Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 28, 2014
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			$ 241,319		$ (76,378)
Capital expenditures	$ (17,583)	$ (22,418)	(35,431)		(38,717)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired			0		(69,974)
Transfers from restricted cash			297		0
Investments			(3,451)		(2,911)
Intercompany dividend			0
Proceeds from sales of real estate and other assets			33,702		13,750
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			(4,883)		(97,852)
Long-term borrowings			0		1,100,000
Repayments of long‑term debt			(13,920)		(1,100,342)
Long-term debt issuance costs			(784)		(20,207)
Payments of dividends			(46,174)		(672,744)
Settlement of contingent consideration			(750)		0
Common stock repurchases			(66,548)		(181,276)
Change in excess tax benefits from stock-based awards			0		(532)
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of share-based awards			(4,377)		(3,831)
Proceeds from stock option exercises			0		166
Contribution from noncontrolling interest			113		1,324
Intercompany dividend			0
Change in intercompany receivables and payables			0	[1]	0
Net cash used in financing activities			(132,440)		(877,442)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			103,996		(1,051,672)
Cash and cash equivalents	366,640	403,511	366,640		403,511	$ 262,644	$ 1,455,183
Non-cash settlement of intercompany balances			56,000
Eliminations
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			0		0
Capital expenditures			0		0
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired					0
Transfers from restricted cash			0
Investments			0		0
Intercompany dividend			(3,326)
Proceeds from sales of real estate and other assets			0		0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			(3,326)		0
Long-term borrowings					0
Repayments of long‑term debt			0		0
Long-term debt issuance costs			0		0
Payments of dividends			0		0
Settlement of contingent consideration			0
Common stock repurchases			0		0
Change in excess tax benefits from stock-based awards					0
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of share-based awards			0		0
Proceeds from stock option exercises					0
Contribution from noncontrolling interest			0		0
Intercompany dividend			3,326
Change in intercompany receivables and payables			0	[1]	0
Net cash used in financing activities			3,326		0
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			0		0
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0		0	0	0
Parent (Tribune Media Company) | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(39,775)		(29,465)
Capital expenditures			(7,094)		(13,935)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired					0
Transfers from restricted cash			0
Investments			(850)		0
Intercompany dividend			3,326
Proceeds from sales of real estate and other assets			0		0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			(4,618)		(13,935)
Long-term borrowings					1,100,000
Repayments of long‑term debt			(11,896)		(1,097,250)
Long-term debt issuance costs			(784)		(20,207)
Payments of dividends			(46,174)		(672,744)
Settlement of contingent consideration			0
Common stock repurchases			(66,548)		(181,276)
Change in excess tax benefits from stock-based awards					(532)
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of share-based awards			(4,377)		(3,831)
Proceeds from stock option exercises					166
Contribution from noncontrolling interest			0		0
Intercompany dividend			0
Change in intercompany receivables and payables			283,775	[1]	(124,585)
Net cash used in financing activities			153,996		(1,000,259)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			109,603		(1,043,659)
Cash and cash equivalents	345,111	389,729	345,111		389,729	235,508	1,433,388
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			283,808		(31,963)
Capital expenditures			(24,830)		(23,129)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired					(109)
Transfers from restricted cash			297
Investments			(101)		(411)
Intercompany dividend			0
Proceeds from sales of real estate and other assets			33,021		13,750
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			8,387		(9,899)
Long-term borrowings					0
Repayments of long‑term debt			0		(54)
Long-term debt issuance costs			0		0
Payments of dividends			0		0
Settlement of contingent consideration			(750)
Common stock repurchases			0		0
Change in excess tax benefits from stock-based awards					0
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of share-based awards			0		0
Proceeds from stock option exercises					0
Contribution from noncontrolling interest			0		0
Intercompany dividend			(3,326)
Change in intercompany receivables and payables			(291,214)	[1]	33,582
Net cash used in financing activities			(295,290)		33,528
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(3,095)		(8,334)
Cash and cash equivalents	9,959	3,870	9,959		3,870	13,054	12,204
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(2,714)		(14,950)
Capital expenditures			(3,507)		(1,653)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired					(69,865)
Transfers from restricted cash			0
Investments			(2,500)		(2,500)
Intercompany dividend			0
Proceeds from sales of real estate and other assets			681		0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			(5,326)		(74,018)
Long-term borrowings					0
Repayments of long‑term debt			(2,024)		(3,038)
Long-term debt issuance costs			0		0
Payments of dividends			0		0
Settlement of contingent consideration			0
Common stock repurchases			0		0
Change in excess tax benefits from stock-based awards					0
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of share-based awards			0		0
Proceeds from stock option exercises					0
Contribution from noncontrolling interest			113		1,324
Intercompany dividend			0
Change in intercompany receivables and payables			7,439	[1]	91,003
Net cash used in financing activities			5,528		89,289
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(2,512)		321
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 11,570	$ 9,912	$ 11,570		$ 9,912	$ 14,082	$ 9,591

[1] Excludes the impact of a $56 million non-cash settlement of intercompany balances upon dissolution of certain Guarantor subsidiaries.