EXHIBIT 5.1

                           JONES, DAY, REAVIS & POGUE
                           303 Peachtree Street, N.E.
                               3500 SunTrust Plaza
                             Atlanta, Georgia 30308

                                 August 2, 2002

Cumulus Media Inc.
3535 Piedmont Road, Building 14, 14th Floor
Atlanta, Georgia  30305

         Re:     Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on
                 Form S-8 (File No. 333-62538)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We are acting as counsel to Cumulus Media Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), in connection with the Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (file No. 333-62538) (the "Post-Effective
Amendment"). The Post-Effective Amendment relates to the issuance of 2,750,000
shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Shares"), to be
issued in accordance with the Company's 2000 Stock Incentive Plan (the "Plan"),
which shares were originally registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, by Cumulus Media Inc., an Illinois corporation and predecessor to the
Company. This opinion appears as Exhibit 5.1. to the Post-Effective Amendment.

         In rendering this opinion, we have examined such documents, records and
matters of law as we have deemed necessary for purposes of this opinion. We have
assumed, without independent verification, the genuineness and authorization of
all signatures and the conformity to the originals of all copies submitted to us
or inspected by us as certified, conformed or photostatic copies. Based on such
examination, we are of the following opinion:

         The shares of Class A Common Stock and Class C Common Stock, when
issued in the manner contemplated by the Plans, will be validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable.

         Our examination of matters of law in connection with the opinion
expressed herein has been limited to, and accordingly our opinion herein is
limited to, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, including the
applicable  provisions of the Delaware  Constitution  and the reported judicial
decisions interpreting such law. We express no opinion with respect to any other
law of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction. We hereby consent to the
filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Post-Effective Amendment. In giving
such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of
persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933
or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
promulgated thereunder.

                                           Very truly yours,



                                           /s/ JONES, DAY, REAVIS & POGUE