Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016		Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 28, 2014
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by operating activities			$ 186,540		$ 7,925
Capital expenditures	$ (26,424)	$ (25,058)	(61,855)		(63,775)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired			0		(75,000)
Transfers from restricted cash			297		1,091
Investments			(3,451)		(3,011)
Distributions from equity investments			0		4,707
Intercompany dividend			0
Proceeds from sales of real estate and other assets			507,050		22,050
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			442,041		(113,938)
Long-term borrowings			0		1,100,000
Repayments of long-term debt			(20,881)		(1,107,302)
Long-term debt issuance costs			(784)		(20,202)
Payments of dividends			(68,684)		(696,364)
Settlement of contingent consideration			(3,636)		1,174
Common stock repurchases			(149,147)		(272,812)
Change in excess tax benefits from stock-based awards			0		(570)
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of share-based awards			(4,540)		(4,264)
Proceeds from stock option exercises			0		166
Contributions from noncontrolling interest			145		1,324
Intercompany dividend			0
Change in intercompany receivables and payables			0	[1]	0
Net cash used in financing activities			(247,527)		(998,850)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			381,054		(1,104,863)
Cash and cash equivalents	643,698	350,320	643,698		350,320	$ 262,644	$ 1,455,183
Non-cash settlement of intercompany balances			56,000
Eliminations
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by operating activities			0		0
Capital expenditures			0		0
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired					0
Transfers from restricted cash			0		0
Investments			0		0
Distributions from equity investments					0
Intercompany dividend			(3,326)
Proceeds from sales of real estate and other assets			0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) 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		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
Contributions 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 provided by operating activities			(73,507)		(52,491)
Capital expenditures			(9,433)		(18,594)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired					0
Transfers from restricted cash			0		0
Investments			(850)		0
Distributions from equity investments					0
Intercompany dividend			3,326
Proceeds from sales of real estate and other assets			0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(6,957)		(18,594)
Long-term borrowings					1,100,000
Repayments of long-term debt			(17,844)		(1,103,199)
Long-term debt issuance costs			(784)		(20,202)
Payments of dividends			(68,684)		(696,364)
Settlement of contingent consideration			0		0
Common stock repurchases			(149,147)		(272,812)
Change in excess tax benefits from stock-based awards					(570)
Tax withholdings related to net share settlements of share-based awards			(4,540)		(4,264)
Proceeds from stock option exercises					166
Contributions from noncontrolling interest			0		0
Intercompany dividend			0
Change in intercompany receivables and payables			706,331	[1]	(39,504)
Net cash used in financing activities			465,332		(1,036,749)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			384,868		(1,107,834)
Cash and cash equivalents	620,376	325,554	620,376		325,554	235,508	1,433,388
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by operating activities			364,608		176,453
Capital expenditures			(46,419)		(42,956)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired					(5,109)
Transfers from restricted cash			297		1,091
Investments			(101)		(511)
Distributions from equity investments					4,707
Intercompany dividend			0
Proceeds from sales of real estate and other assets			506,369		13,750
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			460,146		(29,028)
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)		4,088
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
Contributions from noncontrolling interest			0		0
Intercompany dividend			(3,326)
Change in intercompany receivables and payables			(823,087)	[1]	(150,676)
Net cash used in financing activities			(827,163)		(146,642)
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(2,409)		783
Cash and cash equivalents	10,645	12,987	10,645		12,987	13,054	12,204
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by operating activities			(104,561)		(116,037)
Capital expenditures			(6,003)		(2,225)
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired					(69,891)
Transfers from restricted cash			0		0
Investments			(2,500)		(2,500)
Distributions from equity investments					0
Intercompany dividend			0
Proceeds from sales of real estate and other assets			681		8,300
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(7,822)		(66,316)
Long-term borrowings					0
Repayments of long-term debt			(3,037)		(4,049)
Long-term debt issuance costs			0		0
Payments of dividends			0		0
Settlement of contingent consideration			(2,886)		(2,914)
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
Contributions from noncontrolling interest			145		1,324
Intercompany dividend			0
Change in intercompany receivables and payables			116,756	[1]	190,180
Net cash used in financing activities			110,978		184,541
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(1,405)		2,188
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 12,677	$ 11,779	$ 12,677		$ 11,779	$ 14,082	$ 9,591

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