Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Operating Revenues [Abstract]
Education	$ 386,698	$ 419,144	$ 759,673	$ 820,150
Advertising	73,532	70,901	137,648	139,059
Other	215,857	138,888	361,483	271,464
Total Operating Revenues	676,087	628,933	1,258,804	1,230,673
Operating Costs and Expenses [Abstract]
Operating	358,252	296,033	658,918	587,665
Selling, general and administrative	213,848	236,437	445,357	471,650
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	15,871	16,045	30,523	32,806
Amortization of intangible assets	10,531	6,278	17,367	12,540
Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets	9,224	0	9,224	0
Total Operating Costs and Expenses	607,726	554,793	1,161,389	1,104,661
Income from Operations	68,361	74,140	97,415	126,012
Equity in earnings (losses) of affiliates, net	1,331	(891)	1,980	113
Interest income	1,173	721	2,536	1,312
Interest expense	(9,035)	(7,971)	(17,164)	(15,919)
Other income, net	4,069	19,000	4,918	34,096
Income Before Income Taxes	65,899	84,999	89,685	145,614
Provision for Income Taxes	23,900	23,800	26,600	46,200
Net Income	41,999	61,199	63,085	99,414
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests	(3)	(433)	(3)	(868)
Net Income Attributable to Graham Holdings Company	41,996	60,766	63,082	98,546
Net Income Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders	$ 41,601	$ 59,962	$ 62,489	$ 97,245
Per Share Information Attributable to Graham Holdings Company Common Stockholders
Basic net income per common share in dollars per share	$ 7.51	$ 10.82	$ 11.29	$ 17.42
Basic average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,539	5,544	5,537	5,584
Diluted net income per common share in dollars per share	$ 7.46	$ 10.76	$ 11.21	$ 17.33
Diluted average number of common shares outstanding in shares	5,577	5,574	5,573	5,613