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Acquisitions - Narrative (Details) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |
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Sep. 19, 2019 USD ($) television_station | Jul. 26, 2019 USD ($) | Jun. 10, 2019 USD ($) | May 01, 2019 USD ($) television_station | Jan. 01, 2019 USD ($) television_station | Nov. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Oct. 02, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 786,837,000 | $ 1,224,679,000 | $ 786,837,000 | $ 708,773,000 | $ 528,604,000
Television network affiliation relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20 years |  |  |
Customer lists and advertiser relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20 years |  |  |
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of television stations acquired | television_station | 8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, purchase price | $ 582,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues from acquired operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 79,800,000 |  |  |
Goodwill | 164,457,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Television network affiliation relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired | 181,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Customer lists and advertiser relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired | $ 7,100,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cordillera Communications, LLC |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of television stations acquired | television_station |  |  |  | 15 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, purchase price |  |  |  | $ 521,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues from acquired operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 105,200,000 |  |  |
Working capital adjustment |  |  |  | 23,900,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  |  |  | 252,920,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cordillera Communications, LLC | Television network affiliation relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  | 169,400,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cordillera Communications, LLC | Customer lists and advertiser relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  | $ 5,900,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cordillera Communications, LLC | Shared service agreement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  | 20 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  | $ 13,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Raycom Media, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of television stations acquired | television_station |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, purchase price |  |  |  |  | $ 55,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Revenues from acquired operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 23,400,000 |  |  |
Goodwill |  |  |  |  | 18,349,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Raycom Media, Inc. | Television network affiliation relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  | 17,400,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Raycom Media, Inc. | Customer lists and advertiser relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  | $ 700,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 435,726,000 |  |  |
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Television network affiliation relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20 years |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 367,800,000 |  |  |
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Customer lists and advertiser relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 13,700,000 |  |  |
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Customer lists and advertiser relationships | Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5 years |  |  |
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Customer lists and advertiser relationships | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10 years |  |  |
Raycom Media, Inc., Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Shared service agreement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 13,000,000 |  |  |
Omny Studio |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, purchase price |  |  | $ 8,300,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  |  | $ 5,300,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Omny Studio | Developed Technology |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  | 10 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  | $ 3,800,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Triton Digital Canada, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, purchase price |  |  |  |  |  | $ 160,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  |  |  |  |  | 80,656,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  |  | 75,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10,515,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,220,000 |  |  |
Decrease in fair value of DTL |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (3,600,000) |  |  |
Triton Digital Canada, Inc. | Customer lists and advertiser relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  |  |  | 12 years |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  |  | $ 31,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Triton Digital Canada, Inc. | Developed Technology |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  |  | $ 39,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Triton Digital Canada, Inc. | Developed Technology | Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8 years |  |  |
Triton Digital Canada, Inc. | Developed Technology | Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 12 years |  |  |
Triton Digital Canada, Inc. | Trade names |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  |  |  | 10 years |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Katz Broadcasting Group |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business acquisition, purchase price |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 292,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill |  |  |  |  |  |  | 203,760,000 |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  | 32,300,000 |  |  |  |  |
Cash |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 21,372,000 |  |  |  |  |
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5,812,000 |  |
Increase in fair value of property and equipment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9,900,000 |  |
Decrease in the fair value of program assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,100,000 |  |
Increase in previously reported depreciation expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 300,000 |  |
Programming Expense, Purchase Accounting Adjustments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 300,000 |  |
Gain on fair value remeasurement of acquisition |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 5,400,000 |  |  |  |
Katz Broadcasting Group | E.W. Scripps [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncontrolling interest prior to acquisition |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5.33% |  |  |  |  |
Katz Broadcasting Group | Customer lists and advertiser relationships |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5 years |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 24,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Katz Broadcasting Group | Trade names |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Estimated useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10 years |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 8,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Senior Unsecured Notes, Due 2027 | Senior Notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt issued |  | $ 500,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Senior Unsecured Notes, Due 2027 | Senior Notes | Nexstar Media Group, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from issuance of debt |  | $ 500,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Term Loan B-1, Maturing 2026 | Nexstar Media Group, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from issuance of debt |  |  |  | 240,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Term Loan B-1, Maturing 2026 | Cordillera Communications, LLC |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Proceeds from issuance of debt |  |  |  | 525,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Term Loan B-1, Maturing 2026 | Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt issued |  |  |  | $ 765,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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