Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands							3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Nov. 08, 2017 USD ($)	Oct. 18, 2017	Sep. 15, 2017	Aug. 02, 2017	Jul. 06, 2017	May 08, 2017 USD ($) $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)		Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
FCC Transaction Review Period					180 days
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976 Waiting Period				30 days
Department of Justice Merger Waiting Period			60 days
Operating revenues							$ 450,533	$ 470,038	$ 1,359,960	[1]	$ 1,418,306	[1]
Operating profit							(23,749)	234,170	(20,655)	[1],[2]	320,368	[1],[2]
Repayments of long-term debt									703,527		20,881
Costs and Expenses							474,282	235,868	1,380,615		1,097,938
Barter
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Operating revenues							7,000	8,000	21,000		22,000
Costs and Expenses							7,000	8,000	21,000		22,000
Program rights							52,000		52,000				$ 37,000
Program Rights Obligations							52,000		52,000				$ 37,000
Subsequent Event
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
FCC Transaction Review Period, Pause		15 days
Federal Communications Commission Regulation, Proceeds Received From Auction	$ 185,000
Dreamcatcher Stations
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Federal Communications Commission Regulation, Proceeds Received From Auction							21,000
Repayments of long-term debt							12,600
Dreamcatcher Stations | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Operating revenues							17,000	17,000	52,000		52,000
Operating profit							$ 3,000	$ 3,000	$ 8,000		$ 10,000
Sinclair Merger
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Business Combination, Common Stock Cash Value Per Share Conversion | $ / shares						$ 35.00
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Common Stock Exchange Ratio						0.2300
Contract Termination Fee						$ 135,500
Grace Period After Contact Termination, Not Terminated by Company, Before Obtaining New Bid Without Termination Fee						12 months
Sinclair Merger | Sinclair
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share | $ / shares						$ 0.01

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

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