Earnings Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 26, 2011	Jun. 27, 2010	Jun. 26, 2011	Jun. 27, 2010
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
(Loss)/income from continuing operations	$ (119,718)	$ 31,796	$ (114,299)	$ 44,589
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0	237	0	237
Net (loss)/income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$ (119,718)	$ 32,033	$ (114,299)	$ 44,826
Weighted average number of shares outstanding, diluted
Average number of common shares outstanding - basic	147,176,000	145,601,000	146,976,000	145,398,000
Incremental shares for assumed exercise of securities	0	7,361,000	0	8,457,000
Average number of common shares outstanding - diluted	147,176,000	152,962,000	146,976,000	153,855,000
Earnings per share, basic
(Loss)/income from continuing operations, per basic share	$ (0.81)	$ 0.22	$ (0.78)	$ 0.31
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes, per basic share	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
(Loss)/income per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders–Basic	$ (0.81)	$ 0.22	$ (0.78)	$ 0.31
Earnings per share, diluted
(Loss)/income from continuing operations, per diluted share	$ (0.81)	$ 0.21	$ (0.78)	$ 0.29
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes, per share diluted	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
(Loss)/income per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders–Diluted	$ (0.81)	$ 0.21	$ (0.78)	$ 0.29
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	22,000,000	25,000,000	22,000,000	25,000,000