CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
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
Media production expenses									733,199	578,687	386,646
Selling, general and administrative									495,974	434,715	304,420
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses									567,227	468,505	348,045
Total operating expenses									1,796,400	1,481,907	1,039,111
Operating income	124,243	99,606	114,340	84,547	208,949	101,663	103,039	81,000	422,736	494,651	324,020
Equity in earnings (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Interest expense									(191,447)	(174,862)	(162,937)
Other income (expense)									2,504	(7,242)	(55,575)
Total other expense									(188,943)	(182,104)	(218,512)
Income tax benefit (provision)									(57,694)	(97,432)	(41,249)
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes									0	0	11,558
NET INCOME									176,099	215,115	75,817
Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interests									(4,575)	(2,836)	(2,349)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	$ 58,200	$ 43,255	$ 45,787	$ 24,282	$ 95,445	$ 48,341	$ 41,335	$ 27,158	171,524	212,279	73,468
Comprehensive income									181,720	211,759	78,257
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Revenue									0	0	0
Media production expenses									0	0	15
Selling, general and administrative									4,441	4,320	3,733
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses									1,065	1,068	1,307
Total operating expenses									5,506	5,388	5,055
Operating income									(5,506)	(5,388)	(5,055)
Equity in earnings (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries									170,104	211,782	97,138
Interest expense									(382)	(573)	(1,083)
Other income (expense)									4,765	4,377	4,633
Total other expense									174,487	215,586	100,688
Income tax benefit (provision)									2,543	2,081	(22,165)
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes											0
NET INCOME									171,524	212,279	73,468
Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP									171,524	212,279	73,468
Comprehensive income									181,720	211,759	78,257
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Revenue									0	0	0
Media production expenses									0	76	357
Selling, general and administrative									58,543	57,799	48,363
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses									3,779	5,425	3,105
Total operating expenses									62,322	63,300	51,825
Operating income									(62,322)	(63,300)	(51,825)
Equity in earnings (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries									343,183	373,228	309,388
Interest expense									(180,166)	(163,347)	(152,174)
Other income (expense)									(151)	(14,651)	(59,033)
Total other expense									162,866	195,230	98,181
Income tax benefit (provision)									81,626	83,897	47,645
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes											11,063
NET INCOME									182,170	215,827	105,064
Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP									182,170	215,827	105,064
Comprehensive income									187,791	213,284	107,243
Reportable legal entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Revenue									221,633	192,616	123,017
Media production expenses									82,450	86,266	52,492
Selling, general and administrative									14,272	14,795	10,694
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses									131,373	96,265	68,215
Total operating expenses									228,095	197,326	131,401
Operating income									(6,462)	(4,710)	(8,384)
Equity in earnings (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Interest expense									(30,022)	(27,364)	(25,624)
Other income (expense)									(2,379)	2,024	5,361
Total other expense									(32,401)	(25,340)	(20,263)
Income tax benefit (provision)									4,468	1,783	2,637
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes											0
NET INCOME									(34,395)	(28,267)	(26,010)
Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interests									(4,914)	(2,836)	(2,349)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP									(39,309)	(31,103)	(28,359)
Comprehensive income									(39,309)	(27,982)	(28,098)
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Revenue									2,076,851	1,870,408	1,296,736
Media production expenses									725,037	573,725	391,410
Selling, general and administrative									418,885	359,880	241,548
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses									433,690	367,514	275,889
Total operating expenses									1,577,612	1,301,119	908,847
Operating income									499,239	569,289	387,889
Equity in earnings (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries									195	(201)	1,009
Interest expense									(4,658)	(4,869)	(4,965)
Other income (expense)									269	998	245
Total other expense									(4,194)	(4,072)	(3,711)
Income tax benefit (provision)									(146,331)	(185,193)	(73,266)
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes											495
NET INCOME									348,714	380,024	311,407
Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP									348,714	380,024	311,407
Comprehensive income									351,760	378,926	311,407
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Revenue									(79,348)	(86,466)	(56,622)
Media production expenses									(74,288)	(81,380)	(57,628)
Selling, general and administrative									(167)	(2,079)	82
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses									(2,680)	(1,767)	(471)
Total operating expenses									(77,135)	(85,226)	(58,017)
Operating income									(2,213)	(1,240)	1,395
Equity in earnings (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries									(513,482)	(584,809)	(407,535)
Interest expense									23,781	21,291	20,909
Other income (expense)									0	10	(6,781)
Total other expense									(489,701)	(563,508)	(393,407)
Income tax benefit (provision)									0	0	3,900
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes											0
NET INCOME									(491,914)	(564,748)	(388,112)
Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interests									339	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP									(491,575)	(564,748)	(388,112)
Comprehensive income									$ (500,242)	$ (564,228)	$ (390,552)