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Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Detail) (USD $)
0 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Aug. 23, 2011
Jun. 30, 2012
Mar. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Sep. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2010
Mar. 30, 2010
2012 Sale of Patents and Other Technology Assets to Intel Corporation                  
Sale of patents and other technology assets   $ 120,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfProductiveAssets              
Net gain on sale of other investments           116,400,000us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherInvestments      
2011 Special Dividend and Reverse Stock Split                  
Reverse stock split, conversion ratio 0.25us-gaap_StockholdersEquityNoteStockSplitConversionRatio1                
Depreciation and Amortization                  
Depreciation expense       8,500,000us-gaap_Depreciation 14,300,000us-gaap_Depreciation 12,900,000us-gaap_Depreciation      
Equity Method Investments                  
Equity method investment       10,000,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments 12,473,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments        
Deferred Costs                  
Impairment of ongoing project, deferred costs     700,000rnwk_ImpairmentOfOngoingProjectDeferredCosts            
Advertising Expense                  
Advertising expense       23,100,000us-gaap_MarketingAndAdvertisingExpense 30,600,000us-gaap_MarketingAndAdvertisingExpense 31,700,000us-gaap_MarketingAndAdvertisingExpense      
Rhapsody America LLC                  
2010 Rhapsody Restructuring Transaction                  
Percentage of ownership interest in Rhapsody       43.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= rnwk_RhapsodyAmericaLimitedLiabilityCompanyMember
    45.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= rnwk_RhapsodyAmericaLimitedLiabilityCompanyMember
47.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= rnwk_RhapsodyAmericaLimitedLiabilityCompanyMember
51.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= rnwk_RhapsodyAmericaLimitedLiabilityCompanyMember
Equity Method Investments                  
Liquidation preference       10,000,000rnwk_EquityMethodInvestmentPreferredStockLiquidationPreferenceValue
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= rnwk_RhapsodyAmericaLimitedLiabilityCompanyMember
         
Equity method investment       $ 10,000,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= rnwk_RhapsodyAmericaLimitedLiabilityCompanyMember
$ 12,500,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
/ us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis
= rnwk_RhapsodyAmericaLimitedLiabilityCompanyMember
       
Equipment and Software | Minimum                  
Depreciation and Amortization                  
Useful life       3 years          
Equipment and Software | Maximum                  
Depreciation and Amortization                  
Useful life       5 years