Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017		Sep. 30, 2016
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	$ 450,533	$ 470,038	$ 1,359,960	[1]	$ 1,418,306	[1]
Programming and direct operating expenses	297,537	248,630	791,614		689,695
Selling, general and administrative	120,869	143,974	422,604		452,286
Depreciation and amortization	55,941	56,432	166,762		168,676
Gain on sale of real estate, net	(65)	(213,168)	(365)		(212,719)
Total operating expenses	474,282	235,868	1,380,615		1,097,938
Operating (Loss) Profit	(23,749)	234,170	(20,655)	[1],[2]	320,368	[1],[2]
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	21,058	31,737	98,856		114,295
Interest and dividend income	827	476	1,880		836
Interest expense	(40,389)	(38,296)	(119,332)		(114,508)
Loss on extinguishments and modification of debt	(1,435)	0	(20,487)		0
Gain on investment transactions, net	5,667	0	10,617		0
Write-downs of investment	0	0	(180,800)		0
Other non-operating items	(753)	(377)	(1,407)		(756)
Intercompany income (charges)	0	0	0		0
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	(38,774)	227,710	(231,328)		320,235
Income tax benefit	(20,087)	73,871	(81,606)		303,922
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0		0
Net (Loss) Income from Continuing Operations	(18,687)	153,839	(149,722)		16,313
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes	0	(8,074)	15,039		(21,018)
Net (Loss) Income	(18,687)	145,765	(134,683)		(4,705)
Comprehensive (Loss) Income	(18,062)	148,449	(124,148)		2,427
Eliminations
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	0	0	0		0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0		0
Gain on sale of real estate, net	0	0	0		0
Total operating expenses	0	0	0		0
Operating (Loss) 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 extinguishments and modification of debt	0		0
Gain on investment transactions, net	0		0
Write-downs of investment			0
Other non-operating items	0	0	0		0
Intercompany income (charges)	0	0	0		0
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	0	0	0		0
Income tax benefit	0	0	0		0
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	(11,717)	(179,418)	48,164		(169,622)
Net (Loss) Income from Continuing Operations	(11,717)	(179,418)	48,164		(169,622)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes	0	8,859	1,097		19,327
Net (Loss) Income	(11,717)	(170,559)	49,261		(150,295)
Comprehensive (Loss) Income	(12,300)	(172,509)	30,383		(152,112)
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	20,252	24,968	83,077		74,378
Depreciation and amortization	2,902	2,973	8,788		8,310
Gain on sale of real estate, net	0	0	0		0
Total operating expenses	23,154	27,941	91,865		82,688
Operating (Loss) Profit	(23,154)	(27,941)	(91,865)		(82,688)
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	(482)	(599)	(1,521)		(1,997)
Interest and dividend income	813	464	1,829		772
Interest expense	(40,313)	(38,102)	(118,929)		(113,864)
Loss on extinguishments and modification of debt	(1,384)		(20,436)
Gain on investment transactions, net	(143)		4,807
Write-downs of investment			0
Other non-operating items	(753)	(377)	(1,407)		(756)
Intercompany income (charges)	19,221	22,341	66,907		66,322
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	(46,195)	(44,214)	(160,615)		(132,211)
Income tax benefit	(15,668)	(19,002)	(56,260)		22,057
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	11,840	179,051	(45,367)		170,581
Net (Loss) Income from Continuing Operations	(18,687)	153,839	(149,722)		16,313
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes	0	(8,074)	15,039		(21,018)
Net (Loss) Income	(18,687)	145,765	(134,683)		(4,705)
Comprehensive (Loss) Income	(18,062)	148,449	(124,148)		2,427
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	448,248	467,697	1,352,933		1,411,158
Programming and direct operating expenses	296,987	248,094	785,816		686,994
Selling, general and administrative	99,738	118,114	336,931		375,352
Depreciation and amortization	49,902	50,283	148,591		150,800
Gain on sale of real estate, net	(65)	(213,168)	(365)		(212,719)
Total operating expenses	446,562	203,323	1,270,973		1,000,427
Operating (Loss) Profit	1,686	264,374	81,960		410,731
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	21,540	32,336	100,377		116,292
Interest and dividend income	14	12	51		64
Interest expense	0	0	0		0
Loss on extinguishments and modification of debt	0		0
Gain on investment transactions, net	5,810		5,810
Write-downs of investment			(180,800)
Other non-operating items	0	0	0		0
Intercompany income (charges)	(19,179)	(22,283)	(66,756)		(66,152)
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	9,871	274,439	(59,358)		460,935
Income tax benefit	(3,562)	94,496	(21,035)		179,173
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	(123)	367	(2,797)		(959)
Net (Loss) Income from Continuing Operations	13,310	180,310	(41,120)		280,803
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes	0	(5,540)	(1,904)		(16,960)
Net (Loss) Income	13,310	174,770	(43,024)		263,843
Comprehensive (Loss) Income	13,374	174,425	(37,036)		261,800
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
Operating Revenues	2,285	2,341	7,027		7,148
Programming and direct operating expenses	550	536	5,798		2,701
Selling, general and administrative	879	892	2,596		2,556
Depreciation and amortization	3,137	3,176	9,383		9,566
Gain on sale of real estate, net	0	0	0		0
Total operating expenses	4,566	4,604	17,777		14,823
Operating (Loss) Profit	(2,281)	(2,263)	(10,750)		(7,675)
(Loss) income on equity investments, net	0	0	0		0
Interest and dividend income	0	0	0		0
Interest expense	(76)	(194)	(403)		(644)
Loss on extinguishments and modification of debt	(51)		(51)
Gain on investment transactions, net	0		0
Write-downs of investment			0
Other non-operating items	0	0	0		0
Intercompany income (charges)	(42)	(58)	(151)		(170)
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	(2,450)	(2,515)	(11,355)		(8,489)
Income tax benefit	(857)	(1,623)	(4,311)		102,692
Equity (deficit) in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries, net of taxes	0	0	0		0
Net (Loss) Income from Continuing Operations	(1,593)	(892)	(7,044)		(111,181)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes	0	(3,319)	807		(2,367)
Net (Loss) Income	(1,593)	(4,211)	(6,237)		(113,548)
Comprehensive (Loss) Income	$ (1,074)	$ (1,916)	$ 6,653		$ (109,688)

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

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