Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income from continuing operations	$ 50,754	$ 76,737	$ 144,682	$ 211,615
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(10,803)	56,698	(233,261)	132,141
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests from discontinued operations	2,806	(14,752)	58,698	(40,178)
Net income (loss) attributable to TEGNA Inc.	$ 42,757	$ 118,683	$ (29,881)	$ 303,578
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic	215,863	214,813	215,558	216,865
Effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - diluted	218,095	218,099	217,827	220,511
Earnings from continuing operations per share - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.24	$ 0.36	$ 0.67	$ 0.98
(Loss) earnings from discontinued operations per share - basic (in dollars per share)	(0.04)	0.19	(0.81)	0.42
Net income (loss) per share – basic (In dollars per share)	0.20	0.55	(0.14)	1.40
Earnings from continuing operations per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	0.23	0.35	0.66	0.96
(Loss) earnings from discontinued operations per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	(0.04)	0.19	(0.80)	0.42
Net income (loss) per share – diluted (In dollars per share)	$ 0.19	$ 0.54	$ (0.14)	$ 1.38
Restricted stock units
Effect of dilutive securities:
Dilutive securities (in shares)	828	1,630	880	1,662
Performance share units
Effect of dilutive securities:
Dilutive securities (in shares)	721	775	674	1,049
Stock options
Effect of dilutive securities:
Dilutive securities (in shares)	683	881	715	935