Business Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2016		Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		$ 469,517	$ 479,796	$ 909,427	[1]	$ 948,268	[1]
Operating profit (loss)		18,326	56,206	3,094	[1],[2]	86,198	[1],[2]
Depreciation		13,927	14,467	27,498	[3]	28,909	[3]
Amortization		41,664	41,670	83,323		83,335
Capital expenditures		13,465	17,583	28,099		35,431
Total Assets	[4]	8,045,275		8,045,275				$ 9,401,051
Assets held for sale	[5]	54,282		54,282				17,176
Gracenote Companies | Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital expenditures		0	6,046	1,578	[6],[7]	10,969	[7]
Discontinued Operations		0		0				670,758
Operating Segments | Television and Entertainment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		466,061	468,134	902,094	[1]	924,009	[1]
Operating profit (loss)		50,219	83,346	70,232	[1],[2]	141,951	[1],[2]
Depreciation		10,530	11,108	20,569	[3]	22,125	[3]
Amortization		41,664	41,670	83,323	[3]	83,335	[3]
Capital expenditures		11,727	6,603	22,534		13,436
Total Assets		7,186,225		7,186,225				7,484,591
Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		3,456	11,662	7,333	[1]	24,259	[1]
Operating profit (loss)		(31,893)	(27,140)	(67,138)	[1],[2]	(55,753)	[1],[2]
Depreciation		3,397	3,359	6,929	[3]	6,784	[3]
Capital expenditures		1,738	$ 4,934	3,987		$ 11,026
Total Assets		$ 804,768		$ 804,768				$ 1,228,526

[1] (1)See Note 2 for the disclosures of operating revenues and operating loss 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 and amortization from discontinued operations totaled $3 million and $8 million respectively, for the three months ended June 30, 2016 and $6 million and $15 million, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2016.

[4] (1) The Company’s consolidated total assets as of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 include total assets of variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $92 million and $97 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. The Company’s consolidated total liabilities as of June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $2 million and $3 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the Company (see Note 1).

[5] (4)See Note 3 for information regarding real estate assets held for sale.

[6] (1) Results of operations for the Gracenote Companies are reflected through January 31, 2017, the date of the Gracenote Sale.

[7] (3)Non-cash investing and financing activities of Digital and Data businesses included in the Gracenote Sale were immaterial.