INCOME TAXES (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 D	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Pretax income (loss):
Domestic	$ (31,892)	$ (10,145)	$ (41,376)
Foreign	168,811	227,211	190,021
Total	136,919	217,066	148,645
Significant components of the provision for income taxes
Domestic - current	(24,130)	(1,938)	(458)
Foreign - current	(59,140)	(62,648)	(51,485)
Domestic - deferred	(3,938)	(3,256)	(1,994)
Foreign - deferred	10,805	1,808	8,311
Income tax expense	(76,403)	(66,034)	(45,626)
Russian withholding tax under the Treaty, on dividends distributed to CTC Media, Inc. (as a percent)	5.00%
Russian withholding tax on dividends distributed within the country (as a percent)	9.00%	9.00%	9.00%
Minimum percentage of ownership interest in subsidiary which Russian companies are required to hold to qualify for withholding tax exemption	50.00%
Minimum period for which Russian companies are required to hold ownership interest in subsidiary to qualify for withholding tax exemption (in days)	365
Russian statutory income tax rate (as a percent)	20.00%	20.00%	20.00%
Kazhakh statutory income tax rate (as a percent)	20.00%	20.00%	20.00%
Reconciliation of the US statutory federal tax rate to the Company's effective tax rate
U.S. statutory income tax rate (as a percent)	35.00%
Income tax expense at US statutory rates (35%)	(47,922)	(75,973)	(52,026)
Non-deductible expenses (stock-based compensation)	(6,411)	(11,902)	(18,430)
Non-off-settable losses	(283)	(942)	(7,017)
Foreign withholding tax			(4,091)
Reversals of tax contingencies	1,075	1,806	3,954
Previously unrecognised tax credit	871	6,094
Different foreign tax rates	(793)	13,072	32,158
Effect of impairment loss (non-deductible assets)	(25,091)
Other permanent differences	2,151	1,811	(174)
Income tax expense	(76,403)	(66,034)	(45,626)
Non-deductible stock based compensation expenses	18,318	34,005	47,607
Tax effects of non-deductible stock based compensation expenses	$ 6,412	$ 12,251	$ 16,662