<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS OF INTEREP NATIONAL RADIO SALES, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR YEAR YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1999 DEC-31-1998 DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1999 JAN-01-1998 JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1999 DEC-31-1998 DEC-31-1997 <CASH> 66,725 32,962 1,419 <SECURITIES> 0 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 41,769 48,177 43,362 <ALLOWANCES> 2,158 1,626 1,220 <INVENTORY> 0 0 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 144,592 114,462 82,937 <PP&E> 23,569 20,668 19,398 <DEPRECIATION> 17,842 16,357 15,063 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 226,320 184,508 141,030 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 57,458 48,351 51,421 <BONDS> 100,000 100,000 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 6,924 <PREFERRED> 0 0 0 <COMMON> 103 70 70 <OTHER-SE> 33,383 (1,292) (1,679) <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 226,320 184,508 141,030 <SALES> 96,540 87,735 87,096 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 103,378 124,956 113,682 <CGS> 0 0 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 111,491 109,918 104,630 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 0 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 0 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 10,213 6,744 3,779 <INCOME-PRETAX> (18,326) 8,294 5,273 <INCOME-TAX> (6,148) 3,446 2,359 <INCOME-CONTINUING> (12,178) 4,848 2,914 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 0 0 <CHANGES> 0 0 0 <NET-INCOME> (12,178) 4,848 2,914 <EPS-BASIC> (1.97) (0.03) 0.18 <EPS-DILUTED> (1.97) (0.03) 0.17