NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES: (Details 3) (USD $)	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 item		Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 item		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Variable Interest Entities
Number of television stations owned	87										87
Net revenue	$ 329,517,000		$ 258,713,000	$ 251,074,000	$ 222,375,000	$ 212,776,000		$ 181,042,000	$ 188,861,000	$ 182,609,000	$ 1,061,679,000		$ 765,288,000		$ 767,644,000
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	22,865,000					12,967,000					22,865,000		12,967,000		21,974,000	23,224,000
Accounts receivable	183,480,000					132,915,000					183,480,000		132,915,000
Income taxes receivable						225,000							225,000
Current portion of program contract costs	56,581,000					38,906,000					56,581,000		38,906,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	7,404,000					17,274,000					7,404,000		17,274,000
Total current assets	304,448,000					209,717,000					304,448,000		209,717,000
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion	12,767,000					15,584,000					12,767,000		15,584,000
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	439,713,000					281,521,000					439,713,000		281,521,000
GOODWILL	1,074,032,000					660,117,000					1,074,032,000		660,117,000
BROADCAST LICENSES	85,122,000					47,002,000					85,122,000		47,002,000
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	623,406,000					175,341,000					623,406,000		175,341,000
OTHER ASSETS	189,984,000					123,409,000					189,984,000		123,409,000
Total assets	2,729,697,000	[1]				1,571,417,000	[1]				2,729,697,000	[1]	1,571,417,000	[1]
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	10,086,000					8,872,000					10,086,000		8,872,000
Accrued liabilities	143,731,000					79,698,000					143,731,000		79,698,000
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing	47,622,000					38,195,000					47,622,000		38,195,000
Current portion of program contracts payable	88,015,000					63,825,000					88,015,000		63,825,000
Total current liabilities	307,600,000					195,582,000					307,600,000		195,582,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion	2,210,866,000					1,148,271,000					2,210,866,000		1,148,271,000
Program contracts payable, less current portion	16,341,000					27,625,000					16,341,000		27,625,000
Total liabilities	2,829,750,000	[1]				1,682,779,000	[1]				2,829,750,000	[1]	1,682,779,000	[1]
Consolidated VIEs
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	3,805,000					2,739,000					3,805,000		2,739,000
Accounts receivable	110,000										110,000
Income taxes receivable	94,000					142,000					94,000		142,000
Current portion of program contract costs	6,113,000					413,000					6,113,000		413,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	124,000					99,000					124,000		99,000
Total current assets	10,246,000					3,393,000					10,246,000		3,393,000
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion	1,484,000					271,000					1,484,000		271,000
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	10,806,000					6,658,000					10,806,000		6,658,000
GOODWILL	6,357,000					6,357,000					6,357,000		6,357,000
BROADCAST LICENSES	14,927,000					4,208,000					14,927,000		4,208,000
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	51,368,000					6,601,000					51,368,000		6,601,000
OTHER ASSETS	12,723,000					5,980,000					12,723,000		5,980,000
Total assets	107,911,000					33,468,000					107,911,000		33,468,000
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	15,000					37,000					15,000		37,000
Accrued liabilities	186,000					315,000					186,000		315,000
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing	2,123,000					11,074,000					2,123,000		11,074,000
Current portion of program contracts payable	8,991,000					373,000					8,991,000		373,000
Total current liabilities	11,315,000					11,799,000					11,315,000		11,799,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion	20,238,000					2,411,000					20,238,000		2,411,000
Program contracts payable, less current portion	2,080,000					173,000					2,080,000		173,000
Total liabilities	33,633,000					14,383,000					33,633,000		14,383,000
Cunningham
Variable Interest Entities
Number of television stations owned	7										7
Net revenue											105,500,000		90,300,000		94,300,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Total payments made under the LMA excluded from liabilities	29,800,000					22,700,000					29,800,000		22,700,000
Total capital leased assets excluded from VIE consolidation	11,700,000					11,800,000					11,700,000		11,800,000
Deerfield
Variable Interest Entities
Number of television stations owned	5										5
JSAs and SSAs initial term											8 years
JSAs and SSAs renewal terms											8 years
Net revenue											30,300,000
Outsourcing agreements
Variable Interest Entities
Net revenue											$ 18,800,000		$ 11,900,000		$ 13,200,000

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2012 and 2011 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $107.9 million and $33.5 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2012 and 2011 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $7.9 million and $14.4 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us. See Note 1: Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.