CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	$ 554,167	$ 455,136	$ 1,058,942	$ 867,784
Program and production	181,088	134,303	352,103	261,342
Selling, general and administrative	116,955	98,415	234,858	196,175
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	141,784	119,379	273,094	226,228
Total operating expenses	439,827	352,097	860,055	683,745
Operating income	114,340	103,039	198,887	184,039
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(47,664)	(40,121)	(94,312)	(79,659)
Other income (expense)	3,057	1,757	6,421	2,772
Total other expense, net	(44,607)	(38,364)	(87,891)	(76,887)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(23,334)	(23,074)	(39,761)	(37,894)
NET INCOME	46,399	41,601	71,235	69,258
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(612)	(266)	(1,166)	(765)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	45,787	41,335	70,069	68,493
Comprehensive income (loss)	46,483	42,247	71,403	69,942
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	0	0	0	0
Program and production	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	1,457	1,155	2,501	2,040
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	266	267	533	534
Total operating expenses	1,723	1,422	3,034	2,574
Operating income	(1,723)	(1,422)	(3,034)	(2,574)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	46,369	42,662	70,693	69,349
Interest expense	(106)	(149)	(207)	(308)
Other income (expense)	944	941	2,294	1,587
Total other expense, net	47,207	43,454	72,780	70,628
Income tax benefit (provision)	303	(697)	323	439
NET INCOME	45,787	41,335	70,069	68,493
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	45,787	41,335	70,069	68,493
Comprehensive income (loss)	46,483	42,247	71,403	69,942
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	0	0	0	0
Program and production	0	114	0	190
Selling, general and administrative	11,429	14,000	26,212	28,545
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	809	1,138	1,584	2,245
Total operating expenses	12,238	15,252	27,796	30,980
Operating income	(12,238)	(15,252)	(27,796)	(30,980)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	85,483	75,388	149,948	137,652
Interest expense	(44,969)	(37,082)	(88,842)	(73,830)
Other income (expense)	444	86	291	382
Total other expense, net	40,958	38,392	61,397	64,204
Income tax benefit (provision)	19,584	19,209	40,199	36,476
NET INCOME	48,304	42,349	73,800	69,700
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	48,304	42,349	73,800	69,700
Comprehensive income (loss)	48,315	42,515	73,817	69,780
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	522,405	430,334	999,076	820,414
Program and production	180,033	133,440	349,727	260,173
Selling, general and administrative	100,579	80,324	199,927	160,826
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	109,201	93,889	211,560	180,279
Total operating expenses	389,813	307,653	761,214	601,278
Operating income	132,592	122,681	237,862	219,136
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(50)	0	(100)	0
Interest expense	(1,165)	(1,224)	(2,341)	(2,466)
Other income (expense)	203	465	266	558
Total other expense, net	(1,012)	(759)	(2,175)	(1,908)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(44,899)	(43,691)	(83,277)	(76,733)
NET INCOME	86,681	78,231	152,410	140,495
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	86,681	78,231	152,410	140,495
Comprehensive income (loss)	86,756	78,231	152,561	140,495
Reportable legal entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	52,908	47,527	99,912	88,954
Program and production	20,550	21,492	40,399	39,903
Selling, general and administrative	3,683	3,511	6,323	5,911
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	32,135	24,805	60,385	43,965
Total operating expenses	56,368	49,808	107,107	89,779
Operating income	(3,460)	(2,281)	(7,195)	(825)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(7,470)	(6,974)	(14,176)	(13,527)
Other income (expense)	1,466	285	3,570	285
Total other expense, net	(6,004)	(6,689)	(10,606)	(13,242)
Income tax benefit (provision)	1,678	2,105	2,994	1,924
NET INCOME	(7,786)	(6,865)	(14,807)	(12,143)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(646)	(299)	(1,200)	(798)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(8,432)	(7,164)	(16,007)	(12,941)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(7,786)	(5,887)	(14,807)	(11,539)
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	(21,146)	(22,725)	(40,046)	(41,584)
Program and production	(19,495)	(20,743)	(38,023)	(38,924)
Selling, general and administrative	(193)	(575)	(105)	(1,147)
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	(627)	(720)	(968)	(795)
Total operating expenses	(20,315)	(22,038)	(39,096)	(40,866)
Operating income	(831)	(687)	(950)	(718)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(131,802)	(118,050)	(220,541)	(207,001)
Interest expense	6,046	5,308	11,254	10,472
Other income (expense)	0	(20)	0	(40)
Total other expense, net	(125,756)	(112,762)	(209,287)	(196,569)
Income tax benefit (provision)	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME	(126,587)	(113,449)	(210,237)	(197,287)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	34	33	34	33
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(126,553)	(113,416)	(210,203)	(197,254)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (127,285)	$ (114,859)	$ (211,571)	$ (198,736)