CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Revenue	$ 578,889	$ 504,775
Program and production	215,877	171,571
Selling, general and administrative	136,350	118,279
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	140,323	130,378
Total operating expenses	492,550	420,228
Operating income	86,339	84,547
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Interest expense	(49,415)	(46,648)
Other income (expense)	885	3,364
Total other expense, net	(48,530)	(43,284)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(12,180)	(16,427)
NET INCOME	25,629	24,836
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(1,489)	(554)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	24,140	24,282
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	25,629	24,920
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Revenue	0	0
Program and production	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	1,002	1,045
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	266	266
Total operating expenses	1,268	1,311
Operating income	(1,268)	(1,311)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	24,287	24,325
Interest expense	(94)	(102)
Other income (expense)	1,142	1,350
Total other expense, net	25,335	25,573
Income tax benefit (provision)	73	20
NET INCOME	24,140	24,282
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	24,140	24,282
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	24,140	24,920
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Revenue	0	0
Program and production	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	22,099	14,783
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	1,190	775
Total operating expenses	23,289	15,558
Operating income	(23,289)	(15,558)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	74,855	64,465
Interest expense	(46,363)	(43,873)
Other income (expense)	118	(154)
Total other expense, net	28,610	20,438
Income tax benefit (provision)	23,103	20,615
NET INCOME	28,424	25,495
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	28,424	25,495
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	28,424	25,579
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Revenue	545,113	476,670
Program and production	209,725	170,249
Selling, general and administrative	111,107	99,723
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	108,478	101,428
Total operating expenses	429,310	371,400
Operating income	115,803	105,270
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	50	(50)
Interest expense	(1,202)	(1,176)
Other income (expense)	(11)	64
Total other expense, net	(1,163)	(1,162)
Income tax benefit (provision)	(38,180)	(38,377)
NET INCOME	76,460	65,731
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	76,460	65,731
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	76,460	65,731
Reportable legal entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Revenue	52,250	47,004
Program and production	24,381	19,849
Selling, general and administrative	2,162	2,640
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	30,855	28,250
Total operating expenses	57,398	50,739
Operating income	(5,148)	(3,735)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Interest expense	(7,897)	(6,706)
Other income (expense)	(364)	2,104
Total other expense, net	(8,261)	(4,602)
Income tax benefit (provision)	2,824	1,315
NET INCOME	(10,585)	(7,022)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(899)	(554)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(11,484)	(7,576)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(10,585)	(7,576)
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Revenue	(18,474)	(18,899)
Program and production	(18,229)	(18,527)
Selling, general and administrative	(20)	88
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	(466)	(341)
Total operating expenses	(18,715)	(18,780)
Operating income	241	(119)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(99,192)	(88,740)
Interest expense	6,141	5,209
Other income (expense)	0	0
Total other expense, net	(93,051)	(83,531)
Income tax benefit (provision)	0	0
NET INCOME	(92,810)	(83,650)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	(590)	0
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(93,400)	(83,650)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ (92,810)	$ (83,734)