Shareholders' equity - Narrative (Detail)		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 29, 2015 shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) adjustment $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 28, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares shares	May 04, 2010 shares
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Common stock, Authorized (in shares) | shares		800,000,000	800,000,000
Preferred stock, Authorized (in shares) | shares		2,000,000	2,000,000
Common stock, Outstanding (in shares) | shares		215,000,000	220,000,000
Treasury stock (in shares) | shares		109,930,832	104,664,452
Preferred Stock, Issued (in shares) | shares		0	0
Preferred Stock, Outstanding (in shares) | shares		0	0
Stock options outstanding excluded from calculation of diluted earnings per share (in shares) | shares		150,000	200,000	800,000
Shares approved to be repurchased under share repurchase program, amount			$ 825,000,000
Share repurchase program, period in force			3 years
Shares repurchased under share repurchase program (in shares) | shares		7,000,000	9,600,000	2,700,000
Cost of common shares repurchased		$ 161,891,000	$ 271,030,000	$ 75,815,000
Remaining authorized repurchase amount		467,200,000
Conversion ratio for every share of Tegna common stock owned by stockholders	0.5
Spin-off adjustment, conversion factor	1.18
Equity awards granted (in shares) | shares	125,000
Spin-off of Publishing businesses		$ 45,128,000	1,194,271,000
Minimum
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Number of units ultimately paid for performance share awards of target (as a percent)		0
Maximum
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Number of units ultimately paid for performance share awards of target (as a percent)		2
Stock Options
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Award vesting period		4 years
Tax benefit realized from option exercises		$ 300,000	$ 3,300,000	$ 3,000,000
Stock options outstanding (in shares) | shares		1,300,000	1,700,000
Stock options outstanding, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 15.26	$ 16.61
Weighted average remaining contractual life		1 year 7 months 28 days
Aggregate intrinsic value		$ 8,200,000
Stock options exercised (in shares) | shares		200,000	700,000	1,000,000
Stock options exercised, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 11.03	$ 16.17	$ 14.47
Grant-date fair value of all stock options that vested		$ 0	$ 1,000,000	$ 6,000,000
Intrinsic value of all stock options exercised		$ 2,300,000	$ 11,400,000	$ 15,000,000
Stock Options | Employee
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Shares reserved for issuance (in shares) | shares					60,000,000.0
Performance Based Awards
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Award vesting period		3 years
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Spin-off adjustment, conversion factor		1.18
Equity awards granted (in shares) | shares	75,000
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) | Employee
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Requisite service period		4 years
Number of shares of common stock received for each RSU granted | shares		1
Award vesting percentage		25.00%
Restricted Stock
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Requisite service period		4 years
Performance Shares
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Requisite service period		3 years
Spin-off adjustment, conversion factor		1.18
Equity awards granted (in shares) | shares	50,000	392,589	285,458	436,340
Unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation		$ 4,300,000
Unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation for options, recognition period		1 year 9 months 15 days
Tax benefit realized from option exercises		$ 4,500,000	$ 11,200,000
Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Equity awards granted (in shares) | shares		616,743	491,690	1,048,516
Unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation		$ 16,600,000
Unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation for options, recognition period		2 years 4 months 24 days
Income tax benefit from exercise of award		$ 2,300,000	$ 5,900,000	$ 9,500,000
Publishing
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Number of adjustments to retained earnings | adjustment		2
Adjustments to Postretirement Benefits Transferred, Spinoff Transaction | Retirement Plans
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Spin-off of Publishing businesses		$ 7,700,000
Adjustments to Postretirement Benefits Transferred, Spinoff Transaction | Retirement Plans | Publishing
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Spin-off of Publishing businesses		7,700,000
Adjustments to Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities Transferred, Spinoff Transaction | Retirement Plans | Publishing
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Spin-off of Publishing businesses		34,800,000
Retained earnings
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Spin-off of Publishing businesses		42,486,000	$ 1,797,740,000
Retained earnings | Publishing
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]
Spin-off of Publishing businesses		$ 42,500,000