CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 810,232	$ 681,326
Restricted cash, current		226,558	313,110
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,209 and $2,590, respectively		538,472	566,464
Current portion of program contract costs		42,736	71,387
Income taxes receivable		27,909	28,150
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		68,784	54,310
Total current assets		1,714,691	1,714,747
Assets held for sale		152,880	0
Program contract costs, less current portion		2,178	3,202
Property and equipment, net		654,432	738,298
Restricted cash, less current portion		1,505	1,504
Goodwill		2,021,970	2,124,033
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		156,629	159,371
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,729,563	1,801,670
Other assets		229,563	241,645
Total assets	[1]	6,663,411	6,784,470
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		356,792	370,403
Deferred spectrum auction proceeds		0	84,341
Income taxes payable		2,503	2,503
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing		154,944	161,049
Current portion of program contracts payable		77,442	108,053
Total current liabilities		591,681	726,349
Liabilities held for sale		12,210	0
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion		3,875,025	3,887,601
Program contracts payable, less current portion		37,170	41,909
Deferred tax liabilities		498,719	515,236
Other long-term liabilities		77,063	79,009
Total liabilities	[1]	5,091,868	5,250,104
Commitments and contingencies (See Note 4)
Shareholders' Equity:
Additional paid-in capital		1,332,432	1,320,298
Retained earnings		275,676	248,845
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(1,423)	(1,423)
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		1,607,707	1,568,738
Noncontrolling interests		(36,164)	(34,372)
Total equity		1,571,543	1,534,366
Total liabilities and equity		6,663,411	6,784,470
Assets of variable interest entities		122,500	130,600
Liabilities of variable interest entities		23,000	27,000
Class A Common Stock
Shareholders' Equity:
Common Stock		765	761
Class B Common Stock
Shareholders' Equity:
Common Stock		$ 257	$ 257

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $122.5 million and $130.6 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 include total liabilities of VIEs of $23.0 million and $27.0 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.