Segment reporting (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
Segment reporting (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 660,337	$ 730,768	$ 1,323,762	$ 1,453,719
Adjusted EBITDA	76,222	85,599	139,548	140,667
Operating Segments \| Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	576,173	644,551	1,155,340	1,283,211
Adjusted EBITDA	90,664	94,358	172,047	172,116
Operating Segments \| ReachLocal
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	98,566	100,435	195,747	196,923
Adjusted EBITDA	12,200	10,271	19,831	16,480
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	1,690	1,809	3,293	3,785
Adjusted EBITDA	(26,642)	(19,030)	(52,330)	(47,929)
Intersegment Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	(16,092)	(16,027)	(30,618)	(30,200)
Advertising and marketing services
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	368,328	420,163	733,563	830,475
Advertising and marketing services \| Operating Segments \| Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	269,762	319,728	537,816	633,552
Advertising and marketing services \| Operating Segments \| ReachLocal
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	98,566	100,435	195,747	196,923
Advertising and marketing services \| Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Advertising and marketing services \| Intersegment Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	(16,092)	(16,027)	(30,618)	(30,200)
Advertising and marketing services \| Intersegment Eliminations \| Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	16,092	16,027	30,618	30,200
Advertising and marketing services \| Intersegment Eliminations \| ReachLocal
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Circulation
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	247,092	263,806	499,819	530,392
Circulation \| Operating Segments \| Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	247,092	263,806	499,819	530,392
Circulation \| Operating Segments \| ReachLocal
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Circulation \| Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	44,917	46,799	90,380	92,852
Other \| Operating Segments \| Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	43,227	44,990	87,087	89,067
Other \| Operating Segments \| ReachLocal
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Other \| Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 1,690	$ 1,809	$ 3,293	$ 3,785

Gannett Co., Inc. 10-Q