CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	$ 1,535	$ 1,539	$ 4,658	$ 4,431
Media programming and production expenses	1,022	1,077	3,390	2,288
Selling, general and administrative expenses	263	242	807	719
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets	0	4,264	0	4,264
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	177	172	531	557
Total operating expenses	1,462	5,755	4,728	7,828
Operating income (loss)	73	(4,216)	(70)	(3,397)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(155)	(157)	(466)	(502)
Other income (expense)	8	159	82	151
Total other (expense) income, net	(147)	2	(384)	(351)
Income tax benefit	91	847	169	805
NET INCOME (LOSS)	17	(3,367)	(285)	(2,943)
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	(4)	(19)	(13)	(51)
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	6	130	(27)	113
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	19	(3,256)	(325)	(2,881)
Comprehensive income (loss)	18	(3,367)	(279)	(2,952)
Reportable Legal Entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Media programming and production expenses	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	3	2	10	8
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets		0		0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	0	1	0	1
Total operating expenses	3	3	10	9
Operating income (loss)	(3)	(3)	(10)	(9)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	21	(3,252)	(267)	(2,866)
Interest expense	(3)	(3)	(10)	(10)
Other income (expense)	2	1	(61)	0
Total other (expense) income, net	20	(3,254)	(338)	(2,876)
Income tax benefit	2	1	23	4
NET INCOME (LOSS)	19	(3,256)	(325)	(2,881)
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	19	(3,256)	(325)	(2,881)
Comprehensive income (loss)	19	(3,256)	(325)	(2,881)
Reportable Legal Entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	28	25	83	74
Media programming and production expenses	1	0	3	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	33	27	123	97
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets		0		0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	2	1	6	6
Total operating expenses	36	28	132	103
Operating income (loss)	(8)	(3)	(49)	(29)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	113	302	317	542
Interest expense	(43)	(45)	(135)	(147)
Other income (expense)	(3)	5	11	11
Total other (expense) income, net	67	262	193	406
Income tax benefit	9	55	38	75
NET INCOME (LOSS)	68	314	182	452
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	68	314	182	452
Comprehensive income (loss)	68	314	182	452
Reportable Legal Entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	758	774	2,207	2,140
Media programming and production expenses	366	322	1,073	962
Selling, general and administrative expenses	176	160	515	479
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets		0		0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	81	40	240	143
Total operating expenses	623	522	1,828	1,584
Operating income (loss)	135	252	379	556
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(1)	(1)	(2)	(3)
Other income (expense)	(2)	(11)	(24)	(30)
Total other (expense) income, net	(3)	(12)	(26)	(33)
Income tax benefit	(16)	64	(31)	24
NET INCOME (LOSS)	116	304	322	547
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	116	304	322	547
Comprehensive income (loss)	116	304	322	547
Reportable Legal Entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	803	786	2,507	2,350
Media programming and production expenses	671	772	2,354	1,371
Selling, general and administrative expenses	87	77	252	207
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets		4,264		4,264
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	95	133	290	416
Total operating expenses	853	5,246	2,896	6,258
Operating income (loss)	(50)	(4,460)	(389)	(3,908)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	(113)	(114)	(337)	(361)
Other income (expense)	14	168	166	180
Total other (expense) income, net	(99)	54	(171)	(181)
Income tax benefit	96	727	139	702
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(53)	(3,679)	(421)	(3,387)
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	(4)	(19)	(13)	(51)
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	6	130	(27)	113
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(51)	(3,568)	(461)	(3,325)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(52)	(3,679)	(415)	(3,396)
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
Total revenues	(54)	(46)	(139)	(133)
Media programming and production expenses	(16)	(17)	(40)	(45)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(36)	(24)	(93)	(72)
Impairment of goodwill and definite-lived intangible assets		0		0
Depreciation, amortization and other operating expenses	(1)	(3)	(5)	(9)
Total operating expenses	(53)	(44)	(138)	(126)
Operating income (loss)	(1)	(2)	(1)	(7)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(134)	2,950	(50)	2,324
Interest expense	5	6	18	19
Other income (expense)	(3)	(4)	(10)	(10)
Total other (expense) income, net	(132)	2,952	(42)	2,333
Income tax benefit	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(133)	2,950	(43)	2,326
Net income attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net loss (income) attributable to the noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP	(133)	2,950	(43)	2,326
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (133)	$ 2,950	$ (43)	$ 2,326