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Long-Term Debt - Narrative (Details)									12 Months Ended
	Jan. 07, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 18, 2019	Jul. 26, 2019 USD ($)	May 01, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 04, 2018	Oct. 02, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 28, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt									$ 2,991,910,000		$ 1,952,522,000
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount of reduction										$ 500,000,000
Revolving credit facility | Variable rate credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit and term loan agreement									$ 210,000,000
Weighted average interest rate									2.46%
Long-term debt									$ 0		0
Revolving credit facility | Variable rate credit facility | Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net leverage ratio requirement	5.5
Revolving credit facility | Variable rate credit facility | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Percentage of commitment fees of total unused commitment under revolving credit facility									0.30%
Revolving credit facility | Variable rate credit facility | Minimum | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
LIBOR plus margin range									1.75%
Revolving credit facility | Variable rate credit facility | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Percentage of commitment fees of total unused commitment under revolving credit facility									0.50%
Revolving credit facility | Variable rate credit facility | Maximum | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
LIBOR plus margin range									2.50%
Revolving credit facility | Letter of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding letter of credits									$ 6,000,000.0		$ 6,000,000.0
Term loan, due in 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rate									2.15%		3.88%
Long-term debt									$ 290,250,000		$ 293,250,000
Debt issued							$ 300,000,000
Interest rate reduction						0.25%
Net leverage ratio requirement							2.75
Annual principal payment							$ 3,000,000
Variable interest rate									2.15%		3.80%
Term loan, due in 2024 | Minimum | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
LIBOR plus margin range							2.00%
Term loan, due in 2024 | Maximum | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
LIBOR plus margin range							1.75%
Term loan, due in 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted average interest rate									2.65%		4.56%
Long-term debt									$ 751,660,000		$ 759,272,000
Interest rate reduction			0.25%
Annual principal payment					$ 7,600,000
Variable interest rate									2.65%		4.30%
Debt issuance costs					$ 23,000,000.0
Term loan, due in 2026 | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
LIBOR plus margin range			2.50%		2.75%
Senior unsecured notes, due in 2025 | Senior unsecured notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt									$ 400,000,000		$ 400,000,000
Debt issued								$ 400,000,000
Debt issuance costs								$ 7,000,000.0
Debt stated rate								5.125%
Debt issuance price as percentage of par								100.00%
Senior unsecured notes, due in 2027 | Senior unsecured notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt									500,000,000		500,000,000
Senior unsecured notes, due in 2027 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issued				$ 500,000,000
Debt issuance costs				$ 10,700,000
Debt stated rate				5.875%
Debt issuance price as percentage of par				100.00%
Debt redemption price				105.875%
Percentage of principal amount redeemed				40.00%
Senior unsecured notes, due in 2027 | Senior Notes | Redemption, Period Two
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt redemption price				100.00%
Sixth amendment, variable rate facility | Variable rate credit facility | Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit and term loan agreement	$ 400,000,000
Number Of Days Before Maturity Of Notes	91 days
Sixth Amendment Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issuance costs									18,900,000
Senior 3.875% Notes Due 2029 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issued		$ 550,000,000
Debt issuance costs		$ 13,800,000
Debt stated rate		3.875%
Debt issuance price as percentage of par		100.00%
Senior 3.875% Notes Due 2029 | Senior Notes | Redemption, Period One
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt redemption price		103.875%
Percentage of principal amount redeemed		40.00%
Senior 3.875% Notes Due 2029 | Senior Notes | Redemption, Period Two
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt redemption price		100.00%
Senior unsecured notes, due in 2031 | Senior unsecured notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt									$ 500,000,000		$ 0
Senior unsecured notes, due in 2031 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issued		$ 500,000,000
Debt issuance costs		$ 12,500,000
Debt stated rate		5.375%
Debt issuance price as percentage of par		100.00%
Senior unsecured notes, due in 2031 | Senior Notes | Redemption, Period One
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt redemption price		105.375%
Percentage of principal amount redeemed		40.00%
Senior unsecured notes, due in 2031 | Senior Notes | Redemption, Period Two
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt redemption price		100.00%
Cordillera Communications, LLC And Nexstar Media Group, Inc. | Term loan, due in 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issued					$ 765,000,000
ION Media | Term loan, due in 2026 | Medium-term Notes | Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issued	$ 800,000,000

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