CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 149,972	$ 17,682
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $4,495 and $4,246, respectively		424,608	383,503
Current portion of program contract costs		91,466	88,198
Income taxes receivable		823	3,314
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		26,903	27,842
Deferred barter costs		7,991	5,626
Total current assets		701,763	526,165
PROGRAM CONTRACT COSTS, less current portion		18,996	38,531
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, net		717,137	752,538
RESTRICTED CASH		3,725	0
GOODWILL		1,931,093	1,964,553
BROADCAST LICENSES		132,465	135,075
DEFINITE-LIVED INTANGIBLE ASSETS, net		1,751,570	1,818,263
OTHER ASSETS		175,566	175,203
Total assets	[1]	5,432,315	5,410,328
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		251,313	260,848
Current portion of notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing		164,184	113,116
Current portion of notes payable and capital leases payable to affiliates		3,166	2,625
Current portion of program contracts payable		108,260	104,922
Deferred barter revenues		8,080	5,806
Total current liabilities		535,003	487,317
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:
Notes payable, capital leases and commercial bank financing, less current portion		3,669,160	3,754,822
Notes payable and capital leases to affiliates, less current portion		17,850	16,309
Program contracts payable, less current portion		56,921	60,605
Deferred tax liabilities		585,072	608,932
Other long-term liabilities		68,631	77,000
Total liabilities		$ 4,932,637	$ 5,004,985
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Additional paid-in capital		$ 962,726	$ 979,202
Accumulated deficit		(437,029)	(545,820)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(834)	(6,455)
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ equity		525,810	427,882
Noncontrolling interests		(26,132)	(22,539)
Total equity		499,678	405,343
Total liabilities and equity		5,432,315	5,410,328
Class A Common Stock
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Common Stock		688	696
Class B Common Stock
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
Common Stock		$ 259	$ 259

[1] (a) Our consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $152.4 million and $163.3 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $35.6 million and $30.0 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us. See Note 1. Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.