Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	$ 518,069		$ 488,594	$ 1,564,697	$ 1,462,855
Programming and direct operating expenses	268,482		227,103	744,726	673,822
Selling, general and administrative	172,229		153,876	535,152	469,374
Depreciation and amortization	68,106		68,807	201,762	200,035
(Gain) loss on sales of real estate	(213,168)	$ 449	0	(212,719)	97
Total operating expenses	295,649		449,786	1,268,921	1,343,328
Operating Profit	222,420		38,808	295,776	119,527
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	31,737		36,987	114,295	119,834
Interest and dividend income	534		162	920	572
Interest expense	(42,121)		(42,529)	(126,004)	(122,115)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0	0	(37,040)
Gain on investment transactions	0		3,250	0	12,070
Other non-operating items	(377)		2,494	(756)	1,085
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0		0	0	0
Intercompany income (charges)	0		0	0	0
Income Before Income Taxes	212,193		39,172	284,231	93,933
Income tax expense	66,428		11,314	288,936	32,923
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	0		0	0	0
Net Income (Loss)	145,765		27,858	(4,705)	61,010
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	148,449		24,087	2,427	47,841
Eliminations
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	(4,506)		(4,887)	(13,296)	(15,608)
Programming and direct operating expenses	(247)		(3,390)	(6,436)	(10,001)
Selling, general and administrative	(4,259)		(1,497)	(6,860)	(5,607)
Depreciation and amortization	0		0	0	0
(Gain) loss on sales of real estate	0			0	0
Total operating expenses	(4,506)		(4,887)	(13,296)	(15,608)
Operating 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
Gain on investment transactions			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 Before Income Taxes	0		0	0	0
Income tax expense	0		0	0	0
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	(170,559)		(49,654)	(150,295)	(152,260)
Net Income (Loss)	(170,559)		(49,654)	(150,295)	(152,260)
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	(172,509)		(45,608)	(152,112)	(143,686)
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	25,254		20,448	74,673	69,637
Depreciation and amortization	2,973		2,068	8,310	4,536
(Gain) loss on sales of real estate	0			0	0
Total operating expenses	28,227		22,516	82,983	74,173
Operating Profit	(28,227)		(22,516)	(82,983)	(74,173)
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	(599)		0	(1,997)	0
Interest and dividend income	464		96	772	396
Interest expense	(41,922)		(42,243)	(125,324)	(121,268)
Loss on extinguishment of debt					(37,040)
Gain on investment transactions			0		688
Other non-operating items	(377)		1,582	(756)	239
Intercompany interest income (expense)	438		438	1,316	1,316
Intercompany income (charges)	24,112		25,065	71,634	75,195
Income Before Income Taxes	(46,111)		(37,578)	(137,338)	(154,647)
Income tax expense	(19,758)		(13,907)	20,027	(58,811)
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	172,118		51,529	152,660	156,846
Net Income (Loss)	145,765		27,858	(4,705)	61,010
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	148,449		24,087	2,427	47,841
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	509,039		480,578	1,533,303	1,438,056
Programming and direct operating expenses	261,974		226,597	732,616	665,252
Selling, general and administrative	143,237		126,381	444,851	384,488
Depreciation and amortization	60,058		61,432	178,303	181,720
(Gain) loss on sales of real estate	(213,168)			(212,719)	97
Total operating expenses	252,101		414,410	1,143,051	1,231,557
Operating Profit	256,938		66,168	390,252	206,499
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	32,336		36,987	116,292	119,834
Interest and dividend income	13		25	66	76
Interest expense	0		0	0	(5)
Loss on extinguishment of debt					0
Gain on investment transactions			0		8,132
Other non-operating items	0		912	0	846
Intercompany interest income (expense)	(438)		(438)	(1,316)	(1,316)
Intercompany income (charges)	(24,054)		(24,976)	(71,464)	(74,928)
Income Before Income Taxes	264,795		78,678	433,830	259,138
Income tax expense	88,466		25,406	167,622	95,423
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	(1,559)		(1,875)	(2,365)	(4,586)
Net Income (Loss)	174,770		51,397	263,843	159,129
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	174,425		48,417	261,800	155,417
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	13,536		12,903	44,690	40,407
Programming and direct operating expenses	6,755		3,896	18,546	18,571
Selling, general and administrative	7,997		8,544	22,488	20,856
Depreciation and amortization	5,075		5,307	15,149	13,779
(Gain) loss on sales of real estate	0			0	0
Total operating expenses	19,827		17,747	56,183	53,206
Operating Profit	(6,291)		(4,844)	(11,493)	(12,799)
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	0		0	0	0
Interest and dividend income	57		41	82	100
Interest expense	(199)		(286)	(680)	(842)
Loss on extinguishment of debt					0
Gain on investment transactions			3,250		3,250
Other non-operating items	0		0	0	0
Intercompany interest income (expense)	0		0	0	0
Intercompany income (charges)	(58)		(89)	(170)	(267)
Income Before Income Taxes	(6,491)		(1,928)	(12,261)	(10,558)
Income tax expense	(2,280)		(185)	101,287	(3,689)
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	0		0	0	0
Net Income (Loss)	(4,211)		(1,743)	(113,548)	(6,869)
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	$ (1,916)		$ (2,809)	$ (109,688)	$ (11,731)