Acquisitions and Dispositions Acquisitions and Dispositions [Abstract] Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Revenues from a range of education and related services worldwide for students, professionals and other organizations. Education revenue Education Generally recurring costs associated with normal operations including the portion of these expenses which can be clearly related to production and included in cost of sales or services. Excludes Selling, General and Administrative Expense Operating Expense Operating Operating Obligation(s) resulting from employer withdrawal from a multiemployer 1) pension plan under circumstances that would give rise to an obligation or (b) other postretirement benefit plan under circumstances that would give rise to an obligation or an increase in the contribution to the fund during the remainder of the contract period to make up a shortfall necessary to fund the vested and negotiated benefits. Multiemployer Defined Benefit Plan Withdrawal Charge Multiemployer pension plan withdrawal charge The net charge against earnings resulting from the sale and aggregate write down of property, plant and equipment and certain other assets. Net Loss On Sale Or Write Down Of Property Plant And Equipment And Other Assets Net loss on sale or write-down of property, plant and equipment and other assets Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation [Member] Defined Benefit Plan Benefit Obligation [Member] U.S. Equities [Member] U.S. Equities [Member] U S Equities [Member] International equities [Member] International Equities [Member] U.S. fixed income [Member] U.S. Fixed Income [Member] U S Fixed Income [Member] Kaplan Ventures [Member] Kaplan Ventures [Member] Cable Television [Member] Cable Television [Member] Newspaper Publishing [Member] Newspaper Publishing [Member] Higher Education [Member] Higher Education [Member] Kaplan International [Member] Kaplan International [Member] Berkshire Hathaway Inc.[Member] Berkshire Hathaway Inc [Member] Student And Customer Relationships [Member] Student and Customer Relationships [Member] Trade Names And Trademarks [Member] Trade Names and Trademarks [Member] Other Amortized Intangible Assets [Member] Other Amortized Intangible Assets [Member] Wireless Licenses [Member] Wireless Licenses [Member] Licensure And Accreditation [Member] Licensure and Accreditation [Member] Seven Point Two Five Percent Unsecured Notes due February One, Two Thousand and Nineteen [Member] 7.25% Unsecured Notes due February 1, 2019 [Member] Seven Point Two Five Percent Unsecured Notes Due February One Two Thousand And Nineteen [Member] Schedule of Goodwill and Intangible Assets [Table] Schedule of Goodwill and Intangible Assets [Table] Basic income from continuing operations attributable to common stockholders Basic income from continuing operations attributable to common stockholders Basic income from continuing operations attributable to The Washington Post Company common stockholders Basic income from continuing operations attributable to The Washington Post Company common shareholders Loss recognized during the period that results from the write-down of goodwill and other long-lived assets from the carrying amount to the fair value. Goodwill is assessed at least annually for impairment. Impairment Of Goodwill And Other Long Lived Assets Impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets Goodwill and other long-lived asset impairment charges Kaplan Corporate And Other [Member] Kaplan Corporate and Other [Member] Education [Member] Education [Member] Television Broadcasting [Member] Television Broadcasting [Member] Other Businesses [Member] Other Businesses [Member] Corporate Office [Member] Corporate Office [Member] Number of television broadcast stations. Number Of Television Broadcast Stations Number of television broadcast stations Organization, Basis of Presentation and Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract] Organization Basis Of Presentation And Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract] Number of pending program reviews. Number of pending program reviews Number of pending DOE program reviews Score [Member] Score [Member] Circulation and subscription revenues from the sale of cable services, newspapers and other periodicals through subscriptions, newsstands and other distribution methods. Circulation And Subscriber Revenue Circulation and subscriber Circulation and subscriber revenue Average borrowings outstanding during the period, both short and long term. Average Outstanding Debt Amount Average borrowings outstanding Disclosure of the accounting policy describing under what circumstances an asset or business is classified as held for sale. Assets Held For Sale Policy [Text Block] Assets Held For Sale CHI-Broomall [Member] CHI-Broomall [Member] Placement rate at which programs may be subject to a hold on new enrollments. Placement Rate At Which Programs May Be Subject To Hold On New Enrollments Placement rate at which programs may be subject to a hold on accepting new enrollments Reflects the date when the company terminated its credit facility, which may be presented in a variety of ways (year, month and year, day, month and year, quarter). Termination Of Credit Agreement Termination of credit agreement Line of credit facility minimum requirement of shareholder's equity Line Of Credit Facility Minimum Requirement Of Shareholders Equity Line of credit facility minimum requirement of shareholder's equity Reclassification of the carrying amount of goodwill associated with a reporting unit that is classified as discontinued operations in the period, not yet disposed. Goodwill Reclassified To Discontinued Operations Reclassification to discontinued operations Amortization Of Intangible Assets From Continuing Operations Amortization Of Intangible Assets From Continuing Operations Amortization of Intangible Assets, Total Amortization of intangible assets The amount of net pension credit allocated to a business unit. Net Pension Credit Allocation Net pension credit The minimum fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility. Line Of Credit Facility Commitment Fee Minimum Percentage Minimum fee percentage for line of credit facility The maximum fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility. Line Of Credit Facility Commitment Fee Maximum Percentage Maximum fee percentage for line of credit facility Berkshire Hathaway Class A and B [Member] Berkshire Hathaway Class A And B [Member] Quarterly Operating Results After Reclassifying Certain Operations As Discontinued Ops [Table Text Block] Quarterly Operating Results After Reclassifying Certain Operations As Discontinued Ops [Table Text Block] Quarterly Operating Results After Reclassifying Certain Operations As Discontinued Operations Yearly Operating Results After Reclassifying Certain Operations As Discontinued Ops [Table Text Block] Yearly Operating Results After Reclassifying Certain Operations As Discontinued Ops [Table Text Block] Yearly Operating Results After Reclassifying Certain Operations As Discontinued Operations Foreign Investments [Member] Foreign Investments [Member] Number of campuses with programs placed on conditional approval status due to unsatisfactory placement rates. Number of campuses with programs placed on conditional approval status due to unsatisfactory placement rates Number of KHE campuses with programs placed on conditional approval status due to unsatisfactory placement rates Students Enrolled In Programs Placed On Conditional Approval. Students Enrolled In Programs Placed On Conditional Approval Students enrolled in programs placed on conditional approval Income Per Share From Continuing Operations To Common Shareholders. Income Per Share From Continuing Operations To Common Shareholders [Abstract] Income per share from continuing operations attributable to The Washington Post company common shareholders: Five-Year Revolving Credit Agreement Dated, August Eighth TwoThousand And Six Member. Five-Year Revolving Credit Agreement Dated, August 8, 2006 [Member] Five Year Revolving Credit Agreement Dated August Eighth Two Thousand And Six [Member] Four-Year Revolving Credit Agreement Dated, June Seventeenth Two Thousand Eleven [Member]. Four-Year Revolving Credit Agreement Dated, June 17,2011 [Member] Four Year Revolving Credit Agreement Dated June Seventeenth Two Thousand Eleven [Member] The net periodic benefit for defined benefit pension plans excluding the early retirement program and other programs separately disclosed in the financial statements. Net Periodic Benefit For Defined Benefit Pension Plans Excluding Early Retirement Program Net pension benefit Other Businesses and Cable Television [Member] Other Businesses and Cable Television [Member] The net periodic benefit for defined benefit pension plans excluding the early retirement programs expense and other programs separately disclosed in the financial statements. Net Periodic Benefit For DefinedBenefit Pension Plans Excluding Early Retirement Programs Expense Net pension benefit Net pension benefit Number Of Programs Placed On Conditional Approval Status Due To Unsatifactory Placement Rates.. Number Of Programs Placed On Conditional Approval Status Due To Unsatisfactory Placement Rates Number of KHE programs placed on conditional approval status due to unsatisfactory placement rates Other Businesses And Cable Divisions [Axis] Other Businesses And Cable Divisions [Axis] Other Businesses And Cable Divisions [Domain] Other Businesses And Cable Divisions [Domain] Business Intersegment Eliminations [Axis] Business Intersegment Eliminations [Axis] Business Intersegment Eliminations [Domain] Business Intersegment Eliminations [Domain] Target allocation maximum percentage of investment in a single equity security to total plan assets without prior approval of plan administrator. Defined Benefit Plan Target Allocation Percentage Of Assets Singular EquitySecurity Limit Without Approval Of Plan Administrator Defined benefit plan, target allocation percentage of assets, singular equity security, without prior approval by plan administrator Single Equity Concentration [Member] Single Equity Concentration [Member] Test Preparation [Member] Test Preparation [Member] Indefinite-lived intangible assets [Line Items] Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill [Line Items] Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill) [Line Items] Schedule Of Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill [Table] Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill) [Table] Other Indebtedness [Member] Other Indebtedness [Member] Concentration By Type Of Industry Or Individual Fund [Member] Concentration By Type Of Industry Or Individual Fund Member Number Of Investments Companys Pension Plan Held Which Individually Exceed 10 Percent Of Total Plan Assets Number Of Investments The Companys Pension Plan Held Which Individually Exceed 10 Percent Of Total Plan Assets Number of investments the companys pension plan held which individually exceed 10% of total plan assets Number Of Foreign Countries For Which Companys Pension Plan Holds Investments That Exceed 10 Percent Of Total Plan Assets Number of foreign countries for which the companys pension plan holds investments that exceed 10% of total plan assets Number of foreign countries for which the companys pension plan holds investments that exceed 10% of total plan assets Corinthian Colleges [Member] Corinthian Colleges, Inc. [Member] Corinthian Colleges, Inc. [Member] Total amount of payments required under an agreement to terminate the pending inquiries and related matters involving the Surgical Technology program previously offered at the Education divisions CHI-Broomall campus. Amount Payable Under Agreement Amount payable under agreement Texas Workforce Commissions notification activity with Kaplan Higher Education division. Texas Workforce Commission And Kaplan Higher Education [Member] Percentage Of Ownership Indicating Control For Consolidation Purposes Percentage of ownership indicating control for consolidation purposes