CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
NET REVENUE	$ 109,952	$ 104,445	$ 318,910	$ 266,516
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Programming and technical	32,454	32,742	96,577	82,291
Selling, general and administrative, including stock-based compensation	36,650	36,035	107,044	96,336
Depreciation and amortization	9,685	11,504	29,112	25,825
Impairment of long-lived assets	0	0	313	0
Total operating expenses	88,419	91,325	262,124	232,028
Operating income	21,533	13,120	56,786	34,488
INTEREST INCOME	108	103	155	120
INTEREST EXPENSE	22,179	22,973	68,854	65,222
GAIN ON INVESTMENT IN AFFILIATED COMPANY	0	0	0	146,879
EQUITY IN INCOME OF AFFILIATED COMPANY	0	0	0	3,287
LOSS ON RETIREMENT OF DEBT	0	0	0	7,743
OTHER (INCOME) EXPENSE, net	681	(19)	1,284	3
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes, noncontrolling interests in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	(1,219)	(9,731)	(13,197)	111,806
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES	9,051	(2,325)	25,814	81,905
Net income (loss) before equity in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	(10,270)	(7,406)	(39,011)	29,901
EQUITY IN INCOME OF SUBSIDIARIES	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	(10,270)	(7,406)	(39,011)	29,901
INCOME (LOSS) FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax	15	11	36	(71)
CONSOLIDATED NET (LOSS) INCOME	(10,255)	(7,395)	(38,975)	29,830
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	2,809	2,483	10,663	5,403
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	(13,064)	(9,878)	(49,638)	24,427
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative, including stock-based compensation	36,650	36,035	107,044	96,336
Corporate [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative, including stock-based compensation	9,630	11,044	29,078	27,576
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
NET REVENUE	36,357	35,403	103,036	97,241
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Programming and technical	7,890	7,995	24,209	24,191
Depreciation and amortization	1,779	1,930	5,450	6,140
Impairment of long-lived assets	0		313
Total operating expenses	24,768	24,456	74,587	70,750
Operating income	11,589	10,947	28,449	26,491
INTEREST INCOME	0	0	0	0
INTEREST EXPENSE	308	0	807	0
GAIN ON INVESTMENT IN AFFILIATED COMPANY				0
EQUITY IN INCOME OF AFFILIATED COMPANY				0
LOSS ON RETIREMENT OF DEBT				0
OTHER (INCOME) EXPENSE, net	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes, noncontrolling interests in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	11,281	10,947	27,642	26,491
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) before equity in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	11,281	10,947	27,642	26,491
EQUITY IN INCOME OF SUBSIDIARIES	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	11,281	10,947	27,642	26,491
INCOME (LOSS) FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax	15	12	36	(70)
CONSOLIDATED NET (LOSS) INCOME	11,296	10,959	27,678	26,421
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	0	0	0	0
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	11,296	10,959	27,678	26,421
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative, including stock-based compensation	15,099	14,531	44,615	40,419
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Corporate [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative, including stock-based compensation	0	0	0	0
Radio One [Member]
NET REVENUE	73,595	69,042	215,874	169,275
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Programming and technical	24,564	24,747	72,368	58,100
Depreciation and amortization	7,906	9,574	23,662	19,685
Impairment of long-lived assets	0		0
Total operating expenses	63,651	66,869	187,537	161,278
Operating income	9,944	2,173	28,337	7,997
INTEREST INCOME	108	103	155	120
INTEREST EXPENSE	21,871	22,973	68,047	65,222
GAIN ON INVESTMENT IN AFFILIATED COMPANY				146,879
EQUITY IN INCOME OF AFFILIATED COMPANY				3,287
LOSS ON RETIREMENT OF DEBT				7,743
OTHER (INCOME) EXPENSE, net	681	(19)	1,284	3
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes, noncontrolling interests in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	(12,500)	(20,678)	(40,839)	85,315
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES	9,051	(2,325)	25,814	81,905
Net income (loss) before equity in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	(21,551)	(18,353)	(66,653)	3,410
EQUITY IN INCOME OF SUBSIDIARIES	11,296	10,959	27,678	26,421
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	(10,255)	(7,394)	(38,975)	29,831
INCOME (LOSS) FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax	0	(1)	0	(1)
CONSOLIDATED NET (LOSS) INCOME	(10,255)	(7,395)	(38,975)	29,830
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	2,809	2,483	10,663	5,403
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	(13,064)	(9,878)	(49,638)	24,427
Radio One [Member] | Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative, including stock-based compensation	21,551	21,504	62,429	55,917
Radio One [Member] | Corporate [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative, including stock-based compensation	9,630	11,044	29,078	27,576
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
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
EQUITY IN INCOME OF AFFILIATED COMPANY				0
LOSS ON RETIREMENT OF DEBT				0
OTHER (INCOME) 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
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) before equity in income of subsidiaries and discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
EQUITY IN INCOME OF SUBSIDIARIES	(11,296)	(10,959)	(27,678)	(26,421)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	(11,296)	(10,959)	(27,678)	(26,421)
INCOME (LOSS) FROM DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, net of tax	0	0	0	0
CONSOLIDATED NET (LOSS) INCOME	(11,296)	(10,959)	(27,678)	(26,421)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS	0	0	0	0
CONSOLIDATED NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS	(11,296)	(10,959)	(27,678)	(26,421)
Non Guarantor Eliminations [Member] | Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative, including stock-based compensation	0	0	0	0
Non Guarantor Eliminations [Member] | Corporate [Member]
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Selling, general and administrative, including stock-based compensation	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0