ACQUISITIONS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014 item	Dec. 19, 2014	Nov. 01, 2014	Aug. 01, 2014
Allocated fair value of acquired assets and assumed liabilities
Goodwill	$ 1,951,074,000		$ 1,964,553,000
Property and equipment	(742,397,000)		(752,538,000)
Depreciation	(25,189,000)	(24,378,000)
Total Acquisitions
Acquisitions
Number of television stations			21
Number of markets			15
Cash paid			1,434,500,000
Working capital adjustment			47,300,000
2014 Acquisitions
Allocated fair value of acquired assets and assumed liabilities
Accounts receivable			38,542,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets			20,512,000
Program contract costs			6,201,000
Property and equipment			86,762,000
Broadcast licenses			13,925,000
Definite-lived intangible assets			823,025,000
Other assets			21,852,000
Assets held for sale			83,200,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities			(11,856,000)
Program contracts payable			(6,089,000)
Deferred tax liability			(261,393,000)
Other long term liabilities			(18,225,000)
Fair value of identifiable net assets acquired			796,456,000
Goodwill			685,398,000
Total			1,481,854,000
Property and equipment	12,500,000
Decrease Broadcast licenses	4,100,000
Increase finite-lived intangible assets	33,000,000
Decrease Goodwill	16,500,000
Depreciation	600,000
Amortization	300,000
MEG Stations
Acquisitions
Number of television stations				4
Number of markets				3
Cash paid				207,500,000
Working capital adjustment				1,600,000
Allocated fair value of acquired assets and assumed liabilities
Prepaid expenses and other current assets			476,000
Program contract costs			1,954,000
Property and equipment			23,462,000
Broadcast licenses			100,000
Definite-lived intangible assets			125,200,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities			(2,085,000)
Program contracts payable			(1,914,000)
Fair value of identifiable net assets acquired			147,193,000
Goodwill			58,698,000
Total			205,891,000
KSNV
Acquisitions
Cash paid					118,500,000
Working capital adjustment					200,000
Allocated fair value of acquired assets and assumed liabilities
Prepaid expenses and other current assets			67,000
Program contract costs			482,000
Property and equipment			8,300,000
Definite-lived intangible assets			62,700,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities			(277,000)
Program contracts payable			(481,000)
Other long term liabilities			(1,200,000)
Fair value of identifiable net assets acquired			69,591,000
Goodwill			48,699,000
Total			118,290,000
Allbritton
Acquisitions
Number of television stations						9
Number of markets						7
Cash paid						985,000,000
Working capital adjustment						50,200,000
Interest rate (as a percent)						5.625%
Allocated fair value of acquired assets and assumed liabilities
Accounts receivable			38,542,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets			19,890,000
Program contract costs			1,204,000
Property and equipment			46,600,000
Broadcast licenses			13,700,000
Definite-lived intangible assets			564,100,000
Other assets			20,352,000
Assets held for sale			83,200,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities			(8,351,000)
Program contracts payable			(1,140,000)
Deferred tax liability			(261,393,000)
Other long term liabilities			(17,025,000)
Fair value of identifiable net assets acquired			499,679,000
Goodwill			535,558,000
Total			1,035,237,000
Other
Acquisitions
Number of television stations			8
Number of markets			4
Cash paid			123,500,000
Working capital adjustment			1,100,000
Allocated fair value of acquired assets and assumed liabilities
Prepaid expenses and other current assets			79,000
Program contract costs			2,561,000
Property and equipment			8,400,000
Broadcast licenses			125,000
Definite-lived intangible assets			71,025,000
Other assets			1,500,000
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities			(1,143,000)
Program contracts payable			(2,554,000)
Fair value of identifiable net assets acquired			79,993,000
Goodwill			42,443,000
Total			$ 122,436,000