8. PROGRAMS AND PROGRAM LICENSES

Programs and program licenses consisted of the following:

	As of December 31,
(in thousands)		2015		2014
Cost of programs available for broadcast		$	2,588,311	$	2,253,574
Accumulated amortization			1,764,532		1,564,008
Total			823,779		689,566
Progress payments on programs not yet available for broadcast			288,119		257,092
Total programs and program licenses		$	1,111,898	$	946,658

In addition to the programs owned or licensed by us included in the table above, we have commitments to license certain programming that is not yet available for broadcast. Remaining obligations under contracts to purchase or license programs not yet available for broadcast totaled approximately $240.0 million and $244.0 million at December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. If the programs are not produced, our commitment to license the programs would generally expire without obligation.

Program and program license expense, which consists of program amortization and program impairments, is included within cost of services in our consolidated statements of operations. Program impairments totaled $70.4 million in 2015, $38.4 million in 2014 and $32.0 million in 2013.

Estimated amortization of recorded program assets and program commitments for each of the next five years is as follows:

	Programs		Programs Not
	Available for		Yet Available
(in thousands)	Broadcast		for Broadcast		Total
2016	$	468,308	$	226,835	$	695,143
2017		228,595		157,628		386,223
2018		98,242		79,078		177,320
2019		25,787		48,802		74,589
2020		1,140		14,561		15,701
Later years		1,707		1,426		3,133
Total	$	823,779	$	528,330	$	1,352,109

Actual amortization in each of the next five years will exceed the amounts presented above as we will continue to produce and license additional programs.