EMPLOYEE SAVINGS AND BENEFIT PLANS (Block)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Compensation And Retirement Disclosure Abstract

Compensation And Employee Benefit Plans Text Block

16. EMPLOYEE SAVINGS AND BENEFIT PLANS

Deferred Compensation Plans

The Company provides certain of its employees and the Board of Directors with an opportunity to defer a portion of their compensation on a tax-favored basis. The obligations by the Company to pay these benefits under the deferred compensation plans represent unsecured general obligations that rank equally with the Company’s other unsecured indebtedness. Amounts deferred under these plans were included in other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets. Any change in the deferred compensation liability for each periodis recorded to corporate general and administrative expenses and to station operating expenses in the statement of operations.

		Years Ended December 31,
Benefit Plan Disclosures		2016		2015		2014
		(amounts in thousands)
Deferred compensation
	Beginning of period balance	$	10,137	$	11,017	$	10,459
	Employee compensation deferrals		963		534		420
	Employee compensation payments		(945)		(1,464)		(734)
	Increase (decrease) in plan fair value		720		50		872
	End of period balance	$	10,875	$	10,137	$	11,017

401(k) Savings Plan

The Company has a savings plan which is intended to be qualified under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. The plan is a defined contribution plan, available to all eligible employees, and allows participants to contribute up to the legal maximum of their eligible compensation, not to exceed the maximum tax-deferred amount allowed by the Internal Revenue Service. The Company’s discretionary matching contribution is subject to certain conditions. The Company’s contributions for 2016, 2015 and 2014 were $1.0million, $0.9million and $0.8million, respectively.