Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Basis of Presentation

v3.22.0.1
Basis of Presentation
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation
NOTE 1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION
Description of Business
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 19. 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.
Impact of the
COVID-19
Pandemic
The
COVID-19
global pandemic that began in March 2020 materially impacted our business. We experienced a rapid decline in revenue from advertising, programming, events, and book sales. Several advertisers reduced or ceased advertising spending due to the outbreak and
stay-at-home
orders that effectively shut many businesses down. The revenue decline impacted our broadcast segment, which derives substantial revenue from local advertisers who were particularly hard hit due to social distancing and government interventions, and our publishing segment, which derives revenue from book sales through retail stores and live events.
While we see progress being made in revenue returning to
pre-pandemic
levels, the
COVID-19
pandemic continues to create significant uncertainty and disruption in the economy. These uncertainties could materially impact significant accounting estimates related to, but not limited to, allowances for doubtful accounts, impairments, and
right-of-use assets.
As a result, many estimates and assumptions require increased judgment and carry a higher degree of variability and volatility. These estimates may change as new events occur and additional information emerges, and such changes are recognized or disclosed in its consolidated financial statements. 
During 2020 we implemented several measures to reduce costs and conserve cash to ensure that we had adequate cash to meet our debt servicing requirements, including:
 
  •  
limiting capital expenditures;
 
  •  
reducing discretionary spending, including travel and entertainment;
 
  •  
eliminating open positions and freezing new hires;
 
  •  
reducing staffing levels;
 
  •  
implementing temporary company-wide pay cuts of 5%, 7.5% or 10% depending on salary level;
 
  •  
furloughing certain employees;
 
  •  
temporarily suspending the company 401(k) match;
 
  •  
requesting rent concessions from landlords;
 
  •  
requesting discounts from vendors;
 
  •  
offering early payment discounts to certain customers in exchange for advance cash payments; and
 
  •  
suspending the payment of distributions on our common stock indefinitely.
 
As the economy began to show signs of recovery, we reversed several of these cost reduction initiatives during 2021. We continue to operate with lower staffing levels where appropriate, we have not declared or paid equity distributions on our common stock, and the company 401(k) match was not reinstated until January 2022.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was signed into law on March 27, 2020. The CARES Act provided emergency economic assistance for individuals and businesses impacted by the
COVID-19
pandemic, including opportunities for additional liquidity, loan guarantees, and other government programs. On December 27, 2020, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act (“CAA”) that included a second relief package, which, among other things, provides for an extension of the Payroll Support Program established by the CARES Act. We utilized certain benefits of the CARES Act and the CAA, including:
 
 
•
 
We deferred $3.3 million of employer FICA taxes from April 2020 through December 2020, of which 50% was paid in December 2021 and the remaining 50% is payable in December 2022;
 
 
•
 
A relaxation of interest expense deduction limitation for income tax purposes;
 
  •  
W
e received Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans of $11.2 million in total during the first quarter of 2021 through the Small Business Association (“SBA”) based on the eligibility as determined on a
per-location
basis; and 
 
  •  
In July 2021, the SBA forgave all but $20,000 of the PPP loans, with the remaining PPP loan repaid in July 2021.
Use of Estimates
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. See Item 7 – Management Discussion and Analysis within this annual report for a discussion of our Critical Accounting Estimates.