<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-07-31</periodOfReport>
    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001174527</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CITADEL BROADCASTING CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CDL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>

        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237987</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SULEMAN FARID</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O FORSTMANN LITTLE AND CO.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>767 FIFTH AVENUE, 44TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
        <isDirector>1</isDirector>
        <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
        <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
        <isOther>0</isOther>
        <officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle>
    </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>

        <securityTitle>
            <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </securityTitle>
        <postTransactionAmounts>

            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>1143000</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>

            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>

    </nonDerivativeTable>
    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>

        <securityTitle>
            <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>

        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>3.50</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>

        <exerciseDate>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </exerciseDate>

        <expirationDate>
            <value>2012-03-04</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>

            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>

            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>4150000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>

            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

    </derivativeTable>
    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Options become exercisable in equal annual installments on the date of grant (3/4/02) and the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Immediately prior to the closing of the initial public offering (the &quot;Offering&quot;) of the common stock, par value $.01 per share (&quot;Common Stock&quot;),
of Citadel Broadcasting Corporation (the &quot;Issuer&quot;), which is expected to occur in August 2003, the number and designation of shares of common stock will
be adjusted to reflect a recapitalization of the Issuer in which (i) each outstanding share of Class B common stock will be exchanged for shares of
Class A common stock based on an exchange ratio to be determined using the actual initial public offering price in the Offering and
(ii) the Class A common stock will be redesignated as Common Stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Suleman Farid</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-07-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

