CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Total	Common Stock Common Class A	Common Stock Common Class B	Share Capital to Be Issued	Additional Paid-in Capital	Charges in Excess of Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Stock Subscription Receivable	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Parent	Noncontrolling Interest
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ (276,612)	$ 262,655	$ 1	$ 424	$ 0	$ (126,352)	$ (465,576)	$ (55)	$ (797)	$ (329,700)	$ 53,088
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		49,092,426	3,754
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013				42,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners	2,702	0	0	0	0	0	2,702	0	0	2,702	0
Other Comprehensive income (loss)	2,356	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3,138	3,138	(782)
Issuance of restricted stock	0	7,068	0	0	(7,068)	0	0	0	0	0	0
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)		697,186	0	0
Shares acquired and cancelled	(4,791)	(4,791)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(4,791)	0
Shares acquired and cancelled (in shares)		(187,800)	0	0
Stock-based compensation	6,553	0	0	0	6,553	0	0	0	0	6,553	0
Changes in redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	(27,768)	0	0	0	(27,768)	0	0	0	0	(27,768)	0
Changes in noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interest from step-up transactions	(10,255)	0	0	0	(6,129)	0	0	0	0	(6,129)	(4,126)
Increase in noncontrolling interests from business acquisitions	62,724	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	62,724
Dividends paid and to be paid	(27,607)	0	0	0	(27,607)	0	0	0	0	(27,607)	0
Shares, Other		42,000		(42,000)
Other	54	915	0	(424)	(437)					54	0
Transfer to charges in excess of capital	0	0	0	0	62,456	(62,456)	0	0	0	0	0
Balance at Sep. 30, 2014	$ (272,644)	$ 265,847	$ 1	$ 0	$ 0	$ (188,808)	$ (462,874)	$ (55)	$ 2,341	$ (383,548)	$ 110,904
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2014		49,643,812	3,754
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2014				0