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Related Party Transactions | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
Related Party Transactions [Abstract] |
Related Party Transactions | 25. Related Party Transactions On January 4, 2018, the Company completed a private placement of its common stock, selling 1,200,000 shares at $2.50 per share, for total gross proceeds of $3,000,000. In connection with the offering, MDB, which acted as placement agent, was entitled to 60,000 shares of the Company’s common stock and warrants to purchase 60,000 shares of the Company’s common stock. On June 15, 2018, four investors invested a total of $4,775,000 in 10% Convertible Debenture offering. Included in the total was an investment of $3,000,000 by Strome who beneficially owned more than 10% of the shares of the Company’s common stock, $1,000,000 by the Company’s then-Chief Executive Officer, James C. Heckman, and $25,000 from the Company’s then-President, Joshua Jacobs, totaling $4,025,000. Interest was payable on the 10% Convertible Debentures at the rate of 10% per annum, payable in cash semi-annually on December 31 and June 30, and on maturity, beginning on December 31, 2018, and the 10% Convertible Debentures were due and payable on June 30, 2019. The 10% Convertible Debentures were converted on August 10, 2018, as described below, where the investors received additional interest payments to provide the investor with a 20% annual internal rate of return. Upon conversion, Strome received $600,000, James C. Heckman received $200,000, and Joshua Jacobs received $5,000 in satisfaction of the 20% annual internal rate of return by issuing additional shares of the Series H Preferred Stock. On June 15, 2018, the Company also modified two previous securities purchase agreements dated January 4, 2018 and March 30, 2018 with Strome to eliminate a true-up provision entered into on March 30, 2018 under which the Company was committed to issue up to 1,700,000 shares of the Company’s common stock in certain circumstances. As consideration for such modification, the Company issued a warrant to Strome to purchase up to 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, exercisable at an initial price of $1.19 per share for a period of five years. On August 10, 2018, the Company closed on a securities purchase agreement with certain accredited investors, pursuant to which it issued an aggregate of 19,400 shares of Series H Preferred Stock at a stated value of $1,000, initially convertible into 58,787,879 shares of its common stock, at the option of the holder subject to certain limitations, at a conversion rate equal to the stated value divided by the conversion price of $0.33 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $19,399,250. Of the shares of Series H Preferred Stock issued, Strome received 3,600 shares, James C. Heckman or an affiliated entity of his, received 1,200 shares, and Joshua Jacobs received 30 shares upon conversion of the 10% Convertible Debentures. On August 10, 2018, B. Riley FBR, acted as placement agent for the Series H Preferred Stock financing, and was paid $575,000 in cash, for its services as placement agent, and issued 669 shares (stated value of $1,000 per share) of Series H Preferred Stock. On October 18, 2018, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement with two accredited investors, B. Riley and an affiliated entity of B. Riley, pursuant to which it issued to the investors the 10% OID Convertible Debentures resulting in net proceeds of $3,285,000. B. Riley’s legal fees and expenses of $40,000 were netted from the proceeds received by them. The Company issued warrants to B. Riley to purchase up to 875,000 shares of the Company’s common stock in connection with this securities purchase agreement. On December 12, 2018, the Company converted the 10% OID Convertible Debentures to the 12% Convertible Debentures under a securities purchase agreement with three accredited investors, for aggregate proceeds of $3,551,528, which included principal and interest of the 10% OID Convertible Debentures. Upon conversion, interest of $82,913 was recorded for the 10% OID Convertible Debentures held by B. Riley. The Company received net proceeds from B. Riley or its affiliated entities of $8,950,000 under 12% Convertible Debentures. The Company paid B. Riley FBR cash of $540,000 as placement agent in the offering. B. Riley’s legal fees and expenses of $50,000 were netted from the proceeds received by them. The 12% Convertible Debentures are due and payable on December 31, 2020. Interest accrues at the rate of 12% per annum, payable on the earlier of conversion or December 31, 2020. The Company’s obligations under the 12% Convertible Debentures are secured by a security agreement, dated as of October 18, 2018, by and among us and each investor thereto. On June 10, 2019, the Company entered into the 12% Senior Secured Note agreement with one accredited investor, BRF Finance, an affiliated entity of B. Riley, pursuant to which the Company issued to the investor a 12% senior secured note, due July 31, 2019. In connection with the 12% Senior Secured Note, B. Riley FBR received a placement fee from the proceeds of $1,000,000 and legal fees and expenses of $135,000. On June 14, 2019, the Company entered into the 12% Amended Senior Secured Note agreement with one accredited investor, BRF Finance, an affiliated entity of B. Riley, which amended and restated the 12% Senior Secured Note dated June 10, 2019. In connection with the 12% Amended Senior Secured Note the Company paid B. Riley FBR cash of $2,400,000 as placement agent and $3,500,000 as a success fee in the offering. On June 28, 2019, the Company closed on a securities purchase agreement with certain accredited investors, pursuant to which it issued an aggregate of 23,100 shares of Series I Preferred Stock at a stated value of $1,000, initially convertible into 46,200,000 shares of its common stock, at the option of the holder subject to certain limitations, at a conversion rate equal to the stated value divided by the conversion price of $0.50 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $23,100,000. Of the shares of Series I Preferred Stock issued, Ross Levison purchased 500 shares for $500,000. B. Riley FBR, acting as placement agent for the Series I Preferred Stock financing, was paid in cash $1,386,000 for its services and reimbursed for certain legal and other costs. On August 27, 2019, the Company entered into a first amendment to amended note purchase agreement with one accredited investor, BRF Finance, an affiliated entity of B. Riley, with respect to the 12% Amended Senior Secured Notes. In connection with the 12% Amended Senior Secured Note, B. Riley FBR received a closing fee from the proceeds of $150,000 and legal fees and expenses. On October 7, 2019, the Company closed on a securities purchase agreement with certain accredited investors, pursuant to which it issued an aggregate of 20,000 shares of Series H Preferred Stock at a stated value of $1,000, initially convertible into 28,571,428 shares of its common stock, at the option of the holder subject to certain limitations, at a conversion rate equal to the stated value divided by the conversion price of $0.70 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $20,000,000. Of the shares of Series H Preferred Stock issued, Luke E. Fichthorn III, an immediate family member of John A. Fichthorn, purchased 100 shares, and B Riley, or an affiliated entity, purchased 5,000 shares. B. Riley FBR, acting as placement agent for the Series J Preferred Stock financing, was paid in cash $525,240 for its services and reimbursed for certain legal and other costs. Cramer Digital, Inc. Agreement On August 7, 2019, in connection with TheStreet Merger, the Company entered into a letter agreement (the “Original Cramer Agreement”) with finance and stock market expert Jim Cramer, who co-founded TheStreet, which sets forth the terms of the Cramer Services (defined below) to be provided by Mr. Cramer and Cramer Digital, Inc. (“Cramer Digital”), a production company owned and controlled by Mr. Cramer, featuring the digital rights and content created by Mr. Cramer and his team of financial experts. A second letter agreement providing additional terms was entered into on April 16, 2020 (the “Second Cramer Agreement”). The Company entered into a third letter agreement on January 25, 2021, which extended the notice date to cancel the third year of the term of the Original Cramer Agreement from February 7, 2021 to April 9, 2021 (the “Third Cramer Agreement” and, together with the Original Cramer Agreement and the Second Cramer Agreement, the “Cramer Agreement”). The Cramer Agreement provides for Mr. Cramer and Cramer Digital to create content for the Company on each business day during the term of the Cramer Agreement, prepare special content for the Company, make certain personal appearances and provide other services as reasonably requested and mutually agreed to (collectively, the “Cramer Services”). In consideration for the Cramer Services, the Company pays Cramer Digital a commission on subscription revenues and net advertising revenues for certain content (the “Revenue Share”). In addition, the Company pays Cramer Digital approximately $3,000,000 as an annualized guaranteed payment in equal monthly draws, recoupable against the Revenue Share. The Company also issued two options to Cramer Digital pursuant to the 2019 Plan. The first option was to purchase up to two million shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $0.72, the closing stock price on August 7, 2019, the grant date. This option vests over 36 months. The second option was to purchase up to three million shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $0.54, the closing stock price on April 21, 2020, the grant date. In the event Cramer Digital and the Company agree to renew the term of the Cramer Agreement for a minimum of three years from the end of the second year of the current term, 900,000 shares will vest on the first day of the third year of the term as so extended (the “Trigger Date”). The remaining shares will vest equally on the 12-month anniversary of the Trigger Date, the 24-month anniversary of the Trigger Date and the 36-month anniversary of the Trigger Date. In addition, the Company provides Cramer Digital with a marketing budget, access to personnel and support services, and production facilities. Finally, the Cramer Agreement provides that the Company will reimburse fifty percent of the cost of the rented office space by Cramer Digital, up to a maximum of $4,250 per month. Board of Directors and Finance Committee During September 2018, John A. Fichthorn joined the Board and during November 2018 he was elected as Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Company’s Finance Committee. Until March of 2020, Mr. Fichthorn served as Head of Alternative Investments for B. Riley Capital Management, LLC, which is an SEC-registered investment adviser and a wholly owned subsidiary of B. Riley. During September 2018, Todd D. Sims joined the Board and is also a member of the board of directors of B. Riley. Mr. Sims serves on the Company’s Board as a designee of B. Riley. Since August 2018, B. Riley FBR has been instrumental in raising debt and equity capital for the Company to support its acquisitions of HubPages, Say Media, TheStreet, and the Sports Illustrated Licensing Agreement with ABG, with continued support for subsequent refinancing of debt, equity capital, and working capital purposes (see Note 28). Service and Consulting Contracts Ms. Rinku Sen joined the Board in November 2017 and has provided consulting services and operates a channel on the Company’s technology platform. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company paid Ms. Sen $39,650 and $15,521, respectively, for these services. Effective on September 20, 2017, the Company entered into a six-month contract, with automatic renewals unless cancelled, with a company located in Nicaragua that is owned by Mr. Christopher Marlett, a then member of the Board, to provide content conversion services. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company paid $76,917 for these services. Mr. Marlett was a director of the Company until February 1, 2018 and is the Chief Executive Officer of MDB. On January 1, 2019, the Company entered into an amended consulting agreement with William Sornsin, the Company’s former Chief Operating Officer, pursuant to which the Company agreed to pay a monthly fee of $10,000, plus various incentive payments for launching certain sites on the Company’s platform from January 2019 through September 2019. Officer Promissory Notes In May 2018, the Company’s then Chief Executive Officer began advancing funds to the Company in order to meet minimum operating needs. Such advances were made pursuant to promissory notes that were due on demand, with interest at the minimum applicable federal rate, which ranged from 2.18% to 2.38%. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the total principal amount of advances outstanding was $319,351 (includes accrued interest of $5,794) and $680,399 (includes accrued interest of $12,574), respectively (see Note 17). Subsequent to December 31, 2019, the note was repaid (further details are provided under the heading Issuance of Preferred Stock in Note 28).

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- Definition The entire disclosure for related party transactions. Examples of related party transactions include transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiary; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) and entity and its principal owners; and (d) affiliates. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122745 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39691-107864 + Details
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