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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates, judgments, and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes including, but not limited to, legal, tax and insurance accruals.  The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Principles of Consolidation
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries.  Also included in the consolidated financial statements are entities for which the Company has a controlling financial interest or is the primary beneficiary.  Investments in companies in which the Company owns 20% to 50% of the voting common stock or otherwise exercises significant influence over operating and financial policies of the Company are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. All significant intercompany accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable are recorded when the Company has an unconditional right to payment, either because it has satisfied a performance obligation prior to receiving payment from the customer or has a non-cancelable contract that has been billed in advance in accordance with the Company’s normal billing terms.
Accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount, net of reserves for sales allowances and allowances for doubtful accounts. The Company evaluates the collectability of its accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. In circumstances where it is aware of a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations, it records a specific reserve to reduce the amounts recorded to what it believes will be collected. For all other customers, it recognizes reserves for bad debt based on historical experience of bad debts as a percent of accounts receivable for each business unit, adjusted for relative improvements or deteriorations in the agings and changes in current economic conditions. The Company believes its concentration of credit risk is limited due to the large number of its customers.
Business Combinations
Business Combinations
The Company accounts for its business combinations under the acquisition method of accounting. The total cost of an acquisition is allocated to the underlying identifiable net assets, based on their respective estimated fair values. The excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair values of the net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill.  Determining the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires management's judgment and often involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions, including assumptions with respect to future cash inflows and outflows, discount rates, asset lives and market multiples, among other items.  Various acquisition agreements may include contingent purchase consideration based on performance requirements of the investee.  The Company accounts for these payments in conformity with the provisions of ASC 805-20-30, which establish the requirements related to recognition of certain assets and liabilities arising from contingencies.
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method at rates that, in the opinion of management, are adequate to allocate the cost of such assets over their estimated useful lives, which are as follows:
Buildings and improvements – 10 to 39 years
Towers, transmitters and studio equipment – 5 to 40 years
Furniture and other equipment – 3 to 7 years
Leasehold improvements – shorter of economic life or lease term assuming renewal periods, if appropriate
For assets associated with a lease or contract, the assets are depreciated at the shorter of the economic life or the lease or contract term, assuming renewal periods, if appropriate.  Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to operations as incurred, whereas expenditures for renewal and betterments are capitalized.
The Company tests for possible impairment of property, plant, and equipment whenever events and circumstances indicate that depreciable assets might be impaired and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the carrying amounts of those assets.  When specific assets are determined to be unrecoverable, the cost basis of the asset is reduced to reflect the current fair market value. 
Assets and businesses are classified as held for sale if their carrying amount will be recovered or settled principally through a sale transaction rather than through continuing use. The asset or business must be available for immediate sale and the sale must be highly probable within one year.
Leases
Leases
The Company enters into operating lease contracts for land, buildings, structures and other equipment. Arrangements are evaluated at inception to determine whether such arrangements contain a lease. Operating leases primarily include land and building lease contracts and leases of radio towers. Arrangements to lease building space consist primarily of the rental of office space, but may also include leases of other equipment, including automobiles and copiers. Operating leases are reflected on the Company's balance sheet within Operating lease right-of-use assets and the related short-term and long-term liabilities are included within Current and Noncurrent operating lease liabilities, respectively.
The Company's finance leases are included within Property, plant and equipment with the related liabilities included within Long-term debt or within Liabilities subject to compromise.
ROU assets represent the right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent the obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the respective lease term. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Certain of the Company's operating lease agreements include rental payments that are adjusted periodically for inflationary changes. Payments due to changes in inflationary adjustments are included within variable rent expense, which is accounted for separately from periodic straight-line lease expense. Amounts related to insurance and property taxes in lease arrangements when billed on a pass-through basis are allocated to the lease and non-lease components of the lease based on their relative standalone selling prices.
Certain of the Company's leases provide options to extend the terms of the agreements. Generally, renewal periods are excluded from minimum lease payments when calculating the lease liabilities as, for most leases, the Company does not consider exercise of such options to be reasonably certain. As a result, unless a renewal option is considered reasonably assured, the optional terms and related payments are not included within the lease liability. The Company's lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants.
The implicit rate within the Company's lease agreements is generally not determinable. As such, the Company uses the incremental borrowing rate ("IBR") to determine the present value of lease payments at the commencement of the lease. The IBR, as defined in ASC 842, is "the rate of interest that a lessee would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment." In connection with the Company's emergence from bankruptcy and in accordance with ASC 852, the Company applied the provisions of fresh start accounting to its Consolidated Financial Statements on the Effective Date. As a result, the Company adjusted the IBR used to value the Company's ROU assets and operating lease liabilities at the Effective Date (see Note 3, Fresh Start Accounting). In addition, upon adoption of ASC 852 in the first quarter of 2019, the Company did not elect the practical expedient to combine non-lease components with the associated lease components. Upon application of fresh start accounting on the Effective Date, the Company elected to use the practical expedient to not separate non-lease components from the associated lease component for all classes of the Company's assets.
Intangible Assets
Intangible Assets
The Company’s indefinite-lived intangible assets consist of FCC broadcast licenses in its Audio segment.  The Company’s indefinite-lived intangible assets are not subject to amortization, but are tested for impairment at least annually. The Company tests for possible impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets whenever events or changes in circumstances, such as a significant reduction in operating cash flow or a dramatic change in the manner for which the asset is intended to be used indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. In connection with the Company's emergence from bankruptcy and in accordance with ASC 852, the Company applied the provisions of fresh start accounting to its Consolidated Financial Statements on the Effective Date. As a result, the Company adjusted its FCC licenses to their respective estimated fair values as of the Effective Date of $2,281.7 million (see Note 3, Fresh Start Accounting).
The Company normally performs its annual impairment test for its FCC licenses using a direct valuation technique as prescribed in ASC 805-20-S99.  The Company engages a third-party valuation firm to assist the Company in the development of these assumptions and the Company’s determination of the fair value of its FCC licenses. In 2019, as a result of the recent fair value exercise applied in connection with fresh start accounting, the Company opted to use a qualitative assessment as permitted by ASC 350, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other". See Note 7, Property, Plant and Equipment, Intangible Assets and Goodwill.
Other intangible assets include definite-lived intangible assets.  The Company’s definite-lived intangible assets primarily include customer and advertiser relationships, talent and representation contracts, trademarks and tradenames and other contractual rights, all of which are amortized over the shorter of either the respective lives of the agreements or over the period of time the assets are expected to contribute directly or indirectly to the Company’s future cash flows.  The Company periodically reviews the appropriateness of the amortization periods related to its definite-lived intangible assets.  These assets are recorded at amortized cost. In connection with the Company's emergence from bankruptcy and in accordance with ASC 852, the Company applied the provisions of fresh start accounting to its Consolidated Financial Statements on the Effective Date. As a result, the Company adjusted Other intangible assets to their respective fair values at the Effective Date (see Note 3, Fresh Start Accounting).
The Company tests for possible impairment of other intangible assets whenever events and circumstances indicate that they might be impaired and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the carrying amounts of those assets.  When specific assets are determined to be unrecoverable, the cost basis of the asset is reduced to reflect the current fair market value.
Goodwill
Goodwill
At least annually, the Company performs its impairment test for each reporting unit’s goodwill.  The Company also tests goodwill at interim dates if events or changes in circumstances indicate that goodwill might be impaired.
The Company identified its reporting units in accordance with ASC 350-20-55. Generally, the Company's annual impairment test includes a full quantitative assessment, which involves the preparation of a fair value estimate for each reporting unit based on the most recent projected financial results, market and industry factors, including comparison to peer companies and the application of the Company's current estimated WACC. However, in connection with emergence from bankruptcy, the Company qualified for and adopted fresh start accounting on the Effective Date. As of May 1, 2019, the Company allocated its estimated enterprise fair value to its individual assets and liabilities based on their estimated fair values in conformity with ASC 805, "Business Combinations." As a result of the recent fair value exercise applied in connection with fresh start accounting, the Company opted to use a qualitative assessment as permitted by ASC 350, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other". See Note 7, Property, Plant and Equipment, Intangible Assets and Goodwill.

Upon application of fresh start accounting in accordance with ASC 852 in connection with the emergence from bankruptcy, the Company recorded goodwill of $3.3 billion, which represented the excess of Reorganization Value over the estimated fair value of the Company's assets and liabilities. Goodwill was further allocated to reporting units based on the relative fair values of the Company's reporting units as of May 1, 2019.

The Company concluded no goodwill impairment was required for the period from May 2, 2019 through December 31, 2019 (Successor), the period from January 1, 2019 through May 1, 2019 (Predecessor), the year ended December 31, 2018 (Predecessor) and the year ended December 31, 2017 (Predecessor).
Nonconsolidated Affiliates
Nonconsolidated Affiliates
In general, investments in which the Company owns 20% to 50% of the common stock or otherwise exercises significant influence over the investee are accounted for under the equity method.  The Company does not recognize gains or losses upon the issuance of securities by any of its equity method investees.  The Company reviews the value of equity method investments and records impairment charges in the statement of operations as a component of “Equity in earnings (loss) of nonconsolidated affiliates” for any decline in value that is determined to be other-than-temporary.
Other Investments
Other Investments
Effective January 1, 2018, we adopted Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2016-01 Financial Instruments - Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities ("ASU 2016-01"), which requires us to measure all equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method at fair value and recognize any changes in earnings. For equity securities without readily determinable fair values, we have elected the measurement alternative under which we measure these investments at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2016-01, marketable equity securities not accounted for under the equity method were classified as available-for-sale. For equity securities classified as available-for-sale, realized gains and losses were included in net income. Unrealized gains and losses on equity securities classified as available-for-sale were recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) ("AOCI"), net of tax. Equity securities without readily determinable fair values were recorded at cost.
Financial Instruments
Financial Instruments
Due to their short maturity, the carrying amounts of accounts and notes receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and short-term borrowings approximated their fair values at December 31, 2019 and 2018.
Income Taxes
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using the liability method.  Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting bases and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the periods in which the deferred tax asset or liability is expected to be realized or settled.  Deferred tax assets are reduced by valuation allowances if the Company believes it is more likely than not that some portion or the entire asset will not be realized.  The Company has not provided U.S. federal income taxes for temporary differences with respect to investments in foreign subsidiaries.  It is not apparent that these temporary differences will reverse in the foreseeable future.  If any excess cash held by our foreign subsidiaries were needed to fund operations in the U.S., the Company could presently repatriate available funds without a requirement to accrue or pay U.S. taxes. The Company regularly reviews its tax liabilities on amounts that may be distributed in future periods and provides for foreign withholding and other current and deferred taxes on any such amounts, where applicable.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenue when or as it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring a promised good or service to a customer. Where third-parties are involved in the provision of goods and services to a customer, revenue is recognized at the gross amount of consideration the Company expects to receive if the Company controls the promised good or service before it is transferred to the customer; otherwise, revenue is recognized at the net amount the Company retains. The Company receives payments from customers based on billing schedules that are established in its contracts, and deferred revenue is recorded when payment is received from a customer before the Company has satisfied the performance obligation or a non-cancelable contract has been billed in advance in accordance with the Company’s normal billing terms.
The primary source of revenue in the Audio segment is the sale of advertising on the Company’s broadcast radio stations, its iHeartRadio mobile application and website, station websites, and national and local live events. Revenues for advertising spots are recognized at the point in time when the advertisement is broadcast or streamed, while revenues for online display advertisements are recognized over time based on impressions delivered or time elapsed, depending upon the terms of the contract. Revenues for event sponsorships are recognized over the period of the event. Audio also generates revenues from programming talent, network syndication, traffic and weather data, and other miscellaneous transactions, which are recognized when the services are transferred to the customer. Audio's contracts with advertisers are typically a year or less in duration and are generally billed monthly upon satisfaction of the performance obligations.
The Company also generates revenue through contractual commissions realized from the sale of national spot and online advertising on behalf of clients of its full-service media representation business, Katz Media, which is part of the Audio and Media Services business. Revenues from these contracts are recognized at the point in time when the advertisements are broadcast. Because the Company is a representative of its media clients and does not control the advertising inventory before it is transferred to the advertiser, the Company recognizes revenue at the net amount of contractual commissions retained for its representation services. The Company’s media representation contracts typically have terms up to ten years in duration and are generally billed monthly upon satisfaction of the performance obligations.
The Company recognizes revenue in amounts that reflect the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for transferring goods or services to customers, excluding sales taxes and other similar taxes collected on behalf of governmental authorities (the "transaction price”). When this consideration includes a variable amount, the Company estimates the amount of consideration it expects to receive and only recognizes revenue to the extent that it is probable it will not be reversed in a future reporting period. Because the transfer of promised goods and services to the customer is generally within a year of scheduled payment from the customer, the Company is not typically required to consider the effects of the time value of money when determining the transaction price. Advertising revenue is reported net of agency commissions.
In order to appropriately identify the unit of accounting for revenue recognition, the Company determines which promised goods and services in a contract with a customer are distinct and are therefore separate performance obligations. If a promised good or service does not meet the criteria to be considered distinct, it is combined with other promised goods or services until a distinct bundle of goods or services exists. Certain of the Company’s contracts with customers include options for the customer to acquire additional goods or services for free or at a discount, and management judgment is required to determine whether these options are material rights that are separate performance obligations.
For revenue arrangements that contain multiple distinct goods or services, the Company allocates the transaction price to these performance obligations in proportion to their relative standalone selling prices or the best estimate of their fair values. The Company has concluded that the contractual prices for the promised goods and services in its standard contracts generally approximate management’s best estimate of standalone selling price as the rates reflect various factors such as the size and characteristics of the target audience, market location and size, and recent market selling prices. However, where the Company provides customers with free or discounted services as part of contract negotiations, management uses judgment to determine how much of the transaction price to allocate to these performance obligations.
Contract Costs
Incremental costs of obtaining a contract primarily relate to sales commissions, which are included in selling, general and administrative expenses and are generally commensurate with sales. These costs are generally expensed when incurred because the period of benefit is one year or less.
Advertising Expense
Advertising Expense
The Company records advertising expense as it is incurred.
Share-Based Compensation
Share-Based Compensation
Under the fair value recognition provisions of ASC 718-10, share-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award.  For awards that vest based on service conditions, this cost is recognized as expense on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. For awards that will vest based on market or performance conditions, this cost is recognized when it becomes probable that the performance conditions will be satisfied.  Determining the fair value of share-based awards at the grant date requires assumptions and judgments, such as expected volatility, among other factors.
Foreign Currency
Foreign Currency
Results of operations for foreign subsidiaries and foreign equity investees are translated into U.S. dollars using average exchange rates during the year.  The assets and liabilities of those subsidiaries and investees are translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rates at the balance sheet date.  The related translation adjustments are recorded in a separate component of stockholders' equity (deficit), “Accumulated other comprehensive loss”.  Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in Other income (expense), net in the Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss).
New Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted Not Yet Adopted
New Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted
Leases
The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-02, which created ASC 842, Leases, and all subsequent ASUs relating to this Topic, as of January 1, 2019 (collectively, "ASC 842"). This new lease accounting standard, which supersedes previous lease accounting guidance under U.S. GAAP, results in significant changes to the balance sheets of lessees, most significantly by requiring the recognition of a right-of-use ("ROU") asset and lease liability by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases. Lessor accounting is also updated to align with certain changes in the lessee model and the revenue recognition standard ("ASC Topic 606"), which was adopted in 2018.
The Company applied the transition provisions of this standard at January 1, 2019 following the optional transition method provided by ASU No. 2018-11; consequently, the consolidated financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements for periods before the date of adoption continue to be presented in accordance with ASC Topic 840. In addition, the Company elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which allowed us to not reassess whether expired or existing contracts are or contain leases and to carry forward the historical lease classification for those leases that commenced prior to the date of adoption.
Upon adoption of ASC 842, prepaid and deferred rent balances, which were historically presented separately, were combined and presented net within the ROU asset. Additionally, deferred gains related to previous transactions that were historically accounted for as sale and operating leasebacks in accordance with ASC Topic 840 were eliminated and recognized as a cumulative-effect adjustment to equity, resulting in an increase to equity, net of tax, of $128.9 million. Under ASC Topic 840, such gains were recognized ratably over the lease term as a credit to operating lease expense. Operating lease expense for the each of the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 included credits of $5.3 million for the amortization of these gains, which were not recognized in any period after January 1, 2019.
Adoption of the new standard had a material impact on our consolidated balance sheets, but it did not have a material impact on our other consolidated financial statements. Additionally, the standard requires disclosures to meet the objective of enabling users of the financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. Refer to Note 5, Revenue, and Note 6, Leases, for more information.
Intangible Assets and Goodwill
During the first quarter of 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350). This update eliminated the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Entities are required to record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit's carrying amount over its fair value. The standard is effective for annual and any interim impairment tests performed for periods beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company early adopted the proposed guidance under ASU 2017-04 beginning on January 1, 2019 on a prospective basis. The implementation of ASU 2017-04 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
During the third quarter of 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40), Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement that is a Service Contract. This update requires that a customer in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract follow the internal use software guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 350-402 to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as assets. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company early adopted the proposed guidance under ASU 2018-15 beginning on January 1, 2019 on a prospective basis. The implementation of ASU 2018-15 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
During the second quarter of 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments and finalized amendments to FASB ASC Subtopic 825-15, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses.  The amendments of ASU 2016-13 are intended to provide financial statement users with more decision-useful information related to expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments to extend credit by replacing the current incurred loss impairment methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to determine credit loss estimates.  The amendments of ASU 2016-13 eliminate the probable initial recognition threshold and, in turn, reflect an entity’s current estimate of all expected credit losses.  ASU 2016-13 does not specify the method for measuring expected credit losses, and an entity is allowed to apply methods that reasonably reflect its expectations of the credit loss estimate.  Additionally, the amendments of ASU 2016-13 require that credit losses on available for sale debt securities be presented as an allowance rather than as a write-down.  The amendments of ASU 2016-13 are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019.  The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the provisions of this new standard on its consolidated financial statements.
Restricted Cash 
The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheets to the total of the amounts reported in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows:
(In thousands)
Successor Company
 
 
Predecessor Company
 
December 31,
2019
 
 
December 31,
2018
Cash and cash equivalents
$
400,300

 
 
$
224,037

Restricted cash included in:
 
 
 
 
  Other current assets
11,318

 
 
3,428

Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash in the Statement of Cash Flows(1)
$
411,618

 
 
$
227,465

(1) The Predecessor Company's Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash as of December 31, 2018 in the table above exclude $202.9 million classified as current and long-term assets of discontinued operations.