Changes in Operations and Non-operating Items Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017		Sep. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2017	[1]	Mar. 31, 2017		Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 02, 2015	Aug. 04, 2014	Jul. 29, 2008
Schedule of Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Loss on extinguishments and modification of debt	$ 0	[1]	$ (1,435)	[1]	$ 0		$ (19,052)	[1]		$ (20,487)	[1]	$ 0	$ (37,040)
Write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs and discounts													(37,000)
Write-downs of investments	(12,694)	[1]	0	[1]	$ (58,800)		(122,000)	[1]		(193,494)	[1]	0	0
Workers Compensation Reserve Adjustment												5,427	9,350
Non-cash pretax charge to write down assets													(2,122)
tronc
Schedule of Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Realized Gain (Loss) on Marketable Securities, Cost Method Investments, and Other Investments							5,000			4,950
Investment ownership, percentage															1.50%
CareerBuilder, LLC
Schedule of Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Pretax gain recognized on sale of equity method investment										3,847
Newsday LLC
Schedule of Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Realized Gain (Loss) on Marketable Securities, Cost Method Investments, and Other Investments									$ 3,000				3,250
Investment ownership, percentage														3.00%		3.00%
Classified Ventures LLC
Schedule of Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Pretax gain on sale of equity method investment													8,132
Employee Severance
Schedule of Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Severance Costs										4,739		10,406	5,276
Severance and Related Activity Liability	$ 4,576									4,576		8,981	3,595
Discontinued Operations | Employee Severance
Schedule of Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Severance Costs												$ 476	667
Amended Secured Credit Facility
Schedule of Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Loss on extinguishments and modification of debt			$ (1,000)				(19,000)
Term B Loans Facility | Amended Secured Credit Facility
Schedule of Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs and discounts							(6,000)			(6,529)
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount Write-off on Extinguishment							(1,000)			(1,678)
Term Loan Facility | Senior Secured Credit Agreement
Schedule of Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) [Line Items]
Write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs and discounts													(30,000)
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount Write-off on Extinguishment													$ (4,000)
Payments of Debt Restructuring Costs							$ (12,000)			$ (12,229)

[1] See Note 5 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for information pertaining to non-operating items recorded in 2017 and 2016.