NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Revenue Recognition, Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 917	$ 767	$ 2,544	$ 2,308
Distribution revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	434	414	1,305	1,258
Core advertising revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	295	293	895	902
Political advertising revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	138	11	202	20
Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenues
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	50	49	142	128
Operating Segments | Local Media
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	845	697	2,322	2,101
Operating Segments | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	19	17	54	48
Operating Segments | Distribution revenue | Local Media
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	383	365	1,151	1,118
Operating Segments | Distribution revenue | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Core advertising revenue | Local Media
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	283	281	852	861
Operating Segments | Core advertising revenue | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	9	6	24	18
Operating Segments | Political advertising revenue | Local Media
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	138	11	202	20
Operating Segments | Political advertising revenue | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenues | Local Media
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	41	40	117	102
Operating Segments | Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenues | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	10	11	30	30
Eliminations
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	(7)	(6)	(22)	(15)
Eliminations | Distribution revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Eliminations | Core advertising revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	(5)	(3)	(13)	(9)
Eliminations | Political advertising revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Eliminations | Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenues
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	(2)	(3)	(9)	(6)
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	845	697	2,322	2,213
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Distribution revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				1,194
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Core advertising revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				885
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Political advertising revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				20
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenues
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				114
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Operating Segments | Local Media
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	845	697	2,322	2,101
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Operating Segments | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				119
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Operating Segments | Distribution revenue | Local Media
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	383	365	1,151	1,118
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Operating Segments | Distribution revenue | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				76
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Operating Segments | Core advertising revenue | Local Media
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	283	281	852	861
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Operating Segments | Core advertising revenue | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				29
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Operating Segments | Political advertising revenue | Local Media
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	138	11	202	20
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Operating Segments | Political advertising revenue | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				0
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Operating Segments | Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenues | Local Media
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 41	$ 40	$ 117	102
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Operating Segments | Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenues | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				14
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Eliminations
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				(7)
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Eliminations | Distribution revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				0
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Eliminations | Core advertising revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				(5)
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Eliminations | Political advertising revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				0
Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC | Eliminations | Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenues
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues				$ (2)