Supplemental Guarantor Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net Operating Revenues	$ 204,929,000	$ 176,273,000	$ 177,619,000	$ 155,898,000	$ 180,294,000	$ 151,999,000	$ 166,379,000	$ 151,470,000			$ 714,719,000	$ 650,142,000	$ 687,395,000
Operating Costs and Expenses
Station salaries, wages and employee benefits	57,436,000	54,776,000	56,437,000	55,699,000	54,033,000	52,467,000	54,525,000	53,836,000			224,348,000	214,861,000	209,945,000
Station programming and other operating costs	53,884,000	50,520,000	48,074,000	45,317,000	50,424,000	51,788,000	52,565,000	50,196,000			197,795	204,973,000	199,304,000
Corporate operating costs	9,610,000	7,501,000	8,550,000	7,732,000	7,235,000	5,112,000	6,692,000	6,299,000			33,393,000	25,338,000	36,487,000
Pension settlement charge and contribution reimbursements								20,466,000				20,466,000	(8,572,000)
Depreciation	7,641,000	7,528,000	7,472,000	7,462,000	7,551,000	7,614,000	7,707,000	7,924,000			30,103	30,796,000	34,693,000
Total operating costs and expenses	128,571,000	120,325,000	120,533,000	116,210,000	119,243,000	116,981,000	121,489,000	138,721,000			485,639	496,434,000	471,857,000
Earnings (loss) from operations											229,080,000	153,708,000	215,538,000
Other Income and (Expense)
Interest expense	(16,646,000)	(17,683,000)	(17,714,000)	(17,662,000)	(18,589,000)	(17,771,000)	(18,050,000)	(17,983,000)			(69,705,000)	(72,393,000)	(77,895,000)
Intercompany interest
Other income (expense), net	(5,092,000)	497,000	1,378,000	501,000	4,726,000	986,000	649,000	180,000			(2,716)	6,541,000	1,377,000
Total other income and (expense)											(72,421)	(65,852,000)	(76,518,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes											156,659	87,856,000	139,020,000
Income tax benefit (expense)	19,629,000	14,148,000	14,917,000	8,235,000	16,716,000	4,520,000	9,402,000	(740,000)			(56,929)	(29,898,000)	(52,114,000)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries
Net earnings (loss)	34,991,000	24,614,000	25,833,000	14,292,000	30,472,000	13,713,000	18,087,000	(4,314,000)	13,773,000	27,486,000	99,730,000	57,958,000	86,906,000
Less: Net (loss) from noncontrolling interests	(139,000)	(203,000)	(98,000)								(440)
Net earnings attributable to Belo Corp.	35,130,000	24,817,000	25,931,000	14,292,000							100,170,000	57,958,000	86,906,000
Parent [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net Operating Revenues
Operating Costs and Expenses
Station salaries, wages and employee benefits
Station programming and other operating costs
Corporate operating costs											27,534	21,731,000	32,676,000
Pension settlement charge and contribution reimbursements												20,466,000	(8,572,000)
Depreciation											1,235	1,247,000	1,766,000
Total operating costs and expenses											28,769	43,444,000	25,870,000
Earnings (loss) from operations											(28,769)	(43,444,000)	(25,870,000)
Other Income and (Expense)
Interest expense											(69,672)	(72,312,000)	(77,778,000)
Intercompany interest											2,994	4,463,000	6,850,000
Other income (expense), net											(5,819)	4,204,000	1,080,000
Total other income and (expense)											(72,497)	(63,645,000)	(69,848,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes											(101,266)	(107,089,000)	(95,718,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)											37,887	37,962,000	38,449,000
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries											163,549	127,085,000	144,175,000
Net earnings (loss)											100,170	57,958	86,906,000
Less: Net (loss) from noncontrolling interests
Net earnings attributable to Belo Corp.											100,170
Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net Operating Revenues											714,709	650,142,000	687,395,000
Operating Costs and Expenses
Station salaries, wages and employee benefits											224,072	214,861,000	209,945,000
Station programming and other operating costs											196,697	204,973,000	199,304,000
Corporate operating costs											4,055	3,607,000	3,811,000
Pension settlement charge and contribution reimbursements
Depreciation											28,025	29,549,000	32,927,000
Total operating costs and expenses											452,849	452,990,000	445,987,000
Earnings (loss) from operations											261,860	197,152,000	241,408,000
Other Income and (Expense)
Interest expense											(33)	(81,000)	(117,000)
Intercompany interest											(2,994)	(4,463,000)	(6,850,000)
Other income (expense), net											3,103	2,337,000	297,000
Total other income and (expense)											76	(2,207,000)	(6,670,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes											261,936	194,945,000	234,738,000
Income tax benefit (expense)											(96,273)	(67,860,000)	(90,563,000)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries
Net earnings (loss)											165,663	127,085	144,175,000
Less: Net (loss) from noncontrolling interests
Net earnings attributable to Belo Corp.											165,663
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net Operating Revenues											10
Operating Costs and Expenses
Station salaries, wages and employee benefits											276
Station programming and other operating costs											1,098
Corporate operating costs											1,804
Depreciation											843
Total operating costs and expenses											4,021
Earnings (loss) from operations											(4,011)
Other Income and (Expense)
Interest expense
Intercompany interest
Other income (expense), net
Total other income and (expense)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes											(4,011)
Income tax benefit (expense)											1,457
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries
Net earnings (loss)											(2,554)
Less: Net (loss) from noncontrolling interests											(440)
Net earnings attributable to Belo Corp.											(2,114)
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net Operating Revenues
Operating Costs and Expenses
Station salaries, wages and employee benefits
Station programming and other operating costs
Corporate operating costs
Pension settlement charge and contribution reimbursements
Depreciation
Total operating costs and expenses
Earnings (loss) from operations
Other Income and (Expense)
Interest expense
Intercompany interest
Other income (expense), net
Total other income and (expense)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes
Income tax benefit (expense)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries											(163,549)	(127,085,000)	(144,175,000)
Net earnings (loss)											(163,549)	(127,085)	(144,175,000)
Less: Net (loss) from noncontrolling interests
Net earnings attributable to Belo Corp.											$ (163,549)