CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
	Mar. 01, 2022	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues		$ 773	$ 1,288
Media programming and production expenses		398	758
Selling, general and administrative expenses		249	267
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary	$ (3,357)	0	(3,357)
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses		105	154
Total operating expenses (gains)		752	(2,178)
Operating (loss) income		21	3,466
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Interest expense		(74)	(115)
Other (expense) income		42	(48)
Total other expense, net		(32)	(163)
Income tax (provision) benefit		204	(687)
Net income (loss)		193	2,616
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests		4	(4)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		(12)	(25)
Net income (loss) attributable to Sinclair Broadcast Group		185	2,587
Comprehensive income		190	2,619
Reportable Legal Entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues		0	0
Media programming and production expenses		0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses		25	3
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary			(3,357)
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses		1	0
Total operating expenses (gains)		26	(3,354)
Operating (loss) income		(26)	3,354
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries		207	(38)
Interest expense		0	(4)
Other (expense) income		(3)	4
Total other expense, net		204	(38)
Income tax (provision) benefit		7	(729)
Net income (loss)		185	2,587
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Sinclair Broadcast Group		185	2,587
Comprehensive income		185	2,587
Reportable Legal Entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues		10	29
Media programming and production expenses		3	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses		35	48
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary			0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses		1	2
Total operating expenses (gains)		39	50
Operating (loss) income		(29)	(21)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries		69	100
Interest expense		(73)	(44)
Other (expense) income		8	1
Total other expense, net		4	57
Income tax (provision) benefit		19	20
Net income (loss)		(6)	56
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Sinclair Broadcast Group		(6)	56
Comprehensive income		(9)	56
Reportable Legal Entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues		739	791
Media programming and production expenses		376	362
Selling, general and administrative expenses		187	199
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary			0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses		82	84
Total operating expenses (gains)		645	645
Operating (loss) income		94	146
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Interest expense		(1)	(1)
Other (expense) income		0	3
Total other expense, net		(1)	2
Income tax (provision) benefit		(23)	(47)
Net income (loss)		70	101
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Sinclair Broadcast Group		70	101
Comprehensive income		70	101
Reportable Legal Entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues		43	531
Media programming and production expenses		34	412
Selling, general and administrative expenses		5	63
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary			0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses		22	70
Total operating expenses (gains)		61	545
Operating (loss) income		(18)	(14)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Interest expense		(3)	(75)
Other (expense) income		37	(50)
Total other expense, net		34	(125)
Income tax (provision) benefit		201	69
Net income (loss)		217	(70)
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests		4	(4)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		(12)	(25)
Net income (loss) attributable to Sinclair Broadcast Group		209	(99)
Comprehensive income		217	(67)
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues		(19)	(63)
Media programming and production expenses		(15)	(16)
Selling, general and administrative expenses		(3)	(46)
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiary			0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses		(1)	(2)
Total operating expenses (gains)		(19)	(64)
Operating (loss) income		0	1
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries		(276)	(62)
Interest expense		3	9
Other (expense) income		0	(6)
Total other expense, net		(273)	(59)
Income tax (provision) benefit		0	0
Net income (loss)		(273)	(58)
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Sinclair Broadcast Group		(273)	(58)
Comprehensive income		$ (273)	$ (58)