Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 489,369	$ 476,978	$ 948,439	$ 937,616
Operating expenses:
Cost of revenues, exclusive of depreciation	229,683	196,935	461,091	389,563
Business units - Selling, general and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation	75,302	81,975	143,731	163,241
Corporate - General and administrative expenses, exclusive of depreciation	14,248	14,351	29,581	27,838
Depreciation	13,318	14,478	26,535	29,441
Amortization of intangible assets	5,388	5,775	10,777	11,767
Asset impairment and facility consolidation charges	1,350	3,728	3,533	3,728
Total	339,289	317,242	675,248	625,578
Operating income	150,080	159,736	273,191	312,038
Non-operating expense:
Equity loss in unconsolidated investments, net	(946)	(4,996)	(2,415)	(1,565)
Interest expense	(54,843)	(56,143)	(110,258)	(117,843)
Other non-operating items	(21,108)	(4,562)	(23,182)	(4,155)
Total	(76,897)	(65,701)	(135,855)	(123,563)
Income before income taxes	73,183	94,035	137,336	188,475
Provision for income taxes	23,913	27,037	43,408	53,597
Net Income from continuing operations	49,270	66,998	93,928	134,878
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(241,699)	47,387	(222,458)	75,443
Net (loss) income	(192,429)	114,385	(128,530)	210,321
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests from discontinued operations	62,077	(14,934)	55,892	(25,426)
Net (loss) income attributable to TEGNA Inc.	$ (130,352)	$ 99,451	$ (72,638)	$ 184,895
Earnings from continuing operations per share - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.23	$ 0.31	$ 0.44	$ 0.62
(Loss) earnings from discontinued operations per share - basic (in dollars per share)	(0.83)	0.15	(0.77)	0.23
Net (loss) income per share – basic (In dollars per share)	(0.60)	0.46	(0.33)	0.85
Earnings from continuing operations per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	0.23	0.30	0.43	0.61
(Loss) earnings from discontinued operations per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	(0.83)	0.15	(0.77)	0.23
Net (loss) income per share – diluted (In dollars per share)	$ (0.60)	$ 0.45	$ (0.34)	$ 0.84
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic shares	215,501	216,518	215,404	217,902
Diluted shares	217,812	220,204	217,691	221,729
Dividends declared per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.07	$ 0.14	$ 0.21	$ 0.28