CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 445,148	$ 122,444
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Amortization of intangible assets	209,360	115,538
Amortization of broadcast rights	104,916	46,749
Depreciation of property and equipment	107,787	84,890
Goodwill and intangible assets impairment		63,317
Stock-based compensation expense	35,917	29,030
Provision for bad debt	24,735	8,119
Amortization of debt financing costs, debt discounts and premium	13,316	6,592
Loss on extinguishment of debt	44,848	3,724
Gain on asset disposal, net	(770)	(229)
Deferred income taxes	(20,940)	(14,899)
Gain on relinquishment of spectrum	(10,791)
Gain on disposal of stations and entities, net	(7,025)	(96,608)
Change in the estimated fair value of contingent consideration attributable to a merger	3,933
Spectrum repack reimbursements	(51,347)	(54,020)
Payments for broadcast rights	(147,214)	(47,150)
Income on equity investments, net	(41,351)	(2,061)
Distribution from equity investments - return on capital	206,997
Other operating activities, net	(1,787)	(1,234)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions and dispositions:
Accounts receivable	93,368	54,633
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	10,000	1,827
Other noncurrent assets	11,827	(1,580)
Accounts payable	(95)	26
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	(97,587)	(26,578)
Income tax payable	(15,021)	28,822
Other noncurrent liabilities	(40,736)	(5,370)
Net cash provided by operating activities	877,488	315,982
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(170,150)	(110,225)
Payments for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(132,284)	(5,881,179)
Proceeds from sale of stations and entities	362,803	1,352,958
Proceeds from resolution of acquired contingency	98,000
Spectrum repack reimbursements from the FCC	51,347	54,020
Collection of investment in a loan receivable	49,014
Proceeds from disposals of property and equipment	1,029	2,026
Other investing activities, net	603	247
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	260,362	(4,582,153)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt, net of debt discounts	1,225,000	4,831,050
Repayments of long-term debt	(1,857,838)	(215,413)
Premium paid on debt extinguishment	(25,317)
Payments for debt financing costs	(10,741)	(70,717)
Purchase of treasury stock	(197,600)
Common stock dividends paid	(76,380)	(62,062)
Payments for finance lease and capitalized software obligations	(12,664)	(6,419)
Cash paid for shares withheld for taxes	(6,784)	(9,813)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	2,174	1,749
Contribution from a noncontrolling interest	138
Purchase of noncontrolling interests		(6,393)
Other financing activities, net		(6,897)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(960,012)	4,455,085
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	177,838	188,914
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	248,678	145,115
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	426,516	334,029
Supplemental information:
Interest paid	290,250	178,882
Income taxes paid, net of refunds	201,979	68,627
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Accrued purchases of property and equipment	14,186	27,683
Noncash purchases of property and equipment	20,342
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease obligations	$ 22,886	$ 115,579