| 
           AMORTIZABLE INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Summary of Significant Classes of Amortizable Intangible Assets) (Details) (USD $) 
        In Thousands, unless otherwise specified  | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2014 
         | 
        
           Dec. 31, 2013 
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|---|---|---|
| Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] | ||
| Cost | $ 46,525us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill | $ 36,726us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill | 
| Accumulated Amortization | (34,130)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization | (27,933)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization | 
| Net | 12,395us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet | 8,793us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet | 
| Customer lists and contracts [Member] | ||
| Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] | ||
| Cost | 
19,910us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember  | 
        
17,170us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember  | 
      
| Accumulated Amortization | 
(16,558)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember  | 
        
(13,830)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember  | 
      
| Net | 
3,352us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember  | 
        
3,340us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerContractsMember  | 
      
| Domain and brand names [Member] | ||
| Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] | ||
| Cost | 
15,465us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_DomainAndBrandNamesMember  | 
        
12,700us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_DomainAndBrandNamesMember  | 
      
| Accumulated Amortization | 
(9,722)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_DomainAndBrandNamesMember  | 
        
(8,124)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_DomainAndBrandNamesMember  | 
      
| Net | 
5,743us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_DomainAndBrandNamesMember  | 
        
4,576us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_DomainAndBrandNamesMember  | 
      
| Favorable and assigned leases [Member] | ||
| Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] | ||
| Cost | 
2,379us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_FavorableLeasesAndOtherMember  | 
        
2,358us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_FavorableLeasesAndOtherMember  | 
      
| Accumulated Amortization | 
(1,795)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_FavorableLeasesAndOtherMember  | 
        
(1,701)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_FavorableLeasesAndOtherMember  | 
      
| Net | 
584us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_FavorableLeasesAndOtherMember  | 
        
657us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_FavorableLeasesAndOtherMember  | 
      
| Subscriber base and lists [Member] | ||
| Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] | ||
| Cost | 
4,302us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_SubscriberBaseAndListsMember  | 
        
1,856us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_SubscriberBaseAndListsMember  | 
      
| Accumulated Amortization | 
(2,671)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_SubscriberBaseAndListsMember  | 
        
(1,856)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_SubscriberBaseAndListsMember  | 
      
| Net | 
1,631us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_SubscriberBaseAndListsMember  | 
        |
| Author relationships [Member] | ||
| Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] | ||
| Cost | 
2,245us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_AuthorRelationshipsMember  | 
        
563us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_AuthorRelationshipsMember  | 
      
| Accumulated Amortization | 
(1,379)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_AuthorRelationshipsMember  | 
        
(563)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_AuthorRelationshipsMember  | 
      
| Net | 
866us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = salm_AuthorRelationshipsMember  | 
        |
| Non-compete agreements [Member] | ||
| Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] | ||
| Cost | 
888us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember  | 
        
743us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember  | 
      
| Accumulated Amortization | 
(669)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember  | 
        
(550)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember  | 
      
| Net | 
219us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember  | 
        
193us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember  | 
      
| Other amortizable intangible assets [Member] | ||
| Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] | ||
| Cost | 
1,336us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember  | 
        
1,336us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember  | 
      
| Accumulated Amortization | 
(1,336)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember  | 
        
(1,309)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember  | 
      
| Net | 
$ 27us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember  | 
      
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- Definition 
          Accumulated amount of amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef 
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- Definition 
          Amount after amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef 
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          Amount before accumulated amortization of intangible assets, excluding goodwill. No definition available. 
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