The Company’s leases are considered operating leases and primarily consist of real estate such as office space, broadcasting towers, land and land easements. The operating leases are reflected within the consolidated balance sheet as Operating leases right of use asset with the related liability presented as Operating lease liabilities and Long-term operating lease liabilities. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Generally, lease terms include options to renew or extend the lease. Unless the renewal option is considered reasonably certain, the exercise of any such options has been excluded from the calculation of lease liabilities.

The following table summarizes the expected future payments related to lease liabilities as of December 31, 2024:


(in thousands)
2025	$	10,607
2026		9,159
2027		7,315
2028		6,566
2029		6,068
Thereafter		24,331
Total minimum payments	$	64,046
Less amounts representing interest		(14,201	)
Present value of minimum lease payments		49,845
Less current operating lease liabilities		(7,744	)
Long-term operating lease liabilities	$	42,101

The Company’s existing leases have remaining terms of less than one year up to 26 years. The weighted average remaining lease term and the weighted average discount rate used to calculate the Company’s lease liabilities as of December 31, 2024 were 8.4 years and 6.3%, respectively. The weighted average remaining lease term and the weighted average discount rate used to calculate the Company’s lease liabilities as of December 31, 2023 were 9.0 years and 6.2%, respectively.

The following table summarizes lease payments and supplemental non-cash disclosures:


	Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)	2024		2023		2022
Cash paid for amounts included in lease liabilities:

Operating cash flows from operating leases	$	10,504	$	8,483	$	9,680
Non-cash additions to operating lease assets	$	5,091	$	6,762	$	31,125

The following table summarizes the components of lease expense:


	Year Ended December 31,
(in thousands)	2024		2023		2022
Operating lease cost	$	9,758	$	9,095	$	8,995
Variable lease cost		912		1,295		1,116
Short-term lease cost		1,081		2,810		2,158
Total lease cost	$	11,751	$	13,200	$	12,269

For the year ended December 31, 2024, lease cost of $5.7 million, $5.0 million and $1.1 million, were recorded to direct operating expenses, selling, general and administrative expenses and corporate expenses, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2023, lease cost of $5.8 million, $6.2 million and $1.2 million, were recorded to direct operating expenses, selling, general and administrative expenses and corporate expenses, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2022, lease cost of $6.0 million, $5.4 million and $0.9 million, were recorded to direct operating expenses, selling, general and administrative expenses and corporate expenses, respectively.