Form: SC 13G/A

Schedule filed to report acquisition of beneficial ownership of 5% or more of a class of equity securities by passive investors and certain institutions

December 9, 2005

SC 13G/A: Schedule filed to report acquisition of beneficial ownership of 5% or more of a class of equity securities by passive investors and certain institutions

Published on December 9, 2005


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


SCHEDULE 13G


Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. 5 )*
-------------------

Salem Communications Corporation
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Issuer)

Class A Common Stock
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Title of Class of Securities)


794093104
---------------------------------------------
(CUSIP Number)



November 30, 2005
--------------------------------------------------------------
(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)


Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which
this Schedule is filed:

[x] Rule 13d-1(b)
[ ] Rule 13d-1(c)
[ ] Rule 13d-1(d)



*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).


Page 1 of 11 pages


13G
CUSIP No. 794093104
------------------------

Page 2 of 11 pages

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

Columbia Wanger Asset Management, L.P. 04-3519872
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*

Not Applicable (a) [ ]

(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

Delaware
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
None
SHARES ----- -----------------------------------------------------
6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
3,366,700
OWNED BY ----- -----------------------------------------------------
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
EACH
None
REPORTING ----- -----------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON WITH
3,366,700
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

3,366,700
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

Not Applicable [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

17.0%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

IA
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Pages 3 of 11 Pages

13G
CUSIP No. 794093104
------------------------


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

WAM Acquisition GP, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*

Not Applicable (a) [ ]

(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

Delaware
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
None

SHARES ----- -----------------------------------------------------
6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
3,366,700
OWNED BY ----- -----------------------------------------------------
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
EACH
None
REPORTING ----- -----------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON WITH
3,366,700
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

3,366,700
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

Not Applicable [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

17.0%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

CO
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Pages 4 of 11 Pages

13G
CUSIP No. 794093104
------------------------


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

Columbia Acorn Trust
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*

Not Applicable (a) [ ]

(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

Massachusetts
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
None
SHARES ----- ----------------------------------------------------
6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
2,052,100
OWNED BY ----- ----------------------------------------------------
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
EACH
None
REPORTING ----- ----------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON WITH
2,052,100
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

2,052,100
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*

Not Applicable [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

10.4%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

IV
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Item 1(a) Name of Issuer:

Salem Communications Corporation


Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

4880 Santa Rosa Road
Camarillo, California 93012


Item 2(a) Name of Person Filing:

Columbia Wanger Asset Management, L.P. ("WAM")
WAM Acquisition GP, Inc., the general partner of WAM
("WAM GP")
Columbia Acorn Trust ("Acorn")



Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office:

WAM, WAM GP and Acorn are located at:

227 West Monroe Street, Suite 3000
Chicago, Illinois 60606


Item 2(c) Citizenship:

WAM is a Delaware limited partnership; WAM
GP is a Delaware corporation; and Acorn is a
Massachusetts business trust.


Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities:

Class A Common Stock


Item 2(e) CUSIP Number:

794093104


Item 3 Type of Person:

(d) Acorn is an Investment Company under
section 8 of the Investment Company
Act.

(e) WAM is an Investment Adviser
registered under section 203 of the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940; WAM
GP is the General Partner of the
Investment Adviser.


Item 4 Ownership (at November 30, 2005):

(a) Amount owned "beneficially" within the meaning of
rule 13d-3:

3,366,700

(b) Percent of class:

17.0% (based on 19,771,199 shares outstanding
as of November 30, 2005)

(c) Number of shares as to which such person has:

(i) sole power to vote or to direct the
vote: none

(ii) shared power to vote or to direct
the vote: 3,366,700

(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct
the disposition of: none

(iv) shared power to dispose or to
direct disposition of: 3,366,700

Item 5 Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:

Not Applicable

Item 6 Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
Person:

The shares reported herein have been
acquired on behalf of discretionary clients
of WAM, including Acorn. Persons other than
WAM and WAM GP are entitled to receive all
dividends from, and proceeds from the sale
of, those shares. Acorn is the only such
person known to be entitled to all dividends
from, and all proceeds from the sale of,
shares reported herein to the extent of more
than 5% of the class.


Item 7 Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding
Company:

Not Applicable

Item 8 Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:

Not Applicable

Item 9 Notice of Dissolution of Group:

Not Applicable


Item 10 Certification:

By signing below I certify that, to the best
of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred
to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary
course of business and were not acquired and are not
held for the purpose of or with the effect of
changing or influencing the control of the issuer of
the securities and were not acquired and are not held
in connection with or as a participant in any
transaction having that purpose or effect.


Signature

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

Date: December 8, 2005

The undersigned corporation, on the date above
written, agrees and consents to the joint filing on
its behalf of this Schedule 13G in connection with
its beneficial ownership of the security reported
herein.


WAM Acquisition GP, Inc.
for itself and as general partner of
COLUMBIA WANGER ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.



By: /s/ Bruce H. Lauer
-----------------------------------------
Bruce H. Lauer
Senior Vice President and Secretary




The undersigned trust, on the date above written,
agrees and consents to the joint filing on its behalf
of this Schedule 13G in connection with its
beneficial ownership of the security reported herein.


COLUMBIA ACORN TRUST



By: /s/ Bruce H. Lauer
-----------------------------------------
Bruce H. Lauer
Vice President, Treasurer and
Secretary


Exhibit Index

Exhibit 1 Joint Filing Agreement dated as of December 8, 2005 by and among
Columbia Wanger Asset Management, L.P., WAM Acquisition GP, Inc. and
Columbia Acorn Trust.


EXHIBIT 1

JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

The undersigned hereby agree to the joint filing of the Schedule 13G to
which this Agreement is attached.


Dated: December 8, 2005


WAM Acquisition GP, Inc.
for itself and as general partner of
COLUMBIA WANGER ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.



By: /s/ Bruce H. Lauer
-----------------------------------------
Bruce H. Lauer
Senior Vice President and Secretary




COLUMBIA ACORN TRUST



By: /s/ Bruce H. Lauer
-----------------------------------------
Bruce H. Lauer
Vice President, Treasurer and
Secretary