CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 1,022,974	$ 681,326
Restricted cash, current		0	313,110
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,367 and $2,590, respectively		609,742	566,464
Current portion of program contract costs		87,128	71,387
Income taxes receivable		0	28,150
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		70,891	54,310
Total current assets		1,790,735	1,714,747
Assets held for sale		5,590	0
Program contract costs, less current portion		13,080	3,202
Property and equipment, net		674,440	738,298
Restricted cash, less current portion		1,508	1,504
Goodwill		2,125,402	2,124,033
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		158,222	159,371
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,670,340	1,801,670
Other assets		188,097	241,645
Total assets	[1]	6,627,414	6,784,470
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		428,471	370,403
Deferred spectrum auction proceeds		0	84,341
Income taxes payable		14,320	2,503
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing		43,698	161,049
Current portion of program contracts payable		114,115	108,053
Total current liabilities		600,604	726,349
Liabilities held for sale		4,083	0
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion		3,858,558	3,887,601
Program contracts payable, less current portion		54,691	41,909
Deferred tax liabilities		444,940	515,236
Other long-term liabilities		78,984	79,009
Total liabilities	[1]	5,041,860	5,250,104
Commitments and contingencies (See Note 4)
Shareholders' Equity:
Additional paid-in capital		1,293,169	1,320,298
Retained earnings		330,780	248,845
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(1,423)	(1,423)
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		1,623,533	1,568,738
Noncontrolling interests		(37,979)	(34,372)
Total equity		1,585,554	1,534,366
Total liabilities and equity		6,627,414	6,784,470
Assets of variable interest entities		121,100	130,600
Liabilities of variable interest entities		22,900	27,000
Class A Common Stock
Shareholders' Equity:
Common Stock		750	761
Class B Common Stock
Shareholders' Equity:
Common Stock		$ 257	$ 257

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $121.1 million and $130.6 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs.  Our consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017 include total liabilities of VIEs of $22.9 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.