Salem Media Group, Inc. Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

NOTE 14. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Fair value is defined as “the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.” FASB ASC Topic 820 “

Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,”

(“ASC 820”) established a hierarchal disclosure framework associated with the level of pricing observability utilized in measuring fair value. This framework defines three levels of inputs to the fair value measurement process and requires that each fair value measurement be assigned to a level corresponding to the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The three broad levels of inputs defined by the ASC 820 hierarchy are as follows:

•

Level

1 Inputs

—quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date;

•

Level

2 Inputs

—inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. If the asset or liability has a specified (contractual) term, a Level 2 input must be observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability; and

•

Level

3 Inputs

—unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. These unobservable inputs reflect the entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability and are developed based on the best information available in the circumstances (which might include the reporting entity’s own data).

Under ASC 820, a fair value measurement of a nonfinancial asset considers a market participant’s ability to generate economic benefits by using the asset in its highest and best use or by selling it to another market participant that would use the asset in its highest and best use. Therefore, fair value is a market-based measurement and not an entity-specific measurement. It is determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The exit price objective of a fair value measurement applies regardless of the reporting entity’s intent and/or ability to sell the asset or transfer the liability at the measurement date.

As of September 30, 2020, the carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, trade accounts receivables, accounts payable, accrued expenses and accrued interest approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of such instruments. The carrying amount of the Notes at September 30, 2020 was $216.3 million compared to the estimated fair value of $189.3 million, based on the prevailing interest rates and trading activity of our Notes.

We have certain assets that are measured at fair value on a

non-recurring

basis that are adjusted to fair value only when the carrying values exceed the fair values. The categorization of the framework used to price the assets is considered Level 3 due to the subjective nature of the unobservable inputs used when estimating the fair value.

The following table summarizes the fair value of our financial assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value:


	September 30, 2020
	Carrying Value on Balance Sheet		Fair Value Measurement Category
	Carrying Value on Balance Sheet		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(Dollars in thousands)
Assets
Estimated fair value of other indefinite-lived intangible assets	$	—		—		—	$	—
Liabilities:
Estimated fair value of contingent earn-out consideration included in accrued expenses		7		—		—		7
Long-term debt less unamortized debt issuance costs		230,180		—		201,408		—

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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