CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	$ 649,935	$ 578,889
Media program and production expenses	258,155	215,877
Selling, general and administrative	145,297	136,350
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	88,854	140,323
Total operating expenses	492,306	492,550
Operating income	157,629	86,339
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Interest expense	(57,318)	(49,415)
Other income (expense)	375	885
Loss from extinguishment of debt	(1,404)	0
Total other expense, net	(58,347)	(48,530)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(28,579)	(12,180)
NET INCOME	70,703	25,629
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(13,501)	(1,489)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	57,202	24,140
Comprehensive income	70,703	25,629
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	0	0
Media program and production expenses	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	1,296	1,002
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	266	266
Total operating expenses	1,562	1,268
Operating income	(1,562)	(1,268)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	58,189	24,287
Interest expense	(36)	(94)
Other income (expense)	101	1,142
Loss from extinguishment of debt	0
Total other expense, net	58,254	25,335
Income tax benefit (provision)	510	73
NET INCOME	57,202	24,140
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	57,202	24,140
Comprehensive income	57,202	24,140
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	0	0
Media program and production expenses	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	18,958	22,099
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	1,725	1,190
Total operating expenses	20,683	23,289
Operating income	(20,683)	(23,289)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	87,805	74,855
Interest expense	(54,704)	(46,363)
Other income (expense)	799	118
Loss from extinguishment of debt	(1,404)
Total other expense, net	32,496	28,610
Income tax benefit (provision)	25,106	23,103
NET INCOME	36,919	28,424
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	36,919	28,424
Comprehensive income	36,919	28,424
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	615,709	545,113
Media program and production expenses	248,205	209,725
Selling, general and administrative	122,435	111,107
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	111,228	108,478
Total operating expenses	481,868	429,310
Operating income	133,841	115,803
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	50	50
Interest expense	(1,119)	(1,202)
Other income (expense)	496	(11)
Loss from extinguishment of debt	0
Total other expense, net	(573)	(1,163)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(44,229)	(38,180)
NET INCOME	89,039	76,460
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	89,039	76,460
Comprehensive income	89,039	76,460
Reportable legal entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	53,386	52,250
Media program and production expenses	28,444	24,381
Selling, general and administrative	2,633	2,162
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	(23,920)	30,855
Total operating expenses	7,157	57,398
Operating income	46,229	(5,148)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Interest expense	(7,623)	(7,897)
Other income (expense)	(1,021)	(364)
Loss from extinguishment of debt	0
Total other expense, net	(8,644)	(8,261)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(9,966)	2,824
NET INCOME	27,619	(10,585)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(13,494)	(899)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	14,125	(11,484)
Comprehensive income	27,619	(10,585)
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	(19,160)	(18,474)
Media program and production expenses	(18,494)	(18,229)
Selling, general and administrative	(25)	(20)
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	(445)	(466)
Total operating expenses	(18,964)	(18,715)
Operating income	(196)	241
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(146,044)	(99,192)
Interest expense	6,164	6,141
Other income (expense)	0	0
Loss from extinguishment of debt	0
Total other expense, net	(139,880)	(93,051)
Income tax benefit (provision)	0	0
NET INCOME	(140,076)	(92,810)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(7)	(590)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(140,083)	(93,400)
Comprehensive income	$ (140,076)	$ (92,810)