CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract]
Net income	$ 115,269	$ 118,026
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation of property and equipment	75,938	74,972
Amortization of definite-lived intangible and other assets	119,439	84,195
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments	90,014	76,137
Stock-based compensation expense	14,778	11,433
Deferred tax benefit	(19,623)	(23,214)
Change in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
Decrease in accounts receivable	563	17,376
Increase in prepaid expenses and other current assets	(11,643)	(13,570)
Increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities	5,895	76,381
Net change in net income taxes payable/receivable	5,623	21,569
Payments on program contracts payable	(82,594)	(69,505)
Real estate held for development and sale	(5,540)	(12,645)
Other, net	3,369	(2,758)
Net cash flows from operating activities	311,488	358,397
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Acquisition of property and equipment	(72,476)	(58,151)
Payments for acquisition of television stations	(15,514)	(1,071,428)
Payments for acquisition of assets in other operating divisions	0	(8,273)
Purchase of alarm monitoring contracts	(31,340)	(15,647)
Proceeds from sale of broadcast assets	23,650	83,200
Increase in restricted cash	0	(92,583)
Distributions from equity and cost method investees	9,972	3,044
Investments in equity and cost method investees	(43,068)	(7,958)
Proceeds from termination of life insurance policies	0	17,042
Other, net	1,243	3,892
Net cash flows used in investing activities	(127,533)	(1,146,862)
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from notes payable and commercial bank financing	379,481	1,061,490
Repayments of notes payable, commercial bank financing and capital leases	(375,104)	(286,417)
Dividends paid on Class A and Class B Common Stock	(47,104)	(45,322)
Repurchase of outstanding Class A Common Stock	(28,823)	(108,438)
Payments for deferred financing cost	(3,847)	(15,010)
Noncontrolling interests distributions	(6,655)	(4,294)
Other, net	(196)	5,702
Net cash flows used in financing activities	(82,248)	607,711
NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	101,707	(180,754)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period	17,682	280,104
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period	$ 119,389	$ 99,350