Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of presentation	Basis of presentation Basis of presentation: Our accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for interim financial reporting, the instructions for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all information and footnotes which are normally included in the Form 10-K and annual report to shareholders. In our opinion, the condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature necessary for a fair presentation of results for the interim periods presented. The condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our (or “TEGNA’s”) audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. The preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Significant estimates include, but are not limited to, evaluation of goodwill and other intangible assets for impairment, fair value measurements, post-retirement benefit plans, income taxes including deferred taxes, and contingencies. The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of subsidiaries we control and variable interest entities (VIEs) if we are the primary beneficiary. We eliminate all intercompany balances, transactions, and profits in consolidation. Investments in entities over which we have significant influence, but do not have control, are accounted for under the equity method. Our share of net earnings and losses from these ventures is included in “Equity (loss) income in unconsolidated investments, net” in the Consolidated Statements of Income. In addition, certain reclassifications have been made to prior years’ consolidated Statements of Income to conform to the current year’s presentation. On May 31, 2017, we completed the spin-off of our digital automotive marketplace business, Cars.com. The financial position and results of operations of Cars.com are reflected as discontinued operations for all periods presented through the date of the spin-off. In addition, on June 17, 2017, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell a majority of our ownership stake in our CareerBuilder business. As a result, we have determined that CareerBuilder meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale and presented as discontinued operations for all periods presented. As such, CareerBuilder assets and liabilities have been reclassified to discontinued operations, as have its results from operations. Our Digital Marketing Services business is now reported within our Media business. As a result of these strategic actions, we have disposed of, or committed to dispose of, substantially all of our Digital Segment business and have therefore classified its historical financial results as discontinued operations. The financial statements and footnotes have been revised accordingly to reflect these strategic actions and their impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements. See Note 12, “Discontinued Operations”, for further details regarding the spin-off of Cars.com and the sale of CareerBuilder and the impact of each transaction on our condensed consolidated financial statements. Accounting guidance adopted in 2017: In March 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued new guidance that changes the presentation of net periodic pension and other post-retirement benefit costs (post-retirement benefit costs) in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Under this new guidance, the service cost component of the post-retirement benefit expense will continue to be presented as an operating expense while all other components of post-retirement benefit expense will be presented as non-operating expense. Previously, all components of post-retirement benefit expense were presented as operating expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The FASB permitted early adoption of this guidance, and we elected to early adopt in the first quarter of 2017. We believe the new guidance provides enhanced financial reporting by limiting operating expense classification to the service cost component of post-retirement benefit expense. Service cost is the component of the expense that relates to services provided by employees in the current period and thus better reflects the current continuing operating costs. Changes to the classification of Consolidated Statements of Income amounts resulting from the new guidance were made on a retrospective basis, wherein each period presented was adjusted to reflect the effects of applying the new guidance. We utilized amounts previously disclosed in our retirement plan footnote to retrospectively apply the guidance. As a result of adopting this guidance, operating expenses in the second quarter and for the first six months of 2017 were lower by $1.9 million and $3.3 million, respectively, while non-operating expenses were higher by the same amounts. In 2016, operating expenses in the second quarter and first six months were reduced by $2.6 million and $4.0 million, respectively, with corresponding increases in non-operating expenses as a result of adopting this new guidance. Net income, earnings per share, and retained earnings were not impacted by the new guidance. In January 2017, the FASB issued guidance that eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill (i.e., Step 2 of today’s goodwill impairment test) to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Instead, companies will record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying amount over its fair value (i.e., measure the charge based on Step 1 of the impairment test). The FASB permitted early adoption of this guidance, and we elected to early adopt in the second quarter of 2017 in connection with the calculation of CareerBuilder’s goodwill impairment charge, discussed in Note 12. New accounting pronouncements not yet adopted: In May 2014, the FASB issued new guidance related to revenue recognition. Under the new guidance, recognition of revenue occurs when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. In addition, the guidance requires disclosure of the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. We will adopt the guidance beginning January 1, 2018. The two permitted transition methods are the full retrospective method, in which case the guidance would be applied to each prior reporting period presented and the cumulative effect of applying the guidance would be recognized at the earliest period shown; and the modified retrospective method, in which case the cumulative effect of applying the guidance would be recognized at the date of initial application. We will adopt the guidance using the modified retrospective method. While we continue to evaluate the full impact of the guidance, we do not believe that it will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. We are in the process of evaluating the other requirements of the new standard, which may result in additional revenue related disclosures. Based on our evaluation performed to date, we believe that 90% of our revenues will not be materially impacted by the new guidance. Specifically, our television spot advertising contracts, which comprised approximately 60% of 2016 revenue are short-term in nature with transaction price consideration agreed upon in advance. We expect revenue will continue to be recognized when commercials are aired. Further, we expect that revenue earned under retransmission agreements will be recognized under the licensing of intellectual property guidance in the standard, which will not have a material change to our current revenue recognition. Subscription revenue comprised approximately 30% of 2016 revenue. We continue to evaluate the impact to our online digital and other services revenue. In January 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that amended several elements surrounding the recognition and measurement of financial instruments. Most notably for our company, the new guidance requires equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting, or those that result in consolidation) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. Under current GAAP, changes in fair value for our available for sale equity investment are recorded as unrealized gains or losses through other comprehensive income until such investment is sold or deemed impaired. The new guidance is effective for public companies beginning in the first quarter of 2019 and will be adopted using a cumulative-effect adjustment. Early adoption is permitted. We do not believe this standard will have a material impact on our financial statements. Previously we had recorded approximately $4.0 million in unrealized losses on our available for sale investment in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income as of March 31, 2017. During the second quarter of 2017 we determined that the available for sale investment was other than temporarily impaired, and recognized an inception to date loss on the investment in the Consolidated Statement of Income. Losses of this nature will be recorded within the Consolidated Statements of Income in the quarter in which they occur upon adoption of the guidance in the first quarter of 2019. In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance related to leases which will require lessees to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for leases with lease terms of more than 12 months. Consistent with current GAAP, the recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee primarily will depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease. However, unlike current GAAP—which requires only capital leases to be recognized on the balance sheet—the new guidance will require both types of leases to be recognized on the balance sheet. The new guidance is effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2019 and will be adopted using a modified retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating the effect it is expected to have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance related to the measurement of credit losses on financial instruments. The new guidance changes the way credit losses on accounts receivable are estimated. Under current GAAP, credit losses on accounts receivable are recognized once it is probable that such losses will occur. Under the new guidance, we will be required to estimate credit losses based on the expected amount of future collections which may result in earlier recognition of allowance for doubtful accounts. The new guidance is effective for public companies beginning in the first quarter of 2020 and will be adopted using a modified retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating the effect this new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Basis of presentation

Basis of presentation: Our accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for interim financial reporting, the instructions for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all information and footnotes which are normally included in the Form 10-K and annual report to shareholders. In our opinion, the condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature necessary for a fair presentation of results for the interim periods presented. The condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our (or “TEGNA’s”) audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

The preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Significant estimates include, but are not limited to, evaluation of goodwill and other intangible assets for impairment, fair value measurements, post-retirement benefit plans, income taxes including deferred taxes, and contingencies. The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of subsidiaries we control and variable interest entities (VIEs) if we are the primary beneficiary. We eliminate all intercompany balances, transactions, and profits in consolidation. Investments in entities over which we have significant influence, but do not have control, are accounted for under the equity method. Our share of net earnings and losses from these ventures is included in “Equity (loss) income in unconsolidated investments, net” in the Consolidated Statements of Income. In addition, certain reclassifications have been made to prior years’ consolidated Statements of Income to conform to the current year’s presentation.

On May 31, 2017, we completed the spin-off of our digital automotive marketplace business, Cars.com. The financial position and results of operations of Cars.com are reflected as discontinued operations for all periods presented through the date of the spin-off. In addition, on June 17, 2017, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell a majority of our ownership stake in our CareerBuilder business. As a result, we have determined that CareerBuilder meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale and presented as discontinued operations for all periods presented. As such, CareerBuilder assets and liabilities have been reclassified to discontinued operations, as have its results from operations. Our Digital Marketing Services business is now reported within our Media business.

As a result of these strategic actions, we have disposed of, or committed to dispose of, substantially all of our Digital Segment business and have therefore classified its historical financial results as discontinued operations. The financial statements and footnotes have been revised accordingly to reflect these strategic actions and their impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements. See Note 12, “Discontinued Operations”, for further details regarding the spin-off of Cars.com and the sale of CareerBuilder and the impact of each transaction on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

Accounting guidance adopted in 2017: In March 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued new guidance that changes the presentation of net periodic pension and other post-retirement benefit costs (post-retirement benefit costs) in the Consolidated Statements of Income. Under this new guidance, the service cost component of the post-retirement benefit expense will continue to be presented as an operating expense while all other components of post-retirement benefit expense will be presented as non-operating expense. Previously, all components of post-retirement benefit expense were presented as operating expense in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The FASB permitted early adoption of this guidance, and we elected to early adopt in the first quarter of 2017. We believe the new guidance provides enhanced financial reporting by limiting operating expense classification to the service cost component of post-retirement benefit expense. Service cost is the component of the expense that relates to services provided by employees in the current period and thus better reflects the current continuing operating costs. Changes to the classification of Consolidated Statements of Income amounts resulting from the new guidance were made on a retrospective basis, wherein each period presented was adjusted to reflect the effects of applying the new guidance. We utilized amounts previously disclosed in our retirement plan footnote to retrospectively apply the guidance. As a result of adopting this guidance, operating expenses in the second quarter and for the first six months of 2017 were lower by $1.9 million and $3.3 million, respectively, while non-operating expenses were higher by the same amounts. In 2016, operating expenses in the second quarter and first six months were reduced by $2.6 million and $4.0 million, respectively, with corresponding increases in non-operating expenses as a result of adopting this new guidance. Net income, earnings per share, and retained earnings were not impacted by the new guidance.

In January 2017, the FASB issued guidance that eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill (i.e., Step 2 of today’s goodwill impairment test) to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Instead, companies will record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying amount over its fair value (i.e., measure the charge based on Step 1 of the impairment test). The FASB permitted early adoption of this guidance, and we elected to early adopt in the second quarter of 2017 in connection with the calculation of CareerBuilder’s goodwill impairment charge, discussed in Note 12.

New accounting pronouncements not yet adopted: In May 2014, the FASB issued new guidance related to revenue recognition. Under the new guidance, recognition of revenue occurs when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. In addition, the guidance requires disclosure of the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers.

We will adopt the guidance beginning January 1, 2018. The two permitted transition methods are the full retrospective method, in which case the guidance would be applied to each prior reporting period presented and the cumulative effect of applying the guidance would be recognized at the earliest period shown; and the modified retrospective method, in which case the cumulative effect of applying the guidance would be recognized at the date of initial application. We will adopt the guidance using the modified retrospective method.

While we continue to evaluate the full impact of the guidance, we do not believe that it will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. We are in the process of evaluating the other requirements of the new standard, which may result in additional revenue related disclosures.

Based on our evaluation performed to date, we believe that 90% of our revenues will not be materially impacted by the new guidance. Specifically, our television spot advertising contracts, which comprised approximately 60% of 2016 revenue are short-term in nature with transaction price consideration agreed upon in advance. We expect revenue will continue to be recognized when commercials are aired. Further, we expect that revenue earned under retransmission agreements will be recognized under the licensing of intellectual property guidance in the standard, which will not have a material change to our current revenue recognition. Subscription revenue comprised approximately 30% of 2016 revenue. We continue to evaluate the impact to our online digital and other services revenue.

In January 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that amended several elements surrounding the recognition and measurement of financial instruments. Most notably for our company, the new guidance requires equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting, or those that result in consolidation) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. Under current GAAP, changes in fair value for our available for sale equity investment are recorded as unrealized gains or losses through other comprehensive income until such investment is sold or deemed impaired. The new guidance is effective for public companies beginning in the first quarter of 2019 and will be adopted using a cumulative-effect adjustment. Early adoption is permitted. We do not believe this standard will have a material impact on our financial statements. Previously we had recorded approximately $4.0 million in unrealized losses on our available for sale investment in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income as of March 31, 2017. During the second quarter of 2017 we determined that the available for sale investment was other than temporarily impaired, and recognized an inception to date loss on the investment in the Consolidated Statement of Income. Losses of this nature will be recorded within the Consolidated Statements of Income in the quarter in which they occur upon adoption of the guidance in the first quarter of 2019.

In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance related to leases which will require lessees to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for leases with lease terms of more than 12 months. Consistent with current GAAP, the recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee primarily will depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease. However, unlike current GAAP—which requires only capital leases to be recognized on the balance sheet—the new guidance will require both types of leases to be recognized on the balance sheet. The new guidance is effective for us beginning in the first quarter of 2019 and will be adopted using a modified retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating the effect it is expected to have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance related to the measurement of credit losses on financial instruments. The new guidance changes the way credit losses on accounts receivable are estimated. Under current GAAP, credit losses on accounts receivable are recognized once it is probable that such losses will occur. Under the new guidance, we will be required to estimate credit losses based on the expected amount of future collections which may result in earlier recognition of allowance for doubtful accounts. The new guidance is effective for public companies beginning in the first quarter of 2020 and will be adopted using a modified retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating the effect this new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.