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                                                                       EXHIBIT 5



                                  June 30, 1999

(949) 451-3800                                                     C 80253-00038

Salem Communications Corporation
4880 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 300
Camarillo, CA  93012

Ladies and Gentlemen :

         We have acted as counsel to Salem Communications Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the registration under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), of the sale in an
underwritten public offering of 6,720,000 authorized but unissued shares of the
Class A Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the "Common Stock"), of the Company (the
"Company Shares"), and up to 2,940,000 shares of Common Stock issued to certain
selling stockholders (the "Outstanding Shares"). We have previously delivered an
opinion to you in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-1,
Registration No. 333-76649, as amended to date (the "Registration Statement"),
for the sale of 6,000,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company Shares and up to
2,625,000 shares of Common Stock of the Outstanding Shares, such Registration
Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
under the 1933 Act.

         This opinion is delivered to you in connection with the additional
Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed with the Commission on even date
herewith (the "Additional Registration Statement") under Rule 462(b) promulgated
under the 1933 Act, for the sale of 720,000 additional Company Shares and up to
315,000 additional Outstanding Shares.

         In rendering the opinion set forth herein, we have made such
investigations of fact and law, and examined such documents and instruments, or
copies thereof established to our

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Salem Communications Corporation
June 30, 1999
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satisfaction to be true and correct copies thereof, as we have deemed necessary
under the circumstances.

         Based upon the foregoing and such other examination of law and fact as
we have deemed necessary, and in reliance thereon, we are of the opinion that,
subject to such proceedings as are now contemplated being duly taken and
completed by you prior to the issuance of the Company Shares, the issuance of an
appropriate order by the Commission declaring the Registration Statement, as
amended, effective, and the compliance with applicable state securities and
"blue sky" laws, (i) the Company Shares have been duly authorized and will, upon
sale and delivery thereof and receipt by the Company of full payment therefor as
set forth in the Registration Statement and Additional Registration Statement,
be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and (ii) the Outstanding Shares
are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Additional Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus which is a part of the Registration
Statement and which is incorporated by reference into the Additional
Registration Statement.

                                                Very truly yours,

                                                /s/ GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP

                                                GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP


TDM/TJF/JDB