CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenue:
Services	$ 1,385,785,000	$ 1,326,256,000	$ 1,223,512,000
Operating Expenses:
Cost of services sold	936,133,000	879,716,000	798,518,000
Office and general expenses	306,251,000	322,207,000	290,073,000
Depreciation and amortization	46,446,000	52,223,000	47,172,000
Goodwill, Impairment Loss	48,524,000	0	0
Costs and Expenses, Total	1,337,354,000	1,254,146,000	1,135,763,000
Operating income	48,431,000	72,110,000	87,749,000
Other Income (Expenses):
Other, net	414,000	7,238,000	689,000
Foreign exchange loss	(213,000)	(39,328,000)	(18,482,000)
Interest expense and finance charges	(65,858,000)	(57,903,000)	(55,265,000)
Loss on redemption of Notes	(33,298,000)	0	0
Interest income	808,000	467,000	418,000
Nonoperating Income (Expense), Total	(98,147,000)	(89,526,000)	(72,640,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of non-consolidated affiliates	(49,716,000)	(17,416,000)	15,109,000
Income tax (benefit) expense	(9,404,000)	3,761,000	9,776,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in earnings of non-consolidated affiliates	(40,312,000)	(21,177,000)	5,333,000
Equity in earnings (losses) of non-consolidated affiliates	(309,000)	1,058,000	1,406,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(40,621,000)	(20,119,000)	6,739,000
Loss from discontinued operations attributable to MDC Partners Inc., net of taxes	0	(6,281,000)	(21,260,000)
Net loss	(40,621,000)	(26,400,000)	(14,521,000)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(5,218,000)	(9,054,000)	(6,890,000)
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners Inc.	$ (45,839,000)	$ (35,454,000)	$ (21,411,000)
Basic and Diluted
Loss from continuing operations attributable to MDC Partners Inc. common shareholders (in USD per share)	$ (0.89)	$ (0.58)	$ 0.00
Discontinued operations attributable to MDC Partners Inc. common shareholders (in USD per share)	0.00	(0.13)	(0.43)
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners Inc. common shareholders (in USD per share)	$ (0.89)	$ (0.71)	$ (0.43)
Weighted Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding:
Basic and diluted (in shares)	51,345,807	49,875,282	49,545,350
Stock-based compensation expense is included in the following line items above:
Cost of services sold	$ 21,003,000	$ 17,796,000	$ 17,696,000
Share-based Compensation	21,003,000	17,796,000	17,696,000
Cost of Sales [Member]
Stock-based compensation expense is included in the following line items above:
Cost of services sold	14,237,000	11,710,000	9,883,000
Share-based Compensation	14,237,000	11,710,000	9,883,000
General and Administrative Expense [Member]
Stock-based compensation expense is included in the following line items above:
Cost of services sold	6,766,000	6,086,000	7,813,000
Share-based Compensation	$ 6,766,000	$ 6,086,000	$ 7,813,000