Formation of the Company and Basis of Presentation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Formation of the Company and Basis of Presentation	FORMATION OF THE COMPANY AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION The Separation — Journal Media Group, Inc. (the "Company" or "Journal Media Group") was incorporated in Wisconsin on July 25, 2014. On April 1, 2015, the transactions contemplated by the master transaction agreement, dated July 30, 2014, by and among The E.W. Scripps Company ("Scripps") and Journal Communications, Inc. ("Journal") were completed. On April 1, Scripps and Journal (1) separated their newspaper businesses and then combined them through two mergers, resulting in each of them becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Journal Media Group, and (2) merged their broadcast businesses. Journal Media Group combines the 13 Scripps newspaper markets (collectively the "Scripps Newspapers") with Journal's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Journal Community Publishing Group, Inc., which publishes several community publications principally in southeastern Wisconsin (collectively the "JRN Newspapers") . Basis of Presentation — The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2015 include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. The financial statements for periods prior to April 1, 2015 reflect the combined financial statements of Scripps Newspapers, a business representing the principal publishing operations of Scripps, as described below. Various agreements between the Company and Scripps became effective as of April 1, 2015 as further described in Note 15 - Transactions with Scripps. The Company's operations consist of daily and community newspapers in 14 markets across the United States. The newspapers earn revenue primarily from the sale of advertising to local and national advertisers and newspaper subscription fees. Employee related costs, newspaper distribution and newsprint costs are the primary expenses at each newspaper. The newspapers operate in small and mid-size markets, focusing on news coverage within their local markets. The daily newspapers published by the Company are the Abilene (TX) Reporter-News, the Anderson (SC) Independent-Mail, the Corpus Christi (TX) Caller-Times, the Evansville (IN) Courier & Press, the Henderson (KY) Gleaner, the Kitsap (WA) Sun, the Knoxville (TN) News Sentinel, the Memphis (TN) Commercial Appeal, the Milwaukee (WI) Journal Sentinel, the Naples (FL) Daily News, the Redding (CA) Record-Searchlight, the San Angelo (TX) Standard-Times, the Treasure Coast (FL) News/Press/Tribune, the Ventura County (CA) Star and the Wichita Falls (TX) Times Record News. The business also includes a 40% ownership in the Albuquerque Publishing Company, which publishes the Albuquerque Journal (NM). Historically, separate financial statements have not been prepared for Scripps Newspapers. For periods prior to April 1, 2015, the combined financial statements reflect the historical financial position, results of operations, changes in parent company equity and cash flows of the Scripps Newspapers, as Scripps Newspapers was historically managed within Scripps (the "Parent"). The combined financial statements have been prepared on a “carve-out” basis and are derived from the consolidated financial statements and accounting records of Scripps. The consolidated and combined financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("GAAP"). Management believes that assumptions and methodologies underlying the allocation of general corporate expenses are reasonable. However, such expenses may not be indicative of the actual level of expense that would have been incurred had the Company operated as a separate stand-alone entity, and, accordingly, may not necessarily reflect the Company's combined financial position, results of operations and cash flows had the Company operated as a stand-alone entity during the periods presented. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. We have reclassified certain prior year financial statement amounts to conform to the current year presentation. The Company is an "emerging growth company," as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act. For as long as the Company continues to be an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not "emerging growth companies," including the exemption from compliance with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. As used in the Notes to Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements, the terms “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us” may, depending on the context, refer to the carve-out newspaper business of Scripps for periods prior to April 1, 2015 and to Journal Media Group as a whole for all other periods presented.

FORMATION OF THE COMPANY AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The Separation — Journal Media Group, Inc. (the "Company" or "Journal Media Group") was incorporated in Wisconsin on July 25, 2014. On April 1, 2015, the transactions contemplated by the master transaction agreement, dated July 30, 2014, by and among The E.W. Scripps Company ("Scripps") and Journal Communications, Inc. ("Journal") were completed. On April 1, Scripps and Journal (1) separated their newspaper businesses and then combined them through two mergers, resulting in each of them becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Journal Media Group, and (2) merged their broadcast businesses. Journal Media Group combines the 13 Scripps newspaper markets (collectively the "Scripps Newspapers") with Journal's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Journal Community Publishing Group, Inc., which publishes several community publications principally in southeastern Wisconsin (collectively the "JRN Newspapers") .

Basis of Presentation — The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2015 include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. The financial statements for periods prior to April 1, 2015 reflect the combined financial statements of Scripps Newspapers, a business representing the principal publishing operations of Scripps, as described below. Various agreements between the Company and Scripps became effective as of April 1, 2015 as further described in Note 15 - Transactions with Scripps.

The Company's operations consist of daily and community newspapers in 14 markets across the United States. The newspapers earn revenue primarily from the sale of advertising to local and national advertisers and newspaper subscription fees. Employee related costs, newspaper distribution and newsprint costs are the primary expenses at each newspaper. The newspapers operate in small and mid-size markets, focusing on news coverage within their local markets. The daily newspapers published by the Company are the Abilene (TX) Reporter-News, the Anderson (SC) Independent-Mail, the Corpus Christi (TX) Caller-Times, the Evansville (IN) Courier & Press, the Henderson (KY) Gleaner, the Kitsap (WA) Sun, the Knoxville (TN) News Sentinel, the Memphis (TN) Commercial Appeal, the Milwaukee (WI) Journal Sentinel, the Naples (FL) Daily News, the Redding (CA) Record-Searchlight, the San Angelo (TX) Standard-Times, the Treasure Coast (FL) News/Press/Tribune, the Ventura County (CA) Star and the Wichita Falls (TX) Times Record News. The business also includes a 40% ownership in the Albuquerque Publishing Company, which publishes the Albuquerque Journal (NM).

Historically, separate financial statements have not been prepared for Scripps Newspapers. For periods prior to April 1, 2015, the combined financial statements reflect the historical financial position, results of operations, changes in parent company equity and cash flows of the Scripps Newspapers, as Scripps Newspapers was historically managed within Scripps (the "Parent"). The combined financial statements have been prepared on a “carve-out” basis and are derived from the consolidated financial statements and accounting records of Scripps. The consolidated and combined financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("GAAP"). Management believes that assumptions and methodologies underlying the allocation of general corporate expenses are reasonable. However, such expenses may not be indicative of the actual level of expense that would have been incurred had the Company operated as a separate stand-alone entity, and, accordingly, may not necessarily reflect the Company's combined financial position, results of operations and cash flows had the Company operated as a stand-alone entity during the periods presented.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. We have reclassified certain prior year financial statement amounts to conform to the current year presentation.

The Company is an "emerging growth company," as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act. For as long as the Company continues to be an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not "emerging growth companies," including the exemption from compliance with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

As used in the Notes to Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements, the terms “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us” may, depending on the context, refer to the carve-out newspaper business of Scripps for periods prior to April 1, 2015 and to Journal Media Group as a whole for all other periods presented.