Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	1. Basis of Presentation The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the Company, we, us, our or SBS). All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 and for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8-03 of Regulation S-X. They do not include all information and notes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements as of, and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, which are all of a normal and recurring nature, necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim periods. Additionally, we evaluated subsequent events after the balance sheet date of March 31, 2016 through the financial statements issuance date. The results of operations for the three-months ended March 31, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year ending December 31, 2016, or for any other future interim or annual periods. Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going-concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. As of March 31, 2016, we had a working capital deficit due to the reclassification of our Series B preferred stock as a current liability, although under Delaware law, our state of incorporation, the Series B preferred stock is deemed equity. Because the holders of the Series B preferred stock are not creditors, they do not have rights of, or remedies available to, creditors. Delaware law does not recognize a right of preferred stockholders to force redemptions or repurchases where the corporation does not have funds legally available. Currently, we do not have sufficient funds legally available to be able to repurchase the Series B preferred stock and its accumulated unpaid dividends and management does not expect to be required to make any such repurchases during the next twelve months. Management does not believe that the Series B preferred stockholders, based on provisions in the 12.5% Senior Secured Notes Indenture and Delaware law, have legal remedies that would require such repurchases (see note 10). As discussed in Note 9, the 12.5% Senior Secured Notes have a maturity date of April 15, 2017. During the first quarter of 2016, we have engaged financial advisors to assist us in developing a comprehensive refinancing strategy that considers all of the Company’s obligations under its debt and capital structure. Additionally, we are participating in the Broadcast Incentive Auction and evaluating the potential monetization of our spectrum and other assets to generate cash proceeds that would be used to repay our outstanding notes in accordance with the Indenture. The inability of the Company to repay or refinance its obligations so as to restructure its capital structure in a manner that ensures its short and long term liquidity could result in significant liquidity requirements on the Company. As there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully implement our strategy, this condition raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going-concern. The financial statements do not include adjustments, if any, that might arise from the outcome of this uncertainty. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718). This new standard’s objective is to simplify certain aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions, including (i) income tax consequences, (ii) classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and (iii) classification on the statement of cash flows. This update is effective on a prospective, retrospective, and modified retrospective basis for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016 with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that this new standard will have on our financial position and results of operations. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This new standard requires organizations that lease assets to recognize on the balance sheet the assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by those leases and disclose key information about the leasing agreements. The new guidance is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that this new standard will have on our financial position and results of operations. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Accounting for Financial Instruments – Recognition and Measurement. The new guidance changes how entities measure equity investments and present changes in the fair value of financial liabilities. The new guidance requires entities to measure equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted under the equity method at fair value and recognize any changes in fair value in net income unless the investments qualify for the new practicality exception. A practicality exception will apply to those equity investments that do not have a readily determinable fair value and do not qualify for the practical expedient to estimate fair value and as such these investments may be measured at cost. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that this new standard will have on our financial position and results of operations. In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740) Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes. This new standard provides guidance to simplify the presentation of deferred taxes in a classified statement of financial position. The guidance requires deferred tax liabilities and assets to be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The new guidance is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The Company elected to retroactively adopt the accounting standard in the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2015, and the adoption had no material impact on the consolidated financial position of the Company. In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. ASU No. 2015-03 requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts, and not recorded as separate assets. This update is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and is to be applied on a retrospective basis. The Company has adopted the accounting standard and presented its debt issuance costs as a deduction from the long-term debt in the balance sheet. Debt issuance costs totaled $3.7 million and $4.5 million at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements- Going Concern. This new standard defines management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an organization’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. The standard is effective for annual reporting periods ending after December 15, 2016 and interim periods thereafter. The Company has elected to early adopt the accounting standard during the first quarter of 2016. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). This new standard provides guidance for the recognition, measurement and disclosure of revenue resulting from contracts with customers and will supersede virtually all of the current revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. In July 2015, the FASB postponed the effective date of this standard. The standard is now effective for the first interim period within annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that this new standard will have on our financial position and results of operations.

1. Basis of Presentation

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the Company, we, us, our or SBS). All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 and for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2016 and 2015 have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8-03 of Regulation S-X. They do not include all information and notes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements as of, and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, which are all of a normal and recurring nature, necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim periods. Additionally, we evaluated subsequent events after the balance sheet date of March 31, 2016 through the financial statements issuance date. The results of operations for the three-months ended March 31, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year ending December 31, 2016, or for any other future interim or annual periods.

Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going-concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. As of March 31, 2016, we had a working capital deficit due to the reclassification of our Series B preferred stock as a current liability, although under Delaware law, our state of incorporation, the Series B preferred stock is deemed equity. Because the holders of the Series B preferred stock are not creditors, they do not have rights of, or remedies available to, creditors. Delaware law does not recognize a right of preferred stockholders to force redemptions or repurchases where the corporation does not have funds legally available. Currently, we do not have sufficient funds legally available to be able to repurchase the Series B preferred stock and its accumulated unpaid dividends and management does not expect to be required to make any such repurchases during the next twelve months. Management does not believe that the Series B preferred stockholders, based on provisions in the 12.5% Senior Secured Notes Indenture and Delaware law, have legal remedies that would require such repurchases (see note 10).

As discussed in Note 9, the 12.5% Senior Secured Notes have a maturity date of April 15, 2017. During the first quarter of 2016, we have engaged financial advisors to assist us in developing a comprehensive refinancing strategy that considers all of the Company’s obligations under its debt and capital structure. Additionally, we are participating in the Broadcast Incentive Auction and evaluating the potential monetization of our spectrum and other assets to generate cash proceeds that would be used to repay our outstanding notes in accordance with the Indenture. The inability of the Company to repay or refinance its obligations so as to restructure its capital structure in a manner that ensures its short and long term liquidity could result in significant liquidity requirements on the Company. As there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully implement our strategy, this condition raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going-concern. The financial statements do not include adjustments, if any, that might arise from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718). This new standard’s objective is to simplify certain aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions, including (i) income tax consequences, (ii) classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and (iii) classification on the statement of cash flows. This update is effective on a prospective, retrospective, and modified retrospective basis for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016 with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that this new standard will have on our financial position and results of operations.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This new standard requires organizations that lease assets to recognize on the balance sheet the assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by those leases and disclose key information about the leasing agreements. The new guidance is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that this new standard will have on our financial position and results of operations.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Accounting for Financial Instruments – Recognition and Measurement. The new guidance changes how entities measure equity investments and present changes in the fair value of financial liabilities. The new guidance requires entities to measure equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted under the equity method at fair value and recognize any changes in fair value in net income unless the investments qualify for the new practicality exception. A practicality exception will apply to those equity investments that do not have a readily determinable fair value and do not qualify for the practical expedient to estimate fair value and as such these investments may be measured at cost. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that this new standard will have on our financial position and results of operations.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740) Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes. This new standard provides guidance to simplify the presentation of deferred taxes in a classified statement of financial position. The guidance requires deferred tax liabilities and assets to be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The new guidance is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The Company elected to retroactively adopt the accounting standard in the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2015, and the adoption had no material impact on the consolidated financial position of the Company.

In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. ASU No. 2015-03 requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts, and not recorded as separate assets. This update is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and is to be applied on a retrospective basis. The Company has adopted the accounting standard and presented its debt issuance costs as a deduction from the long-term debt in the balance sheet. Debt issuance costs totaled $3.7 million and $4.5 million at March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements- Going Concern. This new standard defines management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an organization’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. The standard is effective for annual reporting periods ending after December 15, 2016 and interim periods thereafter. The Company has elected to early adopt the accounting standard during the first quarter of 2016.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). This new standard provides guidance for the recognition, measurement and disclosure of revenue resulting from contracts with customers and will supersede virtually all of the current revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. In July 2015, the FASB postponed the effective date of this standard. The standard is now effective for the first interim period within annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that this new standard will have on our financial position and results of operations.