CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Millions		Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 816	$ 1,259
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $7 and $5, respectively		1,245	1,060
Income taxes receivable		152	230
Prepaid sports rights		85	498
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		173	170
Total current assets		2,471	3,217
Property and equipment, net		833	823
Operating lease assets		207	197
Deferred tax assets		293	197
Restricted cash		3	3
Goodwill		2,088	2,092
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		150	171
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		5,088	5,624
Other assets		1,408	1,058
Total assets	[1]	12,541	13,382
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		655	533
Current portion of notes payable, finance leases, and commercial bank financing		69	58
Current portion of operating lease liabilities		35	34
Current portion of program contracts payable		97	92
Other current liabilities		346	317
Total current liabilities		1,202	1,034
Long-term debt		12,271	12,493
Operating lease liabilities, less current portion		205	198
Program contracts payable, less current portion		21	30
Other long-term liabilities		351	622
Total liabilities	[1]	14,050	14,377
Commitments and contingencies (See Note 13)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		197	190
Shareholders' Equity:
Additional paid-in capital		691	721
Accumulated deficit		(2,460)	(1,986)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(2)	(10)
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ deficit		(1,770)	(1,274)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		64	89
Total deficit		(1,706)	(1,185)
Total liabilities and equity		12,541	13,382
Consolidated VIEs
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents		43	64
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $7 and $5, respectively		83	70
Prepaid sports rights		2	2
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		4	5
Total current assets		132	141
Property and equipment, net		17	16
Operating lease assets		5	6
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		14	14
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		47	54
Other assets		1	1
Total assets		217	233
Current liabilities:
Total current liabilities		62	40
Long-term debt		0	10
Operating lease liabilities, less current portion		4	5
Program contracts payable, less current portion		2	4
Other long-term liabilities		4	17
Total liabilities		72	76
Consolidated VIEs | Recourse
Current liabilities:
Total liabilities		62	60
Class A Common Stock
Shareholders' Equity:
Common Stock		1	1
Class B Common Stock
Shareholders' Equity:
Common Stock		0	0
Customer relationships
CURRENT ASSETS:
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		3,904	4,286
Other definite-lived intangible assets, net
CURRENT ASSETS:
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		$ 1,184	$ 1,338

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $217 million and $233 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 include total liabilities of the VIEs of $62 million and $60 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us. See Note 14. Variable Interest Entities.