| Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract] | Period [Axis] |
|---|
2016-01-01 - 2016-12-31 |
|---|
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract] | |
Components of benefit expense | The components of the expense consisted of the following: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | For the years ended December 31, | (in thousands) | | 2016 | | 2015 | | 2014 | | | | | | | | Service cost | | $ | — |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 85 |
| Interest cost | | 27,359 |
| | 30,477 |
| | 25,539 |
| Expected return on plan assets, net of expenses | | (18,466 | ) | | (24,320 | ) | | (23,481 | ) | Amortization of actuarial loss | | 4,406 |
| | 4,617 |
| | 2,861 |
| Curtailment/Settlement losses | | — |
| | 46,793 |
| | — |
| Total for defined benefit plans | | 13,299 |
| | 57,567 |
| | 5,004 |
| Multi-employer plans | | 168 |
| | 180 |
| | 393 |
| Withdrawal from GCIU multi-employer plan | | — |
| | 351 |
| | 4,100 |
| SERPs | | 1,033 |
| | 1,107 |
| | 896 |
| Defined contribution plans | | 8,265 |
| | 9,858 |
| | 11,739 |
| Net periodic benefit cost | | 22,765 |
| | 69,063 |
| | 22,132 |
| Allocated to discontinued operations | | — |
| | (482 | ) | | (8,985 | ) | Net periodic benefit cost - continuing operations | | $ | 22,765 |
| | $ | 68,581 |
| | $ | 13,147 |
|
|
Changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) | Other changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) were as follows: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | For the years ended December 31, | (in thousands) | | 2016 | | 2015 | | 2014 | | | | | | | | Current year actuarial gain/(loss) | | $ | (9,379 | ) | | $ | 1,026 |
| | $ | (75,527 | ) | Amortization of actuarial loss | | 4,406 |
| | 4,617 |
| | 2,861 |
| Curtailment/Settlement losses | | — |
| | 46,793 |
| | — |
| Total | | $ | (4,973 | ) | | $ | 52,436 |
| | $ | (72,666 | ) |
|
Schedule of assumptions used | Assumptions used in determining the annual retirement plans expense were as follows: | | | | | | | | | | | | 2016 (1) | | 2015 (2) | | 2014 | | | | | | | | Discount rate | | 4.55 | % |
| 4.01%-4.53% | | 5.08 | % | Long-term rate of return on plan assets | | 4.50%-4.65% |
|
| 4.10%-6.10% | | 5.25 | % | Increase in compensation levels | | N/A |
|
| N/A | | 2.0 | % |
(1) Ranges presented for long-term rate of return on plan assets for 2016 represent the rates used for Scripps Pension Plan and Journal Communications, Inc. Employees' Pension Plan. (2) Ranges presented for discount rate and long-term rate of return on plan assets for 2015 represent the rates used for various remeasurement periods during the year as well as differing rates used for Scripps Pension Plan and Journal Communications, Inc. Employees' Pension Plan. Assumptions used to determine the defined benefit pension plans benefit obligations were as follows: | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2016 | | 2015 | | 2014 | | | | | | | | Weighted average discount rate | | 4.26 | % |
| 4.55 | % | | 4.23 | % | Increase in compensation levels | | N/A |
| | N/A |
| | N/A |
|
|
Schedule of employee benefit plan assets and obligations | The following table presents information about our employee benefit plan assets and obligations: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Defined Benefit Plans | | SERPs | | | For the years ended December 31, | (in thousands) | | 2016 | | 2015 | | 2016 | | 2015 | | | | | | | | | | Change in projected benefit obligation: | | | | | | | | | Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year | | $ | 611,257 |
| | $ | 620,623 |
| | $ | 19,800 |
| | $ | 15,261 |
| Service cost | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| Interest cost | | 27,359 |
| | 30,477 |
| | 910 |
| | 747 |
| Benefits paid | | (33,571 | ) | | (28,670 | ) | | (1,030 | ) | | (1,105 | ) | Actuarial (gains)/losses | | 20,490 |
| | (46,479 | ) | | 1,580 |
| | (2,299 | ) | Curtailments/Settlements | | — |
| | (148,006 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| Journal acquisition | | — |
| | 183,312 |
| | — |
| | 10,778 |
| Newspaper divestiture | | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | (3,582 | ) | Projected benefit obligation at end of year | | 625,535 |
| | 611,257 |
| | 21,260 |
| | 19,800 |
| Plan assets: | | | | | | | | | Fair value at beginning of year | | 407,797 |
| | 495,047 |
| | — |
| | — |
| Actual return on plan assets | | 29,577 |
| | (21,132 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| Company contributions | | 8,656 |
| | — |
| | 1,030 |
| | 1,105 |
| Benefits paid | | (33,571 | ) | | (28,670 | ) | | (1,030 | ) | | (1,105 | ) | Curtailments/Settlements | | — |
| | (148,006 | ) | | — |
| | — |
| Journal acquisition | | — |
| | 110,558 |
| | — |
| | — |
| Fair value at end of year | | 412,459 |
| | 407,797 |
| | — |
| | — |
| Funded status | | $ | (213,076 | ) | | $ | (203,460 | ) | | $ | (21,260 | ) | | $ | (19,800 | ) | Amounts recognized in Consolidated Balance Sheets: | | | | | | | | | Current liabilities | | $ | — |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | (1,548 | ) | | $ | (1,295 | ) | Noncurrent liabilities | | (213,076 | ) | | (203,460 | ) | | (19,712 | ) | | (18,505 | ) | Total | | $ | (213,076 | ) | | $ | (203,460 | ) | | $ | (21,260 | ) | | $ | (19,800 | ) | | | | | | | | | | Unrecognized net actuarial loss recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss | | $ | 144,294 |
| | $ | 139,321 |
| | $ | 6,342 |
| | $ | 4,924 |
|
|
Schedule of pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation and projected benefit obligation in excess of plan assets | Information for pension plans with an accumulated benefit obligation and projected benefit obligation in excess of plan assets was as follows: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Defined Benefit Plans | | SERPs | | | As of December 31, | (in thousands) | | 2016 | | 2015 | | 2016 | | 2015 | | | | | | | | | | Accumulated benefit obligation | | $ | 625,535 |
| | $ | 611,257 |
| | $ | 21,260 |
| | $ | 19,800 |
| Projected benefit obligation | | 625,535 |
| | 611,257 |
| | 21,260 |
| | 19,800 |
| Fair value of plan assets | | 412,459 |
| | 407,797 |
| | — |
| | — |
|
|
Schedule of allocation of pension plan assets by asset category | Information related to our pension plan asset allocations by asset category were as follows: | | | | | | | | | | | | | Target allocation | | Percentage of plan assets as of December 31, | | | 2017 | | 2016 | | 2015 | | | | | | | | US equity securities | | 20 | % | | 20 | % | | 14 | % | Non-US equity securities | | 30 | % | | 30 | % | | 21 | % | Fixed-income securities | | 45 | % | | 44 | % | | 58 | % | Other | | 5 | % | | 6 | % | | 7 | % | Total | | 100 | % | | 100 | % | | 100 | % |
|
Plan assets measured using the fair value hierarchy | The following tables present our plan assets using the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2016 and 2015: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | December 31, 2016 | (in thousands) | | Total | | Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 | | | | | | | | | | Equity securities | | | | | | | | | Common/collective trust funds | | $ | 204,084 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 204,084 |
| | $ | — |
| Fixed income | |
|
| |
| |
| |
| Common/collective trust funds | | 184,000 |
| | — |
| | 184,000 |
| | — |
| Real estate fund | | 21,646 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 21,646 |
| Cash equivalents | | 2,729 |
| | 2,729 |
| | — |
| | — |
| Fair value of plan assets | | $ | 412,459 |
| | $ | 2,729 |
| | $ | 388,084 |
| | $ | 21,646 |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | December 31, 2015 | (in thousands) | | Total | | Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 | | | | | | | | | | Equity securities | | | | | | | | | Common/collective trust funds | | $ | 146,314 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 146,314 |
| | $ | — |
| Fixed income | | | | | | | | | Common/collective trust funds | | 234,923 |
| | — |
| | 234,923 |
| | — |
| Real estate fund | | 14,670 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 14,670 |
| Cash equivalents | | 11,890 |
| | 11,890 |
| | — |
| | — |
| Fair value of plan assets | | $ | 407,797 |
| | $ | 11,890 |
| | $ | 381,237 |
| | $ | 14,670 |
|
|
Reconciliation of Level 3 assets | The following table presents a reconciliation of Level 3 assets held during 2016 and 2015: | | | | | | (in thousands) | | Real Estate Fund | | | | As of December 31, 2014 | | $ | 21,661 |
| Journal acquisition | | 4,802 |
| Unrealized gains/(losses) | | 2,761 |
| Sales | | (14,554 | ) | As of December 31, 2015 | | 14,670 |
| Purchases | | 5,400 |
| Unrealized gains/(losses) | | 1,576 |
| As of December 31, 2016 | | $ | 21,646 |
|
|