Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Operating Revenues [Abstract]
Education	$ 543,918	$ 543,599	$ 1,609,036	$ 1,613,116
Subscriber	183,161	190,302	562,012	569,365
Advertising	81,583	73,549	242,305	222,569
Other	90,209	48,651	196,470	135,619
Total Operating Revenues	898,871	856,101	2,609,823	2,540,669
Operating Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Operating	398,922	393,010	1,171,012	1,160,026
Selling, general and administrative	358,189	327,062	1,005,704	979,687
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	53,074	54,672	158,280	170,431
Amortization of intangible assets	7,405	2,468	13,117	8,780
Impairment of intangible assets			7,774	0
Total Operating Costs and Expenses	817,590	777,212	2,348,113	2,318,924
Income from Operations	81,281	78,889	261,710	221,745
Equity in earnings of affiliates, net	4,613	5,892	100,168	13,178
Interest income	529	642	1,769	1,674
Interest expense	(9,330)	(9,221)	(26,707)	(27,229)
Other income (expense), net	64,526	8,110	465,913	(8,831)
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	141,619	84,312	802,853	200,537
Provision for Income Taxes	58,200	29,900	214,200	77,400
Income from Continuing Operations	83,419	54,412	588,653	123,137
(Loss) Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax	(6,980)	(23,988)	369,941	(42,320)
Net Income	76,439	30,424	958,594	80,817
Net Loss (Income) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	121	(75)	839	(425)
Net Income Attributable to Graham Holdings Company	76,560	30,349	959,433	80,392
Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividends	(209)	(205)	(847)	(855)
Net income attributable to Graham Holdings Company common stockholders	76,351	30,144	958,586	79,537
Amounts Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Income from continuing operations	83,331	54,132	588,645	121,857
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(6,980)	(23,988)	369,941	(42,320)
Net income attributable to Graham Holdings Company common stockholders	$ 76,351	$ 30,144	$ 958,586	$ 79,537
Per Share Information Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Basic income per common share from continuing operations in dollars per share	$ 14.38	$ 7.29	$ 85.55	$ 16.42
Basic (loss) income per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share	$ (1.20)	$ (3.22)	$ 53.75	$ (5.70)
Basic net income per common share in dollars per share	$ 13.18	$ 4.07	$ 139.30	$ 10.72
Basic average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,671	7,231	6,737	7,229
Diluted income per common share from continuing operations in dollars per share	$ 14.32	$ 7.28	$ 85.24	$ 16.41
Diluted (loss) income per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share	$ (1.20)	$ (3.23)	$ 53.55	$ (5.71)
Diluted net income per common share in dollars per share	$ 13.12	$ 4.05	$ 138.79	$ 10.70
Diluted average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,757	7,337	6,823	7,316