Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Details)

v2.4.1.9
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Nov. 17, 2011
Dec. 31, 2011
Sep. 12, 2012
May 21, 2012
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]              
Minimum ownership percentage 5.00%salm_MinimumOwnershipPercentageOfCapitalStock            
Minimum ownership interest 10.00%salm_RelatedPartyOwnershipPercentage            
Rental Expenses $ 17,900,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense $ 16,900,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense $ 15,700,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense        
Life insurance premium 386,000salm_RelatedPartyAnnualPaymentsForInsurancePremiums 386,000salm_RelatedPartyAnnualPaymentsForInsurancePremiums 193,000salm_RelatedPartyAnnualPaymentsForInsurancePremiums        
Net assets 1,900,000us-gaap_AssetsNet 1,600,000us-gaap_AssetsNet 1,300,000us-gaap_AssetsNet        
Terminated Subordinated Debt due to Related Parties [Member]              
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]              
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding 0us-gaap_LineOfCredit
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= salm_LineOfCreditDueToRelatedPartyMember
  15,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCredit
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= salm_LineOfCreditDueToRelatedPartyMember
  9,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCredit
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= salm_LineOfCreditDueToRelatedPartyMember
   
Debt, interest rate terms
Outstanding amounts under each subordinated line of credit bore interest at a rate equal to the lesser of (1) 5% per annum and (2) the maximum rate permitted for subordinated debt under the Terminated Revolver referred to above plus 2% per annum.  Interest was payable at the time of any repayment of principal.  In addition, outstanding amounts under each subordinated line of credit were required to be repaid within three (3) months from the time that such amounts were borrowed, with the exception of the subordinated line of credit with Mr. Hinz, which was to be repaid within six (6) months from the time that such amounts were borrowed.
   
Outstanding amounts under each subordinated line of credit bore interest at a rate equal to the lesser of (1) 5% per annum and (2) the maximum rate permitted for subordinated debt under the Revolver referred to above plus 2% per annum.
     
Edward G. Atsinger III, Chief Executive Officer and Director [Member] | Terminated Subordinated Debt due to Related Parties [Member]              
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]              
Credit facility, borrowing capacity       6,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= salm_LineOfCreditDueToRelatedPartyMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
     
Edward G. Atsinger III, Chief Executive Officer and Director [Member] | Aircraft [Member]              
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]              
Rental Expenses 274,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= salm_AircraftMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
239,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= salm_AircraftMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
386,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= salm_AircraftMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
       
Edward G. Atsinger III, Chief Executive Officer and Director [Member] | Trust [Member]              
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]              
Rental Expenses 175,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis
= salm_TrustMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
170,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis
= salm_TrustMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
165,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis
= salm_TrustMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
       
Know the Truth [Member]              
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]              
Amount received from non-profit organization for airtime 500,000us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionOtherRevenuesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= salm_RelatedPartyFiveMember
400,000us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionOtherRevenuesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= salm_RelatedPartyFiveMember
400,000us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionOtherRevenuesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= salm_RelatedPartyFiveMember
       
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer [Member] | Land and Building [Member]              
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]              
Rental Expenses 1,300,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis
= us-gaap_LandAndBuildingMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= salm_ChairmanAndChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
1,200,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis
= us-gaap_LandAndBuildingMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= salm_ChairmanAndChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
1,200,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis
= us-gaap_LandAndBuildingMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= salm_ChairmanAndChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
       
Stuart W. Epperson, Board of Directors Chairman [Member] | Terminated Subordinated Debt due to Related Parties [Member]              
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]              
Credit facility, borrowing capacity       3,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= salm_LineOfCreditDueToRelatedPartyMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_BoardOfDirectorsChairmanMember
     
Roland S. Hinz, a Salem board member [Member] | Terminated Subordinated Debt due to Related Parties [Member]              
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]              
Credit facility, borrowing capacity           12,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= salm_LineOfCreditDueToRelatedPartyMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= salm_BoardMembersMember
6,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= salm_LineOfCreditDueToRelatedPartyMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= salm_BoardMembersMember
Truth For Life [Member]              
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]              
Amount received from non-profit organization for airtime $ 2,200,000us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionOtherRevenuesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= salm_RelatedPartySixMember
$ 2,100,000us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionOtherRevenuesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= salm_RelatedPartySixMember
$ 2,100,000us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionOtherRevenuesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= salm_RelatedPartySixMember