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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
The Company leases office space, certain broadcasting facilities and equipment under long-term operating leases. The Company accounts for annual rent escalation clauses included in the lease term on a straight-line basis under the guidance in ASC 842, Leases. Expenditures for maintenance are charged to operations as incurred, whereas expenditures for renewal and betterments are capitalized. Non-cancelable contracts that provide the lessor with a right to fulfill the arrangement with property, plant and equipment not specified within the contract are not a lease and have been included within non-cancelable contracts within the table below.
Rent expense charged to operations for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022 was $183.6 million, $178.3 million, and $188.5 million, respectively.
As of December 31, 2024, the Company's future minimum payments under non-cancelable contracts in excess of one year and employment/talent contracts consist of the following:
(In thousands)Non-CancelableEmployment/Talent
ContractsContracts
2025$303,922 $70,448 
2026277,506 50,982 
2027184,101 33,776 
2028171,320 — 
202940,599 — 
Thereafter235 — 
Total$977,683 $155,206 
The Company and its subsidiaries are involved in certain legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business and, as required, have accrued an estimate of the probable costs for the resolution of those claims for which the occurrence of loss is probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. These estimates have been developed in consultation with counsel and are based upon an analysis of potential results, assuming a combination of litigation and settlement strategies. It is possible, however, that future results of operations for any particular period could be materially affected by changes in the Company’s assumptions or the effectiveness of its strategies related to these proceedings. Additionally, due to the inherent uncertainty of
litigation, there can be no assurance that the resolution of any particular claim or proceeding would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations.
Although the Company is involved in a variety of legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business, a large portion of its litigation arises in the following contexts: commercial disputes; defamation matters; employment and benefits related claims; governmental fines; intellectual property claims; and tax disputes.
Alien Ownership Restrictions and FCC Declaratory Ruling
The Communications Act and FCC regulation prohibit foreign entities and individuals from having direct or indirect ownership or voting rights of more than 25 percent in a corporation controlling the licensee of a radio broadcast station unless the FCC finds greater foreign ownership to be in the public interest. On November 5, 2020, the FCC issued a declaratory ruling, permitting the Company to be up to 100% foreign-owned, subject to certain conditions (the “2020 Declaratory Ruling”).