CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
REVENUES:
Media revenues	$ 5,843	$ 4,046	$ 2,919
Non-media revenues	100	194	136
Total revenues	5,943	4,240	3,055
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Media programming and production expenses	2,735	2,073	1,191
Media selling, general and administrative expenses	832	732	630
Amortization of program contract costs	86	90	101
Non-media expenses	91	156	122
Depreciation of property and equipment	102	97	105
Corporate general and administrative expenses	148	387	111
Amortization of definite-lived intangible and other assets	572	327	175
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets	4,264	0	0
Gain on asset dispositions and other, net of impairment	(115)	(92)	(40)
Total operating expenses	8,715	3,770	2,395
Operating (loss) income	(2,772)	470	660
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE):
Interest expense including amortization of debt discount and deferred financing costs	(656)	(422)	(292)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(10)	(10)	0
Loss from equity method investments	(36)	(35)	(61)
Other income, net	325	6	3
Total other expense, net	(377)	(461)	(350)
(Loss) income before income taxes	(3,149)	9	310
INCOME TAX BENEFIT	720	96	36
NET (LOSS) INCOME	(2,429)	105	346
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	(56)	(48)	0
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	71	(10)	(5)
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	$ (2,414)	$ 47	$ 341
EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP:
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (30.20)	$ 0.52	$ 3.38
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (30.20)	$ 0.51	$ 3.35
Weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares)	79,924	92,015	100,913
Weighted average common and common equivalent shares outstanding (in shares)	79,924	93,185	101,718