Note 3 - Acquisitions and Dispositions (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Notes Tables

Schedule of Noncash or Part Noncash Acquisitions [Table Text Block]

						Acquisition
						and the
	Divestiture			Acquisition		Acquisition
	of KAKE-TV			of WBXX-TV		of WLUC-TV			Total
Base purchase price	$	-		$	30,000	$	442,500		$	472,500
Purchase price adjustment		-			-		574			574
Adjusted purchase price		-			30,000		443,074			473,074
Cash consideration received from sale of Schurz Radio Stations		-			-		(16,000	)		(16,000	)
Net adjusted purchase price allocated to assets acquired and liabilities assumed		-			30,000		427,074			457,074
Non-cash consideration received		(30,000	)		-		-			(30,000	)
Cash consideration received		(11,200	)		-		-			(11,200	)
Net consideration - the Schurz Acquisition and Related Transactions	$	(41,200	)	$	30,000	$	427,074		$	415,874

Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Table Text Block]

	Years Ended
	December 31,
	2017		2016
Revenue (less agency commissions)	$	895,081	$	926,799
Net income	$	260,909	$	88,679
Basic net income per share	$	3.57	$	1.23
Diluted net income per share	$	3.53	$	1.22

	Years Ended
	December 31,
	2016
Revenue (less agency commissions)	$	825,787
Net income	$	57,795
Basic net income per share	$	0.80
Diluted net income per share	$	0.79

The 2016 Acquisitions [Member]

Notes Tables

Schedule of Recognized Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed [Table Text Block]

						Schurz
						Acquisition
						and the
	Acquisition		Acquisition			Acquisition
	of KYES-TV		of WBXX-TV			of WLUC-TV			Total
Accounts receivable	$	-	$	-		$	19,226		$	19,226
Other current assets		-		429			4,606			5,035
Property and equipment		176		1,633			97,814			99,623
Goodwill		28		10,288			61,981			72,297
Broadcast licenses		254		18,199			231,391			249,844
Other intangible assets		42		-			19,523			19,565
Other non-current assets		-		408			3,028			3,436
Current liabilities		-		(460	)		(8,903	)		(9,363	)
Other long-term liabilities		-		(497	)		(1,592	)		(2,089	)
Total	$	500	$	30,000		$	427,074		$	457,574

2017 Acquisitions [Member]

Notes Tables

Schedule of Recognized Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed [Table Text Block]

	Acquisition
	Fairbanks			Media General			Clarksburg			Diversified			Vermont			Total
Current assets	$	122		$	666		$	462		$	361		$	312		$	1,923
Property and equipment		2,650			20,181			4,133			12,329			9,513			48,806
Goodwill		471			86,287			3,222			35,486			3,393			128,859
Broadcast licenses		2,228			149,846			17,003			26,219			7,592			202,888
Other intangible assets		2,702			13,398			2,234			11,051			5,191			34,576
Other non-current assets		71			282			51			27			3,310			3,741
Current liabilities		(140	)		(695	)		(554	)		(423	)		(311	)		(2,123	)
Other long-term liabilities		(84	)		-			(51	)		(50	)		-			(185	)
Total	$	8,020		$	269,965		$	26,500		$	85,000		$	29,000		$	418,485