Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	$ 526,113	$ 501,524	$ 1,046,628	$ 974,261
Programming and direct operating expenses	238,001	250,215	476,244	446,719
Selling, general and administrative	175,032	165,122	363,372	315,595
Depreciation and amortization	66,940	66,403	133,656	131,228
Total operating expenses	479,973	481,740	973,272	893,542
Operating (Loss) Profit	46,140	19,784	73,356	80,719
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	44,306	45,913	82,558	82,847
Interest and dividend income	241	43	386	410
Interest expense	(41,907)	(40,374)	(83,883)	(79,586)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	(37,040)	0	(37,040)
Gain on investment transaction	0	8,133	0	8,820
Other non-operating items	(441)	(417)	(379)	(1,409)
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Intercompany income (charges)	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(48,339)	3,958	(72,038)	(54,761)
Income tax expense	209,902	(693)	222,508	21,609
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net (Loss) Income	(161,563)	(3,265)	(150,470)	33,152
Comprehensive (Loss) Income	(160,752)	(6,328)	(146,022)	23,754
Eliminations
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	(4,383)	(5,083)	(8,790)	(10,721)
Programming and direct operating expenses	(3,191)	(4,200)	(6,189)	(6,611)
Selling, general and administrative	(1,192)	(883)	(2,601)	(4,110)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(4,383)	(5,083)	(8,790)	(10,721)
Operating (Loss) Profit	0	0	0	0
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0		0
Gain on investment transaction		0		0
Other non-operating items	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Intercompany income (charges)	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	60,411	(44,168)	20,264	(102,606)
Net (Loss) Income	60,411	(44,168)	20,264	(102,606)
Comprehensive (Loss) Income	64,585	(45,031)	20,397	(98,078)
Parent (Tribune Media Company) | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	0	0	0	0
Programming and direct operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	23,990	25,249	49,419	49,189
Depreciation and amortization	2,768	1,299	5,337	2,468
Total operating expenses	26,758	26,548	54,756	51,657
Operating (Loss) Profit	(26,758)	(26,548)	(54,756)	(51,657)
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	(678)	0	(1,398)	0
Interest and dividend income	217	0	308	300
Interest expense	(41,688)	(40,102)	(83,402)	(79,025)
Loss on extinguishment of debt		(37,040)		(37,040)
Gain on investment transaction		1		688
Other non-operating items	(441)	(417)	(379)	(1,343)
Intercompany interest income (expense)	440	439	878	878
Intercompany income (charges)	23,760	25,065	47,522	50,130
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	45,148	78,602	91,227	117,069
Income tax expense	57,745	(29,782)	39,785	(44,904)
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	(58,670)	45,555	(19,458)	105,317
Net (Loss) Income	(161,563)	(3,265)	(150,470)	33,152
Comprehensive (Loss) Income	(160,752)	(6,328)	(146,022)	23,754
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	515,819	493,937	1,024,264	957,478
Programming and direct operating expenses	234,776	248,967	470,642	438,655
Selling, general and administrative	144,809	133,482	302,063	258,204
Depreciation and amortization	59,094	60,496	118,245	120,288
Total operating expenses	438,679	442,945	890,950	817,147
Operating (Loss) Profit	77,140	50,992	133,314	140,331
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	44,984	45,913	83,956	82,847
Interest and dividend income	12	25	53	51
Interest expense	0	0	0	(5)
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0		0
Gain on investment transaction		8,132		8,132
Other non-operating items	0	0	0	(66)
Intercompany interest income (expense)	(440)	(439)	(878)	(878)
Intercompany income (charges)	(23,704)	(24,976)	(47,410)	(49,952)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(97,992)	(79,647)	(169,035)	(180,460)
Income tax expense	47,813	30,125	79,156	70,017
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	(1,741)	(1,387)	(806)	(2,711)
Net (Loss) Income	48,438	48,135	89,073	107,732
Comprehensive (Loss) Income	46,636	49,268	87,375	107,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	14,677	12,670	31,154	27,504
Programming and direct operating expenses	6,416	5,448	11,791	14,675
Selling, general and administrative	7,425	7,274	14,491	12,312
Depreciation and amortization	5,078	4,608	10,074	8,472
Total operating expenses	18,919	17,330	36,356	35,459
Operating (Loss) Profit	(4,242)	(4,660)	(5,202)	(7,955)
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income	12	18	25	59
Interest expense	(219)	(272)	(481)	(556)
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0		0
Gain on investment transaction		0		0
Other non-operating items	0	0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Intercompany income (charges)	(56)	(89)	(112)	(178)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	4,505	5,003	5,770	8,630
Income tax expense	104,344	(1,036)	103,567	(3,504)
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net (Loss) Income	(108,849)	(3,967)	(109,337)	(5,126)
Comprehensive (Loss) Income	$ (111,221)	$ (4,237)	$ (107,772)	$ (8,922)