ACQUISITIONS (Details 2) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Property and equipment, net		752,538,000	596,071,000
Broadcast licenses		135,075,000	101,029,000
Increase to noncurrent deferred tax liabilities		6,689,000	1,738,000
Goodwill		1,964,553,000	1,380,082,000	1,074,032,000
Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Amortization period	15 years	15 years	15 years
Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Amortization period	10 years	10 years	10 years
Other intangible assets | Minimum
Acquisitions
Weighted-average useful life subject to amortization acquired		14 years
Other intangible assets | Maximum
Acquisitions
Weighted-average useful life subject to amortization acquired		16 years
2014 Acquisitions
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		790,006,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes		166,296,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill		701,854,000
2014 Acquisitions | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		506,787,000
2014 Acquisitions | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		68,980,000
2014 Acquisitions | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		214,239,000
MEG Stations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		93,156,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes		74,179,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill		74,179,000
MEG Stations | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		63,462,000
MEG Stations | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		9,280,000
MEG Stations | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		20,414,000
KSNV
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		61,725,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes		49,674,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill		49,674,000
KSNV | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		43,800,000
KSNV | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		12,100,000
KSNV | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		5,825,000
Allbritton
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		564,100,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill		535,558,000
Allbritton | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		356,900,000
Allbritton | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		38,500,000
Allbritton | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		168,700,000
Other Acquisitions in 2014
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		71,025,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes		42,443,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill		42,443,000
Other Acquisitions in 2014 | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		42,625,000
Other Acquisitions in 2014 | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		9,100,000
Other Acquisitions in 2014 | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired		19,300,000
2013 Acquisitions
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			555,725,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes			196,977,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Property and equipment, net		44,300,000
Broadcast licenses		19,400,000
Increase to noncurrent deferred tax liabilities		29,300,000
Goodwill			264,484,000
Decrease to goodwill		66,300,000
Increase to depreciation and amortization		2,500,000
2013 Acquisitions | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			320,549,000
2013 Acquisitions | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			80,041,000
2013 Acquisitions | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			155,135,000
Fisher
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			166,034,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes			10,765,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill			143,942,000
Fisher | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			117,499,000
Fisher | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			18,110,000
Fisher | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			30,425,000
Barrington Broadcasting Company, LLC
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			220,253,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes			75,004,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill			75,004,000
Barrington Broadcasting Company, LLC | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			103,245,000
Barrington Broadcasting Company, LLC | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			41,939,000
Barrington Broadcasting Company, LLC | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			75,069,000
Other Acquisitions in 2013
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			169,438,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes			111,208,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill			45,538,000
Other Acquisitions in 2013 | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			99,805,000
Other Acquisitions in 2013 | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			19,992,000
Other Acquisitions in 2013 | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired			49,641,000
2012 Acquisitions
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				497,322,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes				415,734,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill				415,734,000
2012 Acquisitions | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				348,831,000
2012 Acquisitions | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				60,330,000
2012 Acquisitions | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				88,161,000
Four Points
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				93,800,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes				60,843,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill				60,843,000
Four Points | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				66,928,000
Four Points | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				9,766,000
Four Points | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				17,106,000
Freedom
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				140,963,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes				179,609,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill				179,609,000
Freedom | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				93,067,000
Freedom | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				25,059,000
Freedom | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				22,837,000
Newport
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				240,013,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes				164,621,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill				164,621,000
Newport | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				175,978,000
Newport | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				23,662,000
Newport | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				40,373,000
Other Acquisitions in 2012
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				22,546,000
Estimated goodwill deductible for tax purposes				10,661,000
Prior period immaterial adjustments resulting in reclassification of noncurrent assets and noncurrent liabilities
Goodwill				10,661,000
Other Acquisitions in 2012 | Network affiliations
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				12,858,000
Other Acquisitions in 2012 | Decaying advertiser base
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				1,843,000
Other Acquisitions in 2012 | Other intangible assets
Acquisitions
Fair value of identifiable definite-lived intangible assets acquired				$ 7,845,000