Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Federal statutory income tax rate	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Total tax benefit on continuing operations	$ (26,552,000)	$ (3,313,000)	$ 1,505,000
Deferred tax (benefit) expense	(29,964,000)	(4,012,000)	1,155,000
Deferred federal and state tax (benefit) expense	3,412,000	699,000	350,000
Deferred income tax expense, amortization of broadcast licenses and goodwill		16,700,000	3,600,000
Deferred income tax benefits, release of valuation allowance resulting from the CMP Acquisition	(14,450,000)	5,554,000	(9,832,000)
Deferred income tax benefits, change in state tax rates	10,985,000	1,523,000	(1,353,000)
Deferred income tax benefits, other miscellaneous adjustments		400,000
Unrecognized tax benefits accrued interest and penalties	1,300,000
Unrecognized tax benefits accrued interest and penalties expense	13,700,000
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized will would affect tax rate	12,200,000
Unrecognized tax benefits which are not expected to change significantly within the next 12 months	13,700,000
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards	811,500,000
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) | Minimum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards expiration year	2023
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) | Maximum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards expiration year	2032
State and Local Jurisdiction
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards	2,398,000,000
State and Local Jurisdiction | Minimum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards expiration year	2013
State and Local Jurisdiction | Maximum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards expiration year	2032
CMP Acquisition
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Deferred income tax benefits, release of valuation allowance resulting from the CMP Acquisition		76,700,000
CMP Acquisition | State and Local Jurisdiction
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards	125.0
Citadel Acquisition
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits accrued interest and penalties	1,100,000
Citadel Acquisition | Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards in connection with the Citadel Acquisition	262,400,000
Citadel Acquisition | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) | Minimum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards in connection with the Citadel Acquisition, subject to annual limitations	75,900,000
Net operating loss carry forwards subject to limitation expiration year	2012
Citadel Acquisition | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) | Maximum
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards in connection with the Citadel Acquisition, subject to annual limitations	92,000,000
Net operating loss carry forwards subject to limitation expiration year	2014
Citadel Acquisition | State and Local Jurisdiction
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Net operating loss carry forwards	393.0
Operating Expenses
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits accrued interest and penalties expense	$ 200,000