CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Jun. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 420	$ 816
Accounts receivable, net		606	1,245
Other current assets		339	410
Total current assets		1,365	2,471
Property and equipment, net		713	833
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash		0	3
Goodwill		2,088	2,088
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		150	150
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,032	5,088
Other long-term assets		1,101	1,908
Total assets	[1]	6,449	12,541
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		414	655
Current portion of long-term debt		43	69
Other current liabilities		160	478
Total current liabilities		617	1,202
Long-term debt		4,233	12,271
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			0
Other long-term liabilities		770	577
Total liabilities	[1]	5,620	14,050
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		187	197
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		706	(1,770)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		(64)	64
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		6,449	12,541
Reportable Legal Entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		32	2
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		14	10
Total current assets		46	12
Property and equipment, net		1	1
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		902	451
Restricted cash			0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		480	331
Total assets		1,429	795
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		0	31
Current portion of long-term debt		0	0
Other current liabilities		2	2
Total current liabilities		2	33
Long-term debt		0	915
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			1,605
Other long-term liabilities		721	12
Total liabilities		723	2,565
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		706	(1,770)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		1,429	795
Reportable Legal Entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		344	316
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		41	82
Total current assets		385	398
Property and equipment, net		31	31
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		3,153	3,448
Restricted cash			0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		922	1,956
Total assets		4,491	5,833
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		75	85
Current portion of long-term debt		28	20
Other current liabilities		4	6
Total current liabilities		107	111
Long-term debt		4,190	4,317
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			0
Other long-term liabilities		56	69
Total liabilities		4,353	4,497
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		138	1,336
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		4,491	5,833
Reportable Legal Entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		1	2
Accounts receivable, net		548	649
Other current assets		321	293
Total current assets		870	944
Property and equipment, net		655	664
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash			0
Goodwill		2,081	2,081
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		136	136
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,019	1,105
Other long-term assets		417	427
Total assets		5,178	5,357
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		326	295
Current portion of long-term debt		6	5
Other current liabilities		126	155
Total current liabilities		458	455
Long-term debt		27	33
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			0
Other long-term liabilities		1,544	1,426
Total liabilities		2,029	1,914
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		3,149	3,443
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		5,178	5,357
Reportable Legal Entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		43	496
Accounts receivable, net		55	596
Other current assets		18	136
Total current assets		116	1,228
Property and equipment, net		49	161
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash			3
Goodwill		7	7
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		14	14
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		46	4,019
Other long-term assets		1,292	1,853
Total assets		1,524	7,285
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		14	279
Current portion of long-term debt		10	45
Other current liabilities		82	392
Total current liabilities		106	716
Long-term debt		375	8,488
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			0
Other long-term liabilities		323	468
Total liabilities		804	9,672
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		187	197
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		600	(2,644)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		(67)	60
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		1,524	7,285
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		3	0
Other current assets		(55)	(111)
Total current assets		(52)	(111)
Property and equipment, net		(23)	(24)
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		(4,055)	(3,899)
Restricted cash			0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		(33)	(36)
Other long-term assets		(2,010)	(2,659)
Total assets		(6,173)	(6,729)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(1)	(35)
Current portion of long-term debt		(1)	(1)
Other current liabilities		(54)	(77)
Total current liabilities		(56)	(113)
Long-term debt		(359)	(1,482)
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			(1,605)
Other long-term liabilities		(1,874)	(1,398)
Total liabilities		(2,289)	(4,598)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		(3,887)	(2,135)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		3	4
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		$ (6,173)	$ (6,729)

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $112 million and $217 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 include total liabilities of VIEs of $15 million and $62 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us. See Note 9. Variable Interest Entities.