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BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 Segment D Y Month step Count sqm	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Principles of Consolidation
Net income attributable to CTC Media, Inc. stockholders	$ 16,393,000	$ 24,299,000	$ 77,653,000	$ 70,402,000
Business Segments
Number of business segments			8
Fair Value Measurements
Fair value following write down	177,416,000		177,416,000		172,469,000
Impairment charge	16,843,000		16,843,000
Goodwill and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Impairment Tests
Cost of capital assumption used in the analysis of impairment tests, low end of range (as a percent)			13.40%		13.50%
Cost of capital assumption used in the analysis of impairment tests, high end of range (as a percent)			17.70%		18.40%
Growth rate into perpetuity assumption used in the analysis of impairment tests (as a percent)			2.50%		4.00%
Perpetuity start period assumption used in the analysis of impairment tests (in years)			9
Goodwill	236,656,000		236,656,000		237,875,000
Trade names	5,263,000		5,263,000		16,956,000
Comparative Figures
Compensation expense paid to Video International	16,424,000		56,751,000
Commission fees paid to Video International	16,590,000		50,440,000
Channel 31 Group
Principles of Consolidation
Percentage of economic interest owned			60.00%
Assets (excluding intercompany assets)	24,360,000		24,360,000
Liabilities (excluding intercompany liabilities)	15,344,000		15,344,000
Intercompany payables	5,779,000		5,779,000
Net income attributable to CTC Media, Inc. stockholders	(480,000)		158,000
Intercompany expenses	418,000		564,000
Teleradiokompaniya 31st Kanal LLP (Channel 31)
Principles of Consolidation
Percentage of participation interest owned			20.00%
Prim LLP
Principles of Consolidation
Percentage of participation interest owned			70.00%
Advertising and Marketing LLP
Principles of Consolidation
Percentage of participation interest owned			60.00%
Regional broadcasting licenses
Fair Value Measurements
Fair value prior to write down	46,917,000		46,917,000
Fair value following write down	41,210,000		41,210,000
Impairment charge	$ 5,707,000		$ 5,707,000