Business Segments (Details 1) (USD $)	3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended								9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended							9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Oct. 02, 2011	Jul. 03, 2011	Apr. 03, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Oct. 02, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Jan. 02, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 Education [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Education [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Education [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Education [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Education [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Education [Member]	Apr. 03, 2011 Education [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Education [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Education [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Education [Member]	Jan. 02, 2011 Education [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Higher Education [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Higher Education [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Higher Education [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Higher Education [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Higher Education [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Higher Education [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Higher Education [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Higher Education [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Higher Education [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Higher Education [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Higher Education [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Test Preparation [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Test Preparation [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Test Preparation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Test Preparation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Test Preparation [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Test Preparation [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Test Preparation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Test Preparation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Test Preparation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Test Preparation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Test Preparation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Kaplan International [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Kaplan International [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Kaplan International [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kaplan International [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Kaplan International [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Kaplan International [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Kaplan International [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Kaplan International [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Kaplan International [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kaplan International [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Kaplan International [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Cable Television [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Cable Television [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Cable Television [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Cable Television [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Cable Television [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Cable Television [Member]	Apr. 03, 2011 Cable Television [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Cable Television [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Cable Television [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Cable Television [Member]	Jan. 02, 2011 Cable Television [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Newspaper Publishing [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Newspaper Publishing [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Newspaper Publishing [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Newspaper Publishing [Member]		Oct. 02, 2011 Newspaper Publishing [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Newspaper Publishing [Member]	Apr. 03, 2011 Newspaper Publishing [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Newspaper Publishing [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Newspaper Publishing [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Newspaper Publishing [Member]		Jan. 02, 2011 Newspaper Publishing [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 Television Broadcasting [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Television Broadcasting [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Television Broadcasting [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Television Broadcasting [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Television Broadcasting [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Television Broadcasting [Member]	Apr. 03, 2011 Television Broadcasting [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Television Broadcasting [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Television Broadcasting [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Television Broadcasting [Member]	Jan. 02, 2011 Television Broadcasting [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Other Businesses [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Other Businesses [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Other Businesses [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other Businesses [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Other Businesses [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Other Businesses [Member]	Apr. 03, 2011 Other Businesses [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Other Businesses [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Other Businesses [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other Businesses [Member]	Jan. 02, 2011 Other Businesses [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Corporate Office [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Corporate Office [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Corporate Office [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate Office [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Corporate Office [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Corporate Office [Member]	Apr. 03, 2011 Corporate Office [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Corporate Office [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Corporate Office [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate Office [Member]	Jan. 02, 2011 Corporate Office [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Intersegment Elimination [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Intersegment Elimination [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Intersegment Elimination [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member]	Jul. 03, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member]	Apr. 03, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Intersegment Elimination [Member]	Oct. 02, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member]	Jan. 02, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Intersegment Elimination [Member] Education [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Intersegment Elimination [Member] Education [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Intersegment Elimination [Member] Education [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member] Education [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member] Education [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member] Education [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member] Education [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Intersegment Elimination [Member] Education [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member] Education [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Intersegment Elimination [Member] Education [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Intersegment Elimination [Member] Education [Member]
Operating revenues	$ 1,011,334,000	$ 995,024,000	$ 961,199,000	$ 1,040,421,000	$ 1,012,498,000	$ 1,049,305,000	$ 1,028,921,000	$ 2,967,557,000	$ 3,090,724,000	$ 4,131,145,000	$ 4,586,417,000	$ 552,585,000	$ 552,202,000	$ 547,280,000	$ 580,763,000	$ 601,611,000	$ 610,371,000	$ 611,714,000	$ 1,652,067,000	$ 1,823,696,000	$ 2,404,459,000	$ 2,804,840,000	$ 273,703,000	$ 290,861,000	$ 308,384,000	$ 323,532,000	$ 330,856,000	$ 358,312,000	$ 386,883,000	$ 872,948,000	$ 1,076,051,000	$ 1,399,583,000	$ 1,905,038,000	$ 81,151,000	$ 79,787,000	$ 62,829,000	$ 66,901,000	$ 79,630,000	$ 83,197,000	$ 73,365,000	$ 223,767,000	$ 236,192,000	$ 303,093,000	$ 314,879,000	$ 197,858,000	$ 181,656,000	$ 176,385,000	$ 190,821,000	$ 192,609,000	$ 169,016,000	$ 152,135,000	$ 555,899,000	$ 513,760,000	$ 704,581,000	$ 587,781,000	$ 998,000	$ 1,003,000	$ 1,157,000	$ 1,110,000	$ 1,293,000	$ 1,065,000	$ 1,117,000	$ 3,158,000	$ 3,475,000	$ 4,585,000	$ 5,537,000	$ 199,625,000	$ 195,579,000	$ 190,210,000	$ 190,818,000	$ 187,892,000	$ 191,231,000	$ 190,280,000	$ 585,414,000	$ 569,403,000	$ 760,221,000	$ 759,884,000	$ 137,276,000	$ 144,721,000	$ 137,553,000	$ 172,121,000		$ 143,495,000	$ 155,863,000	$ 151,053,000	$ 419,550,000	$ 450,411,000	$ 622,532,000		$ 675,931,000		$ 106,411,000	$ 95,591,000	$ 81,497,000	$ 88,253,000	$ 73,830,000	$ 84,940,000	$ 72,183,000	$ 283,499,000	$ 230,953,000	$ 319,206,000	$ 342,164,000	$ 15,834,000	$ 7,177,000	$ 4,768,000	$ 8,890,000	$ 5,764,000	$ 6,909,000	$ 3,944,000	$ 27,779,000	$ 16,617,000	$ 25,507,000	$ 4,442,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ (397,000)	$ (246,000)	$ (109,000)	$ (424,000)	$ (94,000)	$ (9,000)	$ (253,000)	$ (752,000)	$ (356,000)	$ (780,000)	$ (844,000)	$ (1,125,000)	$ (1,105,000)	$ (1,475,000)	$ (1,601,000)	$ (2,777,000)	$ (1,219,000)	$ (1,786,000)	$ (3,705,000)	$ (5,782,000)	$ (7,383,000)	$ (8,395,000)
Income (loss) from operations	75,921,000	62,556,000	20,479,000	109,263,000	70,239,000	86,587,000	59,769,000	158,956,000	216,595,000	325,858,000	602,864,000	14,693,000	3,728,000	(11,915,000)	30,893,000	20,808,000	23,556,000	21,029,000	6,506,000	65,393,000	96,286,000	359,584,000	1,510,000	5,860,000	8,959,000	28,025,000	25,083,000	45,157,000	50,650,000	16,329,000	120,890,000	148,915,000	406,880,000	3,446,000	2,706,000	(10,219,000)	520,000	(4,745,000)	(11,597,000)	(12,676,000)	(4,067,000)	(29,018,000)	(28,498,000)	(32,583,000)	20,619,000	9,294,000	3,423,000	22,771,000	10,775,000	8,642,000	(682,000)	33,336,000	18,735,000	41,506,000	49,309,000	(11,106,000)	(14,293,000)	(14,272,000)	(20,596,000)	(9,225,000)	(18,664,000)	(16,032,000)	(39,671,000)	(43,921,000)	(64,517,000)	(63,788,000)	39,913,000	38,446,000	32,777,000	41,917,000	36,795,000	40,425,000	37,707,000	111,136,000	114,927,000	156,844,000	163,945,000	(21,825,000)	(13,079,000)	(21,431,000)	6,793,000		(10,761,000)	(3,524,000)	(13,712,000)	(56,335,000)	(27,997,000)	(21,204,000)		(11,115,000)		54,082,000	43,728,000	30,999,000	40,854,000	24,073,000	32,571,000	19,591,000	128,809,000	76,235,000	117,089,000	121,348,000	(5,248,000)	(6,775,000)	(4,643,000)	(3,064,000)	(1,745,000)	(2,008,000)	(1,918,000)	(16,666,000)	(5,671,000)	(8,735,000)	(6,326,000)	(5,694,000)	(3,492,000)	(5,308,000)	(8,130,000)	1,069,000	(4,433,000)	(2,928,000)	(14,494,000)	(6,292,000)	(14,422,000)	(24,572,000)												224,000	161,000	194,000	173,000	(1,080,000)	18,000	(231,000)	579,000	(1,293,000)	(1,120,000)	(234,000)
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net	4,099,000	3,314,000	3,888,000	568,000	(1,494,000)	3,138,000	3,737,000	11,301,000	5,381,000	5,949,000	(4,133,000)
Interest expense, net	(8,090,000)	(8,204,000)	(8,094,000)	(7,464,000)	(7,673,000)	(6,963,000)	(6,979,000)	(24,388,000)	(21,615,000)	(29,079,000)	(27,927,000)
Other income (expense), net	4,163,000	(635,000)	8,588,000	1,073,000	(29,650,000)	(2,591,000)	(24,032,000)	12,116,000	(56,273,000)	(55,200,000)	7,515,000
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	76,093,000	57,031,000	24,861,000	103,440,000	31,422,000	80,171,000	32,495,000	157,985,000	144,088,000	247,528,000	578,319,000
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	63,739,000	62,749,000	62,275,000	62,932,000	61,589,000	62,615,000	61,929,000	188,763,000	186,133,000	249,065,000	242,405,000	22,024,000	21,011,000	20,717,000	22,100,000	20,338,000	21,308,000	19,989,000	63,752,000	61,635,000	83,735,000	73,351,000	12,168,000	11,673,000	11,757,000	13,416,000	11,825,000	11,897,000	11,241,000	35,598,000	34,963,000	48,379,000	42,412,000	5,544,000	4,449,000	4,315,000	3,799,000	3,445,000	3,796,000	4,449,000	14,308,000	11,690,000	15,489,000	14,095,000	3,841,000	4,472,000	4,200,000	4,350,000	4,384,000	4,751,000	3,468,000	12,513,000	12,603,000	16,953,000	12,993,000	471,000	417,000	445,000	535,000	684,000	864,000	831,000	1,333,000	2,379,000	2,914,000	3,851,000	32,310,000	32,234,000	32,197,000	31,322,000	31,661,000	31,533,000	31,786,000	96,741,000	94,980,000	126,302,000	124,834,000	6,274,000	6,282,000	6,236,000	6,443,000		6,453,000	6,540,000	6,900,000	18,792,000	19,893,000	26,336,000		30,341,000		3,126,000	3,222,000	3,125,000	3,067,000	3,137,000	3,134,000	3,110,000	9,473,000	9,381,000	12,448,000	12,720,000	5,000	0	0	0	0	0	0	5,000	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	100,000	144,000	0	244,000	244,000	1,159,000
Amortization of intangible assets	5,091,000	4,428,000	3,873,000	5,042,000	6,320,000	5,797,000	5,176,000	13,392,000	17,293,000	22,335,000	21,552,000	4,489,000	3,803,000	3,236,000	4,394,000	5,568,000	5,042,000	4,413,000	11,528,000	15,023,000	19,417,000	19,202,000																																													52,000	53,000	54,000	66,000	62,000	66,000	73,000	159,000	201,000	267,000	327,000	150,000	172,000	183,000	182,000		290,000	289,000	290,000	505,000	869,000	1,051,000		1,223,000		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	400,000	400,000	400,000	400,000	400,000	400,000	400,000	1,200,000	1,200,000	1,600,000	800,000	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Pension expense (credit)	12,826,000	2,424,000	3,195,000	1,110,000	(1,505,000)	(1,474,000)	124,000	18,445,000	(2,855,000)	(1,745,000)	16,427,000	3,522,000	1,969,000	2,392,000	1,486,000	1,655,000	1,652,000	1,552,000	7,883,000	4,859,000	6,345,000	5,707,000																																													694,000	514,000	530,000	454,000	455,000	497,000	518,000	1,738,000	1,470,000	1,924,000	1,919,000	16,181,000	7,772,000	8,601,000	8,057,000	[1]	5,241,000	5,285,000	6,700,000	32,554,000	17,226,000	25,283,000	[2]	42,287,000	[2]	1,432,000	1,055,000	960,000	363,000	325,000	335,000	646,000	3,447,000	1,306,000	1,669,000	1,113,000	18,000	10,000	10,000	4,000	4,000	4,000	5,000	38,000	13,000	17,000	0	(9,021,000)	(8,896,000)	(9,298,000)	(9,254,000)	(9,185,000)	(9,247,000)	(9,297,000)	(27,215,000)	(27,729,000)	(36,983,000)	(34,599,000)
Identifiable assets	4,032,865,000			4,159,422,000				4,032,865,000		4,159,422,000		1,915,268,000			2,217,719,000				1,915,268,000		2,217,719,000		683,253,000			919,443,000				683,253,000		919,443,000		325,143,000			334,343,000				325,143,000		334,343,000		884,285,000			810,140,000				884,285,000		810,140,000		22,587,000			153,793,000				22,587,000		153,793,000		1,175,151,000			1,164,756,000				1,175,151,000		1,164,756,000		272,203,000			314,405,000					272,203,000		314,405,000				381,795,000			376,259,000				381,795,000		376,259,000		25,844,000			15,381,000				25,844,000		15,381,000		262,604,000			70,902,000				262,604,000		70,902,000
Investment in Marketable Equity Securities	379,928,000			303,201,000				379,928,000		303,201,000
Investments In Affiliates	25,219,000			17,101,000				25,219,000		17,101,000
Prepaid Pension Cost	528,438,000			537,262,000				528,438,000		537,262,000
Total Assets	4,966,450,000			5,016,986,000				4,966,450,000		5,016,986,000
Multiemployer Defined Benefit Plan Withdrawal Charge																																																																																	$ 2,400,000							$ 2,400,000		$ 20,400,000

[1] (1) Includes a $2.4 million charge in the fourth quarter of 2011 related to the withdrawal from a multiemployer pension plan.

[2] (1) Includes a $2.4 and $20.4 million charge in 2011 and 2010, respectively, related to the withdrawal from a multiemployer pension plan.