Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details)			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 19, 2014 shares	Nov. 12, 2013 shares	Jan. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) station market segment	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of stations | station				71
Number of markets | market				48
Number of reportable segments | segment				2
Advertising barter revenue				$ 18,700,000	$ 14,300,000	$ 4,300,000
Program license rights useful live, threshold, amortization method determination (in years)				1 year
Merger-related expenses				$ 30,444,000	49,362,000	$ 13,079,000
Amount reclassified from prepaid expenses and other current assets				(15,083,000)	(26,282,000)
Trade accounts receivable (less allowance for doubtful accounts 2015 - $4,634; 2014 - $5,475)				$ 298,474,000	$ 277,985,000
CBS [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of stations | station				23
NBC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of stations | station				13
ABC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of stations | station				12
FOX [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of stations | station				8
Network affiliation agreements, time until renewal is due (in years)				2 years
MyNetworkTV [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of stations | station				7
CW [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of stations | station				8
Network affiliation agreements, time until renewal is due (in years)				5 years 6 months
Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life (in years)				1 year
Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life (in years)				20 years
Weighted Average [Member] | CBS [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Network affiliation agreements, time until renewal is due (in years)				4 years
Weighted Average [Member] | NBC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Network affiliation agreements, time until renewal is due (in years)				2 years
Weighted Average [Member] | ABC [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Network affiliation agreements, time until renewal is due (in years)				5 years 6 months
Sales Revenue, Net [Member] | Advertising Revenue [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Concentration risk (percentage)				62.00%	73.00%	77.00%
Sales Revenue, Net [Member] | Retransmission Consent Revenue [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Concentration risk (percentage)				25.00%	19.00%	16.00%
2022 Senior Notes [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage				5.875%
2021 Senior Notes [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Interest rate, stated percentage				6.375%
Company's Responsibility For Workers' Compensation And Auto And General Liability Claims [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Liability for future policy benefits, losses, claims and loss expense reserves				$ 100,000
Company's Responsibility For Workers' Compensation And Auto And General Liability Claims [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Liability for future policy benefits, losses, claims and loss expense reserves				$ 525,000
Broadcast Licenses [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Broadcast licenses, term (in years)				8 years
Voting Common Stock [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Equity interest issued or issuable (in shares) | shares	41,197,003	60,193,351
Land Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives (in years)				10 years
Land Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives (in years)				40 years
Building and Building Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives (in years)				10 years
Building and Building Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives (in years)				40 years
Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives (in years)				3 years
Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Estimated useful lives (in years)				15 years
Media General [Member] | Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Merger-related expenses				$ 13,200,000
Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amount reclassified from prepaid expenses and other current assets				12,000,000
Trade accounts receivable (less allowance for doubtful accounts 2015 - $4,634; 2014 - $5,475)				12,000,000
Accounting Standards Updated 2015-17 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amount of net deferred short-term tax assets to be presented if the standard had not been adopted				52,000,000
Reclassification of net short-term deferred tax assets, decrease in net short-term deferred tax assets					$ 56,000,000
Subsequent Event [Member] | Media General [Member] | Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Unsolicited tender offer, cash per share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares			$ 10.55
Unsolicited tender offer, acquiror shares per share (in shares)			0.1249
Ownership percentage maintained by acquiree (percentage)			34.00%
Ownership percentage acquired (percentage)			66.00%
Subsequent Event [Member] | Meredith Corporation [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition related costs, canceled acquisition, breakup fee			$ 60,000,000
Other Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Debt issuance costs				$ 32,000,000