SEGMENT DATA (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment data
Revenue			$ 670,891	$ 693,835	$ 2,000,115	$ 1,939,258
Depreciation of property and equipment			24,442	25,886	72,026	74,330
Amortization of definite-lived intangible assets and other assets			43,368	47,807	132,299	137,197
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments			28,047	32,441	87,962	96,722
General and administrative overhead expenses			25,831	19,052	71,458	54,672
Research and development expenses			2,551	745	5,053	3,055
Operating income (loss)			103,447	153,994	379,924	369,407
Interest expense			51,743	53,488	160,020	156,819
Loss from equity and cost method investments			(4,362)	1,423	(4,221)	2,789
Assets	[1]		6,687,069		6,687,069		$ 5,963,168
Operating segments | Broadcast
Segment data
Revenue			610,840	635,559	1,821,248	1,790,561
Depreciation of property and equipment			22,344	24,195	65,850	69,469
Amortization of definite-lived intangible assets and other assets			38,186	38,717	114,810	117,038
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments			28,047	32,441	87,962	96,722
General and administrative overhead expenses			23,582	17,530	65,059	50,320
Research and development expenses			0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)			115,571	158,666	361,259	402,236
Interest expense			1,281	1,404	3,976	4,297
Loss from equity and cost method investments			0	0	0	0
Assets			5,274,895		5,274,895
Operating segments | Other
Segment data
Revenue			60,051	58,276	178,867	148,697
Depreciation of property and equipment			1,851	1,425	5,438	4,063
Amortization of definite-lived intangible assets and other assets			5,182	9,090	17,489	20,159
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments			0	0	0	0
General and administrative overhead expenses			224	247	785	1,075
Research and development expenses			2,551	745	5,053	3,055
Operating income (loss)			(9,852)	(3,077)	25,016	(28,699)
Interest expense			204	1,664	1,633	4,695
Loss from equity and cost method investments			(4,362)	611	(4,221)	414
Assets			762,751		762,751
Corporate
Segment data
Revenue			0	0	0	0
Depreciation of property and equipment			247	266	738	798
Amortization of definite-lived intangible assets and other assets			0	0	0	0
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments			0	0	0	0
General and administrative overhead expenses			2,025	1,275	5,614	3,277
Research and development expenses			0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)			(2,272)	(1,595)	(6,351)	(4,130)
Interest expense			50,258	50,420	154,411	147,827
Loss from equity and cost method investments			0	$ 812	0	$ 2,375
Assets			$ 649,423		$ 649,423
Alarm Funding Associates | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Segment data
Gain on sale of consolidated non-media business		$ 53,000
Gain on sale attributable to non-controlling interest		$ 12,300

[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.