Note 8 - Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block]

	Year Ended December 31,
	2014			2013			2012
Current:
Federal	$	-		$	-		$	-
State and local		996			118			974
State and local - reserve for uncertain tax positions		(198	)		(136	)		(1,015	)
Current income tax expense (benefit)		798			(18	)		(41	)
Deferred:
Federal		28,231			12,218			16,854
State and local		2,707			947			2,375
Deferred income tax expense		30,938			13,165			19,229
Total income tax expense	$	31,736		$	13,147		$	19,188

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]

	December 31,
	2014			2013
Deferred tax liabilities:
Net book value of property and equipment	$	20,195		$	9,797
Broadcast licenses, goodwill and other intangibles		341,654			285,553
Total deferred tax liabilities		361,849			295,350
Deferred tax assets:
Liability for accrued vacation		1,900			926
Liability for accrued bonus		3,440			2,401
Loan acquisition costs		447			1,664
Allowance for doubtful accounts		572			284
Liability under health and welfare plan		1,111			936
Liability for pension plan		16,900			10,501
Federal operating loss carryforwards		55,425			78,597
State and local operating loss carryforwards		7,102			9,922
Alternative minimum tax carryforwards		386			386
Unearned income		214			396
Network compensation		-			174
Stock options		119			76
Acquisition costs		776			300
Restricted stock		1,479			192
Other		206			49
Total deferred tax assets		90,077			106,804
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets		(2,052	)		(2,748	)
Net deferred tax assets		88,025			104,056
Deferred tax liabilities, net of deferred tax assets	$	273,824		$	191,294

Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block]

	Year Ended December 31,
	2014			2013			2012
Statutory federal rate applied to income before income tax expense	$	27,929		$	11,002		$	16,561
Current year permanent items		849			669			825
State and local taxes, net of federal tax benefit		4,050			1,432			4,191
Change in valuation allowance		(696	)		(409	)		(1,463	)
Reserve for uncertain tax positions		(198	)		(136	)		(1,015	)
Other items, net		(198	)		589			89
Income tax expense as recorded	$	31,736		$	13,147		$	19,188
Effective income tax rate		39.8	%		41.8	%		40.6	%

Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits Roll Forward [Table Text Block]

	Year Ended December 31,
	2014			2013			2012
Balance at beginning of period	$	782		$	880		$	1,597
Reduction in benefit from lapse in statute of limitations		(125	)		(98	)		(717	)
Balance at end of period	$	657		$	782		$	880