GOODWILL, INDEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Goodwill

The change in the carrying amount of goodwill was as follows (in millions):

	Local News and Marketing Services			Sports		Other			Consolidated
Balance at December 31, 2017	$	2,053		$	—	$	71		$	2,124
Measurement period adjustments related to prior year acquisitions	2			—		(2		)	—
Balance at December 31, 2018 (a)	$	2,055		—		$	69		$	2,124
Acquisition (b)	—			2,615		6			2,621
Assets held for sale	(29		)	—		—			(29		)
Balance at December 31, 2019 (a)	$	2,026		$	2,615	$	75		$	4,716

(a) Approximately $1 million of goodwill relates to consolidated VIEs as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.

(b)

See Note 2. Acquisitions and Dispositions of Assets for discussion of acquisitions made during 2019.

Schedule of Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the carrying amount of our indefinite-lived intangible assets was as follows (in millions):

	Local News and Marketing Services			Other		Consolidated
Balance at December 31, 2017 (b)	$	132		$	27	$	159
Disposition of assets (a)	(1		)	—		(1		)
Balance at December 31, 2018 (b) (c)	$	131		$	27	$	158
Balance at December 31, 2019 (b) (c)	$	131		$	27	$	158

(a) See Note 2. Acquisitions and Dispositions of Assets for discussion of divestitures made during 2018.

(b) Approximately $14 million of indefinite-lived intangible assets relate to consolidated VIEs as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.

(c)

Our indefinite-lived intangible assets in our local news and marketing services segment relate to broadcast licenses and our indefinite-lived intangible assets in our other segment relate to trade names.

Finite-Lived Intangible Assets Amortization

The following table shows the gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization of definite-lived intangibles (in millions):

	As of December 31, 2019
	Gross Carrying Value		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Amortized intangible assets:
Customer relationships (a)	$	6,548	$	(569	)	$	5,979
Network affiliation (a)	1,441		(689		)	752
Favorable sports contracts (a)	1,271		(43		)	1,228
Other (a)	46		(28		)	18
Total other definite-lived intangible assets, net (b)	$	2,758	$	(760	)	$	1,998

	As of December 31, 2018
	Gross Carrying Value		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Amortized intangible assets:
Customer relationships	$	1,113	$	(341	)	$	772
Network affiliation	1,452		(604		)	848
Other	33		(26		)	7
Total other definite-lived intangible assets, net (b)	$	1,485	$	(630	)	$	855

(a) As a result of our 2019 acquisitions, we acquired $6.7 billion of definite-lived assets as discussed in Note 2. Acquisitions and Dispositions of Assets.

(b)

Approximately $93 million and $68 million of definite-lived intangible assets relate to consolidated VIEs as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.

Schedule of estimated amortization expense of the definite-lived intangible assets

The following table shows the estimated annual amortization expense of the definite-lived intangible assets for the next five years (in millions): 

2020	$	742
2021	707
2022	690
2023	670
2024	656
2025 and thereafter	4,512
	$	7,977