Quarterly Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jul. 29, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 24, 2017	Jun. 25, 2017	Mar. 26, 2017	Dec. 25, 2016	Sep. 25, 2016	Jun. 26, 2016	Mar. 27, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 25, 2016	Dec. 27, 2015
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Revenues		$ 484,126	$ 385,635	$ 407,074	$ 398,804	$ 439,650	$ 363,547	$ 372,630	$ 379,515	$ 1,675,639	$ 1,555,342	$ 1,579,215
Operating costs		393,238	350,080	377,420	367,393	362,801	356,596	339,933	351,580	1,488,131	1,410,910	1,393,246
Headquarters redesign and consolidation		3,161	2,542	1,985	2,402					10,090	0	0
Postretirement benefit plan settlement gain		(37,057)	0	0	0					(37,057)	0	0
Multiemployer pension plan withdrawal, reimbursement	$ 5,000					0	(4,971)	11,701	0	0	6,730	9,055
Pension settlement expense		102,109	0	0	0	21,294	0	0	0	102,109	21,294	40,329
Operating profit		22,675	33,013	27,669	29,009	55,555	8,973	9,141	27,935	112,366	101,604	136,585
Gain/(loss) from joint ventures		(12,823)	31,557	(266)	173	5,572	463	(412)	(41,896)	18,641	(36,273)	(783)
Interest expense and other, net		4,665	4,660	5,133	5,325	7,850	9,032	9,097	8,826	19,783	34,805	39,050
Income from continuing operations before income taxes		5,187	59,910	22,270	23,857	53,277	404	(368)	(22,787)	111,224	30,526	96,752
Income tax expense		63,083	23,420	6,711	10,742	13,377	121	124	(9,201)	103,956	4,421	33,910
Income from continuing operations		(57,896)	36,490	15,559	13,115	39,900	283	(492)	(13,586)	7,268	26,105	62,842
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes		(57)	488	0	0	2,273	0	0	0	431	2,273	0
Net income		(57,839)	36,002	15,559	13,115	37,627	283	(492)	(13,586)	6,837	23,832	62,842
Net (income)/loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest		1,026	(3,673)	40	66	(483)	123	281	5,315	(2,541)	5,236	404
Net income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders		(56,813)	32,329	15,599	13,181	37,144	406	(211)	(8,271)	4,296	29,068	63,246
Amounts attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income/(loss) from continuing operations		(56,870)	32,817	15,599	13,181	39,417	406	(211)	(8,271)	4,727	31,341	63,246
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes		$ 57	$ (488)	$ 0	$ 0	$ (2,273)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ (431)	$ (2,273)	$ 0
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)		162,311	162,173	161,787	161,402	161,235	161,185	161,128	161,003	161,926	161,128	164,390
Diluted (in shares)		162,311	164,405	163,808	162,592	162,862	162,945	161,128	161,003	164,263	162,817	166,423
Basic earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations (USD per share)		$ (0.35)	$ 0.20	$ 0.10	$ 0.08	$ 0.24	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ (0.05)	$ 0.03	$ 0.19	$ 0.38
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes (USD per share)		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	0.00
Net income (USD per share)		(0.35)	0.20	0.10	0.08	0.23	0.00	0.00	(0.05)	0.03	0.18	0.38
Diluted earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
(Loss)/income from continuing operations (USD per share)		(0.35)	0.20	0.09	0.08	0.24	0.00	0.00	(0.05)	0.03	0.19	0.38
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes (USD per share)		0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	0.00
Net income (USD per share)		(0.35)	0.20	0.09	0.08	0.23	0.00	0.00	(0.05)	0.03	0.18	0.38
Dividends declared per share (USD per share)		$ 0.04	$ 0.08	$ 0.00	$ 0.04	$ 0.04	$ 0.08	$ 0.00	$ 0.04	$ 0.16	$ 0.16	$ 0.16
Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Of 2017, Incomplete Accounting, Change In Tax Rate, Deferred Tax Asset, Provisional Income Tax Expense		$ 68,700								$ 68,700