Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (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
Condensed Financial Statements Statement of Operations
Broadcast revenues	$ 274,160	$ 124,332	$ 790,870	$ 235,989
Management fees	1,190	458	1,516	2,708
Net revenues	275,350	124,790	792,386	238,697
Operating expenses:
Direct operating expenses (excluding depreciation, amortization and LMA fees)	161,740	73,710	484,106	142,690
Depreciation and amortization	35,239	11,025	106,321	14,702
LMA fees	928	530	2,652	1,670
Corporate general and administrative expenses (including Stock-based compensation expense of $1,601,2764,2788,15671 respectively)	12,979	44,654	46,473	61,924
Gain on exchange of assets or stations	0		0	(15,278)
Realized (gain) loss on derivative instrument	(129)	1,436	624	2,681
Impairment of intangible assets			12,435
Total operating expenses	210,757	131,355	652,611	208,389
Operating income (loss)	64,593	(6,565)	139,775	30,308
Interest expense, net	(49,757)	(19,503)	(150,179)	(34,999)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				(4,366)
Other expense, net	(224)	182	(34)	88
Gain on equity investment in Cumulus Media Partners, LLC		11,636		11,636
Total non-operating (expense) income, net	(49,981)	(7,685)	(150,213)	(27,641)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	14,612	(14,250)	(10,438)	2,667
Income tax benefit	12,175	69,206	22,862	65,723
(Loss) income from continuing operations	26,787	54,956	12,424	68,390
Income from discontinued operations , net of taxes	29,258	4,582	39,635	8,608
Net income	56,045	59,538	52,059	76,998
Cumulus Media Inc. (Parent Guarantor Member) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements Statement of Operations
Broadcast revenues
Management fees	1,190	458	1,516	2,708
Net revenues	1,190	458	1,516	2,708
Operating expenses:
Direct operating expenses (excluding depreciation, amortization and LMA fees)
Depreciation and amortization	543	360	1,109	1,079
LMA fees
Corporate general and administrative expenses (including Stock-based compensation expense of $1,601,2764,2788,15671 respectively)	12,979	44,024	46,473	61,924
Gain on exchange of assets or stations
Realized (gain) loss on derivative instrument
Impairment of intangible assets
Total operating expenses	13,522	44,384	47,582	62,373
Operating income (loss)	(12,332)	(43,926)	(46,066)	(59,665)
Interest expense, net	(1,361)	(555)	(1,696)	(9,276)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				(4,366)
Other expense, net
Gain on equity investment in Cumulus Media Partners, LLC		11,636		11,636
Total non-operating (expense) income, net	(1,361)	11,081	(1,696)	(2,006)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(13,693)	(32,845)	(47,762)	(61,671)
Income tax benefit
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(13,693)	(32,845)	(47,762)	(61,671)
Income from discontinued operations , net of taxes
Earnings (loss) from consolidated subsidiaries	69,738	92,383	99,821	138,669
Net income	56,045	59,538	52,059	76,998
Cumulus Media Holdings Inc. (Subsidiary Issuer) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements Statement of Operations
Broadcast revenues
Management fees
Net revenues
Operating expenses:
Direct operating expenses (excluding depreciation, amortization and LMA fees)
Depreciation and amortization
LMA fees
Corporate general and administrative expenses (including Stock-based compensation expense of $1,601,2764,2788,15671 respectively)
Gain on exchange of assets or stations
Realized (gain) loss on derivative instrument
Impairment of intangible assets
Total operating expenses
Operating income (loss)
Interest expense, net	(48,651)	(19,045)	(149,336)	(25,826)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt
Other expense, net
Gain on equity investment in Cumulus Media Partners, LLC
Total non-operating (expense) income, net	(48,651)	(19,045)	(149,336)	(25,826)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(48,651)	(19,045)	(149,336)	(25,826)
Income tax benefit
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(48,651)	(19,045)	(149,336)	(25,826)
Income from discontinued operations , net of taxes
Earnings (loss) from consolidated subsidiaries	118,389	111,428	249,157	164,495
Net income	69,738	92,383	99,821	138,669
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements Statement of Operations
Broadcast revenues	274,160	124,332	790,870	235,989
Management fees
Net revenues	274,160	124,332	790,870	235,989
Operating expenses:
Direct operating expenses (excluding depreciation, amortization and LMA fees)	160,280	73,404	481,601	141,859
Depreciation and amortization	34,696	10,665	105,212	13,623
LMA fees	928	530	2,652	1,670
Corporate general and administrative expenses (including Stock-based compensation expense of $1,601,2764,2788,15671 respectively)		630		630
Gain on exchange of assets or stations				(15,278)
Realized (gain) loss on derivative instrument	(129)	1,436	624	2,681
Impairment of intangible assets			12,435
Total operating expenses	195,777	86,665	602,524	145,185
Operating income (loss)	78,383	37,667	188,346	90,804
Interest expense, net	255	97	853	103
Loss on early extinguishment of debt
Other expense, net	(224)	182	(34)	88
Gain on equity investment in Cumulus Media Partners, LLC
Total non-operating (expense) income, net	31	279	819	191
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	78,414	37,946	189,165	90,995
Income tax benefit	10,010	67,199	11,272	66,779
(Loss) income from continuing operations	88,424	105,145	200,437	157,974
Income from discontinued operations , net of taxes	35,275	8,452	48,766	12,478
Earnings (loss) from consolidated subsidiaries	(5,310)	(2,169)	(46)	(5,957)
Net income	118,389	111,428	249,157	164,495
Subsidiary Non-guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements Statement of Operations
Broadcast revenues
Management fees
Net revenues
Operating expenses:
Direct operating expenses (excluding depreciation, amortization and LMA fees)	1,458	306	2,505	831
Depreciation and amortization
LMA fees
Corporate general and administrative expenses (including Stock-based compensation expense of $1,601,2764,2788,15671 respectively)
Gain on exchange of assets or stations
Realized (gain) loss on derivative instrument
Impairment of intangible assets
Total operating expenses	1,458	306	2,505	831
Operating income (loss)	(1,458)	(306)	(2,505)	(831)
Interest expense, net
Loss on early extinguishment of debt
Other expense, net
Gain on equity investment in Cumulus Media Partners, LLC
Total non-operating (expense) income, net
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(1,458)	(306)	(2,505)	(831)
Income tax benefit	2,165	2,007	11,590	(1,256)
(Loss) income from continuing operations	707	1,701	9,085	(2,087)
Income from discontinued operations , net of taxes	(6,017)	(3,870)	(9,131)	(3,820)
Earnings (loss) from consolidated subsidiaries
Net income	(5,310)	(2,169)	(46)	(5,957)
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements Statement of Operations
Broadcast revenues
Management fees
Net revenues
Operating expenses:
Direct operating expenses (excluding depreciation, amortization and LMA fees)
Depreciation and amortization
LMA fees
Corporate general and administrative expenses (including Stock-based compensation expense of $1,601,2764,2788,15671 respectively)
Gain on exchange of assets or stations
Realized (gain) loss on derivative instrument
Impairment of intangible assets
Total operating expenses
Operating income (loss)
Interest expense, net
Loss on early extinguishment of debt
Other expense, net
Gain on equity investment in Cumulus Media Partners, LLC
Total non-operating (expense) income, net
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes
Income tax benefit
(Loss) income from continuing operations
Income from discontinued operations , net of taxes
Earnings (loss) from consolidated subsidiaries	(182,817)	(201,642)	(348,932)	(297,207)
Net income	$ (182,817)	$ (201,642)	$ (348,932)	$ (297,207)