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Long-Term Debt - Narrative (Details) |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 19, 2019 television_station | Jul. 26, 2019 USD ($) | May 01, 2019 USD ($) television_station | Apr. 04, 2018 | Oct. 02, 2017 USD ($) | Apr. 28, 2017 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt issuance costs |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 38,959,000 | $ 7,486,000
Total outstanding principal |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,975,175,000 | 696,250,000
2025 Senior Notes | Senior unsecured notes, due in 2025 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt face value |  |  |  |  |  | $ 400,000,000 |  |
Debt stated rate |  |  |  |  |  | 5.125% |  |
Debt issuance costs |  |  |  |  |  | $ 7,000,000.0 |  |
Total outstanding principal |  |  |  |  |  |  | 400,000,000 | 400,000,000
2025 Senior Notes | Senior unsecured notes, due in 2025 | Redemption Period One |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt redemption price |  |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |
2025 Senior Notes | Senior unsecured notes, due in 2025 | Redemption Period Two |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt redemption price |  |  |  |  |  | 40.00% |  |
Senior Unsecured Notes, Due 2027 | Senior unsecured notes, due in 2025 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total outstanding principal |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 500,000,000 | $ 0
Senior Unsecured Notes, Due 2027 | Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt face value |  | $ 500,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt stated rate |  | 5.875% |  |  |  |  |  |
Issuance price of debt |  | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Redemption as a percent of principal |  | 40.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt issuance costs |  | $ 10,700,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Senior Unsecured Notes, Due 2027 | Senior Notes | Redemption Period One |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt redemption price |  | 105.875% |  |  |  |  |  |
Senior Unsecured Notes, Due 2027 | Senior Notes | Redemption Period Two |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt redemption price |  | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |  |
Term Loan B, Maturing 2024 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt face value |  |  |  |  | $ 300,000,000 |  |  |
Interest rate reduction |  |  |  | 25.00% |  |  |  |
Net leverage ratio requirement |  |  |  |  | 2.75 |  |  |
Annual principal payments |  |  |  |  | $ 3,000,000 |  |  |
Variable interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4.04% | 4.34%
Weighted average interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4.25% |
Total outstanding principal |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 294,000,000 | $ 296,250,000
Term Loan B, Maturing 2024 | Minimum | LIBOR |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
LIBOR plus margin range |  |  |  |  | 2.00% |  |  |
Term Loan B, Maturing 2024 | Maximum | LIBOR |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
LIBOR plus margin range |  |  |  |  | 1.75% |  |  |
Term Loan B, Maturing 2026 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt issuance costs |  |  | $ 23,000,000.0 |  |  |  |  |
Annual principal payments |  |  | $ 7,700,000 |  |  |  |  |
Variable interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4.79% |
Weighted average interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5.00% |
Total outstanding principal |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 761,175,000 | 0
Term Loan B, Maturing 2026 | LIBOR |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
LIBOR plus margin range |  |  | 2.75% |  |  |  |  |
Amended and restated revolving credit facility | Revolving credit facility |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net leverage ratio requirement |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5.5 |
Variable interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4.29% |
Weighted average interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4.33% |
Revolving credit and term loan agreement |  |  |  |  |  | $ 210,000,000 |  |
Total outstanding principal |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 20,000,000 | 0
Amended and restated revolving credit facility | Revolving credit facility | Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of commitment fees of total unused commitment under revolving credit facility |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0.30% |
Amended and restated revolving credit facility | Revolving credit facility | Minimum | LIBOR |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
LIBOR plus margin range |  |  |  |  |  | 1.75% |  |
Amended and restated revolving credit facility | Revolving credit facility | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of commitment fees of total unused commitment under revolving credit facility |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0.50% |
Amended and restated revolving credit facility | Revolving credit facility | Maximum | LIBOR |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
LIBOR plus margin range |  |  |  |  |  | 2.50% |  |
Amended and restated revolving credit facility | Letter of Credit |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Letters of credit outstanding |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 6,000,000.0 | $ 100,000
Cordillera Communications, LLC and Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Term Loan B, Maturing 2026 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt face value |  |  | $ 765,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Cordillera Communications, LLC |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of businesses acquired | television_station |  |  | 15 |  |  |  |  |
Cordillera Communications, LLC | Term Loan B, Maturing 2026 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from issuance of debt |  |  | $ 525,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of businesses acquired | television_station | 8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Senior Unsecured Notes, Due 2027 | Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from issuance of debt |  | $ 500,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Term Loan B, Maturing 2026 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from issuance of debt |  |  | $ 240,000,000 |  |  |  |  |

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