ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Schedule Of Launch Assets [Table Text Block]

The gross value and accumulated amortization of the launch assets is as follows:

	As of December 31,
	2016			2015
	(In thousands)
Launch assets	$	1,784		$	726
Less: Accumulated amortization		(203	)		(61	)
Launch assets, net	$	1,581		$	665

Schedule Of Launch Assets Future Amortization Expense [Table Text Block]

Future estimated launch support amortization expense or revenue reduction related to launch assets for years 2017 through 2021 is as follows:

	(In thousands)
2017	$	204
2018	$	193
2019	$	193
2020	$	193
2021	$	193

Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes the potential common shares excluded from the diluted calculation.

	Year ended December 31, 2016		Year ended December 31, 2015		Year ended December 31, 2014
Stock options		3,700		3,712		3,737
Restricted stock awards		1,226		2,064		2,575

Fair Value, by Balance Sheet Grouping [Table Text Block]

As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the fair values of our financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis are categorized as follows:

	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(In thousands)
As of December 31, 2016
Liabilities subject to fair value measurement:
Employment agreement award (a)	$	26,965	$	—	$	—	$	26,965

Mezzanine equity subject to fair value measurement:
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (b)	$	12,410	$	—	$	—	$	12,410

As of December 31, 2015
Liabilities subject to fair value measurement:
Incentive award plan (c)	$	1,506	$	—	$	—	$	1,506
Employment agreement award (a)		20,915		—		—		20,915
Total	$	22,421	$	—	$	—	$	22,421

Mezzanine equity subject to fair value measurement:
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (b)	$	11,286	$	—	$	—	$	11,286

(a) Pursuant to an employment agreement (the “Employment Agreement”) executed in April 2008, the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) is eligible to receive an award (the “Employment Agreement Award”) amount equal to approximately 4% of any proceeds from distributions or other liquidity events in excess of the return of the Company’s aggregate investment in TV One. The Company reviews the factors underlying this award at the end of each quarter including the valuation of TV One (based on the estimated enterprise fair value of TV One as determined by a combination of a discounted cash flow analysis and the value used in connection with the Comcast Buyout, as defined in Note 2 – Acquisitions and Dispositions), and an assessment of the probability that the Employment Agreement will be renewed and contain the award. There are probability factors included in the calculation of the award related to the likelihood that the award will be realized. The Company’s obligation to pay the award was triggered after the Company’s recovery of the aggregate amount of our pre-Comcast Buyout capital contribution in TV One, and payment is required only upon actual receipt of distributions of cash or marketable securities or proceeds from a liquidity event with respect to such invested amount. The CEO was fully vested in the award upon execution of the Employment Agreement, and the award lapses if the CEO voluntarily leaves the Company or is terminated for cause. A third-party valuation firm assisted the Company in estimating TV One’s fair value using a discounted cash flow analysis. Significant inputs to the discounted cash flow analysis include forecasted operating results, discount rate and a terminal value. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company approved terms for a new employment agreement with the CEO, including a renewal of the Employment Agreement Award upon similar terms as in the prior Employment Agreement. While a new employment agreement has not been executed as of the date of this report, the CEO is being compensated according to the new terms approved by the Compensation Committee.

(b) The redeemable noncontrolling interest in Reach Media is measured at fair value using a discounted cash flow methodology. A third-party valuation firm assisted the Company in estimating the fair value. Significant inputs to the discounted cash flow analysis include forecasted operating results, discount rate and a terminal value.

(c) Balance is measured based on the estimated enterprise fair value of TV One as determined by a combination of a discounted cash flow analysis and the value used in connection with the Comcast Buyout (as defined in Note 2 – Acquisitions and Dispositions). Significant inputs to the discounted cash flow analysis include forecasted operating results, discount rate and a terminal value. A third-party valuation firm assisted the Company in estimating TV One’s fair value using a discounted cash flow analysis.

Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Table Text Block]

There were no transfers in or out of Level 1, 2, or 3 during the year ended December 31, 2016. The following table presents the changes in Level 3 liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2016:

	Incentive Award Plan			Employment Agreement Award			Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests
	(In thousands)

Balance at December 31, 2014	$	1,044		$	17,993		$	10,836
Dividends paid to redeemable noncontrolling interests		—			—			(2,001	)
Net income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests		—			—			1,739
Distribution		—			(1,500	)		—
Change in fair value		462			4,422			712
Balance at December 31, 2015	$	1,506		$	20,915		$	11,286
Dividends paid to redeemable noncontrolling interests		—			—			(2,001	)
Net income attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests		—			—			1,139
Distribution		(1,480	)		(1,800	)		—
Change in fair value		(26	)		7,850			1,986
Balance at December 31, 2016	$	—		$	26,965		$	12,410

The amount of total income (losses) for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized losses relating to assets and liabilities still held at December 31, 2016	$	26		$	(7,850	)	$	—
The amount of total losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized losses relating to assets and liabilities still held at December 31, 2015	$	(462	)	$	(4,422	)	$	—
The amount of total losses for the period included in earnings attributable to the change in unrealized losses relating to assets and liabilities held at December 31, 2014	$	(300	)	$	(4,305	)	$	—

Fair Value Measurements, Recurring and Nonrecurring, Valuation Techniques [Table Text Block]

For Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, the significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurements were as follows:

		Significant	As of December 31, 2016			As of December 31, 2015
Level 3 liabilities	Valuation Technique	Unobservable Inputs	Significant Unobservable Input Value

Incentive award plan	Discounted Cash Flow	Discount Rate		N/A	*		10.8	%
Incentive award plan	Discounted Cash Flow	Long-term Growth Rate		N/A	*		3.0	%
Employment agreement award	Discounted Cash Flow	Discount Rate		11.0	%		10.8	%
Employment agreement award	Discounted Cash Flow	Long-term Growth Rate		2.5	%		3.0	%
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	Discounted Cash Flow	Discount Rate		10.5	%		11.8	%
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	Discounted Cash Flow	Long-term Growth Rate		1.0	%		1.5	%

*Final distribution related to the incentive award plan occurred during the first quarter of 2016.