Exhibit 3.3
BY-LAWS
OF
AMC NETWORKS INC.
ARTICLE I
Stockholders
Section 1.1Annual Meetings. An annual meeting of stockholders shall be held for the election of directors at such date, time and place, either within or without the State of Delaware, as may be designated by the Board of Directors from time to time. Any other proper business may be transacted at the annual meeting.
Section 1.2Special Meetings. Special meetings of stockholders may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board, if any, the Vice Chairman of the Board, if any, the President or the Board of Directors, to be held at such date, time and place either within or without the State of Delaware as may be stated in the notice of the meeting.
Section 1.3Notice of Meetings. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given which shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. Unless otherwise provided by law, the written notice of any meeting shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail, postage paid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation.
Section 1.4Adjournments. Any meeting of stockholders, annual or special, may adjourn from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, and notice need not be given of any such adjourned meeting if the time and place thereof are announced at the meeting, at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjournment meeting the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or, if after the adjournment, a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.
Section 1.5Quorum. At each meeting of stockholders, except where otherwise provided by law or the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each class of stock entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum. For purposes of the foregoing, two or more classes or series of stock shall be considered a single class if the holders thereof are entitled to vote together as a single class at the meeting. In the absence of a quorum the stockholders so present may, by majority vote, adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided by Section 1.4 of these by-laws until a quorum shall attend. Shares of its own capital stock
belonging on the record date for the meeting to the Corporation or to another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote in the election of directors of such other corporation is held, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, shall neither be entitled to vote nor be counted for quorum purposes; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the right of the Corporation to vote stock, including but not limited to, its own stock, held by it in a fiduciary capacity.
Section 1.6Organization. Meetings of stockholders shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board, if any, or in the absence of the Chairman of the Board, by the Vice Chairman of the Board, if any, or in the absence of the Vice Chairman of the Board, by the President, or in the absence of the President by a Vice President, or in the absence of the foregoing persons by a chairman designated by the Board of Directors, or in the absence of such designation by a chairman chosen at the meeting. The Secretary shall act as secretary of the meeting, or in the absence of the Secretary, by an Assistant Secretary, or in their absence the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.
Section 1.7Voting; Proxies. Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, each stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by such stockholder which has voting power upon the matter in question. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent or dissent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. A duly executed proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. A stockholder may revoke any proxy which is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or by filing an instrument in writing revoking the proxy or another duly executed proxy bearing a later date with the Secretary of the Corporation. Voting at meetings of stockholders need not be by written ballot and need not be conducted by inspectors unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of all classes of stock entitled to vote thereon present in person or by proxy at such meeting shall so determine. At all meetings of stockholders for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect the directors. With respect to other matters, unless otherwise provided by law or by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of all classes of stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the stockholders, provided that (except as otherwise required by law or by the certificate of incorporation) the Board of Directors may require a larger vote upon any such matter. Where a separate vote by class is required, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of each class present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the act of such class, except as otherwise provided by law or by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws.
Section 1.8Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record. In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any right in respect of any change, conversion or
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exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty days prior to any other action. If no record date is fixed: (1) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held; (2) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the Board is necessary, shall be the day on which the first written consent is expressed; and (3) the record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
Section 1.9List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote. The Secretary shall prepare and make, at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.
Section 1.10Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting. Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, any action required by law to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of such stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing.
ARTICLE II
Board of Directors
Section 2.1Powers; Numbers; Qualifications. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise provided by law or in the certificate of incorporation. The Board shall consist of one or more members, the number thereof to be determined from time to time by the Board. Directors need not be stockholders.
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Section 2.2Election; Term of Office; Resignation; Removal; Vacancies. Each director shall hold office until the annual meeting of stockholders next succeeding his or her election and until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier resignation or removal. Any director may resign at any time upon written notice to the Board of Directors or to the President or the Secretary of the Board of Directors or to the President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, and unless otherwise specified therein no acceptance of such resignation shall be necessary to make it effective. Any director of the entire Board of Directors may be removed, with or without cause, by the holders of a majority of the shares then entitled to vote at in election of directors. Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors or from any other cause may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by the sole remaining director.
Section 2.3Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such places within or without the State of Delaware and at such times as the Board may from time to time determine, and if so determined notice thereof need not be given.
Section 2.4Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at any time or place within or without the State of Delaware whenever called by the Chairman of the Board, if any, by the Vice Chairman of the Board, if any, by the President or by any two directors. Reasonable notice thereof shall be given by the person or persons calling the meeting.
Section 2.5Participation in Meetings by Conference Telephone Permitted. Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board or of such committee, as the case may be, by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participating in a meeting pursuant to this Section 2.5 of the by-laws shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
Section 2.6Quorum; Vote Required for Action. At all meetings of the Board of Directors, one-third of the entire Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board unless the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws shall require a vote of a greater number. In case at any meeting of the Board a quorum shall not be present, the members of the Board present may adjourn the meeting from time to time until a quorum shall attend.
Section 2.7Organization. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the Chairman of the Board, if any, or in the absence of the Chairman of the Board by the Vice Chairman of the Board, if any, or in the absence of the Vice Chairman of the Board by the President, or in their absence by a chairman chosen at the meeting. The Secretary, or in the absence of the Secretary an Assistant Secretary, shall act as secretary of the meeting, but in the
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absence of the Secretary and any Assistant Secretary, the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as secretary of the meeting.
Section 2.8Action by Directors Without a Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or of such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.
Section 2.9Compensation of Directors. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors.
ARTICLE III
Committees
Section 3.1Committees. The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to amend the certificate of incorporation, adopt an agreement of merger or consolidation, recommend to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s property and assets, recommend to the stockholders a dissolution of the Corporation or a revocation of dissolution, remove or indemnify directors, or amend these by-laws; and, unless the resolution expressly so provides, no such committee shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend or to authorize the issuance of stock.
Section 3.2Committee Rules. Unless the Board of Directors otherwise provides, each committee designated by the Board may adopt, amend and repeal rules for the conduct of its business. In the absence of a provision by the Board or a provision in the rules of such committee to the contrary, a majority of the entire authorized number of members of such committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, the vote of a majority of the members present at a meeting at the time of such vote if a quorum is then present shall be the act of such committee, and in other respects each committee shall conduct its business in the same manner as the Board conducts its business pursuant to Article II of these by-laws.
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ARTICLE IV
Officers
Section 4.1Officers; Election. As soon as practicable after the annual meeting of stockholders in each year, the Board of Directors shall elect a President (who may have the title “President and Chief Executive Officer” if so designated by the Board of Directors; such officer shall be the “President” for all purposes of these by-laws) and a Secretary, and it may, if it so determines, elect from among its members a Chairman of the Board and a Vice Chairman of the Board. The Board may also elect one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries, a Treasurer and one or more Assistant Treasurers and such other officers as the Board may deem desirable or appropriate and may give any of them such further designations or alternate titles as it considered desirable. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.
Section 4.2Term of Office; Resignation; Removal; Vacancies. Except as otherwise provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors electing any officer, each officer shall hold office until the first meeting of the Board after the annual meeting of stockholders next succeeding his or her election, and until his or her earlier resignation or removal. Any officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Board or to the President or the Secretary of the Corporation. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, and unless otherwise specified therein no acceptance of such resignation shall be necessary to make it effective. The Board may remove any officer with or without cause at any time. Any such removal shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights of such officer, if any, with the Corporation, but the election of an officer shall not of itself create contractual rights. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation by death, resignation, removal or otherwise, may be filled for the unexpired portion of the term of the Board at any regular or special meeting.
Section 4.3Chairman of the Board. The Chairman of the Board, if any, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders at which he or she shall be present and shall have and may exercise such powers as may, from time to time, be assigned to him or her by the Board and as may be provided by law.
Section 4.4Vice Chairman of the Board. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board, the Vice Chairman of the Board, if any, shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders at which he or she shall be present and shall have and may exercise such powers as may, from time to time, be assigned to him or her by the Board and as may be provided by law.
Section 4.5President. In the absence of the Chairman of the Board and Vice Chairman of the Board, the President shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the stockholders at which he or she shall be present. The President shall be the chief executive officer and shall have general charge and supervision of the business of the Corporation and, in general, shall perform all duties incident to the office of president of a
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corporation and such other duties as may, from time to time, be assigned to him or her by the Board or as may be provided by law.
Section 4.6Vice Presidents. The Vice President or Vice Presidents, at the request or in the absence of the President or during the President’s inability to act, shall perform the duties of the President, and when so acting shall have the powers of the President. If there be more than one Vice President, the Board of Directors may determine which one or more of the Vice Presidents shall perform any of such duties; or if such determination is not made by the Board, the President may make such determination; otherwise any of the Vice Presidents may perform any of such duties. The Vice President or Vice Presidents shall have such other powers and shall perform such other duties as may, from time to time, be assigned to him or her or them by the Board or the President or as may be provided by law.
Section 4.7Secretary. The Secretary shall have the duty to record the proceedings of the meetings of the stockholders, the Board of Directors and any committees in a book to be kept for that purpose, shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these by-laws or as required by law, shall be custodian of the records of the Corporation, may affix the corporate seal to any document the execution of which, on behalf of the Corporation, is duly authorized, and when so affixed may attest the same, and, in general, shall perform all duties incident to the office of secretary of a corporation and such other duties as may, from time to time, be assigned to him or her by the Board or the President or as may be provided by law.
Section 4.8Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have charge of and be responsible for all funds, securities, receipts and disbursements of the Corporation and shall deposit or cause to be deposited, in the name of the Corporation, all moneys or other valuable effects in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as shall, from time to time, be selected by or under authority of the Board of Directors. If required by the Board, the Treasurer shall give a bond for the faithful discharge of his or her duties, with such surety or sureties as the Board may determine. The Treasurer shall keep or cause to be kept full and accurate records of all receipts and disbursements in books of the Corporation, shall render to the President and to the Board, whenever requested, an account of the financial condition of the Corporation, and, in general, shall perform all the duties incident to the office of treasurer of a corporation and such other duties as may, from time to time, be assigned to him or her by the Board or the President or as may be provided by law.
Section 4.9Other Officers. The other officers, if any, of the Corporation shall have such powers and duties in the management of the Corporation as shall be stated in a resolution of the Board of Directors which is not inconsistent with these by-laws and, to the extent not so stated, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board. The Board may require any officer, agent or employee to give security for the faithful performance of his or her duties.
ARTICLE V
Stock
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Section 5.1Certificates. Every holder of stock in the Corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by or in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, if any, or the President or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, of the Corporation, certifying the number of shares owned by such holder in the Corporation. If such certificate is manually signed by one officer or manually countersigned by a transfer agent or by a registrar, any other signature on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if such person were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
Section 5.2Lost, Stolen or Destroyed Stock Certificates; Issuance of new Certificates. The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.
ARTICLE VI
Miscellaneous
Section 6.1Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 6.2Seal. The Corporation may have a corporate seal which shall have the name of the Corporation inscribed thereon and shall be in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board of Directors. The corporate seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.
Section 6.3Waiver of Notice of Meetings of Stockholders, Directors and Committees. Whenever notice is required to be given by law or under any provisions of the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws, a written waiver thereof, signed by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any regular or special meeting of the stockholders, directors, or members of a committee of directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice unless so required by the certificate of incorporation or these by-laws.
Section 6.4Indemnification of Directors, Officers and Employees. (a) The corporation shall indemnify each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made
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a party to or is involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an incorporator, a director or officer of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, officer, employee, incorporator or agent or alleged action in any other capacity while serving as a director, officer, employee, incorporator or agent, to the maximum extent authorized by the Delaware General Corporation law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorney’s fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such proceeding. Such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators. The right to indemnification conferred in this Article shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the corporation the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided that, if the Delaware General Corporation Law so requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a director or officer in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding shall be made only upon receipt by the corporation of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in this Article or otherwise.
(b) The right to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred on any person by this Article shall not limit the corporation from providing any other indemnification permitted by law nor shall it be deemed exclusive of any other right which and such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, by-law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
(c) The corporation may purchase and maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the Delaware General Corporation Law.
Section 6.5Interested Directors; Quorum. No contract or transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its directors or officers, or between the Corporation and any other corporation, partnership, association or other organization in which one or more of its directors or officers are directors and offices, or have a financial interest, shall be void or voidable solely for this reason, or solely because the director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board of Directors or committee thereof which authorizes the if: (1) the material facts as to his or her relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the Board or the committee, and the Board or
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committee in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors be less than a quorum; or (2) the material facts as to his or her relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to the stockholders entitled to vote thereon, and the contract or transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the stockholders; or (3) the contract or transaction is fair as to the Corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified, by the Board, a committee thereof or the stockholders. Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the Board or of a committee which authorizes the contract or transaction.
Section 6.6Form of Records. Any records maintained by the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account and minute books, may be kept on, or be in the form of, punch cards, magnetic tape, photographs, microphotographs or any other information storage device, provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible form within a reasonable time. The corporation shall so convert any records so kept upon the request of any person entitled to inspect the same.
Section 6.7Amendment of By-Laws. These by-laws may be amended or repealed, and new by-laws adopted, by the Board of Directors, but the stockholders entitled to vote may adopt additional by-laws and may amend or repeal any by-law whether or not adopted by them.
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