CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash		$ 810,232	$ 681,326
Restricted cash, current		226,558	313,110
Accounts receivable		538,472	566,464
Other current assets		139,429	153,847
Total current assets		1,714,691	1,714,747
Property and equipment, net		654,432	738,298
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Goodwill		2,021,970	2,124,033
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		156,629	159,371
Definite-lived intangible assets		1,729,563	1,801,670
Other long-term assets		386,126	246,351
Total assets	[1]	6,663,411	6,784,470
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		356,792	370,403
Deferred spectrum auction proceeds		0	84,341
Current portion of long-term debt		154,944	161,049
Other current liabilities		79,945	194,897
Total current liabilities		591,681	726,349
Long-term debt		3,875,025	3,887,601
Other liabilities		625,162	636,154
Total liabilities	[1]	5,091,868	5,250,104
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		1,607,707	1,568,738
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		(36,164)	(34,372)
Total liabilities and equity		6,663,411	6,784,470
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash		0	0
Restricted cash, current		0	0
Accounts receivable		0	0
Other current assets		1,874	3,034
Total current assets		1,874	3,034
Property and equipment, net		810	829
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		1,576,613	1,537,337
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Other long-term assets		31,854	31,757
Total assets		1,611,151	1,572,957
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		299	1,100
Current portion of long-term debt		0	0
Other current liabilities		0	0
Total current liabilities		299	1,100
Long-term debt		0	0
Other liabilities		3,145	3,119
Total liabilities		3,444	4,219
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		1,607,707	1,568,738
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities and equity		1,611,151	1,572,957
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash		790,930	645,830
Restricted cash, current		0	0
Accounts receivable		0	0
Other current assets		11,377	5,758
Total current assets		802,307	651,588
Property and equipment, net		32,025	31,111
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		4,050,589	4,116,241
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Other long-term assets		771,367	770,312
Total assets		5,656,288	5,569,252
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		80,345	84,326
Current portion of long-term debt		142,489	148,505
Other current liabilities		0	0
Total current liabilities		222,834	232,831
Long-term debt		3,793,804	3,799,987
Other liabilities		39,510	38,282
Total liabilities		4,056,148	4,071,100
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		1,600,140	1,498,152
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities and equity		5,656,288	5,569,252
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash		8,304	12,273
Restricted cash, current		226,558	311,110
Accounts receivable		493,922	530,273
Other current assets		130,298	145,637
Total current assets		859,082	999,293
Property and equipment, net		569,047	586,950
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		4,179	4,179
Goodwill		2,018,103	2,120,166
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		142,356	145,073
Definite-lived intangible assets		1,710,136	1,781,045
Other long-term assets		260,001	104,363
Total assets		5,562,904	5,741,069
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		243,674	261,266
Current portion of long-term debt		3,587	3,445
Other current liabilities		68,269	180,616
Total current liabilities		315,530	445,327
Long-term debt		36,081	39,730
Other liabilities		1,159,952	1,141,266
Total liabilities		1,511,563	1,626,323
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		4,051,341	4,114,746
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities and equity		5,562,904	5,741,069
Reportable legal entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash		10,998	23,223
Restricted cash, current		0	2,000
Accounts receivable		44,550	36,191
Other current assets		23,333	9,687
Total current assets		78,881	71,101
Property and equipment, net		65,163	132,010
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Goodwill		3,867	3,867
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		14,273	14,298
Definite-lived intangible assets		75,377	77,944
Other long-term assets		192,713	208,367
Total assets		430,274	507,587
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		60,837	36,029
Current portion of long-term debt		9,343	9,645
Other current liabilities		11,676	14,281
Total current liabilities		81,856	59,955
Long-term debt		366,207	381,127
Other liabilities		172,500	187,569
Total liabilities		620,563	628,651
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		(149,669)	(82,051)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		(40,620)	(39,013)
Total liabilities and equity		430,274	507,587
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash		0	0
Restricted cash, current		0	0
Accounts receivable		0	0
Other current assets		(27,453)	(10,269)
Total current assets		(27,453)	(10,269)
Property and equipment, net		(12,613)	(12,602)
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		(5,631,381)	(5,657,757)
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets		(55,950)	(57,319)
Other long-term assets		(869,809)	(868,448)
Total assets		(6,597,206)	(6,606,395)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(28,363)	(12,318)
Current portion of long-term debt		(475)	(546)
Other current liabilities		0	0
Total current liabilities		(28,838)	(12,864)
Long-term debt		(321,067)	(333,243)
Other liabilities		(749,945)	(734,082)
Total liabilities		(1,099,850)	(1,080,189)
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		(5,501,812)	(5,530,847)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		4,456	4,641
Total liabilities and equity		$ (6,597,206)	$ (6,606,395)

[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.