CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 941,000	$ 1,259,000
Accounts receivable, net		1,058,000	1,060,000
Other current assets		971,000	898,000
Total current assets		2,970,000	3,217,000
Property and equipment, net		804,000	823,000
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash		4,000	3,000
Goodwill		2,091,000	2,092,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		150,000	171,000
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		5,500,000	5,624,000
Other long-term assets		1,613,000	1,452,000
Total assets	[1]	13,132,000	13,382,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		469,000	533,000
Current portion of long-term debt		58,000	58,000
Other current liabilities		395,000	443,000
Total current liabilities		922,000	1,034,000
Long-term debt		12,482,000	12,493,000
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Other long-term liabilities		726,000	850,000
Total liabilities	[1]	14,130,000	14,377,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		188,000	190,000
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		(1,279,000)	(1,274,000)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		93,000	89,000
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		13,132,000	13,382,000
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		4,000	7,000
Total current assets		4,000	7,000
Property and equipment, net		1,000	1,000
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		528,000	430,000
Restricted cash		0	0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		180,000	139,000
Total assets		713,000	577,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		22,000	19,000
Current portion of long-term debt		0	0
Other current liabilities		1,000	1,000
Total current liabilities		23,000	20,000
Long-term debt		700,000	700,000
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		1,256,000	1,118,000
Other long-term liabilities		12,000	12,000
Total liabilities		1,991,000	1,850,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		(1,278,000)	(1,273,000)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		713,000	577,000
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		504,000	458,000
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		54,000	46,000
Total current assets		558,000	504,000
Property and equipment, net		31,000	33,000
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		3,519,000	3,549,000
Restricted cash		0	0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		1,720,000	1,718,000
Total assets		5,828,000	5,804,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		138,000	70,000
Current portion of long-term debt		13,000	13,000
Other current liabilities		1,000	2,000
Total current liabilities		152,000	85,000
Long-term debt		4,335,000	4,337,000
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Other long-term liabilities		115,000	121,000
Total liabilities		4,602,000	4,543,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		1,226,000	1,261,000
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		5,828,000	5,804,000
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		4,000	0
Accounts receivable, net		546,000	558,000
Other current assets		389,000	372,000
Total current assets		939,000	930,000
Property and equipment, net		691,000	706,000
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash		1,000	0
Goodwill		2,081,000	2,082,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		136,000	156,000
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,224,000	1,256,000
Other long-term assets		271,000	280,000
Total assets		5,343,000	5,410,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		206,000	247,000
Current portion of long-term debt		5,000	5,000
Other current liabilities		121,000	134,000
Total current liabilities		332,000	386,000
Long-term debt		32,000	33,000
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Other long-term liabilities		1,462,000	1,445,000
Total liabilities		1,826,000	1,864,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		3,517,000	3,546,000
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		5,343,000	5,410,000
Reportable legal entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		433,000	801,000
Accounts receivable, net		512,000	502,000
Other current assets		597,000	560,000
Total current assets		1,542,000	1,863,000
Property and equipment, net		106,000	109,000
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash		3,000	3,000
Goodwill		10,000	10,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		14,000	15,000
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		4,316,000	4,409,000
Other long-term assets		1,701,000	1,569,000
Total assets		7,692,000	7,978,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		176,000	284,000
Current portion of long-term debt		41,000	41,000
Other current liabilities		272,000	306,000
Total current liabilities		489,000	631,000
Long-term debt		8,448,000	8,460,000
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Other long-term liabilities		585,000	710,000
Total liabilities		9,522,000	9,801,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		188,000	190,000
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		(2,107,000)	(2,098,000)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		89,000	85,000
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		7,692,000	7,978,000
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		(73,000)	(87,000)
Total current assets		(73,000)	(87,000)
Property and equipment, net		(25,000)	(26,000)
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		(4,047,000)	(3,979,000)
Restricted cash		0	0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		(40,000)	(41,000)
Other long-term assets		(2,259,000)	(2,254,000)
Total assets		(6,444,000)	(6,387,000)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(73,000)	(87,000)
Current portion of long-term debt		(1,000)	(1,000)
Other current liabilities		0	0
Total current liabilities		(74,000)	(88,000)
Long-term debt		(1,033,000)	(1,037,000)
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		(1,256,000)	(1,118,000)
Other long-term liabilities		(1,448,000)	(1,438,000)
Total liabilities		(3,811,000)	(3,681,000)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		(2,637,000)	(2,710,000)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		4,000	4,000
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		$ (6,444,000)	$ (6,387,000)

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $241 million and $233 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 include total liabilities of VIEs of $57 million and $60 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us. See Note 9. Variable Interest Entities.