NOTE 1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of Salem Communications Corporation (“Salem,” “we” or the “company”) include the company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Information with respect to the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2012 is unaudited. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the unaudited interim financial statements contain all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the company. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations for the full year. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

The balance sheet at December 31, 2011 included in this report has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date, but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP.

Description of Business

Salem is a domestic multi-media company with integrated business operations covering radio broadcasting, publishing and the Internet. Our programming is intended for audiences interested in Christian and conservative opinion content and complementary programming. Our primary business is the ownership and operation of radio stations in large metropolitan markets. Upon the close of all announced transactions, we will own and/or operate 99 radio stations across the United States. We also own and operate Salem Radio Network^® (“SRN”), SRN News Network (“SNN”), Salem Music Network (“SMN”), Solid Gospel Network (“SGN”), Salem Media Representatives (“SMR”) and Vista Media Representatives (“VMR”). SRN, SNN, SMN and SGN are radio networks that produce and distribute programming, such as talk, news and music segments to radio stations throughout the United States, including Salem owned and operated stations. SMR and VMR sell commercial airtime to national advertisers on radio stations and networks that we own, as well as on independent radio station affiliates.

We also operate Salem Web Network™ (“SWN”), our Internet businesses which provide Christian and conservative-themed content, audio and video streaming, and other resources on the web. SWN’s Internet portals include OnePlace.com, Christianity.com, Crosswalk.com, BibleStudyTools.com, GodTube.com, Townhall.com^®, HotAir.com, WorshipHouseMedia.com and Jesus.org. SWN’s content is accessible through our radio station websites that feature content of interest to local listeners throughout the United States. SWN operates these Salem radio station websites as well as Salem Consumer Products, a website offering books, DVD’s and editorial content developed by many of our on-air personalities that are available for purchase. The revenues generated from this segment are reported as Internet revenue on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

We also operate Salem Publishing™, which produces and distributes Christian and conservative opinion print magazines. Salem Publishing includes Xulon Press™, a print-on-demand self-publishing service for Christian authors. The revenues generated from this segment are reported as publishing revenue on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Variable Interest Entities

We account for entities qualifying as variable interest entities (“VIEs”) in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification (“FASB ASC”) Topic 810, Consolidation which requires VIEs to be consolidated by the primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary is the entity that holds the majority of the beneficial interests in the VIE. A VIE is an entity for which the primary beneficiary’s interest in the entity can change with changes in factors other than the amount of investment in the entity.

We may enter into Local Marketing Agreements (“LMA’s”) contemporaneously with entering an Asset Purchase Agreement (“APA”) to acquire or sell a radio station. We may also enter into Time Brokerage Agreements (“TBA’s”). Typically, both LMA’s and TBA’s are contractual agreements under which the station owner / licensee makes air-time available to a programmer / licensee in exchange for a fee and reimbursement of certain expenses. LMA’s and TBA’s are subject to compliance with the antitrust laws and the Communications Laws, including the requirement that the licensee must maintain independent control over the station and, in particular, its personnel, programming, and finances. The FCC has held that such agreements do not violate the Communications Laws as long as the licensee of the station receiving programming from another station maintains ultimate responsibility for, and control over, station operations and otherwise ensures compliance with the Communications Laws.

The requirements of FASB ASC Topic 810 may apply to entities under LMA’s or TBA’s, depending on the facts and circumstances related to each transaction. We did not consolidate any entities with which we entered into LMA’s or TBA’s under the guidance in FASB ASC Topic 810 as of September 30, 2012.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant areas for which management uses estimates include, but are not limited to: (1) asset impairments, including broadcasting licenses, goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets; (2) income tax valuation allowances; (3) uncertain tax positions; (4) allowance for doubtful accounts; (5) self-insurance reserves; (6) fair value of equity awards; (7) estimated lives for tangible and intangible assets; (8) fair value measurements; and (9) contingency reserves. These estimates require the use of judgment as future events and the effect of these events cannot be predicted with certainty. The estimates will change as new events occur, as more experience is acquired and as more information is obtained. We evaluate and update our assumptions and estimates on an ongoing basis and we may consult outside experts to assist as considered necessary.