Capital Stock, Stock Awards and Stock Options (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Capital Stock, Stock Awards, and Stock Options [Abstract]

Activity Related to Stock Awards [Table Text Block]

	2012			2011			2010
	Number	Average		Number	Average		Number	Average
	of	Grant-Date		of	Grant-Date		of	Grant-Date
	Shares	Fair Value		Shares	Fair Value		Shares	Fair Value
Beginning of year, unvested	77,319	$	424.45	48,359	$	498.95	66,020	$	494.97
Awarded	145,348		321.56	44,030		432.09	1,859		442.29
Vested	(7,134)		499.06	(13,132)		722.67	(2,644)		754.81
Forfeited	(7,616)		417.79	(1,938)		436.31	(16,876)		437.06
End of Year, Unvested	207,917	$	350.21	77,319	$	424.45	48,359	$	498.95

Activity Rlated to Stock Options [Table Text Block]

	2012			2011			2010
	Number	Average		Number	Average		Number	Average
	of	Option		of	Option		of	Option
	Shares	Price		Shares	Price		Shares	Price
Beginning of year	129,044	$	494.95	87,919	$	495.05	90,569	$	525.44
Granted	7,500		378.00	51,000		499.45	22,500		395.68
Expired or forfeited	(10,850)		605.82	(9,875)		519.04	(25,150)		515.59
End of Year	125,694	$	478.32	129,044	$	494.95	87,919	$	495.05

Information related to Stock Options Outstanding and Exercisable [Table Text Block]

	Options Outstanding				Options Exercisable
		Weighted				Weighted
	Shares	Average	Weighted		Shares	Average	Weighted
Range of	Outstanding	Remaining	Average		Exercisable	Remaining	Average
Exercise	at	Contractual	Exercise		at	Contractual	Exercise
Prices	12/31/2012	Life (yrs.)	Price		12/31/2012	Life (yrs.)	Price
$343–396	41,000	7.7	$	383.78	22,250	6.9	$	381.54
419–439	21,694	6.5		422.67	16,271	6.5		422.67
503	50,000	8.2		502.58	12,500	8.2		502.58
652	2,000	5.4		651.91	2,000	5.4		651.91
729–763	7,000	3.9		729.67	7,000	3.9		729.67
816	1,000	0.9		816.05	1,000	0.9		816.05
954	3,000	2.0		953.50	3,000	2.0		953.50
	125,694	7.2	$	478.32	64,021	6.3	$	495.72

Fair Value of Options Assumptions [Table Text Block]

	2012	2011
Expected life (years)	7	7
Interest rate	1.04%–1.27%	1.49%–2.85%
Volatility	31.71%–31.80%	30.35%–31.24%
Dividend yield	2.54%–2.60%	2.11%–2.74%

Summary of Earnings Per Share from Continuing Operations, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block]

(in thousands, except per share amounts)			2012		2011		2010
Income from continuing operations attributable to
	The Washington Post Company common stockholders		$	48,041	$	144,704	$	355,091
Less: Amount attributable to participating securities				(3,257)		(1,459)		(2,182)
Basic Income from Continuing Operations Attributable to
	The Washington Post Company Common Stockholders		$	44,784	$	143,245	$	352,909
Plus: Amount attributable to participating securities				3,257		1,459		2,182
Diluted Income from Continuing Operations Attributable to
	The Washington Post Company Common Stockholders		$	48,041	$	144,704	$	355,091
Basic weighted average shares outstanding				7,360		7,826		8,869
Plus: Effect of dilutive shares related to stock options and restricted stock				44		79		62
Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding				7,404		7,905		8,931
Income Per Share from Continuing Operations Attributable to
	The Washington Post Company Common Stockholders:
		Basic	$	6.09	$	18.30	$	39.78
		Diluted	$	6.09	$	18.30	$	39.76