Quarterly Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jul. 01, 2018	Apr. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 24, 2017	Jun. 25, 2017	Mar. 26, 2017	Dec. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 25, 2016
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 502,744	$ 417,346	$ 414,560	$ 413,948	$ 484,126	$ 385,635	$ 407,074	$ 398,804	$ 1,748,598	$ 1,675,639	$ 1,555,342
Operating costs	426,713	380,754	373,306	378,005	394,805	351,273	378,613	368,587	1,558,778	1,493,278	1,419,416
Headquarters redesign and consolidation	1,364	0	1,252	1,888	3,161	2,542	1,985	2,402	4,504	10,090	0
Multiemployer pension and other contractual (gain)/loss	0	4,851	0	0	(4,320)	0	0	0	(4,851)	(4,320)	6,730
Operating profit	74,667	41,443	40,002	34,055	90,480	31,820	26,476	27,815	190,167	176,591	112,678
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Gain (Loss), Immediate Recognition as Component in Net Periodic Benefit (Cost) Credit	(2,048)	(2,335)	(1,863)	(2,028)	67,805	(1,193)	(1,193)	(1,194)	8,274	64,225	11,074
Gain/(loss) from joint ventures	10,773	(16)	(8)	15	(12,823)	31,557	(266)	173	10,764	18,641	(36,273)
Interest expense and other, net	3,127	4,026	4,536	4,877	4,665	4,660	5,133	5,325	16,566	19,783	34,805
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	80,265	35,066	33,595	27,165	5,187	59,910	22,270	23,857	176,091	111,224	30,526
Income tax expense	23,289	10,092	9,999	5,251	63,083	23,420	6,711	10,742	48,631	103,956	4,421
Income from continuing operations					(57,896)	36,490	15,559	13,115	127,460	7,268	26,105
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes					(57)	488	0	0	0	431	2,273
Net income	56,976	24,974	23,596	21,914	(57,839)	36,002	15,559	13,115	127,460	6,837	23,832
Net (income)/loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(1,777)	2	1	(2)	1,026	(3,673)	40	66	(1,776)	(2,541)	5,236
Net income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	55,199	24,976	23,597	21,912	(56,813)	32,329	15,599	13,181	125,684	4,296	29,068
Amounts attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations	$ 55,199	$ 24,976	$ 23,597	$ 21,912	(56,870)	32,817	15,599	13,181	125,684	4,727	31,341
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes					$ 57	$ (488)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ (431)	$ (2,273)
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	165,154	165,064	165,027	164,094	162,311	162,173	161,787	161,402	164,845	161,926	161,128
Diluted (in shares)	167,249	166,966	166,899	166,237	162,311	164,405	163,808	162,592	166,939	164,263	162,817
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	$ 0.76	$ 0.03	$ 0.19
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes (USD per share)					0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.01)
Net income (USD per share)	$ 0.33	$ 0.15	$ 0.14	$ 0.13	(0.35)	0.20	0.10	0.08	0.76	0.03	0.18
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	0.75	0.03	0.19
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes (USD per share)					0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.01)
Net income (USD per share)	0.33	0.15	0.14	0.13	(0.35)	0.20	0.09	0.08	0.75	0.03	0.18
Dividends declared per share (USD per share)	$ 0.04	$ 0.04	$ 0.04	$ 0.04	$ 0.04	$ 0.08	$ 0.00	$ 0.04	$ 0.16	$ 0.16	$ 0.16
Tax Act, additional income tax expense					$ 68,700					$ 68,700