CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 104,545	$ 149,972
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,838 and $4,495, respectively		519,662	424,608
Current portion of program contract costs		110,228	91,466
Income taxes receivable		9,234	823
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		37,909	26,903
Deferred barter costs		8,512	7,991
Total current assets		790,090	701,763
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion		12,245	18,996
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net		713,088	717,137
RESTRICTED CASH		0	3,725
GOODWILL		1,989,578	1,931,093
INDEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS		153,125	132,465
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net		1,983,326	1,751,570
OTHER ASSETS		224,736	175,566
Total assets	[1]	5,866,188	5,432,315
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		291,213	251,313
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing		165,238	164,184
Current portion of notes and capital leases payable to affiliates		3,599	3,166
Current portion of program contracts payable		131,553	108,260
Deferred barter revenues		8,142	8,080
Total current liabilities		599,745	535,003
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion		4,022,437	3,669,160
Notes payable and capital leases to affiliates, less current portion		15,036	17,850
Program contracts payable, less current portion		57,724	56,921
Deferred tax liabilities		612,961	585,072
Other long-term liabilities		71,619	68,631
Total liabilities	[1]	5,379,522	4,932,637
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (See Note 4)
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Additional paid-in capital		876,895	962,726
Accumulated deficit		(360,459)	(437,029)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(834)	(834)
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		516,516	525,810
Noncontrolling interests		(29,850)	(26,132)
Total equity		486,666	499,678
Total liabilities and equity		5,866,188	5,432,315
Assets of variable interest entities		151,100	152,400
Liabilities of variable interest entities		41,100	35,600
Class A Common Stock
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Common Stock		655	688
Class B Common Stock
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Common Stock		$ 259	$ 259

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $151.1 million and $152.4 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $41.1 million and $35.6 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us. See Note 1. Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.