Acquisitions - Acquisition Information (Details)							6 Months Ended
	Jul. 26, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 10, 2019 USD ($)	May 01, 2019 USD ($) television_station	Mar. 20, 2019 USD ($) television_station	Jan. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill							$ 1,111,247,000	$ 834,013,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses							209,715,000	$ 157,215,000
Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of businesses acquired | television_station			15
Business acquisition, purchase price			$ 521,000,000
Net working capital adjustment used in combination			23,900,000
Revenue of acquiree since acquisition date							25,200,000
Accounts receivable			26,264,000
Other current assets			986,000
Property and equipment			53,671,000
Right-of-use assets			4,667,000
Goodwill			253,735,000
Accounts payable			(15,000)
Accrued expenses			(3,835,000)
Other current liabilities			(280,000)
Operating lease liabilities			(4,387,000)
Net purchase price			544,906,000
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of businesses acquired | television_station				8
Business acquisition, purchase price				$ 580,000,000
Raycom Media, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition, purchase price					$ 55,000,000
Revenue of acquiree since acquisition date							11,700,000
Property and equipment					11,721,000
Right-of-use assets					296,000
Goodwill					18,349,000
Operating lease liabilities					(296,000)
Net purchase price					54,970,000
Raycom Media, Inc. And Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Accounts receivable							26,264,000
Other current assets							986,000
Property and equipment							65,392,000
Right-of-use assets							4,963,000
Goodwill							272,084,000
Accounts payable							(15,000)
Accrued expenses							(3,835,000)
Other current liabilities							(280,000)
Operating lease liabilities							(4,683,000)
Net purchase price							599,876,000
Omny Studio
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition, purchase price		$ 8,500,000
Goodwill		5,200,000
Triton Digital Canada, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition, purchase price						$ 160,000,000
Cash						10,515,000
Accounts receivable						8,879,000
Other current assets						679,000
Property and equipment						705,000
Goodwill						83,876,000
Other intangible assets						75,000,000
Accounts payable						(1,881,000)
Accrued expenses						(2,964,000)
Other current liabilities						(19,000)
Deferred tax liability						(14,577,000)
Net purchase price						160,213,000
Television network affiliation relationships | Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets			168,700,000
Television network affiliation relationships | Raycom Media, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets					17,400,000
Television network affiliation relationships | Raycom Media, Inc. And Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets							$ 186,100,000
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period							20 years
Advertiser relationships | Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets			5,900,000
Advertiser relationships | Raycom Media, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets					700,000
Advertiser relationships | Raycom Media, Inc. And Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets							$ 6,600,000
Advertiser relationships | Raycom Media, Inc. And Cordillera Communications, LLC | Minimum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period							5 years
Advertiser relationships | Raycom Media, Inc. And Cordillera Communications, LLC | Maximum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period							10 years
Other intangible asset | Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets			$ 13,000,000
Other intangible asset | Raycom Media, Inc. And Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets							$ 13,000,000
Shared Service Agreements | Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period			20 years
Developed Technology Rights | Omny Studio
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets		$ 3,800,000
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period		10 years
Developed Technology Rights | Triton Digital Canada, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets						$ 39,000,000
Developed Technology Rights | Triton Digital Canada, Inc. | Minimum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period						8 years
Developed Technology Rights | Triton Digital Canada, Inc. | Maximum
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period						12 years
Customer Relationships | Triton Digital Canada, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets						$ 31,000,000
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period						12 years
Trade Names | Triton Digital Canada, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets						$ 5,000,000
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period						10 years
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses | Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses			$ 26,500,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses | Raycom Media, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses					$ 6,800,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses | Raycom Media, Inc. And Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses							$ 33,300,000
Term Loan B, Maturing 2026 | Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Proceeds from issuance of debt			525,000,000
Term Loan B, Maturing 2026 | Cordillera Communications, LLC and Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Debt face value			765,000,000
Term Loan B, Maturing 2026 | Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Proceeds from issuance of debt			$ 240,000,000
Revolving credit facility | Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility				$ 210,000,000
Senior Notes | Senior Unsecured Notes, Due 2027 | Subsequent Event
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Debt face value	$ 500,000,000
Senior Notes | Senior Unsecured Notes, Due 2027 | Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Subsequent Event
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Proceeds from issuance of debt	$ 500,000,000