CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 602,193	$ 259,984
Restricted cash		312,802	200
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,510 and $2,124, respectively		523,111	513,954
Current portion of program contract costs		97,768	83,601
Income taxes receivable		5,080	5,500
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		37,384	36,067
Deferred barter costs		11,093	5,782
Total current assets		1,589,431	905,088
Program contract costs, less current portion		4,513	8,919
Property and equipment, net		724,125	717,576
Restricted cash		1,501	0
Goodwill		2,113,651	1,990,746
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		168,720	156,306
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,841,938	1,944,403
Notes Receivable from affiliates		19,500	19,500
Other assets		223,690	220,630
Total assets	[1]	6,687,069	5,963,168
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		290,848	322,505
Deferred spectrum auction proceeds		310,802	0
Income taxes payable		1,500	23,491
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing		164,485	171,131
Current portion of notes and capital leases payable to affiliates		2,183	3,604
Current portion of program contracts payable		130,892	109,702
Deferred barter revenues		10,513	6,040
Total current liabilities		911,223	636,473
Long-term liabilities:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion		3,876,134	4,014,932
Notes payable and capital leases to affiliates, less current portion		12,824	14,181
Program contracts payable, less current portion		46,026	53,836
Deferred tax liabilities		661,745	609,317
Other long-term liabilities		70,818	76,493
Total liabilities	[1]	5,578,770	5,405,232
Commitments and contingencies (See Note 4)
Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity:
Additional paid-in capital		1,318,155	843,691
Accumulated deficit		(176,370)	(255,804)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(807)	(807)
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		1,141,995	587,983
Noncontrolling interests		(33,696)	(30,047)
Total equity		1,108,299	557,936
Total liabilities and equity		6,687,069	5,963,168
Assets of variable interest entities		260,700	142,300
Liabilities of variable interest entities		160,200	40,900
Class A Common Stock
Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity:
Common Stock		760	646
Class B Common Stock
Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity:
Common Stock		$ 257	$ 257

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $260.7 million and $142.3 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $160.2 million and $40.9 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.