CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	$ 1,539	$ 1,125	$ 4,431	$ 2,618
Media program and production expenses	1,077	560	2,288	1,215
Selling, general and administrative	242	422	719	827
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets	4,264	0	4,264	0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	172	149	557	383
Total operating expenses	5,755	1,131	7,828	2,425
Operating (loss) income	(4,216)	(6)	(3,397)	193
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(157)	(129)	(502)	(237)
Other income (expense)	159	(9)	151	(26)
Total other income (expense), net	2	(138)	(351)	(263)
Income tax benefit (provision)	847	95	805	88
NET (LOSS) INCOME	(3,367)	(49)	(2,943)	18
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	(19)	(11)	(51)	(11)
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	130	0	113	(3)
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(3,256)	(60)	(2,881)	4
Comprehensive (loss) income	(3,367)	(49)	(2,952)	18
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	2	122	8	143
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets	0		0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	1	0	1	0
Total operating expenses	3	122	9	143
Operating (loss) income	(3)	(122)	(9)	(143)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(3,252)	35	(2,866)	116
Interest expense	(3)	(1)	(10)	(2)
Other income (expense)	1	1	0	2
Total other income (expense), net	(3,254)	35	(2,876)	116
Income tax benefit (provision)	1	27	4	31
NET (LOSS) INCOME	(3,256)	(60)	(2,881)	4
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0		0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(3,256)	(60)	(2,881)	4
Comprehensive (loss) income	(3,256)	(60)	(2,881)	4
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	25	9	74	9
Media program and production expenses	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	27	24	97	82
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets	0		0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	1	(6)	6	(3)
Total operating expenses	28	18	103	79
Operating (loss) income	(3)	(9)	(29)	(70)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	302	202	542	410
Interest expense	(45)	(55)	(147)	(160)
Other income (expense)	5	(2)	11	3
Total other income (expense), net	262	145	406	253
Income tax benefit (provision)	55	4	75	33
NET (LOSS) INCOME	314	140	452	216
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0		0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	314	140	452	216
Comprehensive (loss) income	314	140	452	216
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	774	702	2,140	2,064
Media program and production expenses	322	312	962	931
Selling, general and administrative	160	162	479	481
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets	0		0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	40	55	143	203
Total operating expenses	522	529	1,584	1,615
Operating (loss) income	252	173	556	449
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(1)	(1)	(3)	(2)
Other income (expense)	(11)	(12)	(30)	(35)
Total other income (expense), net	(12)	(13)	(33)	(37)
Income tax benefit (provision)	64	43	24	3
NET (LOSS) INCOME	304	203	547	415
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0		0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	304	203	547	415
Comprehensive (loss) income	304	203	547	415
Reportable legal entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	786	445	2,350	616
Media program and production expenses	772	262	1,371	325
Selling, general and administrative	77	124	207	133
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets	4,264		4,264
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	133	104	416	193
Total operating expenses	5,246	490	6,258	651
Operating (loss) income	(4,460)	(45)	(3,908)	(35)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(114)	(76)	(361)	(85)
Other income (expense)	168	6	180	5
Total other income (expense), net	54	(70)	(181)	(80)
Income tax benefit (provision)	727	21	702	21
NET (LOSS) INCOME	(3,679)	(94)	(3,387)	(94)
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	(19)	(11)	(51)	(11)
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	130		113	(3)
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(3,568)	(105)	(3,325)	(108)
Comprehensive (loss) income	(3,679)	(94)	(3,396)	(94)
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	(46)	(31)	(133)	(71)
Media program and production expenses	(17)	(14)	(45)	(41)
Selling, general and administrative	(24)	(10)	(72)	(12)
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets	0		0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	(3)	(4)	(9)	(10)
Total operating expenses	(44)	(28)	(126)	(63)
Operating (loss) income	(2)	(3)	(7)	(8)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	2,950	(237)	2,324	(526)
Interest expense	6	4	19	12
Other income (expense)	(4)	(2)	(10)	(1)
Total other income (expense), net	2,952	(235)	2,333	(515)
Income tax benefit (provision)	0	0	0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME	2,950	(238)	2,326	(523)
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0		0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	2,950	(238)	2,326	(523)
Comprehensive (loss) income	$ 2,950	$ (238)	$ 2,326	$ (523)