CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	$ 666,534	$ 554,167	$ 1,245,423	$ 1,058,942
Media production expenses	243,620	181,810	459,497	353,381
Selling, general and administrative	142,767	117,408	279,117	235,687
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	151,073	140,609	291,396	270,987
Total operating expenses	537,460	439,827	1,030,010	860,055
Operating income	129,074	114,340	215,413	198,887
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(53,916)	(47,664)	(103,331)	(94,312)
Other income (expense)	2,047	3,057	2,932	6,421
Total other expense, net	(51,869)	(44,607)	(100,399)	(87,891)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(26,605)	(23,334)	(38,785)	(39,761)
NET INCOME	50,600	46,399	76,229	71,235
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(1,181)	(612)	(2,670)	(1,166)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	49,419	45,787	73,559	70,069
Comprehensive income	50,600	46,483	76,229	71,403
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	0	0	0	0
Media production expenses	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	1,001	1,457	2,003	2,501
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	266	266	532	533
Total operating expenses	1,267	1,723	2,535	3,034
Operating income	(1,267)	(1,723)	(2,535)	(3,034)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	49,136	46,369	73,424	70,693
Interest expense	(41)	(106)	(136)	(207)
Other income (expense)	1,087	944	2,230	2,294
Total other expense, net	50,182	47,207	75,518	72,780
Income tax benefit (provision)	504	303	576	323
NET INCOME	49,419	45,787	73,559	70,069
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	49,419	45,787	73,559	70,069
Comprehensive income	49,419	46,483	73,559	71,403
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	0	0	0	0
Media production expenses	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	14,121	11,429	36,219	26,212
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	1,219	809	2,410	1,584
Total operating expenses	15,340	12,238	38,629	27,796
Operating income	(15,340)	(12,238)	(38,629)	(27,796)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	100,678	85,483	175,533	149,948
Interest expense	(50,908)	(44,969)	(97,271)	(88,842)
Other income (expense)	148	444	267	291
Total other expense, net	49,918	40,958	78,529	61,397
Income tax benefit (provision)	18,034	19,584	41,137	40,199
NET INCOME	52,612	48,304	81,037	73,800
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	52,612	48,304	81,037	73,800
Comprehensive income	52,612	48,315	81,037	73,817
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	627,517	522,405	1,172,629	999,076
Media production expenses	235,138	180,033	444,864	349,727
Selling, general and administrative	125,331	100,579	236,442	199,927
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	116,970	109,201	225,445	211,560
Total operating expenses	477,439	389,813	906,751	761,214
Operating income	150,078	132,592	265,878	237,862
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	69	(50)	119	(100)
Interest expense	(1,098)	(1,165)	(2,299)	(2,341)
Other income (expense)	622	203	609	266
Total other expense, net	(407)	(1,012)	(1,571)	(2,175)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(47,722)	(44,899)	(85,902)	(83,277)
NET INCOME	101,949	86,681	178,405	152,410
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	101,949	86,681	178,405	152,410
Comprehensive income	101,949	86,756	178,405	152,561
Reportable legal entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	62,037	52,908	114,287	99,912
Media production expenses	30,440	21,272	54,821	41,677
Selling, general and administrative	2,326	4,136	4,487	7,152
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	33,134	30,960	63,990	58,278
Total operating expenses	65,900	56,368	123,298	107,107
Operating income	(3,863)	(3,460)	(9,011)	(7,195)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(8,107)	(7,470)	(16,003)	(14,176)
Other income (expense)	190	1,466	(174)	3,570
Total other expense, net	(7,917)	(6,004)	(16,177)	(10,606)
Income tax benefit (provision)	2,579	1,678	5,404	2,994
NET INCOME	(9,201)	(7,786)	(19,784)	(14,807)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(1,262)	(646)	(2,161)	(1,200)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(10,463)	(8,432)	(21,945)	(16,007)
Comprehensive income	(9,201)	(7,786)	(19,784)	(14,807)
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	(23,020)	(21,146)	(41,493)	(40,046)
Media production expenses	(21,958)	(19,495)	(40,188)	(38,023)
Selling, general and administrative	(12)	(193)	(34)	(105)
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	(516)	(627)	(981)	(968)
Total operating expenses	(22,486)	(20,315)	(41,203)	(39,096)
Operating income	(534)	(831)	(290)	(950)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(149,883)	(131,802)	(249,076)	(220,541)
Interest expense	6,238	6,046	12,378	11,254
Other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Total other expense, net	(143,645)	(125,756)	(236,698)	(209,287)
Income tax benefit (provision)	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME	(144,179)	(126,587)	(236,988)	(210,237)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	81	34	(509)	34
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(144,098)	(126,553)	(237,497)	(210,203)
Comprehensive income	$ (144,179)	$ (127,285)	$ (236,988)	$ (211,571)