Summary of Quarterly Operating Results and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (Quarterly Results) (Details 1) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Immaterial revision amount							$ 29,900,000
Operating Revenues
Education	555,011,000	546,452,000		548,230,000	527,815,000	546,341,000	551,696,000	551,774,000	546,685,000	2,177,508,000	2,196,496,000	2,404,459,000
Subscriber	186,297,000	190,302,000		192,273,000	186,790,000	186,383,000	185,326,000	182,639,000	178,022,000	755,662,000	732,370,000	710,253,000
Advertising	102,208,000	84,444,000		96,670,000	82,994,000	117,696,000	105,855,000	94,649,000	82,600,000	366,316,000	400,800,000	327,877,000
Other	45,383,000	51,331,000	[1]	52,423,000	39,241,000	45,471,000	34,760,000	25,368,000	20,305,000	188,378,000	125,904,000	83,408,000
Total Operating Revenues	888,899,000	872,529,000		889,596,000	836,840,000	895,891,000	877,637,000	854,430,000	827,612,000	3,487,864,000	3,455,570,000	3,525,997,000
Operating Costs and Expenses
Operating	381,492,000	400,939,000	[1]	400,515,000	381,965,000	389,620,000	407,364,000	387,167,000	382,106,000	1,564,911,000	1,566,257,000	1,562,615,000
Selling, general and administrative	335,028,000	331,247,000		323,182,000	337,865,000	336,262,000	314,359,000	335,054,000	347,841,000	1,327,322,000	1,333,516,000	1,383,660,000
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	59,874,000	55,633,000		57,816,000	59,895,000	73,731,000	57,588,000	56,594,000	56,165,000	233,218,000	244,078,000	223,403,000
Amortization of intangible assets	3,731,000	2,837,000		3,313,000	3,717,000	7,610,000	5,090,000	4,407,000	3,839,000	13,598,000	20,946,000	22,201,000
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets	3,250,000	0		0	0	111,593,000	0	0	0	3,250,000	111,593,000	0
Total Operating Costs and Expenses	783,375,000	790,656,000		784,826,000	783,442,000	918,816,000	784,401,000	783,222,000	789,951,000	3,142,299,000	3,276,390,000	3,191,879,000
Income from Operations	105,524,000	81,873,000		104,770,000	53,398,000	(22,925,000)	93,236,000	71,208,000	37,661,000	345,565,000	179,180,000	334,118,000
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net	37,000	5,892,000		3,868,000	3,418,000	2,785,000	4,099,000	3,314,000	3,888,000	13,215,000	14,086,000	5,949,000
Interest income	590,000	642,000		522,000	510,000	901,000	648,000	775,000	1,069,000	2,264,000	3,393,000	4,147,000
Interest expense	(8,838,000)	(9,221,000)		(9,048,000)	(8,960,000)	(9,064,000)	(8,738,000)	(8,979,000)	(9,163,000)	(36,067,000)	(35,944,000)	(33,226,000)
Other (expense) income, net	(14,920,000)	8,110,000		(12,858,000)	(4,083,000)	(17,572,000)	4,163,000	(635,000)	8,588,000	(23,751,000)	(5,456,000)	(55,200,000)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	82,393,000	87,296,000		87,254,000	44,283,000	(45,875,000)	93,408,000	65,683,000	42,043,000	301,226,000	155,259,000	255,788,000
Provision for Income Taxes	26,700,000	31,000,000		34,500,000	17,800,000	5,100,000	37,000,000	23,900,000	17,200,000	110,000,000	83,200,000	104,400,000
Income from Continuing Operations	55,693,000	56,296,000		52,754,000	26,483,000	(50,975,000)	56,408,000	41,783,000	24,843,000	191,226,000	72,059,000	151,388,000
(Loss) Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax	100,835,000	(25,872,000)		(7,620,000)	(21,224,000)	5,600,000	37,539,000	10,264,000	6,725,000	46,119,000	60,128,000	(34,231,000)
Net Income	156,528,000	30,424,000		45,134,000	5,259,000	(45,375,000)	93,947,000	52,047,000	31,568,000	237,345,000	132,187,000	117,157,000
Net (Income) Loss Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	(55,000)	(75,000)		(253,000)	(97,000)	(64,000)	71,000	(11,000)	(70,000)	(480,000)	(74,000)	(7,000)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Graham Holdings Company	156,473,000	30,349,000		44,881,000	5,162,000	(45,439,000)	94,018,000	52,036,000	31,498,000	236,865,000	132,113,000	117,150,000
Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividends	0	(205,000)		(206,000)	(444,000)	0	(222,000)	(222,000)	(451,000)	(855,000)	(895,000)	(917,000)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders	156,473,000	30,144,000		44,675,000	4,718,000	(45,439,000)	93,796,000	51,814,000	31,047,000	236,010,000	131,218,000	116,233,000
Amounts Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Income from continuing operations	55,638,000	56,016,000		52,295,000	25,942,000	(51,039,000)	56,257,000	41,550,000	24,322,000	189,891,000	71,090,000	150,464,000
(Loss) Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax	100,835,000	(25,872,000)		(7,620,000)	(21,224,000)	5,600,000	37,539,000	10,264,000	6,725,000	46,119,000	60,128,000	(34,231,000)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders	156,473,000	30,144,000		44,675,000	4,718,000	(45,439,000)	93,796,000	51,814,000	31,047,000	236,010,000	131,218,000	116,233,000
Per Share Information Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Basic income (loss) per common share from continuing operations	$ 7.54	$ 7.55		$ 7.05	$ 3.50	$ (7.35)	$ 7.58	$ 5.48	$ 3.17	$ 25.83	$ 9.22	$ 19.03
Basic income (loss) per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share	$ 13.66	$ (3.48)		$ (1.03)	$ (2.86)	$ 0.78	$ 5.06	$ 1.36	$ 0.90	$ 6.27	$ 8.17	$ (4.33)
Basic net income per common share in dollars per share	$ 21.20	$ 4.07		$ 6.02	$ 0.64	$ (6.57)	$ 12.64	$ 6.84	$ 4.07	$ 32.10	$ 17.39	$ 14.70
Diluted income (loss) per common share from continuing operations	$ 7.52	$ 7.53		$ 7.05	$ 3.50	$ (7.35)	$ 7.58	$ 5.48	$ 3.17	$ 25.78	$ 9.22	$ 19.03
Diluted income (loss) per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share	$ 13.62	$ (3.48)		$ (1.03)	$ (2.86)	$ 0.78	$ 5.06	$ 1.36	$ 0.90	$ 6.27	$ 8.17	$ (4.33)
Diluted net income per common share in dollars per share	$ 21.14	$ 4.05		$ 6.02	$ 0.64	$ (6.57)	$ 12.64	$ 6.84	$ 4.07	$ 32.05	$ 17.39	$ 14.70
Basic average number of common shares outstanding in shares	7,266	7,231		7,229	7,227	7,223	7,272	7,431	7,514	7,238	7,360	7,826
Average number of common shares outstanding, diluted	7,347	7,337		7,283	7,266	7,223	7,376	7,545	7,615	7,250	7,360	7,826
Quarterly comprehensive income (loss)	$ 555,695,000	$ 37,533,000		$ 61,125,000	$ 29,129,000	$ 16,857,000	$ 95,760,000	$ 47,085,000	$ 59,907,000

[1] (1) Other revenue and operating expenses of $29.9 million from the third quarter of 2013 have been revised to correctly present revenue on a net basis for certain third quarter contracts that were previously reported on a gross basis. The amounts did not impact net income, and the Company concluded that the amounts were not material to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.