CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Allowance for doubtful accounts receivable, current	$ 13,162	$ 26,118
Accumulated depreciation of property and equipment	$ 370,826	$ 354,435
Scripps Networks Interactive ("SNI") shareholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, authorized (in shares)	25,000,000	25,000,000
Preferred stock, outstanding (in shares)	0	0
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common Class A [Member]
Scripps Networks Interactive ("SNI") shareholders’ equity:
Common stock, authorized (in shares)	240,000,000	240,000,000
Common stock, issued (in shares)	96,204,627	95,491,477
Common stock, outstanding (in shares)	96,204,627	95,491,477
Voting Common Stock [Member]
Scripps Networks Interactive ("SNI") shareholders’ equity:
Common stock, authorized (in shares)	60,000,000	60,000,000
Common stock, issued (in shares)	33,850,481	33,850,481
Common stock, outstanding (in shares)	33,850,481	33,850,481