NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Segment data

Schedule of Rollforward of the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

A rollforward of the allowance for doubtful accounts for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 is as follows (in millions):

	2023		2022		2021
Balance at beginning of period	$	5	$	7	$	5
Charged to expense	3		4		3
Net write-offs	(4)		(6)		(1)
Balance at end of period	$	4	$	5	$	7

Schedule of Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities consisted of the following as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in millions):

	2023		2022
Compensation and employee benefits	$	98	$	100
Interest	12		11
Programming related obligations	156		151
Legal, litigation, and regulatory (a)	505		10
Accounts payable and other operating expenses	142		125
Total accounts payable and accrued liabilities	$	913	$	397

(a)See Note 13. Commitments and Contingencies for additional information regarding the litigation accruals recorded.

Schedule of Cash Transactions

During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, we had the following cash transactions (in millions):

	2023		2022		2021
Income taxes paid	$	5	$	18	$	16
Income tax refunds	$	1	$	158	$	44
Interest paid	$	294	$	387	$	583

Schedule of Disaggregation of Revenue

The following table presents our revenue disaggregated by type and segment for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 (in millions):

For the year ended December 31, 2023	Local media		Tennis		Other		Eliminations		Total
Distribution revenue	$	1,491	$	189	$	—	$	—	$	1,680
Advertising revenue	1,236		37		25		(13)		1,285
Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenue	139		2		37		(9)		169
Total revenues	$	2,866	$	228	$	62	$	(22)	$	3,134
For the year ended December 31, 2022	Local media		Tennis		Local sports		Other		Eliminations		Total
Distribution revenue	$	1,531	$	179	$	433	$	—	$	—	$	2,143
Advertising revenue	1,518		33		44		41		(22)		1,614
Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenue	144		5		5		54		(37)		171
Total revenues	$	3,193	$	217	$	482	$	95	$	(59)	$	3,928
For the year ended December 31, 2021	Local media		Tennis		Local sports		Other		Eliminations		Total
Distribution revenue	$	1,476	$	192	$	2,620	$	—	$	—	$	4,288
Advertising revenue	1,230		29		409		64		(41)		1,691
Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenue	181		3		27		64		(120)		155
Total revenues	$	2,887	$	224	$	3,056	$	128	$	(161)	$	6,134

Sinclair Broadcast Group, LLC

Segment data

Schedule of Rollforward of the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

A rollforward of the allowance for doubtful accounts for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 is as follows (in millions):

	2023		2022		2021
Balance at beginning of period	$	5	$	7	$	5
Charged to expense	3		4		3
Net write-offs	(3)		(6)		(1)
Transferred to Ventures	(1)		—		—
Balance at end of period	$	4	$	5	$	7

Schedule of Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities consisted of the following as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 (in millions):

	2023		2022
Compensation and employee benefits	$	93	$	100
Interest	12		11
Programming related obligations	156		151
Legal, litigation, and regulatory (a)	504		10
Accounts payable and other operating expenses	86		125
Total accounts payable and accrued liabilities	$	851	$	397

(a)See Note 12. Commitments and Contingencies for additional information regarding the litigation accruals recorded.

Schedule of Cash Transactions

During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, SBG had the following cash transactions (in millions):

	2023		2022		2021
Income taxes paid	$	5	$	18	$	16
Income tax refunds	$	1	$	158	$	44
Interest paid	$	294	$	387	$	583

Schedule of Disaggregation of Revenue

The following table presents SBG's revenue disaggregated by type and segment for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 (in millions):

For the year ended December 31, 2023	Local media		Other		Eliminations		Total
Distribution revenue	$	1,491	$	76	$	—	$	1,567
Advertising revenue	1,236		29		(5)		1,260
Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenue	139		14		(2)		151
Total revenues	$	2,866	$	119	$	(7)	$	2,978
For the year ended December 31, 2022	Local media		Local sports		Other		Eliminations		Total
Distribution revenue	$	1,531	$	433	$	179	$	—	$	2,143
Advertising revenue	1,518		44		74		(22)		1,614
Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenue	144		5		59		(37)		171
Total revenues	$	3,193	$	482	$	312	$	(59)	$	3,928
For the year ended December 31, 2021	Local media		Local sports		Other		Eliminations		Total
Distribution revenue	$	1,476	$	2,620	$	192	$	—	$	4,288
Advertising revenue	1,230		409		93		(41)		1,691
Other media, non-media, and intercompany revenue	181		27		67		(120)		155
Total revenues	$	2,887	$	3,056	$	352	$	(161)	$	6,134