Related Party Transactions (Details)				3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 12, 2014 USD ($) item	Jul. 06, 2013 USD ($) item	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2008 USD ($) item	Jul. 28, 2015 USD ($)
Related Party Transactions
Programming rights				$ 240,168,000	$ 240,168,000		$ 221,664,000
Payables to Hallmark Cards affiliates				212,000	212,000		150,000
Deferred Revenue, Current				3,400,000	3,400,000		2,900,000
Trademark licenses
Related Party Transactions
Licenses amount reflected in the condensed consolidated balance sheets				0	$ 0
Period after which entity will be in default for not complying with the standards					10 days
Period after which entity will be in default for failure to make payment under loan agreement					5 days
Hallmark Cards
Related Party Transactions
Number of movies under older titles | item		2
Number of movies under contemporary Hallmark Hall of Fame titles | item		2	2
Amount to be received under agreement		$ 3,000,000
Advertising revenue to be recognized		$ 3,800,000	$ 2,100,000							$ 2,300,000
Number of movies aired on Hallmark Channel | item					4
Period of license of titles			7 days
Licensing revenue				0	$ 0		900,000
Hallmark Cards | Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities
Related Party Transactions
Deferred Revenue, Current				855,000	855,000
Hallmark Cards | State tax sharing agreement
Related Party Transactions
Amount paid							385,000
Amount owed under tax sharing agreement					$ 148,000		72,000
Period prior to due date of state tax returns when amount will be payable					2 days
Hallmark Cards | Services Agreement
Related Party Transactions
Fees for related party services							342,000
Hallmark Cards | Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Services Agreement
Related Party Transactions
Fees for related party services						$ 389,000
Hallmark Cards affiliates
Related Party Transactions
Payables to Hallmark Cards affiliates				212,000	$ 212,000		150,000
Amount of taxes paid on behalf of the entity				208,000	208,000
Amount of intercompany expenses				4,000	4,000
Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions, LLC
Related Party Transactions
Duration of movies aired on Hallmark channel			2 hours
Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions, LLC | Exclusive television license
Related Party Transactions
Exhibition windows over which the program license fees are payable in equal monthly installments								10 years	10 years
Number of movies under older titles | item									42
Number of movies under contemporary Hallmark Hall of Fame titles | item									16
Number of Movies under Programming License Agreement | item								16	58
Period of license of titles								10 years	10 years
License fee per movie	$ 660,000
Total license fees payable								$ 10,000,000	$ 17,200,000
Northpole
Related Party Transactions
Programming rights				3,600,000	3,600,000		$ 6,600,000
Duration of animated specials aired on Hallmark channel							2 hours
Northpole II
Related Party Transactions
Programming rights				$ 6,200,000	$ 6,200,000
Duration of animated specials aired on Hallmark channel						2 hours
Maximum | Hallmark Cards
Related Party Transactions
Number of movies under older titles | item			2