CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
NET REVENUE	$ 105,916	$ 97,062	$ 208,958	$ 162,070
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Programming and technical	32,958	30,718	64,123	49,549
General and administrative, including stock-based compensation	31,568	31,806	70,394	60,301
Depreciation and amortization	9,742	10,238	19,427	14,321
Impairment of long-lived assets	313	0	313	0
Total operating expenses	84,436	81,272	173,705	140,703
Operating income	21,480	15,790	35,253	21,367
INTEREST INCOME	25	9	47	17
INTEREST EXPENSE	22,928	22,916	46,675	42,249
GAIN ON INVESTMENT IN AFFILIATED COMPANY	0	146,879	0	146,879
EQUITY IN INCOME OF AFFILIATED COMPANY	0	208	0	3,287
LOSS ON RETIREMENT OF DEBT	0	0	0	7,743
OTHER EXPENSE, net	610	47	603	22
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes, noncontrolling interests in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	(2,033)	139,923	(11,978)	121,536
BENEFIT FROM INCOME TAXES	(48,491)	38,611	16,763	84,230
Net income before equity in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	46,458	101,312	(28,741)	37,306
EQUITY IN INCOME OF SUBSIDIARIES	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	46,458	101,312	(28,741)	37,306
INCOME FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax	7	(45)	21	(81)
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS)	46,465	101,267	(28,720)	37,225
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	3,797	2,717	7,854	2,920
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	42,668	98,550	(36,574)	34,305
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
General and administrative, including stock-based compensation	31,568	31,806	70,394	60,301
Corporate [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
General and administrative, including stock-based compensation	9,855	8,510	19,448	16,532
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
NET REVENUE	35,588	33,743	66,678	61,838
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Programming and technical	7,975	7,677	16,319	16,196
Depreciation and amortization	1,850	2,023	3,671	4,210
Impairment of long-lived assets	313		313
Total operating expenses	24,953	22,717	49,824	46,294
Operating income	10,635	11,026	16,854	15,544
INTEREST INCOME	0	0	0	0
INTEREST EXPENSE	250	0	499	0
GAIN ON INVESTMENT IN AFFILIATED COMPANY			0	0
EQUITY IN INCOME OF AFFILIATED COMPANY		0	0	0
LOSS ON RETIREMENT OF DEBT			0	0
OTHER EXPENSE, net	0		0	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes, noncontrolling interests in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	10,385	11,026	16,355	15,544
BENEFIT FROM INCOME TAXES	0	0	0	0
Net income before equity in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	10,385	11,026	16,355	15,544
EQUITY IN INCOME OF SUBSIDIARIES	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	10,385	11,026	16,355	15,544
INCOME FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax	7	(45)	21	(81)
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS)	10,392	10,981	16,376	15,463
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	0	0	0	0
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	10,392	10,981	16,376	15,463
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
General and administrative, including stock-based compensation	14,815	13,017	29,521	25,888
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Corporate [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
General and administrative, including stock-based compensation	0	0	0	0
Radio One [Member]
NET REVENUE	70,328	63,319	142,280	100,232
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Programming and technical	24,983	23,041	47,804	33,353
Depreciation and amortization	7,892	8,215	15,756	10,111
Impairment of long-lived assets	0		0
Total operating expenses	59,483	58,555	123,881	94,409
Operating income	10,845	4,764	18,399	5,823
INTEREST INCOME	25	9	47	17
INTEREST EXPENSE	22,678	22,916	46,176	42,249
GAIN ON INVESTMENT IN AFFILIATED COMPANY	0	146,879	0	146,879
EQUITY IN INCOME OF AFFILIATED COMPANY	0	208	0	3,287
LOSS ON RETIREMENT OF DEBT	0	0	0	7,743
OTHER EXPENSE, net	610	47	603	22
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes, noncontrolling interests in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	(12,418)	128,897	(28,333)	105,992
BENEFIT FROM INCOME TAXES	(48,491)	38,611	16,763	84,230
Net income before equity in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	36,073	90,286	(45,096)	21,762
EQUITY IN INCOME OF SUBSIDIARIES	10,392	10,981	16,376	15,463
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	46,465	101,267	(28,720)	37,225
INCOME FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax	0	0	0	0
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS)	46,465	101,267	(28,720)	37,225
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	3,797	2,717	7,854	2,920
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	42,668	98,550	(36,574)	34,305
Radio One [Member] | Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
General and administrative, including stock-based compensation	16,753	18,789	40,873	34,413
Radio One [Member] | Corporate [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
General and administrative, including stock-based compensation	9,855	8,510	19,448	16,532
Non Guarantor Eliminations [Member]
NET REVENUE	0	0	0	0
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Programming and technical	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairment of long-lived assets	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
INTEREST INCOME	0	0	0	0
INTEREST EXPENSE	0	0	0	0
GAIN ON INVESTMENT IN AFFILIATED COMPANY			0	0
EQUITY IN INCOME OF AFFILIATED COMPANY		0	0	0
LOSS ON RETIREMENT OF DEBT			0	0
OTHER EXPENSE, net	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes, noncontrolling interests in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
BENEFIT FROM INCOME TAXES	0	0	0	0
Net income before equity in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
EQUITY IN INCOME OF SUBSIDIARIES	(10,392)	(10,981)	(16,376)	(15,463)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	(10,392)	(10,981)	(16,376)	(15,463)
INCOME FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax	0	0	0	0
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS)	(10,392)	(10,981)	(16,376)	(15,463)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	0	0	0	0
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	(10,392)	(10,981)	(16,376)	(15,463)
Non Guarantor Eliminations [Member] | Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
General and administrative, including stock-based compensation	0	0	0	0
Non Guarantor Eliminations [Member] | Corporate [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
General and administrative, including stock-based compensation	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0