Income taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes on Income from Continuing Operations

The provision (benefit) for income taxes from continuing operations consists of the following:

In thousands of dollars
2016	Current		Deferred			Total
Federal	$	189,900	$	25,854		$	215,754
State and other	13,107		(12,077		)	1,030
Foreign	1,537		(1,342		)	195
Total	$	204,544	$	12,435		$	216,979

In thousands of dollars
2015	Current		Deferred			Total
Federal	$	114,161	$	76,816		$	190,977
State and other	12,795		(2,247		)	10,548
Foreign	1,849		(1,060		)	789
Total	$	128,805	$	73,509		$	202,314

In thousands of dollars
2014	Current		Deferred			Total
Federal	$	139,710	$	51,245		$	190,955
State and other	23,114		20,232			43,346
Foreign	1,100		(930		)	170
Total	$	163,924	$	70,547		$	234,471

Components of Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Gannett Co., Inc. Before Income Taxes

The components of income from continuing operations attributable to TEGNA Inc. before income taxes consist of the following:

In thousands of dollars
	2016			2015			2014
Domestic	$	667,556		$	568,534		$	927,453
Foreign	(6,406		)	(8,762		)	(5,046		)
Total	$	661,150		$	559,772		$	922,407

Reconciliation of Effective Tax Rate

The provision for income taxes varies from the U.S. federal statutory tax rate as a result of the following differences:

	2016		2015		2014
U.S. statutory tax rate	35.0	%	35.0	%	35.0	%
Increase (decrease) in taxes resulting from:
State taxes (net of federal income tax benefit)	2.8		3.2		2.4
Domestic Manufacturing Deduction	(2.8	)	(2.0	)	(1.6	)
Uncertain tax positions, settlements and lapse of statutes of limitations	(0.3	)	(0.2	)	(0.3	)
Net deferred tax write offs and deferred tax rate adjustments	(1.2	)	(1.6	)	(0.3	)
Non-deductible transactions costs	0.5		0.5		0.7
Loss on sale of subsidiary	—		—		(12.6	)
Non-deductible goodwill	—		0.4		3.0
Net excess benefits on share-based payments	(1.0	)	—		—
Other, net	(0.2	)	0.8		(0.9	)
Effective tax rate	32.8	%	36.1	%	25.4	%

Deferred Tax Liabilities and Assets

Deferred tax liabilities and assets were composed of the following at the end of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015:

In thousands of dollars
	Dec. 31, 2016			Dec. 31, 2015
Liabilities
Accelerated depreciation	$	80,101		$	55,783
Accelerated amortization of deductible intangibles	667,015			663,545
Partnership investments including impairments	309,515			282,784
Other	7,570			9,057
Total deferred tax liabilities	1,064,201			1,011,169
Assets
Accrued compensation costs	32,361			28,119
Pension and postretirement medical and life	78,318			73,470
Loss carryforwards	197,812			184,117
Other	36,465			26,735
Total deferred tax assets	344,956			312,441
Valuation allowance	209,939			184,413
Total net deferred tax (liabilities)	$	(929,184	)	$	(883,141	)

Summary of Activity Related to Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Excluding Federal Tax Benefit of State Tax Deductions

The following table summarizes the activity related to unrecognized tax benefits, excluding the federal tax benefit of state tax deductions:

In thousands of dollars
	2016			2015			2014
Change in unrecognized tax benefits
Balance at beginning of year	$	19,491		$	58,886		$	57,324
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year	213			6,095			12,426
Additions for tax positions of prior years	162			853			868
Reductions for tax positions of prior years	(1,214		)	(24,858		)	(4,563		)
Settlements	—			—			(129		)
Reductions for transfers to Gannett Co., Inc.	—			(18,804		)	—
Reductions due to lapse of statutes of limitations	(1,352		)	(2,681		)	(7,040		)
Balance at end of year	$	17,300		$	19,491		$	58,886