CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT - 6 months ended Jun. 30, 2015 - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock Common Class A	Common Stock Common Class B	Additional Paid-in Capital	Charges in Excess of Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Parent [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ (348,580)	$ 265,817	$ 1	$ 0	$ (209,668)	$ (489,633)	$ (7,752)	$ (441,235)	$ 92,655
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014		49,680,108.5	3,754.5
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners	(2,531)	$ 0	$ 0	0	0	(2,531)	0	(2,531)	0
Other Comprehensive income (loss)	3,444	0	0	0	0	0	5,600	5,600	(2,156)
Issuance of restricted stock	0	$ 4,529	$ 0	(4,529)	0	0	0	0	0
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)		237,764	0
Shares acquired and cancelled	(1,497)	$ (1,497)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	(1,497)	0
Shares acquired and cancelled (in shares)		(53,101)	0
Stock-based compensation	4,845	$ 0	$ 0	4,845	0	0	0	4,845	0
Changes in redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	(14,650)	0	0	(14,650)	0	0	0	(14,650)	0
Changes in noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interest from step-up transactions	(41,932)	0	0	(33,199)	0	0	0	(33,199)	(8,733)
Dividends paid and to be paid	(21,283)	0	0	(21,283)	0	0	0	(21,283)	0
Transfer to charges in excess of capital	0	0	0	68,816	(68,816)	0	0	0	0
Balance at Jun. 30, 2015	$ (422,184)	$ 268,849	$ 1	$ 0	$ (278,484)	$ (492,164)	$ (2,152)	$ (503,950)	$ 81,766
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2015		49,864,772	3,755