Acquisitions - Acquisition Information (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands						3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 23, 2020 USD ($) station $ / shares shares	Sep. 19, 2019 USD ($) televisionMarket television_station	Jun. 10, 2019 USD ($)	May 01, 2019 USD ($) television_station televisionMarket	Jan. 01, 2019 USD ($) television_station	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Programming							$ 0	$ 52,699
Programming (less current portion)							137,663	96,256
Goodwill							1,201,533	1,224,679
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses							349,915	385,915
Current programming liability							69,261	96,682
Programming liability							(38,632)	$ (57,291)
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of businesses acquired | television_station		8
Business acquisition, purchase price		$ 582,000
Programming		11,997
Other current assets		3,541
Property and equipment		61,569
Right-of-use assets		82,447
Programming (less current portion)		9,830
Goodwill		168,196
Accrued expenses		(4,586)
Current programming liability		16,211
Other current liabilities		(3,185)
Operating lease liabilities		(79,766)
Programming liability		(15,607)
Net purchase price		$ 582,325
Number of television markets | televisionMarket		7
Number of television stations | television_station		1
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Tribune Media Company [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of television stations | television_station		7
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Television network affiliation relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets		$ 181,000
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Advertiser relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets		7,100
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses		$ 176,000
Cordillera Communications, LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of businesses acquired | television_station				15
Business acquisition, purchase price				$ 521,000
Net working capital adjustment used in combination				23,900
Reduction of purchase price						$ 2,500
Accounts receivable				26,770
Other current assets				986
Property and equipment				53,734
Right-of-use assets				4,667
Goodwill				251,681
Accounts payable				(15)
Accrued expenses				(5,750)
Other current liabilities				(280)
Operating lease liabilities				(4,387)
Net purchase price				$ 542,406
Number of television markets | televisionMarket				10
Cordillera Communications, LLC | Television network affiliation relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets				$ 169,400
Cordillera Communications, LLC | Advertiser relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets				5,900
Cordillera Communications, LLC | Shared Service Agreements
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets				$ 13,000
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period				20 years
Cordillera Communications, LLC | Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses				$ 26,700
Raycom Media, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of businesses acquired | television_station					3
Business acquisition, purchase price					$ 55,000
Property and equipment					11,721
Right-of-use assets					296
Goodwill					18,349
Operating lease liabilities					(296)
Net purchase price					54,970
Raycom Media, Inc. | Television network affiliation relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets					17,400
Raycom Media, Inc. | Advertiser relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets					700
Raycom Media, Inc. | Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses					$ 6,800
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Accounts receivable							26,770
Programming							11,997
Other current assets							4,527
Property and equipment							127,024
Right-of-use assets							87,410
Programming (less current portion)							9,830
Goodwill							438,226
Accounts payable							(15)
Accrued expenses							(10,336)
Current programming liability							16,211
Other current liabilities							(3,465)
Operating lease liabilities							(84,449)
Programming liability							(15,607)
Net purchase price							1,179,701
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Television network affiliation relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets							$ 367,800
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period							20 years
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Advertiser relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets							$ 13,700
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Shared Service Agreements
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets							13,000
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets - FCC licenses							$ 209,500
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Minimum | Advertiser relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period							5 years
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Maximum | Advertiser relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period							10 years
Omny Studio
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business acquisition, purchase price			$ 8,300
Goodwill			5,300
Omny Studio | Developed Technology Rights
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Other intangible assets			$ 3,800
Intangible asset, estimated amortization period			10 years
ION Media [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Expected purchase price at merger	$ 2,650,000
Exercise right of warrants ( in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 13
Number of stations to be divested | station	26
ION Media [Member] | United States
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of US Homes	96.00%
ION Media [Member] | Preferred Stock | Berkshire Hathaway
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Preferred equity investment	$ 600,000
ION Media [Member] | Common stock, Class A | Berkshire Hathaway
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of shares purchasable by warrant | shares	23,100,000