CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Share-based Compensation	$ 5,530	$ 5,314	$ 10,215	$ 9,759
Revenue:
Services	337,047	336,606	646,089	638,828
Operating Expenses:
Cost of services sold	228,835	225,042	440,281	435,461
Office and general expenses	72,709	53,075	150,537	127,383
Depreciation and amortization	11,436	14,007	22,656	26,307
Costs and Expenses, Total	312,980	292,124	613,474	589,151
Operating profit	24,067	44,482	32,615	49,677
Other Income (Expense):
Other, net	26	4,348	15,538	(13,692)
Interest expense and finance charges	(17,174)	(13,288)	(32,749)	(28,384)
Loss on redemption of notes	0	0	(33,298)	0
Interest income	203	105	381	224
Nonoperating Income (Expense), Total	(16,945)	(8,835)	(50,128)	(41,852)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of non-consolidated affiliates	7,122	35,647	(17,513)	7,825
Income tax benefit	4,405	4,679	2,433	625
Loss from continuing operations before equity in earnings of non-consolidated affiliates	2,717	30,968	(19,946)	7,200
Equity in earnings of non-consolidated affiliates	(290)	104	(61)	455
Income from continuing operations	2,427	31,072	(20,007)	7,655
Loss from discontinued operations attributable to MDC Partners Inc., net of taxes	0	1,329	0	(4,965)
Net loss	2,427	32,401	(20,007)	2,690
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(1,254)	(2,841)	(2,113)	(5,221)
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners Inc.	$ 1,173	$ 29,560	$ (22,120)	$ (2,531)
Basic and Diluted
Loss from continuing operations attributable to MDC Partners Inc. common shareholders (usd per share)	$ 0.02	$ 0.57	$ (0.44)	$ 0.05
Discontinued operations attributable to MDC Partners Inc. common shareholders (usd per share)	0.00	0.03	0.00	(0.10)
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners Inc. common shareholders (usd per share)	0.02	0.60	(0.44)	(0.05)
Earnings Per Share, Diluted	0.02	0.59	(0.44)	(0.05)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Per Diluted Share	$ 0.02	$ 0.56	$ (0.44)	$ 0.05
Weighted Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding:
Basic (USD per share)	50,322,757	49,859,300	50,162,654	49,807,419
Diluted (USD per share)	50,703,548	50,399,936	50,162,654	50,365,119
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations and Disposal of Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Diluted Share	$ 0.00	$ 0.03	$ 0.00	$ (0.10)
Cost of Sales [Member]
Share-based Compensation	$ 4,231	$ 3,950	$ 7,367	$ 6,688
General and Administrative Expense [Member]
Share-based Compensation	$ 1,299	$ 1,364	$ 2,848	$ 3,071