Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Operating Revenues [Abstract]
Education	$ 523,625	$ 542,964	$ 1,024,227	$ 1,065,118
Subscriber	188,022	187,723	375,619	378,851
Advertising	77,457	82,475	151,484	160,722
Other	90,467	61,249	174,389	106,261
Total Operating Revenues	879,571	874,411	1,725,719	1,710,952
Operating Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Operating	383,891	395,627	766,968	772,090
Selling, general and administrative	334,218	322,240	687,420	647,515
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	61,014	51,989	119,559	105,206
Amortization of intangible assets	4,677	2,995	9,446	5,712
Impairment of long-lived assets	6,876	0	6,876	0
Total Operating Costs and Expenses	790,676	772,851	1,590,269	1,530,523
Income from Operations	88,895	101,560	135,450	180,429
Equity in (losses) earnings of affiliates, net	(353)	91,503	(757)	95,555
Interest income	338	641	897	1,240
Interest expense	(9,631)	(8,557)	(18,152)	(17,377)
Other income, net	11,678	268,114	10,573	401,387
Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	90,927	453,261	128,011	661,234
Provision for Income Taxes	32,500	78,600	47,000	156,000
Income from Continuing Operations	58,427	374,661	81,011	505,234
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax	0	375,189	(784)	376,921
Net Income	58,427	749,850	80,227	882,155
Net (Income) Loss Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	(434)	499	(1,208)	718
Net Income Attributable to Graham Holdings Company	57,993	750,349	79,019	882,873
Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividends	(211)	(212)	(631)	(638)
Net income attributable to Graham Holdings Company common stockholders	57,782	750,137	78,388	882,235
Amounts Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Income from continuing operations	57,782	374,948	79,172	505,314
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	375,189	(784)	376,921
Net income attributable to Graham Holdings Company common stockholders	$ 57,782	$ 750,137	$ 78,388	$ 882,235
Per Share Information Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Basic income per common share from continuing operations in dollars per share	$ 9.92	$ 50.39	$ 13.61	$ 67.97
Basic income (loss) per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share	0.00	50.41	(0.14)	50.68
Basic net income per common share in dollars per share	$ 9.92	$ 100.80	$ 13.47	$ 118.65
Basic average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,720	7,284	5,712	7,280
Diluted income per common share from continuing operations in dollars per share	$ 9.87	$ 50.22	$ 13.53	$ 67.74
Diluted income (loss) per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share	0.00	50.26	(0.13)	50.52
Diluted net income per common share in dollars per share	$ 9.87	$ 100.48	$ 13.40	$ 118.26
Diluted average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,805	7,363	5,798	7,361