Common Stock - Additional Information (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 17, 2017 shares	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) VotingRight $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2016 $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Jun. 12, 2017 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Annual cash dividend declared (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 1.20	$ 0.96	$ 0.76
Purchase of treasury stock | $		$ 99,008		$ 48,660
Treasury Stock [Member]
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Purchase of treasury stock, shares		1,689,132		1,010,565
Purchase of treasury stock | $		$ 99,008		$ 48,660
Shares reissued in connection with stock option exercises and vesting of restricted stock units		680,511	116,821	17,000
Common stock shares issued		560,316
Class A Common Stock [Member]
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock voting rights | VotingRight		1
Authorization of share repurchase | $					$ 100,000	$ 100,000
Shares reissued in connection with stock option exercises and vesting of restricted stock units				449,309
Common stock shares issued		15,670,094
Class A Common Stock [Member] | Media General [Member]
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock shares issued	15,670,094
Class A Common Stock [Member] | Treasury Stock [Member]
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Purchase of treasury stock | $		$ 99,000		$ 48,700
Shares reissued in connection with stock option exercises and vesting of restricted stock units		680,511	116,821	17,000
Class A Common Stock [Member] | Treasury Stock [Member] | Media General [Member]
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock shares issued	560,316
Class B Common Stock [Member]
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock voting rights | VotingRight		10
Class C Common Stock [Member]
Class Of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock voting rights | VotingRight		0