EXHIBIT 5.1

                           JONES, DAY, REAVIS & POGUE
                               3500 SunTrust Plaza
                           303 Peachtree Street, N.E.
                           Atlanta, Georgia 30308-3242

                                 August 2, 2002

Cumulus Media Inc.
3535 Piedmont Road
Building 14, Fourteenth Floor
Atlanta, GA  30305

         Re:      Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on
                  Form S-3 of 11,384,515 shares of Class A Common Stock, par
                  value $.01 per share, of Cumulus Media Inc.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We are acting as counsel for Cumulus Media Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), in connection with the Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-83980) (the "Post-Effective
Amendment"). The Post-Effective Amendment relates to the registration for resale
by certain stockholders of up to an aggregate of 11,384,515 shares of Class A
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Shares"), which shares were
originally registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"),
by Cumulus Media Inc., an Illinois corporation and predecessor to the Company
(the "Predecessor"). This opinion appears as Exhibit 5.1 to the Post-Effective
Amendment.

         In rendering this opinion, we have examined such documents and records,
including an examination of originals or copies certified or otherwise
identified to our satisfaction, and matters of law as we have deemed necessary
for purposes of this opinion. Based upon the foregoing and subject to the
qualifications and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that the
Shares are duly authorized and that (1) the Shares that are currently
outstanding are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and (2) upon
conversion of the shares of the Company's Class B Common Stock, par value $.01
per share, or exercise of the warrants (pursuant to their terms and upon payment
of the exercise price thereof) issued and delivered pursuant to the terms and
conditions of the Acquisition Agreement, dated as of November 18, 2001, as
amended, by and among the Predecessor and the other parties thereto, assuming
that sufficient authorized shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock, par
value $.01 per share, are then authorized and available for issuance, will be
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

         Our examination of matters of law in connection with the opinions
expressed herein has been limited to, and accordingly our opinions herein are
limited to, the Delaware General Corporation Law, including the applicable
provisions of the Constitution of the State of Delaware 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 referred to above and to the reference to us under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the prospectus forming part of the registration
statement. 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 Act
or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
promulgated thereunder.

                                                 Very truly yours,




                                                 /s/ Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue