Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			7 Months Ended	0 Months Ended		1 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	13 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 13, 2014	Sep. 15, 2014	May 31, 2014	Apr. 30, 2014	Nov. 30, 2014	Oct. 02, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2014	Dec. 15, 2014
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)	$ 72,021,000	$ 41,156,000	$ 23,186,000	$ 17,410,000	$ 23,288,000	$ 24,220,000	$ 21,312,000	$ 15,060,000	$ 153,773,000	$ 83,880,000	$ 153,441,000
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt									(5,086,000)		(46,683,000)
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, Excluding Oil and Gas Property and Timber Property									(623,000)	(765,000)	31,000
Corporate and Administrative Expenses [Member] | 2014 Acquisitions [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs									6,200,000
Operating Expense [Member] | Hoak Acquisition [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs												5,100,000
Allocated to Parker Broadcasting of Dakota [Member] | Parker Acquisitions [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred									5,000,000
Allocated to Parker Broadcasting of Louisiana [Member] | Parker Acquisitions [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred									1,700,000
Retransmission Agreements [Member] | 2014 Acquisitions [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired									34,200,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life									4 years 146 days
Retransmission Agreements [Member] | 2013 Acquisitions [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life										1 year 292 days
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Fair Value Disclosure					1,400,000					1,400,000
Advertising Relationships [Member] | 2014 Acquisitions [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired									13,100,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life									5 years 6 months
Advertising Relationships [Member] | 2013 Acquisitions [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life										7 years 36 days
Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Fair Value Disclosure					600,000					600,000
Off-Market Favorable Lease [Member] | 2014 Acquisitions [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired									4,100,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life									8 years 109 days
Hoak Acquisition [Member] | Nexstar [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Consideration Not Included in Purchase Price, Paid by Another Entity													33,500,000
Hoak Acquisition [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired													100.00%
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred									299,857,000				299,900,000
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information, Revenue of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual												64,700,000
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Changes in Accounting and Extraordinary Items, Net of Tax												25,800,000
WJRT Acquisition, Inc. and WTVG Acquisition, Inc. [Member] | Pay-off of Acquired Debt [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred														28,100,000
WJRT Acquisition, Inc. and WTVG Acquisition, Inc. [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired														100.00%
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred														131,500,000
KEVN Acquisition [Member] | Pay-off of Acquired Debt [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred															3,600,000
KEVN Acquisition [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired															100.00%
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred									8,785,000						8,800,000
KNDX Acquisition [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred									7,500,000						7,500,000
Parker Acquisitions [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired	100.00%								100.00%			100.00%
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred									6,731,000
WQCW Acquisition [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred									5,499,000							5,500,000
Helena Acquisition [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred									1,850,000								1,900,000
2014 Acquisitions [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life									3 years
2014 Acquisitions [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life									40 years
2014 Acquisitions [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable, Contractual Amounts in Excess of Fair Value	300,000								300,000			300,000
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount	88,600,000								88,600,000			88,600,000
Acquired Intangible Assets, Measurement Period for Finalization of Preliminary Valuations									1 year
Yellowstone [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred										32,739,000								10,000,000	23,000,000	32,700,000
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs																			200,000
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee, Cumulative Percentage Ownership after All Transactions																			99.00%
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee, Additional Percentage Ownership from Transaction																		1.00%
Revenues										2,400,000
Operating Income (Loss)										700,000
KJCT [Member] | Non-license Assets [Member] | Excalibur [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired																			3,000,000
KJCT [Member] | Non-license Assets [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired																			9,000,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets																			9,000,000
KJCT [Member] | Excalibur [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Payments for (Proceeds from) Derivative Instrument, Investing Activities																			500,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets																					2,900,000
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt																					(200,000)
KJCT [Member]
Note 2 - Acquisitions (Details) [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred										12,000,000									12,000,000
Revenues										400,000
Operating Income (Loss)										200,000
Proceeds from Sale of Machinery and Equipment																					75,000
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, Excluding Oil and Gas Property and Timber Property									$ (269,000)