Business Segments - Operating Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues		$ 488,999	$ 450,533	$ 469,517	$ 439,910	$ 529,624	$ 470,038	$ 479,796	$ 468,472	$ 1,848,959	[1]	$ 1,947,930	[1]	$ 1,801,967	[1]
Total operating profit (loss)		129,123	(23,749)	18,326	(15,232)	113,206	234,170	56,206	29,992	108,468	[1]	433,574	[1]	(269,335)	[1]
Depreciation	[2]									56,314		58,825		64,554
Amortization	[2]									166,679		166,664		166,404
Capital expenditures										66,832		99,659		89,084
Assets	[3]	8,169,328				9,401,051				8,169,328		9,401,051
Assets held for sale	[4]	38,900				17,176				38,900		17,176
Restricted cash and cash equivalents		17,566				17,566				17,566		17,566
Discontinued Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation												14,000		10,000
Amortization												30,000		29,000
Discontinued Operations | Gracenote Companies
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures										1,578		23,548		23,626
Discontinued Operations	[4]	0				670,758				0		670,758
Operating Segments | Television and Entertainment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues		486,022	447,307	466,061	436,033	525,723	460,164	468,134	455,875	1,835,423	[1]	1,909,896	[1]	1,752,542	[1]
Total operating profit (loss)		127,225	(1,357)	50,219	20,013	136,862	46,024	83,346	58,605	196,100	[1]	324,837	[1]	(175,140)	[1]
Depreciation	[2]									42,713		45,083		48,437
Amortization	[2]									166,679		166,664		166,404
Assets		7,197,859				7,484,591				7,197,859		7,484,591
Operating Segments | Television and Entertainment | Continuing Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures										48,667		59,167		33,173
Corporate, Non-Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues		2,977	3,226	3,456	3,877	3,901	9,874	11,662	12,597	13,536	[1]	38,034	[1]	49,425	[1]
Total operating profit (loss)		1,898	$ (22,392)	$ (31,893)	$ (35,245)	(23,656)	$ 188,146	$ (27,140)	$ (28,613)	(87,632)	[1]	108,737	[1]	(94,195)	[1]
Depreciation	[2]									13,601		13,742		16,117
Assets	[5]	932,569				1,228,526				932,569		1,228,526
Restricted cash and cash equivalents		$ 18,000				$ 18,000				18,000		18,000
Corporate, Non-Segment | Continuing Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures										$ 16,587		$ 16,944		$ 32,285

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

[2] (2)Depreciation from discontinued operations totaled $14 million and $10 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015. Amortization from discontinued operations totaled $30 million and $29 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015.

[3] The Company’s consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 include total assets of variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $81 million and $97 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. The Company’s consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $29 million and $3 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the Company (see Note 1).

[4] (4)See Note 2 for information regarding discontinued operations and Note 6 for information regarding assets held for sale.

[5] (3)As of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, Corporate total assets included $18 million related to restricted cash held to satisfy remaining claim obligations to holders of priority claims and fees earned by professional advisors during Chapter 11 proceedings (see Note 3). Corporate and Other assets include certain real estate assets (see Note 2) as well as the Company’s equity investment in CareerBuilder.