Quarterly Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Jul. 29, 2016	Dec. 25, 2016		Sep. 25, 2016		Jun. 26, 2016		Mar. 27, 2016		Dec. 27, 2015		Sep. 27, 2015		Jun. 28, 2015		Mar. 29, 2015		Dec. 25, 2016		Dec. 27, 2015		Dec. 28, 2014
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Revenues		$ 439,650		$ 363,547		$ 372,630		$ 379,515		$ 444,686		$ 367,404		$ 382,886		$ 384,239		$ 1,555,342		$ 1,579,215		$ 1,588,528
Operating costs		362,801		356,596		339,933		351,580		352,663		345,471		344,835		350,277		1,410,910		1,393,246		1,484,505
Restructuring Charges		0	[1]	2,949	[1]	11,855	[1]	0	[1]									14,804	[1]	0		0
Multiemployer pension plan withdrawal expense	$ (5,000)	0	[2]	(4,971)	[2]	11,701	[2]	0	[2]	4,358	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]	4,697	[3]	6,730	[2]	9,055	[3]	0	[2]
Pension settlement charges		21,294	[4]	0	[4]	0	[4]	0	[4]	0	[5]	0	[5]	0	[5]	40,329	[5]	21,294	[4]	40,329	[5]	9,525
Operating profit		55,555		8,973		9,141		27,935		87,665		21,933		38,051		(11,064)		101,604		136,585		91,948
(Loss)/income from joint ventures		5,572		463		(412)		(41,896)		(25)		170		(356)		(572)		(36,273)		(783)		(8,368)
Interest expense, net		7,850		9,032		9,097		8,826		7,955		9,127		9,776		12,192		34,805		39,050		53,730
Income from continuing operations before income taxes		53,277		404		(368)		(22,787)		79,685		12,976		27,919		(23,828)		30,526		96,752		29,850
Income tax (benefit)/expense		13,377		121		124		(9,201)		28,006		3,611		11,700		(9,407)		4,421		33,910		(3,541)
Income from continuing operations		39,900		283		(492)		(13,586)		51,679		9,365		16,219		(14,421)		26,105		62,842		33,391
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes		(2,273)		0		0		0										(2,273)		0		(1,086)
Net income		37,627		283		(492)		(13,586)		51,679		9,365		16,219		(14,421)		23,832		62,842		32,305
Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest		(483)		123		281		5,315		14		50		181		159		5,236		404		1,002
Net income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders		37,144		406		(211)		(8,271)		51,693		9,415		16,400		(14,262)		29,068		63,246		33,307
(Loss)/income from continuing operations		39,417		406		(211)		(8,271)		$ 51,693		$ 9,415		$ 16,400		$ (14,262)		31,341		63,246		34,393
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes		$ (2,273)		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0										$ (2,273)		$ 0		$ (1,086)
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)		161,235		161,185		161,128		161,003		162,179		165,052		166,355		163,988		161,128		164,390		150,673
Diluted (in shares)		162,862		162,945		161,128		161,003		164,128		166,981		168,316		163,988		162,817		166,423		161,323
Basic earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations (USD per share)		$ 0.24		$ 0.00		$ 0.00		$ (0.05)		$ 0.32		$ 0.06		$ 0.10		$ (0.09)		$ 0.19		$ 0.38		$ 0.23
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes (USD per share)		(0.01)		0.00		0.00		0.00										(0.01)		0.00		(0.01)
Net income (USD per share)		0.23		0.00		0.00		(0.05)		0.32		0.06		0.10		(0.09)		0.18		0.38		0.22
Diluted earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations (USD per share)		0.24		0.00		0.00		(0.05)		0.31		0.06		0.10		(0.09)		0.19		0.38		0.21
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes (USD per share)		(0.01)		0.00		0.00		0.00										(0.01)		0.00		(0.01)
Net income (USD per share)		0.23		0.00		0.00		(0.05)		0.31		0.06		0.10		(0.09)		0.18		0.38		0.20
Dividends declared per share (USD per share)		$ 0.04		$ 0.08		$ 0.00		$ 0.04		$ 0.04		$ 0.04		$ 0.04		$ 0.04		$ 0.16		$ 0.16		$ 0.16

[1] We recorded restructuring charges in the second and third quarters associated with the streamlining of the Company’s international print operations.

[2] We recorded a charge in the second quarter related to a partial withdrawal obligation under a multiemployer pension plan following an unfavorable arbitration decision, of which $5 million was reimbursed to the Company in the third quarter.

[3] We recorded charges related to partial withdrawal obligations under multiemployer pension plans in the first and fourth quarters.

[4] We recorded a pension settlement charge in the fourth quarter related to a lump-sum payment offer to certain former employees who participated in a qualified pension plan.

[5] We recorded a pension settlement charge in the first quarter related to a lump-sum payment offer to certain former employees who participated in a qualified pension plan.