INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Schedule of Significant Components of Provision for Income Tax Benefit (Expense)

Significant components of the provision for income tax benefit (expense) are as follows:



(In thousands)	Years Ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
Current - Federal	$	(190	)	$	(31	)	$	(503	)
Current - foreign	(44,555		)	(46,188		)	(27,256		)
Current - state	(2,908		)	(12,890		)	3,193
Total current expense	(47,653		)	(59,109		)	(24,566		)

Deferred - Federal	38,715			(30,719		)	(29,284		)
Deferred - foreign	56,747			5,269			4,308
Deferred - state	2,665			(2,398		)	(8,947		)
Total deferred benefit (expense)	98,127			(27,848		)	(33,923		)
Income tax benefit (expense)	$	50,474		$	(86,957	)	$	(58,489	)

Schedule of Significant Components of Deferred Tax Liabilities and Assets

Significant components of the Company's deferred tax liabilities and assets as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 are as follows:



(In thousands)	2016		2015
Deferred tax liabilities:
Intangibles and fixed assets	$	2,016,861	$	2,173,491
Long-term debt	37,205		79,758
Investments	—		3,701
Other	10,159		11,540
Total deferred tax liabilities	2,064,225		2,268,490

Deferred tax assets:
Accrued expenses	155,037		114,079
Investments	5,458		—
Net operating loss carryforwards	1,384,175		1,495,294
Bad debt reserves	10,137		9,256
Other	43,545		39,539
Total gross deferred tax assets	1,598,352		1,658,168
Less: Valuation allowance	991,222		944,576
Total deferred tax assets	607,130		713,592
Net deferred tax liabilities	$	1,457,095	$	1,554,898

Schedule of Loss Before Income Taxes

oss before income taxes:



(In thousands)	Years Ended December 31,
	2016			2015			2014
US	$	(349,829	)	$	(700,376	)	$	(800,879	)
Foreign	59,352			49,843			97,210
Total loss before income taxes	$	(290,477	)	$	(650,533	)	$	(703,669	)

Reconciliation of Income Tax to Income Tax Benefit

The reconciliation of income tax computed at the U.S. federal statutory tax rates to the recorded income tax benefit (expense) is:



	Years Ended December 31,
(In thousands)	2016				2015				2014
	Amount			Percent	Amount			Percent	Amount			Percent
Income tax benefit at statutory rates	$	101,667		35.0%	$	227,686		35.0%	$	246,284		35.0%
State income taxes, net of federal tax effect	6,372			2.2%	17,795			2.7%	26,518			3.8%
Foreign income taxes	(21,477		)	(7.4)%	(23,474		)	(3.6)%	11,074			1.6%
Nondeductible items	(5,760		)	(2.0)%	(5,764		)	(0.9)%	(5,533		)	(0.8)%
Changes in valuation allowance and other estimates	(31,229		)	(10.7)%	(302,935		)	(46.6)%	(333,641		)	(47.4)%
Other, net	901			0.3%	(265		)	—%	(3,191		)	(0.5)%
Income tax benefit (expense)	$	50,474		17.4%	$	(86,957	)	(13.4)%	$	(58,489	)	(8.3)%

Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits at December 31, 2016 and 2015 that, if recognized, would impact the effective income tax rate is $53.8 million and $54.3 million, respectively.



(In thousands)	Years Ended December 31,
Unrecognized Tax Benefits	2016			2015
Balance at beginning of period	$	103,208		$	106,914
Increases for tax position taken in the current year	10,094			9,856
Increases for tax positions taken in previous years	3,024			3,087
Decreases for tax position taken in previous years	(11,157		)	(8,534		)
Decreases due to settlements with tax authorities	(1,007		)	(3,821		)
Decreases due to lapse of statute of limitations	(6,200		)	(4,294		)
Balance at end of period	$	97,962		$	103,208