VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES - Schedule of Variable Interest Entities Assets and Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 929,038	$ 1,060,330
Accounts receivable, net		589,952	598,597
Other current assets		86,574	60,732
Total current assets		1,635,630	1,783,906
Program contract costs, less current portion		7,524	11,217
Property and equipment, net		699,505	683,134
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,540,483	1,626,880
Total assets	[1]	6,553,666	6,572,092
Current liabilities:
Other current liabilities		76,437	116,794
Notes payable, finance leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion		3,762,794	3,849,891
Program contracts payable, less current portion		40,894	50,060
Other long-term liabilities		84,917	85,983
Total liabilities	[1]	5,024,667	4,971,772
Consolidated VIEs, aggregated
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		10,000	0
Accounts receivable, net		17,255	28,276
Other current assets		2,738	6,773
Total current assets		29,993	35,049
Program contract costs, less current portion		1,393	2,058
Property and equipment, net		8,407	5,346
Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets		15,064	15,064
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		64,217	67,680
Other assets		2,362	2,374
Total assets		121,436	127,571
Current liabilities:
Other current liabilities		12,895	18,298
Notes payable, finance leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion		17,085	19,278
Program contracts payable, less current portion		6,917	8,474
Other long-term liabilities		650	650
Total liabilities		$ 37,547	$ 46,700

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $121.4 million and $127.6 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs.  Our consolidated total liabilities as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 include total liabilities of VIEs of $15.2 million and $22.3 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us.  See Note 8. Variable Interest Entities.