Earnings Per Share - Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income attributable to Media General	$ (26,190)	$ (7,433)
Undistributed earnings attributable to participating securities	0	0
Basic EPS
Income (loss) attributable to common stockholders	$ (26,190)	$ (7,433)
Income (loss) attributable to common stockholders (in shares)	128,595	129,384
Income (loss) attributable to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.20)	$ (0.06)
Effect of dilutive securities:
Stock options and warrants (in shares)	0	0
Diluted EPS
Income (loss) attributable to common stockholders	$ (26,190)	$ (7,433)
Income (loss) attributable to common stockholders (in shares)	128,595	129,384
Income (loss) attributable to common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.20)	$ (0.06)