SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Schedule of Variable Interest Entities Assets and Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 64,579	$ 17,682	$ 395,546	$ 280,104
Accounts receivable	384,570	383,503
Current portion of program contract costs	44,538	88,198
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	41,661	21,338
Total current assets	543,799	526,165
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion	24,013	38,531
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	741,854	752,538
GOODWILL	1,951,302	1,964,553
BROADCAST LICENSES	130,915	135,075
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	1,792,919	1,818,263
OTHER ASSETS	192,836	166,386
Total assets	5,380,981	5,410,328
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	17,844	12,248
Accrued liabilities	218,395	246,123
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing	61,935	113,116
Current portion of program contracts payable	62,311	104,922
Total current liabilities	396,881	494,006
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion	3,808,085	3,754,822
Program contracts payable, less current portion	49,586	60,605
Total liabilities	4,934,722	5,004,985
Consolidated VIEs, aggregated
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	490	491
Accounts receivable	19,307	19,521
Current portion of program contract costs	8,570	9,544
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	435	297
Total current assets	28,802	29,853
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion	4,866	6,922
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	9,012	9,716
GOODWILL	787	787
BROADCAST LICENSES	16,960	16,935
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	87,974	96,732
OTHER ASSETS	6,924	2,376
Total assets	155,325	163,321
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	39	68
Accrued liabilities	1,431	1,297
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing	3,673	3,659
Current portion of program contracts payable	8,172	9,714
Total current liabilities	13,315	14,738
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion	26,321	28,640
Program contracts payable, less current portion	10,520	10,161
Long term liabilities	8,670	8,739
Total liabilities	$ 58,826	$ 62,278