Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
NOTE 14. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
 
The Company enters into various agreements in the normal course of business that contain minimum guarantees. These minimum guarantees are often tied to future events, such as future revenue earned in excess of the contractual level. Accordingly, the fair value of these arrangements is zero.
 
The Company also records contingent earn-out consideration representing the estimated fair value of future liabilities associated with acquisitions that may have additional payments due upon the achievement of certain performance targets. The fair value of the contingent earn-out consideration is estimated as of the acquisition date as the present value of the expected contingent payments as determined using weighted probabilities of the expected payment amounts. We review the probabilities of possible future payments to estimate the fair value of any contingent earn-out consideration on a quarterly basis over the earn-out period. Actual results are compared to the estimates and probabilities of achievement used in our forecasts.  Should actual results of the acquired business increase or decrease as compared to our estimates and assumptions, the estimated fair value of the contingent earn-out consideration liability will increase or decrease, up to the contracted limit, as applicable. Changes in the estimated fair value of the contingent earn-out consideration are reflected in our results of operations in the period in which they are identified. Changes in the estimated fair value of the contingent earn-out consideration may materially impact and cause volatility in our operating results.
 
The Company and its subsidiaries, incident to its business activities, are parties to a number of legal proceedings, lawsuits, arbitration and other claims. Such matters are subject to many uncertainties and outcomes that are not predictable with assurance. We evaluate claims based on what we believe to be both probable and reasonably estimable. With the exception of the matter described below, we are unable to ascertain the ultimate aggregate amount of monetary liability or the financial impact with respect to these matters. The company maintains insurance that may provide coverage for such matters.
 
In April 2016, pursuant to a counterclaim to a collection suit initiated by Salem, an award was issued against Salem for breach of contract and attorney fees. While we have filed an appeal against the award as well as a malpractice lawsuit against the lawyer that represented Salem in the suit, we recorded a legal reserve of $0.5 million as of March 31, 2016. This reserve represents the total possible loss contingency without third party recoveries from our appeal, malpractice lawsuit or insurance claims. There have been no changes in our estimates as of the date of this filing.
 
The company believes, at this time, that the final resolution of these matters, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect upon the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
 
Salem leases various land, offices, studios and other equipment under operating leases that generally expire over the next ten to twenty-five years. The majority of these leases are subject to escalation clauses and may be renewed for successive periods ranging from one to five years on terms similar to current agreements and except for specified increases in lease payments. Rental expense included in operating expense under all lease agreements was $19.8 million, $19.1 million and $17.9 million in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
 
Future minimum rental payments required under operating leases that have initial or remaining non-cancelable lease terms in excess of one year as of December 31, 2016, are as follows:
 
 
 
Related Parties
 
Other
 
Total
 
 
 
(Dollars in thousand)
 
2017
 
$
1,560
 
$
11,698
 
$
13,258
 
2018
 
 
852
 
 
11,282
 
 
12,134
 
2019
 
 
592
 
 
10,601
 
 
11,193
 
2020
 
 
606
 
 
10,033
 
 
10,639
 
2021
 
 
591
 
 
8,533
 
 
9,124
 
Thereafter
 
 
5,712
 
 
32,109
 
 
37,821
 
 
 
$
9,913
 
$
84,256
 
$
94,169