Discontinued Operations Narrative (Details)			12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Aug. 04, 2014 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 28, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 29, 2013 renewal_term
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Cash dividend received by Company from tronc		$ 275,000,000
Repayments of long-term debt			$ 27,842,000	$ 1,114,262,000	$ 299,285,000
Contingent Liabilities Related to Discontinued Operations Subsequent to the Spin-off			$ 0
Senior Secured Credit Agreement | Term Loan Facility
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Repayments of long-term debt		$ 275,000,000
Nielsen | Transition Services Agreement
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Transition services period			6 months
tronc
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number Of Lease Renewal Periods | renewal_term						2
tronc | Other Income
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Lease revenue					24,000,000
tronc | Five Year Contractual Term
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Lessor Leasing Arrangements, Operating Leases, Term of Contract						5 years
tronc | Ten Year Contractual Term
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Lessor Leasing Arrangements, Operating Leases, Term of Contract						10 years
tronc
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Percent of outstanding tronc shares distributed		98.50%
Distribution ratio of tronc common stock		0.25
tronc common stock distributed, shares | shares		25,042,263.000
tronc | Dreamcatcher Credit Facility
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity under credit facility		$ 350,000,000
tronc
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Common stock retained by the Company in the Publishing Spin-off, shares | shares		381,354
Common stock owned by the Company, percent		1.50%
tronc
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Transaction costs incurred to complete disposition					23,000,000
Amount of accumulated other comprehensive loss allocated to Tribune Publishing		$ 2,000,000
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | Gracenote Companies
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Discontinued Operation, Amounts of Material Contingent Liabilities Remaining			$ 0
Transaction costs incurred to complete disposition			$ 3,000,000	$ 3,000,000	$ 6,000,000
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | Subsequent Event | Gracenote Companies
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Consideration	$ 560,000,000
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses and Interests in Affiliates	$ 581,000,000