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, 14th Floor
Atlanta, Georgia  30305

      Re:   Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registration Statement on Form S-8
            (File No. 333-62542)

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. 2 to the
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-62542) (the "Post-Effective
Amendment"). The Post-Effective Amendment relates to the registration of an
additional 1,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
(the "Additional Shares"), to be issued in accordance with the Company's 1999
Executive Stock Incentive Plan, as amended (the "Plan"), under which 1,000,000
shares of Class C Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, 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 opinion that the Additional 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
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