Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Operating Revenues [Abstract]
Education	$ 386,936	$ 481,687	$ 1,207,086	$ 1,505,914
Advertising	86,531	68,898	225,590	205,489
Other	148,171	90,847	419,635	258,344
Total Operating Revenues	621,638	641,432	1,852,311	1,969,747
Operating Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Operating	293,194	302,029	880,859	922,373
Selling, general and administrative	237,694	285,563	709,344	864,380
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	16,097	14,460	48,903	62,266
Amortization of intangible assets	6,620	4,512	19,160	13,897
Asset Impairment Charges	0	248,591	0	255,467
Total Operating Costs and Expenses	553,605	855,155	1,658,266	2,118,383
Income (loss) from Operations	68,033	(213,723)	194,045	(148,636)
Equity in (losses) earnings of affiliates, net	(1,008)	95	(895)	(662)
Interest income	740	481	2,052	1,363
Interest expense	(8,614)	(7,830)	(24,533)	(24,679)
Other (expense) income, net	(18,225)	(40,458)	15,871	(29,885)
Income (loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	40,926	(261,435)	186,540	(202,499)
Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes	7,800	(30,500)	54,000	(10,000)
Income (loss) from Continuing Operations	33,126	(230,935)	132,540	(192,499)
Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax	0	379	0	42,170
Net Income (loss)	33,126	(230,556)	132,540	(150,329)
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	0	(287)	(868)	(1,495)
Net Income (loss) Attributable to Graham Holdings Company	33,126	(230,843)	131,672	(151,824)
Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividends	0	0	0	(631)
Net Income (loss) Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders	33,126	(230,843)	131,672	(152,455)
Amounts Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Income (loss) from continuing operations	33,126	(231,222)	131,672	(194,625)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	379	0	42,170
Net Income (loss) Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders	$ 33,126	$ (230,843)	$ 131,672	$ (152,455)
Per Share Information Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Basic income (loss) per common share from continuing operations in dollars per share	$ 5.90	$ (40.32)	$ 23.33	$ (34.18)
Basic income per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share	0.00	0.07	0.00	7.99
Basic net income (loss) per common share in dollars per share	$ 5.90	$ (40.25)	$ 23.33	$ (26.19)
Basic average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,544	5,738	5,570	5,721
Diluted income (loss) per common share from continuing operations in dollars per share	$ 5.87	$ (40.32)	$ 23.21	$ (34.18)
Diluted income per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share	0.00	0.07	0.00	7.99
Diluted net income (loss) per common share in dollars per share	$ 5.87	$ (40.25)	$ 23.21	$ (26.19)
Diluted average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,574	5,837	5,600	5,811