CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	$ 1,283	$ 771	$ 2,892	$ 1,493
Media program and production expenses	383	335	1,211	654
Selling, general and administrative	218	217	477	405
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	190	113	385	234
Total operating expenses	791	665	2,073	1,293
Operating income	492	106	819	200
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(165)	(54)	(345)	(108)
Loss from the extinguishment of debt	3	0	5	0
Other income (expense)	0	(6)	(8)	(18)
Total other expense, net	(165)	(60)	(353)	(126)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(54)	(3)	(42)	(8)
NET INCOME	273	43	424	66
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	(12)	0	(32)	0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(9)	(1)	(17)	(2)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	252	42	375	64
Comprehensive income	264	43	415	66
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Media program and production expenses	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	3	19	6	21
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	3	19	6	21
Operating income	(3)	(19)	(6)	(21)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	257	56	386	80
Interest expense	(4)	0	(7)	0
Other income (expense)	1	1	(1)	1
Total other expense, net	254	57	378	81
Income tax benefit (provision)	1	4	3	4
NET INCOME	252	42	375	64
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	252	42	375	64
Comprehensive income	252	42	375	64
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	25	0	49	0
Media program and production expenses	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	26	33	70	59
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	4	1	5	2
Total operating expenses	30	34	75	61
Operating income	(5)	(34)	(26)	(61)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	67	118	240	207
Interest expense	(47)	(51)	(102)	(104)
Other income (expense)	8	4	6	5
Total other expense, net	28	71	144	108
Income tax benefit (provision)	(9)	17	20	29
NET INCOME	14	54	138	76
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	14	54	138	76
Comprehensive income	14	54	138	76
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	627	705	1,366	1,361
Media program and production expenses	312	318	640	619
Selling, general and administrative	151	162	319	318
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	52	70	103	148
Total operating expenses	515	550	1,062	1,085
Operating income	112	155	304	276
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(1)	(1)	(2)	(2)
Other income (expense)	(10)	(11)	(19)	(23)
Total other expense, net	(11)	(12)	(21)	(25)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(34)	(24)	(40)	(41)
NET INCOME	67	119	243	210
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	67	119	243	210
Comprehensive income	67	119	243	210
Reportable legal entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	671	89	1,564	172
Media program and production expenses	83	33	599	63
Selling, general and administrative	63	4	130	9
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	136	46	283	90
Total operating expenses	282	83	1,012	162
Operating income	389	6	552	10
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(120)	(5)	(247)	(9)
Other income (expense)	4	0	12	(1)
Total other expense, net	(116)	(5)	(235)	(10)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(12)	0	(25)	0
NET INCOME	261	1	292	0
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	(12)		(32)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(9)	(1)	(17)	(3)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	240	0	243	(3)
Comprehensive income	252	1	283	0
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	(40)	(23)	(87)	(40)
Media program and production expenses	(12)	(16)	(28)	(28)
Selling, general and administrative	(25)	(1)	(48)	(2)
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	(2)	(4)	(6)	(6)
Total operating expenses	(39)	(21)	(82)	(36)
Operating income	(1)	(2)	(5)	(4)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(324)	(174)	(626)	(287)
Interest expense	7	3	13	7
Other income (expense)	(3)	0	(6)	0
Total other expense, net	(320)	(171)	(619)	(280)
Income tax benefit (provision)	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME	(321)	(173)	(624)	(284)
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	1
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(321)	(173)	(624)	(283)
Comprehensive income	$ (321)	$ (173)	$ (624)	$ (284)