Employee Benefit Plans - Schedule of multi-employer plans (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
CWA/ITU
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Red	Red
FIP/RP Status Pending/Implemented	Implemented
Contributions of the Company	$ 126,453	$ 116,295	$ 126,205
Surcharge Imposed	NA
Expiration Date of Collective-Bargaining Agreement	Dec. 31, 2015
GCIU
Multiemployer Plans [Line Items]
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Red	Red
FIP/RP Status Pending/Implemented	Implemented
Contributions of the Company	$ 80,972	$ 99,594	$ 117,131
Surcharge Imposed	Yes
Expiration Date of Collective-Bargaining Agreement	Dec. 31, 2016

Indicate the multiemployer plan's certified zone status as currently required by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 or a subsequent amendment thereof. The zone status categories are red (critical status), orange (seriously endangered), yellow (endangered), and green (none of the above). The acceptable values are "red", "orange", "yellow", "green", "other", and "NA". A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 80

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14450570&loc=SL14450657-114947

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MultiemployerPlansCertifiedZoneStatus
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:zoneStatusItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Expiration date of the collective bargaining arrangement requiring contributions to the multiemployer plan, in CCYY-MM-DD format. A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 80

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14450570&loc=SL14450657-114947

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Indicate whether a funding improvement plan or rehabilitation plan has been implemented or is pending for a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. The acceptable values are "no", "pending", "implemented", "other", and "NA".

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 80

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (f)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14450570&loc=SL14450657-114947

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MultiemployerPlansFundingImprovementPlanAndRehabilitationPlan
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:fundingImprovementAndRehabilitationPlanItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MultiemployerPlansLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of contributions made to the multiemployer plan by all employers who participate in the plan. A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 80

-Section 50

-Paragraph 7

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14450570&loc=SL14450678-114947

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MultiemployerPlansPlanContributions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Indicate whether the employer paid a surcharge to the pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. The acceptable values are "no", "yes", and "NA".

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 80

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (f)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14450570&loc=SL14450657-114947

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MultiemployerPlansSurcharge
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:surchargeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanTypeAxis=ssp_CwaItuNegotiatedPensionPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MultiemployerPlanTypeAxis=ssp_GciuEmployerRetirementFundMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: