Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income	$ (4,599)	$ (542,179)	$ 12,299	$ (12,015)	$ 3,361	$ 2,540	$ 15,137	$ (9,269)	$ (546,494)	$ 11,769	$ 176,083
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization									102,105	115,275	116,951
Amortization of debt issuance costs/discounts									9,541	9,493	9,919
Provision for doubtful accounts									4,501	4,302	3,349
Loss (gain) on sale of assets or stations									2,856	(1,342)	(3,685)
Gain on exchange of assets or stations									0	0	(108,158)
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments									0	21	(1,829)
Impairment of intangible assets and goodwill									565,584	0	0
Impairment charges - equity interest in Pulser Media Inc.									19,364	0	0
Deferred income taxes									(48,262)	6,902	(76,378)
Stock-based compensation expense									21,033	17,638	10,804
(Gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt									(13,222)	0	34,934
Loss on early extinguishment of debt											34,934
Earnings (loss) from consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Changes in assets and liabilities									(34,574)	(27,262)	(40,849)
Net cash provided by operating activities									82,432	136,796	121,141
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of assets or stations									9,201	15,843	0
Restricted cash									2,074	(3,909)	(225)
Capital expenditures									(19,236)	(19,006)	(11,081)
Proceeds from exchange of assets or stations									0	0	241,519
Acquisitions less cash acquired									0	(8,500)	(322,838)
Net cash used in investing activities									(7,961)	(15,572)	(92,625)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany transactions, net									0	0	0
Repayment of borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities									(50,000)	(156,125)	(2,111,688)
Proceeds from borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities									0	10,000	2,027,308
Tax withholding payments on behalf of employees									(93)	(1,332)	(337)
Preferred stock dividends									0	0	(9,395)
Proceeds from exercise of warrants									8	113	93
Proceeds from exercise of options									0	620	818
Redemption of preferred stock									0	0	(150,391)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock									0	0	94,300
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock									0	0	77,241
Deferred financing costs									0	(21)	(7,182)
Financing costs paid in connection with issuance of common stock									0	0	(4,541)
Net cash used in financing activities									(50,085)	(146,745)	(83,774)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									24,386	(25,521)	(55,258)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period				7,271				32,792	7,271	32,792	88,050
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	31,657				7,271				31,657	7,271	32,792
Eliminations
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income									967,479	(164,839)	(521,352)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
Amortization of debt issuance costs/discounts									0	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts									0	0	0
Loss (gain) on sale of assets or stations									0	0	0
Gain on exchange of assets or stations											0
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments										0	0
Impairment of intangible assets and goodwill									0
Impairment charges - equity interest in Pulser Media Inc.									0
Deferred income taxes									0	0	0
Stock-based compensation expense									0	0	0
(Gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt									0		0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt											0
Earnings (loss) from consolidated subsidiaries									(967,479)	164,839	521,352
Changes in assets and liabilities									0	0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities									0	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of assets or stations									0	0
Restricted cash									0	0	0
Capital expenditures									0	0	0
Proceeds from exchange of assets or stations											0
Acquisitions less cash acquired										0	0
Net cash used in investing activities									0	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany transactions, net									0	0	0
Repayment of borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities									0	0	0
Proceeds from borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities										0	0
Tax withholding payments on behalf of employees									0	0	0
Preferred stock dividends											0
Proceeds from exercise of warrants									0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of options										0	0
Redemption of preferred stock											0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock											0
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock											$ 0
Deferred financing costs										0
Financing costs paid in connection with issuance of common stock											$ 0
Net cash used in financing activities									0	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period				0				0	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0				0				0	0	0
Cumulus Media Inc. (Parent Guarantor)
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income									(546,494)	11,769	176,083
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
Amortization of debt issuance costs/discounts									0	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts									0	0	0
Loss (gain) on sale of assets or stations									0	0	0
Gain on exchange of assets or stations											0
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments										0	0
Impairment of intangible assets and goodwill									0
Impairment charges - equity interest in Pulser Media Inc.									0
Deferred income taxes									(3,494)	(3,739)	0
Stock-based compensation expense									0	0	0
(Gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt									0		0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt											0
Earnings (loss) from consolidated subsidiaries									541,253	(17,379)	(183,142)
Changes in assets and liabilities									0	0	0
Net cash provided by operating activities									(8,735)	(9,349)	(7,059)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of assets or stations									0	0
Restricted cash									0	0	0
Capital expenditures									0	0	0
Proceeds from exchange of assets or stations											0
Acquisitions less cash acquired										0	0
Net cash used in investing activities									0	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany transactions, net									8,727	(3,188)	(70,524)
Repayment of borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities									0	0	0
Proceeds from borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities										0	0
Tax withholding payments on behalf of employees									0	0	(337)
Preferred stock dividends											(9,395)
Proceeds from exercise of warrants									8	113	93
Proceeds from exercise of options										620	818
Redemption of preferred stock											(150,391)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock											94,300
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock											77,241
Deferred financing costs										0	0
Financing costs paid in connection with issuance of common stock											(4,541)
Net cash used in financing activities									8,735	(2,455)	(62,736)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									0	(11,804)	(69,795)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period				0				11,804	0	11,804	81,599
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0				0				0	0	11,804
Cumulus Media Holdings Inc. (Subsidiary Issuer)
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income									(541,253)	17,379	183,142
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization									1,525	1,619	1,913
Amortization of debt issuance costs/discounts									9,351	9,302	9,905
Provision for doubtful accounts									0	0	0
Loss (gain) on sale of assets or stations									0	0	0
Gain on exchange of assets or stations											0
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments										21	23
Impairment of intangible assets and goodwill									0
Impairment charges - equity interest in Pulser Media Inc.									0
Deferred income taxes									(77,584)	(81,993)	0
Stock-based compensation expense									21,033	17,638	10,804
(Gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt									(13,222)		34,934
Loss on early extinguishment of debt											34,934
Earnings (loss) from consolidated subsidiaries									424,877	(148,874)	(339,604)
Changes in assets and liabilities									306,482	349,463	46,572
Net cash provided by operating activities									131,209	164,555	(52,311)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of assets or stations									0	0
Restricted cash									2,074	(3,909)	(225)
Capital expenditures									(2,557)	(1,000)	(495)
Proceeds from exchange of assets or stations											0
Acquisitions less cash acquired										0	0
Net cash used in investing activities									(483)	(4,909)	(720)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany transactions, net									(56,244)	(50,909)	189,671
Repayment of borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities									(50,000)	(121,125)	(2,111,688)
Proceeds from borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities										0	2,002,308
Tax withholding payments on behalf of employees									(93)	(1,332)	0
Preferred stock dividends											0
Proceeds from exercise of warrants									0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of options										0	0
Redemption of preferred stock											0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock											0
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock											0
Deferred financing costs										0	(6,272)
Financing costs paid in connection with issuance of common stock											0
Net cash used in financing activities									(106,337)	(173,366)	74,019
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									24,389	(13,720)	20,988
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period				7,268				20,988	7,268	20,988	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	31,657				7,268				31,657	7,268	20,988
Subsidiary Guarantors
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income									(424,877)	148,874	339,604
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization									100,580	113,656	115,038
Amortization of debt issuance costs/discounts									0	0	0
Provision for doubtful accounts									4,501	4,302	3,349
Loss (gain) on sale of assets or stations									2,856	(1,342)	(3,685)
Gain on exchange of assets or stations											(108,158)
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments										0	(1,852)
Impairment of intangible assets and goodwill									565,584
Impairment charges - equity interest in Pulser Media Inc.									19,364
Deferred income taxes									33,716	93,576	(77,551)
Stock-based compensation expense									0	0	0
(Gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt									0		0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt											0
Earnings (loss) from consolidated subsidiaries									1,349	1,414	1,394
Changes in assets and liabilities									(343,115)	(368,911)	(329,635)
Net cash provided by operating activities									(40,042)	(8,431)	(61,496)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of assets or stations									9,201	15,843
Restricted cash									0	0	0
Capital expenditures									(16,679)	(18,006)	(10,586)
Proceeds from exchange of assets or stations											241,519
Acquisitions less cash acquired										(8,500)	(322,838)
Net cash used in investing activities									(7,478)	(10,663)	(91,905)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany transactions, net									47,517	19,097	146,950
Repayment of borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities									0	0	0
Proceeds from borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities										0	0
Tax withholding payments on behalf of employees									0	0	0
Preferred stock dividends											0
Proceeds from exercise of warrants									0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of options										0	0
Redemption of preferred stock											0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock											0
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock											0
Deferred financing costs										0	0
Financing costs paid in connection with issuance of common stock											0
Net cash used in financing activities									47,517	19,097	146,950
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									(3)	3	(6,451)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period				3				0	3	0	6,451
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0				3				0	3	0
Subsidiary Non-guarantors
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net (loss) income									(1,349)	(1,414)	(1,394)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization									0	0	0
Amortization of debt issuance costs/discounts									190	191	14
Provision for doubtful accounts									0	0	0
Loss (gain) on sale of assets or stations									0	0	0
Gain on exchange of assets or stations											0
Fair value adjustment of derivative instruments										0	0
Impairment of intangible assets and goodwill									0
Impairment charges - equity interest in Pulser Media Inc.									0
Deferred income taxes									(900)	(942)	1,173
Stock-based compensation expense									0	0	0
(Gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt									0		0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt											0
Earnings (loss) from consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Changes in assets and liabilities									2,059	(7,814)	242,214
Net cash provided by operating activities									0	(9,979)	242,007
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sale of assets or stations									0	0
Restricted cash									0	0	0
Capital expenditures									0	0	0
Proceeds from exchange of assets or stations											0
Acquisitions less cash acquired										0	0
Net cash used in investing activities									0	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Intercompany transactions, net									0	35,000	(266,097)
Repayment of borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities									0	(35,000)	0
Proceeds from borrowings under term loans and revolving credit facilities										10,000	25,000
Tax withholding payments on behalf of employees									0	0	0
Preferred stock dividends											0
Proceeds from exercise of warrants									0	0	0
Proceeds from exercise of options										0	0
Redemption of preferred stock											0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock											0
Proceeds from issuance of preferred stock											0
Deferred financing costs										(21)	(910)
Financing costs paid in connection with issuance of common stock											0
Net cash used in financing activities									0	9,979	(242,007)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period				$ 0				$ 0	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 0				$ 0				$ 0	$ 0	$ 0