NOTES PAYABLE AND COMMERCIAL BANK FINANCING (Details)										1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Oct. 15, 2014 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Jul. 23, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 12, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 11, 2013 USD ($)	Apr. 09, 2013 USD ($)	Apr. 02, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 12, 2012 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) lease	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2015 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs												$ 41,844,000		$ 38,709,000	$ 41,844,000
Unamortized debt discount														3,618,000
Redemption price														395,147,000	582,764,000	$ 1,509,760,000
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt														$ 0	$ 14,553,000	58,421,000
Redemption of the equity component change in additional paid-in capital, net of taxes																(8,602,000)
Convertible Debentures converted into Class A Common Stock, net of taxes																10,235,000
Operating segments
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of capital leases | lease														4
Capital leased assets | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term of renewal options														5 years
Capital leased assets | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term of renewal options														10 years
Tower leases
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capital leases, term														16 years
equipment lease
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capital leases, term														4 years
Broadcast
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of capital leases | lease														28
Broadcast | Tower leases
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of capital leases | lease														24
Period on or prior to November 1, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price of the debt instrument (as a percent) (up to)						100.00%
Term Loan A
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average effective interest rate (as a percent)												2.38%		2.47%	2.38%
Term Loan B
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized debt discount												$ 4,000,000		$ 3,600,000	$ 4,000,000
Weighted average effective interest rate (as a percent)												3.30%		3.54%	3.30%
Revolving line of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average effective interest rate (as a percent)														2.38%
5.625% Senior Unsecured Notes, due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest and amortization expense														$ 30,900,000	$ 13,600,000
Weighted average effective interest rate (as a percent)														5.83%
Amount of debt issued			$ 550,000,000
Percentage of par value at which debt was issued			100.00%
Debt instrument, stated interest rate payable (as a percent)			5.625%											5.625%
Amortization of financing costs														$ 500,000
5.625% Senior Unsecured Notes, due 2024 | Period prior to August 1, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Percentage of par value at which debt was issued			100.00%
5.625% Senior Unsecured Notes, due 2024 | Period prior to August 1, 2019 | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price of the debt instrument (as a percent) (up to)			35.00%
6.375% Senior Notes, due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest and amortization expense														$ 22,300,000	$ 22,400,000	4,900,000
Weighted average effective interest rate (as a percent)														6.59%
Amount of debt issued						$ 350,000,000
Percentage of par value at which debt was issued						100.00%
Debt instrument, stated interest rate payable (as a percent)						6.375%						6.375%		6.375%	6.375%
Amortization of financing costs															$ 600,000
6.375% Senior Notes, due 2021 | Period on or prior to November 1, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of the principal amount of the debt instrument which the entity may redeem with the proceeds from certain equity offerings						35.00%
5.375% Senior Unsecured Notes, due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest and amortization expense														$ 32,300,000	$ 32,300,000	24,100,000
Weighted average effective interest rate (as a percent)														5.58%
Amount of debt issued								$ 600,000,000
Debt instrument, stated interest rate payable (as a percent)								5.375%				5.375%		5.375%	5.375%
Amortization of financing costs															$ 900,000
Purchase price in tender offers commenced as a percentage of face value								100.00%
Percent of outstanding debt converted								100
5.375% Senior Unsecured Notes, due 2021 | Period on or prior to April 1, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of the principal amount of the debt instrument which the entity may redeem with the proceeds from certain equity offerings								35.00%
6.125% Senior Unsecured Notes, due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest and amortization expense														$ 30,600,000	$ 30,600,000	30,500,000
Weighted average effective interest rate (as a percent)														6.31%
Amount of debt issued									$ 500,000,000
Percentage of par value at which debt was issued					100.00%
Debt instrument, stated interest rate payable (as a percent)					6.125%				6.125%			6.125%		6.125%	6.125%
Amortization of financing costs														$ 700,000
Purchase price in tender offers commenced as a percentage of face value									100.00%
6.125% Senior Unsecured Notes, due 2022 | Period prior to August 1, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of the principal amount of the debt instrument which the entity may redeem with the proceeds from certain equity offerings									35.00%
8.375% Senior Unsecured Notes, due 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest and amortization expense															$ 16,000,000	$ 20,300,000
Debt instrument, stated interest rate payable (as a percent)	8.375%
Face amount of debt redeemed	$ 237,500,000.0
Accrued and unpaid interest and make-whole premium	9,900,000
Redemption price	$ 257,400,000
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt												$ 14,600,000
9.25% Senior Secured Second Lien Notes due 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest and amortization expense															$ 37,300,000
Debt instrument, stated interest rate payable (as a percent)					9.25%
Face amount of debt redeemed					$ 500,000,000.0
Accrued and unpaid interest and make-whole premium					25,400,000
Redemption price					$ 546,100,000
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt													$ 43,100,000
Write-off of unamortized deferred financing costs													9,500,000
Write-off of unamortized debt discount													$ 8,200,000
4.875% Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, stated interest rate payable (as a percent)											4.875%	4.875%	4.875%		4.875%	4.875%
Face amount of debt redeemed											$ 5,700,000
Redemption of the equity component change in additional paid-in capital, net of taxes											$ 8,600,000
Redemption Convertible Debentures, net of taxes (in shares) | shares											388,632
3.0% Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding loan amount				$ 5,400,000						$ 5,400,000
Debt instrument, stated interest rate payable (as a percent)				3.00%						3.00%			3.00%			3.00%
(Gain) loss on extinguishment of debt										$ (1,000,000)
Redemption of the equity component change in additional paid-in capital, net of taxes										5,100,000
Convertible Debentures converted into Class A Common Stock, net of taxes										10,500,000
Other operating divisions debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest and amortization expense														3,800,000	$ 3,100,000	$ 3,200,000
Fixed interest rate (as a percent)												6.50%			6.50%
Other operating divisions debt | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate basis															LIBOR
Interest rate margin (as a percent)															2.50%
Debt of variable interest entities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs														400,000
Outstanding loan amount														$ 26,300,000
Variable rate basis														LIBOR
Interest rate margin (as a percent)														2.50%
Interest and amortization expense														$ 1,700,000	$ 2,200,000	1,200,000
Bank Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowings outstanding														1,676,700,000
Deferred financing costs														12,900,000
Unamortized debt discount														3,600,000
Interest and amortization expense														53,800,000	38,700,000	27,300,000
Debt refinancing costs														2,200,000	3,800,000	2,400,000
Deferred financing costs related to amendment												$ 3,800,000	$ 14,900,000	$ 3,600,000	3,800,000	$ 14,900,000
Threshold percentage of aggregate broadcast cash flows used for defining material third-party licensees														20.00%
Bank Credit Agreement | Term Loan A
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs														$ 1,500,000
Outstanding loan amount												348,100,000		312,100,000	348,100,000
Bank Credit Agreement | Term Loan A | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate basis							LIBOR
Interest rate margin (as a percent)							2.25%
Bank Credit Agreement | Term Loan B
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs														11,400,000
Outstanding loan amount												1,035,900,000		1,364,600,000	1,035,900,000
Debt instrument face amount				$ 650,000,000.0			$ 750,000,000			$ 650,000,000.0
Bank Credit Agreement | Term Loan B | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin (as a percent)		2.75%		2.25%
LIBOR floor (as a percent)		0.75%		0.75%
Bank Credit Agreement | Incremental Term B Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount																	$ 350,000,000.0
Revolving Credit Facility | Term Loan A
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument face amount																	$ 327,700,000.0
Amount of debt converted into revolving commitments		$ 327,700,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Revolving line of credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowings outstanding												485,200,000		$ 485,200,000	485,200,000
Undrawn commitments fees (as a percent)														0.50%
Remaining borrowing capacity												$ 144,100,000		$ 482,900,000	$ 144,100,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Revolving line of credit | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable rate basis							LIBOR
Interest rate margin (as a percent)							2.25%
Revolving Credit Facility | Letter of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate borrowings outstanding														$ 2,300,000