Business Segments (Restructuring Costs) (Details 1) - Education [Member] $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Accelerated depreciation	$ 339
Severance	6,099
Other	2,627
Total restructuring costs	$ 9,065

Amount of other expenses associated with exit or disposal activities pursuant to an authorized plan. Excludes expenses associated with a discontinued operation or an asset retirement obligation.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.P.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115931487&loc=d3e140864-122747

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.P.4(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115931487&loc=d3e140904-122747

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394359&loc=d3e17939-110869

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherRestructuringCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expenses associated with exit or disposal activities pursuant to an authorized plan. Excludes expenses related to a discontinued operation or an asset retirement obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.P.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115931487&loc=d3e140864-122747

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394359&loc=d3e17939-110869

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.P.4(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115931487&loc=d3e140904-122747

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of accelerated depreciation charged against earnings associated with exit from or disposal of business activities or restructuring plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringReserveAcceleratedDepreciation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expenses for special or contractual termination benefits provided to current employees involuntarily terminated under a benefit arrangement associated exit or disposal activities pursuant to an authorized plan. Excludes expenses related to one-time termination benefits, a discontinued operation or an asset retirement obligation.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SeveranceCosts1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ghc_EducationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: