CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' DEFICIT - 9 months ended Sep. 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	(11,135)	$ 0	$ 0	0	0	(11,135)	0	(11,135)	0
Other Comprehensive income (loss)	9,337	0	0	0	0	0	13,271	13,271	(3,934)
Issuance of restricted stock	0	$ 5,189	$ 0	(5,189)	0	0	0	0	0
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)		285,764	0
Shares acquired and cancelled	(1,792)	$ (1,792)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	(1,792)	0
Stock issued during period, shares, options exercised		37,500
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised	224	$ 343		(119)	0	0	0	224	0
Shares acquired and cancelled (in shares)		(68,278)	0
Stock-based compensation	6,563	$ 0	$ 0	6,563	0	0	0	6,563	0
Changes in redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interests	(21,596)	0	0	(21,596)	0	0	0	(21,596)	0
Changes in noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interest from step-up transactions	(49,154)	0	0	(40,446)	0	0	0	(40,446)	(8,708)
Dividends paid and to be paid	(31,930)	0	0	(31,930)	0	0	0	(31,930)	0
Transfer to charges in excess of capital	0	0	0	92,717	(92,717)	0	0	0	0
Balance at Sep. 30, 2015	$ (448,063)	$ 269,557	$ 1	$ 0	$ (302,385)	$ (500,768)	$ 5,519	$ (528,076)	$ 80,013
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2015		49,935,095	3,755