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BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT POLICIES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements Abstract  
Business Description And Basis Of Presentation Text Block 1.BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT POLICIESThe condensed consolidated interim unaudited financial statements included herein have been prepared by Entercom Communications Corp. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) in accordance with: (i) generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information; and (ii) the instructions of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for annual financial statements. In the opinion of management, the financial statements reflect all adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of the results of operations and financial position for the interim periods presented. All such adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature. The Company’s results are subject to seasonal fluctuations and, therefore, the results shown on an interim basis are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

This Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018, and filed with the SEC on February 27, 2019, as part of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations.

 

The Company considers the applicability of any variable interest entities (“VIEs”) that are required to be consolidated by the primary beneficiary. As of September 30, 2019, there were no VIEs requiring consolidation in these financial statements. As of December 31, 2018, there was one VIE that required consolidation in these financial statements. During 2018, the Company entered into an agreement with a third party qualified intermediary (“QI”), under which the Company was primarily responsible for the oversight and completion of certain construction projects. This agreement related to the creation of leasehold improvement assets on property that had already been made available for tenant use. The Company believed it was the primary beneficiary of the VIE as the Company had the power to direct the activities that were most significant to the VIE and the Company had the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive returns that would be significant to the VIE during the period of the agreement.

 

The use of a QI in a like-kind exchange enabled the Company to reduce its current tax liability in connection with certain asset dispositions. Under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”), the property to be exchanged in the like-kind exchange was required to be received by the Company within 180 days. This period of time lapsed during the first quarter of 2019, at which point, the Company acquired the interests of the QI. This arrangement effectively transformed the QI from a consolidated VIE to a consolidated subsidiary of the Company.

 

Total results of operations of the VIE for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018 were not significant. The consolidated VIE had a material amount of cash as of December 31, 2018, which was reflected as restricted cash on the consolidated balance sheet. Restrictions on these deposits lapsed during the first quarter of 2019. As a result, the Company does not have restricted cash at September 30, 2019. The VIE had no other assets or liabilities as of December 31, 2018. The assets of the Company’s consolidated VIE could only be used to settle the obligations of the VIE. There was a lack of recourse by the creditors of the VIE against the Company’s general creditors. Refer to Note 15, Contingencies And Commitments, for additional information.

 

There have been no material changes from Note 2, Significant Accounting Policies, as described in the notes to the Company’s financial statements contained in its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, that was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2019, other than as described below.

 

Changes in Accounting Policies

 

In February 2016, the accounting guidance was modified to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by requiring the recognition of right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. The new guidance was effective for the Company as of January 1, 2019. The Company implemented the new leasing guidance using a modified retrospective approach at the beginning of the period of adoption with a cumulative-effect adjustment to its accumulated deficit. Refer to Note 4, Leases, for additional information.

 

During the quarter ended June 30, 2019, the Company voluntarily changed the date of its annual broadcasting license and goodwill impairment test dates from April 1 to December 1. This change represents a change in method of applying an accounting principle. Refer to Note 5, Intangible Assets And Goodwill, for additional information.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

All new accounting pronouncements that are in effect that may impact the Company’s financial statements have been implemented. The Company does not believe that there are any other new accounting pronouncements that have been issued (other than as noted below or those included in the notes to the Company’s financial statements contained in its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, that was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2019) that might have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

Leasing Transactions

 

As discussed above, the Company implemented the amended accounting guidance for leasing transactions on January 1, 2019. There was no impact to previously reported results of operations for any interim period. The most significant impact of the adoption of the new leasing guidance was the recognition of ROU assets and lease liabilities for operating leases on the balance sheet of $288.7 million and $306.2 million, respectively, on January 1, 2019. The difference between the ROU assets and lease liabilities recorded upon implementation is primarily attributable to deferred rent balances and unfavorable lease liabilities which were combined and presented net within the ROU assets. Refer to Note 4, Leases, for additional information.

Reclassifications

 

Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year’s notes to the consolidated financial statements to conform to the presentation in the current year, which did not have a material impact on the Company’s previously reported financial statements.