Salem Media Group, Inc. (“Salem” “we,” “us,” “our” or the “company”) is a domestic multimedia company specializing in Christian and conservative content. Our media properties include radio broadcasting, digital media, and publishing entities. We have three operating segments: (1) Broadcast, (2) Digital Media, and (3) Publishing, which are discussed in Note 20. Segment Data.

The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements of Salem include the company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of a global pandemic. The responses by federal, state and local governments to restrict public gatherings and travel rapidly grew to include orders, school closures and mandatory restrictions on businesses and services that has adversely affected workforces, certain economies, and financial markets resulting in a significant economic downturn. We experienced declining revenue from advertising, programming, events and book sales. Several advertisers reduced or ceased advertising spend due to the outbreak and orders that effectively shut many businesses down. This was particularly true within our broadcast segment, which derives substantial revenue from local advertisers who have been particularly hard hit due to social distancing and government interventions and in our publishing segment that sells books in retail stores and through live events.

While this disruption is expected to be temporary, there remains to be considerable uncertainty around the duration. Although advertising revenue continues to improve from the lowest levels experienced during April and May of 2020, it remains significantly below prior years. The exact timing and pace of the recovery has not been determinable as certain markets have reopened, some of which have since experienced a resurgence of cases, resulting in varying degrees of reinstated orders. Due to continuing uncertainties regarding the ultimate scope and trajectory of spread and evolution, it is impossible to predict the total impact that the pandemic will have on our business. If public and private entities continue to enforce restrictive measures, the material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could persist. Our businesses could also continue to be impacted by the disruptions from and resulting adverse changes in advertising customers and consumer behavior.

 $24.2 million at December 31, 2020 from $26.4 million at December 31, 2019, of which $5.0 million was outstanding at December 31, 2020 compared to $12.4 million outstanding at December 31, 2019.

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) was signed into law. The CARES Act provides opportunities for additional liquidity, loan guarantees, and other government programs to support companies affected by the pandemic and their employees. On December 27, 2020, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act (“CAA”) that includes a second relief package, which, among other things, provides for an extension of the Payroll Support Program established by the CARES Act. We have utilized certain benefits of the CARES Act, and we may be entitled to benefits under the CAA based on our individual locations, including:

We believe that our customers have benefited from the enhanced benefits provided by the CARES Act, and that they will also benefit from the CAA. The CAA provides for another round of direct payments, enhanced unemployment benefits, education funding, and aid to sectors still reeling from the economic fallout of the pandemic. While these measures may benefit many of our customers, we cannot assure you that the implementation of these measures will offset the negative impact of on our customers. If the CAA or any additional stimulus measures are not sufficient to remediate the financial stress on our customers as a result of the pandemic, we may experience ongoing challenges in growing and maintain revenue and we may experience an increase in delinquencies that could materially and adversely impact our results of operations and financial condition in future periods.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP 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: