Business Segments (Information by Operating Segment) (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	$ 621,638	$ 641,432	$ 1,852,311	$ 1,969,747
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 Expense, Net	(7,874)	(7,349)	(22,481)	(23,316)
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)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	16,097	14,460	48,903	62,266
Amortization Of Intangible Assets And Impairment Of Goodwill And Other Long-Lived Assets	6,620	253,103	19,160	269,364
Amortization of intangible assets	6,620	4,512	19,160	13,897
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	(12,389)	(16,255)	(36,714)	(41,077)
Identifiable Assets	2,974,145		2,974,145		$ 2,963,063
Investments in Marketable Equity Securities	382,777		382,777		350,563
Investments in Affiliates	64,815		64,815		59,229
Prepaid Pension Cost	1,016,908		1,016,908		979,970
Total Assets	4,438,645		4,438,645		4,352,825
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	386,936	481,746	1,207,225	1,505,973
Income (Loss) from Operations	16,333	(242,777)	63,713	(249,778)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	9,977	10,637	31,322	51,145
Amortization Of Intangible Assets And Impairment Of Goodwill And Other Long-Lived Assets	1,773	249,930	5,158	259,780
Amortization of intangible assets	1,773	1,339	5,158	4,313
Impairment of Goodwill and Other Long-lived Assets	0	248,591	0	255,467
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	2,838	7,525	8,965	15,419
Identifiable Assets	1,383,555		1,383,555		1,454,520
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Higher Education [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	148,602	203,529	472,131	681,814
Income (Loss) from Operations	11,494	3,153	50,037	28,510
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	4,157	4,066	12,325	13,688
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	1,905	3,964	5,715	9,028
Identifiable Assets	227,203		227,203		447,282
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Test Preparation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	78,291	83,706	224,102	233,313
Income (Loss) from Operations	8,588	13,620	13,314	16,365
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	1,441	2,052	4,837	7,205
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	768	775	2,304	2,325
Identifiable Assets	139,975		139,975		134,535
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Kaplan International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	160,456	192,702	512,068	585,486
Income (Loss) from Operations	1,561	8,295	22,937	33,585
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	4,360	4,277	13,739	14,004
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	67	114	201	326
Identifiable Assets	980,911		980,911		826,475
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member] | Reportable Subsegments [Member] | Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	47	1,905	190	5,723
Income (Loss) from Operations	(5,310)	(267,882)	(22,526)	(328,333)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	19	242	421	16,248
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	98	2,672	745	3,740
Identifiable Assets	35,466		35,466		46,228
Operating Segments [Member] | Education [Member] | Intersubsegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	(460)	(96)	(1,266)	(363)
Income (Loss) from Operations	0	37	(49)	95
Operating Segments [Member] | Television Broadcasting [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	112,389	89,693	300,927	264,010
Income (Loss) from Operations	59,159	40,526	144,594	121,102
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	2,540	2,237	7,367	6,471
Amortization Of Intangible Assets And Impairment Of Goodwill And Other Long-Lived Assets	63	63	189	189
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	428	425	1,285	1,207
Identifiable Assets	336,396		336,396		312,243
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	122,313	70,052	344,298	199,823
Income (Loss) from Operations	(10,801)	(3,059)	(21,593)	(10,382)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	3,289	1,335	9,389	3,891
Amortization Of Intangible Assets And Impairment Of Goodwill And Other Long-Lived Assets	4,784	3,110	13,813	9,395
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	279	328	839	707
Identifiable Assets	743,376		743,376		712,161
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Operations	3,342	(8,413)	7,331	(9,578)
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	291	251	825	759
Amortization Of Intangible Assets And Impairment Of Goodwill And Other Long-Lived Assets	0	0	0	0
Net Pension (Credit) Expense	(15,934)	(24,533)	(47,803)	(58,410)
Identifiable Assets	510,818		510,818		$ 484,139
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	$ 0	$ (59)	$ (139)	$ (59)