Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data	3 Months Ended						6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jul. 03, 2011	Apr. 03, 2011	Jan. 02, 2011	Oct. 03, 2010	Jul. 04, 2010	Apr. 04, 2010	Jul. 03, 2011	Jul. 04, 2010	Jan. 02, 2011	Jan. 03, 2010
Operating revenues
Education	$ 628,701	$ 630,027	$ 695,619	$ 741,156	$ 742,921	$ 698,336	$ 1,258,728	$ 1,441,257	$ 2,878,032	$ 2,595,802
Advertising	193,352	177,384	241,650	200,532	207,241	184,182	370,736	391,423	833,605	778,158
Circulation and subscriber	216,607	214,523	214,464	213,377	215,995	213,454	431,130	429,449	857,290	845,848
Other	34,337	31,076	34,106	32,495	31,253	33,013	65,413	64,266	130,867	125,872
Total operating revenues	1,072,997	1,053,010	1,185,839	1,187,560	1,197,410	1,128,985	2,126,007	2,326,395	4,699,794	4,345,680
Operating costs and expenses
Operating	500,204	475,285	496,694	473,328	471,525	465,372	975,489	936,897	1,906,919	1,852,166
Selling, general and administrative	420,956	453,258	467,880	481,436	490,414	489,096	874,214	979,510	1,928,826	1,878,310
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment	63,908	63,230	63,901	60,939	61,024	61,458	127,138	122,482	247,322	291,221
Amortization of intangible assets	6,836	6,221	6,495	6,466	7,549	6,460	13,057	14,009	26,970	26,294
Total operating costs and expenses	991,904	997,994	1,034,970	1,049,646	1,030,512	1,022,386	1,989,898	2,052,898	4,137,514	4,073,378
Operating income	81,093	55,016	150,869	137,914	166,898	106,599	136,109	273,497	562,280	272,302
Other income (expense)
Equity in (losses) earnings of affiliates	3,138	3,737	(191)	2,140	2,027	(8,109)	6,875	(6,082)	(4,133)	(29,421)
Interest income	997	982	1,051	600	599	326	1,979	925	2,576	2,597
Interest expense	(7,960)	(7,961)	(7,693)	(7,633)	(7,598)	(7,579)	(15,921)	(15,177)	30,503	31,565
Other, net	(2,591)	(24,032)	2,157	12,486	(3,807)	(3,321)	(26,623)	(7,128)	7,515	13,197
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	74,677	27,742	146,193	145,507	158,119	87,916	102,419	246,035	537,735	227,110
Provision for income taxes	27,500	10,300	68,100	59,600	56,400	33,700	37,800	90,100	217,800	81,800
Income from continuing operations	47,177	17,442	78,093	85,907	101,719	54,216	64,619	155,935	319,935	145,310
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(1,414)	(1,813)	896	(24,831)	(9,592)	(8,388)	(3,227)	(17,980)	(41,915)	(54,110)
Net income	45,763	15,629	78,989	61,076	92,127	45,828	61,392	137,955	278,020	91,200
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	40	(14)	(2)	76	8	12	26	20	94	1,574
Net income attributable to The Washington Post Company	45,803	15,615	78,987	61,152	92,135	45,840	61,418	137,975	278,114	92,774
Redeemable preferred stock dividends	(230)	(461)		(230)	(231)	(461)	(691)	(692)	(922)	(928)
Net income attributable to The Washington Post Company common stockholders	45,573	15,154	78,987	60,922	91,904	45,379	60,727	137,283	277,192	91,846
Amounts attributable to The Washington Post Company common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations	46,987	16,967	78,091	85,753	101,496	53,767	63,954	155,263	319,107	145,956
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(1,414)	(1,813)	896	(24,831)	(9,592)	(8,388)	(3,227)	(17,980)	(41,915)	(54,110)
Net income attributable to The Washington Post Company common stockholders	$ 45,573	$ 15,154	$ 78,987	$ 60,922	$ 91,904	$ 45,379	$ 60,727	$ 137,283	$ 277,192	$ 91,846
Per share information attributable to The Washington Post Company common stockholders:
Basic income per common share from continuing operations	$ 5.92	$ 2.09	$ 9.31	$ 9.64	$ 11.04	$ 5.82	$ 7.97	$ 16.86	$ 35.76	$ 15.54
Basic loss per common share from discontinued operations	$ (0.18)	$ (0.22)	$ 0.11	$ (2.79)	$ (1.04)	$ (0.91)	$ (0.40)	$ (1.95)	$ (4.70)	$ (5.76)
Basic net income per common share	$ 5.74	$ 1.87	$ 9.42	$ 6.85	$ 10.00	$ 4.91	$ 7.57	$ 14.91	$ 31.06	$ 9.78
Basic average number of common shares outstanding	7,852				9,126		7,949	9,150
Diluted income per common share from continuing operations	$ 5.92	$ 2.09	$ 9.31	$ 9.63	$ 11.04	$ 5.82	$ 7.97	$ 16.86	$ 35.74	$ 15.54
Diluted loss per common share from discontinued operations	$ (0.18)	$ (0.22)	$ 0.11	$ (2.79)	$ (1.04)	$ (0.91)	$ (0.40)	$ (1.95)	$ (4.70)	$ (5.76)
Diluted net income per common share	$ 5.74	$ 1.87	$ 9.42	$ 6.84	$ 10.00	$ 4.91	$ 7.57	$ 14.91	$ 31.04	$ 9.78
Diluted average number of common shares outstanding	7,933				9,193		8,026	9,217