Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 28, 2014
Operating Revenues
Advertising		$ 1,374,571		$ 1,303,220		$ 1,339,634
Retransmission revenue and carriage fees		455,768		368,484		286,380
Other		79,557		80,838		99,627
Television and Entertainment		1,909,896		1,752,542		1,725,641
Other		38,034		49,425		54,984
Total operating revenues	[1]	1,947,930		1,801,967		1,780,625
Operating Expenses
Programming		515,738		535,799		354,666
Direct operating expenses		390,595		376,383		364,197
Selling, general and administrative		592,220		543,065		519,131
Depreciation	[2]	58,825		64,554		62,443
Amortization	[2]	166,664		166,404		197,054
Impairments of goodwill and other intangible assets (Note 7)		3,400		385,000		0
(Gain) loss on sales of real estate		(213,086)		97		(21,690)
Total operating expenses		1,514,356		2,071,302		1,475,801
Total operating profit (loss)	[1],[3]	433,574		(269,335)		304,824
Income on equity investments, net		148,156		146,959		236,713
Interest and dividend income		1,226		720		1,264
Interest expense		(152,719)		(148,587)		(141,629)
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0		(37,040)		0
Gain on investment transactions, net		0		12,173	[4]	371,785
Other non-operating gain (loss), net		5,427	[4]	7,228	[4]	(4,804)
Reorganization items, net		(1,422)	[5]	(1,537)	[5]	(7,268)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes		434,242		(289,419)		760,885
Income tax expense		347,202		25,918		284,266
Net Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations		87,040		(315,337)		476,619
(Loss) Income from Discontinued Operations, net of taxes (Note 2)		(72,794)		(4,581)		44
Net Income (Loss)		$ 14,246		$ (319,918)		$ 476,663
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Continuing Operations		$ 0.96		$ (3.33)		$ 4.76
Discontinued Operations		(0.80)		(0.05)		0.00
Net Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share		0.16		(3.38)		4.76
Continuing Operations		0.96		(3.33)		4.75
Discontinued Operations		(0.80)		(0.05)		0.00
Net Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share		0.16		(3.38)		4.75
Regular Cash Dividend
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Dividends declared (usd per share)		1.0		0.75		0
Special Cash Dividend
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Dividends declared (usd per share)		$ 0		$ 6.73		$ 0

[1] (1)See Note 2 for the disclosures of operating revenues and operating profit included in discontinued operations for the historical periods.

[2] (3)Depreciation from discontinued operations totaled $14 million, $10 million and $26 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, December 31, 2015 and December 28, 2014. Amortization from discontinued operations totaled $30 million, $29 million and $25 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, December 31, 2015 and December 28, 2014.

[3] (2)Operating profit (loss) for each segment excludes income and loss on equity investments, interest and dividend income, interest expense, non-operating items, reorganization costs and income taxes.

[4] See Note 5 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for information pertaining to non-operating items recorded in 2016 and 2015.

[5] See Note 3 to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for information pertaining to reorganization items recorded in 2016 and 2015.