CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
REVENUES:
Revenues		$ 766,260	$ 644,532	$ 2,161,756	$ 1,923,702
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Media production expenses		303,782	268,330	893,189	796,218
Media selling, general and administrative expenses		154,581	133,605	452,274	385,372
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments		24,482	28,047	76,142	87,962
Non-media expenses		32,476	17,496	84,720	51,974
Depreciation of property and equipment		25,035	24,442	75,477	72,026
Corporate general and administrative expenses		34,322	25,831	88,603	71,458
Amortization of definite-lived intangible and other assets		44,600	43,368	131,322	132,299
Gain on asset dispositions, net of impairment		(10,828)	(34)	(36,678)	(53,531)
Total operating expenses		608,450	541,085	1,765,049	1,543,778
Operating income		157,810	103,447	396,707	379,924
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense and amortization of debt discount and deferred financing costs		(75,753)	(51,743)	(237,766)	(160,020)
Loss from equity investments		(25,379)	(4,362)	(55,339)	(4,221)
Other income, net		5,674	2,342	13,129	4,197
Total other expense, net		(95,458)	(53,763)	(279,976)	(160,044)
Income before income taxes		62,352	49,684	116,731	219,880
INCOME TAX BENEFIT (PROVISION)		2,648	(17,118)	21,573	(70,577)
NET INCOME		65,000	32,566	138,304	149,303
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		(1,125)	(1,929)	(3,264)	(16,820)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP		$ 63,875	$ 30,637	$ 135,040	$ 132,483
EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP:
Basic earnings per share (USD per share)		$ 0.63	$ 0.30	$ 1.32	$ 1.34
Diluted earnings per share (USD per share)		$ 0.62	$ 0.30	$ 1.31	$ 1.32
Weighted average common shares outstanding (shares)		102,083	102,245	102,069	99,210
Weighted average common and common equivalent shares outstanding (shares)		102,789	103,055	102,898	100,173
Media revenues
REVENUES:
Revenues	[1]	$ 730,361	$ 629,597	$ 2,069,874	$ 1,873,881
Non-media revenues
REVENUES:
Revenues		$ 35,899	$ 14,935	$ 91,882	$ 49,821

[1] See Revenue Recognition within Note 1. Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies for a discussion of the adoption of the new accounting principles for revenue recognition.