Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues		$ 577,627	$ 536,932	$ 1,261,816	$ 1,053,685
Operating expenses:
Cost of revenues	[1]	355,367	285,293	724,735	566,604
Business units - Selling, general and administrative expenses		85,008	73,941	177,976	145,406
Corporate - General and administrative expenses		28,312	15,836	50,026	30,571
Depreciation		16,711	14,533	33,611	29,450
Amortization of intangible assets		17,248	8,823	33,464	17,512
Spectrum repacking reimbursements and other, net		(116)	(4,306)	(7,631)	(11,319)
Total		502,530	394,120	1,012,181	778,224
Operating income		75,097	142,812	249,635	275,461
Non-operating income (expense):
Equity income (loss) in unconsolidated investments, net		1,921	(615)	10,936	11,413
Interest expense		(51,877)	(46,327)	(108,837)	(92,712)
Other non-operating items, net		1,039	8,964	(18,231)	7,425
Total		(48,917)	(37,978)	(116,132)	(73,874)
Income before income taxes		26,180	104,834	133,503	201,587
Provision for income taxes		6,607	24,879	27,732	47,653
Net Income		19,573	79,955	105,771	153,934
Net loss attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest		374	0	484	0
Net income attributable to TEGNA Inc.		$ 19,947	$ 79,955	$ 106,255	$ 153,934
Net income per share:
Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.09	$ 0.37	$ 0.48	$ 0.71
Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.09	$ 0.37	$ 0.48	$ 0.71
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic shares (in shares)		219,128	217,089	218,703	216,900
Diluted shares (in shares)		219,426	217,905	219,144	217,555

[1] Cost of revenues exclude charges for depreciation and amortization expense, which are shown separately above.