SEGMENT DATA (Schedule of Segment Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Segment data
Revenue		$ 730,143		$ 652,234	$ 1,395,496	$ 1,279,170
Depreciation of property and equipment		23,117		23,603	50,442	47,584
Amortization of definite-lived intangible assets and other assets		43,117		43,377	86,722	88,931
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments		24,710		28,896	51,660	59,915
Corporate general and administrative expenses		29,685		25,051	54,281	45,627
Gain on asset dispositions, net of impairment		(4,741)		(150)	(25,850)	(53,497)
Operating income (loss)		131,582		118,849	238,897	276,478
Interest expense		92,271		50,959	162,013	108,277
Loss from equity investments		(17,483)		1,462	(29,960)	141
Assets	[1]	6,581,543			6,581,543		$ 6,784,470
Asset impairment charges			$ 63,000		59,600
Gain (loss) on sale of assets and asset impairment charges					83,300
Broadcast
Segment data
Revenue		642,279		590,967	1,238,172	1,160,836
Other
Segment data
Revenue		87,864		61,267	157,324	118,334
Operating segments | Broadcast
Segment data
Revenue		642,279		590,967	1,238,172	1,160,836
Depreciation of property and equipment		21,178		21,559	46,577	43,505
Amortization of definite-lived intangible assets and other assets		37,786		38,298	76,256	76,624
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments		24,710		28,896	51,660	59,915
Corporate general and administrative expenses		26,590		22,349	48,334	41,340
Gain on asset dispositions, net of impairment		(1,301)		(22)	(85,400)	(380)
Operating income (loss)		140,607		131,284	316,774	245,827
Interest expense		1,438		1,329	2,809	2,695
Loss from equity investments		0		0	0	0
Assets		4,787,400			4,787,400
Operating segments | Other
Segment data
Revenue		87,864		61,267	157,324	118,334
Depreciation of property and equipment		1,920		1,819	3,827	3,588
Amortization of definite-lived intangible assets and other assets		5,331		5,079	10,466	12,307
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments		0		0	0	0
Corporate general and administrative expenses		221		273	476	561
Gain on asset dispositions, net of impairment		(3,440)		(128)	59,550	(53,117)
Operating income (loss)		(6,132)		(9,781)	(72,368)	34,868
Interest expense		198		216	400	1,429
Loss from equity investments		(17,483)		1,462	(29,983)	141
Assets		734,075			734,075
Asset impairment charges					59,600
Corporate
Segment data
Revenue		0		0	0	0
Depreciation of property and equipment		19		225	38	491
Amortization of definite-lived intangible assets and other assets		0		0	0	0
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments		0		0	0	0
Corporate general and administrative expenses		2,874		2,429	5,471	3,726
Gain on asset dispositions, net of impairment		0		0	0	0
Operating income (loss)		(2,893)		(2,654)	(5,509)	(4,217)
Interest expense		90,635		49,414	158,804	104,153
Loss from equity investments		0		$ 0	23	0
Assets		$ 1,060,068			$ 1,060,068
Alarm Funding Associates | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations
Segment data
Gain on sale of consolidated non-media business						53,000
Gain on sale attributable to non-controlling interest						$ 12,300

[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.