Business Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		$ 484,036	$ 489,358	$ 939,024	$ 932,993
Operating profit (loss)	[1]	73,281	98,066	127,984	285,351
Depreciation		13,867	13,281	26,819	27,056
Amortization		35,018	41,681	70,039	83,368
Capital expenditures		17,229	11,274	30,607	24,947
Assets	[2]	8,462,780		8,462,780		$ 8,251,391
Assets held for sale	[3]	62,789		62,789		0
Television and Entertainment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		482,557	486,417	935,984	927,119
Operating Segments | Television and Entertainment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		482,557	486,417	935,984	927,119
Operating profit (loss)	[1]	99,603	119,767	179,528	331,619
Depreciation		12,064	10,941	23,126	21,811
Amortization		35,018	41,681	70,039	83,368
Capital expenditures		15,851	7,433	27,784	17,559
Assets		6,941,931		6,941,931		6,976,808
Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Revenues		1,479	2,941	3,040	5,874
Operating profit (loss)	[1]	(26,322)	(21,701)	(51,544)	(46,268)
Depreciation		1,803	2,340	3,693	5,245
Capital expenditures		1,378	$ 3,841	2,823	$ 7,388
Assets		$ 1,458,060		$ 1,458,060		$ 1,274,583

[1] (1) Operating profit (loss) for each segment excludes income and loss on equity investments, interest income, interest expense, pension and other postretirement period benefit cost (credit), non-operating items, reorganization costs and income taxes.

[2] (1) The Company’s consolidated total assets as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 include total assets of variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of $66 million and $73 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. The Company’s consolidated total liabilities as of June 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $26 million and $28 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the Company (see Note 1).

[3] (2) See Note 2 for information regarding assets held for sale.