Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income Percentage Increase (Decrease) (Detail)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011
Net Operating Revenues	(3.50%)	(3.10%)
Operating Expenses	(4.00%)	(1.60%)
Operating income	(1.10%)	(10.30%)
Non-operating (expense) income	31.60%	3.30%
Income before income taxes	(7.20%)	(13.00%)
Provision for income taxes	(18.50%)	(20.40%)
Income from continuing operations		(10.20%)
Loss from the operation of discontinued operations, net of tax
Gain on disposal of publishing businesses, net of tax
Net income	(1.70%)	(14.50%)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2.30%)	35.40%
Net income attributable to Gannett Co., Inc.	(1.60%)	(17.50%)
Income from continuing operations attributable to Gannett Co., Inc.		(13.10%)
Net income per share - basic	(2.30%)	(18.40%)
Net income per share - diluted	(2.40%)	(18.60%)
Earnings from continuing operations per share - basic		(13.90%)
Earnings from discontinued operations
Discontinued operations per share - basic
Gain on disposal of publishing businesses per share - basic
Net income per share - basic	(2.30%)	(18.40%)
Earnings from continuing operations per share - diluted		(14.10%)
Earnings from discontinued operations
Discontinued operations per share - diluted
Gain on disposal of publishing businesses per share - diluted
Net income per share - diluted	(2.40%)	(18.60%)
Dividends per share	100.00%	33.30%
Publishing
Net Operating Revenues	(5.30%)	(5.50%)
Operating income	(17.50%)	(23.40%)
Publishing | Advertising
Net Operating Revenues	(8.50%)	(7.40%)
Publishing | Circulation
Net Operating Revenues	(1.00%)	(2.20%)
Publishing | All Other
Net Operating Revenues	10.30%	1.50%
Digital
Net Operating Revenues	10.30%	11.60%
Operating income		86.00%
Broadcasting
Net Operating Revenues	(5.90%)	(2.70%)
Operating income	2.90%	(0.50%)
Cost of Sales
Operating Expenses	(3.40%)	(2.10%)
Selling, General and Administrative Expense
Operating Expenses	2.60%	1.70%
Depreciation
Operating Expenses	(7.20%)	(9.50%)
Amortization of Intangible Assets
Operating Expenses	0.70%	0.70%
Asset Impairment and Other Charges
Operating Expenses		(39.00%)
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments
Non-operating (expense) income	(63.60%)	(7.20%)
Interest Expense
Non-operating (expense) income	(0.20%)	4.40%
Other Nonoperating Income Expense
Non-operating (expense) income