INCOME TAXES (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Pretax income (loss):
Domestic	$ (7,527)	$ (12,557)	$ (31,892)
Foreign	229,023	177,246	168,811
Total	221,496	164,689	136,919
Significant components of the provision for income taxes
Domestic - current	3,612	(7,047)	(17,753)
Foreign - current	(58,756)	(58,568)	(59,140)
Domestic - deferred	(10,947)	(20,325)	(10,315)
Foreign - deferred	4,756	21,067	10,805
Income tax expense	(61,335)	(64,873)	(76,403)
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	365 days
Russian statutory income tax rate (as a percent)	20.00%	20.00%	20.00%
Kazakh 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%	35.00%	35.00%
Income tax expense at US statutory rates (35%)	(77,524)	(57,642)	(47,922)
Non-deductible expenses (stock-based compensation)	(642)	(1,673)	(6,411)
Reversals of tax contingencies non-deductible for income tax purposes	464	1,956	1,075
Foreign tax credits/prior years	15,554	4,680	871
Foreign tax credits/current year	12,098
Effect of impairment loss	(10,454)	(12,375)	(25,091)
Other permanent differences	(831)	181	1,075
Income tax expense	$ (61,335)	$ (64,873)	$ (76,403)