Represents the term of renewal options for capital leases of the entity.

No definition available.

Name:	sbgi_CapitalLeasesRenewalOptionsTerm
Namespace Prefix:	sbgi_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the term of capital leases of the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sbgi_CapitalLeasesTerm
Namespace Prefix:	sbgi_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of restaurants owned by related parties.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sbgi_RelatedPartyTransactionNumberOfRestaurants
Namespace Prefix:	sbgi_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the amount paid for transactions to related party during the financial reporting period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sbgi_RelatedPartyTransactionPaymentsToRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	sbgi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Expenses recognized resulting from transactions (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reflects the sum of all other revenue and income realized from sales and other transactions (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionOtherRevenuesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis=sbgi_LeaseServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=sbgi_EntitiesOwnedByControllingShareholdersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis=sbgi_CharterAircraftMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=us-gaap_MajorityShareholderMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	sbgi_RelatedPartyTransactionsByTypeOfServicesAxis=sbgi_AdvertisingTimeServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=sbgi_AtlanticAutomotiveCorporationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	sbgi_RelatedPartyTransactionsByTypeOfServicesAxis=sbgi_LeaseServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=us-gaap_ChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=sbgi_RealEstateVenturesInTowsonMDMember
Namespace Prefix:
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RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS - Transactions With Our Controlling Shareholders (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 29, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) restaurant	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Related person transactions
Capital leases, term	30 months
Term of renewal options	12 months
Leased assets or facilities \| Entities owned by the controlling shareholders
Related person transactions
Amount paid		$ 5.1	$ 5.1	$ 5.1
Charter Aircraft \| Controlling shareholders
Related person transactions
Aircraft expense		1.4	1.4	1.5
Advertising time \| Atlantic Automotive
Related person transactions
Amount received		0.6	0.4	0.4
Leased assets or facilities \| Atlantic Automotive
Related person transactions
Amount received		1.1	1.2	1.0
Real estate ventures in Baltimore, MD \| Leased assets or facilities \| Chief Executive Officer
Related person transactions
Amount paid		0.1	0.1	0.1
Amount received		$ 0.7	0.6	0.5
Number of restaurants owned by a related party \| restaurant		3
Real Estate Ventures In Towson M D \| Leased assets or facilities \| Chief Executive Officer
Related person transactions
Amount received		$ 0.4	$ 0.3	$ 0.3