Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 108,061,000	$ 158,459,000
Restricted cash	6,560,000	6,810,000
Accounts and notes receivable (less allowances - 2015, $1,610; 2014, $1,390)	171,901,000	99,609,000
Income taxes receivable	4,626,000	0
Miscellaneous	11,482,000	6,521,000
Assets of discontinued operations - current	0	44,425,000
Total current assets	302,630,000	315,824,000
Investments	13,856,000	9,454,000
Property, plant and equipment	271,047,000	157,841,000
Goodwill	585,787,000	106,261,000
Other intangible assets	479,187,000	187,259,000
Deferred income taxes	13,640,000
Miscellaneous	14,713,000	14,116,000
Assets of discontinued operations — noncurrent	0	174,983,000
Total Assets	1,680,860,000	1,031,104,000
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	31,606,000	13,987,000
Customer deposits and unearned revenue	8,508,000	8,812,000
Current portion of long-term debt	6,656,000	2,000,000
Accrued liabilities:
Employee compensation and benefits	33,669,000	20,901,000
Miscellaneous	25,392,000	31,890,000
Other current liabilities	13,992,000	9,306,000
Liabilities of discontinued operations - current	0	47,642,000
Total current liabilities	119,823,000	134,538,000
Long-term debt (less current portion)	392,487,000	194,373,000
Other liabilities (less current portion)	267,567,000	169,171,000
Liabilities of discontinued operations — noncurrent	$ 0	$ 13,089,000
Commitments and contingencies
Equity:
Preferred stock, $.01 par — authorized: 25,000,000 shares; none outstanding	$ 0	$ 0
Common stock, $.01 par: Class A - authorized: 240,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding; 2015 - 71,820,949 shares; 2014 - 45,062,522 shares. Voting - authorized: 60,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding; 2015 - 11,932,722 shares; 2014 - 11,932,722 shares	838,000	570,000
Additional paid-in capital	1,163,985,000	525,456,000
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)	(174,038,000)	118,693,000
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes	(89,802,000)	(126,443,000)
Total The E. W. Scripps Company shareholders’ equity	900,983,000	518,276,000
Noncontrolling interest - discontinued operations	0	1,657,000
Total equity	900,983,000	519,933,000
Total Liabilities and Equity	1,680,860,000	1,031,104,000
Common stock, Class A
Equity:
Common stock, $.01 par: Class A - authorized: 240,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding; 2015 - 71,820,949 shares; 2014 - 45,062,522 shares. Voting - authorized: 60,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding; 2015 - 11,932,722 shares; 2014 - 11,932,722 shares	719,000	451,000
Voting common stock
Equity:
Common stock, $.01 par: Class A - authorized: 240,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding; 2015 - 71,820,949 shares; 2014 - 45,062,522 shares. Voting - authorized: 60,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding; 2015 - 11,932,722 shares; 2014 - 11,932,722 shares	$ 119,000	119,000
Adjustments for New Accounting Principle, Early Adoption [Member]
Current assets:
Deferred income taxes		10,800,000
Deferred income taxes		$ 65,366,000