Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Operating Revenues [Abstract]
Education	$ 481,687	$ 543,918	$ 1,505,914	$ 1,609,036
Advertising	68,898	72,951	205,489	216,653
Other	90,847	86,336	258,344	183,718
Total Operating Revenues	641,432	703,205	1,969,747	2,009,407
Operating Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Operating	302,029	326,395	922,373	944,066
Selling, general and administrative	285,563	309,583	864,380	862,379
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	14,460	18,664	62,266	56,295
Amortization of intangible assets	4,512	7,354	13,897	12,972
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets	248,591	0	255,467	0
Total Operating Costs and Expenses	855,155	661,996	2,118,383	1,875,712
(Loss) Income from Operations	(213,723)	41,209	(148,636)	133,695
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net	95	4,613	(662)	100,168
Interest income	481	529	1,363	1,769
Interest expense	(7,830)	(9,298)	(24,679)	(26,610)
Other (expense) income, net	(40,458)	(10,723)	(29,885)	390,664
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes	(261,435)	26,330	(202,499)	599,686
(Benefit) Provision for Income Taxes	(30,500)	16,100	(10,000)	140,300
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations	(230,935)	10,230	(192,499)	459,386
Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax	379	66,209	42,170	499,208
Net (Loss) Income	(230,556)	76,439	(150,329)	958,594
Net (Income) Loss Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	(287)	121	(1,495)	839
Net (Loss) Income Attributable to Graham Holdings Company	(230,843)	76,560	(151,824)	959,433
Redeemable Preferred Stock Dividends	0	(209)	(631)	(847)
Net (Loss) Income Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders	(230,843)	76,351	(152,455)	958,586
Amounts Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(231,222)	10,142	(194,625)	459,378
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	379	66,209	42,170	499,208
Net (Loss) Income Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders	$ (230,843)	$ 76,351	$ (152,455)	$ 958,586
Per Share Information Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Basic (loss) income per common share from continuing operations in dollars per share	$ (40.32)	$ 1.73	$ (34.18)	$ 66.77
Basic income per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share	0.07	11.45	7.99	72.53
Basic net (loss) income per common share in dollars per share	$ (40.25)	$ 13.18	$ (26.19)	$ 139.30
Basic average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,738	5,671	5,721	6,737
Diluted (loss) income per common share from continuing operations in dollars per share	$ (40.32)	$ 1.73	$ (34.18)	$ 66.52
Diluted income per common share from discontinued operations in dollars per share	0.07	11.39	7.99	72.27
Diluted net (loss) income per common share in dollars per share	$ (40.25)	$ 13.12	$ (26.19)	$ 138.79
Diluted average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,837	5,757	5,811	6,823