RESTRUCTURING AND IMPAIRMENT CHARGES (Details)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) Employee	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) Employee	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)		$ (1,649,000)	$ 2,480,000	$ 23,550,000
Asset Impairment Charges [Abstract]
Impairment charges related to goodwill		0	0	0
Impairment charges related to other long-lived assets			425,000	10,997,000
Trademarks
Asset Impairment Charges [Abstract]
Impairment charges related to trademarks			200,000	25,100,000
Subscriber relationships
Asset Impairment Charges [Abstract]
Impairment charges			5,631,000
Advertiser relationships
Asset Impairment Charges [Abstract]
Impairment charges				12,358,000
2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)				24,084,000
Accrual balance at beginning of period		1,294,000	14,742,000
Payments and other, net		(936,000)	(13,448,000)	(9,342,000)
Accrual balance at end of period	$ 14,742,000	358,000	1,294,000	14,742,000
Prior Restructuring Plans
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)		(1,530,000)	1,984,000	(534,000)
Employee Severance | 2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)				22,879,000
Early Lease Termination | 2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)				1,205,000
Cable | 2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)				11,283,000
Accrual balance at beginning of period		5,000	2,727,000
Payments and other, net		(5,000)	(2,722,000)	(8,556,000)
Accrual balance at end of period	$ 2,727,000	0	5,000	2,727,000
Cable | Employee Severance
Restructuring [Abstract]
Number of positions eliminated | Employee	234
Cable | Employee Severance | 2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)				11,283,000
Cable | Early Lease Termination | 2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)				0
Lightpath | 2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)				1,558,000
Accrual balance at beginning of period		619,000	930,000
Payments and other, net		(619,000)	(311,000)	(628,000)
Accrual balance at end of period	$ 930,000	0	619,000	930,000
Lightpath | Employee Severance
Restructuring [Abstract]
Number of positions eliminated | Employee	16
Lightpath | Employee Severance | 2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)				1,558,000
Lightpath | Early Lease Termination | 2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)				0
Other | 2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)				11,243,000
Accrual balance at beginning of period		670,000	11,085,000
Payments and other, net		(312,000)	(10,415,000)	(158,000)
Accrual balance at end of period	$ 11,085,000	$ 358,000	$ 670,000	11,085,000
Other | Employee Severance
Restructuring [Abstract]
Number of positions eliminated | Employee	191
Other | Employee Severance | 2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)				10,038,000
Other | Early Lease Termination | 2013 Restructuring Plan
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)	$ 1,205,000			$ 1,205,000
Newsday Holdings LLC | Employee Severance | 2014 Restructuring Plan
Restructuring [Abstract]
Number of positions eliminated | Employee			59
Accrued Restructuring Liability [Roll Forward]
Restructuring expense (credits)			$ 3,280,000