INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

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,
	2018			2017			2016
Current - Federal	$	1		$	(2,136	)	$	(190	)
Current - foreign	(18,535		)	(30,132		)	(44,687		)
Current - state	(9,779		)	1,484			(2,908		)
Total current expense	(28,313		)	(30,784		)	(47,785		)
Deferred - Federal	(4,397		)	491,239			38,715
Deferred - foreign	(6,531		)	(2,560		)	56,036
Deferred - state	(7,110		)	(489		)	2,665
Total deferred benefit (expense)	(18,038		)	488,190			97,416
Income tax benefit (expense)	$	(46,351	)	$	457,406		$	49,631

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, 2018 and 2017 are as follows:

(In thousands)	2018		2017
Deferred tax liabilities:
Intangibles and fixed assets	$	1,167,903	$	1,285,330
Long-term debt	259,324		—
Investments	2,733		16,484
Other	15,605		9,868
Total deferred tax liabilities	1,445,565		1,311,682
Deferred tax assets:
Accrued expenses	101,207		105,823
Long-term debt	—		49,767
Net operating loss carryforwards	985,403		1,106,319
Interest expense carryforwards	347,843		—
Bad debt reserves	12,820		11,731
Other	28,574		27,654
Total gross deferred tax assets	1,475,847		1,301,294
Less: Valuation allowance	1,010,223		952,337
Total deferred tax assets	465,624		348,957
Net deferred tax liabilities	$	979,941	$	962,725

Schedule of Loss Before Income Taxes

Loss before income taxes:

(In thousands)	Years Ended December 31,
	2018			2017			2016
US	$	(134,893	)	$	(952,436	)	$	(349,876	)
Foreign	(21,395		)	36,319			53,673
Total loss before income taxes	$	(156,288	)	$	(916,117	)	$	(296,203	)

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)	2018					2017					2016
	Amount			Percent		Amount			Percent		Amount			Percent
Income tax benefit at statutory rates	$	32,821		21.0	%	$	320,641		35.0	%	$	103,670		35.0	%
State income taxes, net of federal tax effect	21,137			13.5	%	7,667			0.8	%	6,372			2.2	%
Foreign income taxes	(29,559		)	(18.9	)%	(19,981		)	(2.2	)%	(24,307		)	(8.2	)%
Nondeductible items	(5,400		)	(3.5	)%	(6,659		)	(0.7	)%	(5,760		)	(1.9	)%
Changes in valuation allowance and other estimates	(64,913		)	(41.5	)%	(350,407		)	(38.2	)%	(31,229		)	(10.6	)%
U.S. tax reform	—			—	%	510,064			55.6	%	—			—	%
Other, net	(437		)	(0.3	)%	(3,919		)	(0.4	)%	885			0.3	%
Income tax benefit (expense)	$	(46,351	)	(29.7	)%	$	457,406		49.9	%	$	49,631		16.8	%

Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits

(In thousands)	Years Ended December 31,
Unrecognized Tax Benefits	2018			2017
Balance at beginning of period	$	87,665		$	98,804
Increases for tax position taken in the current year	7,109			7,366
Increases for tax positions taken in previous years	1,007			2,291
Decreases for tax position taken in previous years	(7,120		)	(5,307		)
Decreases due to settlements with tax authorities	—			(225		)
Decreases due to lapse of statute of limitations	(7,159		)	(15,264		)
Balance at end of period	$	81,502		$	87,665