CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	$ 665,352	$ 626,936
Media program and production expenses	288,549	258,401
Selling, general and administrative	171,495	145,297
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	97,994	65,609
Total operating expenses	558,038	469,307
Operating income	107,314	157,629
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Interest expense	(69,742)	(57,318)
Loss from extinguishment of debt	0	(1,404)
Other income (expense)	(9,206)	375
Total other expense, net	(78,948)	(58,347)
Income tax benefit (provision)	15,628	(28,579)
NET INCOME	43,994	70,703
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(871)	(13,501)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	43,123	57,202
Comprehensive income	43,994	70,703
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	0	0
Media program and production expenses	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	2,597	1,296
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	19	266
Total operating expenses	2,616	1,562
Operating income	(2,616)	(1,562)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	45,037	58,189
Interest expense	0	(36)
Loss from extinguishment of debt		0
Other income (expense)	681	101
Total other expense, net	45,718	58,254
Income tax benefit (provision)	21	510
NET INCOME	43,123	57,202
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	43,123	57,202
Comprehensive income	43,123	57,202
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	0	0
Media program and production expenses	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	21,754	18,958
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	1,250	1,725
Total operating expenses	23,004	20,683
Operating income	(23,004)	(20,683)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	171,770	87,805
Interest expense	(68,168)	(54,704)
Loss from extinguishment of debt		(1,404)
Other income (expense)	2,295	799
Total other expense, net	105,897	32,496
Income tax benefit (provision)	15,398	25,106
NET INCOME	98,291	36,919
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	98,291	36,919
Comprehensive income	98,291	36,919
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	625,683	595,239
Media program and production expenses	273,415	248,451
Selling, general and administrative	143,301	122,435
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	6,416	90,513
Total operating expenses	423,132	461,399
Operating income	202,551	133,840
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	429	50
Interest expense	(972)	(1,119)
Loss from extinguishment of debt		0
Other income (expense)	(13,361)	496
Total other expense, net	(13,904)	(573)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(15,676)	(44,229)
NET INCOME	172,971	89,038
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	172,971	89,038
Comprehensive income	172,971	89,039
Reportable legal entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	58,011	50,857
Media program and production expenses	32,020	28,444
Selling, general and administrative	4,284	2,633
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	91,008	(26,450)
Total operating expenses	127,312	4,627
Operating income	(69,301)	46,230
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Interest expense	(4,550)	(7,623)
Loss from extinguishment of debt		0
Other income (expense)	1,179	(1,021)
Total other expense, net	(3,371)	(8,644)
Income tax benefit (provision)	15,885	(9,966)
NET INCOME	(56,787)	27,620
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(1,056)	(13,494)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(57,843)	14,126
Comprehensive income	(56,787)	27,619
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Net revenue	(18,342)	(19,160)
Media program and production expenses	(16,886)	(18,494)
Selling, general and administrative	(441)	(25)
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	(699)	(445)
Total operating expenses	(18,026)	(18,964)
Operating income	(316)	(196)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(217,236)	(146,044)
Interest expense	3,948	6,164
Loss from extinguishment of debt		0
Other income (expense)	0	0
Total other expense, net	(213,288)	(139,880)
Income tax benefit (provision)	0	0
NET INCOME	(213,604)	(140,076)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	185	(7)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(213,419)	(140,083)
Comprehensive income	$ (213,604)	$ (140,076)