NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Variable Interest Entities Balance Sheet Disclosure (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
CURRENT ASSETS:
Accounts receivable		$ 513,954	$ 424,608
Other current assets		36,267	26,903
Total current assets		905,088	701,763
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion		8,919	18,996
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net		717,576	717,137
GOODWILL		1,990,746	1,931,093	$ 1,964,553
INDEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS		156,306	132,465	$ 135,075
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net		1,944,403	1,751,570
OTHER ASSETS		220,630	175,566
Total assets	[1]	5,963,168	5,432,315
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Other current liabilities		139,233	116,340
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion		4,014,932	3,669,160
Program contracts payable, less current portion		53,836	56,921
Other long-term liabilities		76,493	68,631
Total liabilities	[1]	5,405,232	4,932,637
Consolidated VIEs, aggregated
CURRENT ASSETS:
Accounts receivable		21,879	21,719
Other current assets		12,076	14,108
Total current assets		33,955	35,827
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion		2,468	4,541
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net		2,996	7,609
GOODWILL		791	787
INDEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS		15,684	17,599
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net		79,509	79,086
OTHER ASSETS		6,871	6,924
Total assets		142,274	152,373
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Other current liabilities		18,992	17,554
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion		19,449	24,594
Program contracts payable, less current portion		14,353	13,679
Other long-term liabilities		12,921	8,067
Total liabilities		$ 65,715	$ 63,894

[1] (a) Our consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $142.3 million and $152.4 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $40.9 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.