SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES: (Details 2) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Variable Interest Entities
Net broadcast revenues	$ 303,028,000		$ 225,023,000	$ 835,223,000		$ 633,493,000
Net revenue	338,644,000		258,714,000	935,416,000		732,162,000
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	228,994,000		44,625,000	228,994,000		44,625,000	22,865,000		12,967,000
Accounts receivable	250,054,000			250,054,000			183,480,000
Current portion of program contract costs	82,583,000			82,583,000			56,581,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	14,780,000			14,780,000			7,404,000
Total current assets	587,582,000			587,582,000			304,448,000
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion	30,249,000			30,249,000			12,767,000
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	513,382,000			513,382,000			439,713,000
RESTRICTED CASH	41,257,000			41,257,000			225,000
GOODWILL	1,297,638,000			1,297,638,000			1,074,032,000
BROADCAST LICENSES	98,210,000			98,210,000			85,122,000
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	819,678,000			819,678,000			623,406,000
OTHER ASSETS	229,677,000			229,677,000			189,984,000
Total assets	3,617,673,000	[1]		3,617,673,000	[1]		2,729,697,000	[1]
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	14,412,000			14,412,000			10,086,000
Accrued liabilities	200,779,000			200,779,000			143,731,000
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing	16,622,000			16,622,000			47,622,000
Current portion of program contracts payable	99,900,000			99,900,000			88,015,000
Total current liabilities	340,711,000			340,711,000			307,600,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion	2,436,386,000			2,436,386,000			2,210,866,000
Program contracts payable, less current portion	38,054,000			38,054,000			16,341,000
Total liabilities	3,201,435,000	[1]		3,201,435,000	[1]		2,829,750,000	[1]
Increase in additional paid in capital related to sale of investment in common stock				7,008,000
Eliminations
Variable Interest Entities
Net revenue	(14,093,000)		(2,181,000)	(42,475,000)		(6,537,000)
CURRENT ASSETS:
Total current assets	(3,327,000)			(3,327,000)			(4,005,000)
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	(7,242,000)			(7,242,000)			(10,867,000)
Total assets	(3,057,459,000)			(3,057,459,000)			(2,161,241,000)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Total current liabilities	(1,016,000)			(1,016,000)			(3,634,000)
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Total liabilities	(625,697,000)			(625,697,000)			(759,996,000)
Consolidated VIEs, aggregated
Variable Interest Entities
Net broadcast revenues	11,100,000		2,600,000	30,300,000		11,900,000
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	11,243,000			11,243,000			3,805,000
Accounts receivable	1,608,000			1,608,000			110,000
Income taxes receivable							94,000
Current portion of program contract costs	6,529,000			6,529,000			6,113,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	221,000			221,000			124,000
Total current assets	19,601,000			19,601,000			10,246,000
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion	2,380,000			2,380,000			1,484,000
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net	14,739,000			14,739,000			10,806,000
RESTRICTED CASH	2,102,000			2,102,000
GOODWILL	13,812,000			13,812,000			6,357,000
BROADCAST LICENSES	16,832,000			16,832,000			14,927,000
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net	67,237,000			67,237,000			51,368,000
OTHER ASSETS	12,242,000			12,242,000			12,723,000
Total assets	148,945,000			148,945,000			107,911,000
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	28,000			28,000			15,000
Accrued liabilities	1,130,000			1,130,000			186,000
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing	5,039,000			5,039,000			2,123,000
Current portion of program contracts payable	8,224,000			8,224,000			8,991,000
Total current liabilities	14,421,000			14,421,000			11,315,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion	45,122,000			45,122,000			20,238,000
Program contracts payable, less current portion	2,954,000			2,954,000			2,080,000
Total liabilities	62,497,000			62,497,000			33,633,000
Consolidated VIEs | Cunningham
Variable Interest Entities
Number of television stations owned	7			7
Net broadcast revenues	25,900,000		25,500,000	80,300,000		73,500,000
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Increase in additional paid in capital related to sale of investment in common stock				7,000,000
Consolidated VIEs | 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	20,800,000			59,800,000
Consolidated VIEs | Eliminations
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Liabilities associated with the JSAs, SSAs, and option agreements	45,200,000			45,200,000			36,200,000
Consolidated VIEs | Eliminations | Cunningham
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Total payments made under the LMA excluded from liabilities	32,400,000			32,400,000			29,800,000
Total capital leased liabilities excluded from VIE consolidation	$ 11,600,000			$ 11,600,000			$ 11,700,000

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $148.9 million and $107.9 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $16.4 million and $7.9 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us.