CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 1,399,000	$ 1,060,000
Accounts receivable, net		1,137,000	599,000
Other current assets		367,000	125,000
Total current assets		2,903,000	1,784,000
Property and equipment, net		740,000	683,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Goodwill		4,048,000	2,124,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		158,000	158,000
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		9,104,000	1,627,000
Other long-term assets		826,000	196,000
Total assets	[1]	17,779,000	6,572,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		630,000	330,000
Current portion of long-term debt		71,000	43,000
Other current liabilities		392,000	200,000
Total current liabilities		1,093,000	573,000
Long-term debt		12,392,000	3,850,000
Other long-term liabilities		1,257,000	549,000
Total liabilities	[1]	14,742,000	4,972,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		1,362,000	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		1,495,000	1,639,000
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		180,000	(39,000)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		17,779,000	6,572,000
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		6,000	3,000
Total current assets		6,000	3,000
Property and equipment, net		1,000	1,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		2,263,000	1,604,000
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		75,000	31,000
Total assets		2,345,000	1,639,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		136,000	0
Current portion of long-term debt		0	0
Other current liabilities		1,000	0
Total current liabilities		137,000	0
Long-term debt		700,000	0
Other long-term liabilities		13,000	0
Total liabilities		850,000	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		1,495,000	1,639,000
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		2,345,000	1,639,000
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		238,000	962,000
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		19,000	6,000
Total current assets		257,000	968,000
Property and equipment, net		31,000	32,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		3,601,000	3,654,000
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		1,601,000	851,000
Total assets		5,490,000	5,505,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		73,000	78,000
Current portion of long-term debt		27,000	31,000
Other current liabilities		4,000	1,000
Total current liabilities		104,000	110,000
Long-term debt		4,360,000	3,776,000
Other long-term liabilities		49,000	40,000
Total liabilities		4,513,000	3,926,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		977,000	1,579,000
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		5,490,000	5,505,000
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		9,000	19,000
Accounts receivable, net		530,000	531,000
Other current assets		178,000	103,000
Total current assets		717,000	653,000
Property and equipment, net		631,000	594,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		0	4,000
Goodwill		2,120,000	2,120,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		144,000	144,000
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,481,000	1,609,000
Other long-term assets		289,000	119,000
Total assets		5,382,000	5,243,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		233,000	236,000
Current portion of long-term debt		4,000	4,000
Other current liabilities		147,000	144,000
Total current liabilities		384,000	384,000
Long-term debt		33,000	37,000
Other long-term liabilities		1,364,000	1,169,000
Total liabilities		1,781,000	1,590,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		3,601,000	3,653,000
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		5,382,000	5,243,000
Reportable legal entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		1,152,000	79,000
Accounts receivable, net		607,000	68,000
Other current assets		190,000	37,000
Total current assets		1,949,000	184,000
Property and equipment, net		97,000	70,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Goodwill		1,928,000	4,000
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		14,000	14,000
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		7,671,000	70,000
Other long-term assets		601,000	166,000
Total assets		12,260,000	508,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		214,000	40,000
Current portion of long-term debt		41,000	8,000
Other current liabilities		240,000	55,000
Total current liabilities		495,000	103,000
Long-term debt		8,333,000	383,000
Other long-term liabilities		749,000	173,000
Total liabilities		9,577,000	659,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		1,362,000
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		1,145,000	(108,000)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		176,000	(43,000)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		12,260,000	508,000
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		(26,000)	(24,000)
Total current assets		(26,000)	(24,000)
Property and equipment, net		(20,000)	(14,000)
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries		(5,864,000)	(5,262,000)
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		(48,000)	(52,000)
Other long-term assets		(1,740,000)	(971,000)
Total assets		(7,698,000)	(6,323,000)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(26,000)	(24,000)
Current portion of long-term debt		(1,000)	0
Other current liabilities		0	0
Total current liabilities		(27,000)	(24,000)
Long-term debt		(1,034,000)	(346,000)
Other long-term liabilities		(918,000)	(833,000)
Total liabilities		(1,979,000)	(1,203,000)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity (deficit)		(5,723,000)	(5,124,000)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		4,000	4,000
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		$ (7,698,000)	$ (6,323,000)

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $299 million and $128 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs.  Our consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 include total liabilities of VIEs of $26 million and $22 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us.  See Note 9. Variable Interest Entities.