CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Jun. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 964	$ 1,259
Accounts receivable, net		1,148	1,060
Other current assets		545	898
Total current assets		2,657	3,217
Property and equipment, net		789	823
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash		4	3
Goodwill		2,088	2,092
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		150	171
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		5,347	5,624
Other long-term assets		1,745	1,452
Total assets	[1]	12,780	13,382
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		588	533
Current portion of long-term debt		66	58
Other current liabilities		382	443
Total current liabilities		1,036	1,034
Long-term debt		12,473	12,493
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Other long-term liabilities		633	850
Total liabilities	[1]	14,142	14,377
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		190	190
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		(1,624)	(1,274)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		72	89
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		12,780	13,382
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		8	7
Total current assets		8	7
Property and equipment, net		1	1
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		454	430
Restricted cash		0	0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		101	139
Total assets		564	577
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		24	19
Current portion of long-term debt		0	0
Other current liabilities		1	1
Total current liabilities		25	20
Long-term debt		700	700
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		1,452	1,118
Other long-term liabilities		11	12
Total liabilities		2,188	1,850
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		(1,624)	(1,273)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		564	577
Reportable Legal Entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		537	458
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		57	46
Total current assets		594	504
Property and equipment, net		32	33
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		3,424	3,549
Restricted cash		0	0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		1,731	1,718
Total assets		5,781	5,804
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		70	70
Current portion of long-term debt		20	13
Other current liabilities		1	2
Total current liabilities		91	85
Long-term debt		4,324	4,337
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Other long-term liabilities		112	121
Total liabilities		4,527	4,543
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		1,254	1,261
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		5,781	5,804
Reportable Legal Entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		2	0
Accounts receivable, net		540	558
Other current assets		323	372
Total current assets		865	930
Property and equipment, net		674	706
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash		1	0
Goodwill		2,081	2,082
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		136	156
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,183	1,256
Other long-term assets		275	280
Total assets		5,215	5,410
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		278	247
Current portion of long-term debt		5	5
Other current liabilities		105	134
Total current liabilities		388	386
Long-term debt		31	33
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Other long-term liabilities		1,375	1,445
Total liabilities		1,794	1,864
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		3,421	3,546
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		5,215	5,410
Reportable Legal Entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		425	801
Accounts receivable, net		608	502
Other current assets		242	560
Total current assets		1,275	1,863
Property and equipment, net		106	109
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash		3	3
Goodwill		7	10
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		14	15
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		4,203	4,409
Other long-term assets		1,797	1,569
Total assets		7,405	7,978
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		302	284
Current portion of long-term debt		42	41
Other current liabilities		275	306
Total current liabilities		619	631
Long-term debt		8,443	8,460
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Other long-term liabilities		491	710
Total liabilities		9,553	9,801
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		190	190
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		(2,406)	(2,098)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		68	85
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		7,405	7,978
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		(85)	(87)
Total current assets		(85)	(87)
Property and equipment, net		(24)	(26)
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		(3,878)	(3,979)
Restricted cash		0	0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		(39)	(41)
Other long-term assets		(2,159)	(2,254)
Total assets		(6,185)	(6,387)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(86)	(87)
Current portion of long-term debt		(1)	(1)
Other current liabilities		0	0
Total current liabilities		(87)	(88)
Long-term debt		(1,025)	(1,037)
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries		(1,452)	(1,118)
Other long-term liabilities		(1,356)	(1,438)
Total liabilities		(3,920)	(3,681)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group (deficit) equity		(2,269)	(2,710)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		4	4
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		$ (6,185)	$ (6,387)

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $219 million and $233 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of June 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020 include total liabilities of VIEs of $56 million and $60 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us. See Note 9. Variable Interest Entities.