DALLAS, Nov. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Belo Corp. , one of the nation's largest pure-play, publicly-traded television companies, announced today that it has completed the previously announced offering of $275 million principal amount of senior notes due 2016. The notes bear interest at a rate of 8 percent per annum with interest payable semi-annually on May 15 and November 15, beginning on May 15, 2010. The notes were issued at a price equal to 98.045 percent of their face value.
The net proceeds from the offering were used to reduce the Company's borrowings under its revolving credit facility, which was amended and extended upon closing of the notes offering. The amendment provides greater flexibility under the facility's leverage and interest covenants and also reduces the commitments to approximately $461 million through June 7, 2011 and approximately $205 million thereafter through expiration of the facility on December 31, 2012.
About Belo Corp.
Belo Corp. (BLC) is one of the nation's largest pure-play, publicly-traded television companies, with 2008 annual revenue of $733 million. The Company owns and operates 20 television stations (nine in the top 25 markets) and their associated Web sites. Belo stations, which include affiliations with ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW and MyNetwork TV, reach more than 14 percent of U.S. television households in 15 highly-attractive markets. Belo stations rank first or second in nearly all of their local markets. Additional information is available at http://www.belo.com/ or by contacting Paul Fry, vice president/Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, at 214-977-6835.
Statements in this communication concerning Belo's business outlook or future economic performance, anticipated profitability, revenues, expenses, dividends, capital expenditures, investments, future financings, impairments, and other financial and non-financial items that are not historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" as the term is defined under applicable federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those statements.
Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to, uncertainties regarding the costs, consequences (including tax consequences) and other effects of the Company's spin-off distribution of its newspaper businesses and related assets to A. H. Belo Corporation and the associated agreements between the Company and A. H. Belo relating to various matters; changes in capital market conditions and prospects, and other factors such as changes in advertising demand, interest rates and programming and production costs; changes in viewership patterns and demography, and actions by Nielsen; changes in the network-affiliate business model for broadcast television; technological changes, including the national transition to digital television in June 2009, and the development of new systems to distribute television and other audio-visual content; changes in the ability to secure, and in the terms of, carriage of Belo programming on cable, satellite, telecommunications and other program distribution methods; development of Internet commerce; industry cycles; changes in pricing or other actions by competitors and suppliers; Federal Communications Commission and other regulatory, tax and legal changes; adoption of new accounting standards or changes in existing accounting standards by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other accounting standard-setting bodies or authorities; the effects of Company acquisitions, dispositions and co-owned ventures; general economic conditions; and significant armed conflict, as well as other risks detailed in Belo's other public disclosures and filings with the SEC including Belo's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A.
Belo Corp.
CONTACT: Paul Fry, vice president/Investor Relations & Corporate
Communications of Belo Corp., +1-214-977-6835
Web Site: http://www.belo.com/
