Description of business, basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies - Narrative (Details)			12 Months Ended
		Feb. 22, 2022 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) station segment market radioStation $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of television stations | station			64
Number of markets In which entity operates | market			51
Number of radio stations | radioStation			2
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 1.00	$ 1	$ 1
Number of operating segments | segment			1
Number of reportable segments | segment			1
Write-offs of accounts receivable			$ 3,800,000	$ 1,900,000	$ 4,700,000
Goodwill			2,981,587,000	2,981,587,000	2,968,693,000
Programming expense			68,800,000	70,700,000	71,100,000
Syndicated programming rights			44,064,000	53,100,000
Impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets			$ 0	0	0
Submission period for customers to submit payments			Our customers generally submit payments monthly, generally within 60-90 days after the month that the service was provided.
Cost of revenues	[1]		$ 1,693,221,000	1,598,759,000	1,503,287,000
Investment One
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Investments			20,200,000	20,300,000
Equity investments, impairment loss			$ 2,500,000
Recorded gains				1,900,000
Restricted stock
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Requisite service period			4 years
Performance share units
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Requisite service period			3 years
Award vesting period			2 years
Level 2 | Investment One
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Equity investments, impairment loss				1,900,000	9,200,000
Recorded gains				1,900,000
Television and radio station FCC broadcast licenses
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Television and radio station FCC broadcast licenses			$ 2,123,898,000	2,123,898,000
Impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets					1,100,000
FCC licenses which have experienced limited headroom
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Television and radio station FCC broadcast licenses			412,200,000
FCC licenses, all other licenses
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Television and radio station FCC broadcast licenses			$ 1,710,000,000
Building and Improvements | Minimum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, useful life (in years)			10 years
Building and Improvements | Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, useful life (in years)			40 years
Machinery, Equipment, and Fixtures | Minimum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, useful life (in years)			3 years
Machinery, Equipment, and Fixtures | Maximum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, useful life (in years)			25 years
Cost of Sales
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Bad debt expense			$ 3,100,000	(700,000)	8,000,000
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses | Advertising
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Cost of revenues			$ 9,700,000	$ 9,800,000	$ 5,800,000
Business Combination Termination Scenario One | Teton Parent Corp
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Termination fee		$ 136,000,000
Business Combination Termination Scenario Two | Teton Parent Corp
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Termination fee		$ 272,000,000
Teton Parent Corp
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Conversion price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 24.00
Teton Parent Corp | Closing Between November 22, 2022 and February 22, 2023
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Ticking fee, per day (dollars per share) | $ / shares		0.00166667
Teton Parent Corp | Closing Between February 22, 2023 and March 22, 2023
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Ticking fee, per day (dollars per share) | $ / shares		0.0025
Ticking fee, per month (dollars per share) | $ / shares		0.15333333
Teton Parent Corp | Closing Between March 22, 2023 and April 22, 2023
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Ticking fee, per day (dollars per share) | $ / shares		0.00333333
Ticking fee, per month (dollars per share) | $ / shares		0.22333333
Teton Parent Corp | Closing Between April 22, 2023 and May 22, 2023
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Ticking fee, per day (dollars per share) | $ / shares		0.00416667
Ticking fee, per month (dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.3266667

[1] Cost of revenues exclude charges for depreciation and amortization expense, which are shown separately above.