CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 482,763	$ 286,235	$ 405,665
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation	66,880	60,525	55,949
Amortization of Intangible Assets	67,690	50,104	30,838
Stock-based compensation	20,306	20,146	12,531
Company stock 401(k) contribution	16,469	9,558	0
Amortization of deferred financing costs, debt discounts and premiums	20,251	12,012	11,162
Losses (gains) on assets	12,457	(7,402)	(4,991)
Provision for deferred income taxes	8,533	22,064	17,258
Equity income in unconsolidated investees, net	(10,397)	(10,149)	(13,792)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
Decreases (increase) decrease in trade receivables	27,474	(86,245)	(5,351)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable	7,245	(29,526)	29,357
Increase (decrease) in interest and taxes payable	66,466	(8,284)	22,895
Increase in deferred revenue	1,013	1,007	898
Pension contributions, net of (income) expense	(10,400)	(19,447)	(42,015)
Changes in other assets and liabilities, net	28,386	(3,125)	6,805
Net cash flows from operating activities	805,136	297,473	527,209
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment	(45,499)	(88,356)	(65,230)
Reimbursement from spectrum repacking	13,180	16,974	7,400
Payments for acquisitions of businesses and other assets, net of cash acquired	(34,841)	(1,514,183)	(328,433)
Payments for investments	(2,415)	(4,986)	(11,677)
Proceeds from investments	5,028	4,698	7,189
Proceeds from sale of businesses and assets	5,026	22,383	16,335
Net cash used for investing activities	(59,521)	(1,563,470)	(374,416)
Cash flows from by financing activities:
(Payments of) proceeds from borrowings under revolving credit facilities, net	(548,000)
(Payments of) proceeds from borrowings under revolving credit facilities, net		853,000	50,000
Proceeds from borrowings	1,550,000	1,100,000	0
Debt repayments	(1,623,000)	(710,000)	(121,146)
Payments for debt issuance and premiums for early redemption costs	(41,378)	(22,018)	(5,269)
Dividends paid	(76,465)	(60,624)	(60,290)
Repurchases of common stock	0	0	(5,831)
Net settlement of stock for tax withholding and proceeds from stock option exercises	(9,208)	(819)	(2,436)
Proceeds from sale of minority ownership interest in Premion	14,000	0	0
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(734,051)	1,159,539	(144,972)
Increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	11,564	(106,458)	7,821
Balance of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year	29,404	135,862	128,041
Balance of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of year	40,968	29,404	135,862
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]
Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds	84,889	84,045	62,889
Cash paid for interest	$ 200,766	$ 186,086	$ 182,465