Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 524,080	$ 489,369	$ 1,026,170	$ 948,439
Operating expenses:
Cost of revenues, exclusive of depreciation	264,294	229,683	522,787	461,091
Business units - Selling, general and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation	78,933	75,302	152,554	143,731
Corporate - General and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation	11,221	14,248	23,929	29,581
Depreciation	13,861	13,318	27,332	26,535
Amortization of intangible assets	7,962	5,388	14,744	10,777
Asset impairment and facility consolidation (gains) charges	(6,326)	1,350	(6,326)	3,533
Total	369,945	339,289	735,020	675,248
Operating income	154,135	150,080	291,150	273,191
Non-operating income (expense):
Equity income (loss) in unconsolidated investments, net	15,547	(946)	14,309	(2,415)
Interest expense	(49,104)	(54,843)	(96,829)	(110,258)
Other non-operating items	(311)	(21,108)	(12,791)	(23,182)
Total	(33,868)	(76,897)	(95,311)	(135,855)
Income before income taxes	120,267	73,183	195,839	137,336
Provision for income taxes	27,755	23,913	48,140	43,408
Net Income from continuing operations	92,512	49,270	147,699	93,928
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(241,699)	0	(222,458)
Net income (loss)	92,512	(192,429)	147,699	(128,530)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests from discontinued operations	0	62,077	0	55,892
Net income (loss) attributable to TEGNA Inc.	$ 92,512	$ (130,352)	$ 147,699	$ (72,638)
Earnings from continuing operations per share - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.43	$ 0.23	$ 0.68	$ 0.44
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations per share - basic (in dollars per share)	0.00	(0.83)	0.00	(0.77)
Net income (loss) per share – basic (In dollars per share)	0.43	(0.60)	0.68	(0.33)
Earnings from continuing operations per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	0.43	0.23	0.68	0.43
Loss from discontinued operations per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	0.00	(0.83)	0.00	(0.77)
Net income (loss) per share – diluted (In dollars per share)	$ 0.43	$ (0.60)	$ 0.68	$ (0.34)
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic shares (in shares)	216,342	215,501	216,309	215,404
Diluted shares (in shares)	216,515	217,812	216,753	217,691
Dividends declared per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.07	$ 0.07	$ 0.14	$ 0.21