SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES: (Details 2) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Variable Interest Entities
Net broadcast revenues	$ 279,270,000		$ 217,582,000	$ 532,195,000		$ 408,470,000
Net revenue	314,154,000		251,074,000	596,772,000		473,448,000
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	550,812,000		31,078,000	550,812,000		31,078,000	22,865,000		12,967,000
Accounts receivable	210,802,000			210,802,000			183,480,000
Current portion of program contract costs	29,348,000			29,348,000			56,581,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	11,788,000			11,788,000			7,404,000
Total current assets	806,921,000			806,921,000			304,448,000
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion	10,931,000			10,931,000			12,767,000
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	454,814,000			454,814,000			439,713,000
GOODWILL	1,105,005,000			1,105,005,000			1,074,032,000
BROADCAST LICENSES	87,077,000			87,077,000			85,122,000
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	656,081,000			656,081,000			623,406,000
OTHER ASSETS	188,705,000			188,705,000			189,984,000
Total assets	3,343,393,000	[1]	2,160,241,000	3,343,393,000	[1]	2,160,241,000	2,729,697,000	[1]
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	9,775,000			9,775,000			10,086,000
Accrued liabilities	128,838,000			128,838,000			143,731,000
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing	19,094,000			19,094,000			47,622,000
Current portion of program contracts payable	53,201,000			53,201,000			88,015,000
Total current liabilities	226,288,000			226,288,000			307,600,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion	2,407,680,000			2,407,680,000			2,210,866,000
Program contracts payable, less current portion	14,933,000			14,933,000			16,341,000
Total liabilities	2,957,385,000	[1]		2,957,385,000	[1]		2,829,750,000	[1]
Liabilities associated with the JSAs, SSAs, and option agreements with VIEs	10,400,000			10,400,000			7,900,000
Consolidated VIEs
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	12,996,000			12,996,000			3,805,000
Accounts receivable	199,000			199,000			110,000
Income taxes receivable	139,000			139,000			94,000
Current portion of program contract costs	3,901,000			3,901,000			6,113,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	43,000			43,000			124,000
Total current assets	17,278,000			17,278,000			10,246,000
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion	814,000			814,000			1,484,000
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	10,401,000			10,401,000			10,806,000
GOODWILL	6,357,000			6,357,000			6,357,000
BROADCAST LICENSES	16,782,000			16,782,000			14,927,000
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	56,393,000			56,393,000			51,368,000
OTHER ASSETS	14,624,000			14,624,000			12,723,000
Total assets	122,649,000			122,649,000			107,911,000
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	15,000			15,000			15,000
Accrued liabilities	447,000			447,000			186,000
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing	3,448,000			3,448,000			2,123,000
Current portion of program contracts payable	5,982,000			5,982,000			8,991,000
Total current liabilities	9,892,000			9,892,000			11,315,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion	24,270,000			24,270,000			20,238,000
Program contracts payable, less current portion	1,508,000			1,508,000			2,080,000
Total liabilities	35,670,000			35,670,000			33,633,000
Liabilities associated with the JSAs, SSAs, and option agreements with VIEs	44,200,000			44,200,000			36,200,000
Cunningham
Variable Interest Entities
Number of television stations owned	7			7
Net broadcast revenues	26,500,000		24,800,000	51,200,000		48,100,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Total payments made under the LMA excluded from liabilities	31,500,000			31,500,000			29,800,000
Total capital leased assets excluded from VIE consolidation	11,600,000			11,600,000			11,700,000
Amount for which investment in Class A Common Stock was sold				7,000,000
Deerfield
Variable Interest Entities
Number of television stations owned	8			8
JSAs and SSAs initial term				8 years
JSAs and SSAs renewal terms				8 years
Net revenue	21,000,000			45,100,000
Outsourcing agreements
Variable Interest Entities
Net broadcast revenues	$ 9,800,000		$ 4,100,000	$ 18,200,000		$ 7,700,000

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $122.6 million and $107.9 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $10.4 million and $7.9 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us.