IMPAIRMENT OF GOODWILL AND OTHER INDEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Schedule of Percentage Within Range by which Estimated Fair Value Exceeded Carrying Value of Each of Market Clusters Including Goodwill (Detail)

v2.4.1.9

IMPAIRMENT OF GOODWILL AND OTHER INDEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Schedule of Percentage Within Range by which Estimated Fair Value Exceeded Carrying Value of Each of Market Clusters Including Goodwill (Detail) (Goodwill-Broadcast [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 Entity	Dec. 31, 2013 Entity	Dec. 31, 2012 Entity
Less than 10% [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of market clusters	5salm_NumberOfBusinessReportingUnitsForMarketBasedServices / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember	4salm_NumberOfBusinessReportingUnitsForMarketBasedServices / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember	2salm_NumberOfBusinessReportingUnitsForMarketBasedServices / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember
Carrying value	$ 81,507salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember	$ 28,952salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember	$ 18,836salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember
>10% to 20% [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of market clusters		1salm_NumberOfBusinessReportingUnitsForMarketBasedServices / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTenMember	1salm_NumberOfBusinessReportingUnitsForMarketBasedServices / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTenMember
Carrying value		17,978salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTenMember	1,423salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTenMember
> 20% to 50% [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of market clusters	2salm_NumberOfBusinessReportingUnitsForMarketBasedServices / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember	3salm_NumberOfBusinessReportingUnitsForMarketBasedServices / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember	1salm_NumberOfBusinessReportingUnitsForMarketBasedServices / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember
Carrying value	27,636salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember	45,375salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember	10,506salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember
> than 50% [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of market clusters	7salm_NumberOfBusinessReportingUnitsForMarketBasedServices / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember	3salm_NumberOfBusinessReportingUnitsForMarketBasedServices / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember	5salm_NumberOfBusinessReportingUnitsForMarketBasedServices / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember
Carrying value	$ 254,645salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember	$ 45,152salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember	$ 132,645salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_GoodwillMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember