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Represents the number of agreements to share facilities, employees and/or services or to jointly acquire programming or sell advertising including through a JSA, LMA or similar agreement and enter into an option, right of first refusal, put /call arrangement or other similar contingent interest, or a loan guarantee entered into between entity and other third party.

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Represents the number of applications to acquire the license assets of remaining stations.

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Represents the number of agreements grandfathered under the local television ownership rule.

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Represent the number of markets in which broadcasting and media stations are operated.

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Represents the number of separately owned television stations which have programming agreement.

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No definition available.

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Represents the number of stations which programs substantial portions of the broadcast day and sells advertising time during programming segments.

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No definition available.

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Represents the number of television stations in the same market entering into an agreement that the FCC will closely scrutinize.

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No definition available.

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Represents the number of television stations remaining to be acquired.

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Represents the percentage of the ad time on a particular station if it owns or controls another station in the same market that the FCC need to be considered a company an owner of a station if the companies has a JSA.

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Amount of consideration transferred, consisting of acquisition-date fair value of assets transferred by the acquirer, liabilities incurred by the acquirer, and equity interest issued by the acquirer.

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Amount of consideration received or receivable for the disposal of assets and liabilities, including discontinued operation.

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES - Network Affiliation Agreements (Details) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Aug. 01, 2014 USD ($) market	Jan. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) agreement	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) market	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) station market agreement	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 12, 2014 station	Aug. 08, 2013 market	Nov. 30, 2003 station application
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Number of television stations in the same market entering into an agreement \| station																	2
Percentage of ad time to be considered an owner																	15.00%
Revenue					$ 611,790	$ 548,404	$ 554,167	$ 504,775	$ 613,818	$ 494,956	$ 455,136	$ 412,648	$ 2,219,136	$ 1,976,558	$ 1,363,131
Number of markets \| market					79								79
LMA
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Number of separately owned television stations having programming agreement \| station													2
Number of stations that programs substantial portions of the broadcast day and sells advertising time to programming segments \| station													1
Number of LMA agreements grandfathered \| agreement													3
JSA
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Revenue													$ 46,800	$ 48,800
Allbritton
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Number of markets \| market	7
Fisher
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Number of markets \| market					8								8					8
KUQI, KTOV-LP, and KXPX-LP
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Consideration transferred			$ 9,300
KFXL, KHGI-LD, KWNB, and KWNB-LD
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Consideration transferred			$ 31,250
Tennis Channel \| Subsequent Event
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Consideration transferred		$ 350,000
Cunningham
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Number of television stations remaining to be acquired \| station																			5
Number of applications pending to acquire license assets of stations \| application																			5
Number of markets \| market					3								3
Cunningham \| Allbritton \| WTAT
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Consideration transferred	$ 14,000
Price of assets sold	$ 14,000
Howard Stirk Holdings \| WMMP
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Price of assets sold																$ 50
Howard Stirk Holdings \| WCFT
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Price of assets sold				$ 50						$ 50
Number of agreements \| agreement				2