Cumulus Media audio company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Cumulus Media Inc., an audio company with a corporate office located in Atlanta, Georgia, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Thursday, March 5, 2026, as part of a "comprehensive restructuring support agreement," also known as an RSA or the "agreement."
Cumulus Media operates several radio stations in the Youngstown area, including:
- HOT 101 - 101.1
- SPORTS RADIO - 96.7
- Z104 - 103.9
- Y103 - 102.9
- K105 - 105.1
According to a release announcing the news, the RSA is aimed at eliminating about $600 million of debt. The company specifies that it will continue operating as usual through the process "with no impact to employees, partners or listeners."
Cumulus Media began the prepackaged Chapter 11 proceedings in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on Thursday.
According to the United States Courts government website, the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Code is used in cases where corporations or partnerships propose a plan to reorganize and keep their business alive, paying creditors over time.
"While we have outperformed the market on many of our most important metrics, including share gains in both local and digital revenue, the broader macroeconomic and industry-wide pressures we have faced remained unrelenting," said Mary Berner, President and CEO of Cumulus Media.
Berner continued," Against that backdrop, it became clear that Cumulus's remaining debt burden limited our ability to fully realize the Company's potential, and this agreement represents a major step forward."
Further, Berner states that the RSA will continue to allow Culumus Media to invest in "premium content, enriched audience experiences, advertiser performance enhancements and the ongoing growth of our digital marketing offerings."
