Filed by Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc.
pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933
and deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14a-12
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Subject Company: Media General, Inc.
Filer’s SEC File No.: 000-50478
Date: November 16, 2015
The following is a press release issued by Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. on November 16, 2015.
| NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT | For Immediate Release |
NEXSTAR BROADCASTING TO ENTER INTO MERGER
DISCUSSIONS WITH MEDIA GENERAL
Nexstar Proposal to Acquire Media General Now Valued at $15.70 Per Share,
41% Premium to Media General’s Share Price on Day Prior to Nexstar’s Offer
IRVING, Texas, November 16, 2015 – Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXST) today commented on Media General, Inc.’s (NYSE: MEG) announcement that it will enter into negotiations regarding Nexstar’s proposal to acquire Media General. On September 28, Nexstar submitted a proposal to acquire Media General for $10.50 per share in cash and a fixed ratio of 0.0898 Nexstar shares per Media General share. Nexstar’s proposal, based on its closing share price on November 13, is currently valued at $15.70 per Media General share, representing a premium of 41% over Media General’s closing stock price on September 25.
“We are eager to move forward with discussions with Media General regarding our proposal, while at the same time maintaining our financial discipline. It is evident since our initial announcement that Media General and Nexstar shareholders recognize the compelling strategic and financial value that a Media General-Nexstar combination presents for both companies and our respective shareholders,” said Perry Sook, Chairman, President and CEO of Nexstar. “We are surprised that Media General’s Board considers the value of our proposal to be inadequate today, however, we are willing to engage with them to hear their perspectives. We believe our proposal will deliver superior, immediate and long-term value to Media General shareholders compared with any alternatives available to the company.”
BofA Merrill Lynch is acting as financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as legal counsel to Nexstar in connection with the proposed transaction.
About Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc.
Nexstar Broadcasting Group is a leading diversified media company that leverages localism to bring new services and value to consumers and advertisers through its traditional media, digital and mobile media platforms. Nexstar owns, operates, programs or provides sales and other services to 107 television stations and related digital multicast signals reaching 58 markets or approximately 18.0% of all U.S. television households. Nexstar’s portfolio includes affiliates of NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, MyNetworkTV, The CW, Telemundo, Bounce TV, Me-TV, LATV, RTV, Estrella, This TV, Weather Nation Utah, Movies! and News/Weather. Nexstar’s community portal websites offer additional hyper-local content and verticals for consumers and advertisers, allowing audiences to choose where, when and how they access content while creating new revenue opportunities.
Pro-forma for the completion of all announced transactions Nexstar will own, operate, program or provide sales and other services to 112 television stations and related digital multicast signals reaching 59 markets or approximately 18.0% of all U.S. television households.
Additional Information
This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. This communication relates to a proposal which Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc.
(“Nexstar”) has made for a business combination transaction with Media General, Inc. (“Media General”). In furtherance of this proposal and subject to future developments, Nexstar (and, if a negotiated transaction is agreed, Media General) may file one or more registration statements, prospectuses, proxy statements or other documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). This communication is not a substitute for any registration statement, prospectus, proxy statement or other document Nexstar and/or Media General may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF NEXSTAR AND MEDIA GENERAL ARE URGED TO READ ANY REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROSPECTUS, PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Any definitive proxy statement (if and when available) will be mailed to stockholders of Media General. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of these documents (if and when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by Nexstar or Media General through the web site maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.
Certain Information Regarding Participants
Nexstar and certain of its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in any solicitation with respect to the proposed transaction under the rules of the SEC. Security holders may obtain information regarding the names and interests of Nexstar’s directors and executive officers in Nexstar’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, which was filed with the SEC on March 2, 2015, and Nexstar’s proxy statement for the 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 24, 2015. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Additional information regarding the interests of participants in any proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will also be included in any proxy statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC if and when they become available.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication includes forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. Forward-looking statements include information preceded by, followed by, or that includes the words “guidance,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “could,” or similar expressions. For these statements, Nexstar claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this communication, concerning, among other things, the ultimate outcome and benefits of any possible transaction between Nexstar and Media General and timing thereof, and future financial performance, including changes in net revenue, cash flow and operating expenses, involve risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various important factors, including the possibilities that Nexstar will not pursue a transaction with Media General and that Media General will reject a transaction with Nexstar (or otherwise that no transaction will be consummated), the impact of changes in national and regional economies, our ability to service and refinance our outstanding debt, successful integration of Media General (including achievement of synergies and cost reductions), pricing fluctuations in local and national advertising, future regulatory actions and conditions in the television stations’ operating areas, competition from others in the broadcast television markets served by Nexstar, volatility in programming costs, the effects of governmental regulation of broadcasting, industry consolidation, technological developments and major world news events. Unless required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed in this communication might not occur. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. For more details on factors that could affect these expectations, please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contacts
Investors:
Thomas E. Carter
Chief Financial Officer
Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc.
(972) 373-8800
JCIR
Joseph Jaffoni/Jennifer Neuman
(212) 835-8500 or nxst@jcir.com
Innisfree M&A Incorporated
Larry Miller/Jonathan Salzberger/Scott Winter
(212) 750-5833
Media:
Sard Verbinnen & Co
George Sard/Jim Barron/Stephanie Pillersdorf/Jared Levy
(212) 687-8080