Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	[1]	$ 439,910	$ 468,472
Programming and direct operating expenses		240,053	221,739
Selling, general and administrative		159,859	160,634
Depreciation and amortization		55,230	56,107
Total operating expenses		455,142	438,480
Operating (Loss) Profit	[1],[2]	(15,232)	29,992
(Loss) income on equity investments, net		37,037	38,252
Interest and dividend income		505	132
Interest expense		(38,758)	(38,141)
Loss on extinguishment and modification of debt		(19,052)	0
Gain on investment transaction		4,950	0
Write-down of investment		(122,000)	0
Other non-operating items		(276)	62
Intercompany income (charges)		0	0
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes		(152,826)	30,297
Income tax benefit		(51,614)	15,195
(Deficit) equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes		0	0
(Loss) income from continuing operations		(101,212)	15,102
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes		15,618	(4,009)
Net (Loss) Income		(85,594)	11,093
Comprehensive (Loss) Income		(77,951)	14,730
Eliminations
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		0	0
Programming and direct operating expenses		0	0
Selling, general and administrative		0	0
Depreciation and amortization		0	0
Total operating expenses		0	0
Operating (Loss) Profit		0	0
(Loss) income on equity investments, net		0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	0
Interest expense		0	0
Loss on extinguishment and modification of debt		0
Gain on investment transaction		0
Write-down of investment		0
Other non-operating items		0	0
Intercompany income (charges)		0	0
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes		0	0
Income tax benefit		0	0
(Deficit) equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes		64,499	(41,496)
(Loss) income from continuing operations		64,499	(41,496)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes		1,097	1,348
Net (Loss) Income		65,596	(40,148)
Comprehensive (Loss) Income		52,353	(44,188)
Parent (Tribune Media Company) | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		0	0
Programming and direct operating expenses		0	0
Selling, general and administrative		32,967	25,429
Depreciation and amortization		2,948	2,569
Total operating expenses		35,915	27,998
Operating (Loss) Profit		(35,915)	(27,998)
(Loss) income on equity investments, net		(469)	(720)
Interest and dividend income		482	91
Interest expense		(38,592)	(37,894)
Loss on extinguishment and modification of debt		(19,052)
Gain on investment transaction		4,950
Write-down of investment		0
Other non-operating items		(276)	62
Intercompany income (charges)		28,218	21,992
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes		(60,654)	(44,467)
Income tax benefit		(23,715)	(17,324)
(Deficit) equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes		(64,273)	42,245
(Loss) income from continuing operations		(101,212)	15,102
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes		15,618	(4,009)
Net (Loss) Income		(85,594)	11,093
Comprehensive (Loss) Income		(77,951)	14,730
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		437,487	465,970
Programming and direct operating expenses		239,232	220,527
Selling, general and administrative		126,089	134,386
Depreciation and amortization		49,162	50,358
Total operating expenses		414,483	405,271
Operating (Loss) Profit		23,004	60,699
(Loss) income on equity investments, net		37,506	38,972
Interest and dividend income		23	41
Interest expense		0	0
Loss on extinguishment and modification of debt		0
Gain on investment transaction		0
Write-down of investment		(122,000)
Other non-operating items		0	0
Intercompany income (charges)		(28,151)	(21,936)
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes		(89,618)	77,776
Income tax benefit		(26,941)	33,660
(Deficit) equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes		(226)	(749)
(Loss) income from continuing operations		(62,903)	43,367
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes		(1,904)	(2,731)
Net (Loss) Income		(64,807)	40,636
Comprehensive (Loss) Income		(62,931)	40,739
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		2,423	2,502
Programming and direct operating expenses		821	1,212
Selling, general and administrative		803	819
Depreciation and amortization		3,120	3,180
Total operating expenses		4,744	5,211
Operating (Loss) Profit		(2,321)	(2,709)
(Loss) income on equity investments, net		0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	0
Interest expense		(166)	(247)
Loss on extinguishment and modification of debt		0
Gain on investment transaction		0
Write-down of investment		0
Other non-operating items		0	0
Intercompany income (charges)		(67)	(56)
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes		(2,554)	(3,012)
Income tax benefit		(958)	(1,141)
(Deficit) equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes		0	0
(Loss) income from continuing operations		(1,596)	(1,871)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes		807	1,383
Net (Loss) Income		(789)	(488)
Comprehensive (Loss) Income		$ 10,578	$ 3,449

[1] (1)See Note 2 for the disclosures of operating revenues and operating profit included in discontinued operations for the historical periods.

[2] (2)Operating profit (loss) for each segment excludes income and loss on equity investments, interest and dividend income, interest expense, non-operating items, reorganization costs and income taxes.