Business Segments - Operating Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		$ 578,733	$ 498,008	$ 489,358	$ 443,635	$ 488,999	$ 450,533	$ 469,517	$ 439,910	$ 2,009,734	[1]	$ 1,848,959	[1]	$ 1,947,930	[1]
Operating profit (loss)		165,965	37,124	98,066	187,285	123,419	(29,452)	12,653	(20,967)	488,440	[1]	85,653	[1]	408,772	[1]
Depreciation	[2]									54,206		56,314		58,825
Amortization	[2]									166,715		166,679		166,664
Capital expenditures										76,188		66,832		99,659
Assets	[3]	8,251,391				8,169,328				8,251,391		8,169,328
Assets held for sale	[4]	0				38,900				0		38,900
Restricted cash and cash equivalents		16,607				17,566				16,607		17,566		17,566
Discontinued Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation														14,000
Amortization														30,000
Television and Entertainment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues										1,998,678		1,835,423	[5]	1,909,896	[5]
Operating Segments | Television and Entertainment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		576,940	494,619	486,417	440,702	486,022	447,307	466,061	436,033	1,998,678	[1]	1,835,423	[1]	1,909,896	[1]
Operating profit (loss)		184,357	67,295	119,767	211,852	127,225	(1,357)	50,219	20,013	583,271	[1]	196,100	[1]	324,837	[1]
Depreciation	[2]									44,766		42,713		45,083
Amortization	[2]									166,715		166,679		166,664
Capital expenditures										59,693		48,667		59,167
Assets		6,976,808				7,197,859				6,976,808		7,197,859
Corporate, Non-Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		1,793	3,389	2,941	2,933	2,977	3,226	3,456	3,877	11,056	[1]	13,536	[1]	38,034	[1]
Operating profit (loss)		(18,392)	$ (30,171)	$ (21,701)	$ (24,567)	(3,806)	$ (28,095)	$ (37,566)	$ (40,980)	(94,831)	[1]	(110,447)	[1]	83,935	[1]
Depreciation	[2]									9,440		13,601		13,742
Capital expenditures										16,495		16,587		16,944
Assets	[6]	1,274,583				932,569				1,274,583		932,569
Restricted cash and cash equivalents		$ 17,000				$ 18,000				17,000		18,000
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | Gracenote Companies
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures										$ 0		$ 1,578		$ 23,548

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

[2] (2)Depreciation from discontinued operations totaled $14 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. Amortization from discontinued operations totaled $30 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.

[3] The Company’s consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 include total assets of variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $73 million and $81 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. The Company’s consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $28 million and $29 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the Company (see Note 1).

[4] (4)See Note 4 for information regarding assets held for sale.

[5] (1)Prior period amounts have not been adjusted under the modified retrospective method.

[6] (3)As of December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, Corporate total assets included $17 million and $18 million related to restricted cash and cash equivalents held to satisfy remaining claim obligations to holders of priority claims and fees earned by professional advisors during Chapter 11 proceedings (see Note 10). Corporate and Other assets include certain real estate assets (see Note 4).