Guarantor Financial Information - Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 156,948	$ 68,522	$ 7,800
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(59,126)	(36,615)	(15,166)
Release of restricted cash at qualified intermediary	119,903	(119,903)	0
Proceeds from the sale of PP&E	2,060	25,914	0
Proceeds from spectrum relocation	3,120	0	0
Receipt of dividend	0	0
Payments from intercompany borrowings	0	0
Payment for acquistion of station assets	0	(175,662)	(14,324)
Proceeds from station sales	0	357,315	0
Payment of capital contributions	0
Other, net	(28)	(283)	126
Cash and cash equivalents acquired in merger transaction	0	25,507	17,327
Cash consideration LIN Merger	0	(763,075)	0
Collateral refunds related to letters of credit	0	980	2,498
Advances on intercompany borrowings		0
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	65,929	(685,822)	(9,539)
Borrowings under revolving credit facility	0	10,000	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of other borrowings	(1,161)	0	(868,405)
Repurchase of common stock	(33,724)	0	0
Payment for the acquisition of noncontrolling interest	(10,872)	0	0
Cash paid for debt modification	(4,288)
Payment of dividend	0	0
Payments on intercompany borrowings	0	0
Receipt of capital contributions	0
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility	0	(10,000)	0
Proceeds from intercompany borrowings		0	0
Debt issuance costs	(4,288)	(35,198)	(11,896)
Other, net	1,739	1,123	2,414
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	(225,706)	589,602	49,113
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(2,829)	(27,698)	47,374
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	43,920	71,618	24,244
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	41,091	43,920	71,618
Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(1,402)	250
Cash flows from investing activities:
Payments from intercompany borrowings	2,025
Payment of capital contributions	(3,011)
Cash and cash equivalents acquired in merger transaction		2,138
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	(986)	2,138
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(2,388)	2,388
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	2,388	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	0	2,388	0
LIN Merger [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0	(577,610)	0
Media General Credit Agreement [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	(160,000)	(84,000)	0
Principal borrowings	0	889,687	885,000
2022 Senior Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings	0	398,000	0
Shield Media Credit Agreement [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	(2,400)	(2,400)	0
Principal borrowings	0	0	32,000
Berkshire Hathaway Financing Arrangement [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			(375,260)
Senior Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			(326,145)
Senior Credit Facility [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			(135,000)
WLAJ-TV Term Loan [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings			10,000
WXXA Credit Facility [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			(32,000)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	(250)	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Release of restricted cash at qualified intermediary	0	0
Proceeds from the sale of PP&E	0	0	0
Proceeds from spectrum relocation	0
Receipt of dividend	(78,010)	(19,503)
Payments from intercompany borrowings	(50,518)	(5,548)
Payment for acquistion of station assets		0	0
Proceeds from station sales		0
Payment of capital contributions	3,011
Other, net	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents acquired in merger transaction		0	0
Cash consideration LIN Merger		0
Collateral refunds related to letters of credit		0	0
Advances on intercompany borrowings		1,000
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	(125,517)	(24,051)	0
Borrowings under revolving credit facility		0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of other borrowings	0
Repurchase of common stock	0	0
Payment for the acquisition of noncontrolling interest	0
Cash paid for debt modification	0
Payment of dividend	78,010	19,753
Payments on intercompany borrowings	50,518	5,548
Receipt of capital contributions	(3,011)
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility		0
Proceeds from intercompany borrowings		(1,000)	0
Debt issuance costs		0	0
Other, net	0	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	125,517	24,301	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	0	0	0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | LIN Merger [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings		0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Media General Credit Agreement [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0	0
Principal borrowings		0	0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | 2022 Senior Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings		0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Shield Media Credit Agreement [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0	0
Principal borrowings		0	0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Financing Arrangement [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Senior Credit Facility [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility			0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | WLAJ-TV Term Loan [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings			0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | WXXA Credit Facility [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(1,402)	250	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Release of restricted cash at qualified intermediary	0	0
Proceeds from the sale of PP&E	0	0	0
Proceeds from spectrum relocation	0
Receipt of dividend	0	0
Payments from intercompany borrowings	2,025	0
Payment for acquistion of station assets		0	0
Proceeds from station sales		0
Payment of capital contributions	(3,011)
Other, net	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents acquired in merger transaction		2,138	0
Cash consideration LIN Merger		0
Collateral refunds related to letters of credit		0	0
Advances on intercompany borrowings		0
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	(986)	2,138	0
Borrowings under revolving credit facility		0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of other borrowings	0
Repurchase of common stock	$ 0	0
Payment for the acquisition of noncontrolling interest
Cash paid for debt modification	$ 0
Payment of dividend	0	0
Payments on intercompany borrowings	0	0
Receipt of capital contributions	0
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility		0
Proceeds from intercompany borrowings		0	0
Debt issuance costs		0	0
Other, net	0	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	0	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(2,388)	2,388	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	2,388	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	0	2,388	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | LIN Television Corporation [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	6,541	(27,654)	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(19,399)	(177)	0
Release of restricted cash at qualified intermediary	0	0
Proceeds from the sale of PP&E	89	4	0
Proceeds from spectrum relocation	0
Receipt of dividend	78,010	19,503
Payments from intercompany borrowings	0	1,545
Payment for acquistion of station assets		0	0
Proceeds from station sales		0
Payment of capital contributions	0
Other, net	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents acquired in merger transaction		21,690	0
Cash consideration LIN Merger		0
Collateral refunds related to letters of credit		0	0
Advances on intercompany borrowings		(1,000)
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	58,700	41,565	0
Borrowings under revolving credit facility		0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of other borrowings	0
Repurchase of common stock	0	0
Payment for the acquisition of noncontrolling interest	(10,872)
Cash paid for debt modification	0
Payment of dividend	0	(250)
Payments on intercompany borrowings	(50,518)	(4,003)
Receipt of capital contributions	3,011
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility		0
Proceeds from intercompany borrowings		0	0
Debt issuance costs		0	0
Other, net	(417)	0	0
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	(73,796)	(4,253)	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(8,555)	9,658	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	9,658	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	1,103	9,658	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	146,337	94,320	5,499
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(34,995)	(35,807)	(15,166)
Release of restricted cash at qualified intermediary	119,903	(119,903)
Proceeds from the sale of PP&E	1,971	25,881	0
Proceeds from spectrum relocation	620
Receipt of dividend	0	0
Payments from intercompany borrowings	48,493	4,003
Payment for acquistion of station assets		(175,662)	0
Proceeds from station sales		357,315
Payment of capital contributions	0
Other, net	0	(283)	118
Cash and cash equivalents acquired in merger transaction		961	17,327
Cash consideration LIN Merger		(763,075)
Collateral refunds related to letters of credit		980	2,498
Advances on intercompany borrowings		0
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	135,992	(705,590)	4,777
Borrowings under revolving credit facility		10,000
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of other borrowings	0
Repurchase of common stock	(33,724)	0
Payment for the acquisition of noncontrolling interest	0
Cash paid for debt modification	(4,288)
Payment of dividend	(78,010)	(19,503)
Payments on intercompany borrowings	0	(1,545)
Receipt of capital contributions	0
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility		(10,000)
Proceeds from intercompany borrowings		0	(5,400)
Debt issuance costs		(35,095)	(11,036)
Other, net	2,247	1,199	2,418
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	(273,775)	571,133	34,577
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	8,554	(40,137)	44,853
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	27,371	67,508	22,655
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	35,925	27,371	67,508
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	5,472	1,856	2,301
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(4,732)	(631)	0
Release of restricted cash at qualified intermediary	0	0
Proceeds from the sale of PP&E	0	29	0
Proceeds from spectrum relocation	2,500
Receipt of dividend	0	0
Payments from intercompany borrowings	0	0
Payment for acquistion of station assets		0	(14,324)
Proceeds from station sales		0
Payment of capital contributions	0
Other, net	(28)	0	8
Cash and cash equivalents acquired in merger transaction		718	0
Cash consideration LIN Merger		0
Collateral refunds related to letters of credit		0	0
Advances on intercompany borrowings		0
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities	(2,260)	116	(14,316)
Borrowings under revolving credit facility		0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of other borrowings	(1,161)
Repurchase of common stock	0	0
Payment for the acquisition of noncontrolling interest	0
Cash paid for debt modification	0
Payment of dividend	0	0
Payments on intercompany borrowings	0	0
Receipt of capital contributions	0
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility		0
Proceeds from intercompany borrowings		1,000	5,400
Debt issuance costs		(103)	(860)
Other, net	(91)	(76)	(4)
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities	(3,652)	(1,579)	14,536
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(440)	393	2,521
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	4,503	4,110	1,589
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	4,063	4,503	4,110
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | LIN Merger [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings		0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | LIN Merger [Member] | LIN Television Corporation [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings		0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | LIN Merger [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings		(577,610)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | LIN Merger [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings		0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Media General Credit Agreement [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0	0
Principal borrowings		0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Media General Credit Agreement [Member] | LIN Television Corporation [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0	0
Principal borrowings		0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Media General Credit Agreement [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	(160,000)	(84,000)
Principal borrowings		889,687	885,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Media General Credit Agreement [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0	0
Principal borrowings		0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | 2022 Senior Notes [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings		0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | 2022 Senior Notes [Member] | LIN Television Corporation [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings		0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | 2022 Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings		398,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | 2022 Senior Notes [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings		0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Shield Media Credit Agreement [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0	0
Principal borrowings		0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Shield Media Credit Agreement [Member] | LIN Television Corporation [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0	0
Principal borrowings		0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Shield Media Credit Agreement [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0	0
Principal borrowings		0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Shield Media Credit Agreement [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	(2,400)	(2,400)
Principal borrowings		0	32,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Financing Arrangement [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Financing Arrangement [Member] | LIN Television Corporation [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Financing Arrangement [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			(375,260)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Berkshire Hathaway Financing Arrangement [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | LIN Television Corporation [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			(326,145)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Senior Credit Facility [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Senior Credit Facility [Member] | LIN Television Corporation [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Senior Credit Facility [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility			(135,000)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Senior Credit Facility [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings under revolving credit facility			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | WLAJ-TV Term Loan [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | WLAJ-TV Term Loan [Member] | LIN Television Corporation [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | WLAJ-TV Term Loan [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | WLAJ-TV Term Loan [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Principal borrowings			10,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | WXXA Credit Facility [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | WXXA Credit Facility [Member] | LIN Television Corporation [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | WXXA Credit Facility [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | WXXA Credit Facility [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings			(32,000)
2021 Senior Notes [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	(15,000)	$ 0	$ 0
2021 Senior Notes [Member] | LIN Merger [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	(15,000)
2021 Senior Notes [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | LIN Merger [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0
2021 Senior Notes [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | LIN Merger [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0
2021 Senior Notes [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | LIN Merger [Member] | LIN Television Corporation [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	(15,000)
2021 Senior Notes [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | LIN Merger [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	0
2021 Senior Notes [Member] | Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | LIN Merger [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of borrowings	$ 0