INCOME TAXES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

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,
	2017			2016			2015
Current - Federal	$	(2,136	)	$	(190	)	$	(31	)
Current - foreign	(30,159		)	(44,555		)	(46,188		)
Current - state	1,484			(2,908		)	(12,890		)
Total current expense	(30,811		)	(47,653		)	(59,109		)

Deferred - Federal	491,239			38,715			(30,719		)
Deferred - foreign	(2,533		)	56,747			5,269
Deferred - state	(489		)	2,665			(2,398		)
Total deferred benefit (expense)	488,217			98,127			(27,848		)
Income tax benefit (expense)	$	457,406		$	50,474		$	(86,957	)

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, 2017 and 2016 are as follows:



(In thousands)	2017		2016
Deferred tax liabilities:
Intangibles and fixed assets	$	1,281,995	$	2,018,159
Long-term debt	—		37,205
Investments	16,484		—
Other	9,868		10,159
Total deferred tax liabilities	1,308,347		2,065,523

Deferred tax assets:
Accrued expenses	105,823		155,037
Long-term debt	49,767		—
Investments	—		5,458
Net operating loss carryforwards	1,106,319		1,384,175
Bad debt reserves	11,731		10,137
Other	27,654		43,545
Total gross deferred tax assets	1,301,294		1,598,352
Less: Valuation allowance	952,337		989,924
Total deferred tax assets	348,957		608,428
Net deferred tax liabilities	$	959,390	$	1,457,095

Schedule of Loss Before Income Taxes

Loss before income taxes:



(In thousands)	Years Ended December 31,
	2017			2016			2015
US	$	(952,436	)	$	(349,876	)	$	(700,520	)
Foreign	35,012			59,352			49,843
Total loss before income taxes	$	(917,424	)	$	(290,524	)	$	(650,677	)

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)	2017					2016					2015
	Amount			Percent		Amount			Percent		Amount			Percent
Income tax benefit at statutory rates	$	321,098		35.0	%	$	101,683		35.0	%	$	227,737		35.0	%
State income taxes, net of federal tax effect	7,667			0.8	%	6,372			2.2	%	17,795			2.7	%
Foreign income taxes	(20,438		)	(2.2	)%	(21,477		)	(7.4	)%	(23,474		)	(3.6	)%
Nondeductible items	(6,659		)	(0.7	)%	(5,760		)	(2.0	)%	(5,764		)	(0.9	)%
Changes in valuation allowance and other estimates	(350,407		)	(38.2	)%	(31,229		)	(10.7	)%	(302,935		)	(46.6	)%
U.S. tax reform	510,064			55.6	%	—			—	%	—			—	%
Other, net	(3,919		)	(0.4	)%	885			0.3	%	(316		)	—	%
Income tax benefit (expense)	$	457,406		49.9	%	$	50,474		17.4	%	$	(86,957	)	(13.4	)%

Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits at December 31, 2017 and 2016 that, if recognized, would impact the effective income tax rate is $74.0 million and $53.8 million, respectively.



(In thousands)	Years Ended December 31,
Unrecognized Tax Benefits	2017			2016
Balance at beginning of period	$	97,962		$	103,208
Increases for tax position taken in the current year	7,366			10,094
Increases for tax positions taken in previous years	2,172			3,024
Decreases for tax position taken in previous years	(5,306		)	(11,157		)
Decreases due to settlements with tax authorities	(225		)	(1,007		)
Decreases due to lapse of statute of limitations	(15,264		)	(6,200		)
Balance at end of period	$	86,705		$	97,962