CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 681,326	$ 259,984
Restricted cash, current		313,110	200
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,590 and $2,124, respectively		566,464	513,954
Current portion of program contract costs		71,387	83,601
Income taxes receivable		28,150	5,500
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		54,310	41,849
Total current assets		1,714,747	905,088
Program contract costs, less current portion		3,202	8,919
Property and equipment, net		738,298	717,576
Restricted cash, less current portion		1,504	0
Goodwill		2,124,033	1,990,746
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, net		159,371	156,306
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,801,670	1,944,403
Notes receivable from affiliates		0	19,500
Other assets		241,645	220,630
Total assets	[1]	6,784,470	5,963,168
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		370,403	328,545
Deferred spectrum auction proceeds		84,341	0
Income taxes payable		2,503	23,491
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing		159,382	171,131
Current portion of notes payable and capital leases payable to affiliates		1,667	3,604
Current portion of program contracts payable		108,053	109,702
Total current liabilities		726,349	636,473
Long-term liabilities
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion		3,875,116	4,014,932
Notes payable and capital leases to affiliates, less current portion		12,485	14,181
Program contracts payable, less current portion		41,909	53,836
Deferred tax liabilities		515,236	609,317
Other long-term liabilities		79,009	76,493
Total liabilities	[1]	5,250,104	5,405,232
Commitments and contingencies (See Note 10)
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Additional paid-in capital		1,320,298	843,691
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)		248,845	(255,804)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(1,423)	(807)
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		1,568,738	587,983
Noncontrolling interests		(34,372)	(30,047)
Total equity		1,534,366	557,936
Total liabilities and equity		6,784,470	5,963,168
Total assets of variable interest entities		130,600	142,300
Total liabilities of variable interest entities		27,000	40,900
Class A Common Stock
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Common Stock		761	646
Class B Common Stock
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Common Stock		$ 257	$ 257

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $130.6 million and $142.3 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $27.0 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.