CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 521	$ 816
Accounts receivable, net		620	1,245
Other current assets		326	410
Total current assets		1,467	2,471
Property and equipment, net		715	833
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash		0	3
Goodwill		2,088	2,088
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		150	150
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,075	5,088
Other long-term assets		1,167	1,908
Total assets	[1]	6,662	12,541
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		392	655
Current portion of long-term debt		36	69
Other current liabilities		175	478
Total current liabilities		603	1,202
Long-term debt		4,362	12,271
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			0
Other long-term liabilities		810	577
Total liabilities	[1]	5,775	14,050
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		184	197
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		765	(1,770)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		(62)	64
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		6,662	12,541
Reportable Legal Entities | Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		54	2
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		6	10
Total current assets		60	12
Property and equipment, net		1	1
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		2,104	451
Restricted cash			0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		283	331
Total assets		2,448	795
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		35	31
Current portion of long-term debt		0	0
Other current liabilities		2	2
Total current liabilities		37	33
Long-term debt		915	915
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			1,605
Other long-term liabilities		731	12
Total liabilities		1,683	2,565
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		765	(1,770)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		2,448	795
Reportable Legal Entities | Sinclair Television Group, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		415	316
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		79	82
Total current assets		494	398
Property and equipment, net		31	31
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		3,231	3,448
Restricted cash			0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		0	0
Other long-term assets		1,974	1,956
Total assets		5,730	5,833
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		74	85
Current portion of long-term debt		20	20
Other current liabilities		4	6
Total current liabilities		98	111
Long-term debt		4,314	4,317
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			0
Other long-term liabilities		60	69
Total liabilities		4,472	4,497
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		1,258	1,336
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		5,730	5,833
Reportable Legal Entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries and KDSM, LLC
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		1	2
Accounts receivable, net		561	649
Other current assets		296	293
Total current assets		858	944
Property and equipment, net		655	664
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash			0
Goodwill		2,081	2,081
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		136	136
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		1,061	1,105
Other long-term assets		410	427
Total assets		5,201	5,357
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		290	295
Current portion of long-term debt		7	5
Other current liabilities		134	155
Total current liabilities		431	455
Long-term debt		32	33
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			0
Other long-term liabilities		1,512	1,426
Total liabilities		1,975	1,914
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		3,226	3,443
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		5,201	5,357
Reportable Legal Entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		51	496
Accounts receivable, net		59	596
Other current assets		23	136
Total current assets		133	1,228
Property and equipment, net		50	161
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		0	0
Restricted cash			3
Goodwill		7	7
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		14	14
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		48	4,019
Other long-term assets		1,363	1,853
Total assets		1,615	7,285
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		17	279
Current portion of long-term debt		10	45
Other current liabilities		80	392
Total current liabilities		107	716
Long-term debt		373	8,488
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			0
Other long-term liabilities		328	468
Total liabilities		808	9,672
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		184	197
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		688	(2,644)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		(65)	60
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		1,615	7,285
Eliminations
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Other current assets		(78)	(111)
Total current assets		(78)	(111)
Property and equipment, net		(22)	(24)
Investment in equity of consolidated subsidiaries		(5,335)	(3,899)
Restricted cash			0
Goodwill		0	0
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		0	0
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		(34)	(36)
Other long-term assets		(2,863)	(2,659)
Total assets		(8,332)	(6,729)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		(24)	(35)
Current portion of long-term debt		(1)	(1)
Other current liabilities		(45)	(77)
Total current liabilities		(70)	(113)
Long-term debt		(1,272)	(1,482)
Investment in deficit of consolidated subsidiaries			(1,605)
Other long-term liabilities		(1,821)	(1,398)
Total liabilities		(3,163)	(4,598)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		0	0
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group equity		(5,172)	(2,135)
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries		3	4
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity		$ (8,332)	$ (6,729)

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $118 million and $217 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 include total liabilities of VIEs of $17 million and $62 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us. See Note 9. Variable Interest Entities.