Impairment and Restructuring Charges - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			$ 21,000,000		$ 24,000,000	$ 88,000,000	$ 63,000,000
Non-cash impairment charge						$ 321,000,000	0
Fair value control premium						10.00%
Goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets as risk	$ 2,400,000,000
Australian Newspapers [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Non-cash impairment charge				$ 310,000,000
Discount rates						11.50%
Trade Names [Member] | Australian Newspapers [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Non-cash impairment charge				18,000,000		$ 18,000,000
Presses and Print Related Equipment [Member] | Australian Newspapers [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Non-cash impairment charge				149,000,000		149,000,000
Capitalized Software [Member] | Australian Newspapers [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Non-cash impairment charge				66,000,000		66,000,000
Facilities [Member] | Australian Newspapers [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Non-cash impairment charge				$ 77,000,000		77,000,000
Minimum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Discount rates								9.00%
Long-term growth rates								1.60%
Royalty rates								1.50%
Maximum [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Discount rates								10.00%
Goodwill, fair value in excess of carrying value				5.00%				5.00%
Long-term growth rates								3.00%
Royalty rates								2.50%
Other Current Liabilities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring liabilities, current	31,000,000		31,000,000			31,000,000
Other Non-Current Liabilities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring liabilities, non-current	9,000,000		9,000,000			9,000,000
Dow Jones [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges						28,000,000
Expected annualized cost reduction						100,000,000
Dow Jones [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected remaining restructuring charges for fiscal year		$ 5,000,000
Dow Jones [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Expected remaining restructuring charges for fiscal year		$ 15,000,000
News and Information Services [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring charges			$ 19,000,000		$ 24,000,000	$ 85,000,000	$ 56,000,000
Goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets as risk	1,900,000,000
Cable Network Programming [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets as risk	$ 500,000,000