Debt (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended												3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011 LIN Television	Jun. 30, 2012 LIN Television	Jun. 30, 2011 LIN Television	Dec. 31, 2011 LIN Television	Jun. 30, 2012 LIN Television Level 2	Dec. 31, 2011 LIN Television Level 2	Jun. 30, 2012 LIN Television 83/8% Senior Notes due 2018	Dec. 31, 2011 LIN Television 83/8% Senior Notes due 2018	Jan. 31, 2012 LIN Television Senior Subordinated Notes	Jun. 30, 2012 LIN Television Senior Subordinated Notes	Jan. 20, 2012 LIN Television Senior Subordinated Notes	Jun. 30, 2012 LIN Television 6.5% Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2013	Dec. 31, 2011 LIN Television 6.5% Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2013	Jun. 30, 2012 LIN Television 6.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 - Class B, net of discount	Dec. 31, 2011 LIN Television 6.5% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2013 - Class B, net of discount	Jun. 30, 2012 LIN Television Other debt	Dec. 31, 2011 LIN Television Other debt	Jun. 30, 2012 LIN Television Senior Secured Credit Facility Revolving credit loans	Dec. 31, 2011 LIN Television Senior Secured Credit Facility Revolving credit loans	Jun. 30, 2012 LIN Television Senior Secured Credit Facility Term loans, net of discount	Dec. 31, 2011 LIN Television Senior Secured Credit Facility Term loans, net of discount	Jun. 30, 2012 LIN Television Senior Secured Credit Facility Incremental term loans, net of discount	Jun. 30, 2012 LIN Television Senior Secured Credit Facility Incremental term loans, net of discount	Dec. 31, 2011 LIN Television Senior Secured Credit Facility Incremental term loans, net of discount	Jun. 30, 2011 LIN Television 2009 Senior Secured Credit Facility	Jun. 30, 2011 LIN Television 2009 Senior Secured Credit Facility Revolving credit loans	Dec. 31, 2010 LIN Television 2009 Senior Secured Credit Facility Revolving credit loans	Jun. 30, 2011 LIN Television 2009 Senior Secured Credit Facility Term loans, net of discount
Debt
Percentage of ownership in subsidiaries which guarantee LIN Television's debt											100.00%
Interest rate (as a percent)											8.375%	8.375%				6.50%	6.50%	6.50%	6.50%
Face amount of debt																			$ 85,426,000					$ 125,000,000	$ 125,000,000	$ 258,700,000	$ 258,700,000	$ 260,000,000
Unamortized discount															1,228,000				1,228,000					556,000	604,000	2,420,000	2,420,000	2,594,000
Total debt						591,524,000		868,717,000	591,524,000	868,717,000	200,000,000	200,000,000					166,773,000		84,198,000	800,000	944,000	10,000,000	35,000,000	124,444,000	124,396,000	256,280,000	256,280,000	257,406,000
Less current portion		5,989,000		253,856,000		5,989,000		253,856,000
Total long-term debt		585,535,000		614,861,000		585,535,000		614,861,000
Repayment of debt		297,415,000	9,619,000			297,415,000	9,619,000						251,000,000													700,000	1,300,000					9,600,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt	50,000	2,099,000	192,000		50,000	2,099,000	192,000							2,100,000															200,000
Available revolving credit commitments																														48,700,000	76,100,000
Fair value									$ 597,165,000	$ 860,164,000