CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 30, 2016	Aug. 15, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 23, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Oct. 12, 2013	Apr. 02, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Oct. 12, 2012
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Consolidated total debt		$ 4,203,800
Cash and cash equivalents		259,984						$ 149,972	$ 17,682	$ 280,104			$ 280,104
Accounts and other receivables		513,954						424,608
Other current assets		131,150						127,183
Total current assets		905,088						701,763
Property and equipment, net		717,576						717,137
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		0						0
Other long-term assets		249,049						198,287
Goodwill		1,990,746						1,931,093	1,964,553
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		156,306						132,465
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net		1,944,403						1,751,570
Total assets	[1]	5,963,168						5,432,315
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		322,505						251,313
Current portion of long-term debt		171,131						164,184
Current portion of affiliate long-term debt		3,604						3,166
Other current liabilities		139,233						116,340
Total current liabilities		636,473						535,003
Long-term debt		4,014,932						3,669,160
Affiliate long-term debt		14,181						17,850
Other liabilities		739,646						710,624
Total liabilities	[1]	5,405,232						4,932,637
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		587,983						525,810
Noncontrolling interests		(30,047)						(26,132)
Total liabilities and equity		5,963,168						5,432,315
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Amount of debt guaranteed by parent		4,018,000
Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Amount of debt guaranteed by parent		4,066,800
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		0						0	0				0
Accounts and other receivables		0						0
Other current assets		5,561						3,648
Total current assets		5,561						3,648
Property and equipment, net		1,820						2,884
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		551,250						497,262
Other long-term assets		46,586						52,128
Goodwill		0						0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0						0
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net		0						0
Total assets		605,217						555,922
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		100						104
Current portion of long-term debt		0						0
Current portion of affiliate long-term debt		1,857						1,651
Other current liabilities		0						0
Total current liabilities		1,957						1,755
Long-term debt		0						0
Affiliate long-term debt		0						1,857
Other liabilities		15,277						26,500
Total liabilities		17,234						30,112
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		587,983						525,810
Noncontrolling interests		0						0
Total liabilities and equity		605,217						555,922
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		232,297						115,771	3,394				237,974
Accounts and other receivables		0						1,775
Other current assets		3,143						5,172
Total current assets		235,440						122,718
Property and equipment, net		17,925						20,336
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		3,614,605						3,430,434
Other long-term assets		819,506						673,915
Goodwill		0						0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0						0
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net		0						0
Total assets		4,687,476						4,247,403
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		69,118						49,428
Current portion of long-term debt		55,501						57,640
Current portion of affiliate long-term debt		0						0
Other current liabilities		0						0
Total current liabilities		124,619						107,068
Long-term debt		3,939,463						3,594,218
Affiliate long-term debt		0						0
Other liabilities		31,817						28,866
Total liabilities		4,095,899						3,730,152
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		591,577						517,251
Noncontrolling interests		0						0
Total liabilities and equity		4,687,476						4,247,403
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		10,675						235	1,749				28,594
Accounts and other receivables		478,190						390,142
Other current assets		124,313						99,118
Total current assets		613,178						489,495
Property and equipment, net		570,289						559,042
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		4,179						4,179
Other long-term assets		103,808						110,507
Goodwill		1,986,467						1,926,814
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		140,597						114,841
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net		1,770,512						1,602,454
Total assets		5,189,030						4,807,332
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		225,645						179,156
Current portion of long-term debt		1,851						1,611
Current portion of affiliate long-term debt		1,514						1,311
Other current liabilities		127,967						103,627
Total current liabilities		356,977						285,705
Long-term debt		31,014						32,743
Affiliate long-term debt		12,663						14,240
Other liabilities		1,190,717						1,060,211
Total liabilities		1,591,371						1,392,899
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		3,597,659						3,414,433
Noncontrolling interests		0						0
Total liabilities and equity		5,189,030						4,807,332
Reportable legal entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		17,012						33,966	12,539				13,536
Accounts and other receivables		37,024						33,949
Other current assets		25,406						23,278
Total current assets		79,442						91,193
Property and equipment, net		131,326						143,667
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		0						0
Other long-term assets		169,817						140,910
Goodwill		4,279						4,279
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		15,709						17,624
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net		233,368						206,975
Total assets		633,941						604,648
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		48,815						27,462
Current portion of long-term debt		113,779						106,358
Current portion of affiliate long-term debt		2,336						456
Other current liabilities		13,590						12,713
Total current liabilities		178,520						146,989
Long-term debt		44,455						42,199
Affiliate long-term debt		396,957						366,042
Other liabilities		183,418						171,102
Total liabilities		803,350						726,332
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		(134,991)						(91,703)
Noncontrolling interests		(34,418)						(29,981)
Total liabilities and equity		633,941						604,648
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		0						0	$ 0				$ 0
Accounts and other receivables		(1,260)						(1,258)
Other current assets		(27,273)						(4,033)
Total current assets		(28,533)						(5,291)
Property and equipment, net		(3,784)						(8,792)
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		(4,170,034)						(3,931,875)
Other long-term assets		(890,668)						(779,173)
Goodwill		0						0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0						0
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net		(59,477)						(57,859)
Total assets		(5,152,496)						(4,782,990)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(21,173)						(4,837)
Current portion of long-term debt		0						(1,425)
Current portion of affiliate long-term debt		(2,103)						(252)
Other current liabilities		(2,324)						0
Total current liabilities		(25,600)						(6,514)
Long-term debt		0						0
Affiliate long-term debt		(395,439)						(364,289)
Other liabilities		(681,583)						(576,055)
Total liabilities		(1,102,622)						(946,858)
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		(4,054,245)						(3,839,981)
Noncontrolling interests		4,371						3,849
Total liabilities and equity		$ (5,152,496)						$ (4,782,990)
Senior Notes | 5.375% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2021
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)								5.375%				5.375%
Senior Notes | 5.375% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2021 | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		5.375%
Senior Notes | 5.375% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2021 | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		5.375%
Senior Notes | 5.625% Senior Notes, due | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		5.625%
Senior Notes | 6.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2022
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)								6.125%			6.125%			6.125%
Senior Notes | 6.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2022 | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		6.125%
Senior Notes | 6.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2022 | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		6.125%
Senior Notes | 6.375% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2021
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)			6.375%		6.375%
Senior Notes | 6.375% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2021 | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		6.375%
Senior Notes | 6.375% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2021 | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		6.375%
Senior Notes | 5.625% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024 | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		5.625%
Senior Notes | 5.875% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)						5.875%	5.875%	5.875%
Senior Notes | 5.875% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026 | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		5.875%
Senior Notes | 5.875% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026 | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		5.875%
Senior Notes | 5.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2027
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)			5.125%	5.125%				5.125%
Senior Notes | 5.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2027 | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		5.125%
Senior Notes | 5.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2027 | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Interest rate (as a percent)		5.125%

[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.