Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) segment	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Segments | segment	4
Revenue	$ 344,700	$ 309,042
Cost of services sold	237,563	211,446
Office and general expenses	87,840	77,828
Depreciation and amortization	10,898	11,220
Operating profit	8,399	8,548
Other Income (Expense):
Other income, net	2,567	15,512
Interest expense, net	16,541	15,397
Loss On Redemption Of Notes	0	(33,298)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes, equity in affiliates	(5,575)	(24,635)
Income tax benefit	3,969	(1,633)
Loss from continuing operations before equity in affiliates	(9,544)	(23,002)
Equity in earnings of non-consolidated affiliates	(139)	229
Income from continuing operations	(10,566)	(23,632)
Net loss	(9,683)	(22,773)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(883)	(859)	$ (5,218)
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners Inc.	(10,566)	(23,632)
Stock-based compensation	4,950	4,685
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures	9,413	5,539
Total Assets	1,626,653		$ 1,577,378
Global Integrated Agencies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	176,723	150,512
Depreciation and amortization	5,952	4,404
Operating profit	(30)	10,375
Other Income (Expense):
Stock-based compensation	2,979	2,412
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures	6,899	3,314
Domestic Creative Agencies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	20,910	21,627
Depreciation and amortization	360	442
Operating profit	3,523	4,562
Other Income (Expense):
Stock-based compensation	155	190
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures	286	236
Specialist Communications [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	40,684	39,907
Depreciation and amortization	1,216	2,457
Operating profit	4,335	2,333
Other Income (Expense):
Stock-based compensation	518	384
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures	291	747
Media Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	35,244	30,827
Depreciation and amortization	1,005	1,042
Operating profit	2,642	1,290
Other Income (Expense):
Stock-based compensation	160	58
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures	1,014	288
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	71,139	66,169
Depreciation and amortization	2,056	2,478
Operating profit	6,498	3,118
Other Income (Expense):
Stock-based compensation	534	837
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures	922	926
Consolidation Items [Domain]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	309	397
Operating profit	(8,569)	(13,130)
Other Income (Expense):
Stock-based compensation	604	804
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures	$ 1	$ 28