Organization, Basis of Presentation and Recent Accounting Pronouncements	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Organization, Basis Of Presentation And Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract]
Organization, Basis of Presentation and Recent Accounting Pronouncements	1. ORGANIZATION, BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS The Washington Post Company, Inc. (the Company) is a diversified education and media company. The Company's Kaplan subsidiary provides a wide variety of educational services, both domestically and outside the United States. The Company's media operations consist of the ownership and operation of cable television systems, newspaper publishing (principally The Washington Post), and television broadcasting (through the ownership and operation of six television broadcast stations). Financial Periods – In the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company changed its fiscal quarter from a thirteen week quarter ending on the Sunday nearest the calendar quarter-end to a quarterly month end. The fiscal quarters for 2012 and 2011 ended on June 30, 2012, March 31, 2012, July 3, 2011, and April 3, 2011, respectively. Subsidiaries of the Company report on a calendar-quarter basis, with the exception of most of the newspaper publishing operations, which report on a thirteen week quarter ending on the Sunday nearest the calendar quarter-end. Basis of Presentation – The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with: (i) generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information; (ii) the instructions to Form 10-Q; and (iii) the guidance of Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for financial statements required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). They include the assets, liabilities, results of operations and cash flows of the Company, including its domestic and foreign subsidiaries that are more than 50% owned or otherwise controlled by the Company. As permitted under such rules, certain notes and other financial information normally required by GAAP have been condensed or omitted. Management believes the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal and recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company's financial position, results of operations, and cash flows as of and for the periods presented herein. The Company's results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 and July 3, 2011 may not be indicative of the Company's future results. These condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and should be read in conjunction with the Company's audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. Certain amounts in previously issued financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation, which includes the reclassification of the results of operations of certain Kaplan businesses as discontinued operations for all periods presented. Use of Estimates in the Preparation of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported herein. Management bases its estimates and assumptions on historical experience and on various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making estimates, actual results reported in future periods may be affected by changes in those estimates. Recently Adopted and Issued Accounting Pronouncements – In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an amended standard to increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income. The amendment eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders' equity and requires that all changes in stockholders' equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In addition, the amendment requires companies to present on the face of the financial statements reclassification adjustments for items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income to net income in the statement(s) where the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income are presented. The amendment does not affect how earnings per share is calculated or presented. This amendment is effective for interim and fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011 and must be applied retrospectively. In December 2011, the FASB deferred the requirements related to the presentation of reclassification adjustments until further deliberations have taken place. Entities should continue to report reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income consistent with the presentation requirements in effect prior to the issuance of the June 2011 amended standard. The adoption of the amendment not deferred by the FASB in the first quarter of 2012 is reflected in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. In July 2012, the FASB issued new guidance that amends the current indefinite-lived intangible assets impairment testing process. The new guidance permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of its indefinite-lived intangible assets is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative impairment test. Previous guidance required an entity to test indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment, on at least an annual basis, by comparing the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset with its carrying amount. The new guidance is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012. Early adoption is permitted if an entity's financial statements for the most recent period have not yet been issued. The Company plans to early adopt this guidance at the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2012 and the guidance will not have an effect on the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Organization, Basis of Presentation and Recent Accounting Pronouncements

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Organization, Basis Of Presentation And Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract]

Organization, Basis of Presentation and Recent Accounting Pronouncements

1. ORGANIZATION, BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

The Washington Post Company, Inc. (the Company) is a diversified education and media company. The Company's Kaplan subsidiary provides a wide variety of educational services, both domestically and outside the United States. The Company's media operations consist of the ownership and operation of cable television systems, newspaper publishing (principally The Washington Post), and television broadcasting (through the ownership and operation of six television broadcast stations).

Financial Periods – In the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company changed its fiscal quarter from a thirteen week quarter ending on the Sunday nearest the calendar quarter-end to a quarterly month end. The fiscal quarters for 2012 and 2011 ended on June 30, 2012, March 31, 2012, July 3, 2011, and April 3, 2011, respectively. Subsidiaries of the Company report on a calendar-quarter basis, with the exception of most of the newspaper publishing operations, which report on a thirteen week quarter ending on the Sunday nearest the calendar quarter-end.

Basis of Presentation – The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with: (i) generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information; (ii) the instructions to Form 10-Q; and (iii) the guidance of Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for financial statements required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). They include the assets, liabilities, results of operations and cash flows of the Company, including its domestic and foreign subsidiaries that are more than 50% owned or otherwise controlled by the Company. As permitted under such rules, certain notes and other financial information normally required by GAAP have been condensed or omitted. Management believes the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal and recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company's financial position, results of operations, and cash flows as of and for the periods presented herein. The Company's results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 and July 3, 2011 may not be indicative of the Company's future results. These condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and should be read in conjunction with the Company's audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011.

The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP.

Certain amounts in previously issued financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation, which includes the reclassification of the results of operations of certain Kaplan businesses as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported herein. Management bases its estimates and assumptions on historical experience and on various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making estimates, actual results reported in future periods may be affected by changes in those estimates.

Recently Adopted and Issued Accounting Pronouncements – In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an amended standard to increase the prominence of items reported in other comprehensive income. The amendment eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders' equity and requires that all changes in stockholders' equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In addition, the amendment requires companies to present on the face of the financial statements reclassification adjustments for items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income to net income in the statement(s) where the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income are presented. The amendment does not affect how earnings per share is calculated or presented. This amendment is effective for interim and fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011 and must be applied retrospectively. In December 2011, the FASB deferred the requirements related to the presentation of reclassification adjustments until further deliberations have taken place. Entities should continue to report reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income consistent with the presentation requirements in effect prior to the issuance of the June 2011 amended standard. The adoption of the amendment not deferred by the FASB in the first quarter of 2012 is reflected in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.

In July 2012, the FASB issued new guidance that amends the current indefinite-lived intangible assets impairment testing process. The new guidance permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of its indefinite-lived intangible assets is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative impairment test. Previous guidance required an entity to test indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment, on at least an annual basis, by comparing the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset with its carrying amount. The new guidance is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012. Early adoption is permitted if an entity's financial statements for the most recent period have not yet been issued. The Company plans to early adopt this guidance at the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2012 and the guidance will not have an effect on the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.