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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-03-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <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>7201 W. LAKE MEAD BLVD.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 400</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LAS VEGAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NV</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>89128</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-03-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>83573</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>9.66</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5926112</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-03-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>34641</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>9.66</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5891471</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents shares having an aggregate fair market value equal to approximately $807,317 as of the date of grant (March 6, 2007); where fair market value is determined by the closing price of stock on the New York Stock Exchange for the trading day immediately preceding the date of grant. The grant is the Company's payment of a &quot;gross-up&quot; for the tax differential between ordinary income and dividend income rates during the year ended December 31, 2006, as discussed in Item 5.02 of the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by Citadel Broadcasting Corporation on December 15, 2006.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes (1) 1,008,741 shares of Common Stock, (2) approximately 465 shares of Common Stock held in the Citadel Broadcasting Company 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan as of March 5, 2007 and (3) 1,965,327 shares of performance-based restricted Common Stock that Mr. Suleman owns directly.  Mr. Suleman is also the direct owner of 2,868,006 restricted stock units that were granted to him on March 16, 2006 and will be distributed to him in two equal portions on March 16, 2007 and March 16, 2008.  In addition, Mr. Suleman holds 20,000 shares of Common Stock as custodian for his son under the Uniform Gift to Minors; Mr. Suleman disclaims beneficial ownership of those shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Settlement of withholding obligations, required by the Compensation Committee as part of its authorization of the issuance of shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Farid Suleman</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-03-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
