IMPAIRMENT OF GOODWILL AND OTHER INDEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Schedule of Percentage Within Range by which Estimated Fair Value Exceeded Carrying Value of Accounting units 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 Accounting units Including Goodwill (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014 Entity	Dec. 31, 2013 Entity	Dec. 31, 2012 Entity
Less than 10% [Member] | Digital Media [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of accounting units	1salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember	1salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember
Carrying value	$ 4,649salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember	$ 27,456salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember
Less than 10% [Member] | Publishing [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of accounting units	2salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_PublishingMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember	1salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_PublishingMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember
Carrying value	3,417salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_PublishingMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember	1,251salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_PublishingMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioNineMember
>10% to 20% [Member] | Digital Media [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of accounting units	1salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTenMember
Carrying value	6,118salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTenMember
>10% to 20% [Member] | Publishing [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of accounting units
Carrying value
>20% to 50% [Member] | Digital Media [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of accounting units	1salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember	1salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember	2salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember
Carrying value	385salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember	2,984salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember	28,722salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember
>20% to 50% [Member] | Publishing [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of accounting units		1salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_PublishingMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember
Carrying value		2,123salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_PublishingMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioElevenMember
> than 50% [Member] | Digital Media [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of accounting units	1salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember
Carrying value	26,101salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_InternetMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember
> than 50% [Member] | Publishing [Member]
Carrying Amounts and Fair Values of Financial Instruments [Line Items]
Number of accounting units	1salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_PublishingMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember		2salm_GoodwillImpairmentTestNumberOfReportingUnits / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_PublishingMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember
Carrying value	$ 2,314salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_PublishingMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember		$ 2,103salm_ExcessOfEstimatedUndiscountedCashFlowsOverCarryingValue / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = salm_PublishingMember / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = salm_ScenarioTwelveMember