CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
NET CASH FLOWS (USED IN) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$ 136,260	$ 49,702
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Acquisition of property and equipment	(11,907)	(7,482)
Proceeds from sale of broadcast assets		14,312
Purchase of alarm monitoring contracts	(4,323)	(1,924)
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash	(679)	(24,945)
Distributions from investments	739	2,228
Investments in equity and cost method investees	(2,154)	(1,758)
Proceeds from termination of life insurance policies	17,042
Proceeds from the sale of real estate investment		5,516
Investment in marketable securities		(1,195)
Proceeds from loans to affiliates		13
Other, net	55	293
Net cash flows used in investing activities	(1,966)	(14,942)
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from notes payable, commercial bank financing and capital leases	5,885	101,128
Repayments of notes payable, commercial bank financing and capital leases	(6,396)	(112,623)
Proceeds from share based awards		1,242
Dividends paid on Class A and Class B common stock	(14,696)	(12,048)
Repurchase of outstanding Class A Common Stock	(82,371)
Payments for deferred financing costs		(801)
Proceeds from Class A Common Stock sold by variable interest entity		1,045
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(260)	(9,329)
Repayments of notes and capital leases to affiliates	(565)	(414)
Other, net	991
Net cash flows used in financing activities	(96,587)	(31,800)
NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	37,707	2,960
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period	280,104	22,865
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period	317,811	25,825
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
NET CASH FLOWS (USED IN) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	13,532	3,002
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from loans to affiliates		13
Other, net		(42)
Net cash flows used in investing activities		(29)
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Repayments of notes payable, commercial bank financing and capital leases	(132)	(115)
Proceeds from share based awards		1,242
Dividends paid on Class A and Class B common stock	(14,719)	(12,195)
Repurchase of outstanding Class A Common Stock	(82,371)
Repayments of notes and capital leases to affiliates		(276)
Increase (decrease) in intercompany payables	82,043	8,371
Other, net	1,647
Net cash flows used in financing activities	(13,532)	(2,973)
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
NET CASH FLOWS (USED IN) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(8,180)	(8,428)
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Acquisition of property and equipment	(1,721)	(181)
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash	(900)	(24,945)
Proceeds from termination of life insurance policies	17,042
Net cash flows used in investing activities	14,421	(25,126)
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from notes payable, commercial bank financing and capital leases		93,500
Repayments of notes payable, commercial bank financing and capital leases	(4,335)	(110,092)
Payments for deferred financing costs		(778)
Increase (decrease) in intercompany payables	60,147	50,193
Other, net	(144)
Net cash flows used in financing activities	55,668	32,823
NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	61,909	(731)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period	237,974	7,230
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period	299,883	6,499
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
NET CASH FLOWS (USED IN) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	124,353	56,623
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Acquisition of property and equipment	(9,587)	(6,725)
Proceeds from sale of broadcast assets		14,312
(Increase) decrease in restricted cash	221
Other, net		335
Net cash flows used in investing activities	(9,366)	7,922
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Repayments of notes payable, commercial bank financing and capital leases	(268)	(181)
Repayments of notes and capital leases to affiliates		(138)
Increase (decrease) in intercompany payables	(142,667)	(63,769)
Other, net	(252)
Net cash flows used in financing activities	(143,187)	(64,088)
NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(28,200)	457
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period	28,594	199
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period	394	656
Reportable legal entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
NET CASH FLOWS (USED IN) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	6,472	(4,012)
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Acquisition of property and equipment	(599)	(576)
Purchase of alarm monitoring contracts	(4,323)	(1,924)
Distributions from investments		2,228
Investments in equity and cost method investees	(2,154)	(1,758)
Proceeds from the sale of real estate investment		5,516
Investment in marketable securities		(1,195)
Other, net	55
Net cash flows used in investing activities	(7,021)	2,291
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from notes payable, commercial bank financing and capital leases	5,885	7,628
Repayments of notes payable, commercial bank financing and capital leases	(1,661)	(2,235)
Payments for deferred financing costs		(23)
Proceeds from Class A Common Stock sold by variable interest entity		1,045
Distributions to noncontrolling interests		(9,329)
Increase (decrease) in intercompany payables	583	7,869
Other, net	(260)
Net cash flows used in financing activities	4,547	4,955
NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	3,998	3,234
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period	13,536	15,436
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period	17,534	18,670
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
NET CASH FLOWS (USED IN) FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES	83	2,517
CASH FLOWS FROM (USED IN) FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Dividends paid on Class A and Class B common stock	23	147
Increase (decrease) in intercompany payables	(106)	(2,664)
Net cash flows used in financing activities	$ (83)	$ (2,517)