Earnings/(Loss) Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended						6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 30, 2012	Sep. 23, 2012	Jun. 24, 2012	Mar. 25, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 24, 2012	Dec. 30, 2012	Dec. 25, 2011
Amounts attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations	$ 20,131	$ 3,572	$ 118,332	$ (3,281)	$ 38,067	$ 9,212	$ 23,703	$ 47,279	$ 162,330	$ 53,871
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	0	0	59,789	6,026	(125,689)	33,391	0	(92,298)	(26,483)	(91,519)
Net income/(loss) attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$ 20,131	$ 3,572	$ 178,121	$ 2,745	$ (87,622)	$ 42,603	$ 23,703	$ (45,019)	$ 135,847	$ (37,648)
Weighted average number of shares outstanding, diluted
Basic (in shares)	148,797,000	148,710,000	148,461,000	148,254,000	148,005,000	147,867,000	148,754,000	147,936,000	148,147,000	147,190,000
Incremental shares for assumed exercise of securities	7,714,000				1,794,000		7,347,000	2,733,000
Diluted (in shares)	156,511,000	155,270,000	154,685,000	148,254,000	149,799,000	151,468,000	156,101,000	150,669,000	152,693,000	152,007,000
Basic earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations	$ 0.14	$ 0.02	$ 0.80	$ (0.02)	$ 0.26	$ 0.06	$ 0.16	$ 0.32	$ 1.10	$ 0.36
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.40	$ 0.04	$ (0.85)	$ 0.23	$ 0.00	$ (0.62)	$ (0.18)	$ (0.62)
Net income–Basic	$ 0.14	$ 0.02	$ 1.20	$ 0.02	$ (0.59)	$ 0.29	$ 0.16	$ (0.30)	$ 0.92	$ (0.26)
Diluted earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations	$ 0.13	$ 0.02	$ 0.76	$ (0.02)	$ 0.25	$ 0.06	$ 0.15	$ 0.31	$ 1.06	$ 0.35
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.39	$ 0.04	$ (0.83)	$ 0.22	$ 0.00	$ (0.61)	$ (0.17)	$ (0.60)
Net income/(loss)–Diluted	$ 0.13	$ 0.02	$ 1.15	$ 0.02	$ (0.58)	$ 0.28	$ 0.15	$ (0.30)	$ 0.89	$ (0.25)
Stock Options [Member]
Diluted earnings/(loss) per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount	11,000,000				16,000,000		11,000,000	16,000,000