Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill) (Details 1) - USD ($) $ 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	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				$ 1,377,255			$ 1,377,255	$ 1,457,051
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance				(359,742)			(359,742)	(108,341)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance				1,017,513			1,017,513	1,348,710
Measurement period adjustment							(20,024)	4,570
Acquisitions							184,118	71,586
Impairment	$ (1,603)	$ 0	$ 0	0			(1,603)	(251,401)
Dispositions							(2,800)	(126,809)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes							(54,250)	(29,143)
Goodwill, ending balance	1,481,489				$ 1,377,255		1,481,489	1,377,255
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(358,535)				(359,742)		(358,535)	(359,742)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	1,122,954				1,017,513		1,122,954	1,017,513
Education [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				1,006,096			1,006,096	1,057,226
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance				(350,850)			(350,850)	(102,259)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance				655,246			655,246	954,967
Measurement period adjustment							(2,781)	0
Acquisitions							161,938	11,515
Impairment							0	(248,591)
Dispositions							0	(33,502)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes							(54,250)	(29,143)
Goodwill, ending balance	1,111,003				1,006,096		1,111,003	1,006,096
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(350,850)				(350,850)		(350,850)	(350,850)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	760,153				655,246		760,153	655,246
Education [Member] | Higher Education [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				392,457			392,457	409,884
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance				(248,591)			(248,591)	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance				143,866			143,866	409,884
Measurement period adjustment							(2,781)
Acquisitions							0	11,515
Impairment						$ (248,600)		(248,591)
Dispositions								(28,738)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes							44	(204)
Goodwill, ending balance	389,720				392,457		389,720	392,457
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(248,591)				(248,591)		(248,591)	(248,591)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	141,129				143,866		141,129	143,866
Education [Member] | Test Preparation [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				166,098			166,098	166,098
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance				(102,259)			(102,259)	(102,259)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance				63,839			63,839	63,839
Measurement period adjustment							0
Acquisitions							0	0
Impairment								0
Dispositions								0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes							0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	166,098				166,098		166,098	166,098
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(102,259)				(102,259)		(102,259)	(102,259)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	63,839				63,839		63,839	63,839
Education [Member] | Kaplan International [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				447,541			447,541	481,244
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance				0			0	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance				447,541			447,541	481,244
Measurement period adjustment							0
Acquisitions							161,938	0
Impairment								0
Dispositions								(4,764)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes							(54,294)	(28,939)
Goodwill, ending balance	555,185				447,541		555,185	447,541
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0				0		0	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	555,185				447,541		555,185	447,541
Cable [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				0			0	85,488
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance				0			0	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance				0			0	85,488
Measurement period adjustment							0	0
Acquisitions							0	0
Impairment							0	0
Dispositions							0	(85,488)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes							0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	0				0		0	0
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0				0		0	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	0				0		0	0
Television Broadcasting [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				168,345			168,345	168,345
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance				0			0	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance				168,345			168,345	168,345
Measurement period adjustment							0	0
Acquisitions							0	0
Impairment							0	0
Dispositions							0	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes							0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	168,345				168,345		168,345	168,345
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0				0		0	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	168,345				168,345		168,345	168,345
Other Businesses [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance				202,814			202,814	145,992
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance				(8,892)			(8,892)	(6,082)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance				$ 193,922			193,922	139,910
Measurement period adjustment							(17,243)	4,570
Acquisitions							22,180	60,071
Impairment	(1,600)				(2,800)		(1,603)	(2,810)
Dispositions							(2,800)	(7,819)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes							0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	202,141				202,814		202,141	202,814
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(7,685)				(8,892)		(7,685)	(8,892)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	$ 194,456				$ 193,922		$ 194,456	$ 193,922