CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 1,014,718	$ 681,326
Restricted cash, current		0	313,110
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,332 and $2,590, respectively		566,170	566,464
Current portion of program contract costs		19,657	71,387
Income taxes receivable		0	28,150
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		78,214	54,310
Total current assets		1,678,759	1,714,747
Assets held for sale		149,604	0
Program contract costs, less current portion		1,590	3,202
Property and equipment, net		666,636	738,298
Restricted cash, less current portion		1,506	1,504
Goodwill		2,022,073	2,124,033
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		156,654	159,371
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,686,263	1,801,670
Other assets		218,458	241,645
Total assets	[1]	6,581,543	6,784,470
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		455,463	370,403
Deferred spectrum auction proceeds		0	84,341
Income taxes payable		21,923	2,503
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing		44,191	161,049
Current portion of program contracts payable		46,440	108,053
Total current liabilities		568,017	726,349
Liabilities held for sale		11,310	0
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion		3,864,048	3,887,601
Program contracts payable, less current portion		33,847	41,909
Deferred tax liabilities		441,707	515,236
Other long-term liabilities		77,196	79,009
Total liabilities	[1]	4,996,125	5,250,104
Commitments and contingencies (See Note 4)
Shareholders' Equity:
Additional paid-in capital		1,336,251	1,320,298
Retained earnings		285,316	248,845
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(1,423)	(1,423)
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		1,621,167	1,568,738
Noncontrolling interests		(35,749)	(34,372)
Total equity		1,585,418	1,534,366
Total liabilities and equity		6,581,543	6,784,470
Assets of variable interest entities		114,500	130,600
Liabilities of variable interest entities		15,100	27,000
Class A Common Stock
Shareholders' Equity:
Common Stock		766	761
Class B Common Stock
Shareholders' Equity:
Common Stock		$ 257	$ 257

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $114.5 million and $130.6 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017 include total liabilities of VIEs of $15.1 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.