CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	$ 1,125	$ 766	$ 2,618	$ 2,162
Media program and production expenses	560	304	1,215	894
Selling, general and administrative	422	189	827	541
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	149	115	383	330
Total operating expenses	1,131	608	2,425	1,765
Operating (loss) income	(6)	158	193	397
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(129)	(76)	(237)	(238)
Other income (expense)	(9)	(20)	(26)	(42)
Total other expense, net	(138)	(96)	(263)	(280)
Income tax benefit (provision)	95	3	88	21
NET (LOSS) INCOME	(49)	65	18	138
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	(11)	0	(11)	0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	(1)	(3)	(3)
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(60)	64	4	135
Comprehensive (loss) income	(49)	65	18	138
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Media program and production expenses	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	122	3	143	8
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	122	3	143	8
Operating (loss) income	(122)	(3)	(143)	(8)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	35	65	116	140
Interest expense	(1)	0	(2)	0
Other income (expense)	1	1	2	1
Total other expense, net	35	66	116	141
Income tax benefit (provision)	27	1	31	2
NET (LOSS) INCOME	(60)	64	4	135
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		0	0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(60)	64	4	135
Comprehensive (loss) income	(60)	64	4	135
Reportable legal entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	9	0	9	0
Media program and production expenses	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	24	32	82	80
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	(6)	1	(3)	4
Total operating expenses	18	33	79	84
Operating (loss) income	(9)	(33)	(70)	(84)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	202	155	410	454
Interest expense	(55)	(74)	(160)	(233)
Other income (expense)	(2)	(6)	3	0
Total other expense, net	145	75	253	221
Income tax benefit (provision)	4	28	33	65
NET (LOSS) INCOME	140	70	216	202
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		0	0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	140	70	216	202
Comprehensive (loss) income	140	70	216	202
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	702	714	2,064	2,020
Media program and production expenses	312	289	931	849
Selling, general and administrative	162	150	481	440
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	55	77	203	168
Total operating expenses	529	516	1,615	1,457
Operating (loss) income	173	198	449	563
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(1)	(1)	(2)	(3)
Other income (expense)	(12)	(16)	(35)	(43)
Total other expense, net	(13)	(17)	(37)	(46)
Income tax benefit (provision)	43	(25)	3	(58)
NET (LOSS) INCOME	203	156	415	459
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		0	0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	203	156	415	459
Comprehensive (loss) income	203	156	415	459
Reportable legal entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	445	77	616	207
Media program and production expenses	262	36	325	101
Selling, general and administrative	124	5	133	14
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	104	39	193	163
Total operating expenses	490	80	651	278
Operating (loss) income	(45)	(3)	(35)	(71)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(76)	(5)	(85)	(14)
Other income (expense)	6	1	5	0
Total other expense, net	(70)	(4)	(80)	(14)
Income tax benefit (provision)	21	(1)	21	12
NET (LOSS) INCOME	(94)	(8)	(94)	(73)
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	(11)		(11)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		(1)	(3)	(3)
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(105)	(9)	(108)	(76)
Comprehensive (loss) income	(94)	(8)	(94)	(73)
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	(31)	(25)	(71)	(65)
Media program and production expenses	(14)	(21)	(41)	(56)
Selling, general and administrative	(10)	(1)	(12)	(1)
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	(4)	(2)	(10)	(5)
Total operating expenses	(28)	(24)	(63)	(62)
Operating (loss) income	(3)	(1)	(8)	(3)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(237)	(220)	(526)	(594)
Interest expense	4	4	12	12
Other income (expense)	(2)	0	(1)	0
Total other expense, net	(235)	(216)	(515)	(582)
Income tax benefit (provision)	0	0	0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME	(238)	(217)	(523)	(585)
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests		0	0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(238)	(217)	(523)	(585)
Comprehensive (loss) income	$ (238)	$ (217)	$ (523)	$ (585)