Quarterly Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2019	Sep. 29, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jul. 01, 2018	Apr. 01, 2018	Dec. 29, 2019	Dec. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 508,363	$ 428,501	$ 436,258	$ 439,062	$ 502,744	$ 417,346	$ 414,560	$ 413,948	$ 1,812,184	$ 1,748,598	$ 1,675,639
Operating costs	430,398	401,452	398,325	404,464	426,713	380,754	373,306	378,005	1,634,639	1,558,778	1,493,278
Headquarters Redesign and Consolidation					1,364	0	1,252	1,888	0	4,504	10,090
Restructuring charge	0	4,008	0	0					4,008	0	0
Gain from pension liability adjustment	0	(2,045)	0	0	0	(4,851)	0	0	(2,045)	(4,851)	(4,320)
Operating profit	77,965	25,086	37,933	34,598	74,667	41,443	40,002	34,055	175,582	190,167	176,591
Other components of net periodic benefit costs	1,800	1,834	1,833	1,835	2,048	2,335	1,863	2,028	7,302	8,274	64,225
Gain/(loss) from joint ventures					10,773	(16)	(8)	15	0	10,764	18,641
Interest expense and other, net	248	755	1,514	1,303	3,127	4,026	4,536	4,877	3,820	16,566	19,783
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	75,917	22,497	34,586	31,460	80,265	35,066	33,595	27,165	164,460	176,091	111,224
Income tax expense	7,705	6,070	9,415	1,304	23,289	10,092	9,999	5,251	24,494	48,631	103,956
Net income					56,976	24,974	23,596	21,914	139,966	127,460	6,837
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest					(1,777)	2	1	(2)	0	(1,776)	(2,541)
Net income attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders	$ 68,212	$ 16,427	$ 25,171	$ 30,156	$ 55,199	$ 24,976	$ 23,597	$ 21,912	$ 139,966	$ 125,684	$ 4,296
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	166,239	166,148	166,152	165,674	165,154	165,064	165,027	164,094	166,042	164,845	161,926
Diluted (in shares)	167,728	167,555	167,549	167,129	167,249	166,966	166,899	166,237	167,545	166,939	164,263
Basic earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Net income (USD per share)	$ 0.41	$ 0.10	$ 0.15	$ 0.18	$ 0.33	$ 0.15	$ 0.14	$ 0.13	$ 0.84	$ 0.76	$ 0.03
Diluted earnings per share attributable to The New York Times Company common stockholders:
Net income (USD per share)	0.41	0.10	0.15	0.18	0.33	0.15	0.14	0.13	0.83	0.75	0.03
Dividends declared per share (USD per share)	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.04	$ 0.04	$ 0.04	$ 0.04	$ 0.20	$ 0.16	$ 0.16