Income Taxes - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended								6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 29, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 28, 2014	Sep. 02, 2015	Dec. 29, 2013	Oct. 27, 2009	Jul. 29, 2008
Federal Income Tax Note
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent										35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Income tax expense	$ 43,280,000	$ 73,871,000	$ 214,856,000	$ 15,195,000	$ (13,829,000)	$ 14,510,000	$ 2,624,000	$ 22,613,000		$ 347,202,000	$ 25,918,000	$ 284,266,000
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Tax Settlement, Other, Amount										(11,000,000)
Impairment charge, goodwill										0		0
Income tax settlements and other adjustments, net										179,558,000	(7,842,000)	(1,801,000)
Tax rate change due to Publishing Spin-off										0	0	(10,810,000)
Undistributed foreign earnings	100,000				200,000					100,000	200,000	0
Operating loss carryforwards	56,000,000				64,000,000					56,000,000	64,000,000
Investments	399,103,000				418,908,000					399,103,000	418,908,000
Unrecognized tax benefits	22,532,000				33,632,000					22,532,000	33,632,000	$ 18,852,000		$ 21,544,000
Favorable adjustment that would have been recognized	17,000,000				26,000,000					17,000,000	26,000,000
Company's accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions	1,000,000				1,000,000					1,000,000	1,000,000
Decrease in unrecognized tax benefits	1,000,000									1,000,000
Newsday LLC
Federal Income Tax Note
Income tax adjustments										191,000,000
Investment owned, percent																97.00%
Common stock owned by the Company, percent													3.00%			3.00%
Income Taxes Paid											136,000,000
Investments													$ 101,000,000
Net Adjustment to Uncertain Tax Position, Current			102,000,000
Liability for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, Current			125,000,000						$ 125,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Income Taxes			(23,000,000)
Adjustment to Deferred Income Tax Liability for Changes in Tax Basis	3,000,000		$ 91,000,000
Income Tax Examination, Interest Expense	1,000,000
Payment for income tax, interest and penalties									$ 122,000,000
Expected future payment for income tax, interest and penalties	4,000,000									4,000,000
Company's accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions	80,000,000									80,000,000
New Cubs LLC
Federal Income Tax Note
Investment owned, percent															95.00%
Common stock owned by the Company, percent															5.00%
Income Taxes Paid										42,000,000
Investments	$ 158,000,000				$ 164,000,000					158,000,000	164,000,000
Tax Year 2008 | Newsday LLC
Federal Income Tax Note
Income tax examination, estimate of possible loss before penalties and interest										190,000,000
Income tax examination, penalties										38,000,000
Tax Year 2009 | New Cubs LLC
Federal Income Tax Note
Income Tax Examination, Estimate of Possible Taxes										182,000,000
Income Tax Examination, Estimate of Possible Penalties										73,000,000
Income Tax Examination, Estimate of Possible Interest										41,000,000
Income tax examination, estimate of possible loss										$ 225,000,000
Television and Entertainment
Federal Income Tax Note
Impairment charge, goodwill											$ 381,000,000
Minimum
Federal Income Tax Note
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Date										Jan. 01, 2019
Maximum
Federal Income Tax Note
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Date										Dec. 31, 2029