Earnings/(Loss) Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2012	Sep. 23, 2012	Jun. 24, 2012	Mar. 25, 2012	Dec. 25, 2011	Sep. 25, 2011	Jun. 26, 2011	Mar. 27, 2011	Dec. 30, 2012	Dec. 25, 2011	Dec. 26, 2010
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Income from continuing operations	$ 117,121	$ (3,744)	$ 37,540	$ 8,739	$ 51,024	$ 6,611	$ 663	$ (6,448)	$ 159,656	$ 51,850	$ 54,078
(Loss)/income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	59,789	6,026	(125,689)	33,391	7,921	9,074	(120,381)	11,867	(26,483)	(91,519)	53,626
Net income/(loss) attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$ 176,910	$ 2,282	$ (88,149)	$ 42,130	$ 58,945	$ 15,685	$ (119,718)	$ 5,419	$ 133,173	$ (39,669)	$ 107,704
Weighted average number of shares outstanding, diluted
Average number of common shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	148,461,000	148,254,000	148,005,000	147,867,000	147,451,000	147,355,000	147,176,000	146,777,000	148,147,000	147,190,000	145,636,000
Incremental shares for assumed exercise of securities (in shares)									4,546,000	4,817,000	6,964,000
Average number of common shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	154,685,000	148,254,000	149,799,000	151,468,000	149,887,000	151,293,000	151,802,000	146,777,000	152,693,000	152,007,000	152,600,000
Earnings per share, basic
(Loss)/income from continuing operations (USD per share)	$ 0.79	$ (0.02)	$ 0.25	$ 0.06	$ 0.35	$ 0.05	$ 0.01	$ (0.04)	$ 1.08	$ 0.35	$ 0.37
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes (USD per share)	$ 0.40	$ 0.04	$ (0.85)	$ 0.22	$ 0.05	$ 0.06	$ (0.82)	$ 0.08	$ (0.18)	$ (0.62)	$ 0.37
(Loss)/income per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders–Basic (USD per share)	$ 1.19	$ 0.02	$ (0.60)	$ 0.28	$ 0.40	$ 0.11	$ (0.81)	$ 0.04	$ 0.90	$ (0.27)	$ 0.74
Earnings per share, diluted
(Loss)/income from continuing operations (USD per share)	$ 0.76	$ (0.02)	$ 0.25	$ 0.06	$ 0.34	$ 0.04	$ 0.00	$ (0.04)	$ 1.04	$ 0.34	$ 0.35
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes (USD per share)	$ 0.38	$ 0.04	$ (0.84)	$ 0.22	$ 0.05	$ 0.06	$ (0.79)	$ 0.08	$ (0.17)	$ (0.60)	$ 0.36
Net (loss)/income per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders–Diluted (USD per share)	$ 1.14	$ 0.02	$ (0.59)	$ 0.28	$ 0.39	$ 0.10	$ (0.79)	$ 0.04	$ 0.87	$ (0.26)	$ 0.71
Stock Options [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)									15,000,000	20,000,000	24,000,000