Shareholders' equity - Earnings Per Share (Basic and Diluted) (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 28, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Income from continuing operations attributable to TEGNA Inc.	$ 444,171	$ 357,458	$ 687,936
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(7,474)	102,064	374,235
Net income attributable to TEGNA Inc.	$ 436,697	$ 459,522	$ 1,062,171
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic	216,358	224,688	226,292
Effect of dilutive securities
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - diluted	219,681	229,721	231,907
Earnings from continuing operations per share - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 2.05	$ 1.59	$ 3.04
Earnings from discontinued operations per share - basic (in dollars per share)	(0.03)	0.45	1.65
Net income per share - basic (in dollars per share)	2.02	2.04	4.69
Earnings from continuing operations per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	2.02	1.56	2.97
Earnings from discontinued operations per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	(0.03)	0.44	1.61
Net income per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 1.99	$ 2.00	$ 4.58
Restricted Stock
Effect of dilutive securities
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	1,424	2,236	2,624
Performance Shares
Effect of dilutive securities
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	997	1,867	1,999
Stock Options
Effect of dilutive securities
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	902	930	992