Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill [Table Text Block]

				Cable		Newspaper		Television		Other
(in thousands)		Education		Television		Publishing		Broadcasting		Businesses		Total
Balance as of January 3, 2010
	Goodwill	$	1,073,852	$	85,488	$	81,186	$	203,165	$	97,342	$	1,541,033
	Accumulated impairment losses		(15,529)		―		(65,772)		―		(60,785)		(142,086)
			1,058,323		85,488		15,414		203,165		36,557		1,398,947
Acquisitions			4,200		―		―		―		2,810		7,010
Impairment			―		―		―		―		(24,634)		(24,634)
Dispositions			(19,851)		―		―		―		―		(19,851)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other			14,888		―		(3)		―		―		14,885
Balance as of January 2, 2011
	Goodwill		1,073,089		85,488		81,183		203,165		100,152		1,543,077
	Accumulated impairment losses		(15,529)		―		(65,772)		―		(85,419)		(166,720)
			1,057,560		85,488		15,411		203,165		14,733		1,376,357
Acquisitions			78,643		―		―		―		―		78,643
Impairment			―		―		―		―		(11,923)		(11,923)
Dispositions			(21,144)		―		―		―		―		(21,144)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other			(6,936)		―		―		―		―		(6,936)
Balance as of December 31, 2011
	Goodwill		1,116,615		85,488		81,183		203,165		100,152		1,586,603
	Accumulated impairment losses		(8,492)		―		(65,772)		―		(97,342)		(171,606)
		$	1,108,123	$	85,488	$	15,411	$	203,165	$	2,810	$	1,414,997

Other Intangible Assets [Table Text Block]

			As of December 31, 2011						As of January 2, 2011
			Gross				Net		Gross				Net
		Useful Life	Carrying		Accumulated		Carrying		Carrying		Accumulated		Carrying
(in thousands)		Range	Amount		Amortization		Amount		Amount		Amortization		Amount
Amortized intangible assets
	Noncompete agreements	2 – 5 years	$	14,493	$	10,764	$	3,729	$	43,940	$	33,570	$	10,370
	Student and customer relationships	2 – 10 years		75,734		47,888		27,846		66,510		41,958		24,552
	Databases and technology	3 – 5 years		10,514		8,159		2,355		10,514		2,921		7,593
	Trade names and trademarks	2 – 10 years		36,222		18,936		17,286		29,053		15,330		13,723
	Other	1 – 25 years		9,971		6,565		3,406		11,502		6,498		5,004
			$	146,934	$	92,312	$	54,622	$	161,519	$	100,277	$	61,242
Indefinite-lived intangible assets
	Franchise agreements		$	496,321					$	496,166
	Wireless licenses			22,150						22,150
	Licensure and accreditation			7,862						7,877
	Other			4,308						4,623
			$	530,641					$	530,816

Education [Member]

Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill [Table Text Block]

		Higher		Test		Kaplan		Kaplan
(in thousands)		Education		Preparation		International		Ventures		Total
Balance as of January 3, 2010
	Goodwill	$	335,226	$	236,779	$	432,973	$	68,874	$	1,073,852
	Accumulated impairment losses		―		―		―		(15,529)		(15,529)
			335,226		236,779		432,973		53,345		1,058,323
Reallocation, net			―		(14,534)		―		14,534		―
Acquisitions			―		―		201		3,999		4,200
Dispositions			―		―		―		(19,851)		(19,851)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other			―		204		11,766		2,918		14,888
Balance as of January 2, 2011
	Goodwill		335,226		229,486		444,940		63,437		1,073,089
	Accumulated impairment losses		―		(7,037)		―		(8,492)		(15,529)
			335,226		222,449		444,940		54,945		1,057,560
Reallocation, net			91,043		(70,262)		―		(20,781)		―
Acquisitions			422		―		74,803		3,418		78,643
Dispositions			(17,479)		―		―		(3,665)		(21,144)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other			(84)		―		(3,807)		(3,045)		(6,936)
Balance as of December 31, 2011
	Goodwill		409,128		152,187		515,936		39,364		1,116,615
	Accumulated impairment losses		―		―		―		(8,492)		(8,492)
		$	409,128	$	152,187	$	515,936	$	30,872	$	1,108,123