SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES: (Details 2) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013		Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Variable Interest Entities
Net broadcast revenues	$ 252,925,000		$ 190,888,000
Net revenue	282,618,000		222,374,000
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	25,825,000		26,802,000	22,865,000		12,967,000
Accounts receivable	196,898,000			183,480,000
Current portion of program contract costs	39,265,000			56,581,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	9,936,000			7,404,000
Total current assets	292,932,000			304,448,000
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion	11,173,000			12,767,000
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	431,542,000			439,713,000
GOODWILL	1,067,330,000			1,074,032,000
BROADCAST LICENSES	85,686,000			85,122,000
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	624,982,000			623,406,000
OTHER ASSETS	195,713,000			189,984,000
Total assets	2,734,528,000	[1]		2,729,697,000	[1]
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	9,208,000			10,086,000
Accrued liabilities	167,044,000			143,731,000
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing	46,366,000			47,622,000
Current portion of program contracts payable	66,712,000			88,015,000
Total current liabilities	311,164,000			307,600,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion	2,201,629,000			2,210,866,000
Program contracts payable, less current portion	15,417,000			16,341,000
Total liabilities	2,831,815,000	[1]		2,829,750,000	[1]
Consolidated VIEs
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	3,005,000			3,805,000
Accounts receivable	124,000			110,000
Income taxes receivable	166,000			94,000
Current portion of program contract costs	5,566,000			6,113,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	101,000			124,000
Total current assets	8,962,000			10,246,000
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion	1,409,000			1,484,000
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	8,330,000			10,806,000
GOODWILL	6,357,000			6,357,000
BROADCAST LICENSES	15,492,000			14,927,000
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	58,603,000			51,368,000
OTHER ASSETS	13,848,000			12,723,000
Total assets	113,001,000			107,911,000
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	15,000			15,000
Accrued liabilities	256,000			186,000
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing	2,728,000			2,123,000
Current portion of program contracts payable	8,337,000			8,991,000
Total current liabilities	11,336,000			11,315,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion	24,954,000			20,238,000
Program contracts payable, less current portion	2,018,000			2,080,000
Total liabilities	38,308,000			33,633,000
Cunningham
Variable Interest Entities
Number of television stations owned	7
Net broadcast revenues	24,600,000		23,300,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Total payments made under the LMA excluded from liabilities	30,600,000			29,800,000
Total capital leased assets excluded from VIE consolidation	11,700,000			11,700,000
Deerfield
Variable Interest Entities
Number of television stations owned	6
JSAs and SSAs initial term	8 years
JSAs and SSAs renewal terms	8 years
Net revenue	15,700,000
Outsourcing agreements
Variable Interest Entities
Net revenue	$ 8,500,000		$ 3,700,000

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $113.0 million and $107.9 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $13.0 million and $7.9 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us.