,707,733     From 2008 to 2028
 
             
 
    4,607,665          
Capital tax loss carryforwards:
               
Unconsolidated Mexican subsidiaries(3)
    112,743     From 2008 to 2010
 
             
 
  Ps. 4,720,408          
 
             
 
     
(1)  
During 2005, 2006 and 2007, certain Mexican subsidiaries utilized unconsolidated operating tax loss carryforwards of Ps.483,304, Ps.3,279,827 and Ps.3,438,922, respectively. In 2005, 2006 and 2007, the carryforward amount includes the operating tax loss carryforwards related to the minority interest of Sky.
 
(2)  
Approximately for the equivalent of U.S.$156.4 million related to losses from subsidiaries in Europe, South America and the United States.
 
(3)  
These carryforwards can only be used in connection with capital gains to be generated by such subsidiaries.
The asset tax rate was 1.8% in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, the asset tax rate decreased from 1.8% to 1.25%; however, those asset tax deductions that were permitted in prior years are not longer allowed beginning 2007.
The deferred taxes as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, were principally derived from the following temporary differences:
                 
    2006     2007  
Assets:
               
Accrued liabilities
  Ps. 672,091     Ps. 700,449  
Goodwill
    807,453       945,687  
Tax loss carryforwards
    1,345,198       843,549  
Allowance for doubtful accounts
    285,310       286,933  
Customer advances
    1,238,883       901,333  
Other items
    171,371       148,517  
Liabilities:
               
Inventories
    (641,907 )     (401,788 )
Property, plant and equipment, net
    (1,112,795 )     (961,509 )
Prepaid expenses
    (1,293,728 )     (1,403,224 )
Sky
    (923,767 )     (525,164 )
 
           
Deferred income taxes of Mexican companies
    548,109       534,783  
Deferred income taxes of foreign subsidiaries
    (119,690 )     547,532  
Asset tax
    1,455,384       1,477,037  
Valuation allowances(a)
    (3,428,544 )     (3,832,186 )
 
           
Deferred income tax liability, net
  Ps. (1,544,741 )   Ps. (1,272,834 )
 
           
 
     
(a)  
Reflects valuation allowances of foreign subsidiaries of Ps.357,753 and Ps.565,912 at December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively.
A roll forward of the Group’s valuation allowance for 2007 is as follows:
                                 
    Tax Loss                    
    Carryforwards     Asset Tax     Goodwill     Total  
Balance at beginning of year
  Ps. (1,467,715 )   Ps. (1,153,376 )   Ps. (807,453 )   Ps. (3,428,544 )
Increases
          (323,661 )     (138,234 )     (461,895 )
Decreases
    58,253                   58,253  
 
                       
Balance at end of year
  Ps. (1,409,462 )   Ps. (1,477,037 )   Ps. (945,687 )   Ps. (3,832,186 )
 
                       

 

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The change in the deferred income tax liability for the year ended December 31, 2007, representing a charge of Ps.271,907 was recorded against the following accounts:
         
Charge to the gain from monetary position(1)
  Ps. 79,582  
Credit to the stockholder’s equity
    (890 )
Charge to the result from holding non-monetary assets
    7,523  
Credit to the provision for deferred income tax
    (358,122 )
 
     
 
  Ps. (271,907 )
 
     
 
     
(1)  
Net of Ps.135,548, representing the effect on restatement of the non-monetary items included in the deferred tax calculation.
On October 1, 2007, the Mexican government enacted the new Flat Rate Business Tax (“Impuesto Empresarial a Tasa Única” or “IETU”). This law became effective as of January 1, 2008. The law introduces a flat tax, which replaces Mexico’s asset tax and is applied along with Mexico’s regular income tax. In general, Mexican companies are subject to paying the greater of the IETU or the income tax. The flat tax is calculated by applying a tax rate of 16.5% in 2008, 17% in 2009, and 17.5% in 2010 and the following years. Although the IETU is defined as a minimum tax it has a wider taxable base as many of the tax deductions allowed for income tax purposes are not allowed for the IETU. As of December 31, 2007, this tax law change did not have an effect on the Group’s deferred tax position, and the Group does not expect to have to pay the new tax in the near future.
20. Earnings per CPO/Share
During the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, the weighted average of outstanding total shares, CPOs and Series “A”, Series “B”, Series “D” and Series “L” Shares (not in the form of CPO units), was as follows (in thousands):
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Total Shares
    341,158,189       339,776,222       333,652,535  
CPOs
    2,463,608       2,451,792       2,399,453  
Shares not in the form of CPO units:
                       
Series “A” Shares
    52,915,759       52,915,849       52,915,849  
Series “B” Shares
    108       187       187  
Series “D” Shares
    113       239       239  
Series “L” Shares
    113       239       239  
Earnings (loss) per CPO and per each Series “A”, Series “B”, Series “D” and Series “L” Share (not in the form of a CPO unit) for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, are presented as follows:
                                                             
    2005     2006     2007  
            Per Each             Per Each             Per Each  
            Series “A”, “B”,             Series “A”, “B”,             Series “A”, “B”,  
    Per     “D” and “L”     Per     “D” and “L”     Per     “D” and “L”  
    CPO     Share     CPO     Share     CPO     Share  
Continuing operations
  Ps. 2.46       Ps. 0.02       Ps. 3.07       Ps. 0.03       Ps. 2.84       Ps. 0.02    
Cumulative loss of accounting change
    (0.19 )                                          
 
                                               
Majority interest net income
  Ps. 2.27       Ps. 0.02       Ps. 3.07       Ps. 0.03       Ps. 2.84       Ps. 0.02    
 
                                               
21. Foreign Currency Position
The foreign currency position of monetary items of the Group at December 31, 2007, was as follows:
                         
    Foreign              
    Currency     Year-End     Mexican  
    Amounts     Exchange Rate     Pesos  
    (Thousands)    
Assets:
                       
U.S. dollars
    2,110,165     Ps. 10.9222     Ps. 23,047,644  
Euros
    93,731       15.9339       1,493,499  
Argentinean pesos
    73,230       3.4684       253,990  
Chilean pesos
    8,849,926       0.0219       193,813  
Colombian pesos
    18,060,219       0.0054       97,525  
Other currencies
                    127,209  
Liabilities:
                       
U.S. dollars
    1,758,217     Ps. 10.9222     Ps. 19,203,597  
Euros
    8,367       15.9339       133,321  
Argentinean pesos
    54,438       3.4684       188,814  
Chilean pesos
    11,711,578       0.0219       256,484  
Colombian pesos
    22,999,781       0.0054       124,199  
Other currencies
                    47,210  

 

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The foreign currency position of non-monetary items of the Group as of December 31, 2007, was as follows:
                         
    Foreign              
    Currency     Year-End     Mexican  
    Amounts     Exchange Rate     Pesos(1)  
    (Thousands)    
Property, plant and equipment:
                       
U.S. dollars
    346,300     Ps. 10.9222     Ps. 3,782,358  
Japanese yen
    3,232,850       0.0977       315,849  
Euros
    16,726       15.9339       266,510  
Other currencies
                    387,212  
Transmission rights and programming:
                       
U.S. dollars
    481,416     Ps. 10.9222     Ps. 5,258,122  
 
     
(1)  
Amounts translated at the year-end exchange rates for reference purposes only; does not indicate the actual amounts accounted for in the financial statements.
Transactions incurred during 2007 in foreign currencies were as follows:
                                 
            U.S. Dollar              
            Equivalent of other              
            Foreign Currency     Total     Mexican  
    U.S. Dollar     Transactions     U.S. Dollar     Pesos(1)  
    (Thousands)     (Thousands)     (Thousands)          
Income:
                               
Revenues
  $ 488,760     $ 81,529     $ 570,289     Ps. 6,228,811  
Other income
    15,632       47,473       63,105       689,245  
Interest income
    84,380       4,655       89,035       972,458  
 
                       
 
  $ 588,772     $ 133,657     $ 722,429     Ps. 7,890,514  
 
                       
Purchases, costs and expenses:
                               
Purchases of inventories
  $ 178,048     $ 13,695     $ 191,743     Ps. 2,094,255  
Purchases of property and equipment
    76,348       18,063       94,411       1,031,176  
Investments
    409,466       96,168       505,634       5,522,636  
Costs and expenses
    453,656       67,806       521,462       5,695,512  
Interest expense
    88,689       286       88,975       971,803  
 
                       
 
  $ 1,206,207     $ 196,018     $ 1,402,225     Ps. 15,315,382  
 
                       
 
     
(1)  
Income statement amounts translated at the year-end exchange rate of Ps.10.9222 for reference purposes only; does not indicate the actual amounts accounted for in the financial statements (see Note 1(c)).
As of December 31, 2007, the exchange rate was Ps.10.9222 per U.S. dollar, which represents the interbank free market exchange rate on that date as reported by Banco Nacional de México, S.A.
As of June 20, 2008, the exchange rate was Ps.10.2772 per U.S. dollar, which represents the interbank free market exchange rate on that date as reported by Banco Nacional de México, S.A.

 

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22. Segment Information
Reportable segments are those that are based on the Group’s method of internal reporting.
The Group is organized on the basis of services and products. The Group’s segments are strategic business units that offer different entertainment services and products. The Group’s reportable segments are as follows:
Television Broadcasting
The television broadcasting segment includes the production of television programming and nationwide broadcasting of Channels 2, 4, 5 and 9 (“television networks”), and the production of television programming and broadcasting for local television stations in Mexico and the United States. The broadcasting of television networks is performed by television repeater stations in Mexico which are wholly-owned, majority-owned or minority-owned by the Group or otherwise affiliated with the Group’s networks. Revenues are derived primarily from the sale of advertising time on the Group’s television network and local television station broadcasts.
Pay Television Networks
The pay television networks segment includes programming services for cable and pay-per-view television companies in Mexico, other countries in Latin America, the United States and Europe. The programming services consist of both programming produced by the Group and programming produced by others. Pay television network revenues are derived from domestic and international programming services provided to independent cable television systems in Mexico and the Group’s DTH satellite and cable television businesses, and from the sale of advertising time on programs provided to pay television companies in Mexico.
Programming Exports
The Programming Exports segment consists of the international licensing of television programming. Programming exports revenues are derived from international program licensing fees.
Publishing
The Publishing segment primarily consists of publishing Spanish-language magazines in Mexico, the United States and Latin America. Publishing revenues include subscriptions, sales of advertising space and magazine sales to distributors.
Publishing Distribution
The Publishing Distribution segment consists of distribution of Spanish-language magazines, owned by either the Group or independent publishers, and other consumer products in Mexico and Latin America. Publishing distribution revenues are derived from magazine and other consumer products sales to retailers.
Sky
The Sky segment includes direct-to-home (“DTH”) broadcast satellite pay television services in Mexico. Sky revenues are primarily derived from program services, installation fees and equipment rental to subscribers, and national advertising sales.
Cable and Telecom
The Cable and Telecom segment includes the operation of a cable television system in the Mexico City metropolitan area, and beginning in December 2007, the operation of telecommunications facilities through a fiber-optic network that covers the most important cities and economic regions of Mexico and crosses directly into the United States in the cities of San Antonio, Texas and San Diego, California. The cable business derives revenues from cable subscribers, principally from basic and premium television services subscription, pay-per-view fees, installation fees, internet services subscription and telephone services subscription (beginning in the third quarter of 2007), as well as from local and national advertising sales. The telecommunications business derives revenues from providing data and long-distance services solutions to carriers and other telecommunications service providers through its fiber-optic network.

 

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Other Businesses
The Other Businesses segment includes the Group’s domestic operations in sports and show business promotion, soccer, feature film production and distribution, Internet, gaming (beginning in the second quarter of 2006), and radio (beginning in the first quarter of 2007). The Group’s Radio business was presented as a separate reportable segment in 2005 and 2006, and was classified into the Other Businesses segment since its operations are no longer significant to the Group’s consolidated financial statements taken as a whole.
The table below presents information by segment and a reconciliation to consolidated total for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
                                 
            Intersegment     Consolidated     Segment  
    Total Revenues     Revenues     Revenues     Profit (Loss)  
2005:
                               
Television Broadcasting
  Ps. 20,049,877     Ps. 592,102     Ps. 19,457,775     Ps. 9,557,689  
Pay Television Networks
    1,199,676       316,382       883,294       559,336  
Programming Exports
    2,025,325             2,025,325       721,939  
Publishing
    2,705,051       41,642       2,663,409       518,302  
Publishing Distribution
    434,226       11,038       423,188       7,127  
Sky
    6,463,328       34,490       6,428,838       2,717,250  
Cable and Telecom
    1,517,058       3,114       1,513,944       528,551  
Other Businesses
    1,801,866       129,626       1,672,240       (138,379 )
 
                       
Segment totals
    36,196,407       1,128,394       35,068,013       14,471,815  
Reconciliation to consolidated amounts:
                               
Eliminations and corporate expenses
    (1,128,394 )     (1,128,394 )           (197,004 )
Depreciation and amortization expense
                      (2,611,629 )
 
                       
Consolidated total
  Ps. 35,068,013     Ps.     Ps. 35,068,013     Ps. 11,663,182 (1)
 
                       
2006:
                               
Television Broadcasting
  Ps. 21,760,426     Ps. 579,576     Ps. 21,180,850     Ps. 10,996,343  
Pay Television Networks
    1,379,003       289,526       1,089,477       707,897  
Programming Exports
    2,190,272             2,190,272       901,965  
Publishing
    2,993,912       19,711       2,974,201       576,677  
Publishing Distribution
    449,830       11,881       437,949       18,676  
Sky
    7,732,878       93,825       7,639,053       3,689,128  
Cable and Telecom
    2,059,350       5,040       2,054,310       847,527  
Other Businesses
    1,922,296       130,709       1,791,587       (224,898 )
 
                       
Segment totals
    40,487,967       1,130,268       39,357,699       17,513,315  
Reconciliation to consolidated amounts:
                               
Eliminations and corporate expenses
    (1,130,268 )     (1,130,268 )           (467,828 )
Depreciation and amortization expense
                      (2,779,772 )
 
                       
Consolidated total
  Ps. 39,357,699     Ps.     Ps. 39,357,699     Ps. 14,265,715 (1)
 
                       
2007:
                               
Television Broadcasting
  Ps. 21,213,175     Ps. 456,133     Ps. 20,757,042     Ps. 10,518,063  
Pay Television Networks
    1,851,969       487,718       1,364,251       1,150,226  
Programming Exports
    2,262,137       620       2,261,517       1,032,022  
Publishing
    3,311,867       16,918       3,294,949       624,360  
Publishing Distribution
    479,223       13,104       466,119       28,540  
Sky
    8,402,151       80,124       8,322,027       4,037,860  
Cable and Telecom
    2,611,613       3,063       2,608,550       947,178  
Other Businesses
    2,560,444       73,373       2,487,071       (265,939 )
 
                       
Segment totals
    42,692,579       1,131,053       41,561,526       18,072,310  
Reconciliation to consolidated amounts:
                               
Eliminations and corporate expenses
    (1,131,053 )     (1,131,053 )           (368,344 )
Depreciation and amortization expense
                      (3,223,070 )
 
                       
Consolidated total
  Ps. 41,561,526     Ps.     Ps. 41,561,526     Ps. 14,480,896 (1)
 
                       
 
     
(1)  
Consolidated totals represent consolidated operating income.

 

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Accounting Policies
The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the Group’s summary of significant accounting policies (see Note 1). The Group evaluates the performance of its segments and allocates resources to them based on operating income before depreciation and amortization.
Intersegment Revenue
Intersegment revenue consists of revenues derived from each of the segments principal activities as provided to other segments.
The Group accounts for intersegment revenues as if the revenues were from third parties, that is, at current market prices.
Allocation of General and Administrative Expenses
Non-allocated corporate expenses include payroll for certain executives, related employee benefits and other general expenses.
The table below presents segment information about assets, liabilities, and additions to property, plant and equipment as of and for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
                         
                    Additions to  
    Segment     Segment     Property,  
    Assets     Liabilities     Plant and  
    at Year-End     at Year-End     Equipment  
2005:
                       
Continuing operations:
                       
Television operations(1)
  Ps. 50,112,094     Ps. 24,107,651     Ps. 944,879  
Publishing
    2,228,025       374,842       11,419  
Publishing Distribution
    988,561       459,139       6,251  
Sky
    4,916,283       6,452,931       1,281,951  
Cable and Telecom
    2,519,036       506,766       600,991  
Other Businesses
    4,432,975       557,889       110,681  
 
                 
Total
  Ps. 65,196,974     Ps. 32,459,218     Ps. 2,956,172  
 
                 
2006:
                       
Continuing operations:
                       
Television operations(1)
  Ps. 60,019,459     Ps. 24,294,817     Ps. 1,150,077  
Publishing
    2,185,263       365,010       36,507  
Publishing Distribution
    1,002,951       473,718       16,564  
Sky
    6,445,978       5,619,942       1,038,535  
Cable and Telecom
    3,050,590       763,844       860,518  
Other Businesses
    5,254,961       963,293       326,331  
 
                 
Total
  Ps. 77,959,202     Ps. 32,480,624     Ps. 3,428,532  
 
                 
2007:
                       
Continuing operations:
                       
Television operations(1)
  Ps. 60,211,587     Ps. 26,298,566     Ps. 1,149,261  
Publishing
    3,012,529       673,078       156,341  
Publishing Distribution
    1,183,543       605,032       65,568  
Sky
    8,893,874       6,178,789       1,338,938  
Cable and Telecom
    7,806,023       4,706,581       851,379  
Other Businesses
    5,502,059       832,827       353,952  
 
                 
Total
  Ps. 86,609,615     Ps. 39,294,873     Ps. 3,915,439  
 
                 
 
     
(1)  
Segment assets and liabilities information is not maintained by the Group for each of the Television Broadcasting, Pay Television Networks and Programming Exports segments. In management’s opinion, there is no reasonable or practical basis to make allocations due to the interdependence of these segments. Consequently, management has presented such information on a combined basis as television operations.

 

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Segment assets reconcile to total assets as follows:
                 
    2006     2007  
Segment assets
  Ps. 77,959,202     Ps. 86,609,615  
Investments attributable to:
               
Television operations(1)
    1,737,448       3,781,767  
Cable and Telecom
    2,992,310       3,583,173  
Other segments
    1,252,119       772,648  
Goodwill net attributable to:
               
Television operations
    1,403,488       909,792  
Publishing
    24,579       690,144  
Cable and Telecom
          1,780,024  
Other Businesses
    817,006       576,313  
 
           
Total assets
  Ps. 86,186,152     Ps. 98,703,476  
 
           
 
     
(1)  
Includes goodwill attributable to equity investments of Ps.41,105 and Ps.22,004 in 2006 and 2007, respectively.
Equity method income (loss) for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007 attributable to television operations, equity investments approximated Ps.193,499, Ps.(630,086) and Ps.(768,457), respectively.
Segment liabilities reconcile to total liabilities as follows:
                 
    2006     2007  
Segment liabilities
  Ps. 32,480,624     Ps. 39,294,873  
Notes payable and long-term debt not attributable to segments
    15,690,651       18,758,303  
 
           
Total liabilities
  Ps. 48,171,275     Ps. 58,053,176  
 
           
Geographical segment information:
                         
                    Additions to  
    Total     Segment Assets     Property, Plant  
    Net Sales     at Year-End     and Equipment  
2005:
                       
Mexico
  Ps. 31,004,846     Ps. 58,287,493     Ps. 2,924,115  
Other countries
    4,063,167       6,909,481       32,057  
 
                 
 
  Ps. 35,068,013     Ps. 65,196,974     Ps. 2,956,172  
 
                 
2006:
                       
Mexico
  Ps. 34,793,376     Ps. 72,199,969     Ps. 3,391,671  
Other countries
    4,564,323       5,759,233       36,861  
 
                 
 
  Ps. 39,357,699     Ps. 77,959,202     Ps. 3,428,532  
 
                 
2007:
                       
Mexico
  Ps. 36,532,710     Ps. 71,194,036     Ps. 3,779,583  
Other countries
    5,028,816       15,415,579       135,856  
 
                 
 
  Ps. 41,561,526     Ps. 86,609,615     Ps. 3,915,439  
 
                 
Net sales are attributed to geographical segment based on the location of customers.
23. Differences between Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP
The Group’s consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with Mexican FRS (see Note 1 (a)), which differs in certain significant respects from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”). The principal differences between Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP as they relate to the Group, are presented below, together with explanations of the adjustments that affect net income and stockholders’ equity as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, and for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

 

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Reconciliation of Net Income
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Majority interest net income as reported under Mexican FRS
  Ps. 6,613,414     Ps. 8,908,943     Ps. 8,082,463  
 
                 
U.S. GAAP adjustments:
                       
(a) Capitalization of financing costs, net of depreciation
    10,139       68,758       92,713  
(b) Deferred costs, net of amortization
    (4,032 )     19,149       97,672  
(c) Deferred debt refinancing costs, net of amortization
    (604,648 )     31,396       31,420  
(d) Equipment inflation restatement, net of depreciation
    (518,917 )     (121,055 )     (43,042 )
(e) Purchase accounting adjustments:
                       
Amortization of network affiliation agreements
    (7,159 )     (7,159 )     (7,159 )
Depreciation of fixed assets
    (12,118 )     (12,118 )     (12,118 )
Amortization of other assets
    (5,034 )     (5,003 )     (5,006 )
Amortization of subscribers list
          (104,179 )     (156,268 )
Impairment of goodwill
                493,693  
(g) Equity method investees:
                       
Sky Multi-Country Partners (“SMCP”)
    1,408,545              
Cablemás
                (25,057 )
(h) Univision investment:
                       
Sale of investment
                (298,336 )
Hedge accounting
          559,845        
(i) Derivative financial instruments(1)
    (265,395 )     (1,397,789 )      
(j) Pension plan and seniority premiums
    36,217              
(k) Employee stock-based compensation
    47,156              
(l) Production and film costs
    330,105       281,297       23,895  
(m) Deferred income taxes and employees’ profit sharing:
                       
Deferred income taxes(1)
    268,883       77,260       (5,905 )
Deferred employees’ profit sharing(1)
    76,987       10,342       (33,252 )
(n) Maintenance reserve
    5,345       (2,744 )     (3,949 )
(o) Minority interest on U.S. GAAP adjustments
    (11,239 )     1,134       1,632  
 
                 
Total U.S. GAAP adjustments, net
    754,835       (600,866 )     150,933  
 
                 
Net income under U.S. GAAP
  Ps. 7,368,249     Ps. 8,308,077     Ps. 8,233,396  
 
                 
 
     
(1)  
Net of inflation effects
Reconciliation of Stockholders’ Equity
                 
    2006     2007  
Total stockholders’ equity under Mexican FRS
  Ps. 38,014,877     Ps. 40,650,300  
 
           
U.S. GAAP adjustments:
               
(a) Capitalization of financing costs, net of accumulated depreciation
    (848,806 )     (756,093 )
(b) Deferred costs, net of amortization
    (113,490 )     (15,818 )
(c) Deferred debt refinancing costs, net of amortization
    (573,252 )     (541,832 )
(d) Equipment inflation restatement, net of depreciation
    268,413        
(e) Purchase accounting adjustments:
               
Broadcast license and network affiliation agreements
    131,248       124,089  
Fixed assets
    54,525       42,407  
Other assets
    47,533       45,463  
Goodwill on acquisition of Bay City
    (1,104,843 )     (611,150 )
Goodwill on acquisition of minority interest in Editorial Televisa
    1,358,428       1,358,428  
Subscribers list
    520,894       364,626  
Goodwill on acquisition of minority interest in Sky
    86,236       86,236  
(f) Goodwill and other intangible assets:
               
Reversal of Mexican FRS goodwill amortization
    140,380       140,380  
Reversal of Mexican FRS amortization of intangible assets with indefinite lives
    109,988       109,988  
(g) Equity method investees:
               
OCEN
    (2,446 )     (2,446 )
Cablemás
          (25,057 )
(j) Pension plan and seniority premiums
    640,321       395,842  
(l) Production and film costs
    (1,538,667 )     (1,514,772 )
(m) Deferred income taxes and employees’ profit sharing:
               
Deferred income taxes
    388,994       514,647  
Deferred employees’ profit sharing
    (115,027 )     (148,279 )
(n) Maintenance reserve
    22,011       18,062  
(o) Minority interest
    (1,688,208 )     (3,655,162 )
 
           
Total U.S. GAAP adjustments, net
    (2,215,768 )     (4,070,441 )
 
           
Total stockholders’ equity under U.S. GAAP
  Ps. 35,799,109     Ps. 36,579,859  
 
           

 

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A summary of the Group’s statement of changes in stockholders’ equity with balances determined under U.S. GAAP is as follows:
                 
Changes in U.S. GAAP stockholders’ equity   2006     2007  
Balance at January 1,
  Ps. 30,589,544     Ps. 35,799,109  
Net income for the year
    8,308,077       8,233,396  
Repurchase of capital stock
    (3,224,515 )     (3,948,331 )
Dividends
    (1,161,839 )     (4,506,492 )
Sale of capital stock under stock-based compensation plan
    587,263       99,771  
Stock based compensation
    243,882       140,517  
Benefit from capital contribution of minority interest in Sky
    385,596        
Other comprehensive income:
               
Changes in other comprehensive income of equity investees
    598,035       5,382  
Net unrealized loss on available-for-sale financial asset, net of tax
    (1,466,475 )     565,862  
Result from holding non-monetary assets, net of tax
    (72,322 )     (138,776 )
Foreign currency translation adjustment
    595,350       505,446  
Pension and post retirement adjustment
    416,513       (176,025 )
 
           
Balance at December 31,
  Ps. 35,799,109     Ps. 36,579,859  
 
           
The reconciliation to U.S. GAAP includes a reconciling item for the effect of applying the option provided by the Mexican FRS Bulletin B-10, “Recognition of the Effects of Inflation on Financial Information,” for the restatement of equipment of non-Mexican origin because, as described below, this provision of inflation accounting under Mexican FRS does not meet the consistent reporting currency requirement of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
The reconciliation to U.S. GAAP does not include the reversal of the other adjustments to the financial statements for the effects of inflation required under Mexican FRS Bulletin B-10, because the application of Bulletin B-10 represents a comprehensive measure of the effects of price level changes in the inflationary Mexican economy and, as such, is considered a more meaningful presentation than historical, cost-based financial reporting for both Mexican and U.S. accounting purposes.
Mexican FRS Bulletin B-15, “Foreign Currency Transactions and Translation of Financial Statements of Foreign Operations,” requires restating the financial statements for all periods prior to the most recent period by using a weighted-average factor which considers the inflation in Mexico and the other countries in which the Group and its subsidiaries operate and the currency exchange rate for the currency of each country as of the date of the most recent balance sheet. The consistent reporting currency requirements of the SEC rules require restatement of prior periods for general price level changes only, utilizing the NCPI, and supplemental condensed financial statements utilizing the NCPI are required for U.S. GAAP purposes. The Group utilized the NCPI to restate its financial statements for prior years because the use of the weighted-average factor prescribed by B-15 would not have produced a materially different result.
(a) Capitalization of Financing Costs, Net of Accumulated Depreciation
Prior to 2007, Mexican FRS allowed, but did not require, capitalization of financing costs as part of the cost of assets under construction. Financing costs capitalized include interest costs, gains from monetary position and foreign exchange losses. As from January 1, 2007, the Group applies NIF D-6, “Capitalization of financing costs,” which is similar to the provisions set forth under U:S GAAP.
U.S. GAAP requires the capitalization of interest during construction on qualifying assets. In an inflationary economy, such as Mexico, acceptable practice is to capitalize interest net of the monetary gain on the related Mexican Peso debt, but not on U.S. dollar or other stable currency debt. In neither instance does U.S. GAAP allow the capitalization of foreign exchange losses. No amounts were subject to capitalization under either U.S. GAAP or Mexican FRS for any of the periods presented. Rather, the U.S. GAAP net income adjustments reflect the difference in depreciation expense related to amounts capitalized prior to 2003. There have been no significant projects subject to capitalization since then.

 

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(b) Deferred Costs, Net of Amortization
Under Mexican FRS, certain development costs (including those related to web site development) and other deferred costs are capitalized and subsequently amortized on a straight-line basis once the related venture commences operations, defined as the period when revenues are generated. In addition, other expenditures which are expected to generate significant and identifiable future benefit are also capitalized and amortized over the expected future benefit period.
Under U.S. GAAP, development and other deferred costs are generally expensed as incurred given that the assessment of future economic benefit is uncertain. In the case of web site development costs, certain costs are capitalized and others expensed in accordance with EITF Issue No. 00-2, “Accounting for Web Site Development Costs.” Consequently, the U.S. GAAP net income reconciliation reflects the write-off, for U.S. GAAP purposes, of the preoperating and other deferred costs (including certain web site development costs) capitalized under Mexican FRS, net of the reversal of any amortization which is reflected under Mexican FRS.
(c) Deferred Debt Refinancing Costs, Net of Amortization
As described in Note 8, in March and May 2005, the Group issued Senior Notes due 2025 to fund the Group’s tender offers made for any or all of the Senior Notes due 2011 and the Mexican peso equivalent of UDI-denominated Notes due 2007. In conjunction therewith, under Mexican FRS, premiums paid to the old creditors were capitalized and are being amortized as an adjustment of interest expense over the remaining term of the new debt instrument.
For U.S. GAAP purposes, premiums paid by the debtor to the old creditors are to be associated with the extinguishment of the old debt instrument and included in determining the debt extinguishment gain or loss to be recognized. The adjustment to U.S. GAAP net income during 2005 reflects the reversal of the amounts capitalized under Mexican FRS, net of the related amortization while the 2006 and 2007 adjustments reflects the reversal of amortization expense recorded under Mexican FRS in such periods.
(d) Equipment Inflation Restatement, Net of Depreciation
The Group restates equipment of non-Mexican origin using the Specific Index for determining the price-level accounting restated balances under Mexican FRS.
Under Regulation S-X of the SEC, for U.S. GAAP purposes, the restatement of equipment of non-Mexican origin by the Specific Index method is a deviation from the historical cost concept. The U.S. GAAP net income and stockholders’ equity reconciliations reflect adjustments to reverse the Specific Index restatement recognized under Mexican FRS and to restate equipment of non-Mexican origin by the change in the NCPI and recalculate the depreciation expense on this basis. In addition, the result from holding non-monetary assets adjustment recognized in stockholders’ equity under Mexican FRS related to fixed assets totaling Ps.6,963 and (Ps.225,371) for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007, respectively, has been reversed for U.S. GAAP purposes.
In addition, the 2005 U.S. GAAP net income adjustment includes a catch-up adjustment of Ps.397,165, of depreciation expense of non-Mexican origin equipment, related to prior years. Individually, the amount related to each prior period was not significant.
(e) Purchase Accounting Adjustments
In 1996, the Group acquired Bay City Television, Inc. (“Bay City”) and Radiotelevisión, S.A. de C.V. and under Mexican FRS, recognizing the difference between the purchase price and net book value as goodwill. For U.S. GAAP purposes, the purchase price was allocated, based on fair values, primarily to the broadcast license, network affiliation agreements, programming and advertising contracts, fixed assets and other assets. Such purchase price adjustments were being amortized over the remaining estimated useful lives of the respective assets. Upon the adoption of SFAS No. 142 on January 1, 2002, the Group ceased amortizing the broadcast license, as it was considered to have an indefinite life, as well as the amount allocated to goodwill. The U.S. GAAP net income adjustment for each of the periods presented herein represents the amortization of the various definite lived intangibles mentioned above for U.S. GAAP purposes. In addition, in 2007 and for Mexican FRS purposes, the Group recorded an impairment of goodwill for an amount of Ps. 493,693 (which had a net balance after impairment of Ps.611,150). Therefore, the 2007 U.S. GAAP net income and stockholders’ equity reconciliation reflects the reversal of such impairment, since for U.S. GAAP purposes, the carrying value of goodwill was lower than Mexican FRS (due to the previous purchase price allocation to intangible assets and fixed assets).

 

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In 2000, the Group acquired all of the interest owned by a minority shareholder in Editorial Televisa by issuing treasury shares of capital stock. Under Mexican FRS, this acquisition was accounted for as a purchase, with the purchase price equal to the carrying value of the Group’s treasury shares at the acquisition date, with a related goodwill of Ps.87,771 being recognized. Under U.S. GAAP, this acquisition was also accounted for by the purchase method, with the purchase price being equal to the fair value of the shares issued by the Group. The purchase price adjustment under U.S. GAAP was allocated to goodwill. There is no net income adjustment as goodwill is no longer amortized for either Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP purposes. The U.S. GAAP stockholders’ equity adjustment for each of the periods presented reflects (i) the difference in the goodwill carrying value under U.S. GAAP versus Mexican FRS; (ii) net of the difference in amortization of goodwill since under Mexican FRS, amortization continued through December 31, 2003 versus January 1, 2002 for U.S. GAAP purposes.
In April 2006, the Group exercised its right to acquire two-thirds of the equity interest in Sky that DIRECTV acquired from Liberty Media. This minority interest acquisition amounted to approximately U.S.$58.7 million (Ps.699,891). After this transaction, the Group (i) increased its equity stake in Sky from 52.7% to 58.7% (see Note 11); and (ii) under Mexican FRS, recognized the excess of the purchase price over the carrying value of this minority interest totaling Ps.711,311 within stockholders’ equity. Under U.S. GAAP, the acquisition of minority interest should be accounted for using the purchase method of accounting. The Group has recognized an intangible asset related to the subscribers list that should be amortized on a straight-line basis over its estimated subscriber period. For the difference between the purchase price, and the fair value of the net assets acquired, including identifiable intangible assets, the Group has recorded goodwill in the amount of Ps.86,236. The 2006 and 2007 U.S. GAAP net income adjustment reflects only the amortization of the subscribers list recognized for U.S. GAAP purposes.
(f) Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
The carrying amount of goodwill by segment under U.S. GAAP as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, are as follows:
                 
    2006     2007  
Consolidated subsidiaries:
               
Television Broadcasting
  Ps. 337,094     Ps. 337,094  
Cable and Telecom(1)
          1,552,054  
Publishing
    1,389,538       2,055,103  
Other segments
    155,224       155,224  
Equity method investees
    865,422       852,696  
 
           
 
  Ps. 2,747,278     Ps. 4,952,171  
 
           
The U.S. GAAP net carrying value of intangible assets as of December 31, 2006 and 2007 amounted to:
                 
    2006     2007  
Trademarks(2)(3)
  Ps. 620,726     Ps. 824,263  
Television network concession(2)
    742,605       742,605  
TVI concession(4)
    147,108       262,925  
Telecom concession
          29,113  
Network affiliation agreements(2)
    119,913       119,913  
Licenses and software
    369,584       393,843  
Subscriber list
    885,189       705,027  
Deferred financing costs
    271,060       288,462  
Broadcast license
    11,335       4,176  
Leasehold improvements
    152,928       682,594  
Other
    80,557       108,522  
 
           
 
  Ps. 3,401,005     Ps. 4,161,443  
 
           
 
     
(1)  
In 2007, the Group acquired the majority of the assets of Bestel. As a result of such acquisition, the Group recorded goodwill of Ps.1,552,054.
 
(2)  
Indefinite-lived.
 
(3)  
Includes translation effect, impairment adjustments and acquisitions (see Note 7).
 
(4)  
Represents a cable television company with a license to operate in the city of Monterrey and surrounding areas. The license expires in 2026. The Group acquired a 50% interest in this venture.

 

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The aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets subject to amortization under U.S. GAAP, is estimated at Ps.429,528 for each of the next five fiscal years.
(g) Equity Method Investees
SMCP
The 2005 income statement adjustment represents the reversal of the cumulative carrying amount difference recorded through December 31, 2004 related to SMCP. This equity method investment was sold in 2005.
Cablemás
As described in Note 2, in November 2006, the Group invested U.S.$258 million (Ps.2,943,986) in convertible debentures of Alvafig, an entity created to hold a 49% equity interest in Cablemás. The Group has identified Alvafig as a variable interest entity, and the Group as the primary beneficiary of the investment in this entity. Hence, the assets of Alvafig, consisting of a 49% equity interest in Cablemás, as well as its liabilities and results of operations have been included in the consolidated financial statements of the Group.
For Mexican FRS purposes, Cablemás has recorded a reversal of a goodwill impairment loss previously recognized, as a result of changes in economic conditions affecting its investment. Under U.S. GAAP, reversal of goodwill impairment losses is not allowed. Therefore, the 2007 U.S. GAAP net income and stockholders’ equity adjustment reflects the reversal of the amount of impairment reversed for Mexican FRS purposes.
(h) Univision
Available-for-sale financial asset in 2006
As described in Note 2, beginning July 1, 2006, the Group’s investment in Univision, for both Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP purposes, no longer qualified for accounting under the equity method since the Group’s ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies of Univision no longer existed.
Therefore, under both Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP, the Group reclassified its carrying value in Univision as a current available-for-sale equity security. Subsequently, the carrying value was adjusted to fair value, with unrealized gains and losses included in the Group’s consolidated stockholders’ equity within accumulated other comprehensive income (see Notes 2 and 14).
Reversal of Hedge Accounting for Investment in Univision in 2006
As mentioned above, through June 30, 2006, the investment in Univision was accounted for under the equity method. The Group managed the currency exposure related to the net assets of Univision through the U.S. dollar-denominated debt agreements, which the Group entered into (its U.S.$300 million Senior Notes due 2011 and its U.S.$300 million Senior Notes due 2032). The Group hedged the total beginning-period amount of the net investment up to the total amount of hedging U.S. dollar-denominated debt and measured the ineffectiveness of such hedge based upon the change in the spot foreign exchange rate. Gains and losses in the Group’s net investment in Univision, for both Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP purposes, were offset by exchange losses and gains in the Group’s debt obligations, which were charged or credited to other comprehensive income or loss.
Beginning July 1, 2006, the Group classified its investment in shares of Univision common stock, for both Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP purposes, as a current available-for-sale equity security and re-designated this financial asset under Mexican FRS as being hedged by the Group’s outstanding Senior Notes due 2011, 2025 and 2032, in the aggregate amount of approximately U.S.$971.9 million (see Note 2). Therefore, gains and losses in the Group’s net investment in Univision continued to be offset by exchange losses and gains in the Group’s debt obligations, which were charged or credited to other comprehensive income or loss under Mexican FRS.

 

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Under U.S. GAAP, a non-derivative financial instrument (in this case a U.S. dollar denominated debt) cannot be designated as a hedging instrument in a foreign currency cash flow hedge of an available-for-sale investment. Therefore, the 2006 U.S. GAAP net income reconciliation includes the reversal of the exchange gains and losses related to the Group’s debt obligations, which were charged or credited to other comprehensive income or loss under Mexican FRS from the date that equity method accounting was discontinued through December 31, 2006. There was no equity adjustment at December 31, 2006.
Sale of investment in 2007
On March 29, 2007, the Group sold its investment in Univision. Upon the sale, under Mexican FRS the entire balance previously recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income when the investment was accounted for under the equity method related to (i) the foreign exchange gains and losses, (ii) the Group’s share of amounts reported in other comprehensive income or loss in the financial statements of Univision, and (iii) the foreign exchange losses and gains in the Group’s debt obligations recorded as part of the hedge accounting described above, remained in stockholders’ equity rather than being reclassified into earnings.
For U.S. GAAP purposes, upon the sale of the investment, those amounts should be reclassified into the income statement. Therefore, the 2007 U.S. GAAP net income reconciliation includes the reclassification into earnings of those items recorded in other comprehensive income under Mexican FRS. There was no equity adjustment at December 31, 2007.
(i) Derivative Financial Instruments
As described in Note 2, the Group received warrants for 9,000,000 Class A Common Shares of Univision in 2001 in exchange for the relinquishing of certain governance rights related to its investment in Univision. Under Mexican FRS, the warrants have not been assigned a value since they are related to an equity investee and it is management’s intent not to dispose of such warrants, but rather to exercise such warrants prior to their expiration. Under U.S. GAAP SFAS 133, due to the cashless exercise feature of the warrants, the warrants are considered derivative financial instruments. In accordance with EITF Issue No. 00-8, “Accounting by a Grantee for an Equity Instrument to Be Received in Conjunction with providing Goods or Services”, they must be recorded at their fair value from the date of performance commitment. The change in the fair value of the warrants is reflected within the U.S. GAAP net income adjustment for 2005.
During 2006, as described in Note 2, the Group announced its intention to have its shares and warrants to acquire shares of Univision common stock cashed out in connection with the merger contemplated by a related agreement entered into by Univision and an acquiring investor group. As of December 31, 2006, the Group’s warrants to acquire shares of Univision’s common stock have zero fair value since the per share exercise price of the warrants exceed the U.S.$36.25 per share amount to be received under the merger agreement. As a result, U.S. GAAP stockholders’ equity reconciliation as of December 31, 2006 no longer includes a reconciling item for derivative instruments.
For the year ended December 31, 2006, the U.S. GAAP net income adjustment reflects the reversal of the carrying value of the warrants.
(j) Pension Plan and Seniority Premiums
For U.S. GAAP purposes, periodic pension plan costs and periodic seniority premiums costs have been determined in accordance with SFAS No. 87, “Employers’ Accounting for Pensions,” which became effective for the Group on January 1, 1989, whereas, for Mexican FRS purposes, the Group adopted Bulletin D-3, “Labor Obligations,” effective January 1, 1993. The differing implementation dates resulted in a difference in amortization periods between Mexican FRS and U.S. GAAP. In 2006, the Company revised the Mexican FRS remaining amortization periods and therefore there is no longer a U.S GAAP difference relating to periodic plan costs. The U.S. GAAP adjustment for 2005 is determined by separate actuarial computations for each year under both SFAS No. 87 and Bulletin D-3.
In September 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans — an amendment of SFAS Nos. 87, 88, 106, and 132(R)”. SFAS No. 158 requires, as of December 31, 2006, the Group to recognize the overfunded or underfunded status of a defined benefit postretirement plan, including pension plans, as an asset or liability in its balance sheet and to recognize changes in that funded status in the year in which the changes occur through other comprehensive income. The Group adopted the recognition provisions of SFAS No. 158 and has recognized the effects of adoption within its financial statements as of December 31, 2006.

 

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In addition, SFAS No. 158 requires, for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2008, that companies measure plan assets and benefit obligations as of the date of the employer’s fiscal year-end statement of financial position. The Group has early adopted this provision and has used December 31, 2006 as the measurement date for all of its plans.
The components of net periodic pension and seniority premium plan cost for the year ended December 31, calculated in accordance with SFAS No. 87, consist of the following:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Service cost
  Ps. 89,698     Ps. 96,435     Ps. 97,878  
Interest cost
    47,212       52,896       55,804  
Expected return on plan assets
    (60,251 )     (81,152 )     (168,141 )
Net amortization and deferral
    (16,001 )     8,421       (9,280 )
 
                 
Net cost under U.S. GAAP
    60,658       76,600       (23,739 )
Net cost under Mexican FRS
    96,875       76,600       (23,739 )
 
                 
Reduction of net cost that would be recognized under U.S. GAAP
  Ps. (36,217 )   Ps.     Ps.  
 
                 
Obligations and Funded Status at December 31
The pension and seniority premium plan liability, and the severance indemnities as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, under SFAS 158, is as follows:
                 
    2006     2007  
Projected benefit obligation
  Ps. 1,104,212     Ps. 1,134,108  
Plan assets
    (1,802,958 )     (1,628,730 )
 
           
Funded status
    (698,746 )     (494,622 )
 
           
Prepaid pension asset
    (698,746 )     (494,622 )
Severance indemnities — projected benefit obligation
    356,250       413,701  
 
           
Balance sheet asset
  Ps. (342,496 )   Ps. (80,921 )
 
           
Change in benefit obligation:
               
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year
  Ps. 1,041,211     Ps. 1,104,212  
Service cost
    96,435       69,709  
Interest cost
    52,896       42,245  
Actuarial gain
    (67,788 )     (54,529 )
Benefits paid
    (18,542 )     (27,529 )
 
           
Projected benefit obligation at end of year
  Ps. 1,104,212     Ps. 1,134,108  
 
           
Change in plan assets:
               
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
  Ps. 1,539,513     Ps. 1,802,958  
Actual return on plan assets
    304,855       (140,779 )
Benefits paid
    (41,410 )     (33,449 )
 
           
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
  Ps. 1,802,958     Ps. 1,628,730  
 
           
Plan Assets
The Company’s weighted average asset allocation by asset category as of December 31 was as follows:
                 
    2006     2007  
Equity securities
    72.5 %     68.8 %
Fixed rate instruments
    27.5 %     31.2 %
 
           
Total
    100.0 %     100.0 %
 
           
Included within plan assets at December 31, 2006 and 2007 are shares of the Group held by the trust with a fair value of Ps.1,306,790 and Ps.1,121,446, respectively.
The plan assets are invested according to specific investment guidelines determined by the technical committees of the pension plan and seniority premiums trusts. These investment guidelines required, at the onset of the plan, an initial investment of a minimum of 30% of the plan assets in fixed rate instruments, or mutual funds comprised of fixed rate instruments. The plan assets that are invested in mutual funds are all rated “AA” or better by at least one of the main rating agencies. These mutual funds vary in liquidity characteristics ranging from one day to one month. The investment goals of the plan assets are to preserve principal, diversify the portfolio, maintain a high degree of liquidity and credit quality, and deliver competitive returns subject to prevailing market conditions. Currently, the plan assets do not engage in the use of financial derivative instruments.

 

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The Group has substantially funded its projected benefit obligation as of December 31, 2007, accordingly, the Group does not expect to make significant contributions to its plan assets in 2008.
The table below shows the effects within the statement of financial position of adopting SFAS No. 158 at December 31, 2006.
                         
    Before             After  
    Application             Application  
    of SFAS No. 158     Adjustments     of SFAS No. 158  
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data
                       
Prepaid pension plans and seniority premiums
  Ps.     Ps. 342,496     Ps. 342,496  
Other assets
    91,463,087             91,463,087  
 
                 
Total assets
  Ps. 91,463,087     Ps. 342,496     Ps. 91,805,583  
 
                 
Deferred income taxes
  Ps. 5,632,095     Ps. 161,978     Ps. 5,794,073  
Pension plans and seniority premiums
    235,995       (235,995 )      
Other liabilities
    48,524,193             48,524,193  
 
                 
Total liabilities
    54,392,283       (74,017 )     54,318,266  
Minority interest
    1,688,208             1,688,208  
Total stockholders’ equity
    35,382,596       416,513       35,799,109  
 
                 
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
  Ps. 91,463,087     Ps. 342,496     Ps. 91,805,583  
 
                 
The following table summarizes the changes in accumulated other comprehensive income for the year ended December 31 related to pension and post-retirement plans (net of income tax):
                 
    2006     2007  
Accumulated other comprehensive income as of beginning of year (net of income tax)
  Ps.     Ps. 416,513  
Increase / (decrease) due to adoption of SFAS No. 158
    401,424        
Net gain/(loss)
          (72,646 )
Amortization of net (gain)/loss
          (22,561 )
Amortization of prior service cost
          7,790  
Inflation adjustment
    15,089        
 
           
Accumulated other comprehensive income as of end of year (net of income tax)
  Ps. 416,513     Ps. 329,096  
 
           
The amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income as of December 31, are as follows:
                 
    2006     2007  
Prior service costs, net of income tax
  Ps. (37,630 )   Ps. (29,840 )
Net actuarial gains, net of income tax
    454,143       358,936  
 
           
Accumulated other comprehensive income as of end of year (net of income tax)
  Ps. 416,513     Ps. 329,096  
 
           
(k) Employee Stock-based Compensation
Prior to January 1, 2005, under Mexican FRS, the Group recognized no compensation expense for its employee stock plans. In 2005, the Group adopted the guidelines of the International Financial Reporting Standard 2 (IFRS 2), “Share Based Payment,” which requires accruing in stockholders’ equity for share-based compensation expense as measured at fair value at the date of grant, and applies to those equity benefits granted to officers and employees.

 

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During 2005, the Group adopted SFAS No. 123(R), “Share Based Payment,” utilizing the modified retrospective application method for all periods presented. Prior to the early adoption of SFAS No. 123(R), for U.S. GAAP purposes, the Group applied Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees”, and its related interpretations (“APB 25”) to account for stock-based compensation. In accordance with APB 25, the Company recognized compensation expense for its employee stock plans using the intrinsic-value method of accounting. Under the terms of the intrinsic-value method, compensation cost is the excess, if any, of the market price of the stock at the grant date, or other measurement date, over the amount an employee must pay to acquire the stock. Compensation cost is accrued over the vesting period and adjusted for subsequent changes in fair market value of the shares from the measurement date as these plans were classified as variable plans for APB 25 purposes.
As of December 31, 2005, the U.S. GAAP net income adjustment relates to the reversal of compensation expense recorded in 2006 for Mexican FRS purposes upon the adoption of IFRS 2, that was previously expensed under SFAS No. 123(R) as part of the modified retrospective application method. This is partially offset by additional compensation expense of those awards granted between January 1, 1995, and November 7, 2002, and unvested at the date of the adoption of SFAS No. 123(R), which were out-of-scope under IFRS 2, but were considered for purposes of applying SFAS No. 123(R). As of December 31, 2005, these awards were fully vested. Therefore, there is no U.S. GAAP net income adjustment recorded in 2006 and 2007 for employee stock-based compensation.
See Note 12 for details regarding outstanding stock awards, as well as the assumptions used in calculating the fair value of these awards.
The compensation expense recorded for these plans for U.S. GAAP purposes for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007 amounted to Ps.302,145, Ps.243,882, and Ps.140,517, respectively.
At December 31, 2007, there was Ps.227,016 of unrecognized compensation expense related to these plans, which is expected to be recognized over a period of 5 years.
The weighted average remaining contractual term of options outstanding is approximately 4 years, as of December 31, 2007.
(l) Production and Film Costs
Under Mexican FRS, the Group capitalizes production costs related to programs, which benefit more than one period, and amortizes them proportionately over the projected program revenues that are based on the Group’s historic revenue patterns for similar types of production. For Mexican FRS purposes, royalty agreements that are not individual film-specific are considered in projecting program revenues to capitalize related production costs.
Under U.S. GAAP, the Group follows the provisions of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Statement of Position 00-2, “Accounting by Producers or Distributors of Films” (“SoP 00-2”). Pursuant to SoP 00-2, production costs related to programs are also capitalized and amortized over the period in which revenues are expected to be generated (ultimate revenues). In evaluating ultimate revenues, the Group uses projected program revenue on a program-by-program basis, taking into consideration secondary market revenue only for those programs where a firm commitment or licensing arrangement exists related to specific individual programs. For U.S. GAAP purposes, royalty agreements that are not individual film-specific are not considered in the ultimate revenues. Exploitation costs are expensed as incurred. In addition, Mexican FRS allows the capitalization of artist exclusivity contracts and literary works subject to impairment assessments, whereas U.S. GAAP is generally more restrictive as to their initial capitalization and subsequent write-offs.
(m) Deferred Income Taxes and Employees’ Profit Sharing
Under Mexican FRS, the Group applies the provisions of Bulletin D-4, “Accounting for Income Tax, Assets Tax and Employees’ Profit Sharing”, which uses the comprehensive asset and liability method for the recognition of deferred income taxes for existing temporary differences.
Under U.S. GAAP, SFAS No. 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes,” requires recognition of deferred tax liabilities and assets for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax liabilities and assets are determined based on the difference between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse.

 

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The components of the net deferred tax liability applying SFAS No. 109 consist of the following:
                 
    December 31,     December 31,  
    2006     2007  
Net deferred income tax liability recorded under Mexican FRS on Mexican FRS balances (see Note 19)
  Ps. (1,544,741 )   Ps. (1,272,834 )
Reclassification of non-current taxes related to non-wholly owned subsidiaries (Sky)
    923,767       525,164  
 
           
Net deferred income tax amount under SFAS No. 109 applied to Mexican FRS balances
    (620,974 )     (747,670 )
 
           
Impact of U.S. GAAP adjustments:
               
Capitalization of financing costs
    237,666       211,706  
Deferred costs
    31,778       4,429  
Equipment inflation restatement
    (75,156 )      
Purchase accounting adjustments
    (65,328 )     (59,349 )
Pension plan and seniority premiums
    (179,290 )     (110,836 )
Production and film costs
    430,827       424,136  
Maintenance reserve
    (6,163 )     (5,057 )
Subscriber list
    (145,850 )     (102,095 )
Deferred debt refinancing costs, net of amortization
    160,510       151,713  
 
           
 
    388,994       514,647  
 
           
Net deferred income tax liability under U.S. GAAP
    (231,980 )     (233,023 )
Less:
               
Deferred income tax amount under SFAS No. 109 applied to Mexican FRS balances
    (620,974 )     (747,670 )
 
           
Net deferred income tax adjustment required under U.S. GAAP
  Ps. 388,994     Ps. 514,647  
 
           
For purposes of the U.S. GAAP, the change in the deferred income tax liability for the year ended December 31, 2007, representing a charge of Ps.1,043 was recorded against the following accounts:
         
Charge to the provision for deferred income tax
  Ps. (125,968 )
Credit to the result from holding non-monetary assets
    55,581  
Credit to the stockholders’ equity
    69,344  
 
     
 
  Ps. (1,043 )
 
     
The components of net deferred employees’ profit sharing (“EPS”) liability applying SFAS No. 109 consist of the following:
                 
    December 31,     December 31,  
    2006     2007  
Deferred EPS liability:
               
Current:
               
Inventories
  Ps. 2,124     Ps. 2,047  
Noncurrent:
               
Property, plant and equipment
    (117,522 )     (110,669 )
Deferred costs
    (59,444 )     (57,143 )
Pension plan and seniority premiums
    79,015       33,984  
Other
    (19,200 )     (16,498 )
 
           
Total deferred EPS liability
  Ps. (115,027 )   Ps. (148,279 )
 
           
The provisions for income tax and asset tax from continuing operations, on a U.S. GAAP basis, by jurisdiction as of December 31 are as follows:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Current:
                       
Mexican
  Ps. 1,124,134     Ps. 95,694     Ps. 3,111,895  
Foreign
    215,068       200,418       197,265  
 
                 
 
    1,339,202       296,112       3,309,160  
 
                 
Deferred:
                       
Mexican
    (786,430 )     1,820,616       124,799  
Foreign
    2,148       3,174       1,169  
 
                 
 
    (784,282 )     1,823,790       125,968  
 
                 
 
  Ps. 554,920     Ps. 2,119,902     Ps. 3,435,128  
 
                 

 

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Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Interpretation No. 48 “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes”, (FIN 48) was issued in July 2006 and interprets SFAS No. 109. FIN 48 became effective for the Company on January 1, 2007 and prescribes a comprehensive model for the recognition, measurement, financial statement presentation and disclosure of uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. FIN 48 provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. The Company classifies income tax-related interest and penalties as income taxes in the financial statements.
The adoption of this pronouncement had no effect on the Group’s overall financial position or results of operations.
The Group classifies income tax related interest and penalties as income taxes in the financial statements.
The following tax years remain open to examination and adjustment by the Group’s four major tax jurisdictions:
     
Mexico
  2003 and all following years
United States of America
  2004 and all following years for federal tax examinations, and 2003 and all following years for state tax examinations
Argentina
  2002 and all following years
Chile
  2003 and all following years
Effects of inflation accounting on U.S. GAAP adjustments
In order to determine the net effect on the consolidated financial statements of recognizing the U.S. GAAP specific adjustments described above, it is necessary to recognize the effects of applying the Mexican FRS inflation accounting provisions (described in Note 1) to such adjustments.
In addition, as disclosed in Notes 18 and 19, under Mexican FRS, the monetary gain or loss generated by the monetary deferred tax temporary differences are reflected within the integral cost of financing while those related to the non-monetary items are reflected within the deferred tax provision. For U.S. GAAP purposes, the Group has historically followed the provisions of EITF Issue No. 93-9 and reflected the entire monetary gain or loss within the provision for deferred taxes. Consequently for 2005 and 2006, the Ps.49,352 and Ps.6,967, respectively, of monetary gain reflected within integral result of financing under Mexican FRS has been reclassified to the deferred tax provision under U.S. GAAP.
(n) Maintenance Reserve
Under Mexican FRS, it is acceptable to accrue for certain expenses which management believes will be incurred in subsequent periods. Under U.S. GAAP, these costs are expensed as incurred.
(o) Minority Interest
This adjustment represents the allocation to the minority interest of non-wholly owned subsidiaries of certain U.S. GAAP adjustments related to such subsidiaries.
In addition, under Mexican FRS, the minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries is presented as a separate component within the stockholders’ equity section in the consolidated balance sheet. For U.S. GAAP purposes, the minority interest is not included in stockholders’ equity.
Additional disclosure requirements
Presentation in the Financial Statements — Operating Income
Under Mexican FRS, the Group recognizes various costs as non-operating expenses, which would be considered operating expenses under U.S. GAAP. Such costs include primarily certain financial advisory and professional fees, restructuring charges and employees’ profit sharing expense (see Note 17). The differences relate primarily to the Television Broadcasting and Publishing segments. Operating income of the Television Broadcasting segment would have been, Ps.8,876,350, Ps.12,484,311 and Ps.12,701,655 and operating income of the Publishing segment would have been Ps.466,086, Ps.447,372 and Ps.1,248,720 for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, respectively.

 

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To provide a better understanding of the differences in accounting standards, the table below presents the Group’s condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007 under U.S. GAAP in a format consistent with the presentation of U.S. GAAP consolidated statements of operations, after reflecting the adjustments described in (a) to (o) above:
                         
    Year Ended December 31,  
    2005     2006     2007  
Net sales
  Ps. 35,068,013     Ps. 39,357,699     Ps. 41,561,526  
Cost of providing services (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)
    15,555,693       16,512,644       18,108,061  
Selling and administrative expenses
    5,460,455       5,752,728       5,826,861  
Depreciation and amortization
    3,246,033       3,024,800       3,304,581  
 
                 
Income from operations
    10,805,832       14,067,527       14,322,023  
Integral result of financing, net
    (2,846,969 )     (2,290,042 )     (250,909 )
Other income (expense), net
    972,989       (115,444 )     (693,939 )
 
                 
Income before income taxes, minority interest and equity in earnings or losses of affiliates
    8,931,852       11,662,041       13,377,175  
Income tax and assets tax — current and deferred
    (554,920 )     (2,119,902 )     (3,435,128 )
 
                 
Income before minority interest and equity in earnings or losses of affiliates
    8,376,932       9,542,139       9,942,047  
Minority interest
    (1,181,596 )     (609,219 )     (934,295 )
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates
    172,913       (624,843 )     (774,356 )
 
                 
Net income
  Ps. 7,368,249     Ps. 8,308,077     Ps. 8,233,396  
 
                 
Weighted average common shares outstanding (in millions)
    341,158       339,776       333,653  
 
                 
Presentation in the financial statements — Earnings per CPO and per share
As disclosed in Note 12, the Group has four classes of capital stock, Series “A”, Series “B”, Series “L” and Series “D”. Holders of the Series “D” shares, and therefore holders of the CPOs, are entitled to an annual, cumulative and preferred dividend of approximately nominal Ps.0.00034177575 per Series “D” share before any dividends are payable on the Series “A”, Series “B” or Series “L” shares. Series “A” and Series “B” shares, not in the form of a CPO, and CPOs all participate in income available to common shareholders. Due to this, for purposes of U.S. GAAP, the “two-class” method has been used to present both basic and diluted earnings per share.
Earnings per CPO and per share under U.S. GAAP are presented in constant pesos for the years ended December 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, as follows:
                                                 
    2005     2006     2007  
            Series “A”             Series “A”             Series “A”  
            and “B”             and “B”             and “B”  
    CPO     Shares     CPO     Shares     CPO     Shares  
Basic EPS
                                               
Income from continuing operations available to common shareholders
    6,000,075       1,101,231       6,760,300       1,246,779       6,865,699       1,305,558  
Net income available to common shareholders
    6,000,075       1,101,231       6,760,300       1,246,779       6,865,699       1,305,558  
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding
    2,463,608       52,915,867       2,451,792       52,916,036       2,399,453       52,916,036  
Basic earnings per share (continuing operations)
  Ps. 2.44     Ps. 0.02     Ps. 2.76     Ps. 0.02     Ps. 2.86     Ps. 0.02  
 
                                   
Basic earnings per share (net income)
  Ps. 2.44     Ps. 0.02     Ps. 2.76     Ps. 0.02     Ps. 2.86     Ps. 0.02  
 
                                   
Diluted EPS
                                               
Dilutive Potential Shares
    63,064             47,354             40,018        
Total Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding
    2,526,672       52,915,867       2,499,146       52,916,036       2,439,471       52,916,036  
Diluted earnings per share (continuing operations)
  Ps. 2.37     Ps. 0.02     Ps. 2.71     Ps. 0.02     Ps. 2.81     Ps. 0.02  
 
                                   
Diluted earnings per share (net income)
  Ps. 2.37     Ps. 0.02     Ps. 2.71     Ps. 0.02     Ps. 2.81     Ps. 0.02  
 
                                   

 

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Presentation in the Financial Statements — Consolidated Balance Sheets
To provide a better understanding of the differences in accounting standards, the table below presents the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2006 and 2007, in a format consistent with the presentation of condensed consolidated balance sheets under U.S. GAAP, and after reflecting the adjustments described in (a) to (o) above:
                 
    December 31,     December 31,  
    2006     2007  
ASSETS
               
Current assets:
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  Ps. 15,461,345     Ps. 25,479,541  
Other investments
    943,728       1,825,355  
Trade notes and accounts receivable, net
    14,108,702       17,294,674  
Other accounts and notes receivable, net
    1,544,287       2,590,330  
Due from affiliated companies
    458,139       195,023  
Transmission rights and programming
    3,167,943       3,154,681  
Inventories
    801,943       833,996  
Available-for-sale investments
    12,266,318        
Current deferred taxes
    2,432,490       2,313,598  
Other current assets
    800,068       653,260  
 
           
Total current assets
    51,984,963       54,340,458  
Non-current assets:
               
Transmission rights and programming
    2,019,071       3,737,976  
Investments
    4,750,812       7,322,304  
Property, plant and equipment, net
    21,238,557       24,457,649  
Goodwill, net
    2,747,278       4,952,171  
Intangible assets, net
    3,401,005       4,161,443  
Deferred taxes
    4,308,304       3,906,544  
Financial instruments
    940,238       765,777  
Prepaid pension and seniority premiums
    342,496       80,921  
Other assets
    72,859       83,745  
 
           
Total assets
  Ps. 91,805,583     Ps. 103,808,988  
 
           
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
               
Current liabilities:
               
Current portion of long-term debt
  Ps. 1,023,445     Ps. 488,650  
Current portion of satellite transponder lease obligation
    89,415       97,696  
Trade accounts payable
    3,580,467       4,457,519  
Customer deposits and advances
    17,528,635       17,145,053  
Taxes payable
    1,223,814       684,497  
Current deferred taxes
    1,293,728       1,579,727  
Accrued interest
    271,915       307,814  
Other accrued liabilities
    2,102,700       2,155,864  
Due from affiliated companies
    39,566       127,191  
 
           
Total current liabilities
    27,153,685       27,044,011  
Non-current liabilities:
               
Long-term debt
    18,464,257       24,433,387  
Satellite transponder lease obligation
    1,162,531       1,035,134  
Customer deposits and advances
    278,282       2,665,185  
Other long-term liabilities
    1,465,438       3,374,533  
Deferred taxes
    5,794,073       5,021,717  
 
           
Total liabilities
    54,318,266       63,573,967  
 
           
Commitments and contingencies
               
Minority interest
    1,688,208       3,655,162  
 
           
Total stockholders’ equity
    35,799,109       36,579,859  
 
           
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity
  Ps. 91,805,583     Ps. 103,808,988  
 
           

 

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Cash flow information
Mexican FRS Bulletin B-12 issued by the MIPA specifies the appropriate presentation of the statements of changes in financial position. Under Bulletin B-12, the sources and uses of resources are determined based upon the differences between beginning and ending financial statement balances in Mexican Pesos of constant purchasing power. In addition, the inflation-adjusted statement of changes in financial position includes certain non-cash items such as monetary gains and losses, unrealized foreign currency translation gains or losses and net effect of foreign investment hedges. Under U.S. GAAP, SFAS No. 95, “Statement of Cash Flows,” a statement of cash flows is required, which presents only cash movements and excludes non-cash items.
The Group considers all highly liquid temporary cash investments with original maturities of three months or less, consisting primarily of short-term promissory notes (Mexican pesos and U.S. dollars in 2005, 2006 and 2007) of Mexican financial institutions, to be cash equivalents.
The following is a cash flow statement on a U.S. GAAP basis in constant Mexican Pesos with the effects of inflation on cash and cash equivalents stated separately in a manner similar to the concept of presenting the effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents as prescribed by SFAS No. 95:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Operating activities:
                       
Net income under U.S. GAAP
  Ps. 7,368,249     Ps. 8,308,077     Ps. 8,233,396  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
                       
Equity in (income) loss of affiliates
    (172,913 )     624,843       774,356  
Minority interest from continuing operations
    1,181,596       609,219       934,295  
Depreciation and amortization
    3,246,033       3,024,800       3,304,581  
Amortization of deferred debt refinancing
          (31,396 )     (31,420 )
Impairment adjustments
    8,032       93,464        
Pension plans and seniority premiums
    342,207              
Deferred income tax
    (784,282 )     1,823,790       125,968  
(Gain) loss on disposal of investment
    (1,223,640 )     (19,556 )     822,671  
Unrealized foreign exchange gain, net
    (657,558 )     (339,650 )     139,064  
Employee stock option plans
    302,146       243,882       140,517  
Maintenance reserve
    (5,345 )     2,744       3,949  
(Income) loss from monetary position
    (192,502 )     (58,543 )     542,533  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
                       
(Increase) decrease in:
                       
Trade notes and accounts receivable and customer deposits and advances, net
    (473,721 )     (1,367,269 )     (1,651,317 )
Inventories
    50,276       (112,827 )     (32,053 )
Transmission rights, programs and films and production talent advances
    715,446       495,475       (1,882,412 )
Other accounts and notes receivable and other current assets
    751,864       (1,152,498 )     (528,894 )
Increase (decrease) in:
                       
Trade accounts payable
    893,661       518,440       937,012  
Other liabilities and taxes payable
    (871,609 )     320,708       116,801  
Pension plan and seniority premiums
          90,360       17,094  
 
                 
Net cash provided by operating activities
    10,477,940       13,074,063       11,966,141  
 
                 
Financing activities:
                       
Issuance of Senior Notes due 2025
    7,185,905              
Issuance of Senior Notes due 2037
                4,500,000  
Issuance of Senior Notes due 2012
                2,481,521  
Prepayments of Senior Notes and UDIs denominated Notes
    (5,873,517 )            
Prepayment of Senior Notes due 2013
          (3,034,536 )      
Other increase (decrease) in debt
          3,631,565       (1,054,007 )
Deferred debt refinancing costs
    604,648              
Other changes in notes payable
    (4,861,141 )            
Financial instruments
    (752,094 )     (1,532,111 )     140,398  
Repurchase of capital stock
    (1,289,552 )     (3,224,515 )     (3,948,331 )
Sale of repurchased shares
    339,611       587,263       99,771  
Dividends paid
    (4,648,726 )     (1,161,839 )     (4,506,492 )
Minority interest
    (117,236 )     113,607       1,032,659  
 
                 
Net cash used for financing activities
    (9,412,102 )     (4,620,566 )     (1,254,481 )
 
                 

 

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    2005     2006     2007  
Investing activities:
                       
Other investments
    671,872       (826,920 )     (915,818 )
Due from affiliated companies, net
    577,657       (894,658 )     262,170  
Equity investments and other advances
    558,616       (2,703,858 )     (4,746,807 )
Investments in property, plant and equipment
    (2,626,055 )     (2,887,888 )     (2,977,154 )
Available-for-sale investment in shares of Univision
                11,821,932  
Acquisitions of Telecom net assets
                (1,975,666 )
Intangible assets and other assets
    (1,574,196 )     (902,707 )     (1,762,332 )
 
                 
Net cash used for investing activities
    (2,392,106 )     (8,216,031 )     (293,675 )
 
                 
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents
    (1,326,268 )     237,466       10,417,985  
Translation effect on cash and cash equivalents
    (13,654 )     7,228       22,086  
Net increase in cash and temporary investments upon Telecom acquisition
                138,261  
Effect of inflation on cash and cash equivalents
    (572,337 )     (616,759 )     (560,136 )
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
    17,745,669       15,833,410       15,461,345  
 
                 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year
  Ps. 15,833,410     Ps. 15,461,345     Ps. 25,479,541  
 
                 
Net cash provided by operating activities reflects cash payments for interest and income taxes as follows:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Interest
  Ps. 2,156,091     Ps. 1,894,346     Ps. 1,905,621  
Income taxes and/or assets tax
    578,299       1,132,412       2,955,115  
Supplemental disclosures about non-cash activities:
                         
    2005     2006     2007  
Note receivable related to customer deposits
  Ps. 13,278,854     Ps. 12,406,786     Ps. 14,753,180  
Recently issued accounting standards
SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements,” was issued in September 2006. This Statement defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in U.S. GAAP, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. This Statement applies under other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value measurements, the Board having previously concluded in those accounting pronouncements that fair value is the relevant measurement attribute. Accordingly, this Statement does not require any new fair value measurements. However, for some entities, the application of this Statement will change current practice. The definition of fair value retains the exchange price notion in earlier definitions of fair value. This Statement clarifies that the exchange price is the price in an orderly transaction between market participants to sell the asset or transfer the liability in the market in which the reporting entity would transact for the asset or liability, that is, the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability. The transaction to sell the asset or transfer the liability is a hypothetical transaction at the measurement date, considered from the perspective of a market participant that holds the asset or owes the liability. Therefore, the definition focuses on the price that would be received to sell the asset or paid to transfer the liability (an exit price), not the price that would be paid to acquire the asset or received to assume the liability (an entry price). This Statement also emphasizes that fair value is a market-based measurement, not an entity-specific measurement. This Statement shall be effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. Earlier application is encouraged. FASB Staff Position 157-2 delays the effective date of SFAS 157, “Fair Value Measurements,” for non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities, except for items that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually). This FSP defers the effective date of Statement 157 for the above types of items to fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2008, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Group is currently evaluating the impact, if any, the adoption of SFAS No. 157 will have on the financial position, results of operations and disclosures.
In February 2007, the FASB published SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities.” This statement permits entities to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value that are not currently required to be measured at fair value. The objective is to improve financial reporting by providing entities with the opportunity to mitigate volatility in reported earnings caused by measuring related assets and liabilities differently without having to apply complex hedge accounting provisions. This statement also establishes presentation and disclosure requirements designed to facilitate comparisons between entities that choose different measurement attributes for similar types of assets and liabilities. This statement does not affect any existing accounting literature that requires certain assets and liabilities to be carried at fair value. This statement does not establish requirements for recognizing and measuring dividend income, interest income, or interest expense. This statement does not eliminate disclosure requirements included in other accounting standards, including requirements for disclosures about fair value measurements included in SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements,” and SFAS No. 107, “Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments.” SFAS No. 159 will be effective for all fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. The Group is currently evaluating the impact this statement will have on the financial position, results of operations and disclosures, should the Group elect to measure certain financial instruments at fair value.

 

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In December 2007, the FASB published SFAS No. 141(R), which replaces SFAS No. 141, “Business Combinations.” This statement improves the reporting of information about a business combination and its effects. This statement establishes principles and requirements for how the acquirer will recognize and measure the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any non-controlling interest in the acquisition. Also, the statement determines the recognition and measurement of goodwill acquired in the business combination or a gain from a bargain purchase, and finally, sets forth the disclosure requirements to enable users of the financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of the business combination. SFAS No. 141(R) will be effective for all business combinations with an acquisition date on or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period after December 15, 2008, and earlier adoption is prohibited. The Group will adopt this pronouncement on January 1, 2009.
In December 2007, the FASB published SFAS No. 160 on “Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements — an amendment of ARB No. 51.” This statement addresses the reporting of minority interests in the results of the parent and provides direction for the recording of such interests in the financial statements. It also provides guidance for the recording of various transactions related to the minority interests, as well as certain disclosure requirements. SFAS No. 160 will be effective for fiscal years and interim periods after December 15, 2008, and earlier adoption is prohibited. The presentation and disclosure requirements of SFAS No. 160 must be applied retrospectively for all periods presented. The Group will adopt this pronouncement on January 1, 2009. The Group is currently evaluating the impact this statement will have on the financial position, results of operations and disclosures.
On March 19, 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, “Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities,” an amendment to FASB Statement No. 133. This new standard requires enhanced disclosures for derivative instruments, including those used in hedging activities. It is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008, with early adoption encouraged. The adoption of FASB 161 is not expected to have a material impact on the results of operations and financial condition.
In May 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 162, “The Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles,” which identifies the sources of accounting principles and the framework for selecting principles to be used in the preparation of financial statements of nongovernmental entities that are presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the United States. This Statement shall be effective 60 days following the SEC’s approval of Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) amendments to AU Section 411, “The Meaning of Present Fairly in Conformity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.” Any effect of applying the provisions of this Statement shall be reported as a change in accounting principles in accordance with SFAS No. 154, “Accounting Changes and Error Corrections.” An entity shall follow the disclosure requirements of that Statement, and additionally, disclose the accounting principles that were used before and after the application of the provisions of this Statement and the reason why applying this Statement resulted in a change in accounting principles. The adoption of SFAS No. 162 is not expected to have a material impact on the results of operations and financial condition.
Consolidated valuation and qualifying accounts
                                 
    Balance at                     Balance at  
    Beginning                     End  
Description   of Year     Additions     Deductions     of Year  
Continuing operations:
                               
Reserve for damage, obsolescence or deterioration of inventories:
                               
Year ended December 31, 2005
  Ps. 9,371     Ps. 2,529     Ps.     Ps. 11,900  
Year ended December 31, 2006
    11,900             (4,932 )     6,968  
Year ended December 31, 2007
    6,968       15,578       (3,165 )     19,381  
 
                               
Allowances for doubtful accounts(1):
                               
Year ended December 31, 2005
  Ps. 1,339,846     Ps. 335,741     Ps. (371,302 )   Ps. 1,304,285  
Year ended December 31, 2006
    1,304,285       592,523       (645,213 )     1,251,595  
Year ended December 31, 2007
    1,251,595       154,955       (303,684 )     1,102,866  
 
     
(1)  
Include allowances for trade and non-trade doubtful accounts.

 

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24. Subsequent Events
On April 30, 2008, the Company’s stockholders approved (i) the payment of a dividend for an aggregate amount of up to Ps.2,276,340, which consisted of Ps.0.75 per CPO and Ps.0.00641025641 per share, not in the form of a CPO, which was paid in cash in May 2008; and (ii) the cancellation of approximately 7,146.1 million shares of capital stock in the form of approximately 61.1 million CPOs, which were repurchased by the Company in 2007 and 2008.
In May 2008, the Company issued U.S.$500 million aggregate principal amount of 6% Senior Notes due 2018. The Group intends to use the net proceeds from this issuance for general corporate purposes, including the repayment of the Company’s outstanding indebtedness and the repurchase of the Company’s shares, among other uses, in each case, subject to market conditions and other factors. The indenture of these Senior Notes contains certain covenants similar to those applicable to the Company’s Senior Notes due 2011, 2025, 2032 and 2037. The Senior Notes due 2018 are intended to be registered in the third quarter of 2008 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (see Note 8).
On May 13, 2008, the Mexican Antitrust Commission announced that the Group complied with all of the required regulatory conditions, and therefore, authorized the conversion of debentures issued by Alvafig and held by the Group into 99.99% of the capital stock of Alvafig. As a result of this conversion, which was effected by the Group and Alvafig in May 2008, Alvafig became an indirect subsidiary of the Company (see Note 2).
During the period from January 1, 2008 through June 13, 2008, the Group made additional capital contributions related to its 40% interest in La Sexta in the aggregate amount of €24.8 million.

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX
       
Exhibit    
Number   Description of Exhibits
  1.1
English translation of Amended and Restated Bylaws ( Estatutos Sociales ) of the Registrant, dated as of April 30, 2008.
  2.11
Twelfth Supplemental Indenture related to the 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018 between Registrant, as Issuer, The Bank of New York and The Bank of New York (Luxembourg) S.A., dated as of May 12, 2008
  4.16
Full-Time Transponder Service Agreement, dated as of November __, 2007, by and among Intelsat Corporation, Intelsat LLC, Corporación de Radio y Televisión del Norte de México, S. de R. L. de C.V. and SKY Brasil Serviços Ltda.
  4.17
Credit Agreement, dated as of December 19, 2007, by and among Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., as sole bookrunner and lead arranger.
  8.1
List of Subsidiaries of Registrant.
  12.1
CEO Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, dated June 25, 2008.
  12.2
CFO Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, dated June 25, 2008.
  13.1
CEO Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, dated June 25, 2008.
  13.2
CFO Certification pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, dated June 25, 2008.

 

 

Exhibit 1.1
Translation
GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.
BY-LAWS
CORPORATE NAME, DOMICILE, CORPORATE EXISTENCE,
CORPORATE PURPOSE AND NATIONALITY
ARTICLE ONE. The corporate name of the Company shall be “GRUPO TELEVISA”. This corporate name must always be followed by the words “SOCIEDAD ANÓNIMA BURSÁTIL” (Limited Liability Stock Corporation) or by the initials “S.A.B.”
ARTICLE TWO. The corporate domicile of the Company shall be MEXICO CITY, FEDERAL DISTRICT; nevertheless, the Company may establish agencies and branches anywhere else in the Mexican Republic or abroad, and it may agree upon any other contractual domiciles, without this being understood as a change of its corporate domicile.
ARTICLE THREE. The corporate existence of the Company shall be NINETY-NINE years, as from the date of execution of this Deed.
ARTICLE FOUR. The corporate purpose of the Company shall be:
(a) To promote, incorporate, organize, exploit and acquire any participations in the capital stock and assets of any kind of national or foreign mercantile or civil companies, associations or industrial, commercial, or service companies, as well as to participate in their management or liquidation.
(b) To purchase, dispose of and in general negotiate with all type of shares, corporate participations or interest as well as with respect to any other type of titles or securities allowed by the law.
(c) To issue, subscribe, accept, endorse and guarantee any negotiable instruments or real estate securities as allowed by the law.
(d) To borrow or lend, conferring and accepting specific guarantees; to issue debentures and commercial paper; to accept, draw, endorse or guarantee all kinds of negotiable instruments and to grant bonds or sureties of any nature whatsoever, with respect to any obligations contracted or instruments issued or accepted by third parties engaged in any business with the Company.
(e) To acquire, dispose of, enjoy and grant the enjoyment and use in any form whatsoever permitted by the Law of real estate and personal property, as well as real rights thereon, when deemed necessary or appropriate in order to comply with the corporate purpose of the Company or for any operations of the civil or mercantile companies in which the Company has acquired any share or interest.

 

 


 

Translation
(f) To obtain, acquire, use, dispose of and grant, under any title, any patents, certificates of invention, trademarks and trade names, options and preferences, as well as any copyright and concessions for any kind of activity.
(g) To render, receive or contract all kind of technical, advisory and consulting services, as well as to enter into all kinds of contracts or agreements to attain said purposes.
(h) To act as commission agent and to mediate and accept the representation in all kind of negotiations whatsoever.
(i) To carry out, supervise or contract on its own account or on the account of third parties, any kind of constructions, buildings, subdivision of urban areas as well to manufacture, purchase and dispose, under any title, of any construction materials.
(j) To carry out any other acts of commerce in which it may be involved in accordance with the Law and its corporate purpose.
ARTICLE FIVE. The capital stock will be represented by Series “A”, “B”, “D” and “L”, pursuant to Article Six of these By-laws.
Series “A”, “B” and “D” can only be acquired by:
ONE. Individuals of Mexican nationality;
TWO. Mexican companies whose corporate by-laws contain a foreign investment exclusion clause, in which only Mexican individuals and corporations whose by-laws include a foreign investment exclusion clause can become shareholders;
THREE. Mexican credit, bonding and insurance institutions, financial leasing companies, financial factoring companies, credit unions and Mexican investment corporations, all of which shall have clauses of foreigner exclusion in their statutes;
FOUR. Credit institutions, acting as trustees in trusts for share assignment funds or retirement plans and share acquisition plans for Mexican employees, executives and workers; and
FIVE. Credit institutions, acting as trustees in terms of the Foreign Investment Law and the Rules of the Foreign Investment Law and the National Registry of Foreign Investments.
The Company shall not directly or indirectly admit as shareholders of Series “A”, “B” or “D”, foreign investors or companies whose by-laws include a foreign investment admission clause. In case the aforesaid investors or companies should acquire Series “A”, “B” or “D”, in no event shall the Company recognize them any right whatsoever as shareholders. The above, in the understanding, however, that such investors and companies may be holders of ordinary certificates of participation issued based on shares of the Company, regardless of the series they represent, as long as the trust to which the same are transferred, is considered and has been authorized as a neutral investment in accordance with the applicable law.

 

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Translation
Series “L” shares shall be considered neutral investment and may be acquired by Mexican investors and by foreign individuals, companies and economic entities or by individuals, companies or entities referred to in sections II and III of article Two of the Foreign Investment Law. Series “L” shares would not be taken into account in order to determine the amount and proportion of the participation of foreign investors in the capital stock, pursuant to the applicable legal provisions. If any foreign investor of the Company has or may further acquire Series “L” shares, such foreign investor binds itself before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to consider itself as a national in regard to the Series “L” shares which it acquires or holds, and of its goods, rights, authorizations, participations or interests that the Company may hold, as well as any rights and obligations arising from the agreements, and therefore, not invoke the protection by its Government, under the penalty, in case of not honoring such commitment, of forfeiting the corporate participation they may have acquired to the benefit of the Nation.
Holders of ordinary participation certificates issued based on Series “A”, “B”, “D” and “L” of the Company, who are foreigners or Mexican companies whose by-laws include a foreign investment admission clause, may only and exclusively exercise the corporate rights with respect to Series “L”, which under no circumstances may grant holders the right to appoint more than two members of the Board of Directors of the Company.
In no event shall foreign Governments or States be admitted as shareholders of the Company.
The Control of the Company may at no time and by no means be held, individual or jointly, de jure or de facto , by foreign individuals, entities of foreign nationality and/or Mexican companies with majority of foreign capital. For purposes of this paragraph, “control” shall have the meaning set forth in Section Two of Article Ninth of these by-laws.
CHAPTER II
CAPITAL STOCK AND SHARES
ARTICLE SIX .- The capital stock is fixed.
The subscribed and paid capital is $2,378,506,384 (two thousand three hundred seventy eight million five hundred six thousand three hundred eighty four pesos CERO CENTS, MEXICAN CURRENCY), represented by 347,963,012,631 (three hundred forty seven thousand nine hundred sixty three million twelve thousand six hundred thirty one) registered shares, without par value, divided into four series, as follows;
i)  
Series “A” consisting of up to 120,182,748,925 ordinary shares;
 
ii)  
Series “B” consisting of up to 56,262,606,976 ordinary shares;

 

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Translation
iii)  
Series “D” consisting of up to 85,758,828,365 shares with limited voting rights and preferred dividend, issued pursuant to Article One Hundred Thirteen of the Mexican Companies Law; and
 
iv)  
Series “L” consisting of up to 85,758,828,365 shares with limitations to voting and other corporate rights.
Series “A” and “B” will consist of ordinary shares, with full voting rights that will represent, at any time, 100% (One hundred percent) of the total of the ordinary shares. The aggregate of the Series “A” and “B” shall represent, at least, 50% (Fifty percent) plus one share of the capital stock of the Company; therefore, at no time and under no circumstance, can the total amount of ordinary shares be equal to or less than the aggregate of the Series “D” and “L” shares.
Series “D” will consist of shares with limited voting rights and preferred dividend, issued in terms of Article One Hundred Thirteen of the Mexican Companies Law, which at no time, together with Series “L” shares, shall represent an equal or larger number than the total ordinary outstanding shares.
Series “L” will consist of shares with limitations to voting and other corporate rights, which at no time will represent, together with Series “D”, an equal or larger number than the total ordinary outstanding shares.
The Company may place under trust the shares that represent its capital stock and/or its ordinary certificates of participation, with credit institutions, with the purpose of establishing option plans for the acquisition or subscription of these shares, for the benefit of its officers and employees, or the officers or employees of its subsidiaries, or persons who render their services to the Company, to its subsidiaries or to companies in which it participates.
The Company may issue non-subscribed shares, to be kept by its Treasury Department and delivered as they are subscribed and paid for.
Additionally, the Company may issue non-subscribed shares for placement among the investor public according to the terms, and as long as the conditions provided in Article 53 (fifty-three) of the Securities Market Law and other applicable legal provisions are observed, including obtaining authorization granted for the public offering by the National Banking and Securities Commission.
ARTICLE SEVEN. Within its respective Series, each share shall grant equal rights and obligations to the holders.
Each Series “A” and “B” ordinary share shall grant the right to 1 (one) vote at Shareholders Meetings.

 

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Translation
I. Holders of Series “A”, shall have the right to appoint and remove eleven members of the Board of Directors and their respective alternate members, as well as the Chairman of the Board of Directors, to name or ratify the appointment of the Chairman or General Manager of the Company and the Secretary and Alternate Secretary of the Board of Directors, according to the provisions of Article Twenty Two of these by-laws. Holders of Series “A” shall have the monetary and economic rights conferred by law and these by-laws, including, but not limited to, the participation in any profits and the preferential right to subscribe the new shares of such series to be issued in such proportion as may correspond to them.
II. Holders of Series “B”, shall have the right to appoint and remove five members of the Board of Directors and their respective alternates, pursuant to Article Twenty Two herein. Holders of Series “B” shall have the monetary and economic rights conferred by law and these by-laws, including, but not limited to, the participation in any profits and the preferential right to subscribe the new shares of such series to be issued in such proportion as may correspond to them.
III. Series “D” shares shall grant their holders the right to vote at the rate of one vote per share, under the terms of article One Hundred and Thirteen of the Mexican Companies Law, that is, when shareholders are called to deal with any of the matters referred to in sections I, II, IV, V, VI and VII of article One Hundred and Eighty Two of the Mexican Companies Law, and shall be entitled to the privileges provided for in said Article. Thus, Series “D” shares grant their holders the right to vote, at the rate of one vote per share, when the General Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting is held to deal with any of the following matters:
  1.  
Extension of the corporate existence of the Company;
 
  2.  
Advance dissolution of the Company;
 
  3.  
Change in the corporate purpose of the Company;
 
  4.  
Change of nationality of the Company;
 
  5.  
Transformation of the Company; and
 
  6.  
Merger of the Company with another company or legal entity.
Series “D” shareholders, by resolution passed at a Special Meeting called for said purpose, shall be entitled to appoint and remove two members of the Board of Directors and their respective alternates, by means of the favorable vote of at least fifty percent of the outstanding Series “D” shareholders, and such resolution shall be reported to the General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting through the person that have acted as secretary of the respective Special Meeting. The Regular Board Members and their Alternate Members who, as the case may be, were appointed by holders of Series “D”,, shall comply with the requirements provided for in Article Twenty First of these By-laws. Except as provided for in Article Twenty Seven of these By-laws, the removal of Board Members appointed by holders of Series “D” shall be resolved at a Special Shareholders Meeting and later reported to the General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting in the same form as the designations.

 

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Translation
Additionally, Series “D” shareholders shall be entitled to vote, regarding the cancellation of the listing of Series “D” shares of the Company or other securities issued regarding said shares in the National Securities Registry and in other national or foreign stock exchanges where they are registered or listed.
Holders of Series “D” shall enjoy the preferential right to subscribe the new shares of such series to be issued in such proportion as may correspond to them.
Holders of Series “D” shall also be entitled to the payment of dividends referred to in Article Sixteen, Section I, Article One Hundred Twelve and article One Hundred Seventeen of the Mexican Companies Law, in the same terms as the other shareholders of the Company, once the minimum preferred dividend paid under the terms of the second paragraph of Article One Hundred and Thirteen of the Mexican Companies Law has been discounted , according to the following:
a. In terms of Article One Hundred of the Mexican Companies Law, dividend may not be assigned to the holders of ordinary shares, without paying beforehand to the Series “D” of limited vote, an annual dividend of $0.00034177575 Mexican Pesos per share, equal to five percent of the theoretical value of Series “D” shares that amounts to $0.00683551495 Mexican Pesos, per share. If in a fiscal year no dividends are declared or such dividends are lower than the above-mentioned five percent, the dividend will be paid in the following years with the priority indicated above.
b. Once dividend provided for in section a. above has been paid, if the General Shareholders Meeting shall declares payment of additional dividends, Series “A”, “B” and “L” shareholders must receive the same amount of dividend as received by Series “D” shareholders according to section a. above, in order that all shareholders receive the same amount of dividends.
c. If the Company pays any additional dividends, holders of all Series “A”, “B”, “D”, and “L” shall receive, per share, the same amount of dividends, in order that each Series “D” receive payment of additional dividends in the manner and in an amount identical to those received by each of Series “A”, “B” or “L”.
IV. Holders of Series “L” shares, with limitations to voting and other corporate rights, shall have the right to attend and cast one vote per each share, solely and exclusively at the Special Meetings of such Series, and at any Extraordinary Shareholders Meetings held to deal with the following matters: (i) transformation of the Company; (ii) merger with another company or companies, in the event that the Company is merged; and (iii) cancellation of the listing of Series “L” of the Company or of other securities issued with respect to such shares in the National Securities Registry.

 

- 6 -


 

Translation
Holders of Series “L”, by means of resolution passed at a Special Meeting called for such purpose, shall be entitled to appoint and remove two members of the Board of Directors and their respective alternates, appointment that shall be held through the favorable vote of at least fifty percent of the outstanding Series “L” shareholders; resolution that shall be notified to the General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting through the person who acted as secretary of the corresponding Special Meeting. The Regular and Alternate Board Members which are appointed by holders of Series “L” shares, shall comply with the requirements provided for in Article Twenty First of these By-laws. Except as provided for in Article Twenty Seventh of these By-laws, the removal of Directors appointed by Series “L” shareholders must be convened at a Special Shareholders Meeting and later notified to the General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting in the same form as the designations. Holders of Series “L” shall have the same monetary or economic rights as Series “A” and “B” ordinary shareholders, including participation in any profits of the Company and the preferential right to subscribe the new shares to be issued of such Series “L” in the proportion that may correspond to them in such Series “L”.
ARTICLE EIGHT. The Company may acquire shares representing its capital stock or negotiable instruments representing such shares, without being subject to the prohibition referred to in the first paragraph of Article 134 (one hundred thirty-four) of the Mexican Companies Law.
The acquisition of its shares shall be carried out according to the terms and provisions of Article 56 (fifty-six) of the Securities Market Law and other provisions in effect at the moment of the transaction, including those issued by the National Banking and Securities Commission.
ARTICLE NINE. Section First. According to articles One Hundred and Twenty-Eight and One Hundred and Twenty-Nine of the Mexican Companies Law, either directly or pursuant to Article 57 paragraph IV section b) of the Securities Market Law, the Company shall keep and maintain a Stock Registry, which may be kept by the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Company, a securities deposit institution, a credit institution, or the person appointed by the Board of Directors to act as Registrar, on behalf of the Company.
For a term that will expire precisely on December 10, 2008, the Company’s shares will be documented in certificates that represent one or more shares of Series “A”, Series “B”, Series “D”, Series “L”, and if applicable, of the other series that the shareholders meeting may so determine. In this manner, immediately after the shares representing the capital stock are organized through such certificates, the Company will inscribe, for such period of time, in its Stock Registry, only the “A”, “B”, “D” and “L” shares in the form of the mentioned titles and only when such time-period has expired, the Company will be able to recognize and inscribe shares of different series. The Certificates to which this paragraph refers will be contributed to a trust, with the purpose that such trust proceeds to issue the ordinary participation certificates that will be exchanged in the securities exchanges.

 

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Translation
The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall not be applicable (i) with respect to Series “A” or any other series held by the person who owns the majority of Series “A” and the permanent shareholder of the Company or any of its assignees, successors or the credit institutions that act as trustees on their behalf, and (ii) with respect to such Series “A” or any other series that, as the case may be, are contributed or allocated in favor of financial institutions acting as trustees in such trust agreements executed with the purpose of establishing option plans for the benefit of the employees and officers of the Company or of its subsidiaries, or for the benefit of individuals who render their services to the Company, its subsidiaries, or the companies in which they may participate, which trusts are entitled to maintain shares that are not underlying other securities.
The Stock Registry shall be closed during any of the periods as of the fifth business day preceding any Shareholders’ Meeting, including the date of such meeting. During such period no annotation shall be made in such Registry.
However, if deemed convenient by the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee, indistinctly, they may order that such registry be closed earlier, as long as specified in the call to the meeting, and such call is published at least ten days before the registry is closed. Additionally, the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee may cancel any listings made in the registry in case of breaches committed against the provisions of the Second Section of this Article.
The Company shall consider as legal shareholder whoever are registered as such in the Stock Registry, taking into account the provisions of Article Seventy-eight of the Mexican Securities Market Law. This, subject to the provisions of Section Second of this Article Nine of the By-laws.
Section Second. (A) Any Person (as this concept is defined hereinbelow) who individually or together with a Related Person (as this concept is defined hereinbelow) intends to acquire ordinary Shares (as this concept is defined hereinbelow) or rights over ordinary Shares, by any means or title, directly or indirectly, be it in one single act or in a succession of acts without any limit to the time between them, which consequence is that [such Person’s] shareholding, individually or together with the Shares being acquired, having been acquired or intended to be acquired by a Related Person or [such Person’s] ownership of rights over ordinary Shares, individually or together with the Shares being acquired, having been acquired or intended to be acquired by a Related Person directly or indirectly, is equal to or greater than 10% (ten percent) of the total number of ordinary Shares; (B) any Person who individually or together with a Related Person, intends to acquire ordinary Shares or rights over ordinary Shares, by any means or title, directly or indirectly, be it in one single act or in a succession of acts without any limit to the time between them, which Shares represent individually or together with the Shares being acquired, having been acquired or intended to be acquired by a Related Person, 10% (ten percent) or more of the total number of ordinary Shares; (C) any Person who is a Competitor (as this concept is defined hereinbelow) of the Company or of any Subsidiary (as this concept is defined hereinbelow) or Affiliate (as this concept is defined hereinbelow) of the Company, who individually or together with a Related Person intends to acquire ordinary Shares or rights over ordinary Shares, by any means or title, directly or indirectly,

 

- 8 -


 

Translation
be it in one single act or in a succession of acts without any limit to the time between them, which consequence is that [such Person’s] shareholding individually or together with the Shares being acquired, having been acquired or intended to be acquired by a Related Person or [such Person’s] ownership of rights over ordinary Shares, individually or together with the Shares being acquired, having been acquired or intended to be acquired by a Related Person directly or indirectly, is equal to or greater than 5% (five percent) of the total number of issued Shares; and (D) any Person who is a Competitor of the Company or of any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company, who individually or together with a Related Person intends to acquire ordinary Shares or rights over ordinary Shares, by any means or title, directly or indirectly, be it in one single act or in a succession of acts without any limit to the time between them, which Shares individually or together with the Shares being acquired, having been acquired or intended to be acquired by a Related Person represents 5% (five percent) or more of the total number of issued Shares, shall require the prior written approval of the Board of Directors and/or of the Shareholders’ Meeting, as indicated below. For these effects, the Person in question shall comply with the following:
I.  Board of Directors approval :
1. The Person in question shall submit a written approval application to the Board of Directors. Such application shall be addressed and delivered, in an indubitable manner, to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, with a copy to the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary of the Board. The aforesaid application shall set forth and detail the following:
(a) the number and class or series of Shares that the Person in question or any Related Person (i) owns or co-owns, be it directly or through any Person or through any relative by consanguinity, affinity or adoption, within the fifth degree, or any spouse under a civil or common law marriage or by means of any other intermediary; or (ii) in respect of which has, shares or enjoys any right, be it as a result of a contract or any other cause;
(b) the number and class or series of Shares that the Person in question or any Related Person intends to acquire (i) be it directly or through any Person in which [the Person or the Related Person] has an interest or participation, either in the capital stock or in the direction, management or operation or through any relative by consanguinity, affinity or adoption, within the fifth degree, or any spouse under a civil or common law marriage or by means of any other intermediary;
(c) the number and class or series of Shares in respect of which [the Person or Related Person] intends to obtain or share any right or option, be it as a result of a contract or any other cause;
(d) (i) the percentage that the Shares referred to in paragraph (a) above represent of the aggregate Shares issued by the Company; (ii) the percentage that the Shares referred to in paragraph (a) above represent of the class or series to which they belong; (iii) the percentage that the Shares referred to in paragraphs (b) and (c) above represent of the aggregate Shares issued by the Company; and (iv) the percentage that the Shares referred to in paragraphs (b) and (c) above represent of the class or series to which they belong;

 

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Translation
(e) the identity and nationality of the Person or group of Persons who intends to acquire the Shares, in the understanding that if any of such Persons is an entity, trust or its equivalent, or any other vehicle, enterprise or other form of economic or commercial association, the identity and nationality of the partners or shareholders, settlors and beneficiaries or their equivalent, members of the technical committee or its equivalent, successors, members or associates shall be specified, as well as the identity and nationality of the Person or Persons that Control (as this concept is defined hereinbelow), directly or indirectly, the entity, trust or its equivalent, vehicle, enterprise or economic or commercial association in question, until the individual or individuals who have any right, interest or participation of any nature in the entity, trust or its equivalent, vehicle, enterprise or economic or commercial association in question are identified;
(f) the reasons and purposes for which [the Person or Related Person] intends to acquire the Shares for which the approval being sought, mentioning, in particular, if [the Person or Related Person] intends to acquire (i) Shares in addition to those referred to in the approval application, (ii) a Material Interest or (iii) the Control of the Company;
(g) if [the Person or Related Person] is, directly or indirectly, a Competitor of the Company or of any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof and if [the Person or Related Person] has the authority to legally acquire the Shares pursuant to the provisions of these by-laws and the applicable legislation; as well, it should be specified if the Person who intends to acquire the Shares in question has any relatives by consanguinity, affinity or adoption, within the fifth degree, or any spouse under a civil or common law marriage, that may be considered a Competitor of the Company or of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, or has an economic relationship with a Competitor or has an interest or participation either in the capital stock or in the direction, management or operation of a Competitor, directly or through any Person or relative by consanguinity, affinity or adoption, within the fifth degree or any spouse under a civil or common law marriage;
(h) the origin of the economic resources that [the Person or Related Person] intends to use to pay the price of the Shares that are the subject of the application; in the event such resources derive from any financing, the identity and nationality of the Person providing such resources shall be specified and the documents subscribed by such Person, evidencing and explaining the conditions of such financing, shall accompany the approval application;
(i) if [the Person or Related Person] forms part of an economic group, formed by one or more Related Persons, which as such, in one act or in a succession of acts, intends to acquire Shares or rights over the same or, as the case may be, if such economic group, is the owner of Shares or rights over Shares;
(j) if [the Person or Related Person] has received economic resources in loan or in any other concept from a Related Person or has provided economic resources in loan or in any other concept to a Related Person, in order to pay the price of the Shares; and

 

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Translation
(k) the identity and nationality of the financial institution acting as broker, in the event that the acquisition in question is carried out through a tender offer.
2. Within the ten (10) days following the date of receipt of the approval application referred to in paragraph I.1. above, the Chairman or the Secretary or, in the absence of the latter, any Assistant Secretary, shall call the Board of Directors in order to discuss and resolve the above-mentioned approval application. The notice for the meetings of the Board of Directors shall be made in writing and shall be sent by the Chairman or the Secretary or, in the absence of the latter, by any Assistant Secretary, to each of the regular and alternate directors at least forty five (45) days in advance of the date when the meeting is to take place, by certified mail, private courier service, telegram, telex, telecopier or facsimile, to their domiciles or to the addresses that the directors have informed in writing in order to be notified for purposes of the matters referred to in this Article of the by-laws. The alternate directors shall only participate in the deliberations and vote in the event the corresponding regular director does not attend the meeting being called. The notices shall specify the time, date and place of the meeting and the respective Agenda.
For purposes of this Article of the by-laws, resolutions adopted without a Board meeting shall not be valid.
3. Except for the provisions of the last paragraph of this section I.3, the Board of Directors shall decide on all approval applications submitted within the sixty (60) days following the date when the application was submitted. The Board of Directors may, in any case and without incurring in liability, submit the approval application to the decision of the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting shall necessarily decide on any approval application in the following cases:
(a) when the Share acquisition that is the subject of the application implies a change of Control in the Company; or
(b) when [after] having been called in terms of the provisions of this Article, the Board of Directors cannot be convened for any cause; or
(c) when [after] having been called in terms of the provisions of this Article, the Board of Directors does not decide on the approval application submitted [to the Board of Directors], with the exception of the instances in which [the Board of Directors] does not decide due to the request of the documents or clarifications referred to in the immediately following paragraph.
The Board of Directors may request the Person who intends to acquire the Shares in question, the additional documents and clarifications that it considers necessary in order to decide on the approval application submitted [to the Board of Directors], including the documents that evidence the veracity of the information referred to in sections I.1(a) to I.1(k) of this Article. Should the Board of Directors request the above-cited clarifications or documents, the sixty (60) day term set forth in the first paragraph of this section I.3 shall be counted as of the date when the aforementioned Person makes or delivers, as may be the case, the clarifications or documents requested by the Board of Directors, through its Chairman, its Secretary or any Assistant Secretary.

 

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Translation
4. In order for the Board to validly hold a meeting, at least 75% (seventy five percent) of the respective regular or alternate directors shall be in attendance and its decisions and resolutions, to be valid, shall be adopted by the favorable vote of the majority of the directors in attendance. The Chairman of the Board shall have a deciding vote, in the event of a tie.
The meetings of the Board of Directors called to decide on the above-mentioned approval applications shall consider and adopt resolutions solely with regards to the approval application referred to in this section I.
5. Should the Board of Directors approve the Share acquisition requested and such acquisition imply the acquisition of a Material Interest (as this concept is defined hereinbelow) without such acquisition exceeding half of the ordinary voting Shares or implying a change of Control in the Company, the Person who intends to acquire the Shares in question shall carry out a tender offer, at a price payable in cash, for the percentage of Shares equal to the percentage of ordinary voting Shares that [such Person] intends to acquire or for 10% (ten percent) of the Shares, whichever is greater.
The tender offer referred to in this section 1.5. shall be made simultaneously in Mexico and in the United States of America within the sixty (60) days following the date when the Share acquisition in question was authorized by the Board of Directors. The price to be paid for the Shares shall be the same, regardless of the class or series in question. Should there be certificates or instruments representing two or more shares of the capital stock of the Company and shares that were issued and are outstanding individually, the price of the latter shall be determined by the dividing the price of the above-mentioned certificates or instruments by the number of underlying shares that they represent.
6. Any Person who is a Competitor of the Company or of any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof, who intends to acquire Shares or rights over Shares, by any means or title, directly or indirectly, be it in one single act or in a succession of acts without any limit to the time between them, as a result of which [such Person’s] shareholding or ownership of rights over Shares, directly or indirectly, is equal to or greater than 5% (five percent) of the total number of issued Shares and any Person who is a Competitor of the Company or of any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof, who intends to acquire Shares or rights over Shares, by any means or title, directly or indirectly, be it in one single act or in a succession of acts without any limit to the time between them, representing 5% (five percent) or more of the total number of issued Shares, shall require the prior written approval of the Shareholders’ Meeting. The corresponding approval application shall be submitted to the Board of Directors which shall be called as provided in sections I.1. and I.2. hereof. The Board of Directors may deny the authorization being sought or may submit the approval application in question to the consideration of the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting in order for it to decide thereon.

 

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Translation
II.  Shareholders’ meeting approval :
1. In the event that the approval application referred to in this Article of the by-laws is submitted to the decision of the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting, the Board of Directors, by means of the Chairman or of the Secretary or, in the absence of the latter, of any Assistant Secretary, shall call the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting.
2. For purposes of this Article of the by-laws, the notice for the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting shall be published in the official gazette of the domicile of the Company and in two of the newspapers with broadest circulation in such domicile, at least thirty (30) days in advance of the date set for the meeting; in the case of a second notice the publication shall likewise be made at least thirty (30) days in advance of the date set for the corresponding meeting; in the understanding that this last notice shall only be published after the date for which the unheld meeting was called in first notice.
The notice shall contain the Agenda and shall be signed by the Chairman or the Secretary or, in the absence of the latter, by any Assistant Secretary of the Board of Directors.
3. For purposes of this Article, in order for a general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting to be deemed legally assembled by virtue of first or subsequent notice, at least 85% (eighty five percent) of the ordinary voting Shares must be represented therein and its resolutions shall be valid when adopted with the favorable vote of the holders of Shares representing, at least, 75% (seventy five percent) of the ordinary voting Shares.
From the moment of publishing of the notice for the shareholders’ meeting referred to in this Article of the by-laws, the information and documents mentioned in the Agenda and, as a result, the approval application referred to in paragraph I.1 of this Article of the by-laws, and any opinion and/or recommendation issued, in its event, by the Board of Directors in connection with the above-mentioned approval application, shall be put at the disposal of the shareholders, at the offices of the Secretary of the Company, at no cost.
4. If the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting approves the proposed acquisition of Shares and such acquisition implies the acquisition of a Material Interest (as this concept is defined hereinbelow) without such acquisition exceeding half of the ordinary voting Shares or implying a change of Control in the Company, the Person who intends to acquire the Shares in question shall make a tender offer, at a price payable in cash, for the percentage of the Shares that is equivalent to the percentage of ordinary voting Shares that [the Person] intends to acquire or for 10% (ten percent) of the Shares, whichever is higher.
The tender offer referred to in this section 4. shall be made simultaneously in Mexico and in the United States of America within the sixty (60) days following the date in which the Share acquisition in question was approved by the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting. The price to be paid for the Shares shall be the same, regardless of the class or series in question. Should there be certificates or instruments representing two or more shares of the capital stock of the Company and shares which were issued and are outstanding individually, the price of the latter shall be determined by dividing the price of the above-mentioned certificates or instruments by the number of underlying shares that they represent.

 

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Translation
5. If the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting approves the proposed Share acquisition and such acquisition implies a change of Control in the Company, the Person who intends to acquire the Shares in question shall make a tender offer for 100% (one hundred percent) minus one of the issued and outstanding Shares, at a price payable in cash not smaller than the highest price between the following:
a. the book value of the Share according to the last quarterly profit statement approved by the Board of Directors, or
b. the highest closing price of the transactions carried out in stock exchanges during any of the three hundred and sixty five (365) days preceding the date of the approval granted by the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting, or
c. the highest price paid for the Shares at any time by the Person acquiring the Shares that are the subject of the application approved by the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting.
The tender offer referred to in this section 5. shall be made in Mexico and in the United States of America within the sixty (60) days following the date in which the Share acquisition in question was approved by the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting. The price to be paid for the Shares shall be the same, regardless of the class or series in question. Should there be certificates or instruments representing two or more shares of the capital stock of the Company and shares which were issued and are outstanding individually, the price of the latter shall be determined by dividing the price of the above-mentioned certificates or instruments by the number of underlying shares that they represent.
6. The Person who carries out a Share acquisition approved by the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting, shall not be registered in the stock registry of the Company until such time when the tender offer referred to in sections II.4 and II.5 above has been concluded. Consequently, such Person shall not be able to exercise the corporate nor the economic rights corresponding to the Shares whose acquisition has been approved until such time when the tender offer has been concluded.
In the case of Persons who are already shareholders of the Company and, as a result, are registered in the stock registry of the Company, the Share acquisition approved by the general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting shall not be registered in the stock registry of the Company until such time when the tender offer has been concluded and, consequently, such Persons shall not be able to exercise the corporate nor the economic rights corresponding to the acquired Shares.
The Board of Directors and the Shareholders’ Meeting, as may be the case, shall have the right to determine if one or more Persons that intend to acquire Shares are acting jointly, in coordination or in agreement with others, in which case, the Persons in question shall be considered as a single person for purposes of this Article of the by-laws.

 

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Translation
As well, the Board of Directors and the Shareholders’ Meeting, as may be the case, shall determine the cases in which Shares held by different Persons, shall be considered as Shares held by a same Person for purposes of this Article. In this sense, it shall be deemed that the Shares held by a Person, plus the Shares (i) held by any relative by consanguinity, affinity or adoption, within the fifth degree, or any spouse under a civil or common law marriage of that Person, or (ii) held by an entity, trust or its equivalent, vehicle, enterprise or other form of economic or commercial association whenever such entity, trust or its equivalent, vehicle, enterprise or economic or commercial association is Controlled by the above-mentioned Person or (iii) held by any Related Person [related] to such Person.
In their assessment of the approval applications referred to in this Article, the Board of Directors and/or Shareholders’ Meeting, as may be the case, shall take into account the factors that they deem appropriate, considering the interests of the Company and its shareholders, including financial, market, business and other factors.
In order for a general extraordinary shareholders’ meeting, in which a merger, a spin-off or an increase or reduction of the capital of the Company implying a change of Control is to be discussed, to be considered legally held by virtue of first or subsequent call, at least 85% (eighty five percent) of the ordinary voting Shares must be represented and its resolutions shall be valid when adopted with the favorable vote of the holders of Shares representing, at least, 75% (seventy five percent) of the ordinary voting Shares.
The Person who acquires Shares without having complied with the formalities, requirements and other provisions of this Article of the by-laws, shall not be registered in the stock registry of the Company and, consequently, such Person shall not be able to exercise the corporate nor the economic rights corresponding to such Shares, including specifically the exercise of voting rights at shareholders’ meetings. In the case of Persons who are already shareholders of the Company and, therefore, are already registered in the stock registry of the Company, the Share acquisition carried out without complying with any of the formalities, requirements and other provisions of this Article of the by-laws, shall not be registered in the stock registry of the Company and, consequently, such Persons shall not be able to exercise the corporate nor the economic rights corresponding to such Shares, including specifically the exercise of voting rights at shareholders’ meetings. In the instances when the formalities, requirements and other provisions of this Article of the by-laws have not been complied with, the certificates or lists referred to in the first paragraph of article 78 of the Securities Market Law, shall not demonstrate the ownership of Shares nor shall they evidence the right to attend shareholders’ meetings and registration in the stock registry of the Company, nor shall they legitimize the exercise of any action, including those of a procedural nature.

 

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Translation
The authorizations granted by the Board of Directors or by the Shareholders’ Meetings pursuant to the provisions of this Article, shall cease to be in effect if the information and documents on which such authorizations were granted upon are not or cease to be true.
Additionally and in accordance with the provisions of Article 2117 of the Federal Civil Code, any Person who acquires Shares in violation of the provisions of this Article of the by-laws, shall pay liquidated damages to the Company in an amount equivalent to the market value of all Shares acquired without the approval referred to in this Article of the by-laws. In the case of Share acquisitions with no consideration carried out in violation of the provisions of this Article of the by-laws, the liquidated damages shall be in an amount equivalent to the market value of the Shares that were the subject of the acquisition in question.
The provisions of the Section Second of this Article of the by-laws shall not apply to (a) the acquisition of Shares by the law of succession, either by inheritance or testamentary gift; or (b) the acquisition of Shares (i) by the Person who, directly or indirectly, is entitled to appoint the majority of the members of the board of directors of the Company; (ii) by any company, trust or its equivalent, vehicle, entity, enterprise or other form of economic or commercial association under the Control of the Person referred to in item (i) above; (iii) by succession to property of the Person referred to in item (i) above; (iv) by the lineal ancestors and descendants within the third degree of the Person referred to in item (i) above; or (v) by the Person referred to in item (i) above, whenever [such Person] is reacquiring the Shares of any company, trust or its equivalent, vehicle, entity, enterprise, form of economic or commercial association, ancestors or descendants referred to in items (ii) and (iv) above; and (vi) by the Company or its Subsidiaries, or by trusts created by the Company or its Subsidiaries or by any other Person Controlled by the Company or its Subsidiaries.
For purposes of this Article, the terms or concepts mentioned below shall have the meaning that follows:
Shares ” means the shares representing the capital stock of the Company, regardless of their class or series, or any other certificate, security or instrument that was issued based upon such shares or that is convertible into such shares, including specifically participation certificates representing Shares of the Company.
Affiliate ” means any company that Controls, is controlled by, or is under common Control with, another Person.
Competitor ” means any Person dedicated, directly or indirectly, (i) to the business of television production, television broadcasting, television programming, pay-television programming, distribution of television programs, direct-to-home satellite services, periodical and editorial publications and distribution thereof, music recording, television by cable or any other means known or to be known, production for radio, radio broadcasting, promotion of professional sports and other entertainment events, pager services, production and distribution of motion pictures, dubbing, the operation of any internet portal and/or (ii) to any activity carried out by the Company or its Subsidiaries representing 5% (five percent) or more of the income of the Company and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

 

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Translation
Control ” or “ Controlled ” means: (i) to be the owner of the majority of the ordinary voting shares representing the capital stock of a company or of securities or instruments issued based upon such shares; or (ii) the ability or possibility to appoint the majority of the members of the board of directors or the manager of an entity, trust or its equivalent, vehicle, enterprise or other form of economic or commercial association, be it directly or indirectly through the exercise of the voting right corresponding to the shares or equity quotas held by a Person, of any pact resulting in the voting right corresponding to the shares or equity quotas held by a third party being exercised in the same sense as the voting rights corresponding to the shares or equity quotas held by the above-cited Person or in any other manner; or (iii) the ability to determine, directly or indirectly, the policies and/or decisions of the management or operation of an entity, trust or its equivalent, vehicle, enterprise or any other form of economic or commercial association.
Material Interest ” means the ownership or possession, directly or indirectly, of 20% (twenty percent) or more of the ordinary voting Shares.
Person ” means any individual or entity, company, trust or its equivalent, vehicle, enterprise or any other form of economic or commercial association or any of their Subsidiaries or Affiliates or, if so determined by the Board of Directors or by the Shareholders’ Meeting, any group of Persons that is acting jointly, in coordination or in agreement in accordance with the provisions of this Article.
Related Person ” means any individual or entity, company, trust or its equivalent, vehicle, enterprise or any other form of economic or commercial association, or any other parent by consanguinity, affinity or adoption within the fifth degree or any spouse under a civil law or common law marriage, or any of the Subsidiaries or Affiliates of all of the above, (i) that belongs to the same economic or interest group of the Person that intends to acquire the Shares or is a Subsidiary or Affiliate of such Person or (ii) that acts in agreement with the Person who intends to acquire the Shares.
Subsidiary ” means any company in respect of which a Person owns the majority of the shares representing its capital stock or in respect of which a Person has the right to appoint the majority of the members of its board of directors or is sole administrator.
The provisions of this Article of the by-laws shall apply regardless of the laws and general provisions concerning the acquisition of securities that are compulsory in the markets in which the Shares or other securities issued in relation thereto or rights derived therefrom are listed (i) that must be revealed to the authorities or (ii) that must be made through tender offer.
To amend the Section Second of this Article the prior written authorization of the National Banking and Securities Commission shall be required.

 

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Translation
This pact shall be recorded with the Public Registry of Commerce of the corporate domicile of the Company and shall be transcribed in the certificates of the shares representing the capital stock of the Company, to the effect of creating rights against all third parties.
ARTICLE TEN. Corporations controlled by the Company may not directly or indirectly acquire shares of capital stock the Company or negotiable instruments representing such shares, except in the cases provided for in the Securities Market Law, and in case such corporations should acquire shares of the Company, with the aim of complying with any sale options or plans granted or designed, or to be granted or designed for the benefit of the employees or officers of said persons or of the Company, provided that the number of those shares does not exceed 25% (twenty-five percent) of all outstanding shares of this Company, and there is no prohibition in such respect in the applicable legislation.
CHAPTER III
INCREASE AND DECREASE IN THE CAPITAL STOCK
ARTICLE ELEVEN. Increases in the capital stock shall be carried out by resolution of the General Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting and the respective amendment of By-laws; once the respective resolutions have been passed, the Shareholders Meeting which resolves on the increase, or any subsequent Shareholders Meeting, shall determine the terms and basis on which said increase should be implemented. The foregoing, subject to the provisions of the Second Section of Article Nine of this by-laws.
All increases in the capital stock must be carried out by means of the issuance of shares in such a form that in no event may Series “L” or Series “D” shares exceed the maximum number provided for in Article Six of these By-laws.
Increases in capital stock may take place by means of (i) the capitalization of accounts of net worth referred to in Article One Hundred and Sixteen of the Mexican Companies Law, (ii) through payment in cash or in kind, or (iii) through capitalization of liabilities, or (iv) under the terms of Article Fifty-three of the Securities Market Law, in which case the right to preferential subscription referred to in Article Once Hundred Thirty-two of the Mexican Companies Law shall not be applicable. In the event of increases due to capitalization of items of the net worth, all shares shall be entitled to the proportional part corresponding to them in such accounts. In the event of increases due to payment in cash or in kind or due to capitalization of liabilities, those shareholders holding outstanding shares at the time of the determination of the increase, shall have preference, with the prerogatives and limitations established by the applicable law in each country, if applicable, according to the circumstances, in the subscription of any new shares issued or made outstanding to represent such increase, in proportion to the shares held by them in each respective Series at the time of the increase, for a term of no less than fifteen days established for that purpose by the Meeting which resolved on the increase. Said term shall be calculated as from the date of publication of the respective notice in the official gazette of the corporate domicile (for purposes of this Article of these By-laws, the shareholders consider the Official Gazette of the Federation as the official gazette of the Company’s corporate domicile) and in one of the newspapers having the widest circulation at the corporate domicile, or as from the date of the Meeting in the event that all the shares which the capital stock has been divided into, have been represented at said Meeting.

 

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Translation
In the event that after the expiration of the term during which the shareholders should enforce the preference granted to them in this Article, there should be any remaining shares pending subscription, these may be offered for subscription and payment pursuant to the conditions and terms determined by the Meeting, which had decreed the increase in the capital stock or in the terms provided for by the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, or Delegates designated by the Meeting for such purposes, on the understanding that the offering price for the shares to third parties may not be less than that which was offered to the shareholders of the Company for subscription and payment.
ARTICLE TWELVE. Capital stock may be decreased by resolution of the Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting according to the rules provided for in this Article. Decreases in the capital stock shall be made by resolution of the General Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting and the respective amendments of by-laws, complying, in any case, with the provisions of Article Nine and, if applicable, article One Hundred and Thirty-Five of the Mexican Companies Law. Additionally, capital stock may be decreased as provided for in Article Fifty-six of the Securities Market Law. The foregoing in terms of Section Second of Article Nine of these by-laws.
Decreases in the capital stock may be made in order to cover losses, to reimburse the shareholders or to release them from payments not made, to allow for the acquisition of the Company’s own shares and, if applicable, by redemption of shares with profits subject to sharing, as well as in any other case according to the applicable legislation.
In no event shall decreases in the capital stock be carried out or shares representing the capital stock or securities representing them be repurchased in such manner that the number of Series “L” or Series “D” shares outstanding exceeds the maximum referred to in Article Six of these By-laws.
Decreases in the capital stock made to cover losses shall be carried out in proportion to all shares of the capital stock, without it being necessary to cancel shares, due to the fact that they express no par value.
The Company may redeem shares with profits subject to sharing without decreasing its capital stock, for which purpose the Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting resolving on the redemption, in addition to the provisions of article one hundred and thirty-six of the Mexican Companies Law, shall observe the following rules:
(a) The Meeting may agree to redeem shares to all shareholders, which shall be made in such a form that after the redemption, they have the same percentages regarding the capital stock and shareholding which they had previously.

 

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Translation
(b) When the redemption of shares is carried out by means of their purchase in the stock exchange, through a public purchase offer, the Shareholders Meeting, after passing the respective resolutions, may empower the Board of Directors to state the number of shares to be redeemed and the person appointed as intermediary or purchase agent, with all other provisions that may be necessary.
(c) Share certificates of redeemed shares shall be cancelled.
In no event may shares be redeemed in such manner that the number of shares outstanding corresponding to Series “L” or Series “D” shares exceeds the maximum referred to in Article Six of these By-laws.
ARTICLE THIRTEEN. Definitive or provisional share certificates representing the shares shall be registered and may cover one or more shares, they shall contain the notations referred to in article one hundred and twenty-five of the General Business Corporation and Partnership , the indication of the Series to which they correspond, they shall contain the text of Article Six and Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws and will be signed by two Regular Members of the Board of Directors.
The signatures of the mentioned directors may be in autograph or facsimile form, provided, in this last case, that the original of the respective signatures is deposited at the Public Registry Bureau of the corporate domicile. In the event of definitive share certificates, they must have adhered thereto the numbered registered coupons as set provided in the applicable legislation or the ones to be determined by the Board of Directors.
CHAPTER IV
SHAREHOLDERS MEETINGS
ARTICLE FOURTEEN. The Shareholders Meetings shall be General or Special and Extraordinary or Ordinary.
Extraordinary Meetings shall be those called to deal with any of the matters provided in Article One Hundred and Eighty-two of the Mexican Companies Law and Article Nine Section Second, Article Twenty First and Twenty Third of these By-laws, and those others that, by express disposition of the law or of these by-laws, must be dealt, discussed and approved in an Extraordinary Meeting. Likewise, Extraordinary Meetings shall be those convened to resolve on the cancellation of the listing of the shares of the Company in the National Securities Registry and in other Mexican stock exchanges or foreign markets where they are listed. All other meetings shall be Ordinary Meetings.

 

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Translation
Special Meetings shall be those held to deal with the following matters, as the case may be, depending on the respective Series, and shall be subject the provisions set forth in Article Twenty-fifth of these by-laws and if nothing is provided therein, is shall be applicable the provisions of the Extraordinary Meetings:
(i) Special Meetings for Series “D” :
Special Meetings for Series “D” shall be those held by the shareholders of such Series in order to deal with the following:
(a) Appoint and remove the members of the Board of Directors and their respective Alternates that such Series “D” are entitled to appoint, pursuant to Articles Seventh, Twenty Sixth and other related of these by-laws.
(b) Discuss and approve, in advance, any provision that may affect the rights that are conferred in these by-laws to Series “D” and not to any other of the remaining Series.
(ii) Special Meetings for Series “L” :
Special Meetings for Series “L” shall be those held by the shareholders of such Series in order to deal with the following:
(a) Appoint and remove the members of the Board of Directors and their respective Alternates that such Series “L” are entitled to appoint, pursuant to Articles Seventh, Twenty Sixth and other related of these by-laws.
(b) Discuss and approve, in advance, any provision that may affect the rights that are conferred in these by-laws to Series “L” and not to any other of the remaining Series.
ARTICLE FIFTEEN. Calls to Shareholders Meetings must be issued by the Board of Directors or by any of the Audit or Corporate Practice Committees according to the Securities Market Law: However, shareholders representing at least ten percent of the capital stock entitled to vote on the subject, may require in writing, at any time, that the Board of Directors or the Audit or Corporate Practice Committees, through their respective Chairman, to call a General Shareholders Meeting to deal with the matters specified in said request, in terms of the provisions of Article One Hundred and Eighty four of the General Business Corporation and Partnership Law. The foregoing shall be in effect notwithstanding the provisions of Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws.
Any shareholder holding one voting share shall have the same right in any of the cases referred to in Article One Hundred and Eighty-five of the Mexican Companies Law. If the call is not made within the first fifteen days after the date of the request, a Civil or District Judge of the domicile of the Company shall make such call at the request of any of the concerned parties, who must exhibit their shares with this purpose.

 

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Translation
ARTICLE SIXTEEN. Calls for the Meetings must be published in the Official Gazette of the domicile of the Company or in one of the newspapers with a wide circulation at such domicile and may be published in a newspaper with a wide circulation in Manhattan, New York, United States of America, at least fifteen days in advance to the date when the Meeting is scheduled to be held, in cases of General Ordinary Shareholders Meetings, and at least eight days before the scheduled date, in case of General Extraordinary Shareholders Meetings, or the Special Shareholders Meeting. In the event of a second call, the publication must be made at least eight days before the date when the respective Meeting is scheduled, whether such meeting shall be general or special, ordinary or extraordinary.
The Shareholders Meetings may be called by the Board of Directors, by the Chairman of such Board and/or the Board Secretary, and by any of the Audit and Corporate Practice Committees, through their respective Chairman. Calls shall contain the Agenda and must be signed by the person or persons issuing them, in the understanding that if they are issued by the Board of Directors, the signature by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary shall suffice. The call mentioned in this paragraph shall be made and published in terms of Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws, when the call is made to resolve on the matters referred to therein.
When the Meetings are held to deal with matters where Series “D” and Series “L” are not entitled to vote, they may be held without a prior call, if the total number of Series “A” and Series “B” is fully represented at the time of voting. If at any Meeting, regardless whether it is General or Special, Ordinary or Extraordinary Meeting, all shareholders entitled to vote in the corresponding meeting are in attendance, said Meeting may resolve on matters of any nature and even on matters not contained in the relevant Agenda.
ARTICLE SEVENTEEN. Shareholders registered in the Shares Register kept by the Company as holders of one or more shares thereof shall be admitted to the Meeting. Said Registry shall be considered closed five days before the date when the Meeting is scheduled. The foregoing shall be in effect notwithstanding the provisions of Article Nine Section Second of these by-laws.
To attend the Meetings, the shareholders must exhibit their respective admission cards which are to be issued only at the request of persons who are registered as holders of shares in the Shares Register of the Company; the request must be submitted at least forty-eight hours before the time when the Meeting is scheduled to be held, together with the deposit, in the Secretary’s Office of the Company, of the respective share certificates or the deposit certificates or evidence of said securities issued by an institution for the deposit of securities, by a credit institution, either Mexican or foreign, or by authorized brokerage houses. Shares deposited to be entitled to attend Meetings shall not be returned until after the Meetings have been held, by way of the delivery of the certificate which shall be issued to the shareholder in exchange thereof.
The Company may, in terms of item VII of Article 280 (two hundred eighty) of the Securities Market Law, request that such Shares Register be kept by an authorized securities deposit institution.

 

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Translation
ARTICLE EIGHTEEN. Shareholders may be represented at Meetings by the person or persons whom they appoint by means of a proxy necessarily granted in terms of the format prepared by the Company, that, in addition to the requirements of Article 49 (forty-nine) of the Securities Market Law, must contain the following required information: (a) expressly declare under that if the shareholder (or holder of the stock certificates representing the shares of the capital stock of the Company) and/or his spouse or concubine, as well as his family members by consanguinity, affinity or civil, up to five degrees, without limitation, is(are) a Competitor (as such term is defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws) of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; (b) expressly declare under oath, that such shareholder (or holder of titles representing shares of capital stock of the Company), or his spouse or concubine, as well as his family by consanguinity, affinity or civil, up to five degrees, without limitation, is(are) holders or beneficiaries at that date, directly or indirectly, of shares of the Company (or titles referring to these) representing 5% (five percent) or more of the total shares issued by the Company, or in its case, direct or indirect holders or beneficiaries, of rights of any kind of shares of the Company (or titles referring to these) representing such percentage; (c) expressly declare under oath that if any Related Party (as such term is defined in Article Nine Clause Second of these By-laws) of such shareholder (or holder of the stock certificates referred to the shares representing the capital stock of the Company), is the owner of shares or of rights over shares issued by the Company; (d) the identity and nationality of each shareholder (or holder of the stock certificates referring to the shares representative of the capital stock of the Company) that will be represented at the meeting in terms of the proxy granted in the above-mentioned form, in the understanding that if the proxy is being granted in favor of a company, enterprise, trust agent in a trust agreement, trust or equivalent, or through any other vehicle, entity, corporation or form of economic or mercantile association, it shall specify the identity and nationality of its partners or shareholders, trustee, trustors and beneficiaries or its equivalent, members of the technical committee or its equivalent in such trusts, assignees, members or associates, as well as the identity and nationality of the Person or Persons that Controls (as such concept is defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws), directly or indirectly, the company, fideicomiso or trust or its equivalent, vehicle, entity, enterprise, corporation or economic or mercantile association, until the corresponding person or persons are identified; and (e) any other requisite that the Board of Directors establishes.
The Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Company, indistinctly, shall be authorized to establish exceptions to the requirements provided in the above paragraph.
The members of the Board of Directors, of the Audit Committee, of the Corporate Practice Committee and/or the outside auditors may not represent any shareholders at any Meeting.
ARTICLE NINETEEN. The Minutes of the Meeting shall be registered in the respective Register and shall be signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Meeting.

 

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Translation
ARTICLE TWENTY. The Meetings shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board of Directors and in his absence, by the Vice-Chairmen of the Board, in which case, in the order of their appointment. In their absence, the Meetings shall be presided over by the person appointed by the shareholders present, by majority vote.
Whoever is secretary of the Board of Directors shall act as Secretary at the Shareholders Meeting and in his absence, the Assistant Secretaries of the Board itself, in the order of their appointment shall act as Secretary. In the absence thereof, by the person appointed for such purpose by the shareholders in attendance by majority vote shall act as Secretary. The Chairman shall appoint tellers to count the attending shares.
ARTICLE TWENTY-ONE. General Ordinary Shareholders Meetings shall be held at least once a year within the four months following the end of each fiscal year. In addition to the matters specified in the Agenda and the applicable legislation, they must discuss, approve or amend and resolve everything related to:
1 (one), the report by the Board of Directors pursuant to article One Hundred and Seventy-two of the Mexican Companies Law;
2 (two), discuss, approve or modify the reports by the Chairmen or Chairman of the Corporate Practice Committee and of the Audit Committee, and the report by the Chief Executive Officer;
3 (three), acknowledge the opinion by the Board of Directors in relation to the content of the Report by the Chief Executive Officer;
4 (four), the audited consolidated and unconsolidated financial statements, including the notes necessary to clarify and supplement the information thereof;
5 (five), the other reports, opinions and documents as established by the applicable legislation;
6 (six), decide on applying profit of the fiscal year;
7 (seven), the appointment, and if the case may be, or removal, of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company and their respective Alternates, and determine the status of the independent board members;
8 (eight),  the appointment and/or removal of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chairman or Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and the appointment of the Secretary and Alternate Secretaries, who may not be members of the Board of Directors, and determine their remunerations.
9 (nine), determination of the maximum amount of funds that may be assigned to acquire proper shares, as provided for in the Securities Market Law.

 

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Translation
10 (ten), the appointment of the members of the Executive Committee and the appointment or removal of the Audit Committee Chairman and of the Corporate Practice Committee Chairman.
The appointment and/or removal of the Chairman of the Board of Directors and of the Secretary and Alternate Secretaries shall correspond to holders of Series “A” shares.
As provided for in articles Seven and Twenty-eight of these By-laws, for the Meeting to favorably resolve on the items 1 (one) to 9 (nine) listed above, the favorable vote by the majority of the Series “A” shares represented at the Shareholders General Ordinary Meeting involved shall be necessary.
Extraordinary Shareholders Meetings will be held whenever matters of its competence must be discussed, including matters that by express provision by the law or by these By-laws must be exclusively discussed and approved at such Meetings. Pursuant to item XII of article 182 of the Mexican Companies Law, particularly, the following matters, shall be dealt in a General Extraordinary Meeting:
  (i)  
Increase or reduction of capital stock of the Company;
 
  (ii)  
Change in the corporate purpose;
 
  (iii)  
Issue of privileged shares;
 
  (iv)  
Redemption by the Company of its shares and issue of beneficial shares (acciones de goce); without this being applicable to the repurchase of shares referred to in article 56 (Fifty-six) of the Securities Market Law and Article Eight of these By-laws;
 
  (v)  
Issue of debentures or any other type of bonds;
 
  (vi)  
Merger of the Company;
 
  (vii)  
Spin-off of the Company;
 
  (viii)  
The resolution regarding exercise of the liability actions and other acts provided in articles 38 (Thirty-eight) of the Securities Market Law and 161 (One Hundred Sixty One) and 162 (One Hundred and Sixty-two) of the Mexican Companies Law.
 
  (ix)  
The resolution of matters referred to in Article Nine Section Two of these By-laws.
 
  (x)  
Any amendment to these By-laws.
The matters referred to in sections (i) to (x) above, shall be subject to the necessary quorum for the installment and voting set forth in Article Twenty Third of these By-laws.
Special Meetings of Series “D” and “L” shall be held at least once a year, within the four months following the end of each fiscal year, and before the execution of the General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting in which the Board of Directors is appointed, to appoint Regular and Alternate members of the Board of Directors that correspond to each of such Series, respectively, pursuant to Articles Seventh, Twenty Sixth and others related to of this By-laws. The appointment of the members that each one of the Special Meetings has resolved, shall be notified to the corresponding General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting, through the person who have acted as Secretary in each of the Special Meetings.

 

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Translation
The Regular and Alternate Directors to be appointed by such Special Shareholders Meetings of Series “D” and “L” shares in terms of the foregoing, must be independent from the Company, for which effect, without limitation, the following shall not be considered as independent: (a) any shareholder of the Company; (b) any employee of any shareholder of the Company or of any company that is under Control (as such term is defined in Article Nine Clause Second of these By-laws) of any shareholder, (c) persons who do not have such status according to the Securities Market Law and other applicable provisions, (d) persons whom the respective Shareholders Meeting determines are not independent; (e) any consultant or service provider that receives more than 1% (one percent) of the income from any shareholder, (f) persons that are partners or employees of the companies or associations that provide consulting and support services to the Company or the companies that are part of the same economic group to which the Company belongs, whose income for providing such services represents 10% (ten percent) or more of its income, (g) employees of a foundation, association or partnership that receive important donations from the Company, being considered as important donations those that represent 5% (five percent) or more of the total donations received by such institutions, (h) General Directors or high level officers of a company in whose Board of Directors, the President, Vice-presidents, Chief Executive Officer or any other high level officer of the Company participates, (j) those persons that are considered as a Competitor (as such term is defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or Related Parties to them (as such terms are defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws), (i) persons who are shareholders, officers, directors, clients, providers, important creditors or debtors of a Competitor (as such term is defined in Article Ninth Section Second of these By-laws) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or Related Parties (as such terms are defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws), (k) persons who directly or indirectly, have business relations or any contractual relation with a Competitor of the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or Related Parties(as such terms are defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws) or that have or have had the legal representation or are lawyers of a Competitor of the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or Related Parties(as such terms are defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws) or that receive, directly or indirectly, any fees, price or economic benefit of a Competitor of the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or Related Parties(as such terms are defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws), (l) persons who directly or indirectly, render their services or support to a Competitor of the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or Related Parties(as such terms are defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws), not withstanding the amount of fees, prices, economic remunerations or benefits that they receive from the Competitor of the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or Related Parties (as such terms are defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws) or those persons who have received any fee, price, economic remuneration or benefit from a Competitor of the Company or its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or Related Parties (as such terms are defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws) during the 5 (five) previous years from the date in which their appointment as director of the Company is proposed, (m) persons who directly or through any Persons or any Related Party (as such terms are defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws) to them, are shareholders of a Person (as such term is defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws) that is the owner of 10% (ten percent) or more of the shares issued by the Company or that has the right, jointly or severally with a Related Party (as such term is defined in Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws), to exercise the voting right on shares issued by the Company, representing 10% (ten percent) or more of the capital stock of the latter, and (m) the spouse or concubine, as well as their family by consanguinity, affinity or civil, up to five degrees, without any limitation, of the persons mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs (a) through (k).

 

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Translation
ARTICLE TWENTY-TWO. For General Ordinary Meetings to be considered legally convened in first call, at least fifty percent of the ordinary shares with voting rights, unless for what is provided further on, shall be represented thereat, and the adopted resolutions will be valid if adopted by the vote of the majority of the present shares. In the event of a second or subsequent call, Ordinary Shareholders Meetings may be validly held, regardless of the number of ordinary shares that are represented at the Meeting and, unless for what is provided further on, the resolutions thereof shall be valid when adopted by the majority of votes of the ordinary shares present at such meeting.
For an Ordinary Shareholders Meeting to validly adopt resolutions, either through a first or further call with respect to the following matters, the favorable vote of the majority of Series “A” represented in the corresponding Meeting shall be necessary:
  (i)  
The report by the Board of Directors submitted to the Meeting pursuant to Article One Hundred and Seventy-two of the Mexican Companies Law;
  (ii)  
The report by Audit Committee Chairman, the report by the Corporate Practice Committee Chairman and the report by the Chief Executive Officer;
  (iii)  
The consolidated and unconsolidated financial statements audited by an independent public accountant, including the notes necessary to clarify and supplement the information thereof;
  (iv)  
The application of fiscal year profits, including, expressly, the payment of dividends in cash or in shares, in any manner;
  (v)  
The appointment and, as the case may be, removal, of 11 (eleven) members of the Board of Directors and their respective Alternates, that correspond to Series “A”;
  (vi)  
The appointment and, as the case may be, removal, of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chairman or Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and the Secretary and Alternate Secretaries;

 

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Translation
  (vii)  
Define the amount that may be assigned to repurchase of shares, as determine the percentage of the capital stock susceptible of such operations;
  (viii)  
The appointment and, as the case may be, removal of the Audit Committee Chairman and of the Corporate Practice Committee Chairman, in case the Shareholders Meeting appoints or removes them.
  (ix)  
The appointment and, as the case may be, removal of the members of the Audit Committee and of the Corporate Practice Committee of the Company, if the Shareholders Meeting appoints or removes them.
Additionally, the Ordinary Shareholders Meeting that deals with the appointment and/or, as the case may be, removal, of the Regular and Alternate Directors of the Board of Directors of the Company, voting shall be carried out and necessarily counted separately for each Series represented at such Meeting. Therefore (i) shareholders of Series “A” shall appoint and/or remove at the General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting, by resolution adopted by the majority of such Series “A” represented at the Meeting, the regular eleven members and their respective alternates who, according to Articles Seven and Twenty-six of these By-laws, must be appointed and/or removed by such Series “A”, as well as the Chairman and the Secretary and Alternate Secretaries of the Board of Directors and the President or Chief Executive Officer of the Company, in which event the shareholders of the other Series will not be able to participate in the respective deliberations and resolutions; and (ii) Series “B” shareholders shall appoint and/or, as the case may be, remove at the Ordinary Shareholders Meeting, through resolution adopted by the majority of such Series “B” represented at the Meeting, five members of the Board of Directors and their respective Alternates who, pursuant to Articles Seven and Twenty-sixth of these By-laws, correspond such Series “B” to appoint and/or remove, in which event shareholders of the other Series would not be able to participate in the respective deliberations and resolutions.
ARTICLE TWENTY-THREE. Extraordinary Shareholders Meetings will be considered legally installed and the approved resolutions valid, according to the following rules:
I. First Call.
I.1.- Pursuant to section XII of article One Hundred and Eighty Two of the Mexican Companies Law, in the case of Meetings held in first call in order to deal and resolve the following matters, at least seventy-five percent of the shares entitled to vote must be represented and their resolutions shall be valid when taken by favorable vote of at least fifty percent of the shares entitled to vote, only, if in such percentage, is included the favorable vote of the majority of Series “A” represented in the Meeting:
  (i)  
Increase or reduction of capital stock of the Company;
 
  (ii)  
Change in the corporate purpose;
 
  (iii)  
Issue of privileged shares;

 

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Translation
  (iv)  
Redemption by the Company of its shares and issue of beneficial shares ( acciones de goce ); without this being applicable to the repurchase of shares referred to in article 56 of the Securities Market Law and Article Eighth of these By-laws;
 
  (v)  
Issue of debentures or any other type of bonds;
 
  (vi)  
Merger of the Company;
 
  (vii)  
Spin-off of the Company;
 
  (viii)  
Any amendment in the By-laws;
  (ix)  
Redemption by the Company of shares of the capital stock with distributable profit and issue of shares of enjoyment or limited vote shares, preferential shares, or of any kind other than ordinary shares.
  (x)  
Increase in capital stock according to Article 53 (Fifty-three) of the Securities Market Law.
  (xi)  
Other matters for which the applicable legislation and the By-laws expressly require a special quorum.
In any case, the provisions of Article Twenty-fourth of these Bylaws must be complied with.
I.2.- Pursuant to section XII of Article 182 of the Mexican Companies Law, in the event of a Meeting held due to first call in order to deliver and resolve on the exercise of liability actions and other acts referred to in articles 38 (Thirty-eight) of the Securities Market Law and 161 (One Hundred Sixty-one) and 162 (One Hundred Sixty-two) of the Mexican Companies Law, against any of the members of the Board of Directors, at least eighty five percent of the shares entitled to vote must be represented thereat and their resolutions shall be valid when taken by the favorable vote of at least fifty percent of shares entitled to vote, only, if in such percentage, is included the favorable vote of the majority of Series “A” represented in the Meeting.
I.3.- Pursuant to section XII of article 182 (One Hundred and Eighty-two) of the Mexican Companies Law, in the event of a Meeting held due to first call in order to deliver and resolve on the acts mentioned in Article Nine Section Second of these by-laws, at least eighty five percent of the shares entitled to vote must be represented, and its resolutions shall be valid when taken by the favorable vote of the holders of the shares that represent, at least, seventy five percent of the voting shares in terms of the provisions of such Article of these by-laws, and, only, if in such percentage, is included the favorable vote of the majority of Series “A” represented in the Meeting.
II.  Second Call .
II.1.- In the event of a Meeting held due to second or subsequent calls, in order to deal on and resolve the following matters, at least fifty percent of the voting shares shall be represented, and its resolutions shall be valid when taken by the favorable vote of the holders of shares that represent at least fifty percent of the voting shares, only, if in such percentage, is included the favorable vote of the majority of Series “A” represented in the Meeting.

 

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Translation
  (i)  
Increase or reduction of capital stock of the Company;
 
  (ii)  
Change in the corporate purpose;
 
  (iii)  
Issue of privileged shares;
  (iv)  
Redemption by the Company of its shares and issue of shares of enjoyment; with out this being applicable to the repurchase of shares referred to in article 14-Bis 3 of the Securities Market Law and Article Eighth of these by-laws;
  (v)  
Issue of debentures or any other type of bonds;
  (vi)  
Merger of the Company;
 
  (vii)  
Spin-off of the Company;
 
  (viii)  
Any amendment in the By-laws;
  (ix)  
Redemption by the Company of shares of the capital stock with distributable profit and issue of shares of enjoyment or limited vote shares, preferential shares, or of any kind other than ordinary shares.
  (x)  
Increase in capital stock according to Article 53 (Fifty-three) of the Securities Market Law.
  (xi)  
Other matters for which the applicable legislation and the By-laws expressly require a special quorum.
In either case, the provisions of Article Twenty-four of these By-Laws shall be observed.
II.2.- In the event of a Meeting held due to second or subsequent calls in order to deliberate and resolve on the exercise of liability actions and other acts referred to in articles 38 (Thirty-eight) of the Securities Market Law and 161 (One Hundred Sixty-one) and 162 (One Hundred Sixty-two) of the Mexican Companies Law, against any of the members of the Board of Directors or the Audit Committee or the Corporate Practice Committee, at least eighty five percent of the shares entitled to vote must be represented thereat and their resolutions shall be valid when taken by the favorable vote of at least fifty percent of shares entitled to vote, only, if in such percentage, is included the favorable vote of the majority of Series “A” represented in the Meeting.
In either case, the provisions of Article Twenty Four of these By-Laws shall be observed.
II.3.- In the event of a Meeting held due to second or subsequent calls in order to deliver and resolve under the acts referred to in Article Ninth Section Second of these by-laws, at least fifty percent of the voting shares shall be represented, and its resolutions shall be valid when taken by the favorable vote of the holders of shares that represent at least fifty percent of the voting shares in terms of the provisions of such Article of these by-laws, and, only, if in such percentage, is included the favorable vote of the majority of Series “A” represented in the Meeting.
ARTICLE TWENTY-FOUR. For the resolutions passed at the Extraordinary Shareholders Meetings held due to a first or subsequent call to deal with any of the matters on which Series “L” shareholders or, if applicable, Series “D” shareholders, are entitled to vote to be valid, in addition to the requirements set forth in the above Article, it shall be required that they are approved by the majority of Series “A” ordinary shareholders. Likewise, the approval of the Special Series “D” or Series “L” Shareholders Meeting shall be required for the resolutions of the General Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting to be valid regarding the cancellation of the listing of Series “D” or Series “L” shares, as the case may, or the securities representing them, in the National Securities Registry and in other Mexican stock exchanges or foreign markets where they are listed.

 

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Translation
ARTICLE TWENTY-FIVE. Special Shareholders Meetings shall be considered legally convened and their resolutions shall be valid according to the following rules:
ONE. For Special Meetings of holders of Series “D” or “L” to be considered validly convened at a first call, at least seventy five percent of the outstanding Series “D” or “L”, as the case my be, must be present or represented at the corresponding meeting, and their resolutions shall be valid when passed by the favorable vote of at least fifty percent of the outstanding Series “D” or “L”, as the case may be.
TWO. For Special Meetings of holders of Series “D” and “L” to be considered validly convened through a second or subsequent call, at least fifty percent of the outstanding Series “L” or Series “D” shares, as applicable, must be represented thereat and their resolutions shall be valid if taken by the favorable vote of the outstanding Series “D” or “Series “L” representing at least fifty percent of said shares, as the case may be. Also, in case of a second or further call, this shall be published pursuant to Article Sixteenth herein, stating such circumstance, once the Special Meeting is not convened through a first call.
CHAPTER V
MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY;
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION I
MISCELLANEOUS
ARTICLE TWENTY-SIX. The management and direction of the business and assets of the Company shall be vested on a Chairman or Chief Executive Officer and a Board of Directors, the latter formed by twenty regular members, to be appointed as follows:
(i) Series “A” shareholders shall have the right to appoint eleven members and their respective alternates; such appointment shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Article Twenty-second and other related provisions of these By-laws;
(ii) Series “B” shareholders shall have the right to appoint five members and their respective alternates; such appointment shall be made pursuant to provisions set forth in Article Twenty-second and other related provisions of these By-laws;

 

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Translation
(iii) Series “D” shareholders shall have the right to appoint two members and their respective alternates; such appointment shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Articles Seven, Twenty-one, Twenty-five and other related provisions of these By-laws, in the understanding that the individuals appointed must comply with the requirements established in such Article Twenty-one, and
(iv) Series “L” shareholders shall have the right to appoint two members and their respective alternates; such appointment shall be made pursuant to provisions of Articles Seven, Twenty-one, Twenty-five and other related provisions of these By-laws, in the understanding that the individuals appointed must comply with the requirements established in such Article Twenty-one.
Pursuant to provisions set forth in Article 24 (Twenty-four) of the Securities Market Law, at least twenty five percent of the regular members shall be independent, who in order to be considered independent must not qualify for any of the conditions of the Securities Market Law and Article Twenty-one of these By-laws. An alternate shall be appointed for each regular member, provided that the alternate members of the independent members shall also qualify as independent. The alternates appointed by Series “A”, “B”, “D” or “L” may only cover Regular Directors appointed by such Series.
Additionally, the members appointed by the Series “D” or “L” shall necessarily be considered independent in terms of the provisions of Article Twenty-one of these By-laws.
General Ordinary Shareholders Meetings may appoint lifetime honorary directors who may attend the Board of Directors Meetings with the right to speak but without the right to vote and neither their attendance nor their absence shall be taken into account to determine the number of persons forming the Board of Directors or the quorum required for the legal operation of said board.
The minority shares or shareholders group may appoint the number of Regular Directors and Alternates that may correspond to them according to the provisions of the following Article.
ARTICLE TWENTY-SEVEN. The majority of the members of the Board of Directors must be of Mexican citizenship. The following individuals shall not be members of the Board of Directors of the Company: (i) individuals who are members of the board of directors or any other management or operation body of a company, other than the Company or its subsidiaries, that holds one or more telecommunications concessions in México and (ii) individuals that are partners or shareholders, directly or indirectly, of another company, other than the Company or its subsidiaries, that holds one or more telecommunications concessions in México, except for those cases in which their ownership in the capital stock of the such company does not allow them to appoint one or more members of the board of directors, or of any other management or operation body.

 

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Translation
Whenever any shareholder or group of shareholders that is entitled to or exercises the minority right to appoint members of the Board of Directors granted in this Article, will be constrained to participate in the voting and appointment of the remaining directors that in its case corresponds to appoint to the respective Series, in the understanding that in order to compute the majority of votes to carry out the appointment of such last directors, the votes of the minority shareholders who had exercised the mentioned right are not to be taken into account or included.
Minority shareholders representing at least ten percent of the capital stock exclusively represented by Series “A” ordinary shares, as provided for in Article One Hundred and Forty-four of the Mexican Companies Law and the Securities Market Law may appoint a Regular Director and his respective Alternate, for every ten percent of the capital stock they represent. The appointment made by the minority shareholders, will be made exclusively taking into account the number of the directors that correspond to appoint to such Series “A”.
Minority shareholders representing at least ten percent of the capital stock exclusively represented by Series “B” ordinary shares, as provided for in Article 144 (One Hundred Forty-four) of the Mexican Companies Law, may appoint a Regular Director and his respective Alternate, for every ten percent of the capital stock they represent. The appointment made by the minority shareholders, will be made exclusively taking into account the number of the directors that correspond to appoint to such Series “B”.
Series “D” and Series “L” shareholders that represent at least ten percent of the capital stock in one or both series of shares shall have the right to appoint at least one member of the board of directors and its alternate in the Special Meetings of each one of the series that are held for such purpose. When these appointments are not carried out, the holders of each one of these series of shares shall have the right to appoint two regular members and their alternates, by a majority vote in the Special Meetings of each one of the series that are held separately for such purpose. In the latter case, the appointments, as well as the substitutions and removals of the members appointed by each one of these series, shall be approved in a Special Meeting. The appointments made by the minority shareholders, will be made exclusively taking into account the number of the directors that correspond to appoint to such Series “D” or “L”, as the case may be.
In the case of the Series “D” and “L”, the minority right herein provided must be exercised, at any time, in the Special Meeting in charge or carry out the appointment of the corresponding directors, considering the Series of the capital stock that correspond pursuant to Article Twenty-five of these By-laws. If such minority right is not exercised in the corresponding Special Meeting, said right shall become invalid.
The members that are appointed by shareholders of Series “D” and “L” in terms of the provisions set forth in this Article, shall be considered as independent, in terms of the provisions of Article Twenty-one of these By-laws.

 

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Translation
The appointment of the members designated by shareholders of Series “A” cannot be revoked, as long as such revocation is not agreed in the Ordinary Shareholders Meeting by the favorable vote of the majority of Series “A” shareholders. Also, the appointments of the directors designated by shareholders of Series “B” cannot be revoked, as long as such revocation is not agreed in the Ordinary Shareholders Meeting by the favorable vote of the majority of Series “B” shareholders.
The appointment of the members designated by shareholders of Series “D” and “L” cannot be revoked, as long as such revocation is not agreed by the Special Meeting to the corresponding director pursuant to Articles Seven, Fourteen and Twenty-one above, or, if such revocation is pretended to be made through an Ordinary Shareholders Meeting, as long as the appointment of all other members are equally revoked.
ARTICLE TWENTY-EIGHT. Except for the regular directors and their alternates referred to in the last paragraph of Article Twenty-one of these By-laws, who shall comply with the requirement of independence established therein, the regular members and their respective alternates may or may not be shareholders. The board members shall continue performing in their functions, although the term for which they were appointed may have expired, or if they resign, for a period of up to thirty calendar days, in the absence of the designation of the substitute or if the latter does not take office, without being subject to the provisions of Article 154 of the Mexican Companies Law.
ARTICLE TWENTY-NINE.
A. When appointing the Directors, the Ordinary Shareholders Meeting shall appoint, from amongst them, the Chairman and, as the case may be, one or more Vice-Chairmen of the Board of Directors. The Meeting may also appoint a Secretary and one or two assistant secretaries, in the understanding that the latter shall not form part of the Board of Directors.
B. If the Shareholders’ Meeting does not make the appointments mentioned in the former paragraph, the Board of Directors shall make such appointments.
C. In the absence of the Chairman and the Secretary, they shall be substituted by the Vice-Chairmen, in the order of their appointments, and the Assistant Secretary, respectively, and in case the alternates should also be absent, the Board of Directors shall appoint the persons who shall substitute the titleholders.
D. The Board Chairman shall have the authorities mentioned in these By-laws and those granted to him at the time of his appointment. The Board Chairman shall represent such Body before all kind of authorities and individuals, except as provided for in item B of Article Thirty-three of these By-laws; likewise, he shall see that these Bylaws, the rulings of the Company and the resolutions passed at the Shareholders Meeting, the board itself or the executive committee or other committees of the Board, are complied with.

 

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Translation
E. The Chairman shall have the broadest general power-of-attorney for lawsuits and collections and for acts of administration, with all general authorities and even the special authorities which in accordance with the law require a special power-of-attorney or clause, under the terms of the two first paragraphs of articles two thousand five hundred and fifty-four (2554) and two thousand five hundred and eighty-seven (2587), except for the authority set forth in sections IV and V of the Federal Civil Code in force and its correlative articles of the Civil Code for the Federal District and the Civil Codes for the other states of the Mexican Republic, or abroad depending on the place where it is exercised. He shall also have a general power-of-attorney for acts of ownership according to the provisions of paragraph three of article two thousand five hundred and fifty-four (2554) of the Federal Civil Code in force and its correlative articles of the Civil Code for the Federal District and the Civil Codes for the other States of the Mexican Republic, or abroad, depending on the place where it is exercised, and to draw, accept, endorse, grant and be guarantor or in any other manner subscribe credit instruments according to the provisions of article nine (9) of the General Law of Credit Instruments and Operations.
F. The general managers and the special managers shall have the legal representation of the Company and of the Board of Directors before any individual or corporation or before all kind of authorities of any order and degree, either municipal, local or federal, fiscal, judicial, civil, criminal, administrative, and labor authorities or any other kind of authorities, in all controversies, arbitration proceedings and lawsuits where the Company is a party and shall enjoy the authorities mentioned in item B of Article Thirty-three of these By-laws. Accordingly, the Chairman and all other members of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, the President and Executive Vice Presidents of the Company and other officers are not authorized to represent the Board of Director or the Company in any controversy, arbitration proceedings or lawsuit where the Company is a party, except as stated at the beginning of this paragraph F.
ARTICLE THIRTY.
A. The Board of Directors shall meet at the domicile of the Company or in any other location, as the board itself may determine and is necessary.
B. The Board of Directors Meetings may be held at any time when called by the Chairman, by the Audit Committee Chairman, by the Corporate Practice Committee Chairman, or by 25% (twenty five percent) of the Board Members, or by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary, . The Board of Directors shall meet at least four times during every fiscal year. The foregoing, without prejudice of the provisions of Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws.
C. Summons for the Board of Directors Meeting must be made in writing and sent by the Secretary, or in his absence, by any of the Assistant Secretaries to each of the Regular Directors at least ten days in advance, by certified mail, private courier, by telegram, telex, telecopier or telefax, to their domiciles or to their addresses or locations theretofore provided by the Directors in writing. In the event that a Regular Director is unable to attend a Meeting that has been called to, the Alternate Directors, which correspond in accordance with the manner in which they were appointed, must be summoned in the fastest possible manner as established in these By-laws or, in their absence, by the Shareholders Meeting that appointed them. Calls must specify the time, date, place and Agenda. The outside auditor of the Company may be called to meetings by the Board of Directors, which they will attend with right to speak but not to vote, and must not be present with respect to such matters of the Agenda where he has a conflict of interest or that may jeopardize his independence. The foregoing, with exception to the provisions of Article Nine Section Second of these By-laws.

 

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Translation
D. When all Regular Members of the Board of Directors or their respective Alternates are in attendance and agree with the Agenda, it shall not be necessary to exhaust the formalities for the notification of the call. The foregoing shall not be applicable in the cases foreseen in Article Nine Section Second of these by-laws.
E. The Board of Directors Meetings shall only consider and resolve items contained in the Agenda. At the request of any director, any matters may be included in the Agenda, provided such inclusion is approved by unanimous vote of the present Directors.
F. For the Board of Directors to validly meet, at least fifty percent of the Directors or their respective Alternates must be present thereat, and its resolutions, to be valid, must be passed by the favorable vote of a majority of the members present at the meeting. The foregoing, with exception to the provisions of Article Nine Section Second of these by-laws, in which the installment quorum and voting requirement shall comply with the provisions of Article Nine Section Second .
G. Each Director shall be entitled to one vote. In the event of a tie, the Chairman of the Board of Directors shall have the deciding vote.
H. The Board of Directors may pass resolutions without a meeting by unanimous vote of the Directors or their respective Alternates. Said resolutions shall have, for all legal effects, the same validity as if they had been passed by the Directors in a Board of Directors Meeting, provided they are confirmed in writing. The document containing the written confirmation of each Director must be sent to the Chairman, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Company, who shall transcribe the respective resolutions on the corresponding minutes book and shall certify that said resolutions were passed in accordance with the provisions contained in this Article. The foregoing shall not be applicable in connection with the meetings and resolutions to be taken by the Board of Directors when resolving any of the matters provided in Article Nine Section Second of these by-laws in which case a meeting shall be required, called and installed for such effects, in terms and subject to the provisions of Article Nine Section Second of these by-laws.
ARTICLE THIRTY-ONE. Minutes of each Board of Directors Meeting shall be drafted in the respective book where the resolutions passed shall be contained, and which shall be signed by the Chairman and the Secretary or those acting as such.

 

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Translation
ARTICLE THIRTY-TWO. In the absence of express appointment by the Meeting, the Board of Directors at its first Meeting immediately following the Meeting which had appointed its members, shall appoint from among its members, the Chairman and, if applicable, one or more Vice-Chairmen. The Board of Directors may also appoint the Secretary and one or two Assistant Secretaries who may or may not be members of the Board of Directors.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall preside over the Board of Directors Meetings, and in his absence, they shall be presided over by the Vice-Chairmen of the Board itself, in the order of their appointments. In the absence of the abovementioned persons, the Meetings shall be presided over by one of the members that the other attendants appoint by majority vote.
The copies or evidences of the minutes of the Board of Directors Meetings and of the Shareholders Meetings, as well as the entries in their non-accounting and corporate books and registries and, in general, any document of the files of the Company, may be authorized and certified by the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary who, in the absence of appointment of another person, shall be the permanent Delegates to appear before the Notary Public of their choice to notarize the minutes of the Shareholders Meetings, the minutes of the Board of Directors Meetings and the minutes of the Executive Committee Meetings, as well as to grant, as Delegates, the powers-of-attorney the Board of Directors itself may grant. Likewise, the Secretary or Assistant Secretary shall be in charge of drafting and including, in the respective books, the minutes of the Shareholders Meetings, the minutes of the Board of Directors Meetings and the minutes of the Executive Committee Meetings, as well as to make summaries and certifications thereof, and of the appointments, signatures and authorities of the officers of the Company.
SECTION II
AUTHORITIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ARTICLE THIRTY-THREE. A. Except for the legal representation delegated to the general managers and special managers of the Company to represent it at all controversies, arbitration proceedings and lawsuits to which the Company is a party, with the authorities mentioned in item B of this Article, the Board of Directors shall have the fullest authorities and faculties to execute all agreements and to carry out all acts and operations which in accordance with the law or these By-laws are not expressly reserved to the Shareholders Meeting, to manage and direct the matters of the Company, to comply with the corporate purpose of the Company and to legally represent the Company before any person and judicial, criminal, civil, labor or administrative authorities, either federal, state or municipal, with the widest authorities required by the law, including, without limitation, those mentioned in the following paragraphs:
1 (One). To manage the corporate business and assets with a broad power-of-attorney for acts of administration under the terms of article two thousand five hundred and fifty-four, second paragraph, of the Federal Civil Code in force and its correlative articles of the Civil Code for the Federal District and the Civil Codes for the other States of the Mexican Republic, depending on the place where it is exercised;

 

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Translation
2 (Two). To exercise acts of ownership regarding the real estate or personal property of the Company or its real or personal rights, under the terms of paragraph three of article two thousand five hundred and fifty-four (2,554) of the Federal Civil Code in force and its correlative articles of the Civil Code for the Federal District and the Civil Codes for the other States of the Mexican Republic, or abroad, depending on the place where the power-of-attorney is exercised;
3 (Three). To manage the business of the Company and the real estate and personal property thereof, with a general power-of-attorney for lawsuits and collections, with all the general authorities and even the special authorities which in accordance with the law require a special power-of-attorney or clause, under the terms of the first paragraph of articles two thousand five hundred and fifty-four (2,554) and two thousand five hundred and eighty-seven (2,587), except for the authority set forth in section IV thereof, of the Federal Civil Code in force and its correlative articles of the Civil Code for the Federal District and the Civil Codes for the other States of the Mexican Republic, depending on the place where it is exercised, for which reason it shall represent the Company before any individual or corporation or before all kind of authorities of any order and degree either municipal, local or federal authorities or fiscal, judicial, civil, criminal, administrative or any other kind of authorities, before all Boards of Conciliation and Conciliation and Arbitration, either federal or local, and all other labor authorities and before arbiters and arbitrators;
4 (Four). To file criminal claims, complaints and accusations and to grant the pardon referred to in Article Ninety-three (93) of the Federal Criminal Code in force and its correlative articles of the Criminal Code for the Federal District and the Criminal Codes for the other States of the Mexican Republic, depending on the place where it is exercised, to assist the Public Prosecutor as civil party as well as to demand the restoration of the damages derived from the crime;
5 (Five). To file and withdraw from all kind of lawsuits, challenges, incidents, remedies and ordinary and extraordinary appeals, actions and procedures of a civil, mercantile, criminal, administrative, litigious and labor nature, and to file “amparo” (private rights enforcement remedy) procedure and withdraw therefrom;
6 (Six). To assign assets, settle, receive payments, bid and outbid in auctions and submit to arbitrators;
7 (Seven). To draw, accept, endorse, grant and guarantee, or in any other manner subscribe credit instruments according to the provisions of article nine (9) of the General Law of Credit Instruments and Operations;

 

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Translation
8 (Eight). To lend or borrow granting or receiving the respective guarantees; to issue debentures with or without specific guarantee; to accept, draw, endorse and guarantee all kind of credit instruments and to grant bonds or guarantees of any kind, regarding the obligations contracted by the Company or the instruments issued or accepted by third parties;
9 (Nine). To contribute real estate or personal property to other companies and to subscribe shares or take participations in other companies;
10 (Ten). To cancel any registrations made in the Stock Registry in cases of non-fulfillment to the provisions set forth in Section Two, Article Ninth of these by-laws.
11 (Eleven). To appoint and remove all other officers (including the Chief Executive Officer), appointment or removal that must be approved by a majority of the Series “A” regular shareholders, general managers, special managers, managers, deputy managers, external auditors and attorneys-in-fact of the Company who may be necessary for the due attention of the matters of the Company and its subsidiaries, stating their authorities, duties and remunerations, provided they had not been appointed by the Meeting;
12 (Twelve). To grant and revoke the powers-of-attorney that may be convenient, with or without substitution right, being able to grant therein the authorities that these By-laws grant the Board of Directors, if any, keeping the exercise thereof;
13 (Thirteen). To resolve on the matters related to the acquisition or sale by the Company of any shares, corporate participations, bonds or securities, to the participation of the Company in other firms or companies and to the acquisition, construction or sale of real estate;
14 (Fourteen). To authorize both the temporary acquisition of shares representing the capital stock of the Company itself, under the terms of these By-laws and of the applicable legislation, as well as appoint the person or persons responsible for the acquisition and their later placement;
15 (Fifteen). To propose, negotiate and approve the terms and conditions for the establishment of programs for and/or the issuance and offering of notes and other debentures at a national and international level; to appoint the persons in charge of their negotiation to whom they may grant general or special powers-of-attorney, as well as to appoint representatives abroad for the purposes related to such operations;
16 (Sixteen). To open and cancel bank accounts in the name of the Company, as well as to make deposits and draw therefrom and to appoint those persons to draw against them;
17 (Seventeen). To establish branches and agencies of the Company anywhere in the Mexican Republic or abroad;
18 (Eighteen). As the case may be, determine the effect in which the votes corresponding to the shares held by the Company must be cast at the Meetings of the companies in which capital stock if participates, appointing attorneys-in-fact to attend on behalf of the Company;

 

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Translation
19 (Nineteen). To prepare domestic labor rulings;
20 (Twenty). To carry out the resolutions of the Meetings, delegate its authorities in one or several Directors, officers of the Company or the attorneys-in-fact appointed for said purpose, to exercise them in the business and under the terms and conditions established by the Board itself;
21 (Twenty-One). To determine the expenses, approve the annual budgets of the Company, the amendments thereof, as well as any other extraordinary item;
22 (Twenty-Two). To prepare the financial statements;
23 (Twenty-Three). To call the Meetings;
24 (Twenty-Four). Establish the Executive Committee and the Audit Committee, the Corporate Practice Committee, according to these By-laws and appoint and remove its members, as well as establish the special committee or commissions they deem necessary for the operations of the Company, establishing the rights and obligations of such committees or commissions, the number of members that integrate them and the manner in which the members are appointed, as well as the rules that establish their functions, in the understanding that such committee or commissions shall not have the faculty that in terms or the Law or these by-laws correspond solely to the shareholders meeting or the Board of Directors. The foregoing, without prejudice that the President or the Chief Executive Officer establish operating committees for these to resolve on daily matters of the Company.
25 (Twenty-Five). To acknowledge, deliberate and resolve the matters referred in Article Nine Section Second of these by-laws in terms and subject to terms established therein.
26 (Twenty-Six). Present to the Shareholders General Meeting held for the close of the fiscal year where the annual reports by the Audit Committee, by the Corporate Practice Committee, the report by the Chief Executive Officer referred to in Article 172 (One Hundred Seventy-two) of the General Business Corporation Law and of the Securities Market Law, as well as such other reports, opinions and documents required according to the Securities Market Law, the General Business Corporation Law and other applicable legal provisions.
27 (Twenty-seven). In general, to carry out all acts and operations that may be necessary or convenient for the corporate purpose of the Company, as well as those which the Securities Market Law attributes or entrusts to it, except for those which are expressly reserved by the law or these By-laws for the Meeting.
The Meeting may limit or rule said authorities. No member of the Board of Directors may exercise, jointly or severally, any of the powers-of-attorney mentioned in item A of this Article, except when expressly authorized by the Board of Directors or the Shareholders Meeting, or when provided for in these By-laws.

 

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Translation
B. The general managers and the special managers are granted the legal representation of the Company and the legal representation of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee or of the other Board Committees, to appear before any individual or corporation or before any kind of authorities of any order and level, either municipal, local or federal, fiscal, judicial, civil, criminal, administrative and labor authorities or any other authority, to defend whatever is in the interest of the Company, in all controversies, arbitration proceedings and lawsuits to which the Company is a party. In the exercise of their positions, the general managers and the special managers shall jointly or severally enjoy the following authorities:
(i) General power-of-attorney for lawsuits and collections, to be exercised jointly or severally, with all general authorities and even special authorities which in accordance with the law require a special power-of-attorney or clause, under the terms of the first paragraph of article Two Thousand Five Hundred and Fifty-Four and of article Two Thousand Five Hundred and Eighty-Seven, except for the authority mentioned in section V thereof, of the FEDERAL CIVIL CODE in force and its correlative articles of the Civil Code for the Federal District and the Civil Codes for the other States of the Mexican Republic, or abroad, depending on the place where it is exercised , for which reason they shall represent the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and Company before all kind of individuals or corporations or authorities of any order and degree, either municipal, local or federal, fiscal, judicial, civil, criminal, administrative and labor authorities or any other kind of authorities, being able to file and withdraw from all kind of civil, mercantile, criminal, administrative, litigious and labor lawsuits, actions and proceedings, to file “amparo” proceedings and withdraw therefrom, to make and answer questions in court, to settle, to receive payments, to bid and outbid in auctions, to submit to arbitrators, to file and prosecute lawsuits, incidents, remedies and ordinary or extraordinary appeals, to challenge, to file criminal denounces, complaints and accusations and to grant the pardon referred to in article Ninety-Three of the FEDERAL CRIMINAL CODE in force and its correlative articles of the Criminal Code for the Federal District and the Criminal Codes for the other States of the Mexican Republic, or abroad, depending on the place where it is exercised, to assist the Public Prosecutor as civil party, as well as to demand the restoration of damages derived from the crime, being authorized to sign as many public or private documents as may be necessary to duly comply with this power-of-attorney.
(ii) To manage the labor relationships of the Company, for which reason any of them may execute, rescind, amend and terminate individual and collective labor agreements, establish and modify working conditions, issue domestic labor rulings and, in general, appear before private individuals and before all labor authorities, especially before those related to article five hundred and twenty-three (523) of the Federal Labor Law, as well as before the Institute of the National Fund for Workers Housing (INFONAVIT), the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) and the Fund for the Promotion and Guaranty of the Workers’ Consumption (FONACOT) to carry out all negotiations to resolve the matters as needed by the Company to which they shall appear as representatives under the terms of article eleven (11) of the Federal Labor Law, which provides: “The directors, managers, administrators and all other persons exercising management functions in the companies or establishments shall be considered as representatives of the employer and therefore, they bind it in all its relationships with the workers”.

 

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Translation
Accordingly, in connection with these matters, they may exercise the mentioned authorities, that is, they may appear as managers and therefore, as representatives of the Company, under the terms of article eleven (11), six hundred and ninety-two (692), section two, seven hundred and eighty-seven (786) and eight hundred and seventy-six (876) of the Federal Labor Law, to the conciliation hearings to which the Company is summoned by the Boards of Conciliation and of Conciliation and Arbitration, with all general authorities and even those special authorities which in accordance with the law require a special power-of-attorney or clause.
(iii) To appear on behalf of the Company to the conciliation proceedings before the Federal Consumer Protection Agency and its delegate offices in the Mexican Republic, considering that they are duly authorized therefore, being able to carry out all kind of negotiations and proceedings in connection with the matters where the Company has any interest, being authorized to execute any act or document that may be applicable.
(iv) General power-of-attorney for acts of administration under the terms of the second paragraph of article two thousand five hundred and forty-four of the FEDERAL CIVIL CODE in force and its correlative articles of the Civil Code for the Federal District and the Civil Codes for the other States of the Mexican Republic, or abroad, depending on the place where it is exercised, with all general authorities and the special authorities which in accordance with the law require a special power-of-attorney or clause, to be exercised jointly or severally.
C. Obligations and responsibility, and Liability Limitations of the Board Members.
1.  Diligence duty . The members of the Board of Directors must act according to the diligence duty contemplated by the Securities Market Law.
2.  Fiduciary Duty . The members of the Board of Directors and the Board Secretary must act according to the fiduciary duty contemplated by the Securities Market Law.
3.  Liability Action . Liability derived from breaching the diligence or the fiduciary duties shall be exclusively in benefit of the Company, or of the corporation which it controls, and may be exercised by the Company or by the shareholders who, individually or severally, hold title over common or limited vole, restricted or non-voting shares that represent five percent (5%) or more of the capital stock. The corresponding plaintiff may only reach a settlement in court for the amount of the indemnity on account of damages and lost profits, if the Board of Directors has approved the terms and conditions of the corresponding judicial agreement.
4.  No Liability . The members of the Board of Directors shall not incur in any liability on account of injury and lost profits caused to the Company or to the corporations which it controls, if the board member involved acts in good faith and the actions are excluded from liability, as provided in the Securities Market Law and other applicable laws.

 

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Translation
SECTION III
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ARTICLE THIRTY-FOUR.
A. The Company may have an Executive Committee formed by the number Members or Alternate Members of the Board of Directors of the Company or by other individuals that are not members of the Board of Directors, appointed indistinctly by such Board of Directors or by the Chairman or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. The persons that are appointed to form part of the Executive Committee shall form a Delegate Collegiate Body of the Board. In case such authority is exercised by the Board of Directors and by the Chairman or the Chief Executive Officer the Company, the appointments made by the latter shall prevail.
B. The Board of Directors and the Chairman or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company may appoint an alternate member for each Regular member of the Executive Committee they appointed. If at the time when appointed, the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Company, have failed to establish a special order for said purpose, the alternate members shall be called in the order of their appointment.
C. The members of the Executive Committee shall be in office for one year unless they are removed by resolution of the Board of Directors or by the President or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, but in any event, they shall continue in office until the persons appointed to substitute them take office; they may be reelected and shall receive the remunerations to be determined by the Board of Directors or, as the case may be, by the President or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
D. When appointing the members of the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors or the Chairman, or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, shall appoint the Chairman from amongst them, and, as the case may be, one or more Vice-Chairmen of the Executive Committee.
E. The offices of Secretary and Assistant Secretaries of the Executive Committee shall be held by the same persons who hold such offices in the Board of Directors.
F. In the absence of the Chairman and the Secretary, they shall be substituted by the Vice-Chairmen in the order as appointed, and the Assistant Secretary, respectively, and in case the alternates should also be absent, the other members of the Committee shall appoint the persons who shall substitute the title-holders.

 

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Translation
G. The Chairman shall have the widest general power-of-attorney for lawsuits and collections and for acts of administration, with all general authorities and inclusive the special authorities which in accordance with the law require a power-of-attorney or a special clause, under the terms of the two first paragraphs of article two thousand five hundred and fifty-four and two thousand five hundred and eighty-seven of the Federal Civil Code and its correlative articles of the Civil Code for the Federal District and of the Civil Codes for the other states of the Mexican Republic, or abroad where exercised. He shall also have a general power-of-attorney for acts of ownership according to the provisions of paragraph three of article two thousand five hundred and fifty-four of the Federal Civil Code in force and its correlative articles of the Civil Code for the Federal District and of the Civil Codes for the other states of the Mexican Republic, or abroad where it is exercised, and to draw, accept, endorse, grant and be guarantor or in any other manner subscribe credit instruments according to the provisions of article nine of the General Law of Credit Instruments and Operations.
H. The Executive Committee shall meet when so required by the Chairman or any of the Vice-Chairmen, the Secretary, the Alternate Secretary or any two of its members, prior notice given five days in advance to the other members of the Executive Committee. Calls to meetings by the Executive Committee may be made by the outside auditor of the Company, who shall attend the meeting, allowed to speak but not to vote. The call must be sent by mail, private courier, telegram, telefax, messenger or any other means guaranteeing that the members of the Committee receive it at least five days in advance of the date of the Meeting.
I. The call must specify the time, the date, the place and the respective Agenda and shall be signed by the person issuing the call. Notice of the call shall not be necessary if all of the members of the Executive Committee are present at a meeting.
J. For Meetings by the Executive Committee to be considered legally convened the attendance of at least the majority of its members shall be required. The resolutions by the Executive Committee must be approved by the favorable vote of the majority of its members present at each Meeting.
K. The Executive Committee may pass resolutions without a Meeting by unanimous vote of the Members or their respective Alternates. For al legal effects, such resolutions shall be as valid as if been passed by the members in a Committee Meeting, as long as confirmed in writing. The document containing the written confirmation by every member must be sent to the Chairman, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Company, which shall transcribe the respective resolutions in the corresponding minutes register and certify that said resolutions were passed in accordance with the provisions of this Article.
L. The Executive Committee shall enjoy the authority granted to the Board of Directors under paragraph A of Article Thirty-Three of these By-laws, except those included in items Thirteen, Fourteen, Twenty, (in this case, except for authority granted by the Shareholders Meeting to the Executive Committee in order to execute the resolutions adopted at such shareholders meeting) Twenty-two, Twenty-three, Twenty-five, Twenty-six, as well as those expressly reserved by the applicable law for the Board of Directors or another Committee. Additionally, the Executive Committee is granted authority to create Special Committees and appoint the persons that form them, indicating their powers of authority, obligations and remunerations.

 

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Translation
M. The Executive Committee shall not engage in any activities which the Securities Market Law and other applicable laws expressly reserve for the Shareholders Meeting, the Board of Directors Meeting, or any other Committee, or for the President or the Chief Executive Officer. The Executive Committee may not, in turn, delegate its powers of authority to any person, but it may grant general and special powers-of-attorney when deemed convenient and appoint the persons to execute its resolutions. In the absence of such appointment, the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman or the Vice-Chairmen, the Secretary and the Alternate Secretary shall be authorized, acting jointly any two of them, to carry them out.
N. The Executive Committee must inform the Board of Directors, through its Chairman, of the resolutions the Executive Committee may pass or when, in the opinion of the Committee, any acts or facts that are transcendental for the Company may arise.
O. Minutes must be drafted for every Executive Committee Meeting and transcribed in a special register. The minutes must evidence the resolutions passed, and the persons who acted as Chairman and Secretary must sign such minutes.
SECTION IV
THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY
ARTICLE THIRTY-FIVE. The Company shall have a President or a Chief Executive Officer. The appointment must be approved and ratified by a majority vote of Series “A” holders represented at the corresponding General Shareholders Meeting.
Performance, conducting and execution of business of the Company and of the corporations which it controls, shall be the responsibility of the President or Chief Executive Officer, as provided for in the Securities Market Law, subject to strategies, policies and guidelines approved by the Board of Directors.
To exercise its functions and activities, as well as to duly comply with its obligations, the President or Chief Executive Officer shall be assisted by the relevant officers theretofore appointed, and by any employee of the Company or of the corporations controlled by the latter.
(A) To carry out the resolutions passed by the Shareholders Meetings, by the Board of Directors Meetings and by the Executive Committee Meetings.
(B) To appoint and remove the Vice-Presidents of the Company as well as all other officers, employees, external auditors and attorneys-in-fact who may be necessary for the due attention of the matters of the Company and of its subsidiaries, stating their authorities, duties and remunerations.

 

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Translation
(C) To manage the corporate business and assets with a wide power-of-attorney for acts of administration under the terms of article two thousand five hundred and fifty-four, paragraph two, of the Federal Civil Code in force and its correlative articles of the Civil Codes for the other states of the Mexican Republic and the Federal District, or abroad where it is exercised.
(D) To manage the business of the Company and the real estate and personal property thereof, with a general power-of-attorney for lawsuits and collections, with all the general authorities and even the special authorities which in accordance with the law require a special power-of-attorney or clause, under the terms of the first paragraph of articles two thousand five hundred and fifty-four (2,554) and two thousand five hundred and eighty-seven (2,587), of the Federal Civil Code in force and its correlative articles of the Civil Codes for the other states of the Mexican Republic and abroad where it is exercised, for which reason he shall represent the Company before any individual or corporation or before all kind of authorities of any order and degree, either municipal, local or federal, fiscal, judicial, civil, criminal, administrative or any other kind of authorities, before all boards of conciliation and boards of conciliation and arbitration, either federal or local, and all other labor authorities and before arbiters and arbitrators.
(E) To file criminal claims, complaints and accusations and grant the pardon referred to in article ninety-three (93) of the Federal Criminal Code in force for and its correlative articles in the Criminal Code for the Federal District and of the Criminal Codes for all other States of the Mexican Republic where it is exercised, assist the Public Prosecutor as civil party as well as to demand the restoration of the damages derived from the crime.
(F) To file and withdraw from all kind of lawsuits, challenges, incidents, remedies and ordinary or extraordinary appeals, actions and proceedings of a civil, mercantile, criminal, administrative, litigious and labor nature, and to file “amparo” procedure and withdraw therefrom.
(G) Subject to the terms and conditions established by the Board of Directors, he shall also have a general power-of-attorney for acts of ownership under the terms of the third paragraph of article two thousand five hundred and fifty-four of the Federal Civil Code in force and its correlative articles of the Civil Codes for the other states of the Mexican Republic and abroad, where it is exercised.
(H) To issue, accept, endorse, grant and act as guarantor, or in any other manner subscribe negotiable instruments as provided in Article Nine of the General Law of Negotiable Instruments and Credit Operations.
I) Authorized to appoint the attorneys-in-fact of the Company granting them such authorities as he deem convenient, within the scope of his attributions, being able to revoke the powers-of-attorney he had granted.
J) To open and cancel bank accounts on behalf of the Company as well as to make deposits and draw against them and to appoint those persons to sign such accounts.

 

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Translation
K) To appoint attorneys-in-fact to attend the meetings of the companies in whose capital stock this Company participates and to vote on the matters for which they were called.
L) To appoint the members of the Executive Committee of the Company.
M) To create special committees and to appoint members thereof, as well as their authorities, duties and remunerations.
The President or Chief Executive Company shall also have the functions and duties provided in the Securities Market Law.
CHAPTER VI
SURVEILLANCE OF THE COMPANY
ARTICLE THIRTY-SIX. Surveillance of performance, conduction and execution of business of the Company and of the corporations controlled by the Company, shall be handled by the Board of Directors through the Corporate Practice Committee and the Audit Committee, as well as through the auditor of the Company.
The Company shall have a Corporate Practice Committee and an Audit Committee as provided in the Securities Market Law and other applicable legal provisions. Auditing and corporate practice activities may be carried out by a single Committee.
According to the provisions of the applicable law, the Corporate Practice Committee and the Audit Committee shall have the following functions:
1.  Corporate Practice Committee . The Corporate Practice Committee shall have the functions referred to in the Securities Market Law, the general provisions theretofore issued by the National Banking and Securities Commission and other applicable legal provisions, as well as those determined by the Shareholders Meeting or by the Board of Directors. It shall also carry out all such functions in regard to which it must render a report as provided in the Securities Market Law.
2.  Audit Committee . The Audit Committee shall have the functions referred to in the Securities Market Law, the general provisions theretofore issued by the National Banking and Securities Commission and other applicable legal provisions, as well as those determined by the Shareholders Meeting or by the Board of Directors. It shall also carry out all such functions in regard to which it must render a report as required by the Securities Market Law.
ARTICLE THIRTY-SEVEN . The members of the Board of Directors, the members of the Executive Committee, the Audit Committee or of the Corporate Practice Committee, or the respective alternates of all of the above, shall not provide a guaranty to secure fulfillment of the liabilities they might assume in the performance of their positions, unless the Shareholders Meeting that appointed them establishes such obligation.

 

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Translation
CHAPTER VII
FISCAL YEAR AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ARTICLE THIRTY-EIGHT. The fiscal year of the Company shall coincide with the calendar year. In the event that the Company enters into liquidation proceedings or is merged, its fiscal year shall end before the date on which it undergoes liquidation proceedings or is merged and it shall be considered that there shall be a fiscal year throughout the time the Company is under liquidation; this last fiscal year must coincide with the provisions of the applicable fiscal laws.
ARTICLE THIRTY-NINE Within the four months following the end of each fiscal year, the Board of Directors and the President or the Chief Executive Officer shall prepare, at least, the following information:
(a) The report referred to in Article 172 section b) of the Mexican Companies Law.
(b) The report on operations and activities where the Board of Directors intervened as established in the Securities Market Law.
(c) The report referred to in Article 172 of the Mexican Companies Law, except for the provisions of section b) of that legal precept.
(d) Other reports, opinions and documents that are required under the Securities Market Law and the Mexican Companies Law.
CHAPTER VIII
PROFITS AND LOSSES
ARTICLE FORTY. From the net profits of each fiscal year, according to the financial statements, the following applications shall be after reducing amounts necessary to: (i) make the payments or the provisions to pay the respective taxes; (ii) the funds that may be set aside in a compulsory manner by operation of law; (iii) if any, the redemption of losses of previous fiscal years; and (iv) the payments charged to the general expenses of the fiscal year which had been made to pay the members of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer:
1. Five percent shall be set aside to create, increase or if necessary, replenish the reserve fund, until said fund equals twenty percent of the paid-up capital stock.
2. The amounts that the Meeting resolves to assign to create or increase general or special reserves, including, if applicable, the reserve to repurchase shares or securities representing them, referred to in these By-laws.

 

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Translation
3. From the remaining amount, the sum necessary to pay all shareholders the dividends which, if any, were decreed by resolution of the Meeting and under the terms provided for in Article Seven of these By-laws shall be taken.
4. The surplus, if any, shall remain available for the Meeting or for the Board of Directors, if so authorized by the Meeting itself. The Meeting may apply the surplus as it may deem convenient for the interest of the Company and its shareholders.
5. In the event of capitalization of accounting capital accounts, all the shareholders will have the right to the corresponding proportional part of such accounts, in order that they receive shares of the class or series determined by the shareholders meeting.
ARTICLE FORTY-ONE. Losses, if any, shall be borne by all shareholders in proportion to the number of their shares, without their liability exceeding the amount of their contributions.
CHAPTER IX
DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION
ARTICLE FORTY-TWO. The Company shall be dissolved in any of the events provided for by article Two hundred and twenty-nine of the Mexican Companies Law.
ARTICLE FORTY-THREE. Once the Company has been dissolved, it shall enter liquidation proceedings. The Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting shall appoint one or more regular liquidators, being able to appoint their respective alternates, if it so wishes, who shall have the authorities that the Law or the Shareholders Meeting appointing them shall determine.
ARTICLE FORTY-FOUR. Once the Company has been dissolved, it shall enter liquidation proceeding, which shall be carried out by one or more liquidators. In order to adopt valid resolutions with respect to the appointment and/or removal of the liquidator or liquidators, the favorable vote by the majority of Series “A” represented in the corresponding General Extraordinary Shareholders Meeting will be necessary. The liquidator or liquidators appointed pursuant to these by-laws and the Mexican Companies Law, shall carry out the liquidation according to the basis which, if any, had been determined by the Meeting and in the absence thereof, in accordance with the following bases and in accordance with the provisions of the respective chapter of the Mexican Companies Law:
(a) They shall complete the businesses in the manner they may deem the most convenient;
(b) They shall pay the credits and the debts by disposing of the assets of the Company that may be necessary to sell for such purpose;

 

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Translation
(c) They shall prepare the final liquidation balance sheet; and
(d) Once the final liquidation balance sheet has been approved, they shall allocate the liquid assets as follows:
d.1.- Series “D” shareholders shall be paid a preferred accumulative dividend equivalent to five percent on the theoretical value of the shares corresponding to them and which have not been paid, as indicated, before allocating the allocable remainder.
d.2.- Following and once the dividend to which paragraph d-1 (d point one) One refers is paid, the holders of Series “D” shares shall receive a payment corresponding to the refund per share equivalent to its theoretical value of $0.00683551495 Mexican Pesos per share.
d-3.- Once the items referred to in paragraph d.1 and d.2 above have been paid, a payment per share to each of Series “A”, “B” and “L” shareholders equivalent to the payment received by each of Series “D” shareholders shall be made according to the above two paragraphs.
d.4.- The remainder shall be distributed equally among all shareholders in proportion to the number of shares and the amount paid each of them hold.
In the event of controversy among the liquidators, the Statutory Auditor must call a Shareholders Meeting for it to resolve the questions regarding any controversy which may have arisen.
ARTICLE FORTY-FIVE. During the liquidation proceedings, the Meeting shall be held in the manner provided for in these By-laws, and the liquidator or liquidators shall carry out functions equivalent to those corresponding to the Board of Directors during the normal existence of the Company, and the Audit and Corporate Practice Committees shall continue fulfilling, regarding the liquidator or liquidators, the functions he had carried out during the existence of the corporation, regarding the Board of Directors.

 

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Translation
CHAPTER X
JURISDICTION AND COMPETENCE
ARTICLE FORTY-SIX. For the construction of and compliance with these By-laws, the Shareholders expressly submit to the competence of the competent federal courts of Mexico City, Federal District, for which reason they waive any other forum that may correspond to them by reason of their domicile.
CHAPTER XI
SPECIAL PROVISIONS
ARTICLE FORTY-SEVEN . In The event of cancellation of registration of the shares representing the capital stock of the Company or of certificates representing them in the National Securities Register, the provisions of Article 108 (one hundred eight) of the Securities Market Law and other applicable provisions and the persons to whom such Article refers shall remain subject to the content of such legal provision.
In the event the Company requests the cancellation of registration of shares in the National Securities Registry as provided in Article 108 item II of the Securities Market Law, it shall be exempted from carrying out the tender offer referred to in such legal precept, as long as it proves to the National Banking and Securities Commission that it has consent by the shareholders representing at least 95% of capital stock of the Company, granted through resolution by the Shareholders Meeting; that the amount to be offered for the shares placed among the wide investor public be less than 300,000 units of investment, and constitutes the trust referred to in the last paragraph of item II mentioned above, and also notify the cancellation and creation of aforementioned trust through the electronic data system of the applicable exchange or stock market.
ARTICLE FORTY-EIGHT. All matters not provided for in these By-laws shall be subject to the provisions of the Securities Market Law and of the Mexican Companies Law, and other applicable legal provisions.

 

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Exhibit 2.11
EXECUTION COPY
GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.,
as Issuer,
THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
as Trustee, Registrar, Paying Agent
and Transfer Agent
and
THE BANK OF NEW YORK (LUXEMBOURG) S.A.
as Luxembourg Paying Agent,
Transfer Agent and Listing Agent
 
TWELFTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
Dated as of May 12, 2008
 
Supplementing the Trust Indenture
Dated as of August 8, 2000
 
U.S.$500,000,000 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018

 

 


 

TWELFTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of the 12 th day of May, 2008, between GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B., a publicly traded limited liability stock corporation ( sociedad anónima bursátil ) organized under the laws of the United Mexican States (the “ Issuer ” or the “ Company ”), THE BANK OF NEW YORK, a New York banking corporation, having its Corporate Trust Office located at 101 Barclay Street, New York, New York 10286, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), registrar (“ Registrar ”), paying agent (“ Paying Agent ”) and transfer agent (“ Transfer Agent ”), and THE BANK OF NEW YORK (LUXEMBOURG) S.A., a bank duly incorporated and existing under the laws of Luxembourg, as paying agent, transfer agent and listing agent (a “ Paying Agent ”, “ Transfer Agent ” and “ Listing Agent ”, as the case may be);
WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee an Indenture dated as of August 8, 2000 (the “ Original Indenture ” and, together with the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of August 8, 2000, the Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of January 19, 2001, the Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of September 13, 2001, the Fourth Supplemental Indenture dated as of March 11, 2002, the Fifth Supplemental Indenture dated as of March 8, 2002, the Sixth Supplemental Indenture dated as of July 31, 2002, the Seventh Supplemental Indenture dated as of March 18, 2005, the Eighth Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 26, 2005, the Ninth Supplemental Indenture dated as of September 6, 2005, the Tenth Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 9, 2007, the Eleventh Supplemental Indenture dated as of August 24, 2007, and this Twelfth Supplemental Indenture, the “ Indenture ”) providing for the issuance by the Company from time to time of its senior debt securities to be issued in one or more series (in the Original Indenture and herein called the “ Securities ”);
WHEREAS, the Company, in the exercise of the power and authority conferred upon and reserved to it under the provisions of the Original Indenture and pursuant to appropriate resolutions of the Board of Directors, has duly determined to make, execute and deliver to the Trustee, on May 12, 2008, this Twelfth Supplemental Indenture to the Original Indenture in order to establish the form and terms of, and to provide for the creation and issue of, Securities to be designated as the “ 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018 ” under the Original Indenture in the aggregate principal amount of U.S.$500,000,000 subject to Section 202 hereof;
WHEREAS, Section 901 of the Original Indenture provides, among other things, that the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, without the consent of any Holders, may enter into an indenture supplemental to the Original Indenture to establish the terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 201 and 301 of the Original Indenture; and
WHEREAS, all things necessary to make the Securities, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or any Authenticating Agent and issued upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth hereinafter and in the Indenture against payment therefor, the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company and to make this Twelfth Supplemental Indenture a valid, binding and legal agreement of the Company, have been done;

 

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NOW, THEREFORE, This TWELFTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH that, in order to establish the terms of the series of Securities designated as the “ 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018 ” and for and in consideration of the premises and of the covenants contained in the Original Indenture and in this Twelfth Supplemental Indenture and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, it is mutually covenanted and agreed as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER
PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
Section 101. Definitions.
Each capitalized term that is used herein and is defined in the Original Indenture shall have the meaning specified in the Original Indenture unless such term is otherwise defined herein.
“Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or exchange of or for beneficial interests in any Global Security, the rules and procedures of DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream Banking, as the case may be, that apply to such transfer or exchange.
“Clearstream Banking” shall mean Clearstream Banking, société anonyme (formerly Cedelbank) or any successor.
“Depositary” shall mean DTC or its nominee, or any other depositary appointed by the Company, provided , however , that such depositary shall have an address in the Borough of Manhattan, in the City of New York.
" DTC ” shall mean The Depository Trust Company.
“Euroclear” shall mean the Euroclear System or any successor.
“Global Securities” or “Global Security” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 203 hereof.
“Initial Purchasers” shall mean HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
“Interest Payment Date” shall have the meaning assigned to it in the Original Indenture and in Section 206 hereof.
“Mexican GAAP” shall mean, with respect to the Notes, Normas de Información Financiera aplicables en México (Financial Reporting Standards in Mexico) and the accounting principles and policies of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case in effect as of the date of this Twelfth Supplemental Indenture.

 

2


 

“Notes” shall mean the Company’s 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018.
“Remaining Scheduled Payments” shall mean, with respect to the Notes, the remaining scheduled payments of principal thereof and interest thereon that would be due after the related Redemption Date but for such redemption.
“Securities” shall mean the Notes.
“Securities Act” shall mean the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Section 102. Section References.
Each reference to a particular Section set forth in this Twelfth Supplemental Indenture shall, unless the context otherwise requires, refer to this Twelfth Supplemental Indenture.
ARTICLE II
TITLE AND TERMS OF THE SECURITIES
Section 201. Title of the Securities.
The title of the Securities of the series established hereby is the “6.0% Senior Notes due 2018”.
Section 202. Amount and Denominations.
The aggregate original principal amount of the Notes which may be authenticated and delivered under this Twelfth Supplemental Indenture is limited to U.S.$500,000,000, except for Securities of such series authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the same series pursuant to Section 305, 306, 904 or 1107 of the Original Indenture; provided , however , that the Notes may be reopened, without the consent of the Holders thereof, for issuance of additional Securities of the same series.
Section 203. Registered Securities.
The certificates for the Notes shall be Registered Securities in global form and shall be in substantially the forms attached hereto as Exhibits A-1 and A-2 (collectively, the “ Global Securities ,” each a “ Global Security ”). Unless otherwise agreed by the Company and the Trustee, the Notes shall bear the legends as are inscribed thereon until, with respect to the Notes in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-1, (a) the first anniversary of the last date of original issuance of the Notes (or such shorter period of time permitted by Rule 144(d) of the Securities Act) and (b) such later date, if any, as may be required by applicable law.

 

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Section 204. Issuance and Pricing.
The Notes shall be issued under the Indenture and sold by the Company to the Initial Purchasers at a price equal to 99.055% of the principal amount thereof.
Section 205. Stated Maturity.
The Stated Maturity of the Notes on which the principal thereof is due and payable shall be May 15, 2018.
Section 206. Interest.
The principal of the Notes shall bear interest from the later of May 12, 2008 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or provided for, payable semi-annually on May 15 and November 15 of each year, commencing on November 15, 2008, to the Persons in whose names the Notes (or one or more Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on the fifteenth calendar day preceding such Interest Payment Date. Interest payable at maturity will be payable to the person to whom principal is payable on that date. Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. If any Interest Payment Date or Maturity would otherwise be a day that is not a Business Day (as defined in the Original Indenture), the related payment of principal, interest, premium and Additional Amounts will be made on the next succeeding Business Day as if it were made on the date the payment was due, and no interest will accrue on the amounts so payable for the period from and after the Interest Payment Date or Maturity, as the case may be, to the next succeeding Business Day. Payments postponed to the next Business Day in this situation will be treated as if they were made on the original due date and postponement of this kind will not result in an Event of Default under the Notes, the Indenture or this Twelfth Supplemental Indenture.
Interest on the Notes will accrue at the rate of 6.0% per annum, until the principal thereof is paid or made available for payment.
Section 207. Registration, Transfer and Exchange.
The principal of, interest, premium and Additional Amounts on the Notes shall be payable and the Notes may be surrendered or presented for payment, the Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, and notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and the Indenture may be served, at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purposes in The City of New York, State of New York, and so long as any Notes are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange for trading on the Euro MTF and the rules of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange so require, a Paying Agent and a Transfer Agent with a specified office in Luxembourg, from time to time; provided , however , that at the option of the Company payment of interest on either series may be made by check mailed to the address of the Persons entitled thereto, as such addresses shall appear in the Security Register.

 

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The Company hereby initially appoints the Trustee at its office in The City of New York as the Registrar, a Paying Agent and a Transfer Agent under the Indenture and the Trustee, by its execution hereof, accepts such appointment; provided , however , that (subject to Section 1002 of the Indenture) the Company may at any time remove the Trustee at its office or agency in The City of New York designated for the foregoing purposes and may from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies for the foregoing purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations. The Company hereby initially appoints The Bank of New York (Luxembourg) S.A. at its office at Aerogolf Center, 1A Hoehenhof, L- 1736 Senningerberg, Luxembourg, to act as a Luxembourg Paying Agent and Transfer Agent under the Indenture and The Bank of New York (Luxembourg) S.A. by its execution hereof, hereby accepts such appointment. The Trustee, the Registrar, each Paying Agent and Transfer Agent shall keep copies of the Indenture available for inspection and copying by holders of the Notes during normal business hours at their respective offices.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Holder of U.S.$10 million or more in aggregate principal amount of certificated Notes on a Regular Record Date shall be entitled to receive interest payments, if any, on any Interest Payment Date, other than an Interest Payment Date that is also the date of Maturity, by wire transfer of immediately available funds if appropriate wire transfer instructions have been received in writing by the Trustee not less than 15 calendar days prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date. Any wire transfer instructions received by the Trustee will remain in effect until revoked by the Holder. Any interest not punctually paid or duly provided for on a certificated note on any Interest Payment Date other than the date of Maturity will cease to be payable to the Holder of the Note as of the close of business on the related record date and may either be paid (1) to the person in whose name the certificated note is registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of the defaulted interest that is fixed by the Company, written notice of which will be given to the holders of the notes not less than 30 calendar days prior to the special record date, or (2) at any time in any other lawful manner.
Rule 144A Security to Regulation S Security. If a holder of a beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Security deposited with the Depositary wishes at any time to exchange all or a portion of its beneficial interest in such Rule 144A Security, for a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Security, or to transfer all or a portion of its beneficial interest in such Rule 144A Security to a Person who wishes to take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in such Regulation S Security, such holder may, subject to the rules and procedures of the Depositary and to the requirements set forth below, exchange or cause the exchange or transfer or cause the transfer of such beneficial interest for an equivalent beneficial interest in such Regulation S Security.

 

5


 

Upon receipt by the Trustee, as transfer agent, at its office in The City of New York of (1) instructions given in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures from an agent member directing the Trustee to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Security in an amount equal to the beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Security to be exchanged or transferred, (2) a written order given in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures containing information regarding the account to be credited with such increase and (3) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, in the case of transfers prior to the expiration of the “distribution compliance period” (within the meaning of Rule 903 of Regulation S) (the “Restricted Period”), or Exhibit C, in the case of transfers after the expiration of the “distribution compliance period” given by the holder of such beneficial interest, the Trustee, as transfer agent, shall instruct the Depositary, its nominee, or the custodian for the Depositary, as the case may be, to reduce or reflect on its records a reduction of the Rule 144A Security by the aggregate principal amount of the beneficial interest in such Rule 144A Security to be so exchanged or transferred and the Trustee, as transfer agent, shall instruct the Depositary, its nominee, or the custodian for the Depositary, as the case may be, concurrently with such reduction, to increase or reflect on its records an increase of the principal amount of such Regulation S Security by the aggregate principal amount of the beneficial interest in such Rule 144A Security to be so exchanged or transferred, and to credit or cause to be credited to the account of the Person specified in such instructions a beneficial interest in such Regulation S Security equal to the reduction in the principal amount of such Rule 144A Security.
Regulation S Security to Rule 144A Security. If a holder of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Security which is deposited with the Depositary wishes at any time to exchange its interest for a beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Security, or to transfer its beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Security, or to transfer its beneficial interest in such Regulation S Security to a person who wishes to take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in such Rule 144A Security, such holder may, subject to the rules and procedures of Euroclear or Clearstream Banking or the Depositary, as the case may be, and to the requirements set forth in the following sentence, exchange or cause the exchange or transfer or cause the transfer of such interest for an equivalent beneficial interest in such Rule 144A Security.
Upon receipt by the Trustee, as transfer agent, at its offices in The City of New York of (1) instructions from Euroclear or Clearstream Banking or the Depositary, as the case may be, directing the Trustee, as transfer agent, to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Security in an amount equal to the beneficial interest in the Regulation S Security to be exchanged or transferred, such instructions to contain information regarding the agent member’s account with the Depositary to be credited with such increase, and (2) with respect to an exchange or transfer of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Security for a beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Security, a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto given by the holder of such beneficial interest, the Trustee, as transfer agent, shall instruct the Depositary, its nominee, or the custodian for the Depositary, as the case may be, to reduce or reflect on its records a reduction of the Regulation S Security, as the case may be, by the aggregate principal amount of the beneficial interest in such Regulation S Security to be exchanged or transferred, and the Trustee, as transfer agent, shall instruct the Depositary, its nominee, or the custodian for the Depositary, as the case may be, concurrently with such reduction, to increase or reflect on its records an increase of the principal amount of such Rule 144A Security by the aggregate principal amount of the beneficial interest in such Regulation S Security, as the case may be, to be so exchanged or transferred, and to credit or cause to be credited to the account of the Person specified in such instructions a beneficial interest in such Rule 144A Security equal to the reduction in the principal amount of such Regulation S Security, as the case may be.

 

6


 

Section 208. Redemption of the Securities.
The Notes are redeemable by the Company pursuant to Sections 1008 and 1009 of the Original Indenture in accordance with Article Eleven thereof.
Section 209. Denominations.
Interests in the Rule 144A Security shall be in minimum denominations of U.S.$100,000 and integral multiples of U.S.$1,000 in excess thereof and interests in the Regulation S Security shall be in minimum denominations of U.S.$100,000 and integral multiples of U.S.$1,000 in excess thereof.
Section 210. Currency.
The interest, premium, if any, Additional Amounts, if any, and principal on the Notes shall be payable only in Dollars.
Section 211. Applicability of Certain Indenture Provisions.
All Sections of the Original Indenture shall apply to the Notes, except for Articles Twelve, Thirteen and Fourteen.
Section 212. Security Registrar and Paying Agent.
The Trustee shall be Security Registrar and the initial Paying Agent and initial Transfer Agent for the Notes (subject to the Company’s right (subject to Section 1002 of the Indenture) to remove the Trustee as such Paying Agent and or Transfer Agent with respect to each series and or, from time to time, to designate one or more co-registrars and one or more other Paying Agents and Transfer Agents and to rescind from time to time any such designations), and The City of New York is designated as a Place of Payment for the Notes. The Company shall maintain a Paying Agent and Transfer Agent in Luxembourg for so long as any Notes are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange for trading on the Euro MTF.
Section 213. Global Securities.
(a) Form of Securities . The Notes may be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities in fully registered form. No Notes will be issued in bearer form. The initial Depositary for the Global Securities of each series shall be DTC, and the depositary arrangements shall be those employed by whoever shall be the Depositary with respect to the Notes from time to time.

 

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(b) Rule 144A Securities . Notes initially offered and sold in reliance on Rule 144A to QIBs shall be issued in the form of permanent Global Securities in definitive, fully registered form, without interest coupons, substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 (the “ Rule 144A Security ”). The Rule 144A Security shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with the custodian for the Depositary, and registered in the name of a nominee of the Depositary, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as provided in the Original Indenture. The aggregate principal amount of the Rule 144A Security may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the custodian for the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be.
(c) Regulation S Securities . Notes offered and sold in reliance on Regulation S shall be issued in the form of Global Securities in definitive, fully registered form, without interest coupons, substantially in the form of Exhibit A-2 (the “ Regulation S Security ”). The Regulation S Security shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with the custodian for the Depositary, and registered in the name of a nominee of the Depositary, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as provided herein, for credit to their respective accounts (or to such other accounts as they may direct) at Euroclear or Clearstream Banking. During the Restricted Period, interests in a Regulation S Security may be exchanged for interests in the Rule 144A Security. The aggregate principal amount of the Regulation S Security may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the custodian for the Depositary or the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as provided herein.
Each Global Security authenticated under this Indenture shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or a nominee thereof and delivered to such Depositary or a nominee thereof or custodian therefore, and each such Global Security shall constitute a single Security for all purposes of this Indenture.
Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture or the Securities, no Global Security may be exchanged, in whole or in part for certificated Notes, and no transfer of a Global Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any Person, other than the Depositary or a nominee thereof unless (A) the Depositary has notified the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or (B) the Depositary has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, or (C) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to such Global Security or (D) the Company in its sole discretion determines that the Global Securities (in whole not in part) should be exchanged for certificated Notes and delivers a written notice to such effect to the Trustee; provided, however, that interests in the Regulation S Security will not be exchangeable for certificated Notes until expiration of the Restricted Period and receipt of certification of non-U.S. beneficial ownership. Any Global Security exchanged pursuant to Clause (A) or (B) above shall be so exchanged in whole and not in part and any Global Security exchanged pursuant to Clause (C) above may be exchanged in whole or from time to time in part in the manner directed by the Depositary. In the event of the occurrence of any of the events specified in this paragraph, the Company will promptly make available to the Trustee a reasonable supply of certificated Notes in definitive, fully registered form, without interest coupons.

 

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If the Company issues the Notes in certificated registered form, so long as the notes are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange for trading on the Euro MTF, the Company will maintain a paying agent and a transfer agent in Luxembourg. The Company will also publish a notice in Luxembourg in a leading newspaper having general circulation in Luxembourg (which is expected to be d’Wort ). The Company will also publish a notice in Luxembourg in a leading newspaper having general circulation in Luxembourg if any change is made in the Paying Agent or the Transfer Agent in Luxembourg.
Upon any exchange, the certificated Notes shall be issued in definitive, fully-registered form, without interest coupons, shall have an aggregate principal amount equal to that of such Global Security or portion thereof to be so exchanged and shall be registered in such names and be in such denominations as the Depositary shall designate. Unless otherwise agreed by the Company and the Trustee, such Notes shall bear any legends required hereunder until, with respect to the Notes in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A-1, (a) the first anniversary of the last date of original issuance of the Notes (or such shorter period of time permitted by Rule 144(d) of the Securities Act) and (b) such later date, if any, as may be required by applicable law. Any Global Security to be exchanged in whole shall be surrendered by the Depositary to the Trustee, as Security Registrar. With regard to any Global Security to be exchanged in part, either such Global Security shall be so surrendered for exchange or, if the Trustee is acting as custodian for the Depositary or its nominee with respect to such Global Security, the principal thereof shall be reduced, by an amount equal to the portion thereof to be so exchanged, by means of any appropriate adjustment made on the records of the Trustee. Upon any such surrender or adjustment, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver the Security issuable on such exchange to or upon the order of the Depositary or an authorized representative thereof.
The provisions of the “ Operating Procedures of the Euroclear System ” and the “ Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear ” and the “ Management Regulations ” and “ Instructions to Participants ” of Clearstream Banking, respectively, shall be applicable to any Global Security insofar as interests in such Global Security are held by the agent members of Euroclear or Clearstream Banking. Account holders or participants in Euroclear and Clearstream Banking shall have no rights under the Indenture with respect to such Global Security, and the Depositary or its nominee may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such Global Security for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee, or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between DTC and its agent members, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of any Security.

 

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Section 214. [INTENTIONALLY OMITTED]
Section 215. Sinking Fund.
The Notes shall not be subject to any sinking fund or similar provision and shall not be redeemable at the option of the holder thereof.
Section 216. Conversion; Exchange.
The Notes shall not be convertible into Common Stock. The Company and the Initial Purchasers, have entered into a Registration Rights Agreement dated the date hereof in the form of Exhibit F hereto, relating to the Notes.
Section 217. Amendments.
This Supplemental Indenture may be amended by the Company without the consent of any holder of the Notes in order for the restrictions on transfer contained herein to be in compliance with applicable law or the Applicable Procedures.
Section 218. Applicable Procedures.
Notwithstanding anything else herein, the Company shall not be required to permit a transfer to a Global Security that is not permitted by the Applicable Procedures.
Section 219. Paying and Transfer Agent.
The Bank of New York (Luxembourg) S.A. agrees that the provisions of Section 1003 of the Original Indenture shall be binding on it as Luxembourg Paying Agent and Transfer Agent.
ARTICLE III
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
The Trustee makes no undertaking or representations in respect of, and shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for and in respect of, the validity or sufficiency of this Twelfth Supplemental Indenture or the proper authorization or the due execution hereof by the Company or for or in respect of the recitals and statements contained herein, all of which recitals and statements are made solely by the Company.
Except as expressly amended hereby, the Original Indenture shall continue in full force and effect in accordance with the provisions thereof and the Original Indenture is in all respects hereby ratified and confirmed.

 

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This Twelfth Supplemental Indenture and all its provisions shall be deemed a part of the Original Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided. This Twelfth Supplemental Indenture shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof other than Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations Law.
This Twelfth Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Twelfth Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
         
  GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.,
as Issuer
 
 
  By:   /s/ Salvi Folch Viadero   
    Name:   Salvi Folch Viadero   
    Title:   Chief Financial Officer   
         
  By:   /s/ Joaquín Balcárcel Santa Cruz  
    Name:   Joaquín Balcárcel Santa Cruz   
    Title:   Vice President - Legal and
General Counsel
 
 

 

12


 

         
  THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
As Trustee, Registrar, Paying Agent
and Transfer Agent
 
 
  BY   /s/ Humberto Ribeiro  
    Name:   Humberto Ribeiro  
    Title:   Vice President  
 

 

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  THE BANK OF NEW YORK
(LUXEMBOURG) S.A.

as Luxembourg Paying Agent, Transfer
Agent and Listing Agent
 
 
  BY   /s/ Humberto Ribeiro  
    Name:   Humberto Ribeiro  
    Title:   Vice President  
 

 

14


 

Exhibit A-1
RULE 144A NOTE
THIS NOTE IS A RULE 144A SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE) OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.
UNLESS THIS NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“ DTC ”), TO THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED BELOW) OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY SECURITY ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC) ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ SECURITIES ACT ”), OR ANY STATE OR OTHER SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS NOTE NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS THE TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. THE HOLDER OF THIS NOTE BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF (1) REPRESENTS THAT (A) IT IS A “ QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER ” (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) OR (B) IT IS NOT A U.S. PERSON AND IS ACQUIRING THIS NOTE IN AN “ OFFSHORE TRANSACTION

 

A-1


 

PURSUANT TO RULE 903 OR 904 OF REGULATION S, (2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS NOTE EXCEPT (A)(i) TO A PERSON WHO THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT ACQUIRING FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER IN A TRANSACTION COMPLYING WITH RULE 144A, (ii) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION COMPLYING WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (iii) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144 THEREUNDER (IF AVAILABLE), AND (B) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF THE STATES OF THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS, AND (3) AGREES THAT IT WILL GIVE TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THIS NOTE IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. AS USED HEREIN, THE TERMS “ OFFSHORE TRANSACTION ,” “ UNITED STATES ” AND " U.S. PERSON ” HAVE THE RESPECTIVE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM BY REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT.
THE HOLDER OF THIS NOTE BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES TO BE BOUND BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT RELATING TO ALL THE NOTES.

 

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No. 1   U.S.$[_____]
CUSIP No. 40049JAW7    
     
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
6.0% Senior Note due 2018
Rule 144A Note
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., a publicly-traded limited liability company ( sociedad anónima bursátil ), organized under the laws of the United Mexican States (hereinafter called the “Company”, which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to below), for value received, hereby promises to pay Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of [ ] million U.S. dollars (U.S.$ [ ] ) (or such lesser amount as shall be the outstanding principal amount of this Rule 144A Note shown in Schedule A hereto) on May 15, 2018 and to pay interest thereon from May 12, 2008 or from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or provided for, semiannually on May 15 and November 15, in each year (each, an “ Interest Payment Date ”), commencing November 15, 2008 at the rate of 6.0% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. Interest on this Note shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. The interest so payable and paid or provided for on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the fifteenth calendar day (whether or not a Business Day) preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest which is payable, but is not paid or provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered Holder hereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Company, notice whereof shall be given to the Holders of Notes of this Series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in such Indenture.
Payment of principal, interest, Additional Amounts and any other amounts due on this Note will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in The Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided , however , that, at the option of the Company, interest may be paid by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided , further , that payment to DTC or any successor Depositary may be made by wire transfer to the account designated by DTC or such successor Depositary in writing.

 

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This Note is a global Rule 144A Security issued on the date hereof which represents U.S.$ [ ] of the principal amount of the Company’s 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018, initially offered and sold to qualified institutional buyers, as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act. This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “ Notes ”) issued and to be issued in one series under an Indenture dated as of August 8, 2000, as supplemented by the first supplemental indenture dated as of August 8, 2000, the second supplemental indenture dated as of January 19, 2001, the third supplemental indenture dated as of September 13, 2001, the fourth supplemental indenture dated as of March 11, 2002, the fifth supplemental indenture dated as of March 8, 2002, the sixth supplemental indenture dated as of July 31, 2002, the seventh supplemental indenture dated as of March 18, 2005, the eighth supplemental indenture dated as of May 26, 2005, the ninth supplemental indenture dated as of September 6, 2005, the tenth supplemental indenture dated May 9, 2007 and the eleventh supplemental indenture dated as of August 24, 2007 (herein called, together with the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture referred to below and all other indentures supplemental thereto, the “ Indenture ”) between the Company and The Bank of New York, as Trustee (herein called the “ Trustee ”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes, and of the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially limited (subject to exceptions provided in the Indenture) to the aggregate principal amount specified in the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture between the Company, The Bank of New York, as Trustee, Registrar, Paying Agent and Transfer Agent and The Bank of New York (Luxembourg) S.A. as Luxembourg Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and Listing Agent, dated as of May 12, 2008, establishing the terms of the Notes pursuant to the Indenture (the “ Twelfth Supplemental Indenture ”).
If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Notes of each series issued under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding of each series affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of any series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Notes of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Notes issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note or such Notes.

 

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No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Note, at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein and in the Indenture prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations set forth therein and in this Note, the transfer of this Note may be registered on the Security Register upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company maintained for the purpose in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or by his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
The Notes are issuable in book-entry fully registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of U.S$100,000, and integral multiples of U.S.$1,000 as specified in the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture establishing the terms of the Notes and as more fully provided in the Original Indenture. As provided in the Original Indenture, and subject to certain limitations set forth in the Original Indenture and in this Note, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of this Series in different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holders surrendering the same.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith, other than in certain cases provided in the Indenture.
Interests in this Note are exchangeable or transferable in whole or in part for interests in the Regulation S Note, of the same series, only if such exchange or transfer complies with the terms for transfer contained in the Indenture.
Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
The Indenture contains provisions whereby (i) the Company may be discharged from its obligations with respect to the Notes (subject to certain exceptions) or (ii) the Company may be released from its obligation under specified covenants and agreements in the Indenture, in each case if the Company irrevocably deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on all Notes of this series, and satisfies certain other conditions, all as more fully provided in the Indenture.

 

A-5


 

This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to any provisions relating to conflicts of laws other than Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations Law.
All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by or on behalf of the Trustee under the Indenture by the manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefits under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

A-6


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.
                             
                GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.    
 
                           
Attest:
              By:            
                     
 
  Name:   Ricardo Maldonado Yáñez           Name:   Salvi Folch Viadero    
 
  Title:   Secretary of the Board of Directors of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.           Title:   Chief Financial Officer    
 
                           
 
              By:            
                         
 
                  Name:   Joaquín Balcárcel Santa Cruz    
 
                  Title:   Vice President — Legal and General Counsel    
TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Notes of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
         
Dated: May 12, 2008.  THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
as Trustee
 
 
  By:      
       
       

 

A-7


 

         
FORM OF REVERSE OF RULE 144A NOTE
This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Notes of the Company designated as its 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018 (hereinafter called the “ Notes ”), limited in aggregate principal amount to U.S.$500,000,000 issued and to be issued under a Twelfth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May 12, 2008 (hereinafter called the “ Twelfth Supplemental Indenture ”), among the Company, The Bank of New York, as Trustee, Registrar, Paying Agent and Transfer Agent and The Bank of New York (Luxembourg) S.A., as Luxembourg Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and Listing Agent.
Additional Amounts . All payments of amounts due in respect of the Notes by the Company will be made without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes or duties of whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of Mexico any political subdivision thereof or any agency or authority of or in Mexico (“ Taxes ”) unless the withholding or deduction of such Taxes is required by law or by the interpretation or administration thereof. In that event, the Company will pay such additional amounts (“ Additional Amounts ”) as may be necessary in order that the net amounts receivable by the Holders after such withholding or deduction shall equal the respective amounts which would have been receivable in respect of the Notes, in the absence of such withholding or deduction, which Additional Amounts shall be due and payable when the amounts to which such Additional Amounts relate are due and payable; except that no such Additional Amounts shall be payable with respect to:
(i) any Taxes which are imposed on, or deducted or withheld from, payments made to the Holder or beneficial owner of a Note by reason of the existence of any present or former connection between the Holder or beneficial owner of the Note (or between a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member or shareholder of, or possessor of a power over, such Holder or beneficial owner, if such Holder or beneficial owner is an estate, trust, corporation or partnership) and Mexico (or any political subdivision or territory or possession thereof or area subject to its jurisdiction) (including, without limitation, such Holder or beneficial owner (or such fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member, shareholder or possessor) (x) being or having been a citizen or resident thereof, (y) maintaining or having maintained an office, permanent establishment, fixed base or branch therein, or (z) being or having been present or engaged in trade or business therein) other than the mere holding of such Note or the receipt of amounts due in respect thereof;
(ii) any estate, inheritance, gift, sales, stamp, transfer or personal property Tax;

 

A-8


 

(iii) any Taxes that are imposed on, or withheld or deducted from, payments made to the Holder or beneficial owner of a Note to the extent such Taxes would not have been so imposed, deducted or withheld but for the failure by such Holder or beneficial owner of such Note to comply with any certification, identification, information, documentation or other reporting requirement concerning the nationality, residence, identity or connection with Mexico (or any political subdivision or territory or possession thereof or area subject to its jurisdiction) of the Holder or beneficial owner of such Note if (x) such compliance is required or imposed by a statute, treaty, regulation, rule, ruling or administrative practice in order to make any claim for exemption from, or reduction in the rate of, the imposition, withholding or deduction of any Taxes, and (y) at least 60 days prior to the first payment date with respect to which the Company shall apply this clause (iii), the Company shall have notified all the Holders of Notes, in writing, that such Holders or beneficial owners of the Notes will be required to provide such information or documentation;
(iv) any Taxes imposed on, or withheld or deducted from, payments made to a Holder or beneficial owner of a Note at a rate in excess of the 4.9% rate of Tax in effect on the date hereof and uniformly applicable in respect of payments made by the Company to all Holders or beneficial owners eligible for the benefits of a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation to which Mexico is a party without regard to the particular circumstances of such Holders or beneficial owners (provided that, upon any subsequent increase in the rate of Tax that would be applicable to payments to all such Holders or beneficial owners without regard to their particular circumstances, such increased rate shall be substituted for the 4.9% rate for purposes of this clause (iv)), but only to the extent that (x) such Holder or beneficial owner has failed to provide on a timely basis, at the reasonable request of the Company (subject to the conditions set forth below), information, documentation or other evidence concerning whether such Holder or beneficial owner is eligible for benefits under a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation to which Mexico is a party if necessary to determine the appropriate rate of deduction or withholding of Taxes under such treaty or under any statute, regulation, rule, ruling or administrative practice, and (y) at least 60 days prior to the first payment date with respect to which the Company shall make such reasonable request, the Company shall have notified the Holders of the Notes, in writing, that such Holders or beneficial owners of the Notes will be required to provide such information, documentation or other evidence;
(v) to or on behalf of a Holder of a Note in respect of Taxes that would not have been imposed but for the presentation by such Holder for payment on a date more than 15 days after the date on which such payment became due and payable or the date on which payment thereof is duly provided for and notice thereof given to Holders, whichever occurs later, except to the extent that the Holder of such Note would have been entitled to Additional Amounts in respect of such Taxes on presenting such Note for payment on any date during such 15-day period;

 

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(vi) any withholding or deduction imposed on a payment to an individual required to be made pursuant to the European Council Directive 2003/48/EC (the “ Directive ”) or any law implementing or introduced in order to conform to, such Directive; or
(vii) any combination of (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) or (vi) above (the Taxes described in clauses (i) through (vii), for which no Additional Amounts are payable, are hereinafter referred to as “ Excluded Taxes ”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the limitations on the Company’s obligation to pay Additional Amounts set forth in clauses (iii) and (iv) above shall not apply if (a) the provision of information, documentation or other evidence described in such clauses (iii) and (iv) would be materially more onerous, in form, in procedure or in the substance of information disclosed, to a Holder or beneficial owner of a Note (taking into account any relevant differences between U.S. and Mexican law, rules, regulations or administrative practice) than comparable information or other reporting requirements imposed under U.S. tax law, regulations and administrative practice (such as IRS Forms W-8BEN and W-9) or (b) Rule 3.23.8 issued by the Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público (Ministry of Finance and Public Credit), or a substantially similar successor of such rule is in effect, unless the provision of the information, documentation or other evidence described in clauses (iii) and (iv) is expressly required by statute, regulation, rule, ruling or administrative practice in order to apply Rule 3.23.8 (or a substantially similar successor of such rule), the Company cannot obtain such information, documentation or other evidence on its own through reasonable diligence and the Company otherwise would meet the requirements for application of Rule 3.23.8 (or such other successor of such rule). In addition, such clauses (iii) and (iv) shall not be construed to require that a non-Mexican pension or retirement fund or a non-Mexican financial institution or any other Holder register with the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit for the purpose of establishing eligibility for an exemption from or reduction of Mexican withholding tax or to require that a Holder or beneficial owner certify or provide information concerning whether it is or is not a tax-exempt pension or retirement fund.
At least 30 days prior to each date on which any payment under or with respect to the Notes is due and payable, if the Company will be obligated to pay Additional Amounts with respect to such payment (other than Additional Amounts payable on the date of the Indenture or Twelfth Supplemental Indenture relating to such Notes), the Company will deliver to the relevant Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating the fact that such Additional Amounts will be payable and the amounts so payable and will set forth such other information necessary to enable the relevant Trustee to pay such Additional Amounts to Holders on the payment date. Whenever either in the Indenture or such Supplemental Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of principal (and premium, if any), Redemption Price, interest or any other amount payable under or with respect to any Note, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Amounts to the extent that, in such context, Additional Amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof.

 

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Repurchase of Notes upon a Change of Control. The Company must commence, within 30 days of the occurrence of a Change of Control, and consummate an Offer to Purchase for all Notes then outstanding, at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes on the date of repurchase, plus accrued interest (if any) to the date of purchase. The Company is not required to make an Offer to Purchase following a Change of Control if a third party makes an Offer to Purchase that would be in compliance with the provisions described in this Section if it were made by the Company and such third party purchases (for the consideration referred to in the immediately preceding sentence) the Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn. Prior to the mailing of the notice to Holders and publishing such notice to Holders in a daily newspaper of general circulation in Luxembourg commencing such Offer to Purchase, but in any event within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Company, covenants to (i) repay in full all indebtedness of the Company that would prohibit the repurchase of the Notes pursuant to such Offer to Purchase or (ii) obtain any requisite consents under instruments governing any such indebtedness of the Company to permit the repurchase of the Notes. The Company shall first comply with the covenant in the preceding sentence before it shall be required to repurchase Notes pursuant to this covenant.
Optional Redemption. The Company may redeem any of the Notes (the “ Optional Redemption ”) in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time prior to their maturity, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice of the date for such redemption (the “ Redemption Date ”) mailed by first class mail to each Holder’s registered address, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of such Notes redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of each remaining scheduled payment of principal and interest thereon (exclusive of interest accrued to the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 30 basis points (the “ Make-Whole Amount ”), plus in each case accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the Notes to the Redemption Date.
“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity or interpolated maturity (on a day count basis) of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.
“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security or securities selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of the selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of a comparable maturity to the remaining term of such notes.
“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company.
“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation or (2) if the Company obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

 

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“Reference Treasury Dealer” means HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. or their affiliates which are primary United States government securities dealers and two other leading primary United States government securities dealers in New York City reasonably designated by the Company; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary United States government securities dealer in New York City (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company will substitute therefore another Primary Treasury Dealer.
“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 pm New York time on the third business day preceding such redemption date.
On and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or any portion of the Notes called for redemption (unless the Company defaults in the payment of the redemption price and accrued interest). On or before the Redemption Date, the Company will deposit with the Trustee money sufficient to pay the Make-Whole Amount and (unless the Redemption Date shall be an interest payment date) accrued interest to the Redemption Date on the Notes to be redeemed on such date. If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed, the Notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate.
The election of the Company to redeem the Notes shall be evidenced by a certificate (a “Make-Whole Redemption Certificate”) of an officer of the Company, which certificate shall be delivered to the Trustee. The Company shall, not less than 45 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of all other information necessary to the giving by the Trustee of notices of the Optional Redemption. The Trustee shall be entitled to rely conclusively upon the information so furnished by the Company in the Make-Whole Redemption Certificate and shall be under no duty to check the accuracy or completeness thereof. Such notice shall be irrevocable and upon its delivery the Company shall be obligated to make the payment or payments to the Trustee referred to therein at least two Business Days prior to such Redemption Date.
Notice of the Optional Redemption shall be given by the Trustee to the holders, in accordance with the provisions of Section 106 of the Original Indenture, upon the mailing by first-class postage prepaid to each holder at the address of such holder as it appears in the Register not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date.

 

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The notice of Optional Redemption shall state:
(i) the Redemption Date;
(ii) the Make-Whole Amount;
(iii) the sum of all other amounts due to the holders under the Notes and the Indenture;
(iv) that on the Redemption Date the Make-Whole Amount will become due and payable upon each such Note so to be redeemed;
(v) the place or places, including the offices of our Paying Agent in Luxembourg, where such Notes so to be redeemed are to be surrendered for payment of the Make-Whole Amount; and
(vi) the ISIN number of the Notes.
Notice of the Optional Redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Notes so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Make-Whole Amount therein specified. Upon surrender of any such Notes for redemption in accordance with such notice, such Notes shall be paid by the Paying Agent on behalf of the Company on the Redemption Date; provided that moneys sufficient therefor have been deposited with the Trustee for the holders.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Indenture or in the Notes, if a Make-Whole Redemption Certificate has been delivered to the Trustee and the Company shall have paid to the Trustee for the benefit of the holders (i) the Make-Whole Amount and (ii) all other amounts due to the holders and the Trustee under the Notes and the Indenture, then neither the holders nor the Trustee on their behalf shall any longer be entitled to exercise any of the rights of the holders under the Notes other than the rights of the holders to receive payment of such amounts from the Paying Agent and the occurrence of an Event of Default whether before or after such payment by the Company to the Trustee for the benefit of the holders shall not entitle either the holders or the Trustee on their behalf after such payment to declare the principal of any Notes then outstanding to be due and payable on any date prior to the Redemption Date. The funds paid to the Trustee shall be used to redeem the Notes on the Redemption Date.
Withholding Tax Redemption. The Notes are subject to redemption (“Withholding Tax Redemption”) at any time (a “Withholding Tax Redemption Date”), as a whole but not in part, at the election of the Company, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the unpaid principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to and including the Withholding Tax Redemption Date (the “Withholding Tax Redemption Price”) if, as a result of (i) any change in or amendment to the laws, rules or regulations of Mexico, or any political subdivision or taxing authority or other instrumentality thereof or therein, or (ii) any amendment to or change in the rulings or interpretations relating to such laws, rules or regulations made by any legislative body, court or governmental or regulatory agency or authority (including the enactment of any legislation and the publication of any judicial decision or regulatory determination) of Mexico, or any political subdivision or taxing authority or other instrumentality thereof or therein, or (iii) any official interpretation, application or pronouncement by any legislative body, court or governmental or regulatory agency or authority that provides for a position with respect to such laws, rules or regulations that differs from the theretofore generally accepted position, which amendment or change is enacted, promulgated, issued or announced or which interpretation, application or pronouncement is issued or announced, in each case, after the Closing Date, the Company has become or would become required to pay any Additional Amounts in excess of those attributable to Taxes that are imposed, deducted or withheld at a rate of 10% on or from any payments under the Notes.

 

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The election of the Company to redeem the Notes shall be evidenced by a certificate (a “Withholding Tax Redemption Certificate”) of a financial officer of the Company, which certificate shall be delivered to the Trustee. The Company shall, not less than 35 days nor more than 45 days prior to the Withholding Tax Redemption Date, notify the Trustee in writing of such Withholding Tax Redemption Date and of all other information necessary to the giving by the Trustee of notices of such Withholding Tax Redemption. The Trustee shall be entitled to rely conclusively upon the information so furnished by the Company in the Withholding Tax Redemption Certificate and shall be under no duty to check the accuracy or completeness thereof. Such notice shall be irrevocable and upon its delivery the Company shall be obligated to make the payment or payments to the Trustee referred to therein at least two Business Days prior to such Withholding Tax Redemption Date.
Notice of Withholding Tax Redemption shall be given by the Trustee to the Holders, in accordance with the provisions of Section 106 of the Original Indenture, upon the mailing by first-class postage prepaid to each Holder at the address of such Holder as it appears in the Register not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Withholding Tax Redemption Date.
The notice of Withholding Tax Redemption shall state:
(i) the Withholding Tax Redemption Date;
(ii) the Withholding Tax Redemption Price;
(iii) the sum of all other amounts due to the Holders under the Notes and the Indenture;
(iv) that on the Withholding Tax Redemption Date the Withholding Tax Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each such Note so to be redeemed;
(v) the place or places, including the offices of our Paying Agent in Luxembourg, where such Notes so to be redeemed are to be surrendered for payment of the Withholding Tax Redemption Price; and
(vi) the ISIN number of the Notes.
Notice of Withholding Tax Redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Notes so to be redeemed shall, on the Withholding Tax Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Withholding Tax Redemption Price therein specified. Upon surrender of any such Notes for redemption in accordance with such notice, such Notes shall be paid by the Paying Agent on behalf of the Company on the Withholding Tax Redemption Date; provided that moneys sufficient therefor have been deposited with the Trustee for the Holders.

 

A-14


 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Indenture or in the Notes, if a Withholding Tax Redemption Certificate has been delivered to the Trustee and the Company shall have paid to the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders (i) the Withholding Tax Redemption Price and (ii) all other amounts due to the Holders and the Trustee under the Notes and the Indenture, then neither the Holders nor the Trustee on their behalf shall any longer be entitled to exercise any of the rights of the Holders under the Notes other than the rights of the Holders to receive payment of such amounts from the Paying Agent and the occurrence of an Event of Default whether before or after such payment by the Company to the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders shall not entitle either the Holders or the Trustee on their behalf after such payment to declare the principal of any Notes then outstanding to be due and payable on any date prior to the Withholding Tax Redemption Date. The funds paid to the Trustee shall be used to redeem the Notes on the Withholding Tax Redemption Date.
All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
THE INDENTURE AND THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY PROVISIONS RELATING TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS OTHER THAN SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

 

A-15


 

SCHEDULE A
SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES
The following exchanges of Notes for Notes represented by this Rule 144A Note have been made:
                                 
Principal                          
amount of this           Change in     Principal        
Rule 144A           principal     amount of this        
Note as of the           Amount of this     Rule 144A     Notation made  
date of   Date exchange     Rule 144A Note     Note following     by or on behalf  
exchange   made     due to exchange     such exchange     of the Trustee  
U.S.
                               

 

A-16


 

Exhibit A-2
REGULATION S NOTE
PRIOR TO EXPIRATION OF THE 40-DAY DISTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE PERIOD (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S (“ REGULATION S ”) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ SECURITIES ACT ”)), THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED WITHIN THE UNITED STATES (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S) OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR BENEFIT OF, A U.S. PERSON (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S), EXCEPT TO A PERSON REASONABLY BELIEVED TO BE A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A (“ RULE 144A ”) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) IN A TRANSACTION MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE l44A AND THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO HEREIN.
THIS NOTE IS A REGULATION S SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE) OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.
UNLESS THIS NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“ DTC ”), TO THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED BELOW) OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC) ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
THE HOLDER OF THIS NOTE BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES TO BE BOUND BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT RELATING TO ALL THE NOTES.

 

A-17


 

     
No. 1   U.S.$[                      ]
CUSIP No. P4987VAR4    
     
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
6.0% Senior Note due 2018
Regulation S Note
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B., a publicly-traded limited liability company ( sociedad anónima bursátil ), organized under the laws of the United Mexican States (hereinafter called the “Company”, which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to below), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of [ ] U.S. dollars (U.S.$ [ ] ) (or such lesser amount as shall be the outstanding principal amount of this Regulation S Note shown in Schedule A hereto) on May 15, 2018 and to pay interest thereon from May 12, 2008 or from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or provided for, semiannually on May 15 and November 15 in each year (each, an “ Interest Payment Date ”), commencing November 15, 2008 at the rate of 6.0% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. Interest on this Note shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. The interest so payable and paid or provided for on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the fifteenth calendar day (whether or not a Business Day) preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest which is payable, but is not paid or provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered Holder hereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Company, notice whereof shall be given to the Holders of Notes of this Series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in such Indenture.
Payment of principal, interest, Additional Amounts and any other amounts due on this Note will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in The Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided , however , that, at the option of the Company, interest may be paid by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided , further , that payment to DTC or any successor Depositary may be made by wire transfer to the account designated by DTC or such successor Depositary in writing.

 

A-18


 

This Note is a Regulation S Security issued on the date hereof which represents U.S.$500,000,000 of the principal amount of the Company’s 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “ Notes ”) deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes with the custodian for the Depositary for credit to their respective accounts at Euroclear or Clearstream Banking (each, as defined herein). This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company issued and to be issued in one series under an Indenture dated as of August 8, 2000, as supplemented by the first supplemental indenture dated as of August 8, 2000, the second supplemental indenture dated as of January 19, 2001, the third supplemental indenture dated as of September 13, 2001, the fourth supplemental indenture dated as of March 11, 2002, the fifth supplemental indenture dated as of March 8, 2002, the sixth supplemental indenture dated as of July 31, 2002, the seventh supplemental indenture dated as of March 18, 2005, the eighth supplemental indenture dated as of May 26, 2005, the ninth supplemental indenture dated as of September 6, 2005, the tenth supplemental indenture dated as of May 9, 2007 and the eleventh supplemental indenture dated as of August 24, 2007 (herein called, together with the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture referred to below and all other indentures supplemental thereto, the “ Indenture ”) between the Company and The Bank of New York, as Trustee (herein called the “ Trustee ”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes, and of the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of the series designated on the face hereof, limited (subject to exceptions provided in the Indenture) to the aggregate principal amount specified in the twelfth supplemental indenture between the Company, The Bank of New York, as Trustee, Registrar, Paying Agent and Transfer Agent and The Bank of New York (Luxembourg) S.A., as Luxembourg Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and Listing Agent, dated as of May 12, 2008, establishing the terms of the Notes pursuant to the Indenture (the “ Twelfth Supplemental Indenture ”).
If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Notes of each series issued under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding of each series affected thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of any series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Notes of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Notes issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Note or such Notes.

 

A-19


 

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Note, at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein and in the Indenture prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations set forth therein and in this Note, the transfer of this Note may be registered on the Security Register upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company maintained for the purpose in any place where the principal of and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or by his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
Prior to expiration of the “40-day distribution compliance period” (as defined in Rule 901 of Regulation S under the Securities Act), payments (if any) on this Regulation S Note will only be paid to the registered holder hereof to the extent that there is presented to the Trustee a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E to the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture. Interests in this Regulation S Note will be transferable in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Euroclear System or Clearstream Banking or DTC in effect at the time of the transfer.
The Notes are issuable in book-entry fully registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of U.S.$100,000, and integral multiples of U.S.$1,000 as specified in the Twelfth Supplemental Indenture establishing the terms of the Notes and as more fully provided in the Original Indenture. As provided in the Original Indenture, and subject to certain limitations set forth in the Original Indenture and in this Note, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of this Series in different authorized denominations, as requested by the Holders surrendering the same.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith, other than in certain cases provided in the Indenture.
Interests in this Note are exchangeable or transferable in whole or in part for interests in the Rule 144A Note of the same series only if such exchange or transfer complies with the terms for transfer contained in the Indenture.
Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

A-20


 

The Indenture contains provisions whereby (i) the Company may be discharged from its obligations with respect to the Notes (subject to certain exceptions) or (ii) the Company may be released from its obligation under specified covenants and agreements in the Indenture, in each case if the Company irrevocably deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on all Notes of this series, and satisfies certain other conditions, all as more fully provided in the Indenture.
This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without giving effect to any provisions relating to conflicts of laws other than Section 5-1401 of the New York General Obligations Law.
All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by or on behalf of the Trustee under the Indenture by the manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefits under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

A-21


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.
                             
                GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.    
 
                           
Attest:
              By:            
                     
 
  Name:   Ricardo Maldonado Yánez           Name:   Salvi Folch Viadero    
 
  Title:   Secretary of the Board of Directors of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.           Title:   Chief Financial Officer    
 
                           
 
              By:            
                         
 
                  Name:   Joaquín Balcárcel Santa Cruz    
 
                  Title:   Vice President — Legal and General Counsel    
TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Notes of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
         
Dated: May 12, 2008  THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
as Trustee
 
 
  By:      

 

A-22


 

         
FORM OF REVERSE OF REGULATION S NOTE
This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Notes of the Company designated as its 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018 (hereinafter called the “ Notes ”), limited in aggregate principal amount to U.S.$500,000,000 issued and to be issued under a Twelfth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May 12, 2008 (hereinafter called the “ Twelfth Supplemental Indenture ”), among the Company, The Bank of New York, as Trustee, Registrar, Paying Agent and Transfer Agent and The Bank of New York (Luxembourg) S.A., as Luxembourg Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and Listing Agent.
Additional Amounts . All payments of amounts due in respect of the Notes by the Company will be made without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes or duties of whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of Mexico any political subdivision thereof or any agency or authority of or in Mexico (“ Taxes ”) unless the withholding or deduction of such Taxes is required by law or by the interpretation or administration thereof. In that event, the Company will pay such additional amounts (“ Additional Amounts ”) as may be necessary in order that the net amounts receivable by the Holders after such withholding or deduction shall equal the respective amounts which would have been receivable in respect of the Notes, in the absence of such withholding or deduction, which Additional Amounts shall be due and payable when the amounts to which such Additional Amounts relate are due and payable; except that no such Additional Amounts shall be payable with respect to:
(i) any Taxes which are imposed on, or deducted or withheld from, payments made to the Holder or beneficial owner of a Note by reason of the existence of any present or former connection between the Holder or beneficial owner of the Note (or between a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member or shareholder of, or possessor of a power over, such Holder or beneficial owner, if such Holder or beneficial owner is an estate, trust, corporation or partnership) and Mexico (or any political subdivision or territory or possession thereof or area subject to its jurisdiction) (including, without limitation, such Holder or beneficial owner (or such fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member, shareholder or possessor) (x) being or having been a citizen or resident thereof, (y) maintaining or having maintained an office, permanent establishment, fixed base or branch therein, or (z) being or having been present or engaged in trade or business therein) other than the mere holding of such Note or the receipt of amounts due in respect thereof;
(ii) any estate, inheritance, gift, sales, stamp, transfer or personal property Tax;

 

A-23


 

(iii) any Taxes that are imposed on, or withheld or deducted from, payments made to the Holder or beneficial owner of a Note to the extent such Taxes would not have been so imposed, deducted or withheld but for the failure by such Holder or beneficial owner of such Note to comply with any certification, identification, information, documentation or other reporting requirement concerning the nationality, residence, identity or connection with Mexico (or any political subdivision or territory or possession thereof or area subject to its jurisdiction) of the Holder or beneficial owner of such Note if (x) such compliance is required or imposed by a statute, treaty, regulation, rule, ruling or administrative practice in order to make any claim for exemption from, or reduction in the rate of, the imposition, withholding or deduction of any Taxes, and (y) at least 60 days prior to the first payment date with respect to which the Company shall apply this clause (iii), the Company shall have notified all the Holders of Notes, in writing, that such Holders or beneficial owners of the Notes will be required to provide such information or documentation;
(iv) any Taxes imposed on, or withheld or deducted from, payments made to a Holder or beneficial owner of a Note at a rate in excess of the 4.9% rate of Tax in effect on the date hereof and uniformly applicable in respect of payments made by the Company to all Holders or beneficial owners eligible for the benefits of a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation to which Mexico is a party without regard to the particular circumstances of such Holders or beneficial owners (provided that, upon any subsequent increase in the rate of Tax that would be applicable to payments to all such Holders or beneficial owners without regard to their particular circumstances, such increased rate shall be substituted for the 4.9% rate for purposes of this clause (iv)), but only to the extent that (x) such Holder or beneficial owner has failed to provide on a timely basis, at the reasonable request of the Company (subject to the conditions set forth below), information, documentation or other evidence concerning whether such Holder or beneficial owner is eligible for benefits under a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation to which Mexico is a party if necessary to determine the appropriate rate of deduction or withholding of Taxes under such treaty or under any statute, regulation, rule, ruling or administrative practice, and (y) at least 60 days prior to the first payment date with respect to which the Company shall make such reasonable request, the Company shall have notified the Holders of the Notes, in writing, that such Holders or beneficial owners of the Notes will be required to provide such information, documentation or other evidence;
(v) to or on behalf of a Holder of a Note in respect of Taxes that would not have been imposed but for the presentation by such Holder for payment on a date more than 15 days after the date on which such payment became due and payable or the date on which payment thereof is duly provided for and notice thereof given to Holders, whichever occurs later, except to the extent that the Holder of such Note would have been entitled to Additional Amounts in respect of such Taxes on presenting such Note for payment on any date during such 15-day period;

 

A-24


 

(vi) any withholding or deduction imposed on a payment to an individual required to be made pursuant to the European Council Directive 2003/48/EC (the “ Directive ”) or any law implementing or introduced in order to conform to, such Directive; or
(vii) any combination of (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) or (vi) above (the Taxes described in clauses (i) through (vii), for which no Additional Amounts are payable, are hereinafter referred to as “ Excluded Taxes ”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the limitations on the Company’s obligation to pay Additional Amounts set forth in clauses (iii) and (iv) above shall not apply if (a) the provision of information, documentation or other evidence described in such clauses (iii) and (iv) would be materially more onerous, in form, in procedure or in the substance of information disclosed, to a Holder or beneficial owner of a Note (taking into account any relevant differences between U.S. and Mexican law, rules, regulations or administrative practice) than comparable information or other reporting requirements imposed under U.S. tax law, regulations and administrative practice (such as IRS Forms W-8BEN and W-9) or (b) Rule 3.23.8 issued by the Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público (Ministry of Finance and Public Credit), or a substantially similar successor of such rule is in effect, unless the provision of the information, documentation or other evidence described in clauses (iii) and (iv) is expressly required by statute, regulation, rule, ruling or administrative practice in order to apply Rule 3.23.8 (or a substantially similar successor of such rule), the Company cannot obtain such information, documentation or other evidence on its own through reasonable diligence and the Company otherwise would meet the requirements for application of Rule 3.23.8 (or such other successor of such rule). In addition, such clauses (iii) and (iv) shall not be construed to require that a non-Mexican pension or retirement fund or a non-Mexican financial institution or any other Holder register with the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit for the purpose of establishing eligibility for an exemption from or reduction of Mexican withholding tax or to require that a Holder or beneficial owner certify or provide information concerning whether it is or is not a tax-exempt pension or retirement fund.
At least 30 days prior to each date on which any payment under or with respect to the Notes is due and payable, if the Company will be obligated to pay Additional Amounts with respect to such payment (other than Additional Amounts payable on the date of the Indenture or Twelfth Supplemental Indenture relating to such Notes), the Company will deliver to the relevant Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating the fact that such Additional Amounts will be payable and the amounts so payable and will set forth such other information necessary to enable the relevant Trustee to pay such Additional Amounts to Holders on the payment date. Whenever either in the Indenture or such Supplemental Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of principal (and premium, if any), Redemption Price, interest or any other amount payable under or with respect to any Note, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Amounts to the extent that, in such context, Additional Amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof.

 

A-25


 

Repurchase of Notes upon a Change of Control. The Company must commence, within 30 days of the occurrence of a Change of Control, and consummate an Offer to Purchase for all Notes then outstanding, at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes on the date of repurchase, plus accrued interest (if any) to the date of purchase. The Company is not required to make an Offer to Purchase following a Change of Control if a third party makes an Offer to Purchase that would be in compliance with the provisions described in this Section if it were made by the Company and such third party purchases (for the consideration referred to in the immediately preceding sentence) the Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn. Prior to the mailing of the notice to Holders and publishing such notice to Holders in a daily newspaper of general circulation in Luxembourg commencing such Offer to Purchase, but in any event within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Company, covenants to (i) repay in full all indebtedness of the Company that would prohibit the repurchase of the Notes pursuant to such Offer to Purchase or (ii) obtain any requisite consents under instruments governing any such indebtedness of the Company to permit the repurchase of the Notes. The Company shall first comply with the covenant in the preceding sentence before it shall be required to repurchase Notes pursuant to this covenant.
Optional Redemption. The Company may redeem any of the Notes (the “ Optional Redemption ”) in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time prior to their maturity, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice of the date for such redemption (the “ Redemption Date ”) mailed by first class mail to each Holder’s registered address, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of such Notes redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of each remaining scheduled payment of principal and interest thereon (exclusive of interest accrued to the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 30 basis points (the “ Make-Whole Amount ”), plus in each case accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the Notes to the Redemption Date.
“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity or interpolated maturity (on a day count basis) of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.
“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security or securities selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of the selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of a comparable maturity to the remaining term of such notes.
“Independent Investment Banker” means one of the Reference Treasury Dealers appointed by the Company.
“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date (1) the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation or (2) if the Company obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

 

A-26


 

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. or their affiliates which are primary United States government securities dealers and two other leading primary United States government securities dealers in New York City reasonably designated by the Company; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary United States government securities dealer in New York City (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company will substitute therefore another Primary Treasury Dealer.
“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date, the average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 pm New York time on the third business day preceding such redemption date.
On and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or any portion of the Notes called for redemption (unless the Company defaults in the payment of the redemption price and accrued interest). On or before the Redemption Date, the Company will deposit with the Trustee money sufficient to pay the Make-Whole Amount and (unless the Redemption Date shall be an interest payment date) accrued interest to the Redemption Date on the Notes to be redeemed on such date. If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed, the Notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate.
The election of the Company to redeem the Notes shall be evidenced by a certificate (a “Make-Whole Redemption Certificate”) of an officer of the Company, which certificate shall be delivered to the Trustee. The Company shall, not less than 45 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of all other information necessary to the giving by the Trustee of notices of the Optional Redemption. The Trustee shall be entitled to rely conclusively upon the information so furnished by the Company in the Make-Whole Redemption Certificate and shall be under no duty to check the accuracy or completeness thereof. Such notice shall be irrevocable and upon its delivery the Company shall be obligated to make the payment or payments to the Trustee referred to therein at least two Business Days prior to such Redemption Date.
Notice of the Optional Redemption shall be given by the Trustee to the holders, in accordance with the provisions of Section 106 of the Original Indenture, upon the mailing by first-class postage prepaid to each holder at the address of such holder as it appears in the Register not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date.

 

A-27


 

The notice of Optional Redemption shall state:
(i) the Redemption Date;
(ii) the Make-Whole Amount;
(iii) the sum of all other amounts due to the holders under the Notes and the Indenture;
(iv) that on the Redemption Date the Make-Whole Amount will become due and payable upon each such Note so to be redeemed;
(v) the place or places, including the offices of our Paying Agent in Luxembourg, where such Notes so to be redeemed are to be surrendered for payment of the Make-Whole Amount; and
(vi) the ISIN number of the Notes.
Notice of the Optional Redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Notes so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Make-Whole Amount therein specified. Upon surrender of any such Notes for redemption in accordance with such notice, such Notes shall be paid by the Paying Agent on behalf of the Company on the Redemption Date; provided that moneys sufficient therefor have been deposited with the Trustee for the holders.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Indenture or in the Notes, if a Make-Whole Redemption Certificate has been delivered to the Trustee and the Company shall have paid to the Trustee for the benefit of the holders (i) the Make-Whole Amount and (ii) all other amounts due to the holders and the Trustee under the Notes and the Indenture, then neither the holders nor the Trustee on their behalf shall any longer be entitled to exercise any of the rights of the holders under the Notes other than the rights of the holders to receive payment of such amounts from the Paying Agent and the occurrence of an Event of Default whether before or after such payment by the Company to the Trustee for the benefit of the holders shall not entitle either the holders or the Trustee on their behalf after such payment to declare the principal of any Notes then outstanding to be due and payable on any date prior to the Redemption Date. The funds paid to the Trustee shall be used to redeem the Notes on the Redemption Date.
Withholding Tax Redemption. The Notes are subject to redemption (“Withholding Tax Redemption”) at any time (a “Withholding Tax Redemption Date”), as a whole but not in part, at the election of the Company, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the unpaid principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to and including the Withholding Tax Redemption Date (the “Withholding Tax Redemption Price”) if, as a result of (i) any change in or amendment to the laws, rules or regulations of Mexico, or any political subdivision or taxing authority or other instrumentality thereof or therein, or (ii) any amendment to or change in the rulings or interpretations relating to such laws, rules or regulations made by any legislative body, court or governmental or regulatory agency or authority (including the enactment of any legislation and the publication of any judicial decision or regulatory determination) of Mexico, or any political subdivision or taxing authority or other instrumentality thereof or therein, or (iii) any official interpretation, application or pronouncement by any legislative body, court or governmental or regulatory agency or authority that provides for a position with respect to such laws, rules or regulations that differs from the theretofore generally accepted position, which amendment or change is enacted, promulgated, issued or announced or which interpretation, application or pronouncement is issued or announced, in each case, after the Closing Date, the Company has become or would become required to pay any Additional Amounts in excess of those attributable to Taxes that are imposed, deducted or withheld at a rate of 10% on or from any payments under the Notes.

 

A-28


 

The election of the Company to redeem the Notes shall be evidenced by a certificate (a “Withholding Tax Redemption Certificate”) of a financial officer of the Company, which certificate shall be delivered to the Trustee. The Company shall, not less than 35 days nor more than 45 days prior to the Withholding Tax Redemption Date, notify the Trustee in writing of such Withholding Tax Redemption Date and of all other information necessary to the giving by the Trustee of notices of such Withholding Tax Redemption. The Trustee shall be entitled to rely conclusively upon the information so furnished by the Company in the Withholding Tax Redemption Certificate and shall be under no duty to check the accuracy or completeness thereof. Such notice shall be irrevocable and upon its delivery the Company shall be obligated to make the payment or payments to the Trustee referred to therein at least two Business Days prior to such Withholding Tax Redemption Date.
Notice of Withholding Tax Redemption shall be given by the Trustee to the Holders, in accordance with the provisions of Section 106 of the Original Indenture, upon the mailing by first-class postage prepaid to each Holder at the address of such Holder as it appears in the Register not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Withholding Tax Redemption Date.
The notice of Withholding Tax Redemption shall state:
(i) the Withholding Tax Redemption Date;
(ii) the Withholding Tax Redemption Price;
(iii) the sum of all other amounts due to the Holders under the Notes and the Indenture;
(iv) that on the Withholding Tax Redemption Date the Withholding Tax Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each such Note so to be redeemed;
(v) the place or places, including the offices of our Paying Agent in Luxembourg, where such Notes so to be redeemed are to be surrendered for payment of the Withholding Tax Redemption Price; and
(vi) the ISIN number of the Notes.
Notice of Withholding Tax Redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Notes so to be redeemed shall, on the Withholding Tax Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Withholding Tax Redemption Price therein specified. Upon surrender of any such Notes for redemption in accordance with such notice, such Notes shall be paid by the Paying Agent on behalf of the Company on the Withholding Tax Redemption Date; provided that moneys sufficient therefor have been deposited with the Trustee for the Holders.

 

A-29


 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Indenture or in the Notes, if a Withholding Tax Redemption Certificate has been delivered to the Trustee and the Company shall have paid to the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders (i) the Withholding Tax Redemption Price and (ii) all other amounts due to the Holders and the Trustee under the Notes and the Indenture, then neither the Holders nor the Trustee on their behalf shall any longer be entitled to exercise any of the rights of the Holders under the Notes other than the rights of the Holders to receive payment of such amounts from the Paying Agent and the occurrence of an Event of Default whether before or after such payment by the Company to the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders shall not entitle either the Holders or the Trustee on their behalf after such payment to declare the principal of any Notes then outstanding to be due and payable on any date prior to the Withholding Tax Redemption Date. The funds paid to the Trustee shall be used to redeem the Notes on the Withholding Tax Redemption Date.
All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
THE INDENTURE AND THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY PROVISIONS RELATING TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS OTHER THAN SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

 

A-30


 

SCHEDULE A
SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES
The following exchanges of Notes for Notes represented by this Regulation S Note have been made:
                                 
Principal           Change in              
amount of this           principal     Principal        
Regulation S           Amount of this     amount of this        
Note as of the           Regulation S     Regulation S     Notation made  
date of   Date exchange     Note due to     Note following     by or on behalf  
exchange   made     exchange     such exchange     of the Trustee  
U.S.
                               

 

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Exhibit B
FORM OF TRANSFER CERTIFICATE
FOR EXCHANGE OR TRANSFER FROM RULE 144A SECURITY
TO REGULATION S SECURITY PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION
OF THE RESTRICTED PERIOD
The Bank of New York
101 Barclay Street
New York, New York 10286
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
Re:  
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
U.S.$500,000,000 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”)
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture dated as of August 8, 2000, between THE BANK OF NEW YORK (the “ Trustee ”) and GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B. (the “ Company ”) (as amended or supplemented through the date hereof, the “ Indenture ”). Capitalized terms not defined in this Certificate shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
This Certificate relates to                      principal amount of Notes represented by a beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Security (CUSIP No.[                      ]) held with the Depositary by or on behalf of [transferor] as beneficial owner (the “ Transferor ”). The Transferor has requested an exchange or transfer of its beneficial interest for an interest in the Regulation S Security (CUSIP (CINS) No. [                      ]).
In connection with such request and in respect of such Notes, the Transferor does hereby certify that such exchange or transfer has been effected in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 (as applicable) of Regulation S under the Securities Act, and accordingly the Transferor does hereby certify that:
  (1)  
the Transferor is not a distributor of the Securities, an affiliate of the Company or any such distributor or a person acting on behalf of any of the foregoing;
  (2)  
the offer of the Notes was not made to a person in the United States;
  (3)  
either:
  (A)  
at the time the buy order was originated, the transferee was outside the United States or the Transferor and any person acting on its behalf reasonably believed that the transferee was outside the United States, or
 
  (B)  
The transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither the Transferor nor any person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States;

 

B-1


 

  (4)  
no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or 904(b) of Regulation S, as applicable;
  (5)  
if the Transferor is a dealer in securities or has received a selling concession, fee or other remuneration in respect of the Securities covered by this transfer certificate then the requirements of Rule 904(c)(1) have been satisfied;
  (6)  
the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act; and
  (7)  
upon completion of the transaction, the beneficial interest being transferred as described above is to be held with the Depositary in account [                      ].
This Certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company and the Initial Purchasers of such Notes being exchanged or transferred. Terms used in this Certificate and not otherwise defined in the Indenture have the meanings set forth in Regulation S under the Securities Act.
         
  [Insert Name of Transferor]
 
 
  By:      
    Name:      
    Title:      
         
Dated:
       
 
cc:
  Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.    

 

B-2


 

Exhibit C
FORM OF TRANSFER CERTIFICATE FOR TRANSFER
OR EXCHANGE FROM RULE 144A SECURITY
TO REGULATION S SECURITY AFTER THE
EXPIRATION OF THE RESTRICTED PERIOD
The Bank of New York
101 Barclay Street
New York, New York 10286
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
Re:  
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
U.S.$500,000,000 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”)
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture dated as of August 8, 2000, between THE BANK OF NEW YORK (the “ Trustee ”) and GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B. (the “ Company ”) (as amended or supplemented through the date hereof, the “ Indenture ”). Capitalized terms not defined in this Certificate shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
This Certificate relates to                      principal amount of Notes represented by a beneficial interest in the Rule 144A Security (CUSIP No. [                      ]) held with the Depositary by or on behalf of [transferor] as beneficial owner (the “ Transferor ”).
In connection with such request and in respect of such Notes, the Transferor does hereby certify that such exchange or transfer has been effected in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Notes and that, with respect to transfers made in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act, pursuant to and in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act, and accordingly the Transferor does hereby further certify that:
(i)     (A)   the offer of the Notes was not made to a person in the United States;
  (B)  
either:
(1) at the time the buy order was originated, the transferee was outside the United States or the Transferor and any person acting on its behalf reasonably believed that the transferee was outside the United States, or
(2) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither the Transferor nor any person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was pre-arranged with a buyer in the United States;
(C) no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or 904(b) of Regulation S, as applicable; and

 

C-1


 

(D) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act; or
(ii) with respect to transfers made in reliance on Rule 144 under the Securities Act, the Notes are being transferred in a transaction permitted by Rule 144 under the Securities Act.
This Certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company and the Initial Purchasers of such Notes being exchanged or transferred. Terms used in this Certificate and not otherwise defined in the Indenture have the meanings set forth in Regulation S under the Securities Act.
         
  [Insert Name of Transferor]
 
 
  By:      
    Name:      
    Title:      
         
Dated:
       
 
 
 
   
cc:
  Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.    

 

C-2


 

Exhibit D
FORM OF TRANSFER CERTIFICATE FOR TRANSFER OR
EXCHANGE FROM REGULATION S SECURITY
TO RULE 144A SECURITY
The Bank of New York
101 Barclay Street
New York, New York 10286
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
Re:  
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
U.S.$500,000,000 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”)
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture dated as of August 8, 2000 between THE BANK OF NEW YORK (the “ Trustee ”) and GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B. (the “ Company ”) (as amended or supplemented through the date hereof, the “ Indenture ”). Capitalized terms not defined in this Certificate shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
This Certificate relates to                                                                principal amount of Notes which are held in the form of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Security (CUSIP No. [                      ]) through the Depositary by or on behalf of transferor as beneficial owner (the “ Transferor ”). The Transferor has requested an exchange or transfer of its interest in the Notes for an interest in the Rule 144A Security (CUSIP No. [                      ]).
In connection with such request, and in respect of such Notes, the Transferor does hereby certify that such transfer is being effected in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Indenture and pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”) to a transferee that the Transferor reasonably believes is purchasing the Securities for its own account or an account with respect to which the transferee exercises sole investment discretion and the transferee and any such account is a “qualified institutional buyer” within the meaning of Rule 144A, in each case in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States or any other jurisdiction.

 

D-1


 

This Certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Company and the Initial Purchasers of the Notes being transferred.
         
  [Insert Name of Transferor]
 
 
  By:      
    Name:      
    Title:      
         
Dated:
       
 
 
 
   
cc:
  Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.    

 

D-2


 

Exhibit E
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
Re:  
Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.
U.S.$500,000,000 6.0% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”)
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture dated as of August 8, 2000 between THE BANK OF NEW YORK (the “ Trustee ”) and GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B. (the “ Company ”) (as amended or supplemented through the date hereof, the “ Indenture ”). Capitalized terms not defined in this Certificate shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
This is to certify that as of the date hereof and except as set forth below, the above-captioned Notes held by you for our account are beneficially owned by (a) non-U.S. person(s) or (b) U.S. person(s) who purchased the Notes in transactions which did not require registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Act ”). As used in this paragraph, the term “U.S. person” has the meaning given to it by Regulation S under the Securities Act.
As used herein, “United States” means the United States of America (including the States and the District of Columbia); and its “possessions” included Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands.
We undertake to advise you promptly by tested telex or by electronic transmission on or prior to the date on which you intend to submit your certification relating to the Notes held by you for our account in accordance with your operating procedures if any applicable statement herein is not correct on such date, and in the absence of any such notification it may be assumed that this certification applies as of such date.
This certification excepts and does not relate to U.S.$                                                                of such interest in the above Notes in respect of which we are not able to certify and as to which we understand exchange and delivery of definitive Notes (or, if relevant, exercise of any rights or collection of any interest) cannot be made until we do so certify.
We understand that this certification is required in connection with certain securities laws of the United States. In connection therewith, if administrative or legal proceedings are commenced or threatened in connection with which this certification is or would be relevant, we irrevocably authorize you to produce this certification to any interested party in such proceedings.
         
Date:
    1  
         
     
  By:      
As, or as agent for, the beneficial owner(s) of the [Notes] to which this certificate relates.
 
     
1  
Not earlier than 15 days prior to the certification event to which the certification relates.

 

 


 

Exhibit F
FORM OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

 

Exhibit 4.16
Execution Copy
FULL-TIME TRANSPONDER SERVICE AGREEMENT (IS-16 PRE-LAUNCH)
This Agreement (the “ Agreement ”) is entered into this  _____  day of November, 2007 (the " Execution Date ”), by and among Intelsat Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“ Intelsat ”), Intelsat LLC, a Delaware limited liability company operating in Bermuda (“ LLC " ) , Corporación de Radio y Televisión del Norte de México, S. de R. L. de C.V. d/b/a Sky Mexico, a company organized and existing under the laws of Mexico (“ Sky Mexico ”), and SKY Brasil Serviços Ltda. d/b/a Sky Brasil, a limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of Brazil (“ Sky Brasil ;” and together with Sky Mexico, hereinafter referred to collectively as “ Customer ” and “ Customer Parties,” and the term “ Customer ” and “ Customer Party ” shall also include each of Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico acting separately in its individual capacity).
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, pursuant to a Transponder Service Agreement, dated February 8, 1999, as amended (the " IS-9 Service Agreement ”), between Intelsat and Sky Mexico, Intelsat provides satellite transmission services to Sky Mexico using Ku-band satellite capacity on twelve (12) transponders located on the Intelsat 9 satellite (“ IS-9 ”) at the nominal orbital location 58.0°W.L. (+/- 0.5°) (the “ 58°W Orbital Location ”);
WHEREAS, pursuant to a Full-Time Transponder Capacity Agreement, dated August 19, 2004 (the " IS-11 Service Agreement ”), between Intelsat and The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (“ DIRECTV ,” the parent company of Sky Brasil), Intelsat has agreed to provide satellite transmission services to DIRECTV using Ku-band satellite capacity on the Intelsat 11 satellite (“ IS-11 ”), which is currently scheduled to replace the Intelsat 6B satellite at the nominal orbital location of 43.0° W.L. (+/- 0.5°) (the “ 43°W Orbital Location ”) during the fourth quarter of 2007;
WHEREAS, in accordance with an existing commitment to DIRECTV (the “ Completion Phase Agreement ”), Intelsat ordered a satellite (known as “ IS-11R ”) from Orbital Sciences Corporation (“ Orbital ”), which satellite was to have a Brazil payload only and was scheduled to be used as a replacement for IS-11 at the 43°W Orbital Location if IS-11 was not successfully placed into service;

 

 


 

WHEREAS, IS-11 has been successfully launched and placed into position at the 43°W Orbital Location, and the parties desire to enter into a new service agreement on the terms set forth herein for additional satellite transmission services on a new Ku-band satellite which will include, to the extent practicable, the components of IS-11R (“ IS-16 ” or the “ Satellite ”) and which satellite Intelsat will procure from Orbital and co-locate with IS-9 at the 58°W Orbital Location;
WHEREAS, Intelsat intends to provide expansion capacity to Sky Mexico by using twelve (12) designated transponders on IS-16 that will not interfere with existing services on IS-9;
WHEREAS, in addition to providing Sky Mexico with expansion capacity, Customer has requested that Intelsat operate (and Intelsat has agreed to operate) IS-16 as an in-orbit spare to provide back-up services for IS-9 and back-up and expansion services for IS-11 and subsequently to allow Sky Mexico to use IS-16 to replace IS-9 at the 58°W Orbital Location, all subject to the provisions stated herein; and
WHEREAS, to implement the terms of this Agreement, LLC intends to procure the Satellite, and Intelsat will, in accordance with its normal internal customer distribution structure, structure the delivery of capacity and services as provided below.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the terms and conditions and mutual promises contained herein, the parties hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1. THE CUSTOMER’S TRANSPONDER CAPACITY .
1.1 Description of Capacity; Construction and Launch of IS-16 .
(a) During the Capacity Term (as defined in Section 2.1(a) below), Intelsat agrees to provide to Customer and any Affiliate of either Customer Party in accordance with the terms hereof, and Customer agrees to accept from Intelsat, on a full-time basis (24 hours a day, seven days a week), in outer space, the satellite transmission services (the “ IS-16 Service ”) using the Customer Transponder Capacity (defined below) meeting the “ Performance Specifications ” set forth in the " Technical Appendix ” attached hereto as Appendix B on the terms and conditions set forth herein. For purposes of this Agreement, the “ Customer’s Transponder Capacity ” or “ Customer Transponders ” shall consist of twenty-four (24),

 

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thirty-six (36) MHz Ku-Band transponders located on IS-16 (as defined below) that meet or exceed the Performance Specifications set forth in the Technical Appendix ( Appendix B ), which Satellite shall be located in geostationary orbit at the 58°W Orbital Location, or if used as an in-orbit replacement of IS-11, at the 43°W Orbital Location (subject in each case to the orbital tolerances specified in Appendix B ).
The Customer Transponders are more particularly identified in Appendix B . As provided in Section 1.2 below, during the period in which IS-16 is co-located with IS-9 at the 58°W Orbital Location, Intelsat shall initially make available twelve (12) Customer Transponders on the Satellite for use by Sky Mexico (and any of its Affiliates) (the “ Expansion Transponders ”). As provided in Section 1.3 below, Intelsat shall make available an additional twelve (12) or twenty-four (24) Customer Transponders on IS-16 for Customer’s use as back-up capacity if IS-9 or IS-11, respectively, suffers a failure. Finally, in accordance with the terms of Section 1.4 below, Intelsat shall make available all twenty-four (24) Customer Transponders for Sky Mexico’s use as a replacement for IS-9 or twenty-four (24) of the Customer Transponders for Sky Brasil’s use as a replacement for IS-11. If Sky Mexico contracts to procure capacity services from Intelsat on IS-9R pursuant to the IS-9R Agreement, then, in addition to making the IS-16 Customer Transponders available for Customer’s use as backup capacity for IS-9 and IS-11, and effective as of the IS-9R Term Commencement Date (as defined in Section 1.3(c)(ii) below), Intelsat shall make available all twenty-four (24) Customer Transponders on IS-16 for Customer’s use as back-up capacity if IS-9R suffers a failure. The transponders on IS-16 and the beams in which these transponders are grouped are referred to as “ Transponder(s) ” and the “ Beam(s) ,” respectively. As used in this Agreement, the term “ Affiliate ” means, with respect to any entity, any entity directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entity. The term “control” (including, with its correlative meanings, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) shall mean, with respect to any party, ownership, directly or indirectly, by such party of equity securities entitling it to either (i) exercise in the aggregate more than 50% of the voting power of the entity in question; or (ii) exercise in the aggregate at least 25% of the voting power of the entity in question and direct the decisions of the board of directors of the entity in question.
(b) LLC shall procure from Orbital a new Ku-band satellite containing all of the IS-16 Transponders as follows: LLC shall direct Orbital to re-purpose, to the extent practicable, the IS-11R parts and items for the construction of IS-16. Any existing contract rights with Orbital at that time existing in favor of Intelsat shall be transferred by Intelsat Corp to LLC for said re-purpose. In this case, LLC shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause

 

-3-


 

IS-16 to be launched within twenty-four (24) months from the Execution Date. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, LLC makes no representation or warranty with respect to the schedule for construction and launch of the IS-16 Satellite, and Customer understands that technical issues related to the construction or launch of the Satellite beyond the reasonable control of LLC may occur which could prevent any schedule from being maintained. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Appendix B, Intelsat shall secure a launch vehicle for the IS-16 Satellite that would be expected to yield an in-orbit mission lifetime of at least 15 years. In the event that Intelsat, after using all commercially reasonable efforts to do so, cannot secure such launch vehicle, it shall promptly notify Customer, which notice shall specify the circumstances, the extent of any anticipated delay, and the other launch alternatives then available to Intelsat. Within thirty (30) days of receipt of such notice, the Customer shall instruct Intelsat on the launch vehicle solution to be followed; provided, however, that (a) in any case where as a result of Customer’s decision the launch is delayed by twelve (12) months or more, Customer shall pay to Intelsat an additional fee equal to eight percent (8%) of the amount previously paid by Intelsat to Orbital for the IS-16 Satellite, and (b) compensate Intelsat for any increased launch costs occasioned by its instructions or, in the case of lower launch costs, receive a credit against the first Installment Payment of the Fixed Service Fee.
1.2 Expansion Transponder Capacity . Intelsat will make the Expansion Transponders (as more particularly described in Appendix B hereto) available at the 58°W Orbital Location for use by Sky Mexico and its Affiliates during the period commencing on the Start of Service Date (as defined in Section 2.1(a) below) and, subject to Sections 1.3 and 1.4 below, continuing until the earlier of (a) the expiration or earlier termination of the Capacity Term, or (b) if Sky Mexico has entered into the IS-9R Agreement, the IS-9R Term Commencement Date (as defined in Section 1.3(c)(ii) below). Sky Mexico and its Affiliates may use the Expansion Transponders to meet the satellite transmission requirements of their own services (but not for resale). Sky Mexico shall cause its Affiliates to comply with the terms of this Agreement, and shall be deemed in material breach of this Agreement for any material failure by any such Affiliate to so comply.
1.3 In-Orbit Sparing Options .
(a)  Back-Up for IS-11 In-Orbit Failure . In the event that (x) any transponder on IS-11 suffers, or is reasonably expected to suffer, a failure at any time on or after the “Commencement Date” (as defined in the IS-11 Service Agreement), which failure results, or is reasonably expected to result, in the automatic termination of the IS-11 Service Agreement with

 

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respect to such transponder in accordance with Section 7.2 thereof, or (y) Intelsat takes IS-11 out of commercial operation pursuant to Section 7.3 of the IS-11 Service Agreement, and in each case Intelsat is unable to promptly provide, from the same or another Intelsat satellite operating at the 43°W Orbital Location, replacement transponder capacity with materially the same or better coverage and performance (each of the foregoing events described in clauses (x) and (y) hereinafter being referred to as an “ IS-11 In-Orbit Failure ”), then in either case Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico may, through a joint written notice to Intelsat signed by both Customer Parties, elect to relocate IS-16 to the 43°W Orbital Location and for each IS-11 transponder the use of which is terminated by DIRECTV in accordance with Section 7.2 and/or Section 7.3 of the IS-11 Service Agreement (each, a “ Terminated IS-11 Transponder ”), DIRECTV may commence using (either directly or through any Affiliate) a Customer Transponder on IS-16 (each, an “ IS-11 Replacement Transponder ”) in lieu of such Terminated IS-11 Transponder, together with the six (6) additional IS-16 Customer Transponders that will not interfere with existing services on IS-11 (the “ Sky Brasil Expansion Transponders ”) (the parties acknowledging that if DIRECTV terminated its use of all IS-11 transponders in accordance with Section 7.2 and/or Section 7.3 of the IS-11 Service Agreement, Sky Brasil would be entitled to use a total of twenty-four (24) Customer Transponders on IS-16). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Intelsat is unable to provide the “Minimum Complement” (as that term is defined in the IS-11 Service Agreement) of IS-11 transponders pursuant to the IS-11 Service Agreement (hereinafter, an “ IS-11 Minimum Complement Failure ,” which term does not include the normal end-of-life process for IS-11; i.e., the satellite has insufficient fuel to maintain its licensed orbital position, but such circumstance is not caused by a satellite malfunction or any extraordinary event), or is reasonably expected to be unable to do so (as indicated in the most recent Intelsat satellite health report) within 12 months, such written notice need be signed by Sky Brasil only. For the avoidance of doubt, the parties acknowledge that the provision of any IS-11 Replacement Transponder(s) for the Terminated IS-11 Transponder(s) shall be on a one-for-one basis, along with the six (6) Sky Brasil Expansion Transponders that shall be made available to DIRECTV, such that DIRECTV (or its Affiliate, as applicable) is not using, at any given time while IS-16 is located at the 43°W Orbital Location, transponder capacity on more than an aggregate of twenty-four (24) transponders from IS-11 and IS-16. As long as Intelsat makes the Customer Transponders available to Customer, the IS-11 Service Agreement shall remain in full force and effect (notwithstanding the termination rights of DIRECTV pursuant to Sections 7.2 and 7.3 thereof), except with respect to the Terminated IS-11 Transponders and any IS-11 transponders the use of which DIRECTV terminates pursuant to the proviso in clause (ii) of this sentence below, and DIRECTV’s use of the Customer Transponders shall be governed by, and shall be subject to, all of the applicable terms and conditions of the IS-11 Service Agreement (other than

 

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Article 5 thereof), provided that (i) DIRECTV shall not be required to pay Intelsat the “Monthly Fee” payable under Article 3 of such agreement with respect to the IS-11 Replacement Transponders or the six (6) additional Customer Transponders (subject to Customer’s performance of its obligations hereunder) but shall be required to continue to pay such “Monthly Fee” only for the remaining IS-11 transponders that were not terminated in accordance with the terms of the IS-11 Service Agreement (or pursuant to the proviso in clause (ii) of this sentence), and (ii) if an IS-11 Minimum Complement Failure occurred, Customer may elect, by written notice from Sky Brasil only, to discontinue further use of any IS-11 transponders and use all twenty-four (24) Customer Transponders on IS-16. In addition to the payments of such “Monthly Fee” under the IS-11 Service Agreement, if any, following an IS-11 Minimum Complement Failure Customer shall continue to pay Intelsat the Fixed Service Fees and (in lieu of the Variable Service Fees) the Reduced Variable Service Fees as stated in Article 3 below.
DIRECTV may continue to use the IS-11 Replacement Transponders and the Sky Brasil Expansion Customer Transponders on IS-16 until the earliest of (i) the expiration or earlier termination of the Capacity Term under this Agreement, or (ii) if directed by Customer pursuant to a written notice executed by Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico, the date on which LLC (at Intelsat’s direction pursuant to instructions from Customer) relocates the IS-16 Satellite to the 58°W Orbital Location, or (iii) the date on which Intelsat has placed a “Replacement Satellite” (as defined in subparagraph (c) below) at the 43°W Orbital Location with at least twelve (12) customer transponders meeting the applicable performance specifications set forth in the IS-11 Service Agreement, provided that if the Replacement Satellite at the 43°W Orbital Location provides DIRECTV with less than twenty-four (24) customer transponders meeting the applicable performance specifications (as set forth in the IS-11 Service Agreement or, in the case of the Sky Brasil Expansion Transponders, as set forth in the Technical Appendix hereto), then Customer may continue using certain of the IS-11 Replacement Transponders on IS-16, and in any circumstance, Customer may continue using the six (6) additional Sky Brasil Expansion Transponders on IS-16, so that there are an aggregate of twenty-four (24) transponders available to Customer on the Replacement Satellite and IS-16 combined (DIRECTV agreeing that it shall be required to make payment for any of the Replacement Satellite transponders, up to a maximum of twenty-four (24), that meet their applicable performance specifications).
(b)  Back-Up for IS-9 In-Orbit Failure . In the event that (x) any transponder on IS-9 suffers, or is reasonably expected to suffer, a failure which results, or is reasonably expected to result, in the automatic termination of the IS-9 Service Agreement with respect to such transponder in accordance with Section 7.3 thereof, or (y) Intelsat takes IS-9 out of

 

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commercial operation pursuant to Section 7.4 of the IS-9 Service Agreement, and in each case Intelsat is unable to immediately provide, from the same or another Intelsat satellite operating at the 58°W Orbital Location, replacement transponder capacity with materially the same or better coverage and performance (each of the foregoing events described in clauses (x) and (y) hereinafter being referred to as an “ IS-9 In-Orbit Failure ”), then in either case Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico may, through a joint written notice to Intelsat signed by both Customer Parties, elect to have IS-16 continue operating at the 58°W Orbital Location (or relocated to the 58°W Orbital Location as the case may be) and for each IS-9 transponder the use of which is terminated by Sky Mexico in accordance with Section 7.3 and/or Section 7.4 of the IS-9 Service Agreement (each, a “ Terminated IS-9 Transponder ”), Sky Mexico may commence using (either directly or through any Affiliate) an IS-16 Customer Transponder (each, an “ IS-9 Replacement Transponder ”) in lieu of such Terminated IS-9 Transponder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Intelsat is unable to provide the applicable “Minimum Complement” (as such term is defined in the IS-9 Service Agreement) of IS-9 transponders pursuant to the IS-9 Service Agreement (hereinafter, an “ IS-9 Minimum Complement Failure ,” which term does not include the normal end-of-life process for IS-9; i.e., the satellite has insufficient fuel to maintain its licensed orbital position, but such circumstance is not caused by a satellite malfunction or other extraordinary event), or is reasonably expected to be unable to do so (as indicated in the most recent Intelsat satellite health report) within 12 months, such written notice need be signed by Sky Mexico only. For the avoidance of doubt, the parties acknowledge that the provision of any IS-9 Replacement Transponder(s) for the Terminated IS-9 Transponder(s) shall be on a one-for-one basis such that Customer is not using, at any given time while IS-16 is located at the 58°W Orbital Location, transponder capacity on more than an aggregate of twenty-four (24) transponders from IS-9 and IS-16. As long as Intelsat makes the Customer Transponders available to Customer, the IS-9 Service Agreement shall remain in full force and effect (notwithstanding the termination rights of Sky Mexico pursuant to Sections 7.3 and 7.4 thereof), except with respect to the Terminated IS-9 Transponders and any IS-9 transponders the use of which Sky Mexico terminates pursuant to the proviso in clause (ii) of this sentence below, and Sky Mexico’s use of the Customer Transponders shall be governed by, and shall be subject to, all of the applicable terms and conditions of the IS-9 Service Agreement (other than Article 5 thereof), provided that (i) Sky Mexico shall not be required to pay Intelsat the “Monthly Service Fee” payable under Article 3 of such agreement with respect to the IS-9 Replacement Transponders (subject to Customer’s performance of its obligations hereunder) but shall be required to continue to pay such “Monthly Service Fee” only for the remaining IS-9 transponders that were not terminated in accordance with the terms of the IS-9 Service Agreement (or pursuant to the proviso in clause (ii) of this sentence), and (ii) if an IS-9 Minimum Complement

 

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Failure occurred, Customer may elect, by written notice from Sky Mexico only, to discontinue further use of any IS-9 transponders and use all twenty-four (24) IS-9 Replacement Transponders on IS-16. In addition to the payments of such “Monthly Service Fee” under the IS-9 Service Agreement, if any, following an IS-9 Minimum Complement Failure Customer shall continue to pay Intelsat the Fixed Service Fees and (in lieu of the Variable Service Fees) the Reduced Variable Service Fees as stated in Article 3 below.
Sky Mexico may continue to use the IS-9 Replacement Transponders on IS-16 until the earlier of (i) the expiration or earlier termination of the Capacity Term under this Agreement, or (ii) if directed by Customer pursuant to written notice executed by Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico, the date on which LLC (at Intelsat’s direction pursuant to instructions from Customer) relocates the IS-16 Satellite to the 43°W Orbital Location, or (iii) the date on which Intelsat has placed a “Replacement Satellite” (as described in subparagraph (c) below) at the 58°W Orbital Location with at least nine (9) customer transponders meeting the applicable performance specifications set forth in the IS-9 Service Agreement, provided that if the Replacement Satellite at the 58°W Orbital Location provides Customer with less than twenty-four (24) customer transponders meeting the applicable performance specifications (set forth in this Service Agreement), then Customer may continue using certain of the IS-9 Replacement Transponders on IS-16 so that there are an aggregate of twenty-four (24) transponders available to Customer on the Replacement Satellite and IS-16 combined (Sky Mexico agreeing that it shall be required to make payment for any of the Replacement Satellite transponders, up to a maximum of twenty-four (24), that meet their applicable performance specifications).
(c) Replacement Satellite; Disposition of Failed Transponder Capacity .
(i) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Intelsat shall have the right (which it may exercise in its sole discretion) to replace IS-9 or IS-11 should either suffer a IS-9 Minimum Complement Failure or IS-11 Minimum Complement Failure, as applicable, with another Intelsat satellite (a “ Replacement Satellite ”) which includes Ku-band transponders that provide materially the same or better coverage and performance than the “Performance Specifications” applicable to the satellite being replaced under the IS-9 Service Agreement or the IS-11 Service Agreement, as applicable (or in the case of the Sky Brasil Expansion Transponders, the “Performance Specifications” applicable thereto in the Technical Appendix), provided that such replacement shall not operate to extend the applicable “Capacity Term” or “Service Term” of the relevant service agreement beyond the date therein specified had the existing satellite remained in service. If Intelsat elects to provide such Replacement Satellite

 

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for IS-9, the capacity thereon shall be deemed to be “Substitute Capacity,” as that term is defined and used in the IS-9 Service Agreement, and Sky Mexico shall resume payment for such capacity at the monthly per transponder fees set forth in Section 3.1 of the IS-9 Service Agreement. Likewise, if Intelsat elects to provide such Replacement Satellite for IS-11, it shall be deemed to be a “Replacement Satellite,” as that term is defined and used in the IS-11 Service Agreement, and DIRECTV shall resume payment for such capacity at the monthly per transponder fees set forth in Section 3.1 of the IS-11 Service Agreement. Sky Brasil agrees that any IS-11 Replacement Satellite provided by Intelsat shall be designed to include twenty-four (24) transponders designated for DIRECTV’s use, and DIRECTV shall pay for such capacity at the monthly per transponder fees set forth in Section 3.1 of the IS-11 Service Agreement, provided that if DIRECTV did not use all six (6) of the Sky Brasil Expansion Transponders on IS-16, then Intelsat may not require DIRECTV to use and pay for more than eighteen (18) transponders on the Replacement Satellite plus an additional number of transponders equal to the number of Sky Brasil Expansion Transponders that were so used by DIRECTV. For the avoidance of doubt, if Intelsat utilizes IS-9R as the Replacement Satellite for IS-9 following Sky Mexico’s execution of the IS-9R Agreement, Sky Mexico shall not be required to pay the monthly per transponder fees set forth in Section 3.1 of the IS-9 Service Agreement for more than twelve (12) of such replacement transponders on IS-9R until the IS-9R Term Commencement Date (all as more particularly described in subparagraph (ii) below).
(ii) In any case where Sky Mexico and Intelsat have not already entered into an IS-9R Agreement, and either: (y) Sky Mexico (or an Affiliate, as applicable) is utilizing capacity on IS-16 following an IS-9 Minimum Complement Failure, or (z) Intelsat has notified Sky Mexico of Intelsat’s decision to enter into a procurement contract for a new satellite to replace IS-9 at the 58°W Orbital Location, Sky Mexico shall have the option to cause Intelsat to replace IS-9 at the 58°W Orbital Location with a new satellite ( " IS-9R " ) that includes twenty-four (24) Ku-band transponders which provide materially the same or better coverage and performance than the “Performance Specifications” applicable to Sky Mexico’s payload on IS-16, subject to and conditioned upon the following:
(A) Intelsat shall provide written notice to Sky Mexico of Intelsat’s decision to enter into a procurement contract for IS-9R (the “ IS-9R Procurement Notice ”), provided that Intelsat shall not give such notice unless it has determined in its reasonable, good faith discretion that either the then projected end of orbital maneuver life of IS-9 or an IS-9 Minimum Complement Failure will occur within the thirty-six (36) month period immediately following the date of such notice. Sky Mexico must notify Intelsat of Sky Mexico’s

 

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desire to exercise its option (the “ Sky Mexico Option Exercise Notice ”) on or before the date (the “ IS-9R Determination Date ”) which is the earlier of (x) the 180 th day following the date of an IS-9 Minimum Complement Failure in the case of clause (ii) (y) above, (y) January 1, 2012, or (z) the 60 th day following its receipt of the IS-9R Procurement Notice from Intelsat in the case of clause (ii)(z) above;
(B) During the 90-day period following Intelsat’s receipt of the Sky Mexico Option Exercise Notice, each of Intelsat and Sky Mexico shall endeavor in good faith to negotiate and enter into a service agreement (the “ IS-9R Agreement ”) which (1) provides for a capacity service term that commences on 1 September 2015 or, if later, the date on which Intelsat has placed IS-9R into service at the 58°W Orbital Location, with at least sixteen (16) transponders meeting the applicable performance specifications, and Intelsat has so certified to Sky Mexico and made such transponders available for its use (the “ IS-9R Term Commencement Date ”), and continues until the satellite’s end of orbital maneuver life (or if a failed satellite is replaced by Intelsat in accordance with the terms of the IS-9R Agreement, on the 15 th anniversary of the applicable service commencement date), subject in each case to any applicable earlier termination provisions (the “ IS-9R Term ”), (2) commits Sky Mexico to procure services from Intelsat using twenty-four (24) transponders on IS-9R at a monthly rate per transponder of One Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand United States Dollars (U.S.$125,000.00), (3) includes other terms and conditions that are substantially the same as those set forth in the existing IS-9 Service Agreement, as applicable, as the same may be modified as appropriate to reflect changes in the service commencement date, changes in technology and equipment employed, legal requirements and other differences in circumstances that reasonably require modification in, or updating from, the terms and conditions stated therein (provided that (x) subparagraphs (a), (b), (c) and (e) of Section 1.4, Section 1.8, Section 3.2 and Section 17 thereof shall not be included (but provisions substantially similar to Section 16.1 dealing with rights associated with Successor or Collocated Satellites shall be included in the IS-9R Agreement), (y) a provision comparable to Section 5.7 of the IS-11 Service Agreement shall be included, and (z) Section 7.3 thereof shall be modified to permit restoration on a different satellite that provides materially the same or better coverage and performance), and (4) may require Sky Mexico to post collateral in a form and in an amount as determined by Intelsat reasonably in its good faith discretion based upon Intelsat’s analysis of Sky Mexico’s financial condition, payment history and other risk factors (e.g., political, contractual enforcement or other risks), which collateral may include the requirement of a satisfactory parent company guarantee, and in any case, will be subject to negotiation and mutual agreement of the parties.

 

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The parties hereby agree that the provisions contained in this Section 1.3(c)(ii) supersede and replace in their entirety those provisions contained in Section 16.1 of the IS-9 Service Agreement that pertain to a “Successor Satellite” as defined therein, and Intelsat and Sky Mexico shall promptly execute a formal amendment to the IS-9 Service Agreement to acknowledge that such provisions are null and void; and
(C) If Sky Mexico fails to timely provide the Sky Mexico Option Exercise Notice on or before the IS-9R Determination Date, or if the parties fail to execute a binding IS-9R Agreement within the 90-day negotiation period, neither party shall have any further obligation to the other party pursuant to this Section 1.3(c)(ii), provided that such 90-day negotiation period shall be extended until the day immediately preceding the date on which Intelsat (or an Affiliate thereof) thereafter enters into an IS-9R procurement contract.
(iii) In any case where Sky Brasil and Intelsat have not already entered into an IS-11 Replacement Agreement, and either: (y) Sky Brasil (or an Affiliate, as applicable) is utilizing capacity on IS-16 following an IS-11 Minimum Complement Failure, or (z) Intelsat has notified Sky Brasil of Intelsat’s decision to enter into a procurement contract for a new satellite to replace IS-11 at the 43°W Orbital Location, Sky Brasil shall have the option to cause Intelsat to replace IS-11 at the 43°W Orbital Location with a new satellite ( " IS-11 Replacement " ) that includes twenty-four (24) transponders which provide materially the same or better coverage and performance than the “Performance Specifications” applicable to IS-11 under the IS-11 Service Agreement (or in the case of the Sky Brasil Expansion Transponders, the “Performance Specifications” applicable thereto in the Technical Appendix), subject to and conditioned upon the following:
(A) Intelsat shall provide written notice to Sky Brasil of Intelsat’s decision to enter into a procurement contract for the IS-11 Replacement (the “ IS-11 Replacement Procurement Notice ”), provided that Intelsat shall not give such notice unless it has determined in its reasonable, good faith discretion that either the then projected end of orbital maneuver life of IS-11 or an IS-11 Minimum Complement Failure will occur within the thirty-six (36) month period immediately following the date of such notice. Sky Brasil must notify Intelsat of Sky Brasil’s desire to exercise its option (the “ Sky Brasil Option Exercise Notice ”) on or before the date (the “ IS-11 Replacement Determination Date ”) which is the earlier of (x) the 180 th day following the date of an IS-11 Minimum Complement Failure in the case of clause (iii) (y) above, or (y) the 60 th day following its receipt of the IS-11 Replacement Procurement Notice from Intelsat in the case of clause (iii)(z) above;

 

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(B) During the 90-day period following Intelsat’s receipt of the Sky Brasil Option Exercise Notice, each of Intelsat and Sky Brasil shall endeavor in good faith to negotiate and enter into a service agreement (the “ IS-11 Replacement Agreement ”) which (1) provides for an “end of life” capacity service term that commences on the date on which Intelsat places the satellite into commercial service and continues until the satellite’s end of orbital maneuver life (or if a failed satellite is replaced by Intelsat in accordance with the terms of the IS-11 Replacement Agreement, on the 15 th anniversary of the applicable service commencement date), subject in each case to any applicable earlier termination provisions (the “ IS-11 Replacement Term ”), (2) commits Sky Brasil to procure services from Intelsat using at least eighteen (18) but no more than twenty-four (24) transponders on the IS-11 Replacement at a monthly rate per transponder of One Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand United States Dollars (U.S.$125,000.00), provided that if Sky Brasil commits to less than twenty (20) transponders on the IS-11 Replacement, then the monthly rate per transponder will be One Hundred Thirty-Nine Thousand, One Hundred Sixty-Six United States Dollars and Sixty-Seven Cents (US$139,166.67), (3) includes other terms and conditions that are substantially the same as those set forth in the existing IS-11 Service Agreement, as applicable, as the same may be modified as appropriate to reflect changes in the service commencement date, changes in technology and equipment employed, legal requirements and other differences in circumstances that reasonably require modification in, or updating from, the terms and conditions stated therein (provided that subparagraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of Section 1.4, Section 1.5, and Section 3.2 thereof shall not be included) (provisions substantially similar to Section 15.1 dealing with rights associated with Successor or Collocated Satellites shall be included in the IS-11 Replacement Agreement), and (4) may require Sky Brasil to post collateral in a form and in an amount as determined by Intelsat reasonably in its good faith discretion based upon Intelsat’s analysis of Sky Brasil’s financial condition, payment history and other risk factors (e.g., political, contractual enforcement or other risks), which collateral may include the requirement of a satisfactory parent company guarantee, and in any case will be subject to negotiation and mutual agreement of the parties. The parties agree that Sky Brasil may commit to procure services using up to twenty-four (24) transponders on the IS-11 Replacement, provided that it shall commit to procure services using at least eighteen (18) transponders on the IS-11 Replacement, together with such additional number of transponders that is equal to the number of Sky Brasil Expansion Transponders used by DIRECTV (or its Affiliate) on IS-16 following an IS-11 Minimum Complement Failure. The parties agree that the provisions contained in this Section 1.3(c)(iii) supersede and replace in their entirety those provisions contained in Section 15.1 of the IS-11 Service Agreement that pertain to a “Successor Satellite” as defined therein, and Sky Brasil shall cause DIRECTV to execute an amendment to the IS-11 Service Agreement to acknowledge that such provisions are null and void.

 

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(C) If Sky Brasil fails to timely provide the Sky Brasil Option Exercise Notice on or before the IS-11 Replacement Determination Date, or if the parties fail to conclude a binding IS-11 Replacement Agreement within the 90-day negotiation period, neither party shall have any further obligation to the other party pursuant to this Section 1.3(c)(iii), provided that such 90-day negotiation period shall be extended until the day immediately preceding the date on which Intelsat (or an Affiliate thereof) thereafter enters into an IS-11 replacement procurement contract.
(iv) Intelsat shall use commercially reasonable efforts to place IS-9R or the IS-11 Replacement into commercial service within three (3) years of the execution of the IS-9R Agreement or the IS-11 Replacement Agreement, as applicable. Following Intelsat’s provision of service on any such satellite, Customer shall discontinue further use of Customer’s Transponder Capacity on IS-16, and such satellite shall resume its function as an in-orbit spare; provided, however, that if such replacement satellite provides less than twenty-four (24) Customer Transponders in the case of IS-9R, or less than twenty-four (24) Customer Transponders in the case of the IS-11 Replacement, then Customer may continue using certain of the IS-16 Transponders so that there are an aggregate of twenty-four (24) transponders available for Customer’s use on the Replacement Satellite and IS-16, and provided further that Customer shall use all of the transponders on the Replacement Satellite that meet their applicable performance specifications.
(v) In any case where either Customer or any of its Affiliates, as applicable, is utilizing capacity on IS-16 as a back-up following an IS-9 In-Orbit Failure or an IS-11 In-Orbit Failure, Customer and its Affiliates and Intelsat shall cease any further use of the transponders that are being replaced. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Intelsat has provided a Replacement Satellite, Intelsat shall thereafter have the sole and exclusive use of such replaced transponder capacity for any purpose(s), including the use of such capacity to provide satellite transmission services to other customers of Intelsat or its Affiliates (Intelsat and such Affiliates hereinafter sometimes being referred to as the “ Intelsat Companies ”); provided, however, that such use by Intelsat or its other customers shall be on a non-interfering basis to both Customer Parties’ use of capacity hereunder at the 43°W Orbital Location and 58°W Orbital Location.

 

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(d)  Sale of Preemptible Capacity . Intelsat and its Affiliates may, with the prior written consent of and with a revenue share agreement that is acceptable to Customer (such consent to be withheld or granted in Customer’s sole discretion), use all or any portion of the Customer Transponders on IS-16 to provide satellite transmission services, on a preemptible but non-interfering basis, to other third party customers that do not provide direct-to-home services to Mexico, Brazil or the “Pan-Americana” region (i.e., the predominately Spanish speaking countries of South America and Central America) during any period in which Customer is not utilizing Customer’s Transponder Capacity.
(e)  Approval for Movement of the Satellite as a Back-Up . Notwithstanding anything in this Section 1.3 to the contrary, if the Satellite is in use as a back-up due to an IS-9 or IS-11 Minimum Complement Failure at either the 43°W Orbital Location or the 58°W Orbital Location, then the Satellite shall not be moved by LLC from such Orbital Location unless Customer provides written notice, signed by both Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil, directing Intelsat to move the Satellite.
(f) The parties acknowledge that: (i) in the event Intelsat provides one or more Replacement Satellites hereunder or subsequently launches a satellite into either the 43°W Orbital Location or the 58°W Orbital Location as a replacement therefor, the parties’ rights and obligations specified in Sections 1.3(a) and (b) above with respect to IS-16 shall likewise apply to such other satellite(s); (ii) any Replacement Satellite (including IS-9R and the IS-11 Replacement) located by Intelsat at the 43°W Orbital Location or the 58°W Orbital Location may include payloads that Intelsat will utilize to provide services to other Intelsat customers, provided that such operation thereof shall be on a non-interfering basis to both Customer Parties’ use of capacity hereunder at the 43°W Orbital Location and 58°W Orbital Location; and (iii) IS-16 will not include any transponder capacity other than the Customer Transponders.
1.4 Use of IS-16 in Lieu of IS-9R or an IS-11 Replacement Satellite .
(a) Subject to subparagraphs (c) and (d) below, and provided that as of September 1, 2015 Sky Mexico and Intelsat have not already entered into the IS-9R Agreement and IS-16 has not suffered a Total Loss (as defined in Appendix F ), then commencing on September 1, 2015 and continuing until expiration of the Capacity Term (the “ Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term ”): (i) Intelsat shall make available all twenty-four (24) Customer Transponders on the IS-16 Satellite for use by Sky Mexico and any of its Affiliates; and (ii) Sky Mexico’s primary use of the IS-16 Capacity (as replacement of its IS-9 capacity) shall thereafter

 

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be governed by the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. In this event, Sky Brasil shall still be entitled to use the IS-16 capacity at the 43°W Orbital Location as backup for IS-11 (or any replacement(s) thereof) during the Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term in accordance with the provisions of Section 1.3(a) upon written notice to Intelsat following an IS-11 or IS-11R Minimum Complement Failure, but only if Sky Mexico was not otherwise using IS-9 Replacement Transponders on IS-16 at the 58°W Orbital Location following an IS-9 Minimum Complement Failure. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Sky Brasil’s right to so use the IS-16 capacity as backup for IS-11 (or any replacement(s) thereof) at the 43°W Orbital Location in this case is conditioned upon Sky Brasil entering into an IS-11 Replacement Agreement with Intelsat on the terms described in Section 1.3(c)(iii)(B) above within sixty (60) days of the date on which Intelsat commences the drift of the Satellite to the 43°W Orbital Location, or in the absence of such agreement, Sky Brasil shall, from and after the date of the Satellite’s relocation to the 43°W Orbital Location, be obligated to pay Intelsat each Sky Mexico MRC payment as the same is due (or as the same would have been due if Intelsat terminates this Agreement as to Sky Mexico) from Sky Mexico from and after the date of such relocation for the provision of such capacity if and to the extent each such payment is not made by Sky Mexico for the period in question (each of such payments owed by Sky Brasil hereinafter being referred to as a “ Sky Brasil Substitute MRC Payment ”).
(b) During each month of the Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term, in addition to any Service Fees payable pursuant to Section 3.1, but subject to the outage/restoration provisions of Article 5, Sky Mexico shall pay Intelsat a monthly recurring charge (the “ Sky Mexico MRC ”) of Sixty-Two Thousand, Five Hundred United States Dollars (US$62,500) per month for each of the twenty-four (24) Customer Transponders on the IS-16 Satellite made available by Intelsat for Sky Mexico’s use. During the Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term, any Transponder that suffers, or had previously suffered, a Confirmed Failure shall, unless restored to its Performance Specifications within thirty (30) days of such Confirmed Failure, cease to be a Customer Transponder or be subject to this Agreement and may be used exclusively by Intelsat for any non-interfering purpose(s), including the use of such capacity to provide satellite transmission services to other customers of Intelsat or its Affiliates.
(c) Notwithstanding subparagraph (a) above, if (i) as of September 1, 2015 Sky Brasil is using IS-11 Replacement Transponders on IS-16 at the 43°W Orbital Location following an IS-11 Minimum Complement Failure, and (ii) prior to September 1, 2015 Intelsat and Sky Brasil entered into the IS-11 Replacement Agreement or Intelsat otherwise provided written notice to Sky Brasil of Intelsat’s decision to provide a Replacement Satellite at the 43°W

 

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Orbital Location pursuant to Section 1.3(c) above, then the commencement of the Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term will be delayed, and Sky Mexico’s obligation to commence payment of the Sky Mexico MRC to Intelsat will be deferred, until such time as LLC has moved IS-16 back to the 58°W Orbital Location for Sky Mexico’s use following deployment of an IS-11 Replacement Satellite at the 43°W Orbital Location with at least twelve (12) customer transponders meeting the applicable performance specifications set forth in the IS-11 Service Agreement. If the condition in the preceding clause (i) is met, but the condition in the preceding clause (ii) is not met, then commencing on September 1, 2015 and continuing until expiration of the Capacity Term (the “ Sky Brasil Exclusive Use Term ”), Intelsat shall make available twenty-four (24) Customer Transponders on the IS-16 Satellite for use by Sky Brasil. During the Sky Brasil Exclusive Use Term, Sky Brasil’s primary use of the IS-16 Capacity (as replacement of its IS-11 capacity) shall thereafter be governed by the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
(d) During each month of the Sky Brasil Exclusive Use Term, in addition to any Service Fees payable pursuant to Section 3.1, but subject to the outage/restoration provisions of Article 5, Sky Mexico shall pay Intelsat an MRC of Sixty-Two Thousand, Five Hundred United States Dollars (US$62,500) per month (the “ Sky Brasil MRC ”) for each of the twenty-four (24) Customer Transponders on the IS-16 Satellite made available by Intelsat for Sky Brasil’s use. During the Sky Brasil Exclusive Use Term, any Transponder that suffers, or previously had suffered, a Confirmed Failure shall, unless restored to its Performance Specifications within thirty (30) days of such Confirmed Failure, cease to be a Customer Transponder or be subject to this Agreement and may be used exclusively by Intelsat for any non-interfering purpose(s), including the use of such capacity to provide satellite transmission services to other customers of Intelsat or its Affiliates.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, (i) under no circumstances will the Sky Mexico MRC and the Sky Brasil MRC be due and payable for the same period of time, (ii) neither the Sky Mexico MRC nor the Sky Brasil MRC shall be due if Sky Mexico and Intelsat have entered into the IS-9R Agreement prior to September 1, 2015, and (iii) the Sky Mexico MRC and the Sky Brasil MRC shall cease to be due and payable upon the execution of an IS-9R Agreement if such execution occurs after September 1, 2015.
1.5 Transmission Plan for Transponders . Customer’s transmissions to the Satellite (which may be performed by one or more third party uplink providers, as provided in Section 4.4 below) shall conform to digital transmission plans to be submitted by Customer to Intelsat and that shall be subject to Intelsat’s prior written approval, not to be unreasonably withheld. The transmission plan shall include such information as called for in Customer’s current transmission

 

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plan approved by Intelsat for Customer’s transmissions to IS-9 and such other technical information as Intelsat may require in its reasonable engineering judgment to manage the operation of its satellites. Customer shall be permitted to modify these transmission plans from time to time, subject to Intelsat’s prior written approval. Intelsat shall not unreasonably withhold or delay its approval of a transmission plan or modification to such a plan, which approval shall be based solely upon the considerations identified in Section 4.1 below. Intelsat makes no representation, warranty, or covenant regarding the efficacy of the use of any number of carriers or other alternative uses of capacity provided under this Agreement. If not otherwise provided by Intelsat pursuant to separate agreement, Customer will provide Intelsat, at no cost to Intelsat, with equipment necessary to decode its signals.
1.6 Covenants on Use . Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, if the Fixed Service Fees have been paid in full, the Customer Parties (other than a defaulting Customer Party to whom Intelsat is entitled to deny access in accordance with Section 7.5) and their respective Affiliates may use the IS-16 Satellite for any lawful purpose related to their own transmissions needs and services of whatever nature. In any circumstances in which Customer is permitted above to allow the Customer Transponders to be used by other Affiliates, Customer shall remain ultimately responsible to Intelsat for all such use. In such circumstances, Customer’s responsibilities to Intelsat with respect to Customer’s use of Customer Transponders, Customer’s transmissions to the Satellite, Customer’s programming and the responsibilities of Customer to Intelsat for other activities hereunder shall be read to include the use, transmissions, programming, and activities of any such other entity.
1.7 TT&C Services . During the Capacity Term, Intelsat shall perform tracking, telemetry, control, command, monitoring and other related services (collectively, the “ TT&C Services ”) to operate and control the Satellite at the 58°W Orbital Location or, as applicable, at the 43°W Orbital Location. The TT&C Services shall be performed at all times in a manner consistent with Intelsat’s standard operating procedures and processes for its own fleet. Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico may jointly request Intelsat to relocate the IS-16 Satellite to any other non-Intelsat orbital location ( an “ Alternative Location " ) and to continue provision of the TT&C Services from such location, provided that such relocation shall be subject to Intelsat’s prior consent, which it may withhold in its reasonable discretion on the basis of FCC licensing, ITU or other similar regulatory concerns. In addition, any such relocation at the request of Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico to an Alternative Location shall be subject to: (a) Intelsat’s receipt of any and all necessary or appropriate governmental authorizations (the parties acknowledging that Intelsat will not be required to assign any regulatory authorizations to Customer related to operation of

 

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the Satellite at any orbital location) and, where reasonably required, its ability to lease or otherwise secure new equipment and/or facilities necessary to accommodate such request; (b) Customer’s reimbursement to Intelsat (within 30 days of invoice) of its incremental costs as and when they are incurred in completing such effort, whether or not successful, including (without limitation) for additional internal labor, at Intelsat’s then-current labor rates, associated with the operation of the Satellite at the Alternative Location. Customer acknowledges that Intelsat shall, in its reasonable discretion, determine the drift rate with respect to any relocation hereunder.
ARTICLE 2. CAPACITY TERM.
2.1 Capacity Term .
(a) This Agreement shall be effective as of the Execution Date. The “ Capacity Term ” shall commence on the date (the “ Start of Service Date ”) that: (i) IS-16 has been placed in the 58°W Orbital Location (or the 43°W Orbital Location, as applicable), and (ii) Intelsat has so certified to Customer in writing and made one or more Transponders that meet the Performance Specifications available to Customer for its use; provided, however, that if IS-16 suffers a “Total Loss” (as defined below) prior to the Start of Service Date, Intelsat shall promptly deliver notice thereof to Customer, and either party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement as provided in Section 7.1 below upon written notice to the other party, which notice must be given no later than sixty (60) days following the date of Intelsat’s Total Loss notice, or notice of delay to launch. The term “Total Loss” is defined in Appendix F attached hereto. Intelsat shall give the certification to Customer required for the Start of Service Date to occur, if it would be true and correct, when the Satellite is ready to be placed into commercial service. Subject to the foregoing, if one or more, but not all, of the Transponder(s) that constitute the Customer Transponder Capacity meet the Performance Specifications, Intelsat shall so state in its certification, and the Capacity Term shall commence. If any Transponder fails to meet the Performance Specifications, and is therefore not a Customer Transponder, then: (i) during the period prior to 1 September 2015 (and if Sky Mexico contracts to procure capacity services from Intelsat on IS-9R pursuant to the IS-9R Agreement, then during the period after the date of such agreement), such Transponder shall remain available for Customer’s use as provided herein, subject to any applicable salvage rights under the “Launch Insurance Policy,” as defined below (such rights being shown in Appendix F hereto); and (ii) during the Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term or the Sky Brasil Exclusive Use Term (as applicable), such Transponder shall (unless the Parties otherwise agree upon an alternative payment arrangement) be reserved for Intelsat’s exclusive use for any purpose(s), including the use of such capacity to provide satellite transmission services to other customers of Intelsat or its Affiliates.

 

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(b) Subject to the early termination provisions of this Agreement, the Capacity Term shall continue until the Satellite is taken out of commercial service and permanently de-orbited pursuant to Section 7.2(a).
2.2 Pre-Start of Service Date Testing . LLC shall have its manufacturer conduct the pre-Start of Service Date testing of the Satellite in a manner that does not interfere with the operations of IS-9 or IS-11, as applicable. Intelsat shall use all reasonable efforts to coordinate with Customer to allow Customer, in consultation with Intelsat, to test Customer’s transmit and receive equipment to be used with the Satellite on a noncommercial basis prior to the Start of Service Date, provided that such tests do not interfere with any in-orbit testing, maneuvers, or other related activities that are being conducted or with any operations of IS-9. Customer shall comply with all of the provisions of this Agreement regarding such transmissions and any other additional restrictions of which it may be notified vis-a-vis the requirement not to interfere with the in-orbit tests or related activities relative to the Satellite or with the operations of IS-9.
2.3 Insurance . LLC shall procure, at its own expense, launch risk management insurance coverage (the “ Launch Insurance Policy ”) to insure against a “Partial Loss” or “Total Loss” (as defined in Appendix F ) affecting the IS-16 Customer Transponders that may occur during the period commencing at the time of “Intentional Ignition” of IS-16 (as such term will be defined in the Launch Insurance Policy (and such definition is provided to Customer) following Intelsat’s execution of the launch services agreement and which definition will coincide with the time at which attachment of risk occurs under the Launch Insurance Policy) and continuing for a period that expires at 12:01 A.M. on the first anniversary thereof (the “ Insurance Term ”).
ARTICLE 3. SERVICE FEE PAYMENTS .
3.1 Service Fees . Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico shall be apportioned liability pursuant to this Agreement in the amount of 40% and 60%, respectively (such percentages hereinafter referred to as such Customer Party’s “ Allocated Share ”). In accordance with their respective Allocated Shares, Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico each agrees to pay a service fee to Intelsat as follows:
(a) As partial consideration for Intelsat’s provision of the IS-16 Service, Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico shall pay Intelsat a one-time fixed service fee in the aggregate amount of Two Hundred, Thirty-One Million, Forty-One Thousand United States Dollars (US$231,041,000) (the “ Fixed Service Fee ”), payable in two lump sum payments (each, an " Installment Payment ”) as follows:

 

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(i) The first Installment Payment shall be in the amount of Forty-Six Million, One Hundred Sixty-Two Thousand United States Dollars (US$46,162,000) and shall be due and payable within ten (10) days of the Start of Service Date; and
(ii) The second Installment Payment shall be in the amount of One Hundred, Eighty-Four Million, Eight Hundred Seventy-Nine Thousand United States Dollars (US$184,879,000) and shall be due and payable on the last day of the Insurance Term; and
(b) As further consideration for Intelsat’s provision of the IS-16 Service and its provision of the TT&C Services, during the period commencing on the Start of Service Date hereunder and continuing until 1 September 2015 (such period of time to be referred to herein as the “ Variable Fee Period ”), Customer shall pay Intelsat a variable monthly service fee (the “ Variable Service Fee ”) of Two-Hundred Fifty Thousand U.S. Dollars (US$250,000) (with partial months pro-rated). Notwithstanding the foregoing, during any portion of the Variable Fee Period in which either Sky Mexico or Sky Brasil is using additional Transponder Capacity on IS-16 following an IS-9 Minimum Complement Failure or an IS-11 Minimum Complement Failure, or fewer than nine (9) of the Expansion Transponders meet the Performance Specifications and are available to Sky Mexico as described in Section 1.1(a) above, Customer shall pay Intelsat a reduced Variable Service Fee (the “ Reduced Variable Service Fee ”) of One-Hundred Sixty-Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty-Six U.S. Dollars (US$166,666) (with partial months pro-rated) per month. The Variable Service Fee, or the Reduced Variable Service Fee, if applicable, is inclusive of all IS-16 FCC fees (including, but not limited to, registration fees, filing fees, regulatory fees, annual fees, etc.), other than fees that are associated with the nature of Customer’s usage (e.g., universal service fund fees) or as may be associated with any relocation, or effort to relocate the Satellite to an Alternative Location at Customer’s direction in accordance with Section 1.7 above. For the avoidance of doubt, Customer shall continue to pay Intelsat the Fixed Service Fee in full notwithstanding any reduction of the Variable Service Fees. The Fixed Service Fee and the Variable Service Fee (or the Reduced Variable Service Fee, as applicable) are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “ Service Fee. ” Subject to Sections 1.4 and 1.7 above, at the conclusion of the Variable Fee Period, Intelsat shall continue to provide the IS-16 Service and TT&C Services free of charge to Customer (i.e., no additional Service Fee shall be due or payable).

 

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(c) If one or more of the Customer Transponder(s) does not meet the Performance Specifications (each, a “ Failed Transponder ”) such that Intelsat has a claim for a Partial Loss or a Total Loss under the Launch Insurance Policy (and provided that notice of such failure is given to Intelsat by Sky Brasil or Sky Mexico as soon as practicable, but in event within fifteen (15) days, after either of such parties learns of the occurrence of such failure to meet such Performance Specifications), then Sky Brasil’s and Sky Mexico’s obligations to pay the Installment Payment(s) shall be reduced or refunded (x) pro rata based upon the same proportion that the number of Failed Transponders bears to the total number of Customer Transponders (i.e., 24); or (y) in full if there is a Total Loss. With respect to each Failed Transponder, any such adjustment to the Installment Payment(s) shall be reduced to take into account any period in which such transponder was available for Customer’s use prior to its becoming a Failed Transponder in the same manner that any claim made by LLC under its Launch Insurance Policy would be limited to the actual loss in operational capability based on an orbital design life of 15 years (or, if less, the applicable mission life under the Launch Insurance Policy). By way of example, if ten (10) of the Customer Transponders are Failed Transponders as of the Start of Service Date (i.e., prior to the first Installment Payment date), then each Installment Payment would be reduced by 41.66%. Similarly, if ten (10) of the Customer Transponders become Failed Transponders eleven (11) months after the Start of Service Date (but prior to the second Installment Payment date), then the second Installment Payment would be reduced by $90,383,239 resulting in a Second Installment payment of $94,495,761 ( see methodology for calculating such reduction in Appendix E hereto).
Provided that LLC is not in breach of its insurance obligations as stated in Section 2.3, each of Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico acknowledges that it shall not be entitled to any refund or reduction of the Fixed Service Fees if a Customer Transponder becomes a Failed Transponder such that the loss is not covered by the Launch Insurance Policy.
(d) The Service Fee shall be apportioned between Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico so that Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico shall pay a percentage of each fee that shall equal its Allocated Share thereof. Sky Brasil’s and Sky Mexico’s obligation to pay its Allocated Share of such Service Fee shall be several and not joint.
(e) If LLC receives any liquidated damage payment(s) from the Satellite contractor or launch vehicle services provider for late delivery or mass penalties related to the Satellite, the Fixed Service Fee shall be reduced by the amount of such payment(s); provided,

 

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however, that Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil acknowledge that LLC may, subject to receipt of their prior consent (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), waive any liquidated damages in connection with its oversight and management of the IS-16 procurement program. Likewise, if LLC is required to pay the Satellite contractor and/or launch vehicle services provider any incentive fee(s) for early delivery of the IS-16 spacecraft, the Fixed Service Fee shall be increased by the amount of such incentive payment(s), but not by more than shown in the contractual excerpts setting forth these incentives that are set forth in Appendix G hereto. In the case of any adjustment of the Fixed Service Fee hereunder, the Installment Payments shall be adjusted on a pro rata basis.
3.2 Manner of Payment . Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil shall make all payments of their Allocated Shares of the Variable Service Fee (or, as applicable, the Reduced Variable Service Fee) no later than the first business day of each month of the Capacity Term and Sky Mexico shall make all payments of the applicable MRC as set forth in Section 1.4, in advance, no later than the first business day of each month during the Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term or the Sky Brasil Exclusive Use Term, as applicable, in each case following receipt by such Customer Party of Intelsat’s invoice at least thirty (30) days in advance of payment (it being acknowledged that each Customer Party shall have thirty (30) days following receipt of the relevant invoice to remit payment); provided that the first Variable Service (or Reduced Variable Service Fee) payment shall be due and payable within five (5) business days following the Start of Service Date and the first MRC payment shall be due and payable within five (5) business days following the commencement of the Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term or the Sky Brasil Exclusive Use Term, as applicable (in each case as the same shall be proportional (i.e., prorated) for a partial calendar month). In the case of Sky Mexico invoicing, each invoice shall include the corporate name of Sky Mexico as stated in this Agreement (including punctuation), Mexican tax identification number and correct billing address and the amount due. Any other payments required to be made hereunder shall be due and payable thirty (30) days from invoice. Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil shall make all payments (i) in U.S. dollars without offset, deduction or withholding and (ii) by bank wire transfer to such bank account as Intelsat may designate by written notice to Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil, or by cashier’s or certified check, from a U.S. bank, delivered to Intelsat at such address as Intelsat may designate by written notice to Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil. In addition, Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil shall be responsible for their Allocated Shares of any and all transfer, or other similar charges. All payments shall be deemed to be made only upon Intelsat’s receipt of collected funds. For the avoidance of doubt and except as set forth in Sections 1.3(d) and 3.1(c) and (e) above, each of Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil acknowledges that it shall not be entitled to any credits, deductions or other form of set off

 

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against any payment of the Service Fee (including any component thereof) due to the failure of a Customer Transponder or any service degradation during the Capacity Term, provided that Sky Mexico shall be entitled to outage credits against payments of the applicable MRC in accordance with the provisions set forth in Article 5 below. At the beginning of every calendar year, Intelsat shall, at the Sky Mexico’s request, send Sky Mexico a U.S. resident certificate for tax purposes.
3.3 Late Payment . Any payments due from any party and not received within five (5) days after the due date shall be subject to a delinquency charge (liquidated damages) at the rate of one percent (1%) per month, or the highest rate permitted by law, if less, on such overdue amount from the due date until it is actually received by the party that is owed. The parties acknowledge that such delinquency charge is reasonable under all the circumstances existing as of the Execution Date.
3.4 Taxes . With the exception of any Excluded Income Tax (as defined below), FCC fees excluded under 3.1(b) above, property tax (but not including property taxes on the Satellite itself) or employment tax imposed on Intelsat or any Affiliate of Intelsat (defined as an “ Intelsat Company ”), each of Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil shall pay for and indemnify and hold harmless Intelsat and any Intelsat Company from their respective Allocated Shares of any taxes, charges, levies, duties, usage (for spectrum or otherwise) or other fees (including, without limitation, value added taxes, universal service fund contribution charges, landing rights, non-U.S. income, and other similar taxes and charges, if any) which may be asserted against Intelsat, any Intelsat Company, or the Customer by any governmental entity with respect to or arising out of this Agreement (collectively, “ Taxes ”). If any Taxes are so asserted, Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil agree to pay Intelsat that amount, if any, which ensures that Intelsat receives the same amount, after reduction for, or payment of, such Taxes, as it would have received had such Taxes not been asserted (“ Customer Indemnified Taxes ”). If any Taxes are asserted with respect to the Satellite itself, the point of space that it occupies or the frequencies employed, and such Taxes are not specifically attributable to the Customer’s Transponder Capacity, then Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil shall be responsible only for its proportional allocation of such Taxes as determined by Intelsat acting in good faith.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Customer Party shall be solely responsible for, and shall pay for and indemnify and hold harmless Intelsat and any Intelsat Company from 100% of any Taxes that relate solely to a payment made by such Customer Party to Intelsat hereunder and are not levied in connection with or as a result of the other Customer Party’s payments hereunder. Any Taxes related to payments of the Sky Mexico MRC or the Sky Brasil MRC shall be paid by Sky Mexico.

 

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As used herein, the term “ Excluded Income Tax ” means any Taxes on Intelsat’s or any Intelsat Company’s net income that are imposed because of a connection between Intelsat or such Intelsat Company and the jurisdiction imposing such Taxes other than a connection arising in respect of this Agreement or the implementation thereof.
ARTICLE 4. CUSTOMER’S OBLIGATIONS .
4.1 Non-interference and Use Restrictions . Customer’s transmissions to and from the Satellite and its use of the IS-16 Service shall comply in all material respects with all applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations. Customer will follow established practices and procedures for frequency coordination and will not use the IS-16 Service in a manner which would or could be expected to, under standard engineering practices, harm the Customer’s Transponder Capacity or interfere with the use of or harm any portion of the Transponder from which the Customer’s Transponder Capacity is provided that is not assigned to Customer, any other Transponder, the Satellite, or any other in-orbit satellite or transponder on such satellite. Customer shall also comply with the “ Operational Requirements ” set forth in Appendix C , as the same may be modified from time to time by Intelsat, in its reasonable discretion and on prior notice to Customer.
4.2 Terrestrial Facilities . Customer shall be responsible for the provision, installation, operation, maintenance of, and for securing all necessary licenses and/or authorizations for all earth station facilities and equipment (“ Customer-Provided Facilities ”), for transmitting signals to, or receiving signals from, the Satellite in accordance with the requirements set forth in this Agreement. Any provision by Intelsat to Customer of earth station or other terrestrial facilities or services shall be the subject of a separate agreement.
Subject to Intelsat’s right to control its own costs, Intelsat shall provide reasonable consultative assistance to Customer in evaluating data, setting test criteria, assessing possible causes, and addressing associated regulatory issues that Customer may encounter with respect to any widespread (over any particular area) terrestrial RF interference that Customer may find is affecting the use of the Customer Transponders within Mexico (or Brazil). The foregoing notwithstanding, it is understood and agreed that the absence of terrestrial interference is not a Performance Specification under this Agreement.

 

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4.3 Customer’s Transmitting Stations . Customer will configure, equip and operate its transmit facilities so that the interface of these facilities, in outer space, with the Satellite shall conform to the characteristics and technical parameters of the Satellite as specified in Appendix B . Customer will follow Intelsat’s procedures for initiating, or terminating any transmission to the Satellite. Customer will operate all transmit facilities in a manner that allows for cessation of, and will cease, transmission immediately upon receiving notice from Intelsat under Section 14.5(a) (“ Telephone Notices ”). Customer will furnish such information regarding the technical parameters of its transmissions as may be required by Intelsat in its good faith engineering judgment prior to commencing, during, and upon the conclusion of any transmission to the Satellite.
For the purpose of implementing this Agreement, Intelsat shall have the right, but not the obligation, to inspect any Customer-Provided Facilities together with associated facilities and equipment used by Customer, or by a third party under the authority of Customer, to transmit to any of the Customer’s Transponder Capacity. Intelsat will comply with all reasonable Customer rules and requirements associated with such facilities, and will use all reasonable efforts to schedule inspections to minimize the disruption of the operation of the facilities, and Customer shall make the facilities available for inspection at all reasonable times during normal business hours.
4.4 Customer Uplink Providers . Customer shall be permitted to contract with other parties to transmit its signals to, or receive its signals from the Satellite; provided, that Customer requires its contractors to comply with all of the requirements of this Agreement regarding transmissions to, or reception from, the Satellite. If Customer retains third parties as permitted by the previous sentence, these third parties’ facilities shall be deemed to be Customer-Provided Facilities and the acts and omissions of these third parties in connection with the transmission or reception of Customer’s signals shall be deemed to be the acts and omissions of such third parties and of Customer.
4.5 Third Party Use . Without implying any right of Customer to permit any third party use of the Customer’s Transponder Capacity other than as provided herein, Customer shall be responsible to Intelsat for any third party use or transmissions that is/are permitted by Customer to the same extent as it would be for Customer’s own use or transmissions and references in this Agreement with respect to Customer’s responsibilities to Intelsat regarding Customer’s use or transmissions shall be interpreted accordingly.

 

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4.6 Consistent Application of Satellite Operating Procedures . Without implying any right of Intelsat to permit any third party use of the Satellite other than as provided herein, Intelsat shall have similar (but not necessarily identical) restrictions not to interfere with or cause physical harm to the Satellite, its Transponders, and other satellites and their transponders, as contained in this Agreement with all other customers, including any of its Affiliates, having a right to uplink to the Satellite and shall enforce these restrictions (and, to the extent it may use them for its own services, follow these restrictions itself) in a consistent and nondiscriminatory manner vis-a-vis Customer and the other customers with a right to uplink to the Satellite. Allowing for the fact (understood and accepted by Customer) that technical variations in the kinds of transmissions that different customers may employ, different performance characteristics of different Transponders, differences in the use of adjacent frequencies or the same frequencies on other satellites, other technical factors, and the use of different uplink providers and facilities may require the application of different restrictions to achieve the same non-interference and satellite protection goals, Intelsat shall not require Customer to follow Operational Requirements or transmission procedures that are more stringent than those imposed upon other customers on the same Satellite in comparable technical circumstances.
ARTICLE 5 RESTORATION .
5.1 Certain Outage Definitions . For purposes of determining Customer’s and Intelsat’s respective rights and responsibilities in the event of a failure of Customer’s Transponder Capacity, the following definitions apply:
(a) " Confirmed Failure ” means Measured Failure(s) of Customer’s Transponder Capacity to meet the Performance Specifications for any of the following periods:
(i) six (6) consecutive hours;
(ii) ten (10) cumulative hours in any consecutive thirty (30)-day period;
(iii) ten (10) or more Outage Units within any consecutive thirty (30)-day period; or
(iv) any period of time following a catastrophic event that makes it clearly ascertainable that a failure described in any of clauses (i), (ii), or (iii) will occur.

 

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(b) " Measured Failure ” means a failure of Customer’s Transponder Capacity to meet the Performance Specifications that is confirmed by Intelsat in good faith, based upon objective engineering evidence available to it. Such a failure, if so confirmed, shall be deemed to (i) commence when Customer notifies Intelsat or Intelsat otherwise has actual knowledge, recorded at Intelsat’s network operations center, of the occurrence of such a failure, and (ii) end when Intelsat notifies Customer or Customer has actual knowledge (where applicable, recorded at Customer’s facilities responsible for outage monitoring) that the Customer’s Transponder Capacity has been restored and is meeting the Performance Specifications. For purposes of determining a Confirmed Failure, any period during which Customer continues to use Customer’s Transponder Capacity after being notified by Intelsat to discontinue use to allow for testing or other remedial measures shall not count as a period of Measured Failure.
(c) " Outage Unit ” means the Measured Failure of Customer’s Transponder Capacity to meet its Performance Specifications for a period of two (2) consecutive minutes or more; provided that any such failure that occurs within the same one (1) hour period shall constitute but one and the same failure; provided further that the foregoing exception shall not be applied to count multiple failures that occur over a period of greater than one (1) hour, but each within one (1) hour of another, as a single failure (e.g., three (3) failures, each otherwise meeting the definition of an Outage Unit, that occur over ninety (90) minutes would constitute two (2) Outage Units, regardless of the timing of the middle failure).
(d) “ Spare Equipment ” means certain spare power component equipment units on the Satellite.
(e) " Substitute Capacity ” means capacity that is equivalent to Customer’s Transponder Capacity on another Transponder meeting the Performance Specifications in the same Beam(s) of the Satellite as such Customer’s Transponder Capacity.
5.2 Exclusions . A Confirmed Failure shall not be deemed to have occurred if such failure is due to: (a) the failure or non-performance of any Customer-Provided Facility; (b) the fault, negligent act, a failure to act of Customer, its employees, or agents; or (c) intermittent failures due to sun outages, meteorological, or astronomical disturbances.
5.3 Restoration . If, after the Start of Service Date, the Customer’s Transponder Capacity suffers a Confirmed Failure, Intelsat shall, as soon as possible and to the extent technically feasible, employ Spare Equipment or Substitute Capacity, if available.

 

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5.4 Confirmed Outage . During the Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term or the Sky Brasil Exclusive Use Term, if any, there shall be deemed to have occurred a “ Confirmed Outage ” of a Customer Transponder if it fails to meet the Performance Specifications for a continuing and uninterrupted period of thirty (30) minutes (or, if failure is intermittent, a cumulative period of thirty (30) minutes or more during any one-hour period) and such failure is confirmed by Intelsat. Any “Outage Credit” (as defined below) shall be measured in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 5.5.
5.5 Outage Credit . If there is a Confirmed Outage of a Customer Transponder during the Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term or the Sky Brasil Exclusive Use Term, Intelsat shall credit to Sky Mexico its next applicable MRC payment an “ Outage Credit ” that shall be determined by the following formula:
Outage Credit equals:
     
N
M
  multiplied by S;
 
   
where,
   
 
   
N =
  the number of hours (or portion thereof) during a month that there is a Confirmed Outage on a particular Service Transponder
 
   
M =
  the number of hours in the month, and
 
   
S =
  the MRC, applicable to the affected Customer Transponder, for said month
Sky Mexico shall not be entitled to any Outage Credit for any Transponder failure that does not constitute a Confirmed Outage. For purposes of determining Outage Credits, each failure that is confirmed by Intelsat shall be measured as commencing from the later to occur of (i) the applicable Customer Party’s cessation of use of the affected Customer Transponder and (ii) notice from the applicable Customer Party to Intelsat of such failure (provided that the affected Customer Transponder is, in fact, not meeting the Service Specifications). Any such failure shall be deemed to have ended upon the earlier to occur of (i) the applicable Customer Party’s resumption of use of the affected Customer Transponder and (ii) notice to the applicable Customer Party from Intelsat that the affected Customer Transponder has been restored to the Performance Specifications (provided that the affected Transponder is, in fact, meeting the Performance Specifications).

 

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ARTICLE 6. PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS .
6.1 Preemptive Rights . Customer recognizes that it may be necessary, if the Satellite or any component thereof, loses power, or in other unusual or abnormal technical situations, or other unforeseen conditions, for Intelsat deliberately to preempt or interrupt Customer’s use of the Customer’s Transponder Capacity, solely in order to protect the overall health and performance of the Satellite, or as otherwise necessitated by any reduction in available power. Intelsat shall make such decisions in good faith. To the extent technically feasible, Intelsat shall give Customer at least 24 hours notice of such preemption or interruption and will use all reasonable efforts to schedule and conduct its activities during periods of such preemption or interruption so as to avoid or minimize the disruption to Customer, including, but not limited to, the scheduling of activities between the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. local time in Brazil or Mexico, as applicable. Customer shall immediately cease transmissions to the affected Transponder(s) at such time as Customer’s Transponder Capacity is preempted or interrupted pursuant to this Section.
6.2 Testing in the Event of Customer’s Transponder Capacity Failure . If a Transponder that is part of Customer’s Transponder Capacity is not meeting Performance Specifications, but Customer elects to continue to use such Customer’s Transponder Capacity, as degraded, Intelsat may interrupt Customer’s use as necessary to perform testing or take any other action that may be appropriate to attempt to restore the affected Transponder to its Performance Specifications. In such event, Intelsat shall coordinate activities with Customer and shall use all reasonable efforts to avoid or minimize the overall disruption.
ARTICLE 7. TERMINATION RIGHTS .
7.1 Termination for Failure or Launch Delay . Either Intelsat or Customer may terminate this Agreement if, in accordance with Section 2.1(a), the Start of Service Date does not occur as a result of a Total Loss. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8.1, Customer may terminate this Agreement, through written notice to Intelsat, if the IS-16 “Pre-Ship Review” milestone event under its spacecraft manufacturing agreement has not occurred (which in the case of launch vehicle delay, may require that the spacecraft be placed into storage rather than delivered to the launch site) by the date which is thirty-four (34) months after the Execution Date. In the event of any default by the satellite manufacturer or other force majeure delays that give rise to an LLC right to terminate the IS-16 satellite procurement contract in accordance with its terms, LLC shall give Customer notice thereof in writing. Likewise, if

 

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LLC becomes aware of any fact or circumstance that would lead a reasonable person to conclude with absolute assurance that the IS-16 “Pre-Ship Review” milestone event will not occur within such 34-month period, LLC shall promptly provide written notice of such determination to Customer, together with its revised estimate of the date by which it expects the Pre-Ship Review Date to occur (the “ Revised Pre-Ship Review Date ”), in which case Customer may terminate this Agreement through written notice to Intelsat given no later than thirty (30) days following the date of LLC’s notice. If Customer does not timely exercise such termination right, its right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to the second sentence of this Section 7.1 shall be modified such that the reference to the 34-month period is replaced with the Revised Pre-Ship Review Date.
7.2 Taking the Satellite Out Of Commercial Operation .
(a) LLC may take the Satellite out of commercial operation and permanently de-orbit the Satellite in accordance with Applicable Law: (i) if in LLC’s good faith engineering judgment, the remaining fuel on board the Satellite is no longer sufficient to maintain geosynchronous orbit within plus or minus 0.05 degrees, allowing sufficient fuel for de-orbiting the Satellite, or (ii) if the Satellite suffers a Total Loss under the Launch Insurance Policy and Customer and LLC agree in writing to take the Satellite out of commercial operation. This Agreement shall terminate on the date that the Satellite is taken out of commercial operation. Except in exigent and unforeseen circumstances, LLC shall give Customer at least sixty (60) days’ written notice of Intelsat’s intention to take the Satellite out of commercial operation pursuant to (a)(i) above.
(b) At any time after Customer’s payment in full of all Fixed Service Fees payable under Section 3.1(a) and subject to Sky Mexico’s execution of the IS-9R Agreement or payment to Intelsat of all applicable MRC charges for each remaining month of the applicable scheduled Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term or Sky Brasil Exclusive Use Term (based upon the then projected end of orbital maneuver life date of IS-16, as reasonably determined by LLC), Customer may direct LLC to decommission and take the IS-16 Satellite out of commercial service, in which case this Agreement shall terminate upon LLC’s completion of all required decommissioning maneuvers and LLC and its Affiliates shall not be entitled to make use of any part of the Satellite.

 

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7.3 Termination by Intelsat for Certain Payment Defaults .
(a) Provided that Intelsat is not in default of its material obligations hereunder, Intelsat may terminate this Agreement as to either Sky Mexico and/or Sky Brasil if such party fails to make an Installment Payment (an “ Installment Payment Default ”) or any applicable MRC payment when due (an “ MRC Payment Default ”) and such amount remains unpaid for a period of thirty (30) days after receiving from Intelsat a notice of such nonpayment. Upon notice from Intelsat of default, either Customer Party may cure the failure to pay within the thirty (30) day period referenced above. Absent such cure, if only one Customer Party is a defaulting Customer Party, Intelsat’s right to terminate under this Section 7.3 shall be limited to the defaulting Customer Party. For purposes hereof, an MRC Payment Default shall include Sky Brasil’s failure to pay in a timely manner a Sky Brasil Substitute MRC Payment in accordance with Section 1.4(a) if Sky Brasil is required to do so under that section.
(b) Provided that Intelsat is not in default of its material obligations hereunder, Intelsat may also terminate this Agreement as to either Sky Mexico and/or Sky Brasil if that party (or the other non-defaulting party) fails to cure the breach of its monthly Variable Service Fee or Reduced Variable Service Fee obligations within nine (9) months after receiving a notice of such nonpayment from Intelsat (a “ Variable Fee Payment Default ”). Upon notice from Intelsat of default, either Customer Party may cure the failure to pay within the nine (9) month period referenced above.
(c) In the event that Intelsat terminates this Agreement due to an Installment Payment Default or Variable Fee Payment Default under Section 7.3(a) or Section 7.3(b), (i) Intelsat may, as its sole remedy, declare immediately due and payable the defaulting Customer Party’s Allocated Share of the remaining unpaid Fixed Service Fee, if any, and Variable Service Fee (or, if applicable, the Reduced Variable Service Fee) for each remaining month of what had been the scheduled Variable Fee Period, and (ii) if Sky Mexico is the defaulting Customer Party, Intelsat may, in addition to the payments under the preceding clause (i), declare immediately due and payable the Sky Mexico MRC payments for each month of what would have been the Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term had the conditions required in order to commence such term been satisfied, as such Service Fee and MRC payments shall be discounted for present value at a rate of nine percent (9%) per annum from the date paid to the date otherwise due in the absence of termination, and the defaulting Customer Party (or the non-defaulting Customer Party, at its option and discretion) shall pay the same (the " Termination Payment ”). For purposes of this subparagraph (c), the duration of the Sky Mexico Exclusive Use Term will be based upon the then projected end of orbital maneuver life date of IS-16, as reasonably determined by Intelsat in accordance with industry standards).

 

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In the event of a partial termination by Intelsat due to an Installment Payment Default or a Variable Fee Payment Default as contemplated in Section 7.3(a) or Section 7.3(b), or denial of access under Section 7.5(a)(i) or (ii), the non-defaulting Customer Party’s rights to use the Customer’s Transponder Capacity hereunder shall be reduced in accordance with each Customer Party’s Allocated Share (disregarding any partial transponders), but otherwise shall not be affected, except that in no event shall the non-defaulting Customer Party permit the use of its remaining Customer Transponder Capacity, directly or indirectly, by or on behalf of the defaulting Customer Party. For example, if Sky Brasil is the defaulting Customer Party and Sky Mexico would otherwise be entitled to use 24 Customer Transponders on IS-16 at the 58°W Orbital Location, then, for such period as Sky Mexico’s Allocated Share is 60%, Sky Mexico shall be allowed to use only 60% of the Customer Transponders (viz., 14 transponders). Likewise, if Sky Mexico is the defaulting Customer Party, Sky Brasil shall be allowed to use only 40% of the Customer Transponders (viz., 10 transponders).
In the event of a partial (or full) termination by Intelsat due to an MRC Payment Default as contemplated in Section 7.3(a), Intelsat may declare immediately due and payable from Sky Mexico the remaining Sky Mexico MRC payments and/or Sky Brasil MRC payments in the same manner as contemplated under clause (c)(ii) above (the “ MRC Damages ”) and may also refuse to allow Sky Mexico to use any portion of the Customer’s Transponders, provided, however, that in such case if Sky Brasil is not in material default hereunder Intelsat may not deny Sky Brasil’s right to use the Customer’s Transponder Capacity in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and Sky Brasil’s rights hereunder shall not be adversely affected as a result of an MRC Payment Default, subject to, in the case of an MRC Payment Default related to Sky Mexico’s payment obligations under Section 1.4(b), Sky Brasil’s execution of an IS-11 Replacement Agreement or its timely payment of the Sky Brasil Substitute MRC Payments as contemplated under Section 1.4(a) above. In addition, if Sky Brasil fails to cure any default of its obligations to make the Sky Brasil Substitute MRC Payments under Section 1.4(a) above within thirty (30) days after receiving from Intelsat a notice thereof, Intelsat may terminate this Agreement as to Sky Brasil and deny Sky Brasil the right to use the Customer Transponder Capacity hereunder in which case Sky Brasil shall (in addition to Sky Mexico) be liable for the MRC Damages accruing from and after the date on which Sky Brasil became obligated to make the Sky Brasil Substitute MRC Payments under Section 1.4(a). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Sky Brasil shall not permit Sky Mexico or Sky Mexico’s Affiliates to use any capacity on IS-16 if there has been a termination due to an MRC Payment Default.

 

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(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Intelsat shall have an affirmative obligation to use commercially reasonable efforts to mitigate its damages in the event of a termination pursuant to this Section 7.3.
(e) In the case of any termination pursuant to Section 7.3(a) or a termination pursuant to Section 7.3(b) above due to an MRC Payment Default, subject to Intelsat’s receipt of the Termination Payment, if applicable, any “Gross Revenues” (as defined below) thereafter received by Intelsat from the sale or lease of IS-16 capacity shall be shared as follows:
(i) Intelsat shall pay to each of Sky Brasil and to Sky Mexico its Allocated Share of fifty percent (50%) of the Gross Revenues received by Intelsat and/or its Affiliates and/or any Intelsat Company. As used herein, the term “ Gross Revenues ” shall mean the gross cash revenues paid to and collected by Intelsat or its Affiliates or any Intelsat Company, as the case may be, from third party customers during any given calendar year, in consideration of their use of the available Customer’s Transponder Capacity (the “Available Capacity”). Gross revenues are to be computed in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles;
(ii) Intelsat may market and sell the Available Capacity to its customers on such terms and conditions as it may deem appropriate in its sole discretion. Intelsat’s customer contracts shall remain confidential and shall not be disclosed to Customer or its Affiliates; and
(iii) Intelsat shall remit to Customer its share of revenues received each month on or around the last business day of the month following the month in which payments were received. Intelsat shall maintain accurate books and records of the third party customer revenues, and shall provide to Customer a monthly report setting forth such information, together with any payments as provided above. Customer may, upon fourteen (14) business days’ notice to Intelsat, arrange for an independent, U.S. nationally recognized accounting firm (reasonably acceptable to Intelsat) to conduct an audit of Intelsat’s books and records with respect to revenues from the sale of such Available Capacity. Customer shall pay the cost of the audit, except that in the event an audit indicates a shortfall in the required revenue share payments of more than 10%, Intelsat shall pay the reasonable cost and expenses of the audit.

 

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7.3A The foregoing notwithstanding, Intelsat shall not be permitted to terminate this Agreement under Section 7.3 if, for reasons beyond the reasonable control of Customer and any of its Affiliates, either Customer Party is prohibited by a law of general applicability from making payments to Intelsat (a “ Payment Force Majeure ”) and all of the following conditions are met: (i) regardless of any Payment Force Majeure, the Customer Party (or a third party on such party’s behalf) makes payment, including late payment charges, of all unpaid amounts within either (A) sixty (60) days of the date otherwise due, or (B) ninety (90) days of the date otherwise due (without regard to the application of the letter of credit specified below) if prior to the Payment Force Majeure event, such party shall have caused a New York commercial bank, acceptable to Intelsat, to provide Intelsat with a letter of credit, in form and substance acceptable to Intelsat, for its Allocated Share of any unpaid Fixed Service Fees and one month’s payment of the Variable Service Fee or the applicable MRC (as applicable, depending upon the timing of such Payment Force Majeure during the Capacity Term, and as measured as of the time of the Payment Force Majeure), entitling Intelsat to draw down payment upon notification to it by the Customer Party of the existence of a Payment Force Majeure and Intelsat shall, in fact, have been permitted to draw down such amount (so that the Customer Party’s total permitted late payment under this paragraph is no more than sixty (60) days); (ii) the Customer Party promptly notifies Intelsat of the existence of the Payment Force Majeure (in all cases within any grace period for nonpayment otherwise permitted under Section 7.3(a) above or within thirty (30) days for any nonpayment under Section 7.3(b) above), uses all reasonable efforts to have the condition giving rise to the Payment Force Majeure removed as soon as possible, and (iii) the Customer Party uses all commercially reasonable and legal methods to have payment made as soon as possible, from sources (including, on such party’s behalf, from Customer Affiliates) as to which the Payment Force Majeure does not apply, and keep Intelsat promptly apprised of such efforts.
If all of the conditions set forth above, except (i) are met, Intelsat shall still have the right to exercise all of the remedies stated in Section 7.3; provided that, in such circumstances, if within one hundred and eighty (180) days of the permitted termination of this Agreement, the Customer Party is able to make payments, including for the period during which this Agreement was terminated (less any payment Intelsat may have received from third parties for the relevant capacity during this period), to the extent that Intelsat has not already committed the Customer’s Transponder Capacity to other customers or relocated the Satellite to a different orbital location, it shall permit the Customer Party to recommence the operation of this Agreement, upon payment of such amounts, the next monthly payment due, and late payment charges.

 

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7.4 Termination by Customer for Intelsat’s Failure to Provide TT&C Services . Provided that neither Customer Party is in default of its material obligations hereunder and the Fixed Service Fee has been paid, Customer, through written notice signed by both Customer Parties, may terminate this Agreement as to Intelsat’s provision of TT&C Services, if Intelsat is in material breach of its obligations to perform such TT&C Services hereunder (i.e., Intelsat fails to perform the TT&C Services at all times in a manner consistent with Intelsat’s standard operating procedures and processes for its own fleet), and such failure to perform the services has or will adversely impact one or more Customer Party’s ability to fully use IS-16 as contemplated herein. Intelsat shall have thirty (30) days after receipt of Customer’s notice of default to cure such breach, which notice in all events shall have stated the specific nature of such alleged breach. In the event of termination of Intelsat’s TT&C services, Cu s tomer shall be responsible for the provision of TT&C Services for the Satellite (and shall assume Intelsat’s obligations under Section 1.7 related to the performance thereof), and Intelsat shall pay Customer’s direct, out of pocket, non-recurring expenses, as and when reasonably incurred, to do so or to have a third party vendor perform such services, which costs shall be subject to Intelsat’s rights of audit, subject to the same audit provisions as set forth in Section 7.3 above, applied mutatis mutandis, and which costs shall in no event exceed the aggregate Variable Service Fee that is payable under this Agreement. At Customer’s request, Intelsat shall cooperate in good faith to assist Customer in effecting an orderly transition of TT&C Services to such third party vendor.
7.5 Right to Deny Access .
(a) Intelsat may deny a Customer Party’s access to the relevant Customer Transponder(s) in any circumstance in which:
(i) Intelsat would have the right to terminate this Agreement as to such Customer Party for cause under Section 7.3, provided that any notice that would be required for termination under Section 7.3 is also given for any such denial of access and Customer fails to cure any situation giving rise to such right within the applicable cure period; or
(ii) Such Customer Party fails to make a Variable Service Fee Payment or Reduced Variable Service Fee Payment when due and such amount remains unpaid within thirty (30) days after receiving from Intelsat a notice of such nonpayment. Upon notice from Intelsat of non-payment, either Customer Party may cure the failure to pay within the thirty (30) day period referenced above; or

 

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(iii) Either Customer Party breaches its obligations under Sections 4.1 or 6.1 and such breach is harming (or would or could be expected, under standard engineering practice, to harm) the Customer’s Transponder Capacity, or is interfering with the use of or is harming (or would or could be expected, under standard engineering practice, to harm) the Satellite, any other in-orbit satellite or transponder on such satellite or any terrestrial communication facility; or
(iv) Such Customer Party is in material breach of Customer’s obligations under Sections 3.4, 4.1 (if not otherwise covered under clause (iii) above), 4.3, 9.3, 12.2(c), 12.3 or 12.4 hereof and fails to cure such breach within thirty (30) days after receiving from Intelsat a notice of such violation.
(b) The affected Customer Party shall cease transmissions to the Satellite upon notice of denial of access by Intelsat under this Section 7.5. Intelsat may continue to deny the Customer Party access under this Section 7.5 until, and only until, the material breach referenced in Section 7.5(a) above is cured. No denial of access properly made by Intelsat under this Section 7.5 shall result in any reduction or rebate of the Service Fee payments, which shall continue to be due and payable.
(c) For purposes of clarification, if the conduct giving rise to Intelsat’s right to deny access under Section 7.5(a) involves only the act or omission of one of the Customer Parties (the “Breaching Customer Party" ), but not the other Customer Party (the “ Non-Breaching Customer Party ”), then Intelsat shall only deny access to the Breaching Customer Party and the remedies set forth in Section 7.5(b) shall only apply as to the Breaching Customer Party; provided, however, that, if the provisions of Section 7.5(a)(i), (ii) or (iv) give rise to the right to deny access, the Non-Breaching Customer Party’s rights to use the Customer’s Transponder Capacity for all purposes hereunder shall be reduced in accordance with each Customer Party’s Allocated Share in the same manner as described in Section 7.3(c) above.
(d) During the period that access is denied under this Section 7.5, Intelsat shall not use any portion of the Satellite or the Customer Transponders for itself, any Intelsat Affiliate or any third party customer.

 

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7.6 Termination for Patent Infringement . In the event that: (a) Intelsat’s provision of the Customer Transponders infringes upon the patents or intellectual property rights of third parties; (b) such infringement exists independent of the combination of the Customer Transponders with any Customer-Provided Facilities; and (c) as a result, Customer cannot use the Customer Transponders without infringing upon the patent or intellectual property rights of third parties, Customer may terminate this Agreement as to the affected Satellite upon thirty (30) days’ notice to Intelsat, unless (i) such infringement ceases to exist within this thirty (30)-day notice period; or (ii) Intelsat agrees that it will indemnify and defend Customer and Customer’s Affiliates from and against the infringement of patents or intellectual property rights of third parties to the full extent that Intelsat is indemnified by the Satellite manufacturer, and (to the extent that Customer is not fully protected under the indemnity provided by LLC’s Satellite manufacturer), Intelsat shall indemnify and hold harmless Customer from any claim or suit based on such infringement and arising from Intelsat’s provision and Customer’s use of the Customer Transponders. Customer agrees to cooperate with LLC and the Satellite manufacturer, as applicable, in the defense of any such infringement claim and specifically agrees, as a condition to this indemnity, to take all commercially reasonable steps within its power (at LLC’s expense) that are required of it and/or that are necessary for LLC to take in order to receive the benefits of the Satellite manufacturer’s indemnify, in accordance with the relevant provisions of LLC’s contract with the Satellite manufacturer.
7.7 Rights and Obligations upon Termination . Upon termination of this Agreement in accordance with either of Sections 7.2(a), 7.4 or 7.6: Intelsat shall promptly refund to Customer any portion of the Variable Service Fee (or Reduced Variable Service Fee, as applicable) or applicable MRC previously paid applicable to any period after the date of such termination. The termination of this Agreement for any reason shall extinguish all of Intelsat’s obligations to provide, and Customer’s obligations to accept, the Customer Transponder Capacity, but shall not relieve either party of any obligation that may have arisen prior to such termination, including (without limitation), under Sections 7.3 or 7.4 above, nor shall termination affect the parties’ obligations under Article 9 (Limitation of Liability and Indemnification), Article 11 (Confidentiality), Section 13.4 (Export Law Restrictions), and Section 14.1 (applicable law and jurisdiction provisions) that shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Unless this Agreement is terminated under Section 7.1 above, the termination of this Agreement for any reason shall neither extinguish Customer’s obligation to pay (if not already paid) or entitle Customer to a refund of the Fixed Service Fee obligations, nor shall such a termination extinguish any rights that Customer may have as to a refund under Section 3.1.

 

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7.8 Other Non-Monetary Defaults . If any Customer Party shall default in the performance of any of its obligations herein other than those related to payment of the Service Fee or the applicable MRC (which are addressed in Sections 7.3(a) and (b) above), Intelsat may pursue all remedies available at law or in equity, except that it shall not be entitled to terminate this Agreement as a result of any such default.
ARTICLE 8. FORCE MAJEURE .
8.1 Excused Conduct . Other than an obligation to make payment (and except as otherwise provided in Section 7.3A), any failure or delay in performance by either party shall not be a breach of this Agreement, if such failure or delay results from any Act of God, governmental action (whether in its sovereign or contractual capacity), or any other circumstance reasonably beyond the control of such party, including, but not limited to, receive earth station sun outage, meteorological or astronomical disturbances, earthquake, hurricane, snowstorm, fire, flood, strikes or labor disputes (to the extent not caused by Intelsat), war, civil disorder, terrorist acts, epidemics, quarantines, embargoes, or any contractual defaults by the Satellite manufacturer or launch vehicle service provider (each, a “ Force Majeure Event ”). This Section 8.1 shall not apply unless the impacted party provides written notice to the other within thirty (30) business days of the impacted party’s knowledge of the occurrence of a Force Majeure Event and such party’s realization that its ability to perform will be adversely impacted. Such notice shall include a detailed explanation of the event (including its estimated duration), an estimated impact of the event, and the impacted party’s mitigation plan. Each party shall use commercially reasonable efforts to eliminate or mitigate the impact of any force majeure condition upon its performance pursuant to this Agreement. Nothing herein shall be deemed to permit Customer to transmit to the Satellite in a manner that does not comply with Customer’s obligations hereunder, i.e., if a Force Majeure Event prevents compliant transmission, no transmission should be made. The parties acknowledge that nothing in this Section 8.1 shall affect the parties’ respective rights to terminate this Agreement under Section 7.1 above.
ARTICLE 9. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION .
9.1 Limitations of the Parties’ Liability .
(a)  Limitation of Intelsat’s Liability . EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN, ANY AND ALL EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE OR USE, ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED AND DISCLAIMED, EXCEPT THAT THE CERTIFICATION, IF GIVEN, BY INTELSAT UNDER SECTION 2.1, SHALL BE

 

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TRUE AS OF THE TIME THAT IT IS GIVEN. IT IS EXPRESSLY AGREED THAT INTELSAT’S SOLE OBLIGATION AND CUSTOMER’S EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES FOR ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT UNDER ANY THEORY OF LAW OR EQUITY ARE LIMITED TO THOSE SET FORTH IN ARTICLES 5, 7 AND 9 BELOW AND ALL OTHER REMEDIES, INCLUDING (WITHOUT LIMITATION) ANY THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE APPLY UNDER ANY UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE OF ANY KIND ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED. Except with respect to Intelsat’s indemnification obligations contained in Sections 7.6 and 9.3 and, if applicable, through any manufacturer’s indemnification under Section 9.5, in no event shall Intelsat be liable for any incidental or consequential damages or loss of revenues, whether foreseeable or not, occasioned by any defect in the Satellite, the Transponders or the provision of Customer’s Transponder Capacity to Customer, any delay in the provision of Customer’s Transponder Capacity to Customer, any failure of Intelsat to provide Customer’s Transponder Capacity, or any other cause whatsoever arising under or related to this Agreement. For purposes of this Article 9, the term “Intelsat” shall include LLC.
(b)  Limitation of Customer’s Liability . IT IS EXPRESSLY AGREED THAT CUSTOMER’S SOLE OBLIGATION AND INTELSAT’S EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES FOR ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT UNDER ANY THEORY OF LAW OR EQUITY ARE LIMITED TO THOSE SET FORTH OR DESCRIBED IN ARTICLES 7, 9 and 12, AND ALL OTHER REMEDIES, INCLUDING (WITHOUT LIMITATION) ANY THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE APPLY UNDER ANY UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE OF ANY KIND ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED. In no event shall Customer be liable for any incidental or consequential damages or loss of revenues (other than for the Service Fee due hereunder), whether foreseeable or not, occasioned by any cause whatsoever arising under or related to this Agreement; provided that this limitation shall not apply to Customer’s obligations under any of Sections 3.4, 9.3, 12.2, 12.3, or 12.4 hereof.
9.2 Limitation of Liability of Others . Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Customer acknowledges and agrees that it shall have no right of recovery for the satisfaction of any cause whatsoever, arising out of or relating to this Agreement, against (a) any Intelsat Company (unless such entity is a successor or assignee of Intelsat as provided by Sections 10.3 and/or 10.5), except Intelsat Corporation, (b) any supplier of services or equipment to Intelsat in connection with the construction, launch, operation, maintenance, tracking, telemetry and control of the Satellite or the Customer’s Transponder Capacity, or the provision of

 

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Customer’s Transponder Capacity to Customer in any circumstances in which Intelsat would be obligated to indemnify the supplier, or (c) any officer, director, employee or agent of Intelsat or any Intelsat Companies. Intelsat acknowledges and agrees that it shall have no right of recovery for the satisfaction of any cause whatsoever, arising out of or related to this Agreement, against (a) any Customer Affiliate (unless such entity is a successor or assignee of Customer as provided by Sections 10.4 and 10.5) except with respect to any Customer Affiliate to the extent arising out of the transmission of signals to the Satellite by it, (b) any supplier of services or equipment or third party customer of Customer in connection with Customer’s use of the Satellite or the Customer’s Transponder Capacity in any circumstance in which Customer would be obligated to indemnify the supplier or third party customer, or (c) any officer, director, employee, agent or partner of Customer or Customer Affiliate.
9.3 Indemnification . Customer shall indemnify and save harmless the “ Intelsat Group ” (defined herein to mean Intelsat, all Intelsat Companies, and all officers, employees, agents and shareholders of Intelsat and/or the Intelsat Companies) from any third party claims, liabilities, losses, costs, or damages, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs (collectively, " Liability ”), arising out of: (a) Customer’s use of the Customer’s Transponder Capacity, including any actual or alleged libel, slander, obscenity, indecency, infringement of copyright, breach in the privacy or security of transmissions; or (b) Customer’s breach of its obligations under Sections 4.1, 6.1 or 7.5(b) (including, without limitation, any damage to the Satellite as a result of Intelsat turning off and/or attempts to turn off a Transponder to which Customer does not cease transmission ( e.g., if the Transponder then cannot be restarted) and provided that such damage is not caused by Intelsat’s negligence (e.g., improperly shutting off the Transponder); or (c) disputes between or among Customer and its transmission recipients or its programs or other transmission content suppliers; or (d) any dispute between or among DIRECTV, Sky Brasil and Sky Mexico related to the Satellite. The indemnifications set forth in this Article 9 shall run in favor of the Intelsat Group.
Intelsat shall indemnify and save harmless Customer and/or Customer’s Affiliates (including all officers, employees, agents and shareholders of Customer and/or Customer’s Affiliates) from any Liability arising out of any dispute between or among the Intelsat Group and/or any supplier of services or equipment to Intelsat in connection with the construction, launch, operation, maintenance, or control related to the Satellite. The indemnifications set forth in this Article 9 shall run in favor of the Customer and Customer’s Affiliates.

 

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9.4 Injunctive Relief . Nothing herein shall be deemed to preclude either party from seeking injunctive relief, if necessary, in order to prevent the other from willfully or intentionally breaching its material obligations under this Agreement or to compel the other to perform its material obligations under this Agreement in the event of a willful or intentional failure to comply with this Agreement, including, without limitation, in the event of a material breach by Intelsat of its obligations to provide TT&C Services.
9.5 Patents, Copyrights, Mask Work Rights and Proprietary Computer Programs . Intelsat shall, subject to the following sentence, make available to Customer and Customer’s Affiliates all indemnifications, if any, that the manufacturer of the Satellite provides to Intelsat pursuant to the Satellite Construction Contact for any infringement of any patent, copyright, “ mask work ” (as defined in the Semiconductor Chip Protection Act, 17 U.S.C. Secs. 901-14) right or other proprietary data right with respect to the manufacture of, or provision of services from the Satellite and the Customer Transponders. To the extent such indemnification rights are limited, Intelsat may equitably share such indemnification protections for the common benefit of Intelsat and its customers.
9.6 Indemnitor Rights . If Customer is obligated to provide indemnification pursuant to any of Sections 3.4, 9.3, 12.2, 12.3, or 12.4 or Intelsat is obligated to provide indemnification pursuant to any of Sections 7.6, 9.3 or 9.5, the indemnifying party (the " Indemnitor ”) shall promptly defend any claims against the party entitled to indemnification (the " Indemnitee ”) with counsel of Indemnitor’s choosing at its own cost and expense. The Indemnitee shall allow the Indemnitor to control the defense and cooperate with, and assist as reasonably requested by, Indemnitor in the defense of any such claim, including the settlement thereof on a basis stipulated by Indemnitor (with Indemnitor being responsible for all costs and expenses of defending such claim or making such settlement). Except with respect to Customer Indemnified Taxes imposed by way of withholding at its source, Indemnitor will not, without the Indemnitee’s consent, settle or compromise any claim or consent to any entry of judgment which (i) does not include the giving by the claimant or the plaintiff to the Indemnitee of an unconditional release from all liability for which the Indemnitor does not fully indemnify the Indemnitee with respect to such claim (provided, however, that with respect to Customer Indemnified Taxes imposed by way of withholding at the source, Indemnitor shall have acknowledged in writing its obligation to pay Additional Amounts, with respect thereto to Indemnitee prior to such settlement, compromise or consent), or (ii) would have a material adverse effect on the Indemnitee or require it to alter its operations in any materially adverse respect. The Indemnitee shall be entitled to participate at its sole expense in support of

 

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Indemnitor’s action in the defense of any such claim and to employ counsel at the Indemnitee’s own expense to assist in the handling of such claim. The Indemnitee shall have the right to settle or compromise any such claim as to itself, provided that in such event Indemnitor shall be relieved of any liability or obligation which would otherwise then or thereafter have existed or arisen in respect of such claim.
ARTICLE 10. SUBORDINATION AND ASSIGNMENT .
10.1 No Property Interest Created . This Agreement does not grant, and Customer shall not assert, any property right or interest in or to, or lien upon, the property or assets of Intelsat, including, but not limited to, Customer’s Transponder Capacity, any Intelsat satellite and/or any component(s) thereof and/or any related equipment (collectively, the “ Intelsat Assets ”). Without prejudice to and/or waiver of the protection of the Intelsat Assets provided for in the preceding sentence, Customer hereby grants to Intelsat, as security for the obligations of Customer under this Agreement, a first priority security interest in any property right, title or interest of any kind which Customer may be deemed to have in and/or to all or any part of the Intelsat Assets and/or any and all proceeds thereof. Such security interest shall remain in effect until Customer has paid the Fixed Service Fee in full.
10.2 Subordination . Customer acknowledges and agrees that Intelsat has granted, and may grant in the future, security interests in the Intelsat Assets to other parties, subject to the secured party’s agreement to grant quiet enjoyment in accordance with provisions that are substantially similar to those set forth in Appendix D .
10.3 Intelsat’s Right to Assign . Intelsat may not assign its rights under this Agreement without the consent of Customer, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed (Intelsat acknowledges that a requirement by Customer for Intelsat to guarantee the performance of any such assignee shall not be unreasonable). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Customer agrees that Intelsat may assign its rights and interests under this Agreement and to the Satellite and any or all sums due or to become due under this Agreement to an Affiliate for any reason, provided that: (i) such assignee is legally qualified to perform all of Intelsat’s obligations hereunder to the extent so assigned (to the same extent as would be Intelsat); (ii) if the assigned obligations include the operation of the Satellite, such assignee is or contracts with another entity who is, technically competent to operate the Satellite; and (iii) any such assignment shall not release Intelsat from its obligations hereunder. Customer agrees that upon receipt of written notice from Intelsat of such assignment, Customer shall perform all of its

 

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obligations directly for the benefit of the assignee and shall pay all sums due or to become due directly to the assignee, if so directed. Upon receipt of notice of such assignment, Customer agrees to execute and deliver to Intelsat such documentation as assignee may reasonably require from Intelsat. As used in this Article 10, “ assign ” shall mean to grant, sell, assign, encumber or otherwise convey directly or indirectly, in whole or in part.
10.4 Customer Assignment . Neither Customer nor any Customer Party may assign its rights under this Agreement and/or to the Customer Transponders without the consent of Intelsat, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed (Customer acknowledging that a requirement by Intelsat for Customer to guarantee the performance of any such assignee shall not be unreasonable). Notwithstanding the foregoing, each of Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil (the “ Assigning Customer ”) may assign its rights under the Agreement without Intelsat’s consent to: (i) the other Customer Party, whereupon all rights with respect to the use of IS-16 and notices related thereto shall vest exclusively in the assignee, provided that neither the Assigning Customer nor the assignee is in default hereunder and provided that such assignment does not release the Assigning Customer from its obligations hereunder ; (ii) any Affiliate of Customer, provided that any such assignment shall not release either Sky Mexico or Sky Brasil from its obligations hereunder, and/or (iii) in a sale-lease back transaction with a bona fide financial institution, but only if such a sale-lease back transaction is transparent to Intelsat; i.e. , among other things, Customer or its Affiliate must remain in operational control with full rights of beneficial use of the Customer Transponders; all obligations of the Agreement of Customer shall remain as if the sale-lease back agreement does not exist, and in no event, including (without limitation) any default by Customer under the underlying sale-lease back agreement(s), shall operational control or beneficial use of the Customer Transponders be removed from Customer’s or Customer’s Affiliate’s control. Without limitation, any assignee shall be required to use the Transponders assigned in accordance with Section 1.6. The parties acknowledge that any assignment by either Customer Party shall require an amendment to any applicable ITAR export licenses and technical assistance agreements obtained pursuant to Section 13.4 below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, as a condition to any permitted assignment above, Innova and/or DIRECTV, as applicable, shall re-affirm its parent company guarantee entered into pursuant to Section 15.1 below in a form reasonably acceptable to Intelsat, and any failure to obtain such re-affirmation shall make any purported assignment null and void.
10.5 Successors . Subject to all the provisions concerning assignments, above, this Agreement shall be binding on and shall inure to the benefit of any successors and assigns of the parties; provided that no assignment of this Agreement shall relieve any party of its obligations to any other party. Any purported assignment by either party not in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement shall be null and void and of no force and effect.

 

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10.6 No Resale . Neither Customer Party (nor any of their respective Affiliates) shall be permitted to resell the Customer Transponders, in whole or in part, to any third party that is not an Affiliate.
ARTICLE 11. CONFIDENTIALITY .
11.1 Non-disclosure . Intelsat and Customer shall hold in confidence the information contained in or exchanged in connection with this Agreement. Subject to applicable vendor consent, Intelsat shall disclose to Customer the provisions of the Satellite Construction Contract and the Launch Services Contract that pertain to pricing of the Satellite and associated launch vehicle. Notwithstanding the foregoing, disclosure, on a confidential basis, by either party is permitted: (a) to any party’s Affiliates, principals, auditors, attorneys, investors, lenders, insurance agents, and proposed and actual successors in interest; (e) to companies that Control or are Controlled by any company to whom disclosure is permitted; and (f) to comply with law and enforce its rights and perform its obligations under this Agreement.
ARTICLE 12. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS .
12.1 General . Subject to the understanding that certain applications may be pending or subsequently filed by Intelsat with the FCC or other applicable governmental entity as to which Intelsat’s obligations are set forth in Section 12.2, Intelsat, LLC and Customer each represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the other parties that:
(a)  Authority . It has the right, power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement;
(b)  Partnership and Corporate Approvals . It has taken all requisite partnership or corporate action, as applicable, to approve execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation upon itself;
(c)  Consents . The fulfillment of its obligations and conduct hereunder will not constitute a material violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation or order of any governmental authority, or contract to which it is subject. All public or private consents, permissions, agreements, licenses or authorizations necessary for the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to which it is subject have been obtained, or it will use all reasonable efforts to obtain, in a timely manner;

 

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(d)  No Broker . It does not know of any broker, finder or intermediary involved in connection with the negotiations and discussions incident to the execution of this Agreement, or of any broker, finder or intermediary who might be entitled to a fee or commission upon the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and
In addition, Intelsat and LLC each represents and warrants to, and agrees with, Customer that: (i) In relation to the construction and performance of the IS-16 Satellite, there are no in-orbit performance incentives; (ii) the provisions set forth in Appendices F and G are true and correct and shall not be modified in any way without the prior written approval of Customer, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed; and (iii) Intelsat and LLC are under the common control of Intelsat Holdings, Ltd.
12.2 Intelsat’s Orbital Location and Governmental Authorizations .
(a)  United States. Intelsat launches and operates its satellites under the authority of the FCC. The Parties acknowledge that the Start of Service Date shall not occur if Intelsat shall not have been authorized by the FCC to launch and operate the Satellite in geostationary orbit at the 58°W Orbital Location, or if used as an in-orbit back-up to IS-11, at the 43°W Orbital Location. Subject to Sections 1.3, 1.7, 7.2, and 7.4 hereof, Intelsat shall operate the Satellite within such Orbital Location, unless it is prevented from doing so by a subsequent order of the FCC (in which event Intelsat shall use commercially reasonable efforts to resist such order). Intelsat shall use reasonable efforts to obtain in an expeditious manner and maintain all necessary U.S. governmental authorizations or permissions (“ Governmental Approvals ”) and to comply in all material respects with all FCC and other U.S. (and, to the extent that it may be required under its U.S. authorizations, other) governmental regulations regarding the operation of the Satellite, including, but not limited to, provision of telemetry, tracking and control services. In that regard, Intelsat shall use reasonable efforts to file, within ninety (90) days of the Execution Date, an application with the FCC for authorization to launch and operate the IS-16 Satellite in geostationary orbit at the 58°W Orbital Location and to diligently prosecute such application to secure the necessary FCC authorizations as soon as practicable after the Execution Date. Customer acknowledges that each of the actions described in Section 1.3 related to relocating the Satellite to the 58°W Orbital Location or the 43°W Orbital Location, as applicable, shall be subject to Intelsat’s receipt of all necessary Governmental Approvals.

 

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(b)  Mexico . Intelsat will, as Sky Mexico may reasonably request, cooperate with and assist Sky Mexico in compliance with Sky Mexico’s obligations under the Satellite Regulations of the United Mexican States in connection with Customer’s use of the Customer Transponder Capacity provided hereunder including, to the extent reasonable: (i) information available to Intelsat supporting the titleholder’s position that it has the necessary technical resources to file before the Commission information relating to traffic originating in the Mexican territory; (ii) giving due attention to instructions of the titleholder with respect to services rendered in the Mexican territory; and (iii) responding to any information requests made by the Secretariat or the Commission pertaining to the services rendered in the Mexican Territory;; provided, however that such actions required of Intelsat under this paragraph will not (a) subject it to the jurisdiction of any governmental entity of the United Mexican States, or (b) result in the incurrence by Intelsat of any material costs or liabilities.
(c)  Brazil . At Sky Brasil’s request, Intelsat shall use all reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain such Brazilian Governmental Approvals as may be necessary for the operation of IS-16 to the extent required to be obtained by the operator of a foreign satellite on which capacity will be used in Brazil and to comply in all material respects with all Brazilian laws, rules, and regulations with respect to the same; provided, however, that Sky Brasil shall be responsible for, and shall indemnify and hold harmless Intelsat and all Intelsat Companies from and against all Liability, including (without limitation) as to Taxes that may be incurred as a result; and provided further, that Sky Brasil shall accept the risk that such Governmental Approvals cannot be obtained or are delayed, and shall remain committed to pay for the IS-16 Service as and when payment for the same would otherwise be due, even if, despite good faith efforts on the part of Intelsat, such Governmental Approvals cannot be obtained and/or contain restrictions as to the nature of the use to which the IS-16 Transponders can be put.
12.3 Commercialization of Satellite in Brazil . Sky Brasil shall be solely responsible for securing any and all authorizations from any governmental entity in Brazil, including without limitation Agência Nacional de Telecommunicações that may be necessary for the receipt of satellite services in Brazil and the commercialization of the same through the IS-16 Service hereunder. Intelsat shall use all reasonable efforts to cooperate with Sky Brasil in connection with securing necessary authorization from any Brazilian entity, including as may be necessary through appointment of Sky Brasil as Intelsat’s legal representative in Brazil with respect to the

 

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IS-16 Service hereunder; provided that Intelsat and the Intelsat Group shall not be obligated to incur, and shall be indemnified and held harmless by Sky Brasil from any and all Liability, including (without limitation) as to Taxes, which may arise out of such appointment. Subject to reasonable negotiation between the parties to address any changed regulatory circumstances, any such appointment shall be subject to a separate agreement, which shall be substantially similar, or made via amendment, to that certain agreement entered into between Intelsat and Sky Brasil, dated May 10, 2000, with respect to the appointment of Sky Brasil as Intelsat’s legal representative for DIRECTV’s transponder capacity on PAS-6B. To the extent the Parties determine together in good faith that it will be necessary for Intelsat to provide the capacity through a Brazilian subsidiary of its own, Intelsat shall do so, provided that Sky Brasil shall indemnify Intelsat and the Intelsat Group from any and all Liability, including (without limitation) as to Taxes, that may be incurred as a result and/or by a requirement to make payments hereunder to that entity in Brazil with respect to this Agreement. If the nature of such relationship, or other legal or regulatory condition, requires payment to be made with Brazilian currency and/or for payment to be made in Brazil, Sky Brasil shall pay Intelsat such additional amounts in U.S. currency and in the United States as shall be necessary to ensure that Intelsat receives the same amount of payment in U.S. dollars and in the United States as it would had payment been made originally in that manner, with all currency and Tax risk borne by Sky Brasil.
12.4 Existing Agreements .
  (a)  
Sky Mexico and Intelsat agree that the IS-9 Service Agreement is hereby amended to the extent the provisions of this Agreement modify or conflict with the terms of the IS-9 Service Agreement, and Sky Mexico hereby waives its exclusivity rights and all exclusivity restrictions pursuant to Section 1.8(a)(i) of IS-9 Service Agreement.
  (b)  
Sky Brasil shall: (i) following the date it receives notice from Intelsat that it has entered into the IS-16 procurement contract with Orbital Sciences Corporation, cause DIRECTV to agree to waive its right to require Intelsat to provide a replacement satellite for IS-11 under the Completion Phase Agreement and that certain Assignment and Assumption Agreement entered into among Intelsat (formerly PanAmSat Corporation), DIRECTV and Orbital Sciences Corporation, (ii) cause DIRECTV to waive its exclusivity rights and all exclusivity restrictions pursuant to Section

 

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1.5(a)(i) of the IS-11 Service Agreement, (iii) cause DIRECTV to comply with the terms of this Agreement to the extent the same are applicable to it (and Sky Brasil shall be deemed in material breach of this Agreement for any failure by DIRECTV to so comply); and (iv) waive its exclusivity rights and all exclusivity restrictions pursuant to Section 1.8(a)(i) of the IS-6B Transponder Service Agreement (dated 5 March 1998).
  (c)  
Intelsat hereby agrees to waive, and agrees to require each of the applicable Intelsat Companies to waive (i) its exclusivity rights and all exclusivity restrictions pursuant to Section 1.5(a)(ii) of the IS-11 Service Agreement; Section 1.8(a)(ii) of the IS-9 Service Agreement; and Section 1.8(a)(ii) of the IS-6B Transponder Service Agreement (dated 5 March 1998), and (ii) Sections 1.4(a), (b), (c) and (e) of the IS-9 Service Agreement and Sections 1.4(a), (b) and (c) of the IS-11 Service Agreement.
Sky Brasil shall indemnify and hold harmless Intelsat and the Intelsat Group from any Liability (including, without limitation, nonpayment by DIRECTV of any “Installments” or “Service Fees” under the IS-11 Service Agreement) arising out of any failure on the part of Sky Brasil timely to secure such agreement of DIRECTV. Customer further agrees that if Intelsat is unable to provide Customer with the Customer’s Transponder Capacity hereunder or is delayed in doing so by any failure or delay caused by Customer in securing said agreement that Customer shall pay Intelsat as and when payment for the same would otherwise be due hereunder had some agreements timely been obtained.
ARTICLE 13. PROGRESS REPORTS, INSPECTIONS AND ACCESS TO WORK IN PROGRESS .
13.1 Progress Reports . Following the Execution Date and continuing until the Start of Service Date, Intelsat shall furnish both Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil with regular written progress reports regarding the procurement, development and construction process of the IS-16 Satellite, being no less frequently than weekly. Customer acknowledges that such reports will include technical data and information that is subject to United Sates export control laws and regulations and agrees that any use or transfer of such data and information must be authorized by the appropriate United States government agency. Intelsat shall also furnish to both Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil on a quarterly basis a status report stating Intelsat’s projected scheduled launch date

 

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and projected Start of Service Date. Intelsat shall notify Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil as soon as practicable of any significant change in the then-anticipated Start of Service Date, and of any formal notification of a delay in construction or launch of the Satellite that Intelsat may receive from its construction or launch contractors. Intelsat shall keep Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil informed periodically of written communications to Intelsat from the FCC which materially affect Intelsat’s ability to fulfill its obligations to Customer under this Agreement and to timely provide the Customer Transponders, and shall promptly deliver copies to Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil of any such written communications.
13.2 Inspection Rights of Customer . Subject to Applicable Law, Intelsat shall give Customer reasonable notice of the commencement of pre-Start of Service Date in-orbit testing for the Satellite. Subject to the consent of Intelsat’s vendors (which Intelsat shall use reasonable efforts to obtain) and Applicable Law, and subject to Customer’s execution of any additional proprietary data agreement that the applicable vendor may require, Intelsat shall provide Customer access to, and authorized Customer representatives shall be entitled to attend, all major Satellite and launch vehicle program events consisting of the preliminary and critical design reviews, pre-shipment review, and IOT data review conducted for the satellite procurement, and the preliminary mission analysis review, final mission analysis review and launch readiness review conducted for the launch vehicle procurement (or analogous or similar milestone events as designated and identified in the launch services contract).
Subject to Applicable Law, and again subject to the consent of the manufacturer and the execution of any necessary proprietary data agreement that the manufacturer may require, Intelsat shall give Customer access to pre-Start of Service Date test information and reports relevant to the Satellite and Customer Transponders, allow Customer to inspect the work in progress at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice, and allow Customer to be present during pre-Start of Service Date testing for which Intelsat also has access. It is understood, in this regard, that the implementation of this paragraph is intended to be implemented at a cooperative level largely between the respective engineers of the parties and that formal notice of events or information will not be required.
13.3 Operational Reports . Intelsat shall provide Customer a monthly written operational report concerning the Satellite which shall include information regarding the status of Spare Equipment and updated projections regarding the predicted life of the Satellite. Intelsat shall also notify Customer as soon as practicable of any significant anomalies with respect to the Satellite which have or may have a material effect on the Satellite and/or Customer’s Transponder(s) or may materially reduce the projected life of the Satellite.

 

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13.4 U.S. Export Law Restrictions . This Article 13 notwithstanding, the parties also agree and acknowledge that U.S. export control laws and regulations may prohibit, limit or delay Intelsat’s ability to provide access, disclose information or deliver receivables under this Agreement and that the inability to disclose any such information or deliver any such receivable shall be without any liability to Intelsat. Without limitation as to the parties’ general responsibilities, hereunder, each party further acknowledges and agrees to comply with U.S. export control laws with respect to the disclosure, transfer, or re-transfer to foreign persons or entities of any reports or information that may be provided to it under this Agreement. Intelsat shall promptly apply for a United States export license to allow Intelsat to export to Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil, to the fullest extent possible, technical data governed by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ ITAR ”). Intelsat shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain such export licenses as soon as possible, and to maintain such licenses throughout the Capacity Term.
ARTICLE 14. MISCELLANEOUS .
14.1 Governing Law, Entire Agreement and Effectiveness . This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted according to the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A. and, where applicable, shall be subject to compliance with the laws, rules and regulations of the United States, including, without limitation, those of the FCC and those governing communications, exports and re-exports (“ Applicable Law ”), and any action or proceeding arising out of this Agreement shall be brought and maintained in New York City, without regard to any conflict of law provisions. Each party hereby expressly and irrevocable submits itself to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in New York, New York and expressly and irrevocably waives its right to bring an action in any other jurisdiction that may apply by virtue of its present or future domicile or for any other reason. The parties hereby irrevocably waive the defense of improper venue in such New York courts and agree that service of process in any such action or proceeding will be in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. Each party agrees that service of process in any action or proceeding shall be deemed sufficient if mailed, first class, postage prepaid, to a party at the address set forth in Section 14.5(b), as the same may be changed in accordance with that Section. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes any and all prior or contemporaneous statements, understandings, writings, commitments, or representations concerning its subject matter. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any way, and none of its provisions may be waived, except by a prior writing signed by an authorized officer of each party. This Agreement shall not be binding or effective on any party until fully executed by all parties hereto.

 

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14.2 Severability . Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed so as to require the commission of any act contrary to law. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable, the provisions of this Agreement so affected shall be curtailed and limited only to the extent necessary to permit compliance with the minimum legal requirements.
14.3 No Third Party Beneficiary . The provisions of this Agreement are for the benefit only of Customer and Intelsat, and no third party may seek to enforce or benefit from these provisions, except that all parties acknowledge and agree that the non-interference requirements of Section 4.1 are intended for the benefit of both Intelsat and all other Intelsat customers and users of Intelsat satellite capacity, and that the provisions of section 3.4 and Articles 9 and 12 are intended for the benefit of the Intelsat Group and Customer’s Affiliates, as applicable, and that such intended beneficiaries may separately, or in addition to the parties hereto, seek to enforce such provisions.
14.4 Non-Waiver of Breach . Any party may specifically waive any breach of this Agreement by any other party and such waivers shall be applicable against all the waiving party’s intended beneficiaries; provided, that no such waiver shall be binding or effective unless in writing and signed by an authorized officer of the party to be bound and no such waiver shall constitute a continuing waiver of similar or other breaches. A waiving party may at any time, upon notice given in writing to the breaching party, direct future compliance with the waived term or terms of this Agreement, in which event the breaching party shall comply as directed from such time forward.
14.5 Notices .
(a)  Telephone Notices . For the purpose of receiving notices from Intelsat regarding preemption, interference or other technical problems, including with respect to Transponder failure and restoration, Customer shall maintain at each earth station transmitting signals to the Satellite a telephone that is continuously staffed at all times during which Customer is transmitting signals to the Satellite and an automatic facsimile machine in operation and capable of receiving messages from Intelsat at all times. THOSE PERSONS STAFFING THE EARTH STATION, FOR THE PURPOSES OF RECEIVING SUCH MESSAGES FROM

 

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INTELSAT, MUST HAVE THE TECHNICAL CAPABILITY AND ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY IMMEDIATELY TO TERMINATE OR MODIFY THE TRANSMISSION IF NOTIFIED BY INTELSAT . Intelsat shall also maintain a telephone and facsimile equipment that are continuously staffed for the purposes of receiving notices regarding the matters identified above. All such notices shall be made in English and shall be effective upon the placement of a telephone call from one party to the other. Each party shall promptly confirm all telephone notices that may be given under this Agreement in writing in accordance with Section 14.5(b) below.
(b)  General Notices . All notices and other communications from either party to the other, except as otherwise stated in this Agreement, shall be in English writing and shall be deemed received upon actual delivery, electronic transfer (email) or completed facsimile addressed to the other party as follows:
         
To Intelsat :
       
 
       
If by mail or by
       
personal delivery to its principal place of business:   3400 International Drive, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
 
  Attention:   Mr. James Frownfelter
Chief Operating Officer
If by email:
  Email Address:   james.frownfelter@intelsat.com
If by facsimile:
  Facsimile:   +1 202-944-7930
 
  Telephone:   +1 202-944-8171
 
  Attention:   Chief Operating Officer
 
       
With a copy to :
       
 
       
If by mail or by personal delivery to its principal place of business:
  Intelsat, Ltd.
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke, HM 08
Bermuda
   
 
  Attention:   Phillip L. Spector, Esq.
Executive Vice President
& General Counsel
If by email:
  Email Address:   Phillip.spector@intelsat.com
If by facsimile:
  Facsimile:   +1 441-292-8300
 
  Telephone   +1 441-294-1650
 
  Attention:   Phillip L. Spector, Esq.

 

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To LLC :
       
 
       
If by mail or by personal delivery to its principal place of business:
  90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke, HM 08
Bermuda
   
 
  Attention:   Mr. Bilal Haffejee
Deputy Chairman
If by email:
  Email Address:   bill.haffejee@intelsat.com
If by facsimile:
  Facsimile:   +1 441-292-8300
 
  Telephone:   +1 441-294-1658
 
  Attention:   Deputy Chairman
 
       
With a copy to :
       
 
       
If by mail or by personal delivery to its principal place of business:
  Intelsat, Ltd.
90 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke, HM 08
Bermuda
   
 
  Attention:   Phillip L. Spector, Esq.
Executive Vice President
& General Counsel
If by email:
  Email Address:   Phillip.spector@intelsat.com
If by facsimile:
  Facsimile:   +1 441-292-8300
 
  Telephone   +1 441-294-1650
 
  Attention:   Phillip L. Spector, Esq.
 
       
To Sky Mexico :
       
 
       
If by mail or by personal delivery to its principal place of business:   Corporación de Radio y Televisión del
Norte de México, S. de R. L. de C.V.
Insurgentes Sur 694, Piso 6
Colonia del Valle
03100 México, D.F. 03100
 
  Attention:   Carlos Ferreiro Rivas
If by email:
  Email Address:   cferreiro@sky.com.mx

 

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If by facsimile:
  Facsimile:   011 (52-55) 5448-4047
 
  Telephone:   011 (52-55) 5448-4131
 
       
With a copy to:
  Attention:   Salvador Rosas
 
  Email Address:   srosas@sky.com.mx
 
  Facsimile:   011 (52-55) 5448-4047
 
  Telephone:   011 (52-55) 5448-4028
 
       
With a copy to :
       
 
       
1. If by mail or by personal delivery to its principal place of business:   Leventhal, Senter & Lerman, PLLC
2000 K Street, NW
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006
 
  Attention:   Norman P. Leventhal
If by email:
  Email Address:   nleventhal@lsl-law.com
If by facsimile:
  Facsimile:   (202) 429-0154
 
  Telephone:   (202) 416-6744
 
  Attention:   Norm Leventhal
 
       
2. If by mail or by personal delivery to its principal place of business:   Joaquin Balcarcel
General Counsel, Grupo Televisa
Av. Vasco de Quiroga 2000
Edificio A, Piso 4
Colonia Zedec, Santa Fe
CP 01210, Mexico D.F.
 
  Attention:   Joaquin Balcarcel
If by email:
  Email Address:   jbalcarcel@televisa.com.mx
If by facsimile:
  Facsimile:   011 52 55 5261 2546
 
  Telephone:   011 52 55 5261 2433
 
  Attention:   Joaquin Balcarcel
 
       
To Sky Brasil :
       
 
       
If by mail or by personal delivery to its principal place of business:   Av. Nacoes Unidas, 12.901
14 andar, Torre Norte CENU, Brooklyn
Sao Paulo — Sp
Brazil 04578-000
 
  Attention:   Luiz Eduardo Baptista Rocha

 

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If by email:
  Email Address:   bap@sky.com.br
If by facsimile:
  Facsimile:   +55-11-2123-0250
 
  Telephone:   +55-11-2123-0010
 
  Attention:   President
 
       
With a copy to :
       
 
       
1. If by mail or by personal delivery to its principal place of business:   DIRECTV Latin America, LLC
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
 
  Attention:   Michael Hartman
If by email:
  Email Address:   michael.hartman@directvla.com
If by facsimile:
  Facsimile:   212-462-5060
 
  Telephone:   212-462-5036
 
  Attention:   General Counsel
 
       
2. If by mail or by personal delivery to its principal place of business:   Av. Nacoes Unidas, 12.901
14 andar, Torre Norte CENU, Brooklyn
Sao Paulo — Sp
Brazil 04578-000
 
  Attention:   Roberto Cunha
If by email:
  Email Address:   roberto.cunha@sky.com.br
If by facsimile:
  Facsimile:   +55-11-3429-8272
 
  Telephone:   +55-11-2123-0310
 
  Attention:   Legal Director
Each party will advise the other in writing of any change in the address, designated representative or telephone or facsimile number.
(c) Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil hereby designate Sky Mexico as the party from whom notices shall be given to Intelsat on behalf of “ Customer ” hereunder, unless this Agreement otherwise expressly requires that notice be received from both jointly. In all such cases, however, Sky Mexico shall provide a copy of such notice to Sky Brasil as set forth above. Intelsat shall provide all notices to both Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil.
14.6 Headings . The descriptive headings of the Articles and Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and do not constitute a part of this Agreement.

 

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14.7 Documents . Subject to applicable legal compliance, each party agrees to provide information and to execute, and, if necessary, to file with the appropriate governmental entities and international organizations, such documents as the other party shall reasonably request in order to carry out the purposes of this Agreement.
14.8 Reconstitution of Agreement . Each party agrees to negotiate in good faith, if so requested by the other, to seek to reconstitute this transaction to improve tax or other regulatory efficiencies while preserving the economic positions of the parties. The failure to reach such a reconstituted agreement shall not, however, affect the continuing validity of this Agreement.
14.9 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all such counterparts together shall constitute but one and the same instrument. Facsimile copies of signatures shall be considered as originals.
14.10 Several Customer Obligations . The parties hereby agree that Sky Mexico and Sky Brasil will be severally (and not jointly) liable for all covenants, agreements, obligations and representations and warranties made by “Customer” in this Agreement.
14.11 Joint and Several Obligations . The parties hereby agree that Intelsat will be jointly and severally liable for all covenants, agreements, obligations and representations and warranties made by LLC in this Agreement. Any and all limitations of liability set forth herein with respect to Intelsat shall likewise apply to LLC.
14.12 Characterization of this Agreement . Nothing in this Agreement shall be interpreted as creating a partnership or joint venture between or among any of the parties hereto. Moreover, nothing in this Agreement shall be interpreted to create an agency relationship as between any of the parties to this Agreement. No party shall have the right to enter into contracts or commitments on behalf of another party unless specifically provided herein or unless otherwise provided in a separate written agreement of the parties.

 

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ARTICLE 15. GUARANTY
15.1 The Guaranty . Each party’s entry into this Agreement is expressly conditioned upon the contemporaneous execution and delivery to Intelsat of (a) a guaranty of DIRECTV of the obligations of Sky Brasil to pay its Allocated Share of the Fixed Service Fees in the form set out in Appendix H , and (b) a guaranty of .Innova, S. de R.L. de C.V (“ Innova ”) of all payment and other obligations of Sky Mexico hereunder in the form set out in Appendix I . If said Guaranties are not executed and delivered to Intelsat on the date of this Agreement, this Agreement shall be null and void.
* * * * *

 

-57-


 

Each of the parties has duly executed and delivered this Agreement as of the Execution Date.
         
    INTELSAT CORPORATION
 
       
 
  By:    
 
       
 
  Name:   James Frownfelter
 
  Title:   Chief Operating Officer
 
       
    INTELSAT LLC
 
       
 
  By:    
 
       
 
  Name:   Bilal Haffejee
 
  Title:   Deputy Chairman
 
       
    CORPORACIÓN DE RADIO Y TELEVISIÓN DEL NORTE DE MEXICO, S. DE R.L. DE C.V.
 
       
 
  By:    
 
       
 
  Name:    
 
       
 
  Title:    
 
       
 
       
    SKY BRASIL SERVIÇOS LTDA.
 
       
 
  By:    
 
       
 
  Name:    
 
       
 
  Title:    
 
       

 

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WITNESSES    
 
       
1.
       
 
       
 
  Name:
Driver’s License #:
   
 
       
2.
       
 
       
 
  Name:
Driver’s License #:
   
     
District of Columbia
 
 
  ) SS:
On this  _____  day of November 2007, before me personally appeared James Frownfelter, to me personally known, who, being by me duly sworn (or affirmed), did say that such person executed the foregoing instrument, as the free act and deed of such person, and if applicable in the capacity shown, having been duly authorized to execute such instrument in such capacity.
         
 
  Notary Public:    
 
       
 
       
 
  Printed Name:    
 
       
 
       
 
  My commission expires:    
 
       
     
Commonwealth of Bermuda
 
 
  ) SS:
On this  _____  day of November 2007, before me personally appeared Bilal Haffejee, to me personally known, who, being by me duly sworn (or affirmed), did say that such person executed the foregoing instrument, as the free act and deed of such person, and if applicable in the capacity shown, having been duly authorized to execute such instrument in such capacity.
         
 
  Notary Public:    
 
       
 
       
 
  Printed Name:    
 
       
 
       
 
  My commission expires:    
 
       

 

-59-


 

     
District of Columbia
 
 
  ) SS:
On this  _____  day of November 2007, before me personally appeared  _____  , to me personally known, who, being by me duly sworn (or affirmed), did say that such person executed the foregoing instrument, as the free act and deed of such person, and if applicable in the capacity shown, having been duly authorized to execute such instrument in such capacity.
         
 
  Notary Public:    
 
       
 
       
 
  Printed Name:    
 
       
 
       
 
  My commission expires:    
 
       
     
District of Columbia
 
 
  ) SS:
On this  _____  day of November 2007, before me personally appeared  _____  , to me personally known, who, being by me duly sworn (or affirmed), did say that such person executed the foregoing instrument, as the free act and deed of such person, and if applicable in the capacity shown, having been duly authorized to execute such instrument in such capacity.
         
 
  Notary Public:    
 
       
 
       
 
  Printed Name:    
 
       
 
       
 
  My commission expires:    
 
       

 

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LIST OF APPENDICES
A.  
Customer’s Transponder Capacity
 
B.  
Technical Appendix
 
C.  
Operational Requirements
 
D.  
Sample Subordination Provision
 
E.  
Service Fee Reduction Methodology
 
F.  
Excerpts from Launch Insurance Agreement
 
G.  
Incentives Provisions
 
H.  
Form of DIRECTV Guaranty
 
I.  
Form of INNOVA Guaranty
 
J.  
Definitions

 

 


 

APPENDIX A
CUSTOMER’S TRANSPONDER CAPACITY
                 
Satellite   Band   MHz   Downlink Beam   Number of Transponders
                 
IS-16   Ku   36   Mexico   24
                 
    Ku   36   Brazil   24

 

 


 

APPENDIX B
TECHNICAL APPENDIX
See Attached

 

 


 

APPENDIX C
EARTH STATION AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
FOR ANALOG AND DIGITAL SERVICES VIA INTELSAT C-BAND AND KU-BAND TRANSPONDERS
1.0 INTRODUCTION . This document contains the earth station requirements and associated operational procedures for transmission via C-band and Ku-band transponders on all Intelsat satellites (collectively, the “ Operational Requirements ”). These Operational Requirements may be modified from time to time by Intelsat, in its reasonable discretion. Unless otherwise expressly defined herein, defined terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the applicable Agreement.
2.0 EARTH STATION REQUIREMENTS .
2.1 Earth Station EIRP . The required earth station Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) per carrier is a function of the following:
  (1)  
the satellite receiver sensitivity (G/T),
 
  (2)  
the outage margin provided,
 
  (3)  
the location of the transmit and receive earth stations within the uplink and downlink beams, and,
 
  (4)  
the loading of the transponder (i.e., the number, type and frequency assignment of the various carriers within the transponder).
For full saturated transponder allocations, earth stations must be capable of transmitting a modulated carrier with an EIRP sufficient to achieve the nominal satellite SFD given in the Technical Appendix with a margin of at least 2 dB.
For partial transponder allocations, the actual assigned operating EIRP for a given earth station will be specified in the Technical Appendix, taking into account the actual transponder performance and loading prior to the time of the transmission.
2.2 EIRP Stability . The EIRP in the direction of the Satellite must, under clear sky conditions, be maintained to within +/-0.5 dB of the assigned operating EIRP; provided, however, in the event that the transponder transmitted to has multiple carriers, additional EIRP variation may be permitted, upon approval of Intelsat . Under no circumstances may the EIRP exceed the assigned value by more than 1 dB.
2.3 Earth Station Transmit Gain Requirement . The gain of the transmit antenna must be sufficient to yield the maximum EIRP, as defined in Section 2.1, with a maximum carrier power level at the transmit feed to be determined by coordination agreements reached by Intelsat with other networks. If antenna size resulting from above requirement is excessive, Intelsat may reduce requirement provided that adjacent satellite flux density limits are maintained. The uplink power of TV carriers, as measured at the transmit earth station antenna feed, shall not exceed any limits specified in this document.

 

 


 

2.4 HPA Requirement . In determining the HPA size for a given earth station, it is necessary not only for each earth station to meet the maximum EIRP requirements for each carrier transmitted, but also to meet the emission constraints set forth in Section 3.4 or 4.2, as applicable. If a given earth station is to transmit more than one carrier, the HPA may have to operate at an output backoff of several dB in order to meet the emission constraints, and therefore, must be sized accordingly.
2.5 Antenna Sidelobes . All earth stations shall satisfy the following transmit sidelobe performance envelopes:
(PERFORMANCE ENVELOPE GRAPHIC)
where G is the gain of the sidelobe envelope, relative to an isotropic antenna, in the direction of the geostationary orbit and q is the angle in degrees between the main beam axis and the direction considered. The peak gain of an individual sidelobe may not exceed the envelope defined above for q between 1.0 and 7.0 degrees. For q greater than 7.0 degrees, the envelope may be exceeded by no more than 10% of the sidelobes, provided no individual sidelobe exceeds the gain envelope given above by more than 3 dB.
It is Customer’s responsibility to establish receive facilities that meet its requirements. Nevertheless, while the matter is left to the Customer’s engineering determination and subject to applicable legal compliance, Intelsat recommends that, in order to minimize the level of adjacent satellite interference, the receive sidelobes conform to the envelope described above for transmit sidelobes.
To verify compliance of the transmitting earth station, the Customer is responsible for scheduling antenna qualification testing with the Intelsat Operations facility designated by Intelsat prior to the start of service.
2.6 Transmit Earth Station Polarization . Earth stations used for Intelsat C-band and Ku-band transmissions must be linearly polarized on both the uplink and downlink. Specific uplink and downlink polarizations are determined by transponder assignments and are further specified in the applicable Technical Appendix. The earth station cross-polarization discrimination must be a minimum of 30 dB within the main beam of the earth station’s transmit antenna pattern.
2.7 Additional Requirements for Uplink Earth Stations operating in the 13.75 — 14.0 GHz Band . Except as otherwise expressly approved by Intelsat, the EIRP of any emission from all earth stations operating in the 13.75 — 14.0 GHz band shall be at least 68 dBW and shall not exceed 85 dBW, with a minimum antenna diameter of 4.5 meters; except in the frequency band 13.772-13.778 GHz, where the EIRP shall be at least 68dBW and shall not exceed 71 dBW per 6 MHz, with a minimum antenna diameter of 4.5 meters.
3.0 ANALOG VIDEO SERVICE REQUIREMENTS
3.1 Video Exciter Requirements . Any video exciter used must meet the minimum requirements listed in Sections 3.3 through 3.5 hereof.
3.2 RF Bandwidth . The RF bandwidth must be 18 MHz or less for dual video carriers transmitted simultaneously within a 36 MHz transponder and 27 MHz or less for dual video carriers transmitted within a 54 MHz transponder. Other bandwidth restrictions may be imposed in shared transponder

 

C-2


 

operation where more than two carriers are in simultaneous use. Where the Customer has full use of a 36 MHz, 43 MHz, or 54/64 MHz Transponder, as the case may be, any RF bandwidth may be chosen. Other bandwidth limitations may be imposed based on coordination agreements reached by Intelsat with other networks, and to comply with all applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations.
3.3 IF Transmit Filter . An IF filter must be provided in the transmit path for each TV/FM carrier in order to reduce video color crosstalk and to minimize adjacent Transponder interference. The specific filter used for this purpose must be approved by Intelsat in consultation with the Customer in consideration of the specific loading of the Transponder upon which Customer’s Transponder Capacity is loaded.
The group delay response characteristics of the filter, while not specified by Intelsat, should take into consideration both the total group delay of the Transponder upon which Customer’s Transponder Capacity is loaded and the group delay produced by the transmit earth station IF and RF equipment.
3.4 Emission Constraints . The transmit earth station must be equipped and operated in such a manner that spurious emission at the output of the antenna due to all sources does not exceed 4 dBW/4 kHz outside of the assigned carrier bandwidth.
3.5 Energy Dispersal . A low-frequency symmetrical triangular energy dispersal waveform must be added to the baseband signal prior to the FM modulator. A video signal must be present at all times and the peak-to-peak deviation of the energy dispersal modulation must be 4 MHz when video is present.
3.6 Carrier Frequency Assignments . Intelsat shall assign Customer’s uplink and/or downlink frequencies in accordance with the Agreement. Earth stations must be capable of operating at any frequency and polarization within the Transponder upon which Customer’s Transponder Capacity is loaded. For analog video transmissions, frequencies will be assigned to the nearest 0.250 MHz. It is recommended that all transmit earth stations further be capable of operation across the entire satellite uplink frequency band as Intelsat may change carrier frequency assignments in accordance with the Agreement.
3.7 Audio and Data Subcarriers . Customer may add one or more audio or data subcarriers to the normal video baseband, provided that: (1) the EIRP of the composite carrier does not exceed the value specified in the Technical Appendix and; (2) the emission constraints set forth in Section 3.4 hereof are met.
4.0 DIGITAL SERVICE REQUIREMENTS
4.1 Modem Requirements . The Customer may use any digital, SCPC/PSK, MCPC/PSK satellite modem that meets their particular requirements, subject to the following constraints which are designed to ensure excess interference is not experienced by adjacent satellites or by other users of the Satellite:
  (1)  
Digital Modems — Scrambling must be provided to ensure that uniform spectral spreading is applied to the transmitted carrier at all times. A data scrambler built in accordance with ITU Rec. V.35, or a functionally equivalent unit with similar spectrum spreading characteristics, must be employed.
  (2)  
SCPC/PSK and MCPC/PSK — In general, any SCPC/PSK or MCPC/PSK modem which meets all relevant ITU recommendations is allowed, subject to prior approval by Intelsat.
  (3)  
Other Modems — The use of other modem types is subject to approval by Intelsat.

 

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4.2 Emission Constraints . The transmit earth station must be equipped and operated in such a manner that spurious emission at the output of the antenna due to all sources does not exceed 4 dBW/4 kHz outside of the assigned carrier bandwidth. The EIRP density of each carrier, outside of the assigned carrier bandwidth, which results from spectral regrowth due to earth station non-linearities shall be at least 26 dB below the main carrier spectral density, and shall not exceed 4 dBW in any 4 kHz band within the C-band and Ku-band frequency range of the Satellite.
4.3 Carrier Frequency Assignments . Intelsat shall assign Customer’s uplink and/or downlink frequencies in accordance with the Agreement. Earth stations must be capable of operating at any frequency and polarization within the Transponder upon which Customer’s Transponder Capacity is loaded. For digital transmissions, frequencies will be assigned to the nearest 0.025 MHz. It is recommended that all transmit earth stations further be capable of operation across the entire satellite uplink frequency band as Intelsat may change carrier frequency assignments in accordance with the Agreement. Unless specifically approved by Intelsat, the aggregate allocated bandwidth of carriers within a multi-carrier transponder or allocation should not exceed 90% of Customer’s total allocated bandwidth in order to provide flexibility in carrier assignments and to reduce the effects of intermodulation noise, adjacent carrier interference, co-channel interference, and adjacent satellite interference.
5.0 UPLINK REQUIREMENTS
5.1 Uplink Requirements . Before any transmit earth station may access a Intelsat satellite, it must demonstrate compliance with the technical requirements set forth in Sections 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 and have approval from Intelsat’s Network Operations Center. In order to ensure that the transmissions of a given earth station do not interfere with the transmissions of other earth stations utilizing the Satellite, or adjacent satellites, it is necessary that certain operational requirements be met. Specifically, users of Intelsat’s digital transmission services must observe the following:
  (1)  
The EIRP in the direction of the Satellite must be maintained to within +/- 0.5 dB of the value specified by Intelsat, except under adverse weather conditions. This EIRP tolerance limit includes all earth station factors which affect EIRP variation, including HPA output power level stability and antenna pointing errors.
  (2)  
The center frequency of all transmitted carriers must be maintained to within +/- 0.025 R Hz (up to a maximum of +/- 10 kHz) of the value assigned by Intelsat. [Note — The transmission rate (R) is defined as the bit rate entering the QPSK modulator, i.e., it is the information rate plus overhead multiplied by the inverse of the FEC code rate.]
  (3)  
The frequency stability of the earth station receive chain must be consistent with the frequency acquisition and tracking capabilities of the demodulator. As a minimum, it is recommended that the short term (24 hour) receive chain stability be less than +/- 2 kHz and the long term stability (7 day) be less than +/- 10 kHz.
  (4)  
Any earth station transmitting to a Intelsat Satellite must be under the active control of the user. Specifically, the user must provide a means for immediate cessation of transmission in the event that notification is received from Intelsat that such a step is necessary to avoid harmful interference to other users or other satellite systems.
5.2 Uplink Restrictions . Except as may be permitted by Intelsat during a coordinated test period, no earth station operator shall transmit an unmodulated carrier through any transponder. The operation of each earth station must be in strict adherence with Customer’s Intelsat-approved Transmission Plan. Any deviation from that Transmission Plan must be approved in advance by Intelsat. Under no circumstances shall any earth station transmit any RF carrier to any Intelsat satellite on a frequency not authorized by Intelsat, whether or not that frequency is in use by other stations.

 

C-4


 

5.3 Carrier line-up and in-service monitoring . Facilities must be provided by the user to measure the link parameters and transmission characteristics during initial carrier line-up. In addition, in-service monitoring by the user of the carrier EIRP and the received BER is required.
In order to perform initial carrier line-up the user must provide a means to measure and adjust the transmitted carrier level. This requirement can be satisfied if a directional coupler of known coupling factor is placed between the HPA output and the antenna feed input so as to permit accurate carrier power measurements to be performed. Means must also be provided by the user to allow the transmitted power level to be adjusted to an accuracy of +/- 0.5 dB, over the range 0 to minus 15 dB of the maximum EIRP specified in Technical Appendix.
During initial carrier line-up it is also necessary for the user to be able to measure the Eb/No of the received carrier, either with a spectrum analyzer or through a filter of known bandwidth, and to perform bit-error-rate measurements using a pseudo-random test pattern.
During normal in-service operation, the user must monitor the carrier EIRP and the BER. The latter requirement can be satisfied through the use of the BER monitoring facility built into most digital modems.
5.4 Network Interface Considerations . If carriers transmitted via Intelsat’s digital transmission service are to be interfaced with a synchronous data network or other synchronous equipment, it may be necessary for the user to equip the receive station with elastic buffer storage facilities (or their equivalent) to allow for time delay variations caused by Satellite motion. The amount of storage necessary is a function of the carrier transmission rate, the maximum diurnal Satellite motion, and the longitudinal drift rate. The maximum delay variation due to Satellite motion is expected to be 0.6 milliseconds (peak-to-peak, uplink plus downlink).
Data encryption may be employed by the user, provided that the basic transmission characteristics of the carrier are not affected (i.e., provided that the emission constraints set forth in Section 4.2 are satisfied).
While users are free to utilize any digital modem that meets the basic performance requirements outlined in this document, it is the users responsibility to ensure that the modems used on both ends of a given link are compatible, and that the network interface requirements for the users particular application are satisfied.
5.5 Customer Obligations and Use . Customer must, at all times, comply with the terms and conditions of Article IV of the Agreement, including all of its Subsections, which are incorporated herein by this reference.

 

C-5


 

5.6 Interference and Preemption Notices . In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement, Customer shall maintain, at each Customer transmit facility, and shall provide Intelsat with a telephone number that is continuously staffed, at all time during which Customer is transmitting or receiving signals to or from the Satellite, and an automatic facsimile that shall be maintained in operation and capable of receiving messages from Intelsat, at all times. Said telephone and facsimile shall be maintained for the purpose of receiving notices from Intelsat regarding interference or other problems arising out of the provision of Customer’s Transponder Capacity on, or any use of the Transponder upon which Customer’s Transponder Capacity is loaded, including, without limitation, any decision by Intelsat to preempt or interrupt provision of Customer’s Transponder Capacity to Customer pursuant to the Agreement. It is mandatory that the person who receives such messages has the technical capability and absolute authority to immediately terminate or modify the transmission if notified by Intelsat pursuant to the foregoing. All such notices shall be effective upon the placement of the telephone call or transmission of a facsimile message by Intelsat to Customer. If, for any reason, Customer’s telephone is not answered and its telecopier is incapable of receiving transmission, Intelsat’s notice shall be deemed to have occurred at the time it attempts to place a telephone call or transmit a facsimile message to Customer. Intelsat shall promptly confirm telephone notices in writing.
End of Appendix C

 

C-6


 

APPENDIX D
SAMPLE SUBORDINATION PROVISION
Subordination . Customer hereby acknowledges that this Agreement and all rights granted to Customer hereunder are subject and subordinate to a security interest and lien (as the same may be assigned, the “ Security Interest ”) in favor of [Secured Party] (the “ Secured Party ”) in and to this Agreement, the Customer’s Transponder Capacity and other rights under this Agreement and/or the Satellite (and/or the proceeds from the sale or other disposition of all or any portion thereof, or any insurance that may be received by Intelsat as a result of any loss or destruction of, or damage to, the Customer’s Transponder Capacity (or other rights) and/or the Satellite and to all renewals, modifications, consolidations, replacements and extensions of any security agreement, mortgage or other document reflecting any such Security Interest, including that certain [Security Agreement] by and between Intelsat and Secured Party; provided, that any such Secured Party agrees that Customer shall continue to have the benefits of this Agreement notwithstanding any default on the part of Intelsat under the agreement providing for such Security Interest (the “ Security Agreement ”), so long as:
  (i)  
Customer is not in default under the terms and conditions of this Agreement, which default has continued after expiration of any applicable cure period stated in this Agreement;
  (ii)  
Customer does not pay any of its obligations under this Agreement (other than a deposit) more than thirty (30) days prior their scheduled payment date under this Agreement;
  (iii)  
after receipt of notice from the Secured Party of a default by Intelsat under the Security Agreement, this Agreement is not supplemented, amended or extended (except by its terms with respect to specified extension periods) or otherwise modified in any manner without the consent of the Secured Party; and
  (iv)  
after receipt of notice from the Secured Party of a default by Intelsat under the Security Agreement, Customer executes a separate instrument with the Secured Party pursuant to which it agrees with the Secured Party to make and makes all payments thereafter as instructed by the Secured Party.
This clause shall be self-operative and no further instruction of subordination shall be required by any security agreement, mortgage or other document reflecting such Security Interest to make this subordination effective. In confirmation of such acknowledged subordination, Customer shall execute promptly any instrument or certificate that Intelsat or the Secured Party may reasonably request.

 

 


 

APPENDIX E
SERVICE FEE REDUCTION METHOLOGOY
Methodology : Based upon (i) a mission life of 15 years and (ii) a failure scenario where a total of 10 Customer Transponders fail 11 months following the Start of Service Date, the reduction in the Fixed Service Fees shall equal an amount determined by multiplying the total Fixed Service Fees ($231,041,000) by 1 minus (the Available Operational Capability divided by the Stated Operational Capability), where:
   
The Stated Operational Capability is 360 transponder years (i.e., 15 years x 24 transponders)
   
The Available Operational Capability means, for each transponder, the span of time, measured in transponder years (or portions thereof) until the earlier of (a) the end of mission life (for transponders that are not Failed Transponders) or (b) the effective time when the transponder becomes a Failed Transponder, which in this failure scenario would be calculated as follows:
   
the Available Operational Capability for the 10 transponders that failed after 11 months would be 9.166 transponder years (11/12 years multiplied by 10 transponders); and
   
the Available Operational Capability for the remaining 14 transponders that were not Transponder Failures would be 210 years (15 years multiplied by 14 transponders),
Resulting in total Available Operational Capability of 219.166 transponder years
   
1 minus (219.166 divided by 360) equals 0.3912
   
0.3912 multiplied by $231,041,000, yielding a reduction of $90,383,239.

 

 


 

APPENDIX F
Excerpts from Launch Insurance Policy
   
Salvage Rights :
  (a)  
Salvage after Total Loss :
In the event of a Total Loss, the Named Insured will be available to meet with the Insurers up until forty-five days after agreement of the proof of loss by the Insurers to decide upon the disposition of the Satellite.
After payment of a Total Loss, the Insurers shall have sole right to the benefits of salvage, subject to any salvage owed to the Launch Vehicle services provider in accordance with the terms of the Launch Contract and the Named Insured shall do nothing to prejudice such rights of salvage, subject to the terms of this policy. Such benefits of salvage include the right to take title to the Satellite.
If financial arrangements are agreed to by the Named Insured and the Insurers that result in the sharing of revenues between the Named Insured and the Insurers, the Insurers’ net salvage recovery will be limited to the amount of their payments under the policy.
Absent any agreement to the contrary, the Named Insured shall not be responsible for costs to maintain, monitor or operate the Satellite that is the subject of a Total Loss after forty-five days from the agreement of the proof of loss. At the end of the forty-five day period, the Insurers shall either:
  (i)  
remove the Satellite from the orbital slot promptly upon written request from the Named Insured, or
  (ii)  
provide the Named Insured written notification that the Insurers have relinquished any further rights of salvage for which a claim for Total Loss is paid hereunder, in which event the Named Insured shall have the right to dispose of the Satellite without any further obligation to the Insurers.
Absent any notification at the end of the forty-five day period, the Insurers will be deemed to have elected not to assume responsibility for maintaining, monitoring or operating the Satellite.
In the event a Total Loss is paid hereunder and the Insurers elect to take title to the Satellite, then:
  (i)  
the Named Insured shall provide to the Insurers all documentation necessary to operate the Satellite, subject to Condition 22 GOVERNMENT EXPORT CONTROL;

 

 


 

  (ii)  
the Named Insured shall provide to the Insurers all information necessary to enable the Insurers to sell the Satellite to a third party, subject to the Insurers obtaining a confidentiality agreement equivalent in form and in scope to that in place between the Named Insured and the Insurers from any potential purchaser of the Satellite and, subject to Condition 22 GOVERNMENT EXPORT CONTROL;
  (iii)  
the Named Insured shall have no duty to manage, control or maintain the Satellite from the date the Insurers take title; and
  (iv)  
the Insurers shall remove the Satellite from the orbital slot promptly.
Any requirements imposed on the Named Insured by the Federal Communications Commission or under any law applicable to the Satellite or the Named Insured shall supersede any obligations the Named Insured has under this policy.
  (b)  
Salvage after Partial Loss :
After payment of a Partial Loss, the Named Insured shall use reasonable best efforts to obtain the maximum benefit of salvage, subject to any salvage owed to the Launch Vehicle services provider under the Launch Contract, on that portion of the Satellite or Satellite life for which a claim has been paid for by the Insurers at the Insurers’ sole cost and expense. If financial arrangements are agreed to by the Named Insured and the Insurers that result in the sharing of revenues between the Named Insured and the Insurers, the Insurers’ net salvage recovery will be limited to the amount of their payments under the policy.
After payment of a Partial Loss, salvage shall not be required to the extent it conflicts with the Named Insured’s ability to meet its contractual obligations to its customers or adversely affects the use of the Satellite for the Named Insured’s intended commercial communications purposes.
After payment of a Partial Loss and/or Total Loss, the Named Insured may use, with the prior written consent of the Insurers, the portion of the Satellite for which a claim has been paid, for scientific and/or testing and/or demonstration and/or incidental communications purposes that do not produce revenue or income or equivalent goods and services of any nature and do not reduce the amount of salvage hereunder. Such use shall not reduce payments for loss hereunder.
   
Partial Loss Definition : “Partial Loss” means the Available Satellite Operational Capability is less than Stated Satellite Operational Capability as a result of one or more Transponder Failures and where such reduction in Available Satellite Operational Capability does not constitute a Total Loss.

 

F-2


 

   
Total Loss Definition : “Total Loss” means the:
  (a)  
Satellite is lost, fails or is completely destroyed; or
  (b)  
Satellite is not capable of reaching and maintaining its Specified Orbit Location within one hundred and eighty days after the Launch Date; or
  (c)  
Available Satellite Operational Capability is twenty five percent or less of Stated Satellite Operational Capability; or
  (d)  
Satellite experiences a Terminated Ignition and the cost of transporting, repairing, restoring and retesting the Satellite to flightworthy condition, or replacing the Satellite to the same specification, such that a subsequent Intentional Ignition can occur, equals or exceeds the Sum Insured.

 

F-3


 

APPENDIX G
Incentives Provisions
Article 7. Price Adjustments for Late and Early Delivery
  A.  
Late Delivery
  1.  
In the event that: (i)(a) the actual date of Delivery of a Spacecraft is later than the applicable Delivery Date as set forth in Article 4, Article 41 or Article 45 (as applicable), or (b) the actual date of Delivery of the Ground System (or any portion thereof) is later than the applicable Delivery Date and such delay causes a delay in the launch or placement into commercial service of the applicable Spacecraft; and (ii) and such delay is due to the fault of the Contractor (and/or its subcontractors or suppliers) and does not constitute an excusable delay under Article 17, Excusable Delays, the Contractor hereby agrees to pay to Customer as liquidated damages, the amount set forth in the applicable Schedule of Liquidated Damages Tables provided below for each day of actual delay in Delivery of the Spacecraft, subject to an aggregate maximum delay as noted in the applicable Table.
                         
Schedule of Liquidated Damages
No. of Days Late   Amount/Day   Period Total   Cumulative Total
 
                       
1-60
  $ .0.00     $ 0.00     $ 0.00  
 
                       
61-150
  $ 56,667     $ 5,100,000     $ 5,100,000  
 
                       
Maximum Amount
                  $ 5,100,000  
  2.  
In addition to the liquidated damages in the table in paragraph 7.A.1 above, if Contractor has not made Delivery of the Ground System or the Ground System Follow-On Deliverables (as applicable) by the applicable Delivery Date, or if, prior to the Launch Date for the applicable Spacecraft, Customer’s personnel have not been trained to operate such Spacecraft in accordance with the satellite operating procedures furnished by Contractor, then Customer may at its written election require Contractor to (i) operate such Spacecraft in accordance with Contactor’s satellite operating procedures without reasonable interruption or delay at Contractor’s control center at Contractor’s expense

 

 


 

and (ii) reimburse Customer for Customer’s direct costs resulting from the coordination with Contractor and the development of protocols required as a result of Contractor’s operation of the Spacecraft (Customer to provide Contractor with a good faith estimate of such costs in advance). Contractor shall continue to operate such Spacecraft in accordance with the preceding sentence until both (i) Contractor has made Delivery of, and Customer has given its Final Acceptance of, the Ground System or Ground System Follow-on Deliverables (as applicable) and (ii) Customer notifies Contractor in writing that Customer’s personnel have been trained to operate such Spacecraft in accordance with the satellite operating procedures furnished by Contractor.
  3.  
Failure by the Contractor to perform its obligations under this Contract will result in substantial losses or damages being sustained by Customer. Contractor and Customer understand and agree that the applicable amount of liquidated damages specified above does not constitute a penalty and represents a reasonable estimate of the losses that would be suffered by Customer by reason of late delivery of the Spacecraft (which losses would be difficult or impossible to calculate with certainty), other than by reason of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
  4.  
Any amounts due in accordance with this paragraph 7.A shall be, at Customer’s election, either (i) credited to Customer against any outstanding or future Contractor invoice(s) or (ii) paid by Contractor to Customer within thirty (30) days of invoice from Customer.
  5.  
If the Contractor does not meet the Delivery dates specified in the Contract, liquidated damages provided for in this paragraph 7.A hereof shall be the sole compensation to which Customer shall be entitled; provided that Customer shall retain all rights and remedies (including, without limitation, refunds and liquidated damages) under Articles 15, 16 and 17.
 
  B.  
Early Delivery
  1.  
To the extent that (i) the actual date of Delivery of a Spacecraft is earlier than the applicable Delivery date specified in Article 4, Article 41 or Article 45, as applicable, and (ii) the actual dates of Delivery of the related Ground System (or Ground System Follow-on Deliverables, as applicable) are on or earlier than the applicable Delivery date specified in Article 4, Article 41 or Article 45, as applicable then Contractor shall be entitled to receive incentives in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph 7.B.1 and paragraph 7.B.2. Subject to paragraph 7.B.2, for each day of the Early Delivery Period (as defined in paragraph 7.B.2), such incentive payments shall be calculated at $33,333 per day for the first sixty (60) days of early delivery, provided, however, the maximum amount for which early incentives may be earned for any Spacecraft shall not exceed $2,000,000 per Spacecraft.

 

G-2


 

  2.  
For purposes of paragraph 7.B.1 and this paragraph 7.B.2, “Early Delivery Period” shall mean the number of day(s) that the later of (i) the date the applicable Spacecraft is actually Delivered or (ii) the Estimated Delivery Date (as defined below) is earlier than the Delivery date specified for such Spacecraft in Article 4, Article 41or Article 45, as applicable. As a condition precedent to Contractor being entitled to receive the incentive payment(s) provided in paragraph 7.B.1, Contractor shall notify Customer in writing no later than four (4) months before the date that Contractor estimates that it will Deliver the applicable Spacecraft (the “Estimated Delivery Date”). Not later than the date that is two months prior to such Estimated Delivery Date by up to seven (7) calendar days. In the event that subsequently Contractor does not Deliver such Spacecraft on our before the date that is seven (7) calendar days after the Estimated Delivery Date (as it may have been adjusted by Contractor pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence), the amount of the incentive payment to which Contactor would otherwise be entitled under Paragraph 7.B.1 based on the actual Early Delivery Period shall be reduced by fifty percent (50%).
  C.  
In the event Customer designates a storage location rather than a launch site as a place of Delivery for any Spacecraft to be delivered hereunder, the Delivery date for determining the calculations set forth in this Article 7 shall be the date that such Spacecraft, having received Preliminary Acceptance from Customer, has arrived at the storage location designated by Customer, or such other date as the Parties may agree.
  D.  
In the event that (i) after Delivery of a Spacecraft and/or Ground System, Contractor is required to take any corrective action or other measures pursuant to Article 42 and (ii) Contractor previously earned an early delivery incentive payment for such Spacecraft and Ground System under Paragraph 7.B., then, for each day that such corrective action or other measures cause a delay in the launch or placement into commercial service of such Spacecraft (including any delay due to postponement of the launch to an even later date that could be supported after implementation of such corrective actions or measures), such early delivery incentive payment shall be reduced, or to the extent already paid by Customer, refunded by Contractor, at the same $33,333 per day rate; provided that if such early delivery incentive payment is reduced to zero or fully refunded (as applicable), no further amounts shall be payable by Contractor under this Paragraph 7.D.
The provisions of this Article 7 shall be applicable to each Spacecraft to be delivered hereunder.

 

G-3


 

APPENDIX H
DIRECTV Parent Guaranty
See Attached

 

 


 

APPENDIX I
INNOVA Parent Guaranty
See Attached

 

 


 

APPENDIX J
Definitions

 

 

Exhibit 4.17
 
CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of
December 19, 2007
among
EMPRESAS CABLEVISIÓN, S.A.B. DE C.V.,
THE LENDERS PARTY HERETO
and
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
 
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.,
as Sole Bookrunner and Lead Arranger
 

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
         
    Page  
 
       
ARTICLE 1
Definitions
 
       
Section 1.01 . Defined Terms
    1  
Section 1.02 . Terms Generally
    15  
Section 1.03 . Accounting Terms; Changes in GAAP
    15  
 
       
ARTICLE 2
The Credits
 
       
Section 2.01 . Commitments
    16  
Section 2.02 . Method of Borrowing
    16  
Section 2.03 . Funding of Loans
    16  
Section 2.04. Method of Electing Interest Periods
    17  
Section 2.05. Payment at Maturity; Evidence of Debt
    18  
Section 2.06. Optional and Mandatory Prepayments
    18  
Section 2.07. Fees
    19  
Section 2.08. Interest
    19  
Section 2.09. Substitute Rate of Interest
    20  
Section 2.10. Increased Costs
    22  
Section 2.11 . Illegality
    23  
Section 2.12. Break Funding Payments
    23  
Section 2.13. Taxes
    24  
Section 2.14. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs
    27  
Section 2.15 . Substitute Rate Loans Substituted for Affected Loans
    28  
Section 2.16. Lender’s Obligation to Mitigate; Replacement of Lenders
    28  
 
       
ARTICLE 3
Representations and Warranties
 
       
Section 3.01. Organization; Powers
    29  
Section 3.02 . Authorization; Enforceability
    29  
Section 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts
    30  
Section 3.04. Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change
    30  
Section 3.05. Properties
    31  
Section 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters
    31  
Section 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements
    31  
Section 3.08. Investment Company Status; Regulatory Restrictions on Borrowing
    32  
Section 3.09 . Federal Reserve Regulations
    32  
Section 3.10. Taxes
    32  
Section 3.11. Disclosure
    33  
Section 3.12. Subsidiaries
    33  
Section 3.13. Solvency
    33  
Section 3.14 . Rank of Debt
    33  
Section 3.15 . No Immunity
    33  

 

 


 

         
    Page  
 
       
ARTICLE 4
Conditions
 
       
Section 4.01. Conditions
    34  
 
       
ARTICLE 5
Affirmative Covenants
 
       
Section 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information
    36  
Section 5.02. Notice of Material Events
    37  
Section 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business
    37  
Section 5.04. Payment of Tax Obligations
    37  
Section 5.05. Maintenance of Properties
    38  
Section 5.06. Insurance
    38  
Section 5.07. Proper Records; Rights to Inspect and Appraise
    38  
Section 5.08. Compliance with Laws
    38  
Section 5.09. Use of Proceeds
    38  
Section 5.10 . Currency Hedging
    38  
 
       
ARTICLE 6
Negative Covenants
 
       
Section 6.01. Debt
    39  
Section 6.02. Liens
    40  
Section 6.03. Fundamental Changes
    41  
Section 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions
    41  
Section 6.05. Asset Sales
    42  
Section 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions
    42  
Section 6.07. Hedging Agreements
    42  
Section 6.08. Restricted Payments
    43  
Section 6.09. Transactions with Affiliates
    43  
Section 6.10. Restrictive Agreements
    43  
Section 6.11. Amendment of Material Documents
    44  
Section 6.12. Capital Expenditures
    44  
Section 6.13. Interest Expense Coverage Ratio
    44  
Section 6.14. Leverage Ratio
    44  
Section 6.15 . Fiscal Year
    44  
 
       
ARTICLE 7
Events of Default
 
       
Section 7.01 . Events Of Default
    44  
 
       
ARTICLE 8
The Administrative Agent
 
       
Section 8.01. Appointment and Authorization
    47  
Section 8.02 . Rights and Powers as a Lender
    47  
Section 8.03. Limited Duties and Responsibilities
    47  
Section 8.04. Authority to Rely on Certain Writings, Statements and Advice
    48  
Section 8.05. Sub-Agents and Related Parties
    48  
Section 8.06. Resignation; Successor Administrative Agent
    48  
Section 8.07. Credit Decisions by Lenders
    48  

 

ii


 

         
    Page  
 
       
ARTICLE 9
Miscellaneous
 
       
Section 9.01. Notices
    49  
Section 9.02. Waivers; Amendments
    50  
Section 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver
    51  
Section 9.04. Successors and Assigns
    52  
Section 9.05. Survival
    55  
Section 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness
    55  
Section 9.07. Severability
    55  
Section 9.08. Right of Set-off
    55  
Section 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process
    56  
Section 9.10 . Appointment of Agent For Service of Process
    56  
Section 9.11 . Waiver of Immunity
    57  
Section 9.12 . Judgment Currency
    57  
Section 9.13. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL
    58  
Section 9.14 . Use of English Language
    58  
Section 9.15. Headings
    58  
Section 9.16. Confidentiality
    58  
Section 9.17 . USA Patriot Act
    59  
         
SCHEDULES:    
 
       
Schedule 2.01
    Commitments
Schedule 3.05
    Existing Real Properties
Schedule 3.06
    Disclosed Matters
Schedule 3.12
    List of Subsidiaries
Schedule 6.01
    Existing Debt
Schedule 6.02
    Existing Liens
Schedule 6.10
    Existing Restrictions
 
       
EXHIBITS:
       
 
       
Exhibit A
    Form of Assignment
Exhibit B-1
    Form of Opinion of special New York counsel to the Borrower
Exhibit B-2
    Form of Opinion of Mexican counsel to the Borrower
Exhibit B-3
    Form of Opinion of special New York counsel to the Administrative Agent
Exhibit B-4
    Form of Opinion of special Mexican counsel to the Administrative Agent
Exhibit C
    Form of Note
Exhibit D
    Form of Borrowing Request
Exhibit E
    Form of Notice of Interest Period Election
Exhibit F
    Terms of Subordination

 

iii


 

CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of December 19, 2007 among Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V., a Mexican sociedad anónima bursátil de capital variable (the “ Borrower ”), the Lenders party hereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
The parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1
Definitions
Section 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings specified below:
Adjusted LIBO Rate ” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Adjustment.
Administrative Agent ” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent for the Lenders hereunder, and its successors in such capacity.
Administrative Agent’s Account ” means account number 9008113381H1659 maintained with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Administrative Questionnaire ” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.
Affiliate ” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with such specified Person.
Agreement ” means this Credit Agreement.
Applicable Margin ” means, in the case of any Loan for any day, the applicable percentage per annum set forth below under the caption “LIBO Rate Margin” opposite the applicable Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 5.01(c) prior to such day:
             
        LIBO Rate  
Pricing Level   Leverage Ratio   Margin  
1
  < 1.75:1     0.375 %
2
  > 1.75:1 but < 2.25:1     0.400 %
3
  > 2.25:1 but < 2.75:1     0.425 %
4
  > 2.75:1 but < 3.25:1     0.500 %
5
  > 3.25:1     0.625 %
Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Margin resulting from a change in the Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of the first Business Day following the date on which a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(c); provided that if a Compliance Certificate is not delivered when due in accordance with Section 5.01(c), then Pricing Level 5 shall apply as of the fifth Business Day after the date on which such Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered until the date (if any) on which such Compliance Certificate is delivered.

 

 


 

Asset Disposition ” means a Prepayment Event described in clause (a) of the definition of “Prepayment Event”.
Assignment ” means an assignment and assumption agreement entered into by a Lender and an assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 9.04), and accepted by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, in the form of Exhibit A or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
Base Rate ” means, for any day, a rate per annum equal to the greater of (a) the Prime Rate in effect on such day and (b) the Federal Funds Effective Rate in effect on such day plus 1 / 2 of 1%. Any change in the Alternate Base Rate due to a change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate shall be effective from and including the effective date of such change in the Prime Rate or the Federal Funds Effective Rate, respectively.
Bestel ” means Bestel, S.A. de C.V.
Bestel Acquisition ” means the acquisition by the Borrower, directly or through one or more newly formed or existing entities, of certain assets of Bestel; provided that immediately after giving effect to such acquisition, such newly formed or existing entity will be a direct or indirect subsidiary of the Borrower.
Board of Directors ” means the board of directors or comparable governing body of any Person, or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on its behalf.
Borrower ” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
Borrower’s Account ” mean account number 400216167 maintained with JPMorgan Chase Bank.
Borrowing ” means a borrowing of Loans under Section 2.01.
Borrowing Request ” means a request by the Borrower for a Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.02.
Business Day ” means any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City, United States or Mexico City, Mexico are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided that, when used in connection with a Eurodollar Loan, the term “Business Day” shall also exclude any day on which commercial banks are not open for international business in London, England, including dealings in Dollar deposits in the London interbank market.
Cablevisión Group Companies ” means the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries.

 

2


 

Capital Expenditures ” means, for any period, the additions to property, plant and equipment and other capital expenditures of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries that are (or would be) set forth in a consolidated statement of cash flows of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period prepared in accordance with GAAP.
Capital Lease Obligations ” of any Person means the obligations of such Person to pay rent or other amounts under any lease of (or other arrangement conveying the right to use) real or personal property, or a combination thereof, which obligations are required under GAAP to be classified and accounted for as capital leases on a balance sheet of such Person. The amount of such obligations will be the capitalized amount thereof determined in accordance with GAAP.
“Casualty Event ” means a Prepayment Event described in clause (b) of the definition of “Prepayment Event”.
Central Bank ” means the Banco de M é xico , the Central Bank of Mexico.
Change in Law ” means (a) the adoption of any law, rule or regulation after the date of this Agreement, (b) any change in any law, rule or regulation or in the interpretation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority after the date of this Agreement or (c) compliance by any Lender (or, for purposes of Section 2.10(b), by any lending office of such Lender or by such Lender’s holding company, if any) with any request, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any Governmental Authority made or issued after the date of this Agreement.
Change of Control ” means Televisa shall cease to Control the Borrower.
Change of Control Prepayment Notice ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.06(c).
Commitment ” means, for each Lender, the amount set forth under the heading “Commitment” opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01, as such amount may be reduced or adjusted from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
Commitment Letter ” means the commitment letter between the Borrower, Televisa, the Administrative Agent and the Lead Arranger, dated as of November 29, 2007.
Compliance Certificate ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.01(c).
Consolidated EBITDA ” means, for any period, Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (a) without duplication and to the extent deducted in determining such Consolidated Net Income, the sum of (i) Consolidated Interest Expense for such period, (ii) consolidated income tax expense for such period, (iii) all amounts attributable to depreciation and amortization for such period, (iv) any extraordinary charges for such period and (v) non-operating expenses for such period, and minus (b) without duplication and to the extent included in determining such Consolidated Net Income, (i) any extraordinary gains for such period, (ii) any interest income for such period and (iii) any non-operating income for such period, all determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

3


 

Consolidated Interest Expense ” means, for any period, the sum of the interest expense (including imputed interest expense in respect of Capital Lease Obligations) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Net Income ” means, for any period, the net income or loss of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP; provided that there shall be excluded (a) the income (or loss) of any Person (except the Borrower or any Subsidiary) in which any other Person (except the Borrower, a Subsidiary or a director holding qualifying shares in compliance with applicable law) owns an Equity Interest, except to the extent that dividends or other distributions were actually paid by such Person to the Borrower or any Subsidiary during such period, and (b) the income or loss of any Person accrued before (i) the date it becomes a Subsidiary, (ii) the date it is merged into or consolidated with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or (iii) the date its assets are acquired by the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
Control ” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “ Controlling ” and “ Controlled ” have meanings correlative thereto.
Credit Exposure ” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, such Lender’s Commitment at such time or, if the Commitments shall have been terminated, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Loans of such Lender at such time.
Debt ” of any Person means, without duplication, (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or similar instruments, (c) all payment obligations of such Person under conditional sale or other title retention agreements relating to property acquired by such Person, (d) all obligations of such Person in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (excluding current accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (e) all Debt of others secured by any Lien on property owned or acquired by such Person, whether or not the Debt secured thereby has been assumed; provided , that the amount of such Debt shall be the lesser of (i) the fair market value of such property as of the date of determination and (ii) the amount of such Debt, (f) all Guarantees by such Person of Debt of others, including avales, (g) all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person, (h) all payment obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person as an account party in respect of letters of credit and letters of guaranty, (i) all payment obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in respect of bankers’ acceptances, (j) all payment obligations of such Person under Hedging Agreements (other than Qualifying Hedges) and (k) all payment obligations of such Person in respect of Synthetic Purchase Agreements; provided that Debt shall not include any liability constituting (A) Trade Accounts Payable, (B) indebtedness of the Borrower to any Subsidiary, or of any Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary, to the extent that any such indebtedness is eliminated in the consolidation of the financial statements of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, or (C) Televisa Subordinated Debt. For purposes of clause (j) of this definition, the “principal” amount of Debt of a Person in respect of any Hedging Agreement at any time will be the maximum aggregate amount (after giving effect to any netting agreements) that such Person would be required to pay if such Hedging Agreement were terminated at such time.

 

4


 

Default ” means any event or condition which constitutes an Event of Default or which upon notice, lapse of time or both would, unless cured or waived, become an Event of Default.
Disclosed Matters ” means the actions, suits, proceedings and environmental matters disclosed in Schedule 3.06.
Dollars ” or “ $ ” refers to lawful money of the United States.
Drawdown Date ” means the date on which the Lenders makes the Loans to the Borrower, which in no event shall be later than five (5) Business Days after the Effective Date.
Effective Date ” means the date of this Agreement.
Environmental Laws ” means all laws, rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, orders, decrees, judgments, injunctions, notices or binding agreements issued, promulgated or entered into by any Governmental Authority, relating in any way to the environment, the preservation or reclamation of natural resources, the management, release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material or health and safety matters associated with exposure to Hazardous Material including the Mexican General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection ( Ley General del Equilibrio Ecológico y la Protección al Ambiente ), the Mexican General Law for the Prevention and Integral Management of Wastes ( Ley General para la Prevención y Gestión Integral de los Residuos ), the National Waters Law ( Ley de Aguas Nacionales ).
Environmental Liability ” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary thereof directly or indirectly resulting from or based on (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Material, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Material, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Material into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
Equity Interests ” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, outstanding on any date of determination.
Equity Related Person ” means (i) any Person (other than any Cablevisión Group Company) holding, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the capital stock of the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries on the Effective Date and (ii) any Subsidiary of a Person referred to in clause (i), other than any Cablevisión Group Company.

 

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Eurodollar ”, when used with respect to any Loan or Borrowing, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Borrowing, are bearing interest at a rate determined by reference to the Adjusted LIBO Rate.
Events of Default ” has the meaning specified in Article 7.
Federal Funds Effective Rate ” means, for any day, the weighted average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers, as published on the next succeeding Business Day by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, or, if such rate is not so published for any day that is a Business Day, the average (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/100 of 1%) of the quotations for such day for such transactions received by the Administrative Agent from three Federal funds brokers of recognized standing selected by it.
Federal Reserve Board ” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
Financial Officer ” means the chief financial officer, principal accounting officer, treasurer or controller of the Borrower.
Financing Transactions ” means the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of the Loan Documents, the borrowing of Loans and any use of the proceeds thereof on the Drawdown Date.
Fiscal Quarter ” means a fiscal quarter of the Borrower.
Fiscal Year ” means a fiscal year of the Borrower.
Foreign Lender ” means any Lender that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than Mexico.
GAAP ” means the Mexican normas de información financiera , applicable in Mexico as in effect from time to time, applied on a basis consistent (except for changes concurred in by the Borrower’s independent public accountants) with the most recent audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries delivered to the Lenders.
Governmental Authority ” means any branch of power, whether legislative, judicial or administrative, of any state, the government of the United States, Mexico, any other nation or any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

 

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Guarantee ” by any Person (the “ guarantor ”) means any payment obligation, contingent or otherwise (including an aval ), of the guarantor guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Debt or other payment obligation of any other Person (the “ primary obligor ”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of the guarantor, direct or indirect, (a) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Debt or other obligation or to purchase (or advance or supply funds for the purchase of) any security for the payment thereof, (b) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Debt or other obligation of the payment thereof, (c) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Debt or other obligation or (d) as an account party in respect of any letter of credit or letter of guaranty issued to support such Debt or other obligation; provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business.
Hazardous Materials ” means all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law, including all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes.
Hedging Agreement ” means any interest rate protection agreement, foreign currency exchange agreement, commodity price protection agreement or other interest rate, currency exchange rate or commodity price hedging arrangement.
Interest Election ” means an election by the Borrower to change or continue the Interest Period applicable to any Borrowing in accordance with Section 2.04.
Interest Payment Date ” means, with respect to any Loan, the last day of the Interest Period applicable to the Borrowing of which such Loan is a part.
Interest Period ” means, with respect to each Loan, (i) the period commencing on the date of borrowing specified in the applicable Borrowing Request and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect in such Borrowing Request, and (ii) for each subsequent Interest Period, the period commencing on the last date of the Interest Period then ending with respect to such Loan and ending on the numerically corresponding day in the calendar month that is one, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect in a Notice of Interest Period Election; provided that (i) if any Interest Period would end on a day which is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day, (ii) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period and (iii) any Interest Period that would otherwise end after the Maturity Date shall instead end on the Maturity Date.
Investment ” has the meaning specified in Section 6.04.
JPMorgan Chase ” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Lead Arranger ” means J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., in its capacity as lead arranger and sole bookrunner for this Agreement.

 

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Lender Affiliate ” means, with respect to any Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender (excluding any special purpose fund or other vehicle organized to invest in whole or in part in bank loans and similar extensions of credit and issue obligations to finance such investments).
Lender Parties ” means the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Lead Arranger.
Lenders ” means the Persons listed on Schedule 2.01 and any other Person that shall have become a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment, other than any such Person that ceases to be a party hereto pursuant to an Assignment.
Lending Office ” means, as to each Lender, its office located at its address set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire (or identified in its Administrative Questionnaire as its Lending Office) or such other office as such Lender may hereafter designate as its Lending Office (or if it so designates, its Lending Office solely with respect to Loans bearing interest at the Eurodollar Rate or Substitute Rate) by notice to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
Letseb Note ” means the US$80,000,000 note issued on December 13, 2007 by Letseb, S.A. de C.V. and guaranteed by Televisa.
Leverage Ratio ” means, on any day, the ratio for the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries of (a) Total Debt as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters ended on such day (or, if such day is not the last day of a Fiscal Quarter, ended on the last day of the Fiscal Quarter most recently ended before such day for which the Borrower has delivered consolidated financial statements to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 3.04 or Section 5.01).
LIBO Rate ” means, with respect to any Eurodollar Borrowing for any Interest Period, the rate per annum equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“ BBA LIBOR ”) from Telerate Successor Page 3750, as published by Reuters (or, if such source is unavailable, such other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time to the Borrower) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) for Dollar deposits with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” with respect to such Eurodollar Borrowing for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which Dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days before the beginning of such Interest Period.
Lien ” means, with respect to any asset, (a) any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, charge or security interest in, on or of such asset, (b) the interest of a vendor or a lessor under any conditional sale agreement or title retention agreement (or any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing) relating to such asset and (c) in the case of securities, any purchase option, call or similar right of a third party with respect to such securities.

 

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Loan Documents ” means this Agreement and any Note.
Loans ” means the loans made by the Lenders to the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement.
Margin Stock ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Regulation U of the Federal Reserve Board.
Material Adverse Effect ” means a material adverse effect on (a) the business operations, property, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (b) the ability of the Borrower to perform any of its material obligations under any Loan Document or (c) the rights and remedies available to any Lender Party under any Loan Document.
Material Debt ” means Debt (other than obligations in respect of the Loans) of any one or more Cablevisión Group Companies in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $20,000,000.
Material Subsidiary ” means, at any date of determination, (A) any subsidiary of the Borrower (the “tested subsidiary”) for which either of the following is true (in each case, determined for such tested subsidiary with its subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP): (i) for the most recent Fiscal Year of the Borrower, the consolidated net revenues of such tested subsidiary was more than 10% of the consolidated net revenues of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries or (ii) as of the end of such Fiscal Year, the consolidated total assets of such tested subsidiary was more than 10% of the consolidated total assets of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries, all as set forth on the most recently available consolidated financial statements of the Borrower referred to in Section 3.04 or delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 and (B) each of Cablestar, S.A. de C.V., Letseb, S.A. de C.V. and Operbes, S.A. de C.V. unless (x) on such date, such Person is no longer a Subsidiary or (y) after December 31, 2007, such date on which such Person does not comply with (i) or (ii) above.
Mexican Stock Exchange ” means the Stock Exchange of Mexico ( Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, S.A. de C.V. ).
Mexican Tax Authority ” means any governmental, regulatory or administrative body, agency or authority, any court of judicial authority, any arbitrator or any public, private or industry regulatory authority of the government of Mexico, or any political subdivision thereof in charge of affairs related to Taxes or Other Taxes.
Mexico ” means the United Mexican States.
Maturity Date ” means the fifth anniversary of the Drawdown Date.
Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (or any successor providing ratings).

 

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Net Proceeds ” means, with respect to any event, (a) the cash proceeds received in respect of such event including (i) any cash received in respect of any non-cash proceeds, but only as and when received, (ii) in the case of a casualty, insurance proceeds, and (iii) in the case of a condemnation or similar event, condemnation awards and similar payments, in each case net of (b) the sum of (i) all fees and out-of-pocket expenses paid by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to third parties (other than Affiliates) in connection with such event, (ii) in the case of a sale, transfer or other disposition of an asset (including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction, a casualty or a condemnation or similar proceeding), the amount of all payments required to be made by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as a result of such event to repay Debt (other than Loans) secured by such asset or otherwise subject to mandatory prepayment as a result of such event, and (iii) the amount of all taxes paid (or reasonably estimated to be payable) by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and the amount of any reserves established by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to fund contingent liabilities reasonably estimated to be payable, in each case during the year that such event occurred or the next succeeding year and that are directly attributable to such event (as determined reasonably and in good faith by a Financial Officer).
New York Court ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.09(b).
Notice of Interest Period Election ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04.
Operbes Loan ” means a loan dated December 13, 2007 by Televisa or one of its Affiliates to Operbes, S.A. de C.V., in an amount of up to $38,082,685.
Other Taxes ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.13(a).
Outstanding Amount ” means, with respect to any Lender at any time, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of its Loans, determined at such time after giving effect to all payments and prepayments, and any prior assignments by or to such Lender pursuant to Section 9.04.
Participants ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.04(e).
Permitted Investments ” means investments in:
(a) direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States (or by any agency thereof to the extent such obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States), in each case maturing within two years from the date of acquisition thereof and denominated in Dollars;
(b) commercial paper, maturing not more than 365 days after the date of acquisition thereof, issued by a corporation (other than an Affiliate of the Company) incorporated or organized and in existence under the laws of Mexico or any jurisdiction thereof or the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or any foreign country recognized by the United States of America in which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are engaged in business activities with a rating at the time as of which any investment therein is made of “P-2” (or higher) according to Moody’s or “A-2” (or higher) according to S&P (or equivalent ratings by their Mexican affiliates);
(c) certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances and time deposits maturing within two years from the date of acquisition thereof issued or guaranteed by or placed with, and money market deposit accounts issued or offered by, any domestic office of any commercial bank organized under the laws of the United States or any State thereof which has a combined capital and surplus of at least $500,000,000;

 

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(d) fully collateralized repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for securities described in clause (a) above and entered into with a financial institution satisfying the criteria described in clause (c) above; and
(e)  Certificados de la Tesorería de la Federación (Cetes), Bonos de Desarrollo del Gobierno Federal (Bondes), whether denominated in Pesos or UDIs, Bonos de RegulaciÓn Monetaria (BREMs) and Bonos de ProtecciÓn al Ahorro (BPAs), in each case, issued by the government of Mexico, denominated in Pesos and maturing not later than two years after the acquisition thereof.
Permitted Liens ” means:
(a) Liens imposed by law for taxes, assessments, governmental charges or claims, that are either (i) delinquent for less than 90 days; provided that the fair market value of the aggregate amount of the property subject to such Liens does not exceed $10,000,000 or (ii) that are not yet due or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04(a);
(b) carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s and other like Liens imposed by law, arising in the ordinary course of business and securing obligations that are not overdue by more than 60 days or are being contested in compliance with Section 5.04(a);
(c) pledges and deposits made in the ordinary course of business in compliance with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security laws or regulations;
(d) Liens incurred or deposits made to secure (i) letters of credit, the performance of tenders, bids, trade contracts, leases, licenses, statutory or regulatory obligations, bankers’ acceptances, surety and appeal bonds, government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other obligations of a similar nature incurred in the ordinary course of business (exclusive of obligations for the payment of borrowed money) and any bank’s unexercised right of set off with respect to deposits made in the ordinary course and (ii) indemnity obligations in respect of the sale, transfer, lease or other disposition of any property of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary; provided that the property subject to such Lien does not have a fair market value in excess of the cash or cash equivalent proceeds received by the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries in connection with such sale, transfer, lease or other disposition;
(e) judgment liens in respect of judgments that do not constitute an Event of Default under clause (k) of Section 7.01 hereof; and
(f) easements, municipal and zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property that do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of business of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;

 

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(g) leases or subleases granted to others that do not materially interfere with the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(h) Liens arising from filing Uniform Commercial Code or similar financing statements regarding leases;
(i) Liens in favor of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary;
(j) Liens arising from the rendering of a final judgment or order against the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary of the Borrower that does not give rise to an Event of Default;
(k) Liens securing reimbursement obligations with respect to trade letters of credit that encumber documents and other property relating to such trade letters of credit and the products and proceeds thereof;
(l) Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods;
(m) Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for the sale of goods entered into by the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries, taken as a whole;
(n) Liens on the rights of the Borrower or a Material Subsidiary to payments in respect of programming or films and all proceeds therefrom; and
(o) Liens not permitted under the foregoing clauses (a) through (n) of this definition; provided that the aggregate amount of the property subject to such Liens at any time does not exceed $5,000,000.
Permitted Refinancing ” means, with respect to any Debt (the “ refinanced Debt ”), any extensions, renewals and replacements of such Debt (the “ refinancing Debt ”) that (A) is incurred by the same Person or Persons as were obligors under the refinanced Debt, (B) if the refinanced Debt is subordinated in right of payment to obligations under the Loan Documents, then such refinancing Debt is subordinated to at least the same obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those governing the refinanced Debt, (C) does not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof and (D) has a maturity date no earlier than, and a weighted average life no shorter than, the refinanced Debt.
Person ” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
Pesos ” or “ Ps ” means the lawful money of Mexico.

 

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Prepayment Event ” means:
(a) any sale, transfer or other disposition (including pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction) of any property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, except dispositions described in Sections 6.05(a) or Section 6.05(b); or
(b) any casualty or other insured damage to any property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any taking of any such property under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding, or any transfer of any such property in lieu of a condemnation or similar taking thereof.
Prime Rate ” means the rate of interest per annum publicly announced from time to time by JPMorgan Chase as its prime rate in effect at its principal office in the City of New York. Each change in the Prime Rate will be effective for purposes hereof from and including the date such change is publicly announced as being effective.
Process Agent ” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.10(a).
Qualifying Hedges ” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.10.
Register ” has the meaning specified in Section 9.04(c).
Regulation T ” means Regulation T of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time.
Regulation U ” means Regulation U of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time.
Regulation X ” means Regulation X of the Federal Reserve Board, as in effect from time to time.
Related Parties ” means, with respect to any specified Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the respective directors, officers, employees, agents and advisors of such Person and its Affiliates.
Required Lenders ” means, at any time, Lenders having at least 51% in aggregate amount of the Credit Exposures at such time (disregarding for this purpose any Credit Exposures held by the Borrower or its Related Parties).
Restricted Payment ” means (a) any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interest in any Cablevisión Group Company, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Equity Interest in any Cablevisión Group Company other than in accordance with the terms thereof (including, for this purpose, any payment in respect of any such Equity Interest under a Synthetic Purchase Agreement), (b) any payment with respect to Televisa Subordinated Debt and (c) any loan or advance to an Equity Related Person (other than advances for services in the ordinary course of business that are at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Cablevisión Group Companies making such advances than could be obtained on an arm’s length basis from unrelated third parties).
S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (or any successor providing ratings).

 

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SEC ” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Statutory Reserve Adjustment ” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Federal Reserve Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board). Such reserve percentages will include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. The Statutory Reserve Adjustment will be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any applicable reserve percentage.
subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity of which Voting Stock representing more than 50% of the total voting power of the outstanding Voting Stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person and/or one or more other subsidiaries of such Person.
Subsidiary ” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.
Substitute Rate ” means, for any day and for any Lender, a rate per annum determined pursuant to Section 2.09(B) or (C), as applicable.
Substitute Rate Loan ” means a Loan which bears interest at the Substitute Rate pursuant to the provisions of Sections 2.09, 2.11 or 2.15.
Synthetic Purchase Agreement ” means any margin loan, total return swap, equity derivative or prepaid forward or combination of such agreements pursuant to which the Borrower or a Subsidiary is or may become obligated to make (i) any payment in connection with the purchase by any third party, from a Person other than the Borrower or a Subsidiary, of any Equity Interest or (ii) any payment (other than on account of a permitted purchase by it of any Equity Interest) the amount of which is determined by reference to the price or value at any time of any Equity Interest. For the avoidance of doubt, the term Synthetic Purchase Agreement shall not include the making or repayment of any contribution of capital or any agreement relating thereto.
Taxes ” has the meaning specified in Section 2.13(a).
Televisa ” means Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. and its successors.
Televisa Subordinated Debt ” means any unsecured Debt of the Borrower or any Subsidiary owing to Televisa and/or its Affiliates that (a) is expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of the principal of and interest on the Loans and other obligations under the Loan Documents on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as the terms set forth on Exhibit F hereto and (b) has no required repayments (whether upon scheduled maturity, pursuant to scheduled amortization or upon the occurrence of a contingency, other than a customary acceleration upon a bankruptcy or insolvency of the Borrower or the relevant Subsidiary, and subject to the subordination provisions referred to above) and no payments of interest prior to the date that is 91 days after the Maturity Date.

 

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Total Debt ” means, as of any date, the aggregate amount of Debt referred to in (a), (b), (e), (f), (g), (j) or (k) under the definition thereof (but, in the case of clauses (e) and (f), only to the extent of Guarantees of Debt of the type referred to in clauses (a), (b), (g), (j) and (k)) of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis as of such date), provided that all Debt arising from the Operbes Loan shall not be considered Total Debt pursuant to this paragraph until March 30, 2008.
Trade Accounts Payable ” means, with respect to any Person, any accounts payable, notes or any other monetary obligation to trade creditors created, assumed or Guaranteed by such Person or any of its subsidiaries arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the acquisition of goods or services from such trade creditors.
United States ” means the United States of America.
Voting Stock ” means any class of Equity Interests of a Person pursuant to which the holders thereof, as a class, have the general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of such Person.
Wholly Owned Subsidiary ” of any Person means a subsidiary of such Person, all of the Equity Interests of which (other than directors’ qualifying shares or nominee or other similar shares required pursuant to applicable law) are owned by such Person or another Wholly Owned Subsidiary of such Person or by such Person together with one or more of its other Wholly Owned Subsidiaries.
Section 1.02. Terms Generally. The definitions of terms herein (including those incorporated by reference to another document) shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “ include ”, “ includes ” and “ including ” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “ without limitation ”. The word “ will ” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “ shall ”. Unless the context requires otherwise, (a) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein), (b) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and permitted assigns, (c) the words “ herein ”, “ hereof ” and “ hereunder ”, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof, (d) all references herein to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, this Agreement and (e) the word “ property ” shall be construed to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights. In determining any payment or other amount that is required to be made at any time “pro rata” to or from any group of Lenders, Loans or Commitments, such amount shall be determined, unless otherwise specified, at the respective amounts of such Loans or Commitments, as applicable, or in the case of Lenders, to the Loans and/or Commitments held by them, in each case at such time.
Section 1.03. Accounting Terms; Changes in GAAP. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all terms of an accounting or financial nature shall be construed in accordance with GAAP as in effect from time to time; provided that, if the Borrower notifies the Administrative Agent that the Borrower requests an amendment of any provision hereof to eliminate the effect of any change occurring after the date hereof in GAAP or in the application thereof (or if the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower that the Required Lenders request an amendment of any provision hereof for such purpose), regardless of whether such notice is given before or after such change in GAAP or in the application thereof, then such provision shall be applied on the basis of GAAP as in effect and applied immediately before such change shall have become effective until such notice shall have been withdrawn or such provision amended in accordance herewith.

 

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ARTICLE 2
The Credits
Section 2.01. Commitments. (a) On the Drawdown Date, in each case subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender agrees to make a Loan to the Borrower in a principal amount equal to its Commitment. Loans and Commitments hereunder are not revolving and amounts repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed.
(b) The Commitments of the Lenders are several, i.e. , the failure of any Lender to make any Loan required to be made by it shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligations hereunder, and no Lender shall be responsible for any other Lender’s failure to make Loans as and when required hereunder. Any undrawn portion of the Commitments shall automatically terminate immediately after the borrowing on the Drawdown Date.
Section 2.02. Method of Borrowing. (a) The Borrower shall request that Lenders make the Loans by delivering to the Administrative Agent a notice in writing in substantially the form of Exhibit D (a “ Borrowing Request ”) no later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, at least two (2) Business Days before the Drawdown Date. Such Borrowing Request shall be irrevocable and shall specify the following information:
(i) the aggregate amount of the Loans to be made on the Drawdown Date (which aggregate amount shall not exceed $225,000,000);
(ii) the Drawdown Date, which shall be a Business Day; and
(iii) the initial Interest Period to be applicable to such Loans, which shall be a period contemplated by the definition of “Interest Period”.
(b) Promptly and in any event at least one day before the Drawdown Date, after it receives a Borrowing Request in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender as to the details of such Borrowing Request and the amount of such Lender’s Loan to be made pursuant thereto, and such notice shall be irrevocable.
Section 2.03. Funding of Loans. (a) Not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the Drawdown Date, each Lender shall make available the full amount of its Loan in Dollars in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City, to the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Account. Unless the Administrative Agent determines that any applicable condition specified in Section 4.01 has not been satisfied, the Administrative Agent will make the funds so received from the Lenders available to the Borrower by crediting the Borrower’s Account.

 

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(b) Unless the Administrative Agent receives notice from a Lender before the proposed date of any Borrowing that such Lender will not make its share of such Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.03(a) and may, in reliance on such assumption, make a corresponding amount available to the Borrower. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of such Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, such Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent, forthwith on demand such corresponding amount with interest thereon, for each day from and including the day such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (i) in the case of such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation or (ii) in the case of the Borrower, the then applicable interest rate determined as provided in Section 2.08. If such Lender pays such amount to the Administrative Agent, such amount shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing and the Borrower shall have no further obligations under this subsection (b) in respect thereof.
Section 2.04. Method of Electing Interest Periods. (a) The initial Interest Period for each Borrowing shall be as specified in the relevant Borrowing Request. Thereafter, the Borrower may from time to time, subject to Sections 2.09, 2.10, 2.11 and 2.12, elect the duration of the Interest Period or Interest Periods applicable to the Loans (subject in each case to the definition of Interest Period and Sections 2.09, 2.10, 2.11 and 2.12). Each such election of an Interest Period shall be made by delivering a written notice substantially in the form of Exhibit E hereto (a “ Notice of Interest Period Election ”) to the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the third Business Day before such election is to be effective. If no such notice is timely received prior to the end of an Interest Period, the Borrower shall be deemed to have elected that all Loans having such Interest Period be continued as Loans with an Interest Period of three months (in each case subject to the definition of Interest Period).
(b) Each Notice of Interest Period Election shall specify:
(i) the date on which the election specified in such notice is to become effective, which shall comply with subsection (a) above; and
(ii) the duration of the new Interest Period.
Each Interest Period specified in a Notice of Interest Period Election shall comply with the provisions of the definition of Interest Period.
(c) Promptly after receiving a Notice of Interest Period Election from the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.04(a) above, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the contents thereof and such notice shall not thereafter be revocable by the Borrower.

 

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Section 2.05. Payment at Maturity; Evidence of Debt . (a) The Borrower unconditionally promises to pay to the Administrative Agent on the Maturity Date, for the account of each Lender, the then unpaid principal amount of such Lender’s Loans.
(b) Each Lender shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice an account or accounts evidencing the indebtedness of the Borrower to such Lender resulting from each Loan made by such Lender, including the amounts of principal and interest payable and paid to such Lender from time to time.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall maintain accounts with respect to the Loans in which it shall record (i) the amount of each Loan made hereunder and whether the interest is based on the Substitute Rate or Eurodollar Rate and each Interest Period (if any) applicable thereto, (ii) the amount of any principal or interest due and payable or to become due and payable from the Borrower to each Lender hereunder and (iii) the amount of any sum received by the Administrative Agent hereunder for the account of the Lenders and each Lender’s share thereof.
(d) The entries made in the accounts maintained pursuant to subsections (b) and (c) of this Section shall be prima facie evidence of the existence and amounts of the obligations recorded therein; provided that any failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to maintain such accounts or any error therein shall not affect the Borrower’s obligation to repay the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(e) Each Lender’s Loans shall be represented by a promissory note executed by the Borrower and payable in Dollars to such Lender in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (each, a “ Note ”, and collectively, the “ Notes ”). Each Note shall be executed by the Borrower, qualify as a pagaré under Mexican law and specify the Applicable Margin applicable to the Loans pursuant to the terms hereof as of the Drawdown Date. The Administrative Agent shall deliver to each Lender, promptly upon receipt, any Note received for the account of such Lender. Upon (1) any assignment made pursuant to Section 9.04, the Borrower shall prepare, execute and deliver, against simultaneous delivery of the existing Note or Notes, (A) a new Note payable to the assignee Lender and (B) if necessary, a new Note payable to the assignor Lender, each dated the date of such Note being exchanged, in a principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Loan so assigned (or, in the case of the assignor Lender, retained after such assignment) and otherwise duly completed or (2) a change in the Applicable Margin reflected in the existing Note or Notes pursuant to the terms hereof, the Borrower shall execute and deliver, against simultaneous delivery of the existing Note or Notes, a new Note or Notes payable to any relevant Lender identical in all respects to the Note or Notes being replaced other than the Applicable Margin, upon its own request or the request of a relevant Lender, provided , that in no event shall the failure of the Borrower or a Lender to request or receive any such replacement Note affect the Applicable Margin applicable to the Loans from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof.
Section 2.06. Optional and Mandatory Prepayments . (a) Optional Prepayments . The Borrower will have the right at any time to prepay the Loans in whole or in part in amounts not less than $5,000,000 or increments of $1,000,000 in excess thereof and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

 

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(b)  Asset Dispositions and Casualty Events . With respect to each Fiscal Year, within ten Business Days after the date on which any Net Proceeds are received by or on behalf of the Borrower or any Subsidiary in respect of any Asset Disposition or Casualty Event ( provided that the amount thereof, determined in the aggregate for all Asset Dispositions and Casualty Events after the date hereof and not previously subject to the prepayment requirements of this Section 2.06, exceeds $25,000,000 in such Fiscal Year), the Borrower shall prepay the Loans in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided that (i) if the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of a Financial Officer to the effect that (A) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries intend to apply the Net Proceeds from such event (or a portion thereof specified in such certificate), within 180 days after receipt of such Net Proceeds, to invest in assets (other than cash equivalents or short-term assets) of the business of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, and (B) no Default has occurred and is continuing, then no prepayment will be required pursuant to this subsection in respect of such Net Proceeds (or the portion of such Net Proceeds specified in such certificate, if applicable) except that, if any such Net Proceeds have not been so applied by the end of such 180-day period, a prepayment will be required at that time in an amount equal to the amount of such Net Proceeds that have not been so applied, subject to the limitations otherwise set forth in this clause (b).
(c)  Change of Control. If a Change of Control shall occur, the Borrower will, within five Business Days after the occurrence thereof, deliver to the Administrative Agent notice describing in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances giving rise thereto. If any Lender so directs by written notice delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower not later than five Business Days after delivery of notice of such Change of Control (the “ Change of Control Prepayment Notice ”), the Loans of such Lender shall become due and payable (together with accrued interest thereon to the date of payment) on the twentieth Business Day after the notice initially delivered by the Borrower, all without further demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower, unless prior to such date such Lender has delivered to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower a subsequent written notice expressly rescinding such Change of Control Prepayment Notice.
(d)  Accrued Interest . Each prepayment under this Section 2.06 shall be accompanied by accrued interest to the extent required by Section 2.08.
(e)  Notice of Prepayments. The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent by telephone (confirmed by telecopy) of any prepayment of any Borrowing hereunder, not later than 12:00 noon, New York City time, three Business Days before the date of prepayment. Each such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the prepayment date, the principal amount of each Borrowing or portion thereof to be prepaid and, in the case of a mandatory prepayment, a reasonably detailed calculation of the amount of such prepayment. Promptly after it receives any such notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof.
Section 2.07. Fees . The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for its own account, fees payable in the amounts and at the times separately agreed upon by the Borrower with the Administrative Agent.
Section 2.08. Interest . (a) Each Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof, for each day during each Interest Period applicable thereto, at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Applicable Margin for such day plus the Adjusted LIBO Rate applicable to such Interest Period (subject in any event to Sections 2.09, 2.10, 2.11 and 2.12).

 

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(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, during the continuance of any Event of Default, principal of each Loan shall bear interest at 2% per annum in excess of the rate otherwise applicable thereto pursuant to clause (a) above; provided that any overdue principal of or interest on any Loan shall bear interest for each day until paid at a rate per annum equal to the higher of (i) the sum of 2% plus the Applicable Margin for such day plus the Adjusted LIBO Rate applicable to such Loan on the day before such payment was due and (ii) the sum of 2% plus the Applicable Margin for such day plus the Adjusted LIBO Rate, for this purpose determined pursuant to the definition thereof but for periods selected from time to time by the Administrative Agent (not shorter than one day or longer than three months). Any other overdue amounts under this Agreement shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the sum of (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) 2%.
(c) Interest accrued on each Loan shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date for such Loan; provided that (i) interest accrued pursuant to Section 2.08(b) shall be payable on demand, (ii) upon any repayment of any Loan, interest accrued on the principal amount repaid shall be payable on the date of such repayment and (iii) upon any permitted conversion of a Eurodollar Loan to a Substitute Rate Loan before the end of the current Interest Period therefor, interest accrued on such Loan shall be payable on the effective date of such conversion.
(d) All interest hereunder will be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, except that (i) interest computed at the Substitute Rate will be computed on the basis of a year of the number of days agreed by the parties in determining the Substitute Rate and (ii) any determination based on the Prime Rate will be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year), and in each case will be payable for the actual number of days elapsed in the relevant period (including the first day but excluding the last day).
(e) The Administrative Agent shall determine, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, each interest rate applicable to the Loans hereunder. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of each rate of interest so determined, and its determination thereof shall be prima facie evidence thereof.
Section 2.09. Substitute Rate of Interest. If before the beginning of any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Borrowing:
(i) the Administrative Agent determines (which determination will be conclusive absent manifest error) that adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining the Adjusted LIBO Rate for such Interest Period; or
(ii) Lenders whose Loans to be included in such Borrowing aggregate at least 51% thereof advise the Administrative Agent that the Adjusted LIBO Rate for such Interest Period will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of making or maintaining such Loans for such Interest Period;
then the Administrative Agent shall give notice thereof to the Borrower and the affected Lenders by telephone or telecopy as promptly as practicable thereafter and:
(A) during the 15-day period next succeeding the date of any such notice (the “ Negotiation Period ”), the Administrative Agent (in consultation with the affected Lenders) and the Borrower will negotiate in good faith for the purpose of agreeing upon an alternative, mutually acceptable basis (the “ Substitute Basis ”) for determining the rate of interest to be applicable to the Loans for such Interest Period;

 

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(B) if at the expiry of the Negotiation Period, the affected Lenders and the Borrower have agreed upon a Substitute Basis and the Administrative Agent has received confirmation from its Mexican counsel that such Substitute Basis has received all necessary governmental approvals and consents, the rate of interest based on such Substitute Basis shall (1) be deemed to be the “ Substitute Rate ” for such Interest Period and (2) be retroactive to, and take effect from, the beginning of such Interest Period, and the Borrower shall forthwith deliver to the Administrative Agent (for delivery to the affected Lenders), in exchange for the then existing Notes, new Notes substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto with such changes as the Administrative Agent deems necessary to reflect the rate of interest based on such Substitute Basis;
(C) if at the expiry of the Negotiation Period, a Substitute Basis shall not have been agreed upon as aforesaid or the Administrative Agent shall not have received the above-mentioned confirmation as to requisite governmental approvals or consents, the Administrative Agent shall forthwith notify each affected Lender of such failure to agree or to receive such confirmation and, within five Business Days after receipt of such notice (or as soon thereafter as practicable), each such Lender shall notify the Borrower through the Administrative Agent of the cost to such Lender (as determined by it in good faith) of funding and maintaining its Loan for such Interest Period; and the interest payable to such Lender on its Loan for such Interest Period shall be a rate per annum equal to the Applicable Margin above the cost to such Lender of funding and maintaining its Loan for such Interest Period as so notified by such Lender (in such event, such rate shall be deemed to be the “ Substitute Rate ” for such Interest Period) (or, as to any principal of such Loan or, to the extent permitted by applicable law, other amount payable to such Lender on or in respect of its Loan that is then past due, 2% per annum plus the Applicable Margin above such cost); and
(D) the procedures specified in clauses (A), (B) and (C) above shall apply to each Interest Period succeeding the first Interest Period to which they were applied unless and until the Administrative Agent shall determine in consultation with the affected Lenders that the conditions referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above no longer exist and so notifies the Borrower and the affected Lenders, whereupon interest on the Loans shall again be determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.08 hereof commencing on the first day of the Interest Period next succeeding the date of such notice.

 

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Section 2.10. Increased Costs . (a) If any Change in Law (other than a Change in Law affecting Taxes, as to which Section 2.13 shall govern) shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, any Lender (except any such reserve requirement reflected in the Adjusted LIBO Rate); or
(ii) impose on any Lender or the London interbank market any other condition affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Loans made by such Lender;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making or maintaining any Eurodollar Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make Eurodollar Loans) or to reduce any amount received or receivable by such Lender hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate it for such additional cost incurred or reduction suffered as provided in Section 2.10(c).
(b) If any Lender determines that any Change in Law regarding capital requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement or the Loans made by such Lender, to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower shall pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate it or its holding company for any such reduction suffered as provided in Section 2.10(c).
(c) A certificate of a Lender setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate it or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall constitute prima facie evidence of such amount(s). The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 Business Days after receipt thereof.
(d) Failure or delay by any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to this Section will not constitute a waiver of its right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrower will not be required to compensate a Lender pursuant to this Section for any increased cost or reduction incurred more than 135 days before it notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased cost or reduction and of its intention to claim compensation therefor. However, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased cost or reduction is retroactive, then the 135-day period referred to above will be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.

 

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Section 2.11. Illegality. (a) If, on or after the date hereof, the adoption of any applicable law, rule or regulation, or any change in any applicable law, rule or regulation, or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by any Lender (or its Lending Office) with any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or comparable agency, shall make it unlawful or impossible for any Lender (or its Lending Office) to make, maintain or fund its Eurodollar Loans and such Lender shall so notify the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall forthwith give notice thereof to the other Lenders and the Borrower, whereupon until such Lender notifies the Borrower and the Administrative Agent that the circumstances giving rise to such suspension no longer exist, the obligation of such Lender to make Eurodollar Loans, or continue outstanding Loans as Eurodollar Loans, shall be suspended. Before giving any notice to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section, such Lender shall designate a different Lending Office if such designation will avoid the need for giving such notice and will not, in the judgment of such Lender, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Lender.
(b) If such notice is given, the affected Lender shall follow the procedures set forth in clauses (A) and (B) of Section 2.09 for determining the “Substitute Rate”; provided that the negotiation described therein shall be between such affected Lender and the Borrower. If at the end of the Negotiation Period referred to therein, (i) such Lender and the Borrower have agreed to a Substitute Rate for the affected Loans, such Loans shall thereafter bear interest at such Substitute Rate and (ii) such Lender and the Borrower have not agreed to a Substitute Rate for the affected Loans, the Borrower shall repay the Loans of such Lender in full, together with interest accrued thereon to the date of payment at the rate applicable to such Loans (based on the Adjusted LIBO Rate and Section 2.08(a)) (a) on the last day of the then current Interest Period applicable to such Eurodollar Loan if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain and fund such Loan as a Eurodollar Loan to such day or (b) immediately if such Lender shall determine that it may not lawfully continue to maintain and fund such Loan as a Eurodollar Loan to such day. If such Lender’s Loans continue to remain outstanding as Substitute Rate Loans, interest and principal thereon shall be payable on the same dates as, and on a pro rata basis with, the interest and principal payable on the related Eurodollar Loans of the other Lenders.
Section 2.12. Break Funding Payments . If (a) any principal of any Eurodollar Loan is repaid on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto (including as a result of an Event of Default), (b) any Eurodollar Loan is converted on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto, (c) the Borrower fails to borrow, convert, continue or prepay any Loan on the date specified in any notice delivered pursuant hereto, (d) any Eurodollar Loan is assigned on a day other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.16, or (e) any Loan is required to become an Substitute Rate Loan (whether such conversion is pursuant to Sections 2.09, 2.11 or 2.15 or otherwise) on any day other than the last day of an Interest Period applicable thereto, then the Borrower shall compensate each Lender for its loss, cost and expense attributable to such event. In the case of a Eurodollar Loan, such loss, cost and expense to any Lender shall be deemed to include an amount determined by such Lender to be the excess, if any, of (i) the amount of interest that would have accrued on the principal amount of such Loan had such event not occurred, at the Adjusted LIBO Rate that would have been applicable to such Loan, for the period from the date of such event to the end of the then current Interest Period therefor (or, in the case of a failure to borrow, convert or continue, the Interest Period that would have begun on the date of such failure), over (ii) the amount of interest that would accrue on such principal amount for such period at the interest rate which such Lender would bid were it to bid, at the beginning of such period, for Dollar deposits of a comparable amount and period from other leading international banks in the Eurodollar market. A certificate of any Lender setting forth any amount or amounts that such Lender is entitled to receive pursuant to this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower and shall be prima facie evidence of such amount(s). The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 Business Days after receipt thereof.

 

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Section 2.13. Taxes . (a) For purposes of this Section 2.13, the following terms have the following meanings:
(i) “ Taxes ” means any and all taxes, duties, levies, imposts, contributions, deductions, charges or withholdings of any nature imposed by Mexico (or any political subdivision thereof, or taxing authority therein), and any penalties, fines or interest thereon (except as specified in Section 2.13(b) below), excluding, in the case of each Lender and the Administrative Agent, taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, charges and withholdings imposed on (or measured by) its net income, and branch profits, franchise or taxes imposed on it (other than “Other Taxes” due to a connection between such Lender or the Administrative Agent and Mexico other than the participation in this Agreement.
(ii) “ Other Taxes ” means any and all documentary taxes and any other excise or property taxes, or similar charges or levies, including any penalties, fines or interest arising therefrom or with respect thereto (except as specified in Section 2.13(b) below) imposed by Mexico, and which arise from any payment made pursuant to any Loan Document or from the execution, delivery, registration or enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document (including any of the foregoing that are imposed or that arise in the future).
(iii) “ Qualified Jurisdiction ” means any jurisdiction with which Mexico has entered into a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation.
(b) Any and all payments by the Borrower to or for the account of any Lender Party hereunder or under any Note shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that, if the Borrower shall be required by law, rule or regulation to deduct or withhold any Taxes or Other Taxes from any such payments,
(i) the sum payable shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions and withholdings (including deductions and withholding applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.13) such Lender Party receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no deductions or withholdings been made, provided , however , that if such Lender Party fails to (1) use its reasonable commercial efforts to (A) maintain registration with the Mexican Ministry of Finance and Public Credit as a foreign financial institution for purposes of Article 195 of the Mexican Income Tax Law ( Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta ) or (B) maintain its residence for tax purposes or applicable Lending Office in a jurisdiction that is a Qualified Jurisdiction (or, in the case of any Lender Party that becomes a party to this Agreement after the date hereof, as of the date such Lender Party becomes a party hereto) and to satisfy the requirements to be considered a resident of such jurisdiction under, and to be entitled to the benefits of, the treaty for the avoidance of double taxation entered into between Mexico and such jurisdiction or (2) comply with any certification, identification, information, documentation or other reporting requirement concerning nationality, residence or identity of such Lender

 

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Party if (x) such compliance is required or imposed by a statute, treaty, regulation or administrative practice of general application in order to make any claim for reduction in the rate of withholding or deduction of any such Taxes or Other Taxes, and (y) the Borrower shall have notified each Lender Party, in writing, that it will be required to provide such information or documentation at least thirty (30) days in advance of the date when such information is to be provided, then the Borrower shall not be required to pay any additional amounts or sums in respect of any Taxes or Other Taxes or portion thereof that are deducted or withheld at a rate in excess of the greater of (x) 4.9% or (y) the rate then applicable to a Lender that is a United States resident for tax purposes and is fully eligible for benefits under the treaty for the avoidance of double taxation entered into between Mexico and the United States, that would not have been deducted or withheld but for such Lender Party’s failure to so perform the actions described in clause (1) or clause (2) of this Section 2.13(b)(i).
(ii) the Borrower shall make such deductions withholdings;
(iii) the Borrower shall pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law;
(iv) the Borrower shall indemnify any Lender or the Administrative Agent for any related penalties, fines or interest thereof, provided the penalties, fines or interest are in respect of an amount of Tax or Other Taxes for which the Borrower is required to pay additional amounts in accordance with this Section 2.13(b)(i); and
(v) the Borrower shall furnish to the Administrative Agent, at its address referred to in Section 9.01, the original or a certified copy of a receipt or return evidencing payment thereof (or other evidence of payment satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), within thirty (30) Business Days after the date such payment is made, and the Administrative Agent shall promptly forward a copy of such receipt to the relevant Lender.
(c) If a Lender pays any Taxes or Other Taxes that the Borrower is required to pay pursuant to this Section 2.13, the Borrower agrees to indemnify each Lender Party for the full amount of Taxes or Other Taxes paid by such Lender Party (as the case may be) and any liability (including penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto. This indemnification shall be paid within 15 Business Days after such Lender Party makes demand therefor, with interest thereon for each day from (and including) the 15th Business Day following delivery of such demand to (but excluding) the date of such indemnification at a rate per annum equal to the Substitute Rate for such day.
(d) If no Taxes or Other Taxes shall be payable in respect of any payment under this Agreement or any Note, the Borrower will, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, furnish to the Administrative Agent a certificate in form issued by the Mexican Tax Authorities, or a legal opinion to that effect, to the Administrative Agent’s counsel, confirming that such payment is exempt from or not subject to Taxes or Other Taxes.

 

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(e) Each Lender Party (i) represents and warrants to the Borrower that, as of the date hereof (or, in the case of a Lender Party that becomes a party to this Agreement after the date hereof, on the date such Lender Party becomes a party hereto), (A) such Lender Party is registered with the Mexican Ministry of Finance and Public Credit as a foreign financial institution for purposes of Article 195 of the Mexican Income Tax Law ( Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta ) and (B) the principal corporate office of such Lender Party is located in a Qualified Jurisdiction and such Lender Party satisfies the requirements to be considered a resident of such jurisdiction under, and to be entitled to the benefits of, the treaty for the avoidance of double taxation entered into between Mexico and such Qualified Jurisdiction, and (ii) will use its reasonable commercial efforts to (A) maintain registration therewith for purposes of Article 195 of the Mexican Income Tax Law ( Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta ) and (B) maintain its principal corporate office in a jurisdiction which is a Qualified Jurisdiction and to satisfy the requirements to be considered a resident of such jurisdiction under, and to be entitled to the benefits of, the treaty for the avoidance of double taxation entered into between Mexico and such Qualified Jurisdiction. If in the case of any such Lender Party such registration is cancelled or not renewed upon expiration during the term of this Agreement for reasons unambiguously attributable to any such Lender Party, or if any such Lender Party or beneficial owner of any Note fails to provide, within thirty (30) days after the receipt of a written request from the Borrower made pursuant to Section 2.13(b)(i)(2) above, information, documentation or other evidence of such registration or renewal, or if such Lender Party fails to use commercial reasonable efforts to maintain its tax residence in a jurisdiction with which Mexico has entered into a treaty for the avoidance of double taxation or fails to satisfy the requirements to be considered a resident of such jurisdiction for tax purposes under, or to be entitled to the benefits of such treaty, the Borrower may prepay the then outstanding Loans of such Lender Party or direct such Lender Party to assign, at a price that is no less than all then accrued and unpaid interest and principal, the relevant Loans to an institution acceptable to the Administrative Agent that is able to make the representations set forth in clause (i) of the first sentence of this paragraph (e).
(f) If as a result of a Change of Law after the date hereof, the rate at which Taxes or Other Taxes are imposed on payments made by the Borrower hereunder to any Lender Party increases above the rate in effect on the date hereof (or, in the case of any Lender Party that becomes a party to this Agreement after the date hereof, on the date such Lender Party becomes a party hereto), then such Lender Party will take measures within its control to designate a different Lending Office (if its Loan is affected by such Change of Law) if such designation will avoid the need for, or minimize or reduce the amount of, payment of additional amounts otherwise payable by the Borrower under paragraph (b) of this Section 2.13, and will not, in the sole opinion of such Lender Party, be disadvantageous to such Lender Party. In the event that any such Lender Party does not so designate a different Lending Office, the Borrower may prepay the Loan of such Lender Party or direct such Lender Party to assign, at a price that is no less than all then accrued and unpaid interest and principal, such Loan to an institution (which must be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent) that is able to designate a Lending Office that will avoid the need for, or minimize or reduce the amount of, additional amounts payable by the Borrower under paragraph (b) of this Section 2.13.

 

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Section 2.14. Payments Generally; Pro Rata Treatment; Sharing of Set-offs . (a) The Borrower shall make each payment required to be made by it under the Loan Documents (whether of principal, interest or fees, or amounts payable under Section 2.10, 2.11 or 2.13 or otherwise) by the time expressly required under the relevant Loan Document for such payment (or, if no such time is expressly required, before 12:00 noon, New York City time), on the date when due, in immediately available funds, without set-off or counterclaim. Any amount received after such time on any day may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at the Administrative Agent’s Account, except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.10, 2.11, 2.13 and Section 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto and payments pursuant to other Loan Documents shall be made to the Persons specified therein. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payment received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly after receipt thereof. If any payment under any Loan Document shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment will be extended to the next succeeding Business Day and, if such payment accrues interest, interest thereon will be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder with respect to Loans shall be made in Dollars.
(b) If at any time insufficient funds are received by and available to the Administrative Agent to pay fully all amounts of principal, interest and fees relating to the Loans then due hereunder, such funds shall be applied (i) first, to pay interest and fees then due hereunder with respect to such Loans, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of interest and fees then due to such parties, and (ii) second, to pay principal of Loans then due hereunder with respect to such Loans, ratably among the parties entitled thereto in accordance with the amounts of principal then due to such parties.
(c) If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other Lender with respect to such other Lender’s Loans, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans held by other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by such Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans to any assignee or participant (other than to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof). The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of set-off and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.

 

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(d) Unless, before the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of one or more Lender Parties hereunder, the Administrative Agent receives from the Borrower notice that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance on such assumption, distribute to each relevant Lender Party the amount due to it. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, each Lender Party severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender Party with interest thereon, for each day from and including the day such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the day it repays the Administrative Agent at the greater of the Federal Funds Effective Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
(e) If any Lender fails to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Sections 2.03(b), Section 2.14(d) or Section 9.03(c), the Administrative Agent may, in its discretion (notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof), apply any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender to satisfy such Lender’s obligations under such Sections until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid.
Section 2.15. Substitute Rate Loans Substituted for Affected Loans. If (a) the obligation of any Lender to make or continue Loans at the Eurodollar Rate has been suspended pursuant to Section 2.11 or (b) any Lender has demanded compensation under Section 2.10 with respect to its Loans and the Borrower shall, by at least three Business Days’ prior notice to such Lender through the Administrative Agent, have elected that the provisions of this Section shall apply to such Lender, then, unless and until such Lender notifies the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such suspension or demand for compensation no longer exist (which notice such Lender shall give promptly upon making any such determination):
(i) all Loans which would otherwise be made or continued by such Lender at the Eurodollar Rate shall instead be Substitute Rate Loans (on which interest and principal shall be payable contemporaneously with the related Loans of the other Lenders); and
(ii) after each of its Loans bearing interest at the Eurodollar Rate has been repaid (or converted to an Substitute Rate Loan), all payments of principal which would otherwise be applied to repay such Loans shall be applied to repay its Substitute Rate Loans instead.
If such Lender notifies the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such notice no longer apply, the principal amount of each such Substitute Rate Loan shall again accrue interest at the Eurodollar Rate on the first day of the next succeeding Interest Period applicable to the related Loans of the other Lenders.
Section 2.16. Lender’s Obligation to Mitigate; Replacement of Lenders. (a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.10, or if the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.13, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.10 or Section 2.13, as the case may be, in the future, (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and (iii) would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrower shall pay all costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment within ten Business Days of written notice thereof, specifying the same in reasonable detail.

 

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(b) If (x) any Lender (A) requests compensation under Section 2.10, or (B) defaults in its obligation to fund Loans hereunder, or (y) the Borrower is required to pay any additional amount to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.13, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights and obligations under this Agreement to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrower shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans, accrued interest thereon and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.10 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.13, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment cease to apply.
ARTICLE 3
Representations and Warranties
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Lender Parties that:
Section 3.01. Organization; Powers . Each Cablevisión Group Company is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where failures to do so, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business in, and is in good standing in, every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.
Section 3.02. Authorization; Enforceability. (a) The Financing Transactions to be entered into by the Borrower are within its corporate powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate and, if required, stockholder action. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower and constitutes, and each other Loan Document to which the Borrower is to be a party, when executed and delivered by the Borrower, will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, in each case enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, concurso mercantil , reorganization, moratorium and other laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.

 

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(b) The Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries collectively possess all licenses, concessions, permits, consents, approvals and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate Governmental Authority, that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses (except where the failure to do so would not have a Material Adverse Effect); and neither the Borrower nor any of its Material Subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation, rescission, withdrawal, rescate proceedings, or modification of any such license, concession, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, concession, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course.
(c) This Agreement and the other Loan Documents are in proper legal form under the laws of Mexico for the enforcement thereof against the Borrower under such law. All formalities required in the Borrower’s jurisdiction of incorporation for the validity and enforceability of each of the Loan Documents have been satisfied, and no Other Taxes are required to be paid and no notarization is required for the validity and enforceability thereof; provided , that in the event any legal proceedings are brought in the courts of Mexico, a Spanish translation of the documents required in such proceedings, prepared by a court-approved translator, would have to be approved by such court after the defendant had been given an opportunity to be heard with respect to the accuracy of the translation, and proceedings would thereafter be based upon the translated documents.
Section 3.03. Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts . The Financing Transactions (i) do not require the Borrower to obtain or make, as of the Effective Date, any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect, (ii) will not violate any law or regulation applicable to the Borrower or the charter, by-laws or other organizational documents of any Cablevisión Group Company or any order of any Governmental Authority, (iii) will not violate or result in a default under any indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any Cablevisión Group Company or any of its properties, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any Cablevisión Group Company to make any payment (except for any of the foregoing in this clause (iii) that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect) and (iv) will not result in the creation or imposition of any Lien on any property of any Cablevisión Group Company not permitted to exist by this Agreement.
Section 3.04. Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Change . (a) The Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lenders (i) its consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2006 and the related consolidated statements of income, stockholders’ equity and changes in financial position for the Fiscal Year then ended, reported on by PricewaterhouseCoopers, independent public accountants, and (ii) its consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2007 and the related consolidated statements of income showing year-to-date results, all certified by its chief financial officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and their results of operations and cash flows for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year end adjustments and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.
(b) The consolidated forecasted balance sheet, statements of income and cash flows of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries delivered to the Lenders were prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were fair in light of the conditions existing at the time of delivery of such forecasts, and represented, at the time of delivery, the Borrower’s reasonable estimate of its future financial condition and performance.

 

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(c) None of the Cablevisión Group Companies has, as of the Effective Date, any material contingent liabilities or material, unusual long-term commitments, except as disclosed in the financial statements referred to in Section 3.04(a) or the notes thereto and except for the Disclosed Matters.
(d) Since December 31, 2006, there has been no material adverse change in the business operations, property, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
Section 3.05. Properties. (a) Each Cablevisión Group Company has good title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real and personal property material to its business, except for defects in title that do not interfere in any material respect with its ability to conduct its business as currently conducted or to utilize such properties for their intended purposes, and free of all Liens other than those permitted by Section 6.02.
(b) Each Cablevisión Group Company owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property material to its business, and the use thereof by the Cablevisión Group Companies does not infringe upon the rights of any other Person, except for infringements that, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 3.06. Litigation and Environmental Matters . (a) Except for the Disclosed Matters, there are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against or affecting any Cablevisión Group Company (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of adverse determinations that, in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that involve any of the Loan Documents or the Financing Transactions.
(b) Except for the Disclosed Matters and except for other matters that, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, no Cablevisión Group Company (i) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (ii) is subject to any Environmental Liability or (iii) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability.
Section 3.07. Compliance with Laws and Agreements . (a) Each Cablevisión Group Company is in compliance with all laws, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority applicable to it or its property and all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding on it or its property, except where failures to do so, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing.
(b) Each of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries complies with Mexican labor laws in all material respects. Except to the extent the following could not (either separately or in the aggregate) reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, there is (a) no illegal labor practice complaint pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under collective bargaining agreements is pending or, to the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries, and (b) no strike, material labor dispute, slowdown, stoppage or other material labor disturbance pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries; there is no complaint pending or, to the Borrower’s knowledge, threatened against the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries alleging violation of any Mexican national, departmental, state, local or foreign law applicable to the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees; and to the Borrower’s knowledge, there are no other conflicts between the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries and any of their respective employees.

 

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Section 3.08. Investment Company Status; Regulatory Restrictions on Borrowing . The Borrower is not required to register as an “investment company” under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940. The Borrower is not subject to regulation under any law, treaty, rule or regulation or determination of an arbitrator or court or other Governmental Authority (other than Regulations T, U and X of the Federal Reserve Board) which limits its ability to incur any Debt under this Agreement or any Note.
Section 3.09. Federal Reserve Regulations. (a) Neither the Borrower nor any of its Material Subsidiaries is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock.
(b) No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, for any purpose that entails a violation of, or that is inconsistent with, the provisions of Regulations T, U and X of the Federal Reserve Board.
Section 3.10. Taxes . (a) There is no income, stamp or other similar tax, levy, assessment, impost, deduction, charge or withholding imposed by Mexico (or any municipality or other political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein that exercises power to impose such tax, levy, assessment, impost, deduction, charge or withholding) either (i) on or by virtue of the execution or delivery by the Borrower of the Loan Documents or (ii) on any payment to be made by the Borrower pursuant to the Loan Documents, other than any such tax, levy, assessment, impost, deduction, charge or withholding imposed on any Person as a result of such Person being a resident of Mexico for tax purposes or by virtue of its having a permanent establishment for tax purposes in Mexico to which income under the Loan Documents is attributable, except for withholding tax on payments of interest and fees deemed to be interest to Lenders that are not residents of Mexico for tax purposes and to the Administrative Agent.
(b) The Borrower and each Material Subsidiary thereof has filed all foreign federal, state and local tax returns required to be filed or has requested extensions thereof and paid all taxes and tax like obligations (including social security, workers’ housing fund and retirement fund obligations) required to be paid by it and any other assessment, fine, or penalty levied against it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent any of the foregoing is due and payable, except for (i) such taxes as are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Borrower or Material Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (ii) such failure to file or to pay as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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Section 3.11. Disclosure . None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or delivered hereunder or thereunder (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, (i) the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based on assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time and (ii) it is understood that such projected financial information shall not be viewed as facts and that actual results may differ significantly from the projected results and such differences may be material.
Section 3.12. Subsidiaries . Schedule 3.12 sets forth the name of, and the ownership interest of the Borrower in, each of its Material Subsidiaries, in each case as of the Effective Date. All the Borrower’s Subsidiaries are fully consolidated in its consolidated financial statements.
Section 3.13. Solvency . Immediately after the Financing Transactions to occur on the Effective Date are consummated and after giving effect to the application of the proceeds of each Loan made on the Drawdown Date, (a) the fair value of the assets of the Borrower, at a fair valuation, will exceed its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise; (b) the present fair saleable value of the property of the Borrower will exceed the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of its debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (c) the Borrower will be able to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; (d) the Borrower will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and proposed to be conducted after the Effective Date; and (e) the Borrower will not satisfy any of the requirements to be placed in consurso mercantil under the Ley de Concursos Mercantiles .
Section 3.14. Rank of Debt. The obligations of the Borrower under the Loan Documents to pay any and all amounts due thereunder constitute direct, senior, unsecured, unsubordinated obligations of the Borrower and rank at least pari passu in right of payment with all other present or future direct, senior, unsecured, unsubordinated indebtedness for borrowed money of the Borrower.
Section 3.15. No Immunity. Neither the Borrower nor any of its property has any immunity from the jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) under the laws of Mexico in respect of its obligations under the Loan Documents.

 

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ARTICLE 4
Conditions
Section 4.01. Conditions . The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans hereunder on the Drawdown Date is subject to each of the following conditions:
(a) The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received from each party hereto, either (i) a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party or (ii) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include telecopy or PDF transmission of a signed signature page) that such party has signed a counterpart of this Agreement.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable written opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of each of (i) Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, special New York counsel for the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit B-1 and (ii) Mijares, Angoitia, Cortés y Fuentes, S.C., Mexican counsel for the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit B-2 The Borrower requests such counsel to deliver such opinions.
(c) The Administrative Agent shall have received a favorable opinion (addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders and dated the Effective Date) of each of (i) Davis Polk & Wardwell, special New York counsel for the Administrative Agent and (ii) Ritch Mueller, S.C., special Mexican counsel for the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibits B-3 and B-4, respectively.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall have received such documents and certificates as the Administrative Agent or its counsel may reasonably request relating to (i) the organization and existence of the Borrower, (ii) the authorization of the Financing Transactions and (iii) any other legal matters relating to the Borrower, the Loan Documents or the Financing Transactions, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel, including (x) the estatutos sociales in effect for the Borrower, certified by a notary public as to authenticity and by a Borrower’s officer as to effectiveness, and (y) powers-of-attorney for officers of the Borrower, certified by a notary public as to authenticity and by a Borrower’s officer as to effectiveness, with authority for acts of administration and issuance of negotiable instruments.
(e) The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a copy of a letter from CT Corporation Systems accepting its appointment as the Process Agent pursuant to Section 9.10 hereof, on behalf of the Borrower, and (ii) a special irrevocable power of attorney granted by the Borrower to CT Corporation Systems appointing it as the Process Agent, duly notarized by a Mexican notary public, as required under Mexican law.
(f) The representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true on and as of the date of such Borrowing, both before and immediately after giving effect thereto.
(g) Immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing no Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
(h) The Lenders shall have received:
(i) (A) audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the fiscal years ended on December 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and (B) unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower for the Fiscal Quarter ended on September 30, 2007 and unaudited consolidated financial statements for the same periods of the prior fiscal year; and

 

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(ii) projections for the Cablevisión Group Companies beginning in 2007 through 2012, in form and with detail and supporting information reasonably satisfactory to the Arranger.
(i) There shall not have occurred or become known to the Administrative Agent or the Lead Arranger any event, development or circumstance that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, since the Effective Date.
(j) There shall not have occurred, in each case after the date hereof, (i) any material adverse change in Mexican political or economic conditions, including without limitation any imposition of exchange or currency controls or declaration of moratorium or (ii) any material disruption of or material adverse change in conditions in the United States, Mexican or international financial, banking or capital markets that in the case of (i) or (ii), in the Arranger’s judgment, could materially impair the syndication of the Loans under this Agreement.
(k) Neither the Administrative Agent nor the Lead Arranger shall have become aware of any information or other matter (including any matter relating to financial models and underlying assumptions relating to the projections) affecting any of the Cablevisión Group Companies that in the Administrative Agent’s or the Lead Arranger’s judgment is inconsistent in a material and adverse manner with any such information or other matter disclosed to the Administrative Agent or the Lead Arranger prior to the date hereof or could reasonably be expected to materially impair the syndication of the Loans under this Agreement.
(l) All consents and approvals required to be obtained from any Governmental Authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of its obligations under the Loan Documents shall have been obtained.
(m) The Borrower shall have paid all fees and other amounts due and payable to the Lender Parties on or before the Effective Date, including, to the extent invoiced, all out-of-pocket expenses (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower under the Loan Documents.
(n) The Administrative Agent shall have received for the account of each Lender an executed Note dated the Drawdown Date complying with the provisions of Section 2.05(e).
(o) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate of a Financial Officer of the Borrower attesting to the solvency of the Borrower, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, but in any event prepared after giving effect to the Financing Transactions to occur on the Drawdown Date, and setting forth the aggregate outstanding Debt of the Borrower.
(p) The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, dated the Effective Date and signed by a Financial Officer of the Borrower as to the compliance with items (g), (h) and (m).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Lenders to make Loans hereunder shall not become effective unless each of the foregoing conditions is satisfied (or waived pursuant to Section 9.02) at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on December 26, 2007 (and in the event such conditions are not so satisfied or waived, the Commitments to make Loans shall terminate at such time).

 

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ARTICLE 5
Affirmative Covenants
Until all the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan have been paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
Section 5.01. Financial Statements and Other Information . The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent (which will promptly forward to each Lender):
(a) within 120 days after the end of each Fiscal Year, its audited consolidated balance sheet as of the end of such Fiscal Year and the related statements of income, stockholders’ equity and changes in financial position (or cash flows) for such Fiscal Year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous Fiscal Year, all reported on by independent public accountants of recognized national standing in Mexico (without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit) as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial position, results of operations and changes in financial position (or cash flows) of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP;
(b) within 60 days after the end of each of the first three Fiscal Quarters of each Fiscal Year, its unaudited consolidated balance sheet as of the end of such Fiscal Quarter and the related statement of income for such Fiscal Quarter and for the then elapsed portion of such Fiscal Year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous Fiscal Year, all certified by a Financial Officer as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial position and results of operations of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year-end adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
(c) concurrently with each delivery of financial statements under clauses (a) or (b) above, a certificate of a Financial Officer (a “ Compliance Certificate ”) (i) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (ii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Sections 6.13 and 6.14 and (iii) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the Borrower’s most recent audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 or delivered pursuant to this Section and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;
(d) concurrently with each delivery of financial statements under clause (a) above, a certificate of the accounting firm that reported on such financial statements stating whether during the course of their examination of such financial statements they obtained knowledge of any Default (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or guidelines); and

 

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(e) promptly following any request therefor, such other information regarding the operations, business affairs and financial condition (including a projected consolidated balance sheet and related statements of projected operations and cash flows and setting forth the assumptions used in the preparation thereof; provided , that in no event shall the Borrower be obligated to provide such projections more frequently than once per Fiscal Year) of the Cablevisión Group Companies on a consolidated basis, as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request.
Section 5.02. Notice of Material Events . The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of the following (and, in any event, within five Business Days after any Financial Officer obtains knowledge thereof):
(a) the occurrence of any Default;
(b) the filing or commencement of any action, suit or proceeding by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority against or affecting any Cablevisión Group Company that if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; and
(c) any other event that results in, or that any Financial Officer determines in good faith could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect.
Each notice delivered under this Section shall be accompanied by a statement of a Financial Officer of the Borrower setting forth the details of the event or development requiring such notice and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto.
Section 5.03. Existence; Conduct of Business . The Borrower, together with its Material Subsidiaries, considered as a whole, will continue to engage primarily in the business of providing cable, internet and/or telecommunication services in Mexico and in activities reasonably related, ancillary or complementary thereto. Each Cablevisión Group Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and the rights, licenses, concessions, permits, consents, approvals, other authorizations, privileges, franchises, patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade names material to the conduct of its business; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution expressly permitted under Section 6.03.
Section 5.04. Payment of Tax Obligations. Each Cablevisión Group Company will pay its material tax liabilities and material tax-like obligations (including obligations under the Ley del Seguro Social , the Ley del Instituto del Fondo Nacional de la Vivienda para los Trabajadores and the Ley de los Sistemas de Ahorro para el Retiro and all laws and regulations related to the foregoing) before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and (b) the relevant Cablevisión Group Company has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP.

 

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Section 5.05. Maintenance of Properties . Each Cablevisión Group Company will maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
Section 5.06. Insurance . The Borrower will maintain and will cause each of its Material Subsidiaries to maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance in at least such amounts, against at least such risks and with such risk retention as are customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.
Section 5.07. Proper Records; Rights to Inspect and Appraise . Each Cablevisión Group Company will keep proper books of record and account in which complete and correct entries are made of all transactions relating to its business and activities. Each Cablevisión Group Company will permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, upon reasonable prior notice during normal business hours, (i) to visit and inspect its properties, to examine and make extracts from its books and records and (ii) to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants, all as may be reasonably necessary, as determined by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, to ensure compliance by the Borrower of its obligations hereunder; provided that unless an Event of Default shall be continuing, no Lender shall conduct the activities referred to in clause (i) above more than once in any calendar year.
Section 5.08. Compliance with Laws . Each Cablevisión Group Company will comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders of any Governmental Authority (including Environmental Laws) applicable to it or its property, except where failures to do so, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.09. Use of Proceeds . The Borrower shall use the proceeds of the Loans for general corporate purposes, which may include (i) to fund or refinance the Bestel Acquisition and (ii) to pay fees and expenses incurred in connection with the Financing Transactions. No part of the proceeds of any Loan will be used, directly or indirectly, for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the Regulations of the Federal Reserve Board, including Regulations T, U and X.
Section 5.10. Currency Hedging. The Borrower will, within the earlier of (a) one year after the Effective Date and (b) forty-five days after the Leverage Ratio exceeds 2.50:1 at any time after the Effective Date, enter into, and maintain at all times thereafter, currency Hedging Agreements with respect to Debt of the Borrower denominated in a currency other than Pesos (excluding the Letseb Note), and limiting the exchange rate exposure of the Borrower between Pesos and such other currency for at least five years (“ Qualifying Hedges ”), such that after giving effect thereto and at all times thereafter, an amount of Debt of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries equal to (a) 100% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Loans plus (b) 50% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of all other Debt for borrowed money of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries (determined on a consolidated basis), is either (a) denominated in Pesos or (b) subject to Qualifying Hedges.

 

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ARTICLE 6
Negative Covenants
Until all the Commitments have expired or terminated and the principal of and interest on each Loan have been paid in full, the Borrower covenants and agrees with the Lenders that:
Section 6.01. Debt . The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Material Subsidiaries to, create, incur, assume any Debt, except:
(i) Debt created under the Loan Documents;
(ii) Qualifying Hedges and Hedging Agreements of the Borrower otherwise permitted under Section 6.07;
(iii) Debt existing on the date hereof and listed in Schedule 6.01 and any Permitted Refinancings thereof;
(iv) Debt of the Borrower to any Subsidiary and Debt of any Material Subsidiary to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided , that loans, advances or other Investments made by the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary to or in any other Subsidiary shall be subject to Section 6.04;
(v) Debt of the Borrower incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any assets, including Capital Lease Obligations and any Debt assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets before the acquisition thereof, and any Permitted Refinancing thereof; provided that (A) such Debt is incurred before or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement and (B) the aggregate principal amount of Debt permitted by this clause (including Permitted Refinancings thereof) shall not exceed $20,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(vi) Debt of any Person that becomes a Material Subsidiary after the date hereof and Permitted Refinancings thereof; provided that (A) such Debt exists at the time such Person becomes a Material Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Material Subsidiary and (B) the aggregate principal amount of Debt permitted by this clause (including Permitted Refinancings thereof) shall not exceed $20,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(vii) Debt incurred by the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees, bankers’ acceptances, warehouse receipts or similar instruments issued or created in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice, including in respect of workers compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits;
(viii) obligations in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds and performance and completion guarantees and similar obligations provided by the Borrower or any of the Material Subsidiaries or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments related thereto, in each case in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice; and

 

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(ix) any Guarantee by the Borrower of Debt of a Material Subsidiary permitted under any of the preceding clauses of this Section 6.01;
(x) Debt of the Borrower of the type referred to in the definition of Total Debt; provided that immediately after giving effect to such incurrence the Leverage Ratio (with Total Debt determined for this purpose on the date of and immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such Debt) shall not exceed 4.0:1; and
(xi) Debt of the Borrower not permitted under any of the preceding clauses of this Section 6.01; provided that the aggregate principal amount of Debt permitted by this clause shall not exceed $20,000,000 at any time outstanding.
provided that immediately after giving effect to any incurrence of Debt under clauses (x) or (xi) above, no Event of Default shall have occurred and then be continuing.
Section 6.02. Liens . Neither the Borrower nor any Material Subsidiary will create or permit to exist any Lien on any property now owned or hereafter acquired by it, or assign or sell any income or revenues (including accounts receivable) or rights in respect of any thereof, except:
(i) Permitted Liens;
(ii) any Lien on any property of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and listed in Schedule 6.02; provided that (A) such Lien shall not apply to any other property of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary and (B) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof;
(iii) any Lien existing on any property before the acquisition thereof by the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary or existing on any property of any Person that becomes a Material Subsidiary after the date hereof before the time such Person becomes a Material Subsidiary; provided that (A) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Material Subsidiary, as the case may be, (B) such Lien will not apply to any other property of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary and (C) such Lien will secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Material Subsidiary, as the case may be, and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof that do not increase the outstanding principal amount thereof; and
(iv) Liens on assets acquired, constructed or improved by the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary; provided that (A) the Debt secured by such liens is permitted by Section 6.01(v), (B) such Liens are incurred before or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (C) such Liens will not apply to any other property of the Borrower or any Material Subsidiary and (D) the aggregate principal amount of all obligations outstanding at any date secured by Liens permitted by this clause (iv) does not at any time exceed $20,000,000.

 

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Section 6.03. Fundamental Changes . No Cablevisión Group Company will merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or liquidate or dissolve, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (i) any Subsidiary may merge into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving corporation, (ii) any Subsidiary may merge into any Subsidiary in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Subsidiary and (iii) any Subsidiary may liquidate or dissolve if the Borrower determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of the Borrower and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders.
Section 6.04. Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions . Neither the Borrower nor any Material Subsidiary will purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a wholly owned Subsidiary before such merger) any Equity Interest in or evidence of indebtedness or other security (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make any loan or advance to, Guarantee any obligation of, or make any investment or other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit (but excluding any plant, property or equipment acquired directly by such Person and not through the acquisition of Equity Interests of another Person holding such assets or a assets constituting a business unit of such other Person) (each of the foregoing, an “ Investment ”), except:
(a) the Bestel Acquisition;
(b) Permitted Investments;
(c) Investments existing on the date hereof and listed on Schedule 6.04; and
(d) Investments by (i) the Borrower in its Material Subsidiaries and (ii) one Material Subsidiary in another Material Subsidiary or the Borrower;
(e) Investments by the Borrower or its Material Subsidiaries in Subsidiaries other than Material Subsidiaries; provided that the aggregate amount of all Investments by the Borrower or its Material Subsidiaries in or to such Subsidiaries under this clause (e) (including without limitation, loans and advances by the Borrower or its Material Subsidiaries to, and Guarantees by the Borrower or its Material Subsidiaries of Debt of, such Subsidiaries), including any such Investments existing on the Effective Date, shall not exceed $20,000,000 in the aggregate;
(f) Guarantees constituting Debt permitted by Section 6.01; and

 

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(g) Investments by the Borrower and/or its Material Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, in any Person (excluding (i) any Subsidiary that is not a Material Subsidiary and (ii) any Equity Related Person) engaged primarily in the business of providing cable, internet and/or telecommunication services, so long as (x) immediately prior to any such Investment, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and (y) the Borrower is in compliance with both Section 6.13 (determined for this purpose immediately after giving effect to such Investment and the incurrence of any Debt in connection therewith) and Section 6.14, provided that nothing contained in this clause (g) shall be construed to limit Investments by the Borrower and/or its Material Subsidiaries in (1) Subsidiaries that thereby become Material Subsidiaries to the extent provided under clause (d) of this Section 6.04 or (2) Subsidiaries other than Material Subsidiaries to the extent permitted under clause (e) of this Section 6.04.
Section 6.05. Asset Sales . Neither the Borrower nor any Material Subsidiary will sell, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of any property, including any Equity Interest owned by it, except:
(a) sales transfers, leases or other dispositions of inventory (for the avoidance of doubt, including set-top boxes), obsolete, worn-out or surplus equipment and Permitted Investments in the ordinary course of business;
(b) sales, leases, transfers and other dispositions to the Borrower or a Material Subsidiary; provided that any such sales, transfers or dispositions shall comply with Section 6.09; and
(c) sales, leases, transfers and other dispositions of assets (except Equity Interests in a Subsidiary) that are not permitted by any other clause of this Section; provided that the aggregate fair market value of all assets sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of in reliance on this clause shall not exceed $50,000,000 during any Fiscal Year;
provided that all sales, transfers, leases and other dispositions permitted by clauses (b) or (c) of this Section shall be made for fair value and, in the case of clause (c) above, for at least 90% cash consideration.
Section 6.06. Sale and Leaseback Transactions . Neither the Borrower nor any Material Subsidiary will enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred, unless (i) any such sale of any asset is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the cost of such asset and is consummated within 90 days after such Cablevisión Group Company acquires or completes the construction of such asset and (ii) the aggregate consideration of all such transactions shall not exceed $15,000,000.
Section 6.07. Hedging Agreements . Neither the Borrower nor any Material Subsidiary will enter into any Hedging Agreement, except (a) Hedging Agreements required by Section 5.10 and (b) Hedging Agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business to hedge or mitigate risks to which a Cablevisión Group Company is exposed in the conduct of its business or the management of its liabilities.

 

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Section 6.08. Restricted Payments . (a) No Cablevisión Group Company will declare or make, or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so other than (i) Restricted Payments made by any Wholly Owned Subsidiary with respect to its capital stock and (ii) other Restricted Payments, provided that at the time of and after giving effect to any Restricted Payment made pursuant to this clause (ii):
(A) no Default has occurred and is continuing, and
(B) the aggregate amount expended for all Restricted Payments pursuant to this clause (ii) after the Effective Date would not exceed the aggregate amount of Consolidated Net Income, determined on a cumulative basis for the period beginning with the Fiscal Quarter of the Borrower ended September 30, 2007 and ending on the last day of the Borrower’s most recently completed Fiscal Quarter for which financial statements have been provided (or if not timely provided, required to be provided) pursuant to Section 5.01.
(b) Not later than the date of making any Restricted Payment (other than those Restricted Payments referred to in paragraph (a)(i) above), the Borrower will deliver to the Administrative Agent an officers’ certificate stating that the Restricted Payment is permitted and setting forth the basis upon which the calculations required by the covenant were calculated.
Section 6.09. Transactions with Affiliates . From and after the Effective Date, no Cablevisión Group Company will sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property from, or otherwise engage in any other transaction with, any of its Affiliates, other than another Cablevisión Group Company in the ordinary course of business, the Televisa Subordinated Debt, the Operbes Loan and receipt of capital contributions, except (a) transactions in the ordinary course of business that are at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable to such Cablevisión Group Company than could be obtained on an arm’s-length basis from unrelated third parties and (b) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.08. It is understood that, without limitation of the definition of “Affiliate”, direct or indirect holders of 10% or more of the capital stock of the Borrower on the date hereof shall be deemed to be Affiliates of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries for purposes of this Section 6.09.
Section 6.10. Restrictive Agreements . No Cablevisión Group Company will, directly or indirectly, enter into or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition on the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock or to make or repay loans or advances to the Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Debt of the Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to (i) restrictions and conditions imposed by law or by any Loan Document, (ii) restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof and identified on Schedule 6.10 (but shall apply to any amendment or modification expanding the scope of any such restriction or condition), (iii) customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary pending such sale, provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iv) any restrictions and conditions contained in agreements of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof, provided that such agreements were not entered into in contemplation of such Person’s becoming a Subsidiary at the time such Person entered into by any Subsidiary of the Borrower acquired by the Borrower after the Effective Date, (v) restrictions and conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Debt permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property securing such Debt and (vi) customary provisions in leases restricting the assignment or subletting thereof.

 

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Section 6.11. Amendment of Material Documents . No Cablevisión Group Company will amend, modify or waive any of its rights under its constitutional or organizational documents (including its estatutos sociales , by-laws or other organizational documents) in a manner that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 6.12. Capital Expenditures . (a) The Borrower will not permit the aggregate amount of Capital Expenditures made by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in any Fiscal Year referred to below to exceed the amount set forth below opposite such Fiscal Year:
         
Fiscal Year   Amount  
 
       
2008
  $ 100,000,000  
2009
  $ 100,000,000  
2010
  $ 100,000,000  
2011
  $ 100,000,000  
2012
  $ 100,000,000  
(b) Any amount permitted to be expended in any Fiscal Year pursuant to clause (a) of this Section 6.12, if not so expended in the Fiscal Year for which it is permitted, (i) may be carried over for expenditure in the next succeeding Fiscal Year only and (ii) Capital Expenditures shall be deemed made, first , in respect of amounts carried over from the prior Fiscal Year pursuant to the foregoing clause (i) and, second , in respect of amounts permitted for such Fiscal Year as provided above.
Section 6.13. Interest Expense Coverage Ratio . The Borrower will not permit the ratio, determined as of the last day of any Fiscal Quarter, of (a) Consolidated EBITDA to (b) Consolidated Interest Expense, in each case for any period of four consecutive Fiscal Quarters, to be less than 2.25 to 1.00.
Section 6.14. Leverage Ratio . The Borrower will not permit the Leverage Ratio determined as of the last day of any Fiscal Quarter to exceed 4.00 to 1.00.
Section 6.15. Fiscal Year. The Borrower shall not change its fiscal year end to a date other than December 31.

 

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ARTICLE 7
Events of Default
Section 7.01. Events Of Default. If any of the following events (“ Events of Default ”) shall occur:
(a) the Borrower shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan when the same shall become due, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise;
(b) the Borrower shall fail to pay when due any interest on any Loan or any other amount (except an amount referred to in clause (a) above) payable under any Loan Document, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three Business Days;
(c) any representation, warranty or certification made by or on behalf of any Cablevisión Group Company in or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with any Loan Document or any amendment or modification thereof or waiver thereunder, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made (or deemed made);
(d) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant or agreement contained in Section 5.02, 5.03 (with respect to the existence of the Borrower) or 5.09 or in Article 6;
(e) the Borrower shall fail to observe or perform any covenant or agreement contained in any Loan Document (other than those specified in clause (a), (b) or (d) above), and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of 30 days after notice thereof from the Administrative Agent to the Borrower (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender);
(f) any Cablevisión Group Company shall fail to make a payment or payments (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of Material Debt when the same shall become due, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepayment thereof or otherwise, or within any applicable grace period;
(g) any event or condition that has not been waived or cured and results in Material Debt becoming due before its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of Material Debt or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause Material Debt to become due, or to be prepaid in full (whether by redemption, purchase, offer to purchase or otherwise), prior to its stated maturity;
(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization, concurso mercantil, quiebra, or other similar relief in respect of any Cablevisión Group Company, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect (including the Ley de Concursos Mercantiles ) or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, conciliador, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Cablevisión Group Company or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for 60 days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;
(i) any Cablevisión Group Company shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization, concurso mercantil, quiebra, or other similar relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect (including the Ley de Concursos Mercantiles ), (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Section, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, conciliador , sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Cablevisión Group Company or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any corporate action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;

 

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(j) any Cablevisión Group Company shall become unable, admit in writing its inability or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;
(k) one or more final judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount exceeding $20,000,000 shall be rendered against one or more Cablevisión Group Companies and shall remain undischarged for a period of 30 consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed;
(l) any restriction or requirement shall be imposed, promulgated or amended by any Governmental Authority on or after the date hereof that restricts, limits or prohibits the acquisition or the transfer of foreign exchange by the Borrower and that impairs or could reasonably be expected to impair the Borrower’s ability to perform its financial obligations under the Loan Documents in accordance with the terms thereof (including payment in Dollars); or any Governmental Authority shall take any action, including a moratorium, having an effect on the schedule of payments of the Borrower under any Loan Document; or the Borrower shall, voluntarily or involuntarily, participate or take any action to participate in any facility or exercise involving the rescheduling of the Borrower’s debts or the restructuring of the currency in which the Borrower may pay its obligations;
(m) any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder, ceases to be in full force and effect; or the Borrower or any other Person acting on its behalf contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document;
(n) any property or asset of the Borrower and its Material Subsidiaries shall be nationalized, expropriated, lost, subject to rescate proceedings or impaired (collectively, “impaired”; and “impairment” has a correlative meaning) by action of any Governmental Authority (including without limitation through the termination, withdrawal, seizure, revocation or amendment of any license (or licenses) or concession of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to operate their business but excluding an impairment resulting from a required divestiture in connection with an acquisition), provided that (i) the property or asset so impaired produces a loss of more than 10% of the gross revenues of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis for the four Fiscal Quarters then most recently ended and (ii) unless such impairment is not reasonably susceptible of cure, such impairment shall continue for a period of 60 days thereafter;
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) above), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower, take either or both of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, and thereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, and (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), and thereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all other payment obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall become due and payable immediately, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are waived by the Borrower; and in the case of any event with respect to the Borrower described in clause (h) or (i) above and subject to the next succeeding sentence, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding, together with accrued interest thereon and all other payment obligations of the Borrower accrued hereunder, shall automatically become due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are waived by the Borrower. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Lenders of any Event of Default pursuant to this Section 7.01.

 

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ARTICLE 8
The Administrative Agent
Section 8.01. Appointment and Authorization. Each of the Lenders hereby irrevocably appoints the Administrative Agent its agent and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.
Section 8.02. Rights and Powers as a Lender. Any bank serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent, and such bank and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to and generally engage in any kind of business with any Cablevisión Group Company or Affiliate thereof as if it were not the Administrative Agent hereunder.
Section 8.03. Limited Duties and Responsibilities . The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth in herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) the Administrative Agent shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing, (b) the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby that the Administrative Agent is required in writing to exercise by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) and (c) except as expressly set forth herein, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose or any liability for any failure to disclose, any information relating to any Cablevisión Group Company that is communicated to or obtained by the bank serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary under the circumstances as provided in Section 9.02) or in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until written notice thereof is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower or a Lender, and the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection herewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article 4 or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

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Section 8.04. Authority to Rely on Certain Writings, Statements and Advice . The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or sent by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for any Cablevisión Group Company), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
Section 8.05. Sub-Agents and Related Parties . The Administrative Agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through one or more sub-agents appointed by it and shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any such sub-agent selected by it in good faith and with due care. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all its duties and exercise its rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of the preceding Sections of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent to the same extent that they apply to the Administrative Agent, and shall apply to activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.
Section 8.06. Resignation; Successor Administrative Agent . Subject to the appointment and acceptance of a successor Administrative Agent as provided in this paragraph, the Administrative Agent may resign at any time by notifying the Lenders and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor. If no successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders, appoint a successor Administrative Agent from among the Lenders which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York. Upon acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder by a successor, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent, and the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder. Immediately thereupon, the successor Administrative Agent shall give notice of its acceptance of its appointment as Administrative Agent to the Borrower and the Lenders. The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed by the Borrower and such successor. After the Administrative Agent’s resignation hereunder, the provisions of this Article and Section 9.03 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
Section 8.07. Credit Decisions by Lenders . Each Lender acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based on this Agreement, any other Loan Document or related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

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ARTICLE 9
Miscellaneous
Section 9.01. Notices . (a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone, all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by telecopy, as follows:
(i) if to the Borrower, to it at Rio de la Loza 182, Colonia Doctores 06720, Mexico, D.F. México, Attention of Ignacio Gallardo Islas (Telecopy No. (52-55) 5761 2475), with a copy to Televisa, Vasco de Quiroga 2000, Edificio A, Piso 3, Col. Santa Fe, México, D.F., C.P. 06720, Mexico, Attention Vice President and General Counsel (Telecopy No. (52-55) 5261-2546);
(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Americas Investment Bank Loan Operations, 1111 Fannin, 10th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002, Attention of Tokunbo Tayo (Telecopy No. (713) 750-2666), with a copy to JPMorgan Chase Bank, 270 Park Avenue, New York 10017, Attention of Paul Doud (Telecopy No. (52-55) 2454-5885); and
(iii) if to any other Lender, to it at its address (or telecopy number) set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
(b) Notices and other communications to the Lenders hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article 2 unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.
(c) Any party hereto may change its address or telecopy number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower. All notices and other communications given to any party hereto in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement will be deemed to have been given on the date of receipt.

 

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(d) Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications (other than notices or communications in respect of payment of the Loans, the terms of the Loans (including interest rates) or a Default hereunder) sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement); provided that if such notice or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor.
Section 9.02. Waivers; Amendments . (a) No failure or delay by any Lender Party in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Lender Parties under the Loan Documents are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by the Borrower therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by subsection (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan shall be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether any Lender Party had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.
(b) No Loan Document or provision thereof may be waived, amended or modified except, in the case of this Agreement, by an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrower and the Required Lenders or, in the case of any other Loan Document, by an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the parties thereto with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall:
(i) increase the Commitment of any Lender without its written consent;
(ii) reduce the principal amount of any Loan or reduce the rate of interest thereon without the written consent of each Lender Party affected thereby;
(iii) postpone the maturity of any Loan or any date for the payment of any interest payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment, or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender Party affected thereby;

 

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(iv) change Section 2.14(b) or Section 2.14(c) in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby, without the written consent of each Lender;
(v) change any provision of this Section or the percentage set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to take any action thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender;
provided further that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent without its prior written consent.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Lenders having at least 75% of the Credit Exposures at such time (disregarding for this purpose any Credit Exposures held by the Borrower and any Related Parties) enter into or consent to any waiver, amendment or modification pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section, no consent of any other Lender will be required if, when such waiver, amendment or modification becomes effective, (i) the Commitment of each Lender not consenting thereto terminates and (ii) all amounts owing to it or accrued for its account hereunder are paid in full.
Section 9.03. Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver . (a) The Borrower shall pay (i) all agreed reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and the Lead Arranger, including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of Davis Polk & Wardwell, special New York counsel and Ritch Mueller, S.C., special Mexican Counsel in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein and the preparation, execution and delivery of the Loan Documents (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), provided that the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and the Lead Arranger to be paid by the Borrower pursuant to this clause (i) shall be expressly limited to the terms agreed to in the Commitment Letter, (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Lender Parties and their Affiliates, including reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent, in connection with any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions of any Loan Documents (whether or not consummated), (iii) if an Event of Default occurs, any stamp or documentary taxes that may be required to be paid upon the introduction into Mexico of any Note or other Loan Documents in connection with any collection, bankruptcy, insolvency or other enforcement proceedings resulting therefrom, and (iv) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Lender Party, including any fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Lender Party, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights in connection with the Loan Documents (including its rights under this Section), the Loans, including all such reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of the Loans.

 

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(b) The Borrower shall indemnify each of the Lender Parties and their respective Related Parties (each such Person being called an “ Indemnitee ”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities and reasonable related expenses, including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of or in connection with (i) the execution or delivery of any Loan Document or any other agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the performance by the parties to the Loan Documents of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Financing Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) any Loan or the use of the proceeds therefrom, (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property currently or formerly owned or operated by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or (iv) any claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not be available to any Indemnitee (x) to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from such Indemnitee’s gross negligence, bad faith, breach of the Loan Documents by the Indemnitee or willful misconduct or (y) with respect to any settlement entered into by any Indemnitee without the Borrower’s written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
(c) To the extent that the Borrower fails to pay any amount required to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought) of such unpaid amount; provided that the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such. For purposes hereof, a Lender’s “ pro rata share ” shall be determined based on its share of the sum of the total outstanding Loans and unused Commitments at the time.
(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, none of the parties hereto shall assert, and each hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee or other party hereto, on any theory of liability for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the Financing Transactions, any Loan or the use of the proceeds thereof.
(e) All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than 10 Business Days after written demand therefor.
Section 9.04. Successors and Assigns . (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding on and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that (i) the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by the Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (except the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby and, to the extent expressly provided herein, the Related Parties of the Lender Parties) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

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(b) Any Lender may assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of any Commitment it has at the time and any Loans at the time owing to it); provided that:
(i) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower must give prior written consent to any such assignment (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) except that a Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights and obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of (a) the Borrower if (1) such assignment or transfer is an assignment or transfer of all or any portion of a Loan to a Person that is a Lender or a Lender Affiliate or (2) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or (b) the Administrative Agent if such assignment or transfer is an assignment or transfer of all or any portion of a Loan to a Person that is a Lender or a Lender Affiliate (and if the consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent is not required, such assigning Lender shall promptly notify the Borrower and/or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, of the amount of such assignment and the identity of the assignee);
(ii) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement;
(iii) unless the Administrative Agent and the Borrower otherwise consent, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date on which the relevant Assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $3,000,000; provided that this (iii) shall not apply to an assignment to a Lender or a Lender Affiliate or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment or Loans;
(iv) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and
(v) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a completed Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower and its related parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.
Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to subsection (d) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.10, 2.11, 2.13 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection (b) shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (e) of this Section.

 

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(c) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of its offices in New York City a copy of each Assignment delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, their respective Commitments and the principal amounts of the Loans owing to each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “ Register ”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the parties hereto may treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by any party hereto at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Upon its receipt of a duly completed Assignment executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee, the assignee’s completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in subsection (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by subsection (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and record the information contained therein in the Register. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this subsection.
(e) Any Lender may, without the consent of the Borrower or any other Lender Party, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities (“ Participants ”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitments and the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the other Lender Parties shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce the Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of the Loan Documents; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. Subject to subsection (f) of this Section, each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.10, 2.11, and 2.13 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.14(c) as though it were a Lender.
(f) A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 2.10 or 2.13 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, unless the sale of the participation to such Participant is made with the Borrower’s prior written consent. A Participant that would be a Foreign Lender if it were a Lender shall not be entitled to the benefits of Section 2.13 unless the Borrower is notified of the participation sold to such Participant and such Participant agrees, for the benefit of the Borrower, to comply with Section 2.13 as though it were a Lender.

 

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(g) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that (i) no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto and (ii) no foreclosure of any such pledge or security interest shall be permitted without the consents required by this Section 9.04.
Section 9.05. Survival . All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Borrower in the Loan Documents and in certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to the Loan Documents shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that any Lender Party may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder. The provisions of Sections 2.10, 2.11, 2.13, 9.03 and Section 9.16 and Article 8 shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the Financing Transactions, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any provision hereof.
Section 9.06. Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent or the Lead Arranger constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement (i) will become effective when the Administrative Agent shall have signed this Agreement and received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto and (ii) thereafter will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by telecopy or PDF will be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
Section 9.07. Severability. To the fullest extent permitted by law, if any provision of any Loan Document is invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction then such provision shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions hereof or thereof and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.
Section 9.08. Right of Set-off . If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender and each of its Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law and upon notice to the Borrower, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held and other obligations at any time owing by such Lender or Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing hereunder and held by such Lender, irrespective of whether or not such Lender shall have made any demand hereunder and although such obligations may be unmatured. The rights of each Lender under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender may have.

 

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Section 9.09. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process . (a) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.
(b) Each of the parties hereto irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County and of the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court from any thereof (each a “ New York Court ”) and to the courts of its own corporate domicile in any action brought against such party as a defendant, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating hereto, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each party hereto irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may be heard and determined in such New York State court, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court or other court. Each party hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.
(c) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating hereto in any New York Court. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
Section 9.10. Appointment of Agent For Service of Process. (a) The Borrower hereby irrevocably designates, appoints, authorizes and empowers as its agent for service of process, CT Corporation System, at its offices currently located at 111 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10011 (the “ Process Agent ”), to accept and acknowledge for and on its behalf service of any and all process, notices or other documents that may be served in any suit, action or proceeding relating hereto in any New York Court. Such designation and appointment shall be irrevocable until all principal of and interest on the Loans and other sums payable under the Loan Documents shall have been paid in full in accordance with the provisions thereof. The Borrower covenants and agrees that it shall take any and all reasonable action, including the execution and filing of any and all documents, that may be necessary to continue the foregoing designation and appointment in full force and effect and to cause the Process Agent to continue to act in such capacity.

 

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(b) The Borrower consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding of the nature referred to in Section 9.09 by serving a copy thereof upon the Process Agent. Without prejudice to the foregoing, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent agree that, to the extent lawful and possible, written notice of said service upon the Process Agent shall also be mailed by internationally recognized overnight courier, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the Borrower at the address specified in or pursuant to Section 9.01 or to any other address of which the Borrower shall have given written notice to the Administrative Agent. If said service upon the Process Agent shall not be possible or shall otherwise be impractical after reasonable efforts to effect the same, the Borrower consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding of the nature referred to in Section 9.09 by the mailing of a copy thereof by registered or certified airmail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the address of the Borrower specified in or pursuant to Section 9.01 or to any other address of which the Borrower shall have given written notice to the Administrative Agent, which service shall be effective 14 days after deposit in the mail. The Borrower agrees that such service (i) shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Borrower in any such suit, action or proceeding and (ii) shall to the fullest extent permitted by law, be taken and held to be valid personal service upon and personal delivery to the Borrower.
(c) Nothing in this Section shall affect the right of any party hereto to serve process in any manner permitted by law, or to enforce in any lawful manner a judgment obtained in one jurisdiction in any other jurisdiction.
Section 9.11. Waiver of Immunity . To the extent that the Borrower has or hereafter may acquire any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid or execution, or otherwise) with respect to itself or its property, the Borrower hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of its obligations under the Loan Documents to the extent permitted by applicable law and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, agrees that the waivers set forth in this Section shall have effect to the fullest extent permitted under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 of the United States of America and are intended to be irrevocable for purposes of such Act.
Section 9.12. Judgment Currency . (a) If, for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder in Dollars into another currency (the " Judgment Currency ”), the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they may legally and effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase Dollars with such Judgment Currency in New York, New York, on the Business Day immediately preceding the day on which final judgment is given.
(b) The obligation of the Borrower in respect of any sum due to any Lender hereunder in Dollars shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than Dollars, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt of any sum adjudged to be so due in the Judgment Currency such Lender may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase the Dollars in the amount originally due to such Lender with the Judgment Currency. If the amount of Dollars so purchased is less than the sum originally due to such Lender, the Borrower agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Lender against the resulting loss; and if the amount of Dollars so purchased is greater than the sum originally due to such Lender, such Lender agrees to repay such excess to the Borrower.

 

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Section 9.13. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . EACH PARTY HERETO WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
Section 9.14. Use of English Language. Except as provided in Section 3.02(c), any translation of this Agreement into another language shall have no interpretive effect. All documents or notices to be delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be in the English language or, if any such document or notice is not in the English language, accompanied by an English translation thereof, and the English language version of any such document or notice shall control for purposes hereof.
Section 9.15. Headings . Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
Section 9.16. Confidentiality . Each Lender Party agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over such Lender Party, provided that such Lender Party shall, to the extent legally permissible, notify the Borrower of the request for disclosure prior to such disclosure if such Lender Party has reason to believe that such regulatory authority is not subject to its customary duty of confidentiality, (c) to the extent required by applicable laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedy hereunder or any suit, action or proceeding relating to any Loan Document or the enforcement of any right thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any actual or prospective assignee of or Participant in any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Borrower and its obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower or (h) to the extent such Information either (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to such Lender Party on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For the purposes of this Section, “ Information ” means all information received from the Borrower or any Related Parties relating to the Borrower, any of its Related Parties or their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to any Lender Party on a nonconfidential basis before disclosure by the Borrower or any of its Related Parties; provided that such information shall be deemed to have been provided on a confidential basis unless such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as “nonconfidential.” Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

58


 

EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES TO THE BORROWER THAT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BORROWER AND ITS RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS TO THE BORROWER THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING UNITED STATES FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE BORROWER OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE BORROWER, THE LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWER AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW.
Section 9.17. USA Patriot Act. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “ Act ”), hereby notifies the Borrower that, pursuant to the requirements of the Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act.
[Signature Page(s) to Follow]

 

59


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.
         
  EMPRESAS CABLEVISIÓN, S.A.B. DE C.V.,
as Borrower
 
 
  By:   /s/ Salvi Rafael Folch Viadero / Jorge Lutteroth Echegoyen  
    Name:   Salvi Rafael Folch Viadero / Jorge Lutteroth Echegoyen  
    Title:   Attorneys-in-fact  

 

 


 

         
LENDER PARTIES:

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
 
 
  By:   /s/ Anthony O. Preware  
    Name:   Anthony O. Preware  
    Title:   Vice President  
 
  JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Lender
 
 
  By:   /s/ Anthony O. Preware  
    Name:   Anthony O. Preware  
    Title:   Vice President  

 

 


 

         
Schedule 2.01
Commitment Schedule
         
Name of Lender   Total  
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
  $ 225,000,000  
 
       
 
     
Total
  $ 225,000,000  

 

 


 

Schedule 3.05

Existing Real Properties

 

1


 

Schedule 3.05

Land owner: Tecnicable, S.A. de C.V.

         
    Location   Public Deed Description
1.
  Dr. Rio de Ia Loza 182, Col. Doctores, Delegación Cuauhtemoc, Mexico, D.F., C.P. 06720.   Public deed number 33,486, dated December 6, 1994, granted before Lic. Luis Antonio Montes de Oca Mayagoitia, Notary Public number 29 in México, Distrito Federal.
 
       
2
  Dr. Rio de la Loza 190, Col. Doctores, Delegación Cuauhtemoc, Mexico, D.F., C.P. 06720.   Public deed number 30,470, dated December 6,1994, granted before Lic. Luis Antonio Montes de Oca Mayagoitia, Notary Public number 29 in México, Distrito Federal.
 
       
3.
  Lago Chiem 77, Col. San Juanico Pensil, Delegación Miguel Hidalgo, México, D.F., C.P. 11440.   Public deed number 57,077 dated August 21, 2003, granted before Lic. Rafael Manuel Oliveros Lara, Notary Public number. 45 in México Distrito Federal.
 
       
4.
  Hacienda Zotoluca 455, Col. Hacienda Echegaray, Naucalpan, Estado de México.   Public deed number 34,035 dated October 2, 2003, granted before Lic. Pedro Porcayo Vergara, Notary Public number. 93 in México, Distrito Federal.
 
       
5.
  Capulhuac 58, Col. Cumbria, Cuautitlan lzcalli, Estado de México.   Public deed number 32,907 dated March 12, 2004, granted before Lic. Juan Castañeda Salinas, Notary Public number 93 in the State of México.
 
       
6.
  Federico T. de Ia Chica, Edificio 6, Ciudad Satólite, Naucalpan, Estado de México.   Public deed number 58,002 dated May 20, 2004, granted before Lic. Rafael Manuel Oliveros Lara, Notary Public number 45 in México Distrito Federal.
 
       
7.
  Poniente 150 No. 991, Fraccionamiento A, Lote 12, Manzana 1-A, Col. Industrial Vallejo, Delegación Azcapotzalco, México, D.F., C.P. 02300.   Public deed number 15,716 dated May 12, 2006, granted before Lic. Manuel Enrique Oliveros Lara, Notary Public number 100 in Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal.
 
       
8.
  Concepcion Beistegui No. 312, Col. Del Valle, Delegación Benito Juarez, México, D.F., C.P. 03100.   Public deed number 105,010 dated November 29, 2006, granted before Lic. Gerardo Correa Etchegaray, Notary Public number 89 in México, Distrito Federal.
 
       
9.
  Emiliano Zapata #22, Col. Santa Anita, lztacalco, Estado de México, C.P. 08300.   Public deed number 16,327 dated March 21, 2007, granted before Lic. Manuel Enrique Oliveros Lara, Notary Public number 100 in México, Distrito Federal.

 

2


 

         
         
        Schedule 3.06

Disclosed Matters

 

3


 

Schedule 3.06

The following issues are still pending to be resolved. It is important to mention that the following pending resolutions, even if their outcome is negative, will not result in a Material Adverse Effect against any Cablevisión Group Company pursuant to the Loan Documents.

1. Center of Arbitration Mexico.

Empresas Cablevision, S.A. de C.V.,  

Vs.
 

Grupo Integral de Television por Cable, S.A. de C.V., Tele Cabe Centro Occidente, S.A. de C.V.,
Telecable del Oriente, S.A. de C.V., Bestcable, S.A. de C.V., y Metrovision del Centro, S.A. de C.V.

Arbitral Trial.
Negative Resolution.

2. Fourth District Court on Civil Matters.

Empresas Cablevision, S.A. de C.V.,  

vs.
 

Grupo Integral de Television por Cable, S.A. de C.V., Tele Cabe Centro Occidente, S.A. de C.V.,
Telecable del Oriente, S.A, de C.V., Bestcable, S.A. de C.V., y Metrovision del Centro, S.A. de C.V.

Nullity Incident to the Arbitration Declaration
Expediente No. 128/2007.

 

4


 

Schedule 3.12

List of Subsidiaries

 

5


 

EMPRESAS CABLEVISION, S.A.B. DE C.V.
Subsidiaries and Associate
as of September 30, 2007
     
Name of Company   Country of Incorporation
Milar, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Argos Comunicacion, S.A. de CV, (*)
  Mexico
Cablestar, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Cablevision, S.A. de C.V
  Mexico
Tercera Mirada. S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Grupo Mexicano de Cable, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Integravision de Occidente, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
La Casa de la Risa, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Servicios Cablevision, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Tecnicable, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Telestar del Pacifico, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Letseb, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Operbes, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico

( * ) Associate
( 1 ) Entity with no current operations.

 

7


 

Schedule 6.01

Existing Debt

 

8


 

     
Cablestar Bridge Loan    
Borrower  
  Cablestar
Lender  
  Videoserpel
3M Libor on 10-12-7  
  5.1325 %
Applicable Margin (bps)  
  50.4 over Libor 3M
Total Interest Rate  
  5.6363 %
Tenor  
  3.0 months
Effective Date  
  Martes-11/12/2007
Maturity  
  Martes-11/03/2008
Amount  
  325.0 millions of dollars
Guarantors  
  Empresas Cablevision, Cablemas y TVI according to the following table
                         
    Amount   Spread   Percentage of Guaranty
Cablevision
    225       50       69 %
Cablemas
    50       50       15 %
TVI
    50       52.5       15 %

 

9


 

     
Borrower  
  Cablevision
Lender  
  Grupo Televisa
3M Libor on 10-12-7  
  4.4175 %
Applicable Margin (bps)  
  50.4 over Libor 12M
Total Interest Rate  
  4.9213 %
Tenor  
  12.0 months
Effective Date  
  Jueves-20/12/2007
Maturity  
  Viernes-19/12/2008
Amount  
  8,000,000 dollars
Moratory Interest  
  LIBOR + 250
 
   
Borrower  
  Operbes
Lender  
  Cablevision
3M Libor on 10-12-7  
  4.4175 %
Applicable Margin (bps)  
  50.4 over Libor 12M
Total Interest Rate  
  4.9213 %
Tenor  
  12.0 months
Effective Date  
  Jueves-20/12/2007
Maturity  
  Viernes-19/12/2008
Amount  
  8,000,000 dollars
Moratory Interest  
  LIBOR + 250

10


 

     
Borrower
  Operbes
Lender  
  Grupo Televisa
3M Libor on 10-12-7  
  5.1325 %
Applicable Margin (bps)  
  50.4 over Libor 3M
Total Interest Rate  
  5.6363 %
Tenor  
  3.0 months
Effective Date  
  Jueves-13/12/2007
Maturity  
  Jueves-13/03/2008
Amount  
  38,082,685.0 dollars

 

11


 

Schedule 6.02

Existing Liens

 

12


 

Schedule 6.02

There are no liens or limitations upon any property or right of the Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries, that could affect the compliance of its obligations under the Loan Agreement.

 

13


 

Schedule 6.10

Existing Restrictions

 

14


 

Schedule 6.10

There are no restrictions for any Cablevision Group Company to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any shares of its capital stock or to make or repay loans, that could affect the compliance of its obligations pursuant to the Loan Agreement.

15


 

EXHIBIT A
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
This Assignment and Assumption (the “ Assignment and Assumption ”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [ Insert name of Assignor ] (the “ Assignor ”) and [ Insert name of Assignee ] (the “ Assignee ”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as may be further amended from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.
For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below (i) all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and any other right of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as the “ Assigned Interest ”). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.
             
1.
  Assignor:        
 
     
 
   
2.
  Assignee:        
 
           
        [is an Eligible Assignee][and is an Affiliate of [ identify Lender ]] 1
 
           
3.
  Borrower:   Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V.
 
           
4.   Administrative Agent:   JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
 
           
5.   Credit Agreement:   The Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2007 among Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V., the Lenders parties thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent.
 
     
1   Select if and as applicable

 

 


 

6.   Assigned Interest:
                 
Aggregate Amount of   Amount of Loans     Percentage Assigned of  
Loans for all Lenders   Assigned     Loans 2  
$
  $         %  
$
  $         %  
$
  $         %  
Effective Date:                       _____, 20 _____ [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]
The Assignee agrees to deliver to the Administrative Agent a completed Administrative Questionnaire in which the Assignee designates one or more Credit Contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Borrower, the Obligors and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the Assignee’s compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.
The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:
         
  ASSIGNOR

[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
 
 
  By:      
    Title:   
       
  ASSIGNEE

[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
 
 
  By:      
    Title:   
 
     
2   Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

 

 


 

         
Consented to and Accepted:    
 
       
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
   
 
       
By
       
 
 
 
Title:
   
 
       
Consented to:    
 
       
EMPRESAS CABLEVISIÓN, S.A.B. DE C.V.,
as Borrower
   
 
       
By
       
 
 
 
Title:
   

 

 


 

ANNEX 1
Credit Agreement
dated as of December 19, 2007
Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V.
STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
1. Representations and Warranties .
1.1 Assignor . The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.
1.2. Assignee . The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Credit Agreement that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender, (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it has received and/or had the opportunity to review a copy of the Credit Agreement to the extent it has in its sole discretion deemed necessary, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has in its sole discretion deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent or any other Lender, and (v) if it is a Foreign Lender or a Lender which is not a resident of Mexico, attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

 

 


 

2.  Payments . From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.
3.  General Provisions . This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

 


 

EXHIBIT B-1
OPINION OF SPECIAL NEW YORK COUNSEL
TO THE BORROWER

 

 


 

Writer’s Direct Dial: (212) 225-2590
E-Mail: apodolsky@cgsh.com
December [ ], 2007
To each of the Lenders and the Agent referred to below
c/o JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent
270 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special United States counsel to Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V., a limited liability stock corporation (sociedad anónima bursatil de capital variable) organized under the laws of the United Mexican States (the “Borrower”), in connection with the $225,000,000 Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2007 (hereinafter referred to as the “Credit Agreement”) among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto (the “Lenders”), and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent. This opinion letter is furnished to you pursuant to Section 4.01(b)(i) of the Credit Agreement.
Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein as defined therein.
In arriving at the opinions expressed below, we have reviewed the following documents:
  (a)   an executed copy of the Credit Agreement; and
 
  (b)   an executed copy of the promissory note dated as of the Drawdown Date and delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 4.01(o) of the Credit Agreement (the “Note” and, together with the Credit Agreement, the “Opinion Documents”).

 

 


 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
As Administrative Agent, et al.
December [ ], 2007
p. 2
In addition, we have reviewed such certificates of representatives of the Borrower, and we have made such investigations of law, as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinions expressed below.
In rendering the opinions expressed below, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. In addition, we have assumed and have not verified the accuracy as to factual matters of each document we have reviewed (including, without limitation, the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Borrower in the Opinion Documents).
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the further assumptions and qualifications set forth below, it is our opinion that:
1. The Credit Agreement has been duly executed and delivered under the law of the State of New York by the Borrower and is a valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance with its terms.
2. The Note has been duly executed and delivered under the law of the State of New York by the Borrower and is a valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable in accordance with its terms.
3. The execution and delivery by the Borrower of each of the Opinion Documents do not, and the performance by the Borrower of its obligations under each of the Opinion Documents will not, (a) require any consent, approval or authorization of, registration, qualification or filing with, or notice to, any governmental authority of the United States of America or the State of New York that in our experience normally would be applicable to general business entities with respect to such execution, delivery or performance, or (b) result in a violation of any United States federal or New York State law or published rule or regulation that in our experience normally would be applicable to general business entities with respect to such execution, delivery or performance.
4. The Borrower is not required to be registered as an “investment company” under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
5. The making of the Loans and the use of proceeds thereof as contemplated by the Credit Agreement do not violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Board”).
In rendering the opinions set forth above, we express no opinion with respect to:
(i) the Spanish text of the Note or whether the terms of the Credit Agreement or of the Note will control in the event of a conflict between one or more provisions of such documents;

 

 


 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
As Administrative Agent, et al.
December [ ], 2007
p. 3
(ii) the effect of the proviso to the governing law provision contained in the Note on the validity or effectiveness of the choice of New York law contained in the Note or any other provision of the Note;
(iii) the provisions of the Opinion Documents providing for the submission by the Borrower to the jurisdiction of any court other than the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in New York County or the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York; or
(iv) the validity, binding effect or enforceability of any provision in the Opinion Documents that purports to (a) provide indemnification of any person to the extent such provision covers or could be construed to cover losses or claims under U.S. federal or state securities laws or to the extent inconsistent with public policy or (b) render conclusive any determination or calculation made by a party to any Opinion Document.
Insofar as the foregoing opinions relate to the validity, binding effect or enforceability of any agreement or obligation of the Borrower, (a) we have assumed that each party to such agreement or obligation has satisfied those legal requirements that are applicable to it to the extent necessary to make such agreement or obligation enforceable against it (except that no such assumption is made as to the Borrower regarding matters of the federal law of the United States of America or the law of the State of New York that in our experience normally would be applicable to general business entities with respect to such agreement or obligation) and (b) such opinions are subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general principles of equity.
The opinions set forth above are subject to the following qualifications:
(a) In rendering the opinion in paragraph 3 above, we have assumed that the Borrower is not subject to any New York State laws and regulations other than those laws and regulations generally applicable to general business entities doing business in the State of New York.
(b) In rendering the opinion in paragraph 5 above, we have assumed that none of the Lenders is a “creditor” within the meaning of Regulation T of the Board or a “foreign branch of a broker-dealer” within the meaning of Regulation X of the Board.
(c) We express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of the law of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York wherein any Lender may be located or wherein enforcement of the Credit Agreement or of the Note may be sought that limits the rates of interest legally chargeable or collectible.
(d) We have assumed that any assignments made by or among the Lenders of their rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement will not contravene New York Judiciary Law Section 489 (which makes it a criminal offense to take an assignment of a debt obligation with the intent of and for the purpose of bringing an action or proceeding thereon).

 

 


 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
As Administrative Agent, et al.
December [ ], 2007
p. 4
(e) We express no opinion with respect to the enforceability of the restriction on assignment of the Borrower’s rights contained in Section 9.04(a)(i) of the Credit Agreement, to the extent Part 4 of Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of New York is applicable thereto.
(f) We express no opinion as to the enforceability of Section 9.12(b) of the Credit Agreement relating to currency indemnity.
(g) Except as set forth in paragraphs 4 and 5 above, we express no opinion as to any United States federal or state securities laws.
(h) With respect to the submission in any Opinion Document to the jurisdiction of a United States federal court sitting in the State of New York, we express no opinion as to the subject matter jurisdiction of any such court to adjudicate any action relating to the Opinion Document where jurisdiction based on diversity of citizenship under 28 U.S.C. § 1332 does not exist.
(i) The enforceability of the waiver of immunities by the Borrower set forth in Section 9.11 of the Credit Agreement is subject to the limitations imposed by the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976.
(j) The enforceability of the obligations of the Borrower under the Opinion Documents is also subject to judicial application of foreign laws or foreign governmental actions affecting creditors’ rights.
The foregoing opinions are limited to the federal law of the United States of America and the law of the State of New York, but we express no opinion as to any regulations or laws specific to the telecommunications industry or to the provision of cable or internet services.
We are furnishing this opinion letter to you, as a Lender, and in the case of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, solely for your benefit in your capacity as such in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Credit Agreement. This opinion letter is not to be relied on by or furnished to any other person or used, circulated, quoted or otherwise referred to for any other purpose. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a copy of this opinion may be furnished to, and relied upon by, any transferee of a Lender’s rights and obligations under the Credit Agreement properly transferred in accordance with the Credit Agreement, and any such transferee may show this opinion to any governmental authority pursuant to requirements of applicable law or regulations. The opinions expressed herein are rendered on and as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to advise you or any such transferee or governmental authority or any other person, or to make any investigations, as to any legal developments or factual matters arising subsequent to the date hereof that might affect the opinions expressed herein.

 

 


 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
As Administrative Agent, et al.
December [ ], 2007
p. 5
         
    Very truly yours,
 
       
    CLEARY GOTTLIEB STEEN & HAMILTON LLP
 
       
 
       
 
  By    
 
       
 
      Andrea G. Podolsky, a Partner

 

 


 

EXHIBIT B-2
OPINION OF SPECIAL MEXICAN COUNSEL
TO THE BORROWER

 

 


 

Final Form
December 19, 2007
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Lenders under the Credit Agreement
1111 Fannin Street
10 th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as Mexican counsel to Empresas Cablevision, S.A.B. de C.V. (the “Company” or the “Borrower”), a Mexican limited liability public stock corporation with variable capital (sociedad an6nima bursatil de capital variable) in connection with the preparation, execution and delivery of the Credit Agreement dated December 19, 2007 among the Company, the Persons listed in Schedule 2.01 thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. as Sole Bookruner and Lead Arranger (the “Credit Agreement”). This opinion is furnished to you, at your request, pursuant to Section 4.01(b)(ii) of the Credit Agreement.
All capitalized terms used herein that are defined in the Credit Agreement, have the meanings assigned to such terms therein, unless otherwise defined herein. All assumptions and statements of reliance herein have been made without any independent investigation or verification on our part, except to the extent otherwise expressly stated, and we express no opinion with respect to the subject matter or accuracy of such assumptions or items relied upon.
In rendering the opinions expressed below, we have examined originals, or copies identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents:
  (i)   the Credit Agreement;
 
  (ii)   the Notes;

 

 


 

  (iii)   copies of the deed of incorporation (escritura constitutiva) and of the current by-laws (estatutos sociales) of the
Borrower;
 
  (iv)   copies of the deed of incorporation (escritura constitutiva) and of the current by-laws (estatutos sociales) of each of the Guarantors;
 
  (v)   copy of public deed No. [ ], dated [ ], granted before Mr. [ ], notary public No. [ ] of Mexico, Federal District, evidencing the powers of attorney granted to [ ], to execute each of the Loan Documents on behalf of the Borrower;
 
  (vi)   the public deed which contains the special power of attorney granted by the Borrower in favor of the Process Agent pursuant to the Credit Agreement (the “Power of Attorney of Process Agent”).
We have further examined originals or copies of all such other corporate records, certificates of public officials, corporate resolutions, certificates and other documents, as we have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed. However, we have made no independent investigation in any public registry.
In rendering the opinions expressed below, we have assumed without any independent investigation or verification of any kind, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity with authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. As to questions of fact material to the opinions hereinafter expressed, we have, when relevant facts were not independently established by us, relied upon the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Borrower set forth in the Loan Documents and we have also relied upon originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of all such corporate records of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and certificates and oral or written statements of public officials, officers and representatives of the Borrower and such other persons, and assume compliance on the part of all parties to the Loan Documents with their covenants and agreements contained therein. We have further assumed that:

 

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(a) the Credit Agreement has been duly authorized by, has been duly executed and delivered by, and constitutes legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations of, all of the parties to such documents (other than the Borrower;
(b) the validity, binding effect and enforceability of the Loan Documents under the laws of the State of New York, United States of America, and all other applicable laws and regulations (other than Mexican laws and regulations); and
(c) that all of the parties to the Credit Agreement (other than the Borrower are duly organized and validly existing and have the power and authority (corporate or other) under all applicable laws, rules, regulations and their constitutive documents to execute, deliver and perform their respective obligations under the Credit Agreement and that all corporate and governmental authorizations required under applicable law, other than Mexican law, have been obtained and are in full force and effect.
Based on the foregoing and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Borrower (i) is a sociedad anónima bursatil de capital variable, duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the United Mexican States, and (ii) has the corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations arising under each Loan Document and has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by it of each Loan Document.
2. The Borrower has duly executed and delivered each Loan Document, and assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Lenders and the Administrative Agent, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against it in accordance with its respective terms, except to the extent that the enforceability thereof may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, concurso mercantil, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws generally affecting creditors’ rights.
3. Neither the execution, delivery or performance by the Borrower of each of the Loan Documents nor compliance by it with the terms and provisions thereof (i) contravenes any provisions of any existing applicable Mexican law, statute, rule or regulation, (ii) violates any provision of the bylaws (estatutos sociales) of the Borrower, or (iii) contravenes the terms of any concession, authorization or license or any judgment of any Mexican governmental body or agency or court having jurisdiction over the Borrower or its respective properties or assets, or any agreement or instrument known to us to which the Borrower is a party or under which it is bound.

 

3


 

4. No authorization or approval by, and no notice to or filing with, any Mexican governmental, judicial or legislative authority, or approval from any shareholder or third party, is required for the execution or performance by the Borrower of each of the Loan Documents or for the validity or enforceability thereof, except for those which have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect on the date hereof.
5. The Notes, when duly executed, issued and delivered on the Effective Date in accordance with the Credit Agreement, will constitute legal, valid and enforceable obligations of the Borrower, that qualify each as a pagaré under Mexican law, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with their terms. The Notes may be enforced against the Borrower in Mexico pursuant to executory proceedings (juicio ejecutivo mercantil) or ordinary proceedings (juicio ordinario mercantil).
6. The choice of the laws of the State of New York, United States of America, in the Credit Agreement and in the Notes, under which each of them is stated to be governed by such laws is a valid and binding choice of law that will be observed and be given effect by the courts of Mexico.
7. None of the Borrower’s properties or assets in the United Mexican States is entitled to immunity from suit, execution, attachment or other legal process in the United Mexican States or in connection with any procedure initiated in the courts of the United Mexican States.
8. Any judgment rendered in a New York court, arising out of or in relation to the obligations of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement and the Notes, may be enforced by Mexican courts, provided that:
(a) such judgment is obtained in compliance with legal requirements of the jurisdiction of the court rendering such judgment and in compliance with legal requirements and terms set forth in the Credit Agreement or the Notes, as applicable;

 

4


 

(b) such judgment is strictly for the payment of a certain sum of money and has been rendered in an in personam action as opposed to an in rem action;
(c) process was served personally on the Borrower or on the process agent;
(d) such judgment does not contravene Mexican law, Mexican public policy, international treaties or agreements binding upon Mexico or general accepted principles of international law;
(e) the applicable procedure under the laws of Mexico with respect to the enforcement of foreign judgments (including, but not limited to, the issuance of a letter rogatory by the competent authority of such jurisdiction requesting enforcement of such judgments as being final and the certification of such judgments as authentic by the corresponding authorities of such jurisdiction in accordance with the laws thereof) is complied with;
(f) such judgment is final in the jurisdiction in which it was obtained;
(g) the action in respect of which such judgment was rendered is not the subject matter of a lawsuit among the same parties pending before a Mexican court;
(h) the judgment and related documents are translated into Spanish by an expert duly authorized for their admissibility before the Mexican courts before which enforcement is requested, being such translation subject to approval by the Mexican court after the defendant has been given an opportunity to be heard with respect to the accuracy of the translation, and such proceedings would thereafter be based upon the translated documents, and
(i) any such foreign court would enforce final judgments rendered by the federal or state courts of Mexico as a matter of reciprocity.
9. To the best of our knowledge, there is no pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator, involving the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries or its or their respective property which, if determined adversely to the Borrower, or to any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate, have or be reasonably expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5


 

10. The Borrower has duly appointed CT Corporation System as its authorized agent for service of process, such appointment is legal, valid and binding under Mexican law, and such process agent will be entitled to receive process on behalf of the Borrower [and each of the Guarantors.
11. The payment obligations of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement and the Notes, will rank, at all times, at least pari passu in priority of payment with all other present and future unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Borrower from time to time outstanding.
12. There is no tax, deduction or withholding imposed by the United Mexican States, on or by virtue of (i) the execution and delivery of each of the Loan Documents, or (ii) any payments to be made to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders under any of the Loan Documents by the Borrower, except for payments to the Administrative Agent or to Lenders that are non-resident of Mexico for tax purposes, of interest or payments that are deemed to be interest for Mexican tax purposes, which are subject to the payment of withholding taxes.
13. None of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent or the Lead Arranger is required to be licensed or qualified to carry on business in the United Mexican States, or subject to taxation as a resident of Mexico for tax purposes, solely by virtue of the execution, delivery or enforcement of any of the Loan Documents.
14. To ensure the legality, enforceability or admissibility in evidence of any of the Loan Documents, it is not necessary that any of such documents be filed or recorded with any court or governmental authority of the United Mexican States or that any Loan Document be notarized, provided that an official Spanish translation of the Credit Agreement or any related document is required to bring an action thereon in the courts of Mexico.
The foregoing opinions are subject to the following qualifications:

 

6


 

(a) The enforceability of the obligations of the Borrower under the Loan Documents are subject to applicable tax, labor, concurso mercantil, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally.
(b) In the event that legal proceedings are brought in the courts of Mexico with respect to the Credit Agreement, a Spanish translation of such document will be required to be prepared by a court-authorized translator and approved by the court after the defendant has been given an opportunity to be heard with respect to the accuracy of the translation, and proceedings would thereafter be based upon the translated documents.
(c) In any proceeding brought before the courts of Mexico for the enforcement of the Credit Agreement, or with respect to any judgment related thereto obtained in a foreign jurisdiction against the Borrower, a Mexican court would apply Mexican procedural law in such proceedings.
(d) Mexican law does not permit the collection of interest-oninterest and, consequently, any relevant provisions of the Loan Documents relating to the payment of interest-on-interest may not be enforced in Mexico.
(e) We note that since service of process by mail does not constitute personal service of process under Mexican Law and since service of process is considered to be a basic procedural requirement under the laws of Mexico, if for the purposes of a legal proceeding outside Mexico service of process is made by mail or in any manner that does not constitute personal service or does not guarantee due process of law or otherwise prevents the Borrower, as the case may be, from exercising its rights as defendant to be heard and to controvert the facts which bear on the question of law in the matter involved, then a final judgment rendered in connection with such legal proceeding may not be enforced by the courts of Mexico.
(f) In case of any suit brought before Mexican courts, said courts should apply Mexican law on statute of limitations and expiration (prescripción) notwithstanding the fact that the parties to the Credit Agreement have selected other laws to govern such documents. We express no opinion as to the enforceability of a foreign judgment deriving from an action instituted once the Mexican statute of limitation periods have elapsed.

 

7


 

(g) Covenants and other agreements to perform an act other than payment of money and covenants and other agreements not to perform an act may not be specifically enforceable in Mexico, although any breach thereof may give rise to acceleration of the Credit Agreement and an action for monetary damages.
(h) Under the laws of Mexico, labor claims, claims of tax authorities for unpaid taxes, social security quotas, workers’ housing fund quotas and retirement fund quotas may have priority over claims of Lenders.
(i) We express no opinion concerning the validity, binding nature and enforceability of the provisions set forth in Section 9.12 of the Credit Agreement since we consider that if a judgment is issued in Mexican currency and becomes final, no separate action in connection with such judgment may arise in order to discharge or satisfy such judgment in U.S. dollars or increase the amount of such judgment in connection with the exchange of Mexican currency for U.S. dollars or any other currency.
(j) In the event that proceedings are brought in Mexico seeking performance of the Borrower’s obligations in Mexico, pursuant to Article 8 of the Mexican Monetary Law (“Ley Monetaria de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos”), the Borrower may discharge its obligations by paying any sums due in currency other than Mexican currency, in Mexican currency at the rate of exchange published in the Official Gazette of the Federation by the Central Bank the date when payment is made.
(k) Under the laws of Mexico, covenants of the Borrower that purport to bind it on matters reserved by law to shareholders or that purport to bind shareholders to vote or refrain from voting their shares, are not enforceable through specific performance, but may result in the acceleration of amounts due under the Credit Agreement.
(l) We note that, to the extent unenforceable under New York law, the law that governs the Credit Agreement, the indemnity provisions contained therein may be unenforceable under Mexican law.
(m) Provisions of the Loan Documents granting discretionary authority to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders cannot be exercised in a manner inconsistent with relevant facts nor defeat any requirement from a competent authority to produce satisfactory evidence as to the basis of any determination. In addition, under the laws of Mexico, the Borrower, will have the right to contest in court any notice or certificate of the Administrative Agent of the Lenders purporting to be conclusive and binding.

 

8


 

(n) We note that in case of insolvency or bankruptcy proceeding (concurso mercantil) affecting the Borrower, any unsecured obligations of any of the parties to the Loan Documents subject to any such proceedings payable in currency other than pesos, will be converted first into pesos and then into unidades de inversion (UDIS) on the date the declaration of insolvency or bankruptcy (concurso mercantil) is made.
We express no opinion as to any laws other than the laws Mexico and we have assumed that there is nothing in any other law that affects our opinion, which is delivered based upon Mexican law applicable as of the date hereof. In particular, we have made no independent investigation of the laws of the State of New York and of the laws of the United States of America or any jurisdiction thereof as a basis for the opinions stated herein and do not express or imply any opinion on or based on the criteria or standards provided for in such laws. We express no opinion as to rights, obligations or other matters (including change of law or circumstances) arising subsequent to the date hereof.
We are furnishing this opinion to you solely for your benefit, in connection with the transactions contemplated under the Loan Documents. This opinion letter is not to be used, circulated, reproduced, quoted or otherwise referred to or relied upon by anyone else or for any other purpose without our prior written consent.
Sincerely,
 
 
Mijares, Angoitia, Cortês y Fuentes, S.C.

 

9


 

EXHIBIT B-3
OPINION OF SPECIAL NEW YORK COUNSEL
TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

2


 

December [ ], 2007
To the Lenders and the Administrative Agent
     referred to below
c/o JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,
     as Administrative Agent
Americas Investment Bank Loan Operations
1111 Fannin, 10 th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have participated in the preparation of the Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) dated as of December [ ], 2007 among Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United Mexican States (the “Borrower”), the lenders listed therein (the “Lenders”) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent (the “Administrative Agent”) and have acted as special counsel for the Administrative Agent for the purpose of rendering this opinion pursuant to Section 4.01(c)(i) of the Credit Agreement. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein as therein defined.
We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments and have conducted such other investigations of fact and law as we have deemed necessary or advisable for purposes of this opinion.
Upon the basis of the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth below, we are of the opinion that the Credit Agreement constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Borrower enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, including without limitation laws regarding fraudulent conveyance or transfer, by possible judicial action giving effect to governmental actions or foreign laws affecting creditors’ rights and by general principles of equity.

 

 


 

In giving the foregoing opinion, we have assumed, without independent investigation, that (i) the Borrower has been duly incorporated and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and of each other jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or the ownership of its property makes such qualification necessary, (ii) the Borrower has full power and authority to execute, deliver and perform the Credit Agreement, (iii) the execution, delivery and performance of the Credit Agreement by the Borrower have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of the Borrower, (iv) the Credit Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Borrower, (v) the execution, delivery and performance of the Credit Agreement by the Borrower do not require any action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official, and do not and will not violate or constitute a default under any provision of applicable law or regulation, the memorandum or articles of association or any other organizational document of the Borrower, or any contract, undertaking, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument to which the Borrower is a party or by which it is bound and (vi) the Credit Agreement constitutes a valid and binding agreement of all parties thereto (other than the Borrower), enforceable against such parties in accordance with its terms. In addition, we express no opinion as to the effect (if any) of any law of any jurisdiction (except the State of New York) in which any Lender is located which limits the rate of interest that such Lender may charge or collect. We express no opinion as to provisions in the Credit Agreement which subject the Borrower to any claim for deficiency resulting from a judgment being rendered in a currency other than the currency called for in the Credit Agreement, and we express no opinion as to (i) whether a New York State or United States federal court would render or enforce a judgment in a currency other than U.S. Dollars or (2) the exchange rate that such a court would use in rendering a judgment in U.S. Dollars in respect of an obligation in any other currency. We express no opinion as to the subject matter jurisdiction of the Federal courts of the United States over any action between two parties neither of which is a “citizen” of any state for purposes of 28 U.S.C. Section 1332. We note that the selection of U.S. federal courts sitting in New York City contained in Section 9.09 of the Credit Agreement as the venue for actions for proceedings relating to the Credit Agreement is subject to the power of such courts to transfer actions pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Section 1404(a).
We are members of the Bar of the State of New York and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the federal laws of the United States of America. In particular, we do not purport to be experts on the laws of the United Mexican States and to the extent that such laws are relevant to the opinions set forth herein, we understand that you will receive opinions from Mijares, Angoitia, Cortes y Fuentes, S.C., special Mexican counsel to the Borrower, and Ritch Mueller, S.C., special Mexican counsel to the Administrative Agent.

 

2


 

This opinion is rendered solely to you in connection with the above matter. This opinion may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose or relied upon by or any other person without our prior written consent.
Very truly yours,

 

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EXHIBIT B-4
OPINION OF SPECIAL MEXICAN COUNSEL
TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

 


 

December __, 2007
To the Lenders and the Administrative Agent
     Party to the Credit Agreement referred to below
c/o JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
270 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10017
United States of America
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Mexican counsel to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent (the “Administrative Agent”), and to the Lenders specified therein, in connection with the preparation and execution of the Credit Agreement dated as of December  _____  , 2007 (the “Credit Agreement”), entered into among Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V. (the “Borrower”), the Administrative Agent and the Lenders therein specified. This opinion is delivered to you pursuant to Section 4.01(c) (ii) of the Credit Agreement. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein as therein defined.
In rendering the opinion expressed below, we have examined copies of the following documents:
(a) the Credit Agreement;
(b) forms of the Notes;
(c) the estatutos sociales of the Borrower;
(d) the powers-of-attorney granted to the attorneys-in-fact acting for the Borrower, in connection with the execution of the Credit Agreement and the Notes;
(e) such other documents and instruments, and such Mexican laws, rules or regulations, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion expressed below.

 

 


 

We have assumed, without any independent investigation or verification of any kind, (i) the due authorization and execution by all parties thereto (other than the Borrower) of the Credit Agreement, and the power and authority of each such party (other than the Borrower), under all applicable laws, rules, regulations and their constitutive documents, to enter into, execute and perform their respective obligations under the Credit Agreement, (ii) that each of the aforementioned powers-of-attorney granted by the Borrower has been duly registered with the relevant Registro Público de Comercio, (iii) that all approvals (other than approvals required under the laws of Mexico, which are addressed in this opinion) necessary for the validity and enforceability of the Credit Agreement and the Notes, have been obtained and are in full force and effect, (iv) the effectiveness, validity, binding effect and enforceability of the Credit Agreement and the Notes under the laws of the State of New York and of the United States of America, (v) the genuineness of all signatures and the authenticity of the Credit Agreement, the Notes and all opinions, documents, instruments and papers submitted to us, (vi) that copies of all opinions, documents, instruments and papers submitted to us are complete and conform to the originals thereof, and (vii) that the documents submitted to us have not been amended or modified after the date thereof in a manner that could reasonably affect the opinion hereinafter expressed. As to questions of fact material to the opinion hereinafter expressed, we have, when relevant facts were not independently established by us, relied upon originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of all such corporate records of the Borrower, and such other instruments, representations and certificates of public officials, officers and representatives of the Borrower and such other persons, and we have made such investigations of law, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinion expressed below. We have made no independent investigation in any public registry.
Based upon the foregoing and subject to the qualifications specified below, we are of the opinion that:
(1) The Borrower is a sociedad anónima de capital variable, duly organized and validly existing under the laws of Mexico.
(2) The execution and performance by the Borrower of the Credit Agreement and the Notes, are within the Borrower’s powers, have been authorized by all corporate action, and the Credit Agreement and the Notes do not contravene any applicable Mexican Federal law, rule or regulation or the estatutos sociales of the Borrower.
(3) The Credit Agreement and the Notes have been duly executed by the Borrower, and the Notes constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against the Borrower in accordance with their terms.
(4) No authorization or approval by, and no notice to or filing with, any Mexican governmental authority is required for the execution and performance by the Borrower, of the Credit Agreement and the Notes, as the case may be, or for the validity or enforceability thereof.
(5) The payment obligations of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement and the Notes, rank at least pari passu in priority of payment, with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Borrower.
(6) There is no tax, deduction or withholding imposed by Mexico either (i) on or by virtue of the execution of the Credit Agreement and the Notes by the Borrower, or (ii) on any payment to be made by the Borrower pursuant to the Credit Agreement or the Notes, except for a withholding tax on payments of interest, commissions and fees made by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent or any Lender that is not a resident of Mexico for tax purposes, imposed under the Ley del Impuesto Sobre la Renta (the Mexican Income Tax Law).

 

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(7) The choice of New York law as the governing law of the Credit Agreement and the Notes is a valid choice of law.
(8) The submission by the Borrower to the jurisdiction of any court of the United States of America located in New York or of the courts of the State of New York, United States of America, contained in the Credit Agreement and the Notes, is a valid submission to jurisdiction.
(9) Any judgment obtained against the Borrower in any of the courts specified in the Credit Agreement or the Notes, as the case may be, arising out of or in relation to the obligations of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement or the Notes, as the case may be, would be enforceable in Mexico against the Borrower pursuant to Article 1347A of the Commerce Code (COdigo de Comercio), which provides, inter alia, that any judgment rendered outside Mexico may be enforced by Mexican courts, provided that:
(a) such judgment is obtained in compliance with legal requirements of the jurisdiction of the court rendering such judgment and in compliance with all legal requirements of the Credit Agreement or the Notes, as the case may be;
(b) such judgment is strictly for the payment of a certain sum of money, based on an in personam (as opposed to an in rem) action;
(c) service of process was made personally on the Borrower or on the appropriate process agent;
(d) such judgment does not contravene Mexican law, public policy of Mexico, international treaties or agreements binding upon Mexico or generally accepted principles of international law;
(e) the applicable procedure under the laws of Mexico with respect to the enforcement of foreign judgments (including issuance of a letter rogatory by the competent authority of such jurisdiction requesting enforcement of such judgment and the certification of such judgment as authentic by the corresponding authorities of such jurisdiction in accordance with the laws thereof) is complied with;
(f) such judgment is final in the jurisdiction where obtained;
(g) the courts of such jurisdiction recognize the principles of reciprocity in connection with the enforcement of Mexican judgments in such jurisdiction; and
(h) the action in respect of which judgment is rendered is not the subject matter of a lawsuit among the same parties pending before a Mexican court.

 

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(10) The Notes qualify as negotiable instruments (titulos de credito) under Mexican law and may be enforced through executory proceedings (accidn ejecutiva mercantil).
The foregoing opinion is subject to the following qualifications:
(a) enforcement of the Credit Agreement and the Notes may be limited by bankruptcy, concurso mercantil, quiebra, insolvency, liquidation, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws of general application relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally;
(b) in any proceedings brought in the courts of Mexico for the enforcement of the Credit Agreement or the Notes against the Borrower, a Mexican court would apply Mexican procedural law;
(c) in the event that proceedings are brought in Mexico, seeking performance of the obligations of the Borrower in Mexico, pursuant to the Ley Monetaria de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (the Mexican Monetary Law), the Borrower may discharge its obligations by paying any sum due in a currency other than Mexican currency, in Mexican currency at the rate of exchange prevailing in Mexico on the date when payment is made;
(d) provisions of the Credit Agreement or the Notes granting discretionary authority to the Administrative Agent or any Lender cannot be exercised in a manner inconsistent with relevant facts nor defeat any requirement from a competent authority to produce satisfactory evidence as to the basis of any determination; in addition, under Mexican law, the Borrower Will have the right to contest in court any notice or certificate of the Administrative Agent or any Lender purporting to be conclusive and binding;
(e) in the event that any legal proceedings are brought to the courts of Mexico, a Spanish translation of the documents required in such proceedings prepared by a court-approved translator, would have to be approved by the court after the defendant had been given an opportunity to be heard with respect to the accuracy of the translation, and proceedings would thereafter be based upon the translated documents;
(f) in any bankruptcy proceeding initiated in Mexico pursuant to the laws of Mexico, labor claims, claims of tax authorities for unpaid taxes, Social Security quota, Workers’ Housing Fund quota and Retirement Fund quota will have priority over claims of the Administrative Agent or any Lender;
(g) with respect to provisions contained in the Credit Agreement and the Notes in connection with service of process, it should be noted that service of process by mail does not constitute personal service of process under Mexican law and, since such service is considered to be a basic procedural requirement, if for purposes of proceedings outside Mexico service of process is made by mail, a final judgment based on such process would not be enforced by the courts of Mexico;
(h) covenants of the Borrower which purport to bind any of them on matters reserved by law to shareholders, or which purport to bind shareholders to vote or refrain from voting shares issued by any company owned by them, are not enforceable through specific performance, but may result in an acceleration of amounts payable under the Credit Agreement;

 

25


 

(i) Mexican law does not permit the collection of interest-on-interest and, consequently, relevant provisions of the Credit Agreement and the Notes may not be enforceable in Mexico.
We are qualified to practice law in Mexico. We express no opinion as to any laws other than the laws of Mexico in effect on the date hereof or as to any matters not expressly covered herein. We express no opinion as to rights, obligations or other matters (including change of law or other circumstances) arising subsequent to the date hereof. We assume no responsibility to advise you of any change to our opinion subsequent to the date hereof.
This opinion is addressed to you solely for your benefit and it is not to be transmitted to anyone else nor is it to be relied upon by anyone else or for any other purpose or quoted or referred to in any public document or filed with anyone without our express consent.
         
 
  Very truly yours,
 
       
 
  Ritch Mueller, S.C.
 
       
 
  By    
 
       
 
      Luis A. Nicolau, a partner

 

26


 

EXHIBIT C
FORM OF NOTE

 

 


 

EXHIBIT C
FORM OF NOTE
NO NEGOCIABLE
NON-NEGOTIABLE
PAGARE
PROMISSORY NOTE
     
U.S.$225,000,000.00 D II s.
  E.U.A.$225,000,000.00 D I s.
 
   
For value received, the undersigned, Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V., by this Promissory Note unconditionally promises to pay to J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (the “Bank”), the principal sum of U.S.$225,000,000.00 (TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 00/100), payable on December _, 2012 (the “Maturity Date”). If the Maturity Date is not a Business Day (as defined below), then payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day.
  Por valor recibido, la suscrita, Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V., por este Pagarê promete incondicionalmente pagar a J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (el “Banco”), la suma principal de E.U.A.$225,000,000.00 (DOSCIENTOS VEINTICINCO MILLONES DE DOLARES DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMERICA 00/100), pagadera el dia     de diciembre de 2012 (la “Fecha de Vencimiento”). Si la Fecha de Vencimiento no fuere un Dia Habil (como se define a continuaci6n), entonces el pago se hara el siguiente Dia Habil.
 
   
The undersigned also promises to pay interest on the outstanding and unpaid principal amount of this Promissory Note, for each day during each Interest Period (as defined below), from the date hereof until the amount hereof shall have been paid in full, at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Applicable Margin (as defined below) for such day plus the Adjusted LIBO Rate (as defined below) applicable to such Interest Period. Interest shall be payable in arrears, on each Interest Payment Date (as defined below).
  La suscrita promete, asi mismo, pagar intereses sobre el saldo insoluto de la suma de principal de este Pagaró, por cada dia respecto de cada Periodo de Intereses (como se define a continuacion), desde la fecha del presente hasta que hubiere pagado totalmente el saldo insoluto, a una tasa anual igual al Margen Aplicable (como se define a continuaci6n) para el dia de que se trate mas la Tasa LIBO (como se define a continuacion) aplicable a dicho Period() de Intereses. Los intereses seran pagaderos en forma vencida, en cada Fecha de Pago de Intereses (como se define a continuaci6n).
 
   
Any principal amount and (to the extent permitted by applicable law) interest not paid when due under this Promissory Note, shall bear interest for each day until paid, at a rate per annum equal to the sum of 2.00% plus the interest rate then applicable hereunder as provided in the preceding paragraph.
  Cualquier monto de principal y (en la medida permitida por legislacion aplicable) de intereses que no sea pagada cuando sea debida conforme a este Pagaró, devengara intereses por cada dia hasta que sea pagado, a una tasa anual igual a la suma de 2.00% mas la tasa de interes aplicable conforme al parrafo anterior.
 
   
Interest hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days, and in each case shall be payable for the actual number of days elapsed in the relevant period (including the first day but excluding the last day).
  Los intereses conforme al presente seran calculados sobre la base de un alio de 360 dias, y en cada caso seran pagaderos por el namero de dias transcurridos en el periodo de que se trate (incluyendo el primer dia, pero excluyendo el Ultimo dia).
 
   
For purposes of this Promissory Note, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
  Para efectos de este Pagare, los siguientes tórminos tendran los siguientes significados:
 
   
“Administrative Agent” means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
  “Aqente Administrativo” significa JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
 
   
“Adjusted LIBO Rate” means an interest rate per annum (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) equal to (a) the LIBO Rate for such Interest Period multiplied by (b) the Statutory Reserve Adjustment.
  “Tasa LIBO Aiustada” significa la tasa de interas anual (redondeada hacia arriba, de ser necesario, al siguiente 1/16 del 1%) igual a (a) la Tasa LIBO respecto de dicho Periodo de Intereses multiplicada por (b) la Reserva Legal Ajustada.
 
   
“Applicable Margin” means 0.400 % per annum.
  “Margen Aplicable” significa 0.400 % anual.
 
   
“Business Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in Mexico City, Mexico, or New York City, United States of America, are authorized or required by law to close, and any day on which commercial banks are not open for international business in London, England, including dealings in United States dollar deposits in the London interbank market.
  “Dia Habil” significa cualquier dia excepto por sabado, domingo o cualquier otro dia en el que los bancos comerciales en la ciudad de Mexico, Mexico, o de Nueva York, Estados Unidos de America, estan autorizados o sean requeridos por ley para cerrar, y cualquier otro dia en que los bancos comerciales no est& abiertos para Ilevar a cabo operaciones internacionales en Londres, Inglaterra, incluyendo operaciones respecto de depositos en dolares de los Estados Unidos en el mercado interbancario de Londres.
 
   
“Interest Payment Date” means the last day of each Interest Period.
  “Fecha de Pago de Intereses” significa el Ultimo dia de cada Periodo de Intereses.

 

 


 

     
“Interest Period” means (i) in the case of the first Interest Period, the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on                      and (ii) for each subsequent Interest Period, the period commencing on the last date of the Interest Period then ending and ending on the numerically corresponding day of the  _____  calendar month thereafter; provided that (x) if any Interest Period would end on a day which is not a Business Day, such Interest Period shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such next succeeding Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day, (y) any Interest Period that commences on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the last calendar month of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the last calendar month of such Interest Period, and (z) any Interest Period that would otherwise end after the Maturity Date, shall instead end on the Maturity Date.
  “Periodo de Intereses” significa (i) en el caso del primer Periodo de Intereses, el periodo que inicie en la fecha del presente y que termine el de  _____  de  _____, y (ii) en el caso de cada Periodo de Intereses siguiente, el periodo que inicie el ultimo dia del Periodo de Intereses anterior y que termine en el dia numOricamente correspondiente del  _____  mes calendario siguiente; en el entendido que (x) si cualquier Periodo de Intereses terminaria en una fecha que no sea un Dia Habil, tal Periodo de Intereses se extenders al siguiente Dia Habil salvo que tal Dia Habil siguiente tuviere lugar en otro mes calendario, caso en el cual tal Periodo de Intereses terminara en el Dia Habil anterior, (y) cualquier Period() de Intereses que inicie en el Ultimo Dia Habil de un mes calendario (o en un dia en que no hays dia numóricamente correspondiente en el Ultimo mes calendario de tal Periodo de Intereses) terminara el ultimo Dia Habil del Ultimo mes calendario de tal Periodo de Intereses, y (z) cualquier Periodo de Intereses que terminaria despuas de la Fecha de Vencimiento, terminara en la Fecha de Vencimiento.
 
   
“LIBO Rate” means, for any Interest Period, the rate per annum equal to the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate ( “BBA LIBOR”) from Telerate Successor Page 3750, as published by Reuters (or, if such source is unavailable, other commercially available source providing quotations of BBA LIBOR as designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time to the undersigned) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, [three] Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, as the rate (rounded upwards, if necessary, to the next 1/16 of 1%) for deposits in United States dollars with a maturity comparable to such Interest Period. If such rate is not available at such time for any reason, then the “LIBO Rate” for such Interest Period shall be the rate at which United States dollar deposits of $5,000,000 and for a maturity comparable to such Interest Period are offered by the principal London office of the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, [three] Business Days before the beginning of such Interest Period.
  “Tasa LIBO” significa, respecto de cualquier Periodo de Intereses, la tasa anual igual a la Tasa LIBOR de la Asociacion de Banqueros Britanicos ( “LIBOR BBA”) que aparezca en la Pagina Sucesora Telerate 3750, que publique Reuters (o si dicha fuente no esta disponible, cualquier otra fuente comercialmente disponible que divulgue cotizaciones de la LIBOR BBA segim lo determine periodicamente el Agente Administrativo a la suscrita), aproximadamente a las 11:00 a.m., hora de Londres, [tres] Dias Habiles antes del inicio de tal Periodo de Intereses, como la tasa (redondeada hacia arriba, de ser necesario, al siguiente 1/16 del 1%) para depositos en dolares de los Estados Unidos con vencimiento comparable a tal Periodo de Intereses. En el caso que tal tasa no estuviere disponible en ese momento por cualquier causa, entonces la “Tasa LIBO” pars tal Periodo de Intereses sera el la tasa a la que depOsitos en dOlares de los Estados Unidos, por una suma de principal de EUA$5,000,000 y con una fecha de vencimiento comparable a dicho Periodo de Intereses, sean ofrecidos por la oficina principal en Londres del Agente Administrativo, en fondos inmediatamente disponibles, en el mercado interbancario de Londres, aproximadamente a las 11:00 a.m., hora de Londres, [tres] Dias Habiles antes del inicio de tal Periodo de Intereses.
 
   
“Other Taxes” means any and all documentary taxes and any other excise or property taxes, or similar charges or levies, including any penalties, fines or interest arising therefrom or with respect thereto imposed by Mexico, and which arise from any payment made by the undersigned under this Promissory Note or from the enforcement of, or otherwise with respect to, this Promissory Note (including any of the foregoing that are imposed or that arise in the future).
  “Otros Impuestos” significa cualesquiera impuestos del timbre o documentales y cualquier otra contribucion o impuesto sobre la propiedad, o cargas o aportaciones gubernamentales, incluyendo recargos, multas e intereses que resulten de los anteriores o relacionados con los mismos, que sean impuestos por Mexico, y que resulten de cualquier pago hecho por la suscrita conforme a este Pagaréo de la ejecucion de, o con respecto a, este Pagara (incluyendo cualquiera de los anteriores que sean impuestos o existan en el futuro).
 
   
“Statutory Reserve Adjustment” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States of America (the “Federal Reserve Board”) to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Federal Reserve Board). Such reserve percentages will include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. The Statutory Reserve Adjustment will be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any applicable reserve percentage.
  “Reserva Legal Aiustada” significa la fracci6n (expresada en decimales), el numerador de la cual es el numero uno y el denominador de la cual es el niimero uno menos el total de los porcentajes maximos de reserva (incluyendo cualesquiera reserves marginales, especiales, de emergencia o complementarias) expresada como un decimal serialada por la Junta de Gobierno del Sistema de la Reserva Federal de los Estados Unidos de America (la “Reserva Federal”) a la que el Agente Administrativo esta sujeto con respecto de pasivos en euromonedas (referidas en esta fecha como “Pasivos en Euromonedas” en la Regla D de la Reserva Federal. Tales porcentajes de reserva incluirân los que se impongan de acuerdo a la Regla D. La Reserva Legal Ajustada sera ajustada autornaticamente precisamente en la fecha de eficacia de cualquier modificacion a cualquier porcentaje de reserva aplicable.

 

2


 

     
“Taxes” means any and all taxes, duties, levies, imposts, contributions, deductions, charges or withholdings, of any nature, imposed by Mexico (or any political subdivision thereof, or taxing authority therein), and any penalties, fines or interest thereon, excluding, in the case of the holder hereof, taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, charges and withholdings imposed on (or measured by) its net income, and branch profits, franchise or taxes imposed on it (other than Other Taxes due to a connection between such holder and Mexico other than the holding of this Promissory Note).
  “Impuestos" significa cualesquiera impuestos, derechos, aportaciones, contribuciones, deducciones, cargas o retenciones, de cualquier naturaleza, determinadas por Mexico (o cualquier division politica de Mexico o autoridad fiscal mexicana), y cualesquiera recargos, multas e intereses que resulten de los anteriores, excluyendo, respecto del tenedor del presente, impuestos, derechos, aportaciones, contribuciones, deducciones, cargas o retenciones impuestas respecto de (o determinadas considerando) sus ingresos netos, y cualquier impuesto a sucursales, de franquicias y otros impuestos determinados tenedor (excepto por Otros Impuestos resultantes de que exista un punto de contacto entre el tenedor y Mexico distinto de la tenencia de este Pagare).
 
   
All payments by the undersigned of principal, interest and other payments hereunder shall be made without setoff or counterclaim not later than 12:00 (noon), New York City time, on the date due, in immediately available funds, at the office of the Administrative Agent located at JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Americas Investment Bank Loan Operations, 1111 Fannin, 10th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002. The undersigned agrees to pay all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the holder hereof, including any fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for such holder, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights under this Promissory Note.
  Todos los pagos que deban hacerse conforme a este Pagaré por la suscrita, de principal, intereses y por otros conceptos seran efectuados sin compensacion o defensa, antes de las 12:00 p.m., hora de la ciudad de Nueva York, en la fecha en que sean pagaderos, en fondos disponibles inmediatamente, en la oficina del Agente Administrativo localizada en JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Americas Investment Bank Loan Operations, 1111 Fannin, 10th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002. La suscrita conviene en pagar todos los costos y gastos razonables en que incurra el tenedor del presente, incluyendo honorarios, gastos y desembolsos del representante legal de dicho tenedor, respecto de la ejecucion y proteccion de sus intereses conforme al presente Pagaré.
 
   
Any and all payments by the undersigned to or for the account of the holder hereof shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes or Other Taxes; provided that, if the undersigned shall be required by law, rule or regulation to deduct or withhold any Taxes or Other Taxes from any such payments, then (i) the sum payable by the undersigned to the holder hereof shall be increased as necessary so that after making all required deductions and withholdings (including deductions and withholding applicable to additional sums payable hereunder), the holder hereof receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received, had no deductions or withholdings been made, (ii) the undersigned shall make such deductions or withholdings, and (iii) the undersigned shall pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law.
  Todos los pagos por parte de la suscrita a favor y para beneficio del tenedor del presente se realizaran libres de y sin deduccion o retencion alguna respecto de cualesquiera Impuestos u Otros Impuestos; en el entendido que, si la suscrita estuviere obligada, por ley, reglamento o regla a deducir o retener cualesquiera Impuestos u Otros Impuestos de dichos pagos, entonces (i) la cantidad pagadera por la suscrita al tenedor del presente Pagaré se incrementarâ en la medida necesaria para que, una vez que todas las deducciones o retenciones requeridas (incluyendo las deducciones o retenciones aplicables a las cantidades adicionales pagaderas conforme al presente) hayan sido realizadas, el tenedor del presente Pagaré reciba una cantidad igual a la cantidad que hubiere recibido, si no se hubieren realizado dichas deducciones o retenciones, (ii) la suscrita realizara dichas deducciones o retenciones, y (Hi) la suscrita pagara la cantidad total deducida o retenida a la autoridad fiscal o cualquier otra autoridad correspondiente de conformidad con la legislacion aplicable.
 
   
This Promissory Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, United States of America; provided, however that if any action or proceedings in connection with this Promissory Note were brought to any courts in the United Mexican States, this Promissory Note shall be deemed as governed under the laws of the United Mexican States.
  Este Pagaré se regira e interpretara de acuerdo con las leyes del Estado de Nueva York, Estados Unidos de America; en el entendido, sin embargo de que si cualquier accion o procedimiento en relacion con este Pagaré se iniciara en los tribunales de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, este Pagaré se considerará regido de acuerdo con las leyes de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos.
 
   
Any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Promissory Note may be brought before the Supreme Court of the State of New York, sitting in New York County, State of New York, United States of America, and the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, State of New York, United States of America, and any appellate court from any thereof, or in the courts located in the City of Mexico, Federal District, United Mexican States; the undersigned waives the jurisdiction of any other courts.
  Cualquier accion o procedimiento legal que derive o se relacione con este Pagaré podra ser instituido ante la Suprema Corte del Estado de Nueva Cork, con asiento en el Condado de Nueva York, Estado de Nueva York, Estados Unidos de America, y en el Tribunal de Distrito de los Estados Unidos para Distrito Sur de Nueva York, Estado de Nueva York, Estados Unidos de America, y cualquier tribunal de apelacion respecto de los anteriores, o cualquier tribunal localizado en la ciudad de Mexico, Distrito Federal, Estados Unidos Mexicanos, renunciando la suscrita a la jurisdiccion de cualesquiera otros tribunales.
 
   
The undersigned hereby waives diligence, demand, protest, presentment, notice of dishonor or any other notice or demand whatsoever in respect of this Promissory Note.
  La suscrita en este acto renuncia a diligencia, demanda, protesto, presentacion, notificacion de no aceptacion y a cualquier notificacion o demanda de cualquier naturaleza respecto de este Pagarg.

 

3


 

     
This Promissory Note is executed in both English and Spanish versions. In the case of any conflict or doubt as to the proper construction of this Promissory Note, the English version shall govern. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action or proceeding brought in any court in the United Mexican States, the Spanish version shall be controlling.
  El presente Pagaré se suscribe en versiones en ingles y espanol. En caso de conflicto o duda en relacion con la debida interpretación de este Pagaré, la version en ingles prevalecerá. No obstante lo anterior, cualquier procedimiento iniciado en los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, prevalecerá la version en espanol.
 
   
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed this Promissory Note as of the date mentioned below.
  EN VIRTUD DE LO CUAL, la suscrita ha firmado este Pagare en la fecha abajo mencionada.
Mexico, Distrito Federal, Estados Unidos Mexicanos, a     de diciembre de 2007.
Mexico, Federal District, United Mexican States, December_, 2007.
         
 
  Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V.    
 
       
Por/By
       
 
 
 
Nombre/Name::
Cargo/Title:
   

 

 


 

EXHIBIT D
FORM OF BORROWING REQUEST
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,
     as Administrative Agent
Attention of Tokunbo Tayo
Americas Investment Bank Loan Operations
1111 Fannin, 10th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
This notice shall constitute a “ Borrowing Request ” pursuant to Section 2.02 of the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2007 among Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V., the Lenders parties thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the Credit Agreement.
  1.   The date of the Borrowing shall be                      , 2007.
 
  2.   The aggregate amount of the Borrowing shall be $                      .
 
  3.   The duration of the initial Interest Period for the Loans comprising this Borrowing shall be                      .
         
  EMPRESAS CABLEVISIóN, S.A.B. DE C.V.
 
 
  By:      
    Name:      
 
  Date:      

 

 


 

         
EXHIBIT E
NOTICE OF INTEREST PERIOD ELECTION 3
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,
     as Administrative Agent
Attention of Tokunbo Tayo
Americas Investment Bank Loan Operations
1111 Fannin, 10th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
This notice shall constitute a “ Notice of Interest Period Election ” pursuant to Section 2.06 of the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2007 among Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V., the Lenders parties thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “ Credit Agreement ”). Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the Credit Agreement.
  1.   The date on which the continuation selected is to be effective is                      , 20_____.
 
  2.   The duration of the new Interest Period for the Loans shall be                      . 4
         
  EMPRESAS CABLEVISIóN, S.A.B. DE C.V.
 
 
  By:      
    Name:      
    Title:      
 
Date: __________________, ____
 
     
3   Deliver to the Administrative Agent not later than 12:00 Noon (New York City time) on the third Business Day before such election is to be effective.
 
4   Insert appropriate Interest Period pursuant to the definition thereof.

 

 


 

EXHIBIT F
TERMS OF SUBORDINATION
The Subordinate Debt shall, to the extent hereinafter set forth, be subordinate to the Senior Debt.
(a) Unless and until the Senior Debt shall have been paid in full and all commitments to extend Senior Debt shall have terminated, neither the Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries shall make, and the Subordinated Lender shall not demand, accept or receive, or attempt to collect or commence any legal proceedings to collect, any direct or indirect payment (in cash or property or by setoff, exercise of contractual or statutory rights or otherwise) of or on account of the Subordinated Debt (including any payment in respect of redemption or purchase or other acquisition of the Subordinated Debt) or any interest thereon.
(b) Unless and until the Senior Debt shall have been paid in full and all commitments to extend Senior Debt shall have terminated, the Subordinated Lender will not commence or maintain any action, suit or any other legal or equitable proceeding against the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or join with any creditor in any such proceeding, under any insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar law, unless the Senior Debt Holders shall also join in bringing such proceeding; provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit the Subordinated Lender from filing a proof of claim or otherwise participating in any such proceeding not commenced by it (subject to subsection (l) below).
(c) In the event of any Bankruptcy Proceeding relative to the Borrower or to substantially all of the property of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, then:
(i) the Senior Debt Holders shall first be entitled to receive payment in full of the Senior Debt before the Subordinated Lender is entitled to receive any payment on account or in respect of Subordinated Debt; and
(ii) any payment or distribution of assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities to which the Subordinated Lender would be entitled in respect of the Subordinated Debt, but for the provisions of these terms of subordination, shall be paid or distributed by the liquidating trustee or agent or other person making such payment or distribution, whether a trustee in bankruptcy, a receiver or liquidating trustee or other trustee or agent, directly to the Senior Debt Representative on behalf of and for the benefit of the Senior Debt Holders to the extent necessary to make payment in full of all amounts of Senior Debt remaining unpaid, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the Senior Debt Holders.

 

 


 

(d) Should any payment or distribution or security or the proceeds of any thereof be collected or received by the Subordinated Lender in respect of the Subordinated Debt, at a time when the payment thereof by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is prohibited by these terms of subordination, the Subordinated Lender will forthwith deliver the same to the Senior Debt Representative on behalf of the Senior Debt Holders for the equal and ratable benefit of the Senior Debt Holders in precisely the form received (except for the endorsement or the assignment of or by the Subordinated Lender where necessary) for application to payment of the Senior Debt in accordance with the Credit Agreement, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to the Senior Debt Holders and, until so delivered, the same shall be held in trust by the Subordinated Lender as the property of the Senior Debt Holders.
(e) The Subordinated Lender shall not be subrogated to the rights of the Senior Debt Holders to receive payments or distributions of assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries until all amounts payable with respect to the Senior Debt shall be paid in full; and, for the purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the Senior Debt Holders of any cash, property or securities with respect to the Subordinated Debt to which the Subordinated Lender would be entitled except for these provisions shall, as among the Borrower, its Subsidiaries, their respective creditors other than the Senior Debt Holders, and the Subordinated Lender, be deemed to be a payment by the Borrower to or on account of the Senior Debt. These terms of subordination are and are intended solely for the purpose of defining the relative rights of the Subordinated Lender, on the one hand, and the Senior Debt Holders, on the other hand with respect to the Subordinated Debt.
(f) Subject to the payment in full of the Senior Debt, the Subordinated Lender shall be subrogated to the rights of the Senior Debt Holders to receive payments or distributions of cash, property or securities of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries applicable to the Senior Debt until all amounts owing on the Subordinated Debt shall be paid in full. For purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the Subordinated Lender of cash, property, securities or other assets by virtue of the subrogation herein provided which otherwise would have been made to the Senior Debt Holders shall, as between the Borrower, its Subsidiaries, their respective creditors other than the Senior Debt Holders and the Subordinated Lender, be deemed to be a payment to or on account of the Subordinated Debt. The Subordinated Lender agrees that, in the event that all or any part of any payment made on account of the Senior Debt is recovered from the Senior Debt Holders as a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, any payment or distribution received by the Subordinated Lender on account of the Subordinated Debt at any time after the date of the payment so recovered, whether pursuant to the right of subrogation provided for in these terms of subordination or otherwise, shall be deemed to have been received by the Subordinated Lender in trust as the property of the Senior Debt Holders and the Subordinated Lender shall forthwith deliver the same to the Senior Debt Representative and any other representative on behalf of the Senior Debt Holders for the equal and ratable benefit of the Senior Debt Holders for application to payment of the Senior Debt in full.

 

 


 

(g) The Subordinated Lender hereby waives any and all notice in respect of the Senior Debt, present or future, and agrees and consents that without notice to or assent by the Subordinated Lender:
(i) the obligation and liabilities of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any other party or parties for or upon the Senior Debt (or any promissory note, security document or guaranty evidencing or securing the same) may, from time to time, in whole or in part, be renewed, extended, modified, amended, restated, accelerated, compromised, supplemented, terminated, sold, exchanged, waived or released in accordance with the Loan Documents;
(ii) the Senior Debt Representative and the Senior Debt Holders may exercise or refrain from exercising any right, remedy or power granted by or in connection with any agreements relating to the Senior Debt in connection with the Loan Documents; and
(iii) any balance or balances of funds with any Senior Debt Holders at any time standing to the credit of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may, from time to time, in whole or in part, be surrendered or released;
all as the Senior Debt Representative or the Senior Debt Holders may deem advisable and all without impairing, abridging, diminishing, releasing or affecting the subordination of the Subordinated Debt to the Senior Debt provided for herein.
(h) Nothing contained in these terms of subordination is intended to or shall impair, as between the Borrower, its Subsidiaries, their respective creditors other than the Senior Debt Holders, and the Subordinated Lender, the obligation of the Borrower and/or its Subsidiaries, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay to the Subordinated Lender the principal of, premium, if any, and interest and other amounts due on the Subordinated Debt, as and when the same shall become due and payable (subject to the subordination provisions in these terms of subordination for the benefit of the Senior Debt Holders) in accordance with its terms, or is intended to or shall affect the relative rights of the Subordinated Lender and other creditors of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries other than the Senior Debt Holders.
(i) The Subordinated Lender acknowledges and agrees that the Senior Debt Holders have relied upon and will continue to rely upon the subordination provided for herein in entering into the Loan Documents and in extending credit to the Borrower pursuant thereto.
(j) No present or future Senior Debt Holder shall be prejudiced in its right to enforce the subordination contained herein in accordance with the terms hereof by any act or failure to act on the part of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or the Subordinated Lender. The subordination provisions contained herein are for the benefit of the Senior Debt Holders from time to time and, so long as the Senior Debt is outstanding, may not be rescinded, cancelled or modified in any way without the prior written consent thereto of all Senior Debt Holders.
(k) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these subordination provisions, upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in any Bankruptcy Proceeding, the Subordinated Lender shall be entitled to rely upon any final order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which any such proceedings are pending for the purpose of ascertaining the persons entitled to participate in such payment or distribution, the Senior Debt Holders and other debt of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, the amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto.

 

 


 

(l) The Subordinated Lender hereby irrevocably authorizes the Senior Debt Representative, to the extent permitted by law and so long as the Senior Debt remains outstanding, (i) to file on the Subordinated Lender’s behalf proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims with respect to the Subordinated Debt allowed in any Bankruptcy Proceeding and (ii) to authorize or consent to, or accept or adopt on behalf of the Subordinated Lender, any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Subordinated Debt or the rights of the Subordinated Lender with respect thereto, or otherwise vote the claim or claims in respect of the Subordinated Debt in any Bankruptcy Proceeding. The Senior Debt Representative is further entitled and empowered to the extent permitted by law and so long as Senior Debt remains outstanding to collect, receive and distribute any money, securities or other property payable or deliverable upon conversion or exchange of the Subordinated Debt or upon any such claims. Any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by the Subordinated Lender to make such payments to the Senior Debt Representative and, if the Senior Debt Representative consents to the making of such payments directly to the Senior Debt Holders, to pay to the Senior Debt Representative any amount due to it under the Loan Documents.
(m) These Terms of Subordination shall be binding upon any holder of Subordinated Debt and upon the successors and assigns of the Subordinated Lender; and all references herein to the Subordinated Lender shall be deemed to include any successor or successors, whether immediate or remote, to the Subordinated Lender.
(n) Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries may (i) pay any fees, costs and expenses due to the Subordinated Lender and (ii) if the Subordinated Lender (at its discretion) agrees, pay any of the Subordinated Debt, in each case by means of an issuance of equity interests (other than indebtedness) of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
Definitions :
Bankruptcy Proceeding ” means any proceeding, whether voluntary or involuntary, with respect to the Borrower or its debts or assets under any insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, including for the winding up or dissolution of the Borrower, and including any such proceeding involving the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for the foregoing.
Borrower ” means Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V.
Credit Agreement ” means the Credit Agreement dated as of December 19, 2007 between the Borrower, the lenders parties thereto and the Senior Debt Representative.

 

 


 

Loan Documents ” means the Credit Agreement and any promissory note delivered in connection therewith.
Senior Debt ” means all principal, interest, fees, expenses, and other amounts payable to the Lenders parties to the Credit Agreement under the Credit Agreement on or in respect of loans under the Credit Agreement.
Senior Debt Holders ” means any holder or holders of Senior Debt, together with their respective successors and permitted assigns.
Senior Debt Representative ” means the Administrative Agent, as defined in the Credit Agreement, including its successors in such capacity.
Subordinated Debt ” means the payment obligations being subordinated to the Senior Debt.
Subordinated Lender ” means Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. and/or its Affiliates, as applicable.
subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other entity of which voting stock representing more than 50% of the total voting power of the outstanding voting stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person and/or one or more other subsidiaries of such Person.
Subsidiary ” means any subsidiary of the Borrower.

 

 

Exhibit 8.1
GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.
Subsidiaries, Consolidated Variable Interest Entities, Joint Ventures and Associates
as of December 31, 2007
         
Name of Company   Country of Incorporation  
Corporativo Vasco de Quiroga, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Audiomaster 3000, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Cable TV Internacional, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Television Internacional, S.A. de C.V. and subdidiaries (*)
  Mexico
Controladora Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A. de C.V. and subsidiaries (*)
  Mexico
Corporatel, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Dibujos Animados Mexicanos Diamex, S.A. (*)
  Mexico
Editorial Clio Libros y Videos, S.A. de C.V. and subsidiary (*)
  Mexico
En Vivo Espectáculos, S. de R.L. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Eventicket, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Fútbol del Distrito Federal, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Grupo Comunicación y Esfuerzo Comercial, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Impulsora del Deportivo Necaxa, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Marcas y Desarrollos, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Más Fondos, S.A. de C.V. (*)
  Mexico
Operadora Dos Mil, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Productora Contadero, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Promarca y Cía., S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Promo-Certamen, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Quiroga TV, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
TV Santa Fe, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
San Angel TV, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Tarabu, Inc.
  United States of America
Televisa EMI Music, S.A. de C.V. (*)
  Mexico
 
       
CVQ Espectáculos, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Club de Fútbol América, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Real San Luis F.C., S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Teatro de los Insurgentes, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisa en Vivo, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Videocine, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Coyoacán Films, S.A. de C.V. (*)
  Mexico
 
       
DTH Europa, S.A.
  Spain
 
       
Editora Factum, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Desarrollo Vista Hermosa, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Digital TV, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Empresas Cablevisión, S.A.B. de C.V.
  Mexico
Milar, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Argos Comunicación, S.A. de C.V. (*)
  Mexico
Cablestar, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Bestel USA, Inc.
  United States of America
Letseb, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Bestphone, S.A. de C.V
  Mexico
Operbes, S.A. de C.V
  Mexico
Cablevisión, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Tercera Mirada, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Grupo Mexicano de Cable, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Integravisión de Occidente, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
La Casa de la Risa, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Servicios Cablevisión, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Tecnicable, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Telestar del Pacífico, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Galavisión DTH, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
DTH México, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Mednet, S.A. de C.V. (*)
  Mexico
Rasca Lana Instantáneos, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico


 

GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.
Subsidiaries, Consolidated Variable Interest Entities, Joint Ventures and Associates
as of December 31, 2007
         
Name of Company   Country of Incorporation  
Editorial Televisa, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Editorial GyJ Televisa, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Editorial Motorpress Televisa, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Editorial Televisa Argentina, S.A.
  Argentina
Editorial Televisa Chile, S.A.
  Chile
Editorial Televisa Colombia, S.A.
  Colombia
Editorial Televisa Colombia Cultural, S.A.
  Colombia
Editorial C&P Limitada
  Colombia
Editorial Televisa International, S.A.
  Mexico
ET Publishing International, Inc.
  United States of America
Editorial Televisa Perú, S.A.
  Peru
Editorial Televisa Puerto Rico, Inc.
  Puerto Rico
Editorial Televisa Venezuela, S.A.
  Venezuela
Nuevas Inversiones, S.A.
  Argentina
Inversora de Medios, S.A.
  Argentina
Holding de Comunicaciones, S.A.
  Argentina
Editorial Atlántida, S.A.
  Argentina
Atlántida Chile, S.A.
  Chile
Atlántida Digital, S.A.
  Argentina
Corporativo Editorial Mundo Atlantida, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Desarrollos del Atlantico, S.A
  Argentina
Dewal, S.A.
  Uruguay
Ediciones Paparazzi, S.A.
  Argentina
Feria Puro Diseño, S.A.
  Argentina
Publicaciones Aquario, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
Vanipubli Ecuatoriana, S.A.
  Ecuador
VeneTel Servicios Publicitarios, S.A.
  Venezuela
 
       
En Vivo US Holding, LLC
  United States of America
En Vivo US Holding Company
  United States of America
 
       
GT Holding, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
GT I, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
 
       
Factum Más, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Sky DTH, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
Innova Holdings, S. de R.L. de C.V
  Mexico
Innova, S. de R.L. de C.V. (2)
  Mexico
Corporación Novaimagen, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
Corporación Novavisión, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
Novavisión Panamá, S.A. (1)
  Panamá
Ridge Manor, Inc. (1)
  Panama
Eminent Shine, Inc. (1)
  Panama
Servicios Directos de Satélite, S.A.
  Costa Rica
Galaxy Nicaragua, S.A.
  Nicaragua
Sky El Salvador, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  El Salvador
Televisión Novavisión de Guatemala, S.A. (1)
  Guatemala
Corporación de Radio y Televisión del Norte de México, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
Corporación Satelital Novavisión Dominicana, S.A.
  Dominican Republic
Nova Call-Center, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
Novavisión Honduras, S.A. (1)
  Honduras
Servicios Corporativos de Telefonía, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
Servicios Novasat, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
Comercio Más, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Corporación Más, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
 
       
Gestora de Inversiones Audiovisuales La Sexta, S.A. and subsidiary (*)
  Spain
 
       
Grupo Distribuidoras Intermex, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Distribuidora Alfa, S.A.
  Chile
Distribuidora Bolivariana, S.A.
  Peru
Distribuidora de Revistas Bertrán, S.A.C.
  Argentina
Intercontinental Media, S.A.
  Argentina


 

GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.
Subsidiaries, Consolidated Variable Interest Entities, Joint Ventures and Associates
as of December 31, 2007
         
Name of Company   Country of Incorporation  
Distribuidora Intermex, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Distribuidora Panamex, S.A.
  Panama
Distribuidoras Unidas, S.A.
  Colombia
Gonarmex, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Samra, S.A.
  Ecuador
Distribuidora Los Andes, S.A.
  Ecuador
Saral Publications, Inc.
  United States of America
 
       
Paxia, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
 
       
Promo-Industrias Metropolitanas, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Telestar de Occidente, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
 
       
Sistema Radiópolis, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Cadena Radiodifusora Mexicana, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Radio Melodía, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Radio Tapatía, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
X.E.Z.Z., S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Servicios XEZZ, S.A. de C.V. (1)
  Mexico
Radio Comerciales, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Radiotelevisora de Mexicali, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Servicios Radiópolis, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
 
       
Teleparábolas, S.L.
  Spain
 
       
Telesistema Mexicano, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
AISA Inmuebles, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisa Internacional, LLC
  United States of America
Altavista Sur Inmobiliaria, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Dimar, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Estudio Sevilla 613, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
G. Televisa-D, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Imagen y Talento Internacional, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Inmobiliaria Amber, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Inmobiliaria Río de la Loza, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Multimedios Santa Fe, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Producciones Nacionales Televisa, S.C.
  Mexico
Proyectos Especiales Televisa, S.C.
  Mexico
Recursos Corporativos Alameda, S.C.
  Mexico
Pico Tres Padres, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
Publicidad Virtual, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Publicidade Virtual Latinoamérica, LTDA
  Brazil
Sattora, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Tarrague, A.G.
  Switzerland
Teleinmobiliaria, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
Tele Tips Digital, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisa, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Endemol México, S.A. de C.V. (*)
  Mexico
Espacio de Vinculación, A. C.
  Mexico
Televisa International Marketing Group, Inc.
  United States of America
Televisa Mexico, Ltd.
  Switzerland
Televisa Entretenimiento, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
OCESA Entretenimiento, S.A. de C.V. and subsidiaries (*)
  Mexico
Videoserpel, Ltd.
  Switzerland
Televisa Programming, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Terma, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Visat, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
 
       
Televisa Argentina, S.A.
  Argentina
 
       
Televisa Juegos, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Apuestas Internacionales, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Magical Entertainment, S. de R.L. de C.V.
  Mexico
 
       
Televisa Pay-TV Venture, Inc.
  United States of America


 

GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.
Subsidiaries, Consolidated Variable Interest Entities, Joint Ventures and Associates
as of December 31, 2007
         
Name of Company   Country of Incorporation  
TuTv, LLC (2)
  United States of America
 
       
Televisión Independiente de México, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Bay City Television, Inc.
  United States of America
Cadena de las Américas, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Cadena Televisora del Norte, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Canal 23 de Ensenada, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Canal XXI, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Canales de Televisión Populares, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Compañía Televisora de León Guanajuato, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Desarrollo Milaz, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
ECO Producciones, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Editora San Angel, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Empresas Baluarte, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Grupo Administrativo Tijuana, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Radio Televisión, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Radiotelevisora de México Norte, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
T.V. Conceptos, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
T.V. de los Mochis, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
T.V. del Humaya, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Telehermosillo, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Telemercado Alameda, S. de R.L. de C.V. (*) (1)
  Mexico
Televimex, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisa Corporación, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisa Producciones, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisa Talento, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisión del Golfo, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisión de Puebla, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisora de Calimex, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisora de Mexicali, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisora de Navojoa, S.A.
  Mexico
Televisora de Occidente, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Televisora del Golfo, S.A.
  Mexico
Televisora del Yaqui, S.A. de C.V. (*)
  Mexico
Televisora Peninsular, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
Transmisiones Nacionales de Televisión, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
XHCC-TV Televisión, S.A. de C.V.
  Mexico
 
       
Television Holdings de Centroamérica, S.A:
  Nicaragua
 
( * )   Joint Venture or Associate. Under International Accounting Standard No. 28, paragraph 2, an “associate” is an entity, including an incorporated entity such as a partnership, over which the investor has significant influence and that is neither a subsidiary nor an interest in a joint venture.
 
( 1 )   No current operations.
 
 
( 2 )   Consolidated variable interest entity. The Company and / or any of its subsidiaries is deemed the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity

Exhibit 12.1
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
I, Emilio Azcárraga Jean, certify that:
1.  
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.;
 
2.  
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
 
3.  
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the company as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
 
4.  
The company’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the company and have:
  a)  
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
 
  b)  
Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
 
  c)  
Evaluated the effectiveness of the company’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
 
  d)  
Disclosed in this report any change in the company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the company’s internal control over financial reporting;
5.  
The company’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the company’s auditors and the audit committee of the company’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
  a)  
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
 
  b)  
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the company’s internal control over financial reporting.
         
Dated this 25th day of June, 2008    
 
       
By:
  /s/ Emilio Azcárraga Jean     
 
 
 
Name: Emilio Azcárraga Jean
   
 
  Title: Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer    

 

 

Exhibit 12.2
CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
I, Salvi Rafael Folch Viadero, certify that:
1.  
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B.;
 
2.  
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
 
3.  
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the company as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
 
4.  
The company’s other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the company and have:
  a)  
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
 
  b)  
Designed such internal controls over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
 
  c)  
Evaluated the effectiveness of the company’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
 
  d)  
Disclosed in this report any change in the company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the company’s internal control over financial reporting;
5.  
The company’s other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the company’s auditors and the audit committee of the company’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):
  a)  
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
 
  b)  
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
         
Dated this 25th day of June, 2008    
 
       
By:
  /s/ Salvi Rafael Folch Viadero     
 
 
 
Name: Salvi Rafael Folch Viadero
   
 
  Title: Chief Financial Officer    

 

 

Exhibit 13.1
GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.
SECTION 906 CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
I, Emilio Azcárraga Jean, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. (the “Company”), hereby certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to the best of my knowledge:
1.  
The Company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, to which this statement is filed as an exhibit (the “Report”), fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
 
2.  
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: June 25, 2008
         
     
  By:   /s/ Emilio Azcárraga Jean   
    Name:   Emilio Azcárraga Jean   
    Title:   Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer   

 

 

         
Exhibit 13.2
GRUPO TELEVISA, S.A.B.
SECTION 906 CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
I, Salvi Rafael Folch Viadero, the Chief Financial Officer of Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. (the “Company”), hereby certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to the best of my knowledge:
1.  
The Company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, to which this statement is filed as an exhibit (the “Report”), fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
 
2.  
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: June 25, 2008
         
     
  By:   /s/ Salvi Rafael Folch Viadero   
    Name:   Salvi Rafael Folch Viadero   
    Title:   Chief Financial Officer