SEGMENT DATA - Segment Financial Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment data
Assets	[1]	$ 17,360		$ 17,370
Total revenues		1,609	$ 722
Depreciation of property and equipment		174	66
Amortization of sports programming rights		391
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments		23	24
Corporate general and administrative overhead expenses		49	28
Gain on asset dispositions and other, net of impairment		(32)	(8)
Operating income		327	94
Interest expense and amortization of debt discount and deferred financing costs		180	54
Loss from equity method investments		(6)	(14)
Operating segments | Local News and Marketing Services
Segment data
Assets		4,758
Total revenues		701	619
Depreciation of property and equipment		58	63
Amortization of sports programming rights		0
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments		23	24
Corporate general and administrative overhead expenses		44	26
Gain on asset dispositions and other, net of impairment		(32)	(8)
Operating income		152	95
Interest expense and amortization of debt discount and deferred financing costs		1	1
Loss from equity method investments		0	0
Operating segments | Sports
Segment data
Assets		10,846
Total revenues		812	0
Depreciation of property and equipment		110	0
Amortization of sports programming rights		391
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments		0	0
Corporate general and administrative overhead expenses		2	0
Gain on asset dispositions and other, net of impairment		0	0
Operating income		165	0
Interest expense and amortization of debt discount and deferred financing costs		123	0
Loss from equity method investments		6	0
Operating segments | Other
Segment data
Assets		1,774
Total revenues		128	107
Depreciation of property and equipment		6	3
Amortization of sports programming rights		0
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments		0	0
Corporate general and administrative overhead expenses		3	2
Gain on asset dispositions and other, net of impairment		0	0
Operating income		19	2
Interest expense and amortization of debt discount and deferred financing costs		59	57
Loss from equity method investments		(12)	(14)
Eliminations
Segment data
Assets		(18)
Total revenues		(32)	(4)
Depreciation of property and equipment		0	0
Amortization of sports programming rights		0
Amortization of program contract costs and net realizable value adjustments		0	0
Corporate general and administrative overhead expenses		0	0
Gain on asset dispositions and other, net of impairment		0	0
Operating income		(9)	(3)
Interest expense and amortization of debt discount and deferred financing costs		(3)	(4)
Loss from equity method investments		$ 0	$ 0

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $212 million and $228 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of both March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 include total liabilities of VIEs of $27 million for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us. See Note 8. Variable Interest Entities.