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INCOME TAXES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
INCOME TAXES
Income Tax Expense
The Company’s income tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, consisted of the following components:
(In thousands)
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
Current tax expense
$
(1,926
)
 
$
(4,672
)
Deferred tax benefit
5,357

 
122,038

Income tax benefit
$
3,431

 
$
117,366


The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 was 2.5% and 21.3%, respectively. The decrease in the effective tax rate is primarily attributed to the tax effects of the impairment charge recorded in relation to indefinite-lived FCC licenses in the current period, and also attributed to year over year changes in the forecasted mix of earnings and tax rates in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates.