2008 Tribune Company CDS Protocol
The 2008 Tribune Company CDS Protocol (the “Protocol”) relates to settlement issues concerning Tribune Company ("Tribune"), that announced on December 9, 2008 that it was voluntarily restructuring its debt obligations under the protection of Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code. The purpose of the Protocol is to offer market participants an efficient way to address the settlement issues relating to credit derivative transactions referencing Tribune. The Protocol will offer institutions the ability to amend their documentation for various credit derivatives transactions in order to utilize an auction scheduled for January 6, 2009 to determine the final price for certain Tribune bonds. Markit Group Limited and Creditex Securities Corp. will administer the auction. The 2008 Tribune Company CDS Protocol is open to ISDA members and non-members. The Protocol will be open between December 16, 2008 and December 19, 2008. |
PLEASE NOTE: THIS PROTOCOL IS CLOSED.
The following documents must be submitted via email to the ISDA office in New York in order to adhere to the 2008 Tribune Company CDS Protocol:
ISDA will only accept email delivery of Adherence Letters. An Adhering Party is not required to send original Adherence Letters to the ISDA offices. Click here for the form of Adherence Letter. Please submit all Adherence Letters via email to TribuneProtocol@isda.org. It is critical that both a scanned, signed Adherence Letter, as well as a scanned, conformed Adherence Letter is submitted. Entities will not be deemed to have adhered to the Protocol until both the signed and conformed Adherence Letters are submitted by email in accordance with the Adherence Period. You are not required to send your original Adherence Letter(s) by mail to ISDA. No other documents are required in order to adhere to the 2008 Tribune Company CDS Protocol. Supporting documentation, such as board resolutions or a list of authorized signatures, can be provided and will be held in safekeeping by ISDA, but it is not necessary to submit such documents in order to adhere to the Protocol. Access to supporting documentation will only be provided if requested in writing. The Protocol will open for adherence on Tuesday December 16, 2008. Email address for Delivery of Adherence Letters: Policy Regarding Conformed Copies |
ISDA has prepared this brief summary of frequently asked questions to assist in your consideration of the 2008 Tribune Company CDS Protocol (the “Tribune Protocol”). THIS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A GUIDE TO OR AN EXPLANATION OF ALL RELEVANT ISSUES OR CONSIDERATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRIBUNE PROTOCOL. PARTIES SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR LEGAL ADVISERS AND ANY OTHER ADVISER THEY DEEM APPROPRIATE PRIOR TO USING OR ADHERING TO THE TRIBUNE PROTOCOL. ISDA ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY USE TO WHICH ANY OF ITS DOCUMENTATION OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION MAY BE PUT. This Frequently Asked Questions webpage is divided into three sections: (i) questions relating to the submission of Adherence Letters; (ii) questions relating to the election of an entity not to participate in the Tribune Company CDS Protocol; and (iii) questions relating to the substance of the Tribune Company CDS Protocol itself. Adherence Letter Submission Process How do I send in my Adherence Letter? What is a conformed copy? Who is an authorized signatory? What if I am an investment or asset manager – how do I complete the signature block? As an alternative, an investment or asset manager may list the specific funds that are adhering to the Protocol, by indicating in the signature block: “Investment/Asset Manager, acting on behalf of the funds and accounts listed below”. Click here for example. Please note that in this case the names of those funds will be publicly disclosed on the ISDA website. Whichever method is used, in order for Physical Settlement Requests to be calculated by Participating Bidders, each such investment/asset manager is required to provide a list of all funds and accounts that it acts on behalf of to each Participating Bidder that has (or whose affiliate has) entered into a Master Agreement with any of those funds or accounts. As provided in paragraph (1) of the Auction Methodology set out in Exhibit 3 of the Tribune Company CDS Protocol, on the Business Day prior to the Auction Date, the Administrators (Markit and Creditex) will publish a list of the Participating Bidders on their respective websites. In addition, contact details will be available for the Participating Bidders through their Adherence Letters on the ISDA website. Can I change the text of the Adherence Letter? Do I need to reference a DTCC number on the Adherence letter? What are the implications if I do not? Does it cost any money to adhere to the Tribune Protocol? Entities Electing Not to Adhere to the Tribune Company CDS Protocol Scope of Transaction Coverage Relating to the Tribune Protocol Does adhering to the Tribune Protocol affect other credit derivative transactions? What credit derivative transactions are not affected by adhering to the Tribune Protocol? Auction When is the auction? Physical Settlement through the Auction If I want to deliver Deliverable Obligations in a currency other than USD, how is the FX calculated? Cash Settlement Date and Accruals |