CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 28, 2014
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	$ 487,999	$ 522,686	$ 1,130,460
Adjustments to reconcile net income to operating cash flows:
Depreciation	89,531	140,954	185,868
Amortization of intangible assets	114,959	121,290	79,856
Stock-based compensation	17,590	26,344	33,882
Provision for deferred income taxes	16,535	100,202	1,200
Pension expense (benefit), net of contributions	3,257	(122,376)	(111,194)
Equity loss (income) in unconsolidated investees, net	7,170	(5,743)	(167,319)
Gain on Cars.com acquisition, net of tax	0	0	(285,860)
Other, including losses (gains) on sale of assets and impairments	42,067	(65,496)	100,159
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Decrease (increase) in trade receivables	(32,046)	32,787	(1,514)
Decrease (increase) in inventories	0	1,807	10,032
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable	(1,506)	(57,643)	66,740
Increase (decrease) in interest and taxes payable	(7,771)	(46,411)	(193,274)
Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue	(20,004)	4,822	(5,353)
Changes in other assets and liabilities, net	(34,352)	(1,992)	3,857
Net cash flows from operating activities	683,429	651,231	847,540
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchase of property and equipment	(94,796)	(118,767)	(150,354)
Payments for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(206,078)	(53,656)	(1,990,877)
Payments for investments	(20,797)	(33,715)	(7,026)
Proceeds from investments	39,954	12,402	180,809
Proceeds from sale of businesses and assets	8,441	411,012	305,347
Net cash (used for) provided by investing activities	(273,276)	217,276	(1,662,101)
Cash flows from financing activities
(Payments of) proceeds from borrowings under revolving credit facilities, net	(85,000)	80,000	640,000
Proceeds from borrowings	300,000	200,000	666,732
Debt repayments	(352,590)	(587,509)	(537,490)
Payments of debt issuance and financing costs	(1,684)	(7,619)	(10,548)
Dividends paid	(121,639)	(167,508)	(181,328)
Repurchases of common stock	(161,891)	(271,030)	(75,815)
Net settlement of stock for tax withholding and proceeds from stock option exercises	(20,352)	(6,841)	331
Distributions to noncontrolling membership interests	(18,840)	(24,783)	(22,072)
Deferred payments for acquisitions	(437)	(9,136)	(15,687)
Cash transferred to the Gannett Co., Inc. business	0	(63,365)	0
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(462,433)	(857,791)	464,123
Effect of currency exchange rate change	0	0	(281)
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(52,280)	10,716	(350,719)
Cash and cash equivalents from continuing operations, beginning of year	129,200	110,305	455,023
Cash and cash equivalents from discontinued operations, beginning of year	0	8,179	14,180
Balance of cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	129,200	118,484	469,203
Cash and cash equivalents from continuing operations, end of year	76,920	129,200	110,305
Cash and cash equivalents from discontinued operations, end of year	0	0	8,179
Balance of cash and cash equivalents at end of year	76,920	129,200	118,484
Supplemental cash flow information:
Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds	206,271	105,581	207,038
Cash paid for interest	225,462	265,174	242,190
Non-cash investing and financing activities
Non-monetary exchange of investment for acquisition	0	(34,403)	0
Assets-held-for-sale proceeds	0	0	146,428
Escrow deposit disbursement related to London Broadcasting Company television stations acquisition	0	0	(134,908)
Capital expenditures	$ 0	$ 0	$ (11,520)