FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs, net	$ 32,981	$ 39,047
Debt of variable interest entities \| Level 2 \| Carrying Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	25,281	29,614
Debt of variable interest entities \| Level 2 \| Fair Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	25,281	29,614
Debt of other non-media related subsidiaries \| Level 2 \| Carrying Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	19,577	25,238
Debt of other non-media related subsidiaries \| Level 2 \| Fair Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 19,577	$ 25,238
Senior Notes \| 6.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2022
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.13%	6.125%
Senior Notes \| 6.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2022 \| Level 2 \| Carrying Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 500,000	$ 500,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.125%
Senior Notes \| 6.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2022 \| Level 2 \| Fair Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 503,750	$ 515,535
Senior Notes \| 5.875% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.88%	5.875%
Senior Notes \| 5.875% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026 \| Level 2 \| Carrying Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 350,000	$ 350,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.875%
Senior Notes \| 5.875% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026 \| Level 2 \| Fair Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 326,375	363,475
Senior Notes \| 5.625% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.63%
Senior Notes \| 5.625% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024 \| Level 2 \| Carrying Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 550,000	550,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.625%
Senior Notes \| 5.625% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2024 \| Level 2 \| Fair Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 515,625	$ 568,205
Senior Notes \| 5.375% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2021
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.38%	5.375%
Senior Notes \| 5.375% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2021 \| Level 2 \| Carrying Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 600,000	$ 600,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.375%
Senior Notes \| 5.375% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2021 \| Level 2 \| Fair Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 598,500	$ 610,440
Senior Notes \| 5.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2027
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.13%	5.125%
Senior Notes \| 5.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2027 \| Level 2 \| Carrying Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 400,000	$ 400,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.125%
Senior Notes \| 5.125% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2027 \| Level 2 \| Fair Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 353,000	396,088
Term Loan \| Term Loan A-1 \| Level 2 \| Carrying Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	0	117,370
Term Loan \| Term Loan A-1 \| Level 2 \| Fair Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	0	117,370
Term Loan \| Term Loan A-2 \| Level 2 \| Carrying Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	95,892	113,327
Term Loan \| Term Loan A-2 \| Level 2 \| Fair Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	92,057	113,327
Term Loan \| Term Loan B \| Level 2 \| Carrying Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	1,342,600	1,356,300
Term Loan \| Term Loan B \| Level 2 \| Fair Value
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:
Debt instrument	$ 1,275,470	$ 1,357,995

Fair value portion of debt instrument payable, including, but not limited to, notes payable and loans payable.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109250915&loc=d3e13433-108611

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- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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- Definition

Amount of unamortized debt discount (premium) and debt issuance costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109500613&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28555-108399

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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