Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit)

Income tax for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 consisted of the following (dollars in thousands):



	2017			2016			2015
Current income tax expense
State and local	$	4,504		$	1,678		$	2,422
Total current income tax	$	4,504		$	1,678		$	2,422

Deferred tax benefit
Federal	$	(157,277	)	$	(19,496	)	$	(48,123	)
State and local	(10,953		)	(8,336		)	(139		)
Total deferred tax	(168,230		)	(27,832		)	(48,262		)
Total income tax benefit	$	(163,726	)	$	(26,154	)	$	(45,840	)

Total Income Tax Expense (Benefit) Differed From Amount Computed by Applying Federal Statutory Tax Rate

Total income tax differed from the amount computed by applying the federal statutory tax rate of 35.0% for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 as a result of the following (dollars in thousands):



	2017			2016			2015
Pretax loss at federal statutory rate	$	(129,602	)	$	(187,906	)	$	(207,317	)
State income tax, net federal	(11,729		)	(1,812		)	(1,385		)
Meals and entertainment	350			429			380
Bankruptcy costs	5,478			—			—
Change in state tax rates	255			(1,618		)	1,605
Section 162 disallowance	1,867			538			110
Change in federal tax rate	(91,384		)	—			—
Impairment charges on goodwill with no tax basis	—			163,630			153,371
Increase in valuation allowance	58,254			32			190
Other	2,785			553			7,206
Net income tax benefit	$	(163,726	)	$	(26,154	)	$	(45,840	)

Tax Effects of Temporary Differences That Give Rise to Significant Portions of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and liabilities at December 31, 2017 and 2016 are presented below (dollars in thousands):



	2017			2016
Noncurrent deferred tax assets:
Accounts receivable	$	948		$	1,422
Advertising relationships	954			2,548
Other liabilities	20,486			27,014
Debt costs	6,987			—
Tax credits	2,249			2,042
Net operating loss	75,832			111,778
Noncurrent deferred tax assets	107,456			144,804
Less: valuation allowance	(75,460		)	(17,205		)
Net noncurrent deferred tax assets	31,996			127,599
Noncurrent deferred tax liabilities:
Intangible assets	242,822			482,620
Property and equipment	8,417			20,485
Cancellation of debt income	—			12,544
Other	7			—
Noncurrent deferred tax liabilities	251,246			515,649
Net noncurrent deferred tax liabilities	219,250			388,050
Net deferred tax liabilities	$	219,250		$	388,050

Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits Roll Forward

The following table reconciles unrecognized tax benefits during the relevant years (in thousands):



Balance at January 1, 2016	$	12,629
Increase for prior year positions	275
Lapse of statute of limitations	(1,014		)
Balance at December 31, 2016	$	11,890
Increase for prior year positions	447
Decrease for prior year positions	(3,316		)
Lapse of statute of limitations	(434		)
Balance at December 31, 2017	$	8,587