Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Operating Revenues
Education	$ 391,261	$ 386,936	$ 419,144	$ 401,006	$ 421,491	$ 481,687	$ 523,625	$ 500,602	$ 1,598,347	$ 1,927,405	$ 2,160,417
Advertising	85,488	86,531	70,901	68,158	74,435	68,898	70,137	66,454	311,078	279,924	308,214
Other	152,830	148,171	138,888	132,576	120,441	90,847	87,128	80,369	572,465	378,785	268,401
Total Operating Revenues	629,579	621,638	628,933	601,740	616,367	641,432	680,890	647,425	2,481,890	2,586,114	2,737,032
Operating Costs and Expenses
Operating	300,086	293,194	296,033	291,632	283,780	302,029	311,121	309,223	1,180,945	1,206,153	1,261,753
Selling, general and administrative	195,173	237,694	236,437	235,213	239,783	285,563	276,412	302,405	904,517	1,104,163	1,132,157
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	15,717	16,097	16,045	16,761	15,640	14,460	25,609	22,197	64,620	77,906	74,913
Amortization of intangible assets	7,511	6,620	6,278	6,262	5,120	4,512	4,647	4,738	26,671	19,017	18,187
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets					4,233	248,591	6,876	0	1,603	259,700	17,302
Total Operating Costs and Expenses	520,090	553,605	554,793	549,868	548,556	855,155	624,665	638,563	2,178,356	2,666,939	2,504,312
Income (Loss) from Operations	109,489	68,033	74,140	51,872	67,811	(213,723)	56,225	8,862	303,534	(80,825)	232,720
Equity in (losses) earnings of affiliates, net	(7,042)	(1,008)	(891)	1,004	(35)	95	(353)	(404)	(7,937)	(697)	100,370
Interest income	1,041	740	721	591	546	481	323	559	3,093	1,909	2,136
Interest expense	(10,857)	(8,614)	(7,971)	(7,948)	(7,975)	(7,830)	(8,348)	(8,501)	(35,390)	(32,654)	(35,533)
Other (expense) income, net	(28,513)	(18,225)	19,000	15,096	21,262	(40,458)	11,678	(1,105)	(12,642)	(8,623)	778,010
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	64,118	40,926	84,999	60,615	81,609	(261,435)	59,525	(589)	250,658	(120,890)	1,077,703
Provision for Income Taxes	27,200	7,800	23,800	22,400	30,500	(30,500)	19,600	900	81,200	20,500	312,300
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations					51,109	(230,935)	39,925	(1,489)	169,458	(141,390)	765,403
Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax					0	379	18,502	23,289	0	42,170	527,857
Net Income (Loss)	36,918	33,126	61,199	38,215	51,109	(230,556)	58,427	21,800	169,458	(99,220)	1,293,260
Net (Income) Loss Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	0	0	(433)	(435)	60	(287)	(434)	(774)	(868)	(1,435)	583
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Graham Holdings Company					51,169	(230,843)	57,993	21,026	168,590	(100,655)	1,293,843
Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividends					0	0	(211)	(420)	0	(631)	(847)
Net income (loss) attributable to Graham Holdings Company common stockholders	36,918	33,126	60,766	37,780	51,169	(230,843)	57,782	20,606	168,590	(101,286)	1,292,996
Amounts Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Income (loss) from continuing operations					51,169	(231,222)	39,280	(2,683)	168,590	(143,456)	765,139
Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax					0	379	18,502	23,289	0	42,170	527,857
Net income (loss) attributable to Graham Holdings Company common stockholders	$ 36,918	$ 33,126	$ 60,766	$ 37,780	$ 51,169	$ (230,843)	$ 57,782	$ 20,606	$ 168,590	$ (101,286)	$ 1,292,996
Per Share Information Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Basic income (loss) per common share from continuing operations in dollars per share					$ 8.78	$ (40.32)	$ 6.74	$ (0.58)	$ 29.95	$ (25.23)	$ 115.88
Basic income per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share					0.00	0.07	3.18	4.09	0.00	7.36	79.93
Basic net income (loss) per common share in dollars per share	$ 6.60	$ 5.90	$ 10.82	$ 6.63	$ 8.78	$ (40.25)	$ 9.92	$ 3.51	$ 29.95	$ (17.87)	$ 195.81
Basic average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,527	5,544	5,544	5,623	5,746	5,738	5,720	5,704	5,559	5,727	6,470
Diluted income (loss) per common share from continuing operations in dollars per share					$ 8.72	$ (40.32)	$ 6.71	$ (0.58)	$ 29.80	$ (25.23)	$ 115.40
Diluted income per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share					0.00	0.07	3.16	4.06	0.00	7.36	79.63
Diluted net income (loss) per common share in dollars per share	$ 6.57	$ 5.87	$ 10.76	$ 6.59	$ 8.72	$ (40.25)	$ 9.87	$ 3.48	$ 29.80	$ (17.87)	$ 195.03
Diluted average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,556	5,574	5,574	5,652	5,834	5,837	5,805	5,791	5,589	5,727	6,559