Discontinued Operations (Operating Results After Reclassifying Certain Operations As Discontinued Operations) (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Oct. 02, 2011	Jul. 03, 2011	Apr. 03, 2011	Jan. 02, 2011	Oct. 03, 2010	Jul. 04, 2010	Apr. 04, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Jan. 02, 2011	Jan. 03, 2010
Operating Revenues [Abstract]
Education	$ 597,689	$ 615,884	$ 624,844	$ 626,631	$ 691,941	$ 737,131	$ 739,129	$ 694,078	$ 2,465,048	$ 2,862,279	$ 2,576,162
Advertising	213,255	170,553	193,352	177,384	241,650	200,532	207,241	184,182	754,544	833,605	778,158
Circulation and subscriber revenue	213,183	212,144	216,607	214,523	214,464	213,377	215,995	213,454	856,457	857,290	845,848
Other	39,312	34,059	34,337	31,076	34,106	32,495	31,253	33,013	138,784	130,867	125,872
Total operating revenues	1,063,439	1,032,640	1,069,140	1,049,614	1,182,161	1,183,535	1,193,618	1,124,727	4,214,833	4,684,041	4,326,040
Operating Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Operating	481,805	504,001	506,049	481,313	503,260	479,526	477,248	471,542	1,973,168	1,931,576	1,879,214
Selling, general and administrative	403,058	393,508	411,610	443,876	457,737	471,897	480,412	478,908	1,652,052	1,888,954	1,831,716
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	64,018	62,644	63,690	63,021	63,699	60,752	60,872	61,307	253,373	246,630	290,609
Amortization of intangible assets	6,813	8,603	6,779	6,164	6,438	6,409	7,492	6,403	28,359	26,742	25,610
Impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets					0	27,477	0	0		27,477
Total operating costs and expenses	955,694	980,679	988,128	994,374	1,031,134	1,046,061	1,026,024	1,018,160	3,918,875	4,121,379	4,035,641
Operating income	107,745	51,961	81,012	55,240	151,027	137,474	167,594	106,567	295,958	562,662	290,399
Other income (expense) [Abstract]
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates	568	(1,494)	3,138	3,737	(191)	2,140	2,027	(8,109)	5,949	(4,133)	(29,421)
Interest income	1,174	994	997	982	1,051	600	599	326	4,147	2,576	2,597
Interest expense	(8,638)	(8,667)	(7,960)	(7,961)	(7,693)	(7,633)	(7,598)	(7,579)	(33,226)	(30,503)	(31,565)
Other, net	1,073	(29,650)	(2,591)	(24,032)	2,157	12,486	(3,807)	(3,321)	(55,200)	7,515	13,197
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	101,922	13,144	74,596	27,966	146,351	145,067	158,815	87,884	217,628	538,117	245,207
Provision for income taxes	41,800	16,600	27,500	10,400	68,200	59,400	56,700	33,700	96,300	218,000	89,000
Income from continuing operations	60,122	(3,456)	47,096	17,566	78,151	85,667	102,115	54,184	121,328	320,117	156,207
(Loss) gain from discontinued operations, net of tax	1,609	(2,510)	(1,333)	(1,937)	838	(24,591)	(9,988)	(8,356)	(4,171)	(42,097)	(65,007)
Net Income (Loss)	61,731	(5,966)	45,763	15,629	78,989	61,076	92,127	45,828	117,157	278,020	91,200
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(17)	(16)	40	(14)	(2)	76	8	12	(7)	94	1,574
Net income attributable to The Washington Post Company	61,714	(5,982)	45,803	15,615	78,987	61,152	92,135	45,840	117,150	278,114	92,774
Redeemable preferred stock dividends	0	(226)	(230)	(461)	0	(230)	(231)	(461)	(917)	(922)	(928)
Net income attributable to The Washington Post Company common stockholders	61,714	(6,208)	45,573	15,154	78,987	60,922	91,904	45,379	116,233	277,192	91,846
Amount Attributable to The Washington Post Company common stockholders
Income (loss) from continuing operations	60,105	(3,698)	46,906	17,091	78,149	85,513	101,892	53,735	120,404	319,289	156,853
(Loss) gain from discontinued operations, net of tax	1,609	(2,510)	(1,333)	(1,937)	838	(24,591)	(9,988)	(8,356)	(4,171)	(42,097)	(65,007)
Net income attributable to The Washington Post Company common stockholders	$ 61,714	$ (6,208)	$ 45,573	$ 15,154	$ 78,987	$ 60,922	$ 91,904	$ 45,379	$ 116,233	$ 277,192	$ 91,846
Per share information attributable to The Washington Post Company common stockholders:
Basic income from common share from continuing operations	$ 7.82	$ (0.50)	$ 5.91	$ 2.11	$ 9.32	$ 9.61	$ 11.08	$ 5.81	$ 15.23	$ 35.77	$ 16.70
Basic loss per common share from discontinued operations	$ 0.21	$ (0.32)	$ (0.17)	$ (0.24)	$ 0.10	$ (2.76)	$ (1.08)	$ (0.90)	$ (0.53)	$ (4.71)	$ (6.92)
Basic net income per common share	$ 8.03	$ (0.82)	$ 5.74	$ 1.87	$ 9.42	$ 6.85	$ 10.00	$ 4.91	$ 14.70	$ 31.06	$ 9.78
Diluted income per common share from continuing operations	$ 7.82	$ (0.50)	$ 5.91	$ 2.11	$ 9.32	$ 9.60	$ 11.08	$ 5.81	$ 15.23	$ 35.75	$ 16.70
Diluted income (loss) per common share from discontinued operations	$ 0.21	$ (0.32)	$ (0.17)	$ (0.24)	$ 0.10	$ (2.76)	$ (1.08)	$ (0.90)	$ (0.53)	$ (4.71)	$ (6.92)
Diluted net income per common share	$ 8.03	$ (0.82)	$ 5.74	$ 1.87	$ 9.42	$ 6.84	$ 10.00	$ 4.91	$ 14.70	$ 31.04	$ 9.78