EXHIBIT 5.1



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

                                 April 15, 2003

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

         Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We are acting as counsel to Cumulus Media Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the
"Registration Statement") that relates to the registration of 2,000,000 shares
of Class A Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Shares"), to be issued
in accordance with the Company's 2002 Stock Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). This
opinion appears as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement.

         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 opinion that the Shares, when issued in the manner
contemplated by the Plan, 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
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 Securities Act of 1933 or the rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder.

                                                          Very truly yours,





                                                          /s/ JONES DAY