CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 632,000	$ 1,333,000
Accounts receivable, net		1,108,000	1,132,000
Other current assets		801,000	448,000
Total current assets		2,541,000	2,913,000
Property and equipment, net		814,000	765,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash		1,000	0
Goodwill		2,092,000	4,716,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		163,000	158,000
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		5,747,000	7,977,000
Other long-term assets		1,125,000	841,000
Total assets	[1]	12,483,000	17,370,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		466,000	782,000
Current portion of long-term debt		72,000	71,000
Other current liabilities		436,000	281,000
Total current liabilities		974,000	1,134,000
Long-term debt		12,391,000	12,367,000
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0
Other long-term liabilities		601,000	1,097,000
Total liabilities	[1]	13,966,000	14,598,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		194,000	1,078,000
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		(1,737,000)	1,502,000
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		60,000	192,000
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		12,483,000	17,370,000
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		9,000	5,000
Total current assets		9,000	5,000
Property and equipment, net		1,000	1,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		331,000	2,270,000
Restricted cash		0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		84,000	82,000
Total assets		425,000	2,358,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		15,000	142,000
Current portion of long-term debt		0	0
Other current liabilities		1,000	0
Total current liabilities		16,000	142,000
Long-term debt		700,000	700,000
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		1,434,000
Other long-term liabilities		12,000	13,000
Total liabilities		2,162,000	855,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		(1,737,000)	1,503,000
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		425,000	2,358,000
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		262,000	357,000
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		55,000	41,000
Total current assets		317,000	398,000
Property and equipment, net		32,000	31,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		3,516,000	3,558,000
Restricted cash		0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		1,768,000	1,611,000
Total assets		5,633,000	5,598,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		61,000	109,000
Current portion of long-term debt		27,000	27,000
Other current liabilities		1,000	1,000
Total current liabilities		89,000	137,000
Long-term debt		4,331,000	4,348,000
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0
Other long-term liabilities		121,000	53,000
Total liabilities		4,541,000	4,538,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		1,092,000	1,060,000
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		5,633,000	5,598,000
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		4,000	3,000
Accounts receivable, net		510,000	561,000
Other current assets		403,000	264,000
Total current assets		917,000	828,000
Property and equipment, net		704,000	659,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash		0
Goodwill		2,082,000	2,091,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		149,000	144,000
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,299,000	1,426,000
Other long-term assets		282,000	279,000
Total assets		5,433,000	5,427,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		262,000	286,000
Current portion of long-term debt		5,000	4,000
Other current liabilities		192,000	133,000
Total current liabilities		459,000	423,000
Long-term debt		35,000	32,000
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0
Other long-term liabilities		1,427,000	1,418,000
Total liabilities		1,921,000	1,873,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		3,512,000	3,554,000
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		5,433,000	5,427,000
Reportable legal entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		366,000	973,000
Accounts receivable, net		598,000	571,000
Other current assets		416,000	188,000
Total current assets		1,380,000	1,732,000
Property and equipment, net		104,000	96,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash		1,000
Goodwill		10,000	2,625,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		14,000	14,000
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		4,491,000	6,598,000
Other long-term assets		1,225,000	618,000
Total assets		7,225,000	11,683,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		210,000	296,000
Current portion of long-term debt		41,000	41,000
Other current liabilities		242,000	147,000
Total current liabilities		493,000	484,000
Long-term debt		8,363,000	8,317,000
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0
Other long-term liabilities		457,000	547,000
Total liabilities		9,313,000	9,348,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		194,000	1,078,000
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		(2,338,000)	1,069,000
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		56,000	188,000
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		7,225,000	11,683,000
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		(82,000)	(50,000)
Total current assets		(82,000)	(50,000)
Property and equipment, net		(27,000)	(22,000)
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		(3,847,000)	(5,828,000)
Restricted cash		0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		(43,000)	(47,000)
Other long-term assets		(2,234,000)	(1,749,000)
Total assets		(6,233,000)	(7,696,000)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(82,000)	(51,000)
Current portion of long-term debt		(1,000)	(1,000)
Other current liabilities		0	0
Total current liabilities		(83,000)	(52,000)
Long-term debt		(1,038,000)	(1,030,000)
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		(1,434,000)
Other long-term liabilities		(1,416,000)	(934,000)
Total liabilities		(3,971,000)	(2,016,000)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		(2,266,000)	(5,684,000)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		4,000	4,000
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		$ (6,233,000)	$ (7,696,000)

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $237 million and $228 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 include total liabilities of VIEs of $53 million and $27 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us. See Note 8. Variable Interest Entities.