Press Release - 062612

**MEDIA ALERT**

Cumulus Media Networks Announces Radio Host Perez Hilton
Awarded Newsweek Daily Beast Digital Power Index Lifetime Achievement Award

Honored in “Personalities” Category

Atlanta (June 26, 2012) – Cumulus Media Networks and “C” Student Entertainment , the producers and distributor of Perez Nights Live with Adam Bomb, and Radio PEREZ, announces that host and celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has received The Newsweek Daily Beast Lifetime Achievement award in Digital Power Index’s “Personalities” category. The award honors Hilton’s achievements in changing the nature of celebrity journalism with his gossip website PerezHilton.com.

The Newsweek Daily Beast Digital Power Index is an annual ranking of the 100 most powerful digital distruptors. The rankings are split across 10 categories, including revolutionaries, opinionists, navigators, personalities, visionaries, evangelists, angels, innovators, virologists and builders. In addition to the 10 individuals selected in each category by a group of expert panelists, there is a lifetime achievement award winner selected by Newsweek Daily Beast editors whose influence garners special notice in their category. The “Personalities” category recognizes individuals who have built their own viral brands through branding, merchandising and self-promotion.

“Cumulus and “C” Student Entertainment produce and distribute two very successful radio shows with PEREZ Hilton, Radio PEREZ, and PEREZ Nights live with Adam Bomb.   PEREZ is a Radio Gossip Rockstar, said Dennis Green, SVP of Affiliate Sales and Broadcast Operations for Cumulus Media Networks "We all congratulate him on this well-deserved award that recognizes his unique influence.”

Since launching the celebrity entertainment blog PerezHilton.com in 2004, Hilton has created a media empire that includes publishing, television, radio, music and special live events. In addition to his blog, which has become one of the leading sources for celebrity news amassing over 300 million hits a month, he runs five additional digital properties focused on fashion, fitness, family and animals along with a YouTube channel. Hilton has published three books, hosted and appeared on numerous television programs and has taken on the role of a music manager for such as recordings artists as Kat Graham, IM5, CJ Baran, Kalie Shorr, VanJess and MattyB, among others. He was named the #1 Web Celeb in 2007, 2008, and 2009 by Forbes Magazine, one of the 15 most influential Hispanics in the US by People en Espanol, the 2009 Hispanic of the Year by Hispanic Magazine, one of Time Magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People of 2007’ and as a tastemaker, Newsweek has compared his influence on the music scene to Oprah’s book club.

ABOUT CUMULUS MEDIA NETWORKS
Cumulus Media Networks has more than 4,000 affiliate radio stations reaching 121 million listeners in the 12+ demographic each week. Programs and services include ABC News Radio, The Mark Levin Show, The Michael Baisden Show, The Mike Huckabee Show, The Huckabee Report, Geraldo, Imus in the Morning, The John Batchelor Show, Red Eye Radio, MoneyTalk with Bob Brinker, The Larry Kudlow Show, Radio Perez with Perez Hilton, Kidd Kraddick in the Morning, Cannon’s Countdown with Nick Cannon and American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks. Other Cumulus Media Networks services include advanced digital media platforms with online interactive advertising; streaming audio and podcasts; ABC Sports Radio; format-specific ePrep; production libraries; and nine 24-hour formats including Scott Shannon’s True Oldies Channel and ESPN Radio. Cumulus Media Networks en Español includes leading Spanish-language programming such as Conexión Thalia and ESPN Deportes Radio.