Business Segments (Information by Operating Segment) (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	$ 898,871	$ 856,101	$ 2,609,823	$ 2,540,669
Income (Loss) 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 Expense, Net	(8,801)	(8,579)	(24,938)	(25,555)
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
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
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	(13,320)	(2,687)	(43,426)	(7,961)
Identifiable Assets	4,062,151		4,062,151		4,062,631
Investment in Marketable Equity Securities	127,270		127,270		487,156
Investments in Affiliates	21,976		21,976		15,754
Prepaid Pension Cost	1,267,415		1,267,415		1,245,505
Assets Held for Sale	9,624		9,624		0
Total Assets	5,488,436		5,488,436		5,811,046
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	543,918	543,599	1,609,036	1,613,116
Income (Loss) from Operations	12,551	17,508	32,050	36,586
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	15,237	18,945	47,024	61,518
Amortization of intangible assets	1,927	1,918	5,649	6,081
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	3,854	4,169	11,563	12,506
Identifiable Assets	1,732,199		1,732,199		1,921,037
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Higher Education [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	249,882	266,061	755,597	811,013
Income (Loss) from Operations	5,391	14,719	39,487	42,354
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	7,320	9,739	22,140	33,919
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	2,628	3,201	7,885	8,815
Identifiable Assets	626,116		626,116		859,208
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Test Preparation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	85,108	77,431	234,010	232,064
Income (Loss) from Operations	6,980	3,820	(3,552)	7,306
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	2,865	5,034	9,721	14,658
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	722	731	2,166	2,012
Identifiable Assets	178,835		178,835		173,435
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Kaplan International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	207,615	198,452	615,507	564,705
Income (Loss) from Operations	13,853	12,124	40,609	23,701
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	4,951	3,870	14,546	11,903
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	89	99	267	273
Identifiable Assets	869,246		869,246		864,507
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	1,492	2,223	4,891	6,496
Income (Loss) from Operations	(13,651)	(13,311)	(44,608)	(37,156)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	101	302	617	1,038
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	415	138	1,245	1,406
Identifiable Assets	58,002		58,002		23,887
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member] | Intersubsegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	(179)	(568)	(969)	(1,162)
Income (Loss) from Operations	(22)	156	114	381
Operating Segments [Member] | Cable [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	195,666	202,381	600,416	607,069
Income (Loss) from Operations	40,072	39,715	128,015	121,038
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	34,410	32,946	101,985	100,643
Amortization of intangible assets	51	61	145	168
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	917	973	2,669	2,768
Identifiable Assets	1,190,932		1,190,932		1,215,320
Operating Segments [Member] | Television Broadcasting [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	87,442	73,488	261,390	222,618
Income (Loss) from Operations	44,979	32,847	133,452	101,193
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	2,148	2,181	6,181	6,604
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0	0
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	338	1,297	1,016	3,891
Identifiable Assets	293,810		293,810		383,251
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Businesses [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	71,845	36,682	139,109	98,068
Income (Loss) from Operations	(9,292)	(5,046)	(27,034)	(19,556)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	1,201	555	2,501	1,561
Amortization of intangible assets	5,427	489	7,323	2,531
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	191	173	557	423
Identifiable Assets	455,154		455,154		171,539
Operating Segments [Member] | Corporate Office [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Operations	(7,029)	(6,135)	(4,773)	(17,516)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	78	45	589	105
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0	0
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	(18,620)	(9,299)	(59,231)	(27,549)
Identifiable Assets	390,056		390,056		371,484
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	$ 0	$ (49)	$ (128)	$ (202)