Business Segments - Operating Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 29, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 28, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues		$ 529,624	$ 470,038	$ 479,796	$ 468,472	$ 478,009	$ 442,975	$ 458,416	$ 422,567	$ 1,947,930	[1]	$ 1,801,967	[1]	$ 1,780,625	[1]
Total operating profit		113,206	234,170	56,206	29,992	(396,926)	45,036	25,148	57,407	433,574	[1],[2]	(269,335)	[1],[2]	304,824	[1],[2]
Depreciation	[3]									58,825		64,554		62,443
Amortization	[3]									166,664		166,404		197,054
Capital expenditures										99,659		89,084		89,438
Assets	[4]	9,401,051				9,708,863				9,401,051		9,708,863
Assets held for sale	[5]	687,934				911,564				687,934		911,564
Restricted cash and cash equivalents		17,566				17,595				17,566		17,595
Operating Segments | Television and Entertainment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues		525,723	460,164	468,134	455,875	465,525	430,610	446,107	410,300	1,909,896	[1]	1,752,542	[1]	1,725,641	[1]
Total operating profit		136,862	46,024	83,346	58,605	(365,244)	63,696	47,060	79,348	324,837	[1],[2]	(175,140)	[1],[2]	337,431	[1],[2]
Depreciation	[3]									45,083		48,437		50,262
Amortization	[3]									166,664		166,404		197,054
Assets		7,484,591				7,764,890				7,484,591		7,764,890
Corporate, Non-Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues		3,901	9,874	11,662	12,597	12,484	12,365	12,309	12,267	38,034	[1]	49,425	[1]	54,984	[1]
Total operating profit		(23,656)	$ 188,146	$ (27,140)	$ (28,613)	(31,682)	$ (18,660)	$ (21,912)	$ (21,941)	108,737	[1],[2]	(94,195)	[1],[2]	(32,607)	[1],[2]
Depreciation	[3]									13,742		16,117		12,181
Assets	[6],[7]	1,228,526				1,032,409				1,228,526		1,032,409
Restricted cash and cash equivalents		$ 18,000				$ 18,000				18,000		18,000
Continuing Operations | Operating Segments | Television and Entertainment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures										59,167		33,173		34,149
Continuing Operations | Corporate, Non-Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures										16,944		32,285		35,892
Discontinued Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation										14,000		10,000		26,000
Amortization										30,000		29,000		25,000
Capital expenditures										$ 23,548		$ 23,626		$ 19,397

[1] (1)See Note 2 for the disclosures of operating revenues and operating profit included in discontinued operations for the historical periods.

[2] (2)Operating profit (loss) for each segment excludes income and loss on equity investments, interest and dividend income, interest expense, non-operating items, reorganization costs and income taxes.

[3] (3)Depreciation from discontinued operations totaled $14 million, $10 million and $26 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, December 31, 2015 and December 28, 2014. Amortization from discontinued operations totaled $30 million, $29 million and $25 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, December 31, 2015 and December 28, 2014.

[4] The Company’s consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 include total assets of variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $97 million and $108 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. The Company’s consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $3 million and $3 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the Company (see Note 1).

[5] (6)See Note 2 and Note 6 for information regarding assets held for sale.

[6] (4) December 31, 2015 balances have been reclassified to present debt issuance costs as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of an associated debt liability in accordance with ASU 2015-03. See Note 1 for further information.

[7] (5)As of December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, Corporate total assets included $18 million related to restricted cash held to satisfy remaining claim obligations to holders of priority claims and fees earned by professional advisors during Chapter 11 proceedings (see Note 3). Corporate and Other assets include certain real estate assets (see Note 2) as well as the Company’s equity investment in CareerBuilder.