Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 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 September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 and for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 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 September 30, 2016 through the financial statements issuance date. The results of operations for the nine-months ended September 30, 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 September 30, 2016, we had a working capital deficit due primarily to three events, the reclassification of our Series B Preferred Stock as a current liability, the reclassification of our 12.5% Senior Secured Notes as a current liability, and the final payment on our promissory note relating to the acquisition of the Miami studio building being reclassified as a current liability. 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. If we are successful in repaying or refinancing our 12.5% Senior Secured Notes, and are able to generate legally available funds under Delaware law, we may be required to pay all or a portion of the accumulated preferred dividends and redeem all or a portion of the Series B Preferred Stock, to extent of the funds legally available. As discussed in Note 9, the 12.5% Senior Secured Notes have a maturity date of April 15, 2017. 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 television 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, refinance and/or restructure its short term obligations 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. We believe we will have sufficient cash on hand to make the final payment on the promissory note relating to the acquisition of the Miami studio building. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statements of Cash Flows (Topic 230). This new standard’s objective is to clarify how companies present and classify certain cash receipts and cash payments in the statement of cash flows. This update is effective on a retrospective basis for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017 with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that this new standard will have on our consolidated financial statements. 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 will adopt this accounting standard update effective January 1, 2017 and are currently evaluating the impact of the provisions of this update. We do not expect this update to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements; however, our initial assessment is subject to change. 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 lease assets and lease liabilities for the rights and obligations created by those leases and disclose key information about the leasing agreements. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. 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 and must be adopted using a modified retrospective approach for leases that exist or are entered into after the beginning of the earliest comparative period in the financial statements. We are currently evaluating the impact that this new standard will have on our financial position and related disclosures and expect the impact on our assets and liabilities will be material due to the addition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities; however the impact cannot currently be quantified. 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; however, we do not expect this update to have a material impact on our financial position and results of operations. 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. In May 2016, the FASB issued accounting standards updates to address implementation issues and to clarify the guidance for identifying performance obligations, licenses, and determining if a company is the principal or agent in a revenue arrangement. The Company currently expects to adopt the new revenue standard in its first quarter of 2018 and continues to evaluate the method of adoption and the impact of the provisions on our financial position and results of operations, if any. We do not expect this update to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations; however, our initial assessment is subject to change.

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 September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 and for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 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 September 30, 2016 through the financial statements issuance date. The results of operations for the nine-months ended September 30, 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 September 30, 2016, we had a working capital deficit due primarily to three events, the reclassification of our Series B Preferred Stock as a current liability, the reclassification of our 12.5% Senior Secured Notes as a current liability, and the final payment on our promissory note relating to the acquisition of the Miami studio building being reclassified as a current liability. 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. If we are successful in repaying or refinancing our 12.5% Senior Secured Notes, and are able to generate legally available funds under Delaware law, we may be required to pay all or a portion of the accumulated preferred dividends and redeem all or a portion of the Series B Preferred Stock, to extent of the funds legally available.

As discussed in Note 9, the 12.5% Senior Secured Notes have a maturity date of April 15, 2017. 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 television 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, refinance and/or restructure its short term obligations 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.

We believe we will have sufficient cash on hand to make the final payment on the promissory note relating to the acquisition of the Miami studio building.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statements of Cash Flows (Topic 230). This new standard’s objective is to clarify how companies present and classify certain cash receipts and cash payments in the statement of cash flows. This update is effective on a retrospective basis for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017 with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, that this new standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

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 will adopt this accounting standard update effective January 1, 2017 and are currently evaluating the impact of the provisions of this update. We do not expect this update to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements; however, our initial assessment is subject to change.

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 lease assets and lease liabilities for the rights and obligations created by those leases and disclose key information about the leasing agreements. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. 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 and must be adopted using a modified retrospective approach for leases that exist or are entered into after the beginning of the earliest comparative period in the financial statements. We are currently evaluating the impact that this new standard will have on our financial position and related disclosures and expect the impact on our assets and liabilities will be material due to the addition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities; however the impact cannot currently be quantified.

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; however, we do not expect this update to have a material impact on our financial position and results of operations.

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. In May 2016, the FASB issued accounting standards updates to address implementation issues and to clarify the guidance for identifying performance obligations, licenses, and determining if a company is the principal or agent in a revenue arrangement. The Company currently expects to adopt the new revenue standard in its first quarter of 2018 and continues to evaluate the method of adoption and the impact of the provisions on our financial position and results of operations, if any. We do not expect this update to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations; however, our initial assessment is subject to change.