Note 8 - Debt and Other Financial Instruments (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended				2 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		2 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		2 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			12 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	2 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	2 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Nov. 30, 2013 Swap [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Swap [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Swap [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 Swap [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Swap [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 WXXA [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 WLAJ [Member]	Nov. 30, 2012 November 2012 Tender Offer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Young [Member] Senior Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Legacy Media General [Member] Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Legacy Media General [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Shield Media Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Emergence Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Prepayment Premium [Member] Berkshire Hathaway Financing Arrangement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Media General Credit Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Shield Media Credit Agreement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Term Loan [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Shield Media Term Loan [Member]	Nov. 30, 2013 Shield Media Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Berkshire Hathaway Financing Arrangement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Berkshire Hathaway Financing Arrangement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Media General Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Term Loan [Member]	Feb. 29, 2012 Senior Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Revolving Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 WXXA Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 WXXA Credit Facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 WLAJ-TV Term Loan [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 WLAJ-TV Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Emergence Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member] London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Media General Term Loan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member] Shield Media Term Loan [Member]
Note 8 - Debt and Other Financial Instruments (Details) [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount																									$ 885,000,000		$ 32,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity																													60,000,000	25,000,000			175,000,000				150,000,000				22,000,000		10,000,000
Repayments of Debt													122,100,000		301,500,000						43,800,000										135,000,000	15,000,000	75,000,000		375,260,000		80,700,000			22,000,000		10,000,000
Repayments of Lines of Credit																																		30,000,000										75,000,000
Repayments of Senior Debt														326,100,000
Debt Instrumnet, Repayment Prior To Maturity, Price As Percentage of Principal Amount														5.875%
Debt Instrument, Term																								7 years		5 years		5 years
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum																			1.00%	3.00%
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate																3.25%	3.25%	2.75%		5.00%																									3.00%
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment as Percentage of Outstanding Principal Balance																																				0.25%
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage																												0.50%											0.50%
Debt Issuance Cost																						11,000,000	500,000
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment as Percentage of Initial Principal Balance																																														1.88%
Line of Credit Facility, Number of Available Draws																																					3
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt																																65,000,000	85,000,000				85,000,000	65,000,000			22,000,000	10,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding																																							0
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity																																							25,000,000
Interest Expense, Debt																															5,100,000	6,500,000	300,000							900,000	100,000	400,000		6,600,000
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount												25,000,000
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	(3,200,000)	(4,509,000)		(915,000)						(700,000)	(500,000)
Derivative, Amount of Hedged Item								91,000,000	75,000,000
Percentage of Debt Hedged by Interest Rate Derivatives								50.00%	50.00%
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives		192,000	(440,000)			200,000	(400,000)
Payment to Terminate Derivative Instrument					$ 200,000