<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> The schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the consolidated financial statements of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996 and for the three months and six months ended September 29, 1996 and September 28, 1997, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0001041657 <NAME> RADIO ONE, INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1 <CURRENCY> US DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR 3-MOS 3-MOS 9-MOS 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 DEC-31-1996 DEC-31-1997 DEC-31-1996 DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1995 JUL-01-1996 JUL-01-1997 JAN-01-1996 JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1996 SEP-29-1996 SEP-28-1997 SEP-29-1996 SEP-28-1997 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 1 1 1 1 <CASH> 1,708,295 0 0 0 10,432,250 <SECURITIES> 0 0 0 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 7,184,668 0 0 0 10,276,830 <ALLOWANCES> (765,200) 0 0 0 (1,002,615) <INVENTORY> 0 0 0 0 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 8,244,788 0 0 0 20,141,134 <PP&E> 5,647,831 0 0 0 7,176,715 <DEPRECIATION> (2,640,827) 0 0 0 (3,176,443) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 51,776,780 0 0 0 80,153,041 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 7,474,311 0 0 0 4,989,482 <BONDS> 64,936,511 0 0 0 74,108,238 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 0 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 0 0 22,066,449 <COMMON> 1 0 0 0 1 <OTHER-SE> (15,002,757) 0 0 0 (21,011,129) <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 51,776,780 0 0 0 80,153,041 <SALES> 0 6,940,242 10,825,767 19,299,745 25,951,798 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 0 6,940,242 10,825,767 19,299,745 25,951,798 <CGS> 0 (776,087) (1,356,571) (2,288,972) (3,246,600) <TOTAL-COSTS> 0 (776,087) (1,356,571) (2,288,972) (3,246,600) <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 4,638,921 7,222,532 14,288,472 19,260,186 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 270,930 287,362 743,483 811,722 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0 1,884,409 2,415,697 5,498,281 6,610,653 <INCOME-PRETAX> 0 (443,950) 1,516 (2,807,029) (2,887,707) <INCOME-TAX> 0 0 0 0 0 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 0 (443,950) 1,516 (2,807,029) (2,887,707) <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 0 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 0 0 0 (1,985,229) <CHANGES> 0 0 0 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 0 (443,950) 1,516 (2,807,029) (4,872,936) <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 0 0 0 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0 0 0 0 0