v3.8.0.1

INCOME TAXES (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Income Tax Disclosure Abstract |
Schedule Of Income Tax Expense Reconciliation |
|  |  | Years Ended December 31,
|  |  |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
|  |  |  | (amounts in thousands)
Federal statutory income tax rate |  |  | 35% |  |  | 35% |  |  | 35%
Computed tax expense at federal statutory rates on income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| before income taxes |  | $ | (8,425) |  | $ | 18,501 |  | $ | 16,667
State income tax expense, net of federal benefit |  |  | 23,045 |  |  | (5,202) |  |  | 1,333
Non-recognition of expense due to full valuation allowance |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | (244)
Valuation allowance current year activity | 2,395 |  |  | - |  |  | -
Tax impact of share-based awards |  |  | 1,383 |  |  | - |  |  | -
Transaction costs |  |  | 8,477 |  |  | - |  |  | -
Recognized gain on Exchange Transactions |  |  | 6,435 |  |  | - |  |  | -
U.S. federal income tax reform |  |  | (291,497) |  |  | - |  |  | -
Tax benefit shortfall associated with share-based awards |  |  | - |  |  | 286 |  |  | 12
Nondeductible expenses and other |  |  | 1,102 |  |  | 1,209 |  |  | 669
Income taxes |  | $ | (257,085) |  | $ | 14,794 |  | $ | 18,437
Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) |
|  |  |  |  | Years Ended December 31,
|  |  |  |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
| Current: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | Federal |  | $ | 5,178 |  | $ | (33) |  | $ | 25
|  | State |  |  | 1,289 |  |  | 139 |  |  | 90
|  |  | Total current |  |  | 6,467 |  |  | 106 |  |  | 115
| Deferred: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | Federal |  |  | (295,466) |  |  | 19,980 |  |  | 17,042
|  | State |  |  | 31,915 |  |  | (5,292) |  |  | 1,280
|  |  | Total deferred |  |  | (263,551) |  |  | 14,688 |  |  | 18,322
Total income taxes (benefit) |  | $ | (257,084) |  | $ | 14,794 |  | $ | 18,437
Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities |
|  |  |  |  | December 31,
|  |  |  |  | 2017 |  | 2016
|  |  |  |  | (amounts in thousands)
Deferred tax assets: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Federal and state income tax loss carryforwards |  |  | 96,334 |  |  | 126,278
| Share-based compensation |  |  | 4,174 |  |  | 3,145
| Investments - impairments |  |  | 348 |  |  | 499
| Lease rental obligations |  |  | 13,910 |  |  | 3,504
| Deferred compensation |  |  | 11,601 |  |  | 5,307
| Deferred gain on tower transaction |  |  | 1,897 |  |  | 3,035
| Debt fair value adjustment |  |  | 5,162 |  |  | -
| Reserves |  |  | 7,442 |  |  | -
| Property, equipment and certain intangibles (other |  |  |  |  |  |
| than broadcasting licenses and goodwill) |  |  | - |  |  | 4,036
| Advertiser broadcasting obligations |  |  | - |  |  | 47
| Employee benefits |  |  | 543 |  |  | 944
| Provision for doubtful accounts |  |  | 4,383 |  |  | 795
| Other non-current |  |  | 1,614 |  |  | 1,532
| Total deferred tax assets before valuation allowance |  |  | 147,408 |  |  | 149,122
| Valuation allowance |  |  | (37,154) |  |  | (12,861)
| Total deferred tax assets |  | $ | 110,254 |  | $ | 136,261
Deferred tax liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Advertiser broadcasting obligations |  | $ | (7,172) |  | $ | -
| Deferral of gain recognition on the extinguishment of debt |  |  | - |  |  | (3,031)
| Property, equipment and certain intangibles |  |  | (55,922) |  |  | -
| Broadcasting licenses and goodwill |  |  | (656,949) |  |  | (226,128)
| Total deferred tax liabilities |  | $ | (720,043) |  | $ | (229,159)
| Total net deferred tax liabilities |  | $ | (609,789) |  | $ | (92,898)
Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance |
|  |  |  |  | Increase |  | Increase |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  | (Decrease) |  | (Decrease) |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  | Charged |  | Charged |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  | (Credited) |  | (Credited) |  |  |  |  |
|  | Balance at |  | to Income |  | to |  |  |  | Balance At
|  | Beginning |  | Taxes |  | Balance |  | Purchase |  | End Of
Year Ended |  | of Year |  | (Benefit) |  | Sheet |  | Accounting |  | Year
|  |  | (amounts in thousands)
December 31, 2017 |  | $ | 12,861 |  | $ | 17,785 |  | $ | 151 |  | $ | 6,357 |  | $ | 37,154
December 31, 2016 |  |  | 20,638 |  |  | (7,777) |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | 12,861
December 31, 2015 |  |  | 20,766 |  |  | (165) |  |  | 37 |  |  | - |  |  | 20,638
Schedule of Liabilities For Uncertain Tax Positions |
|  |  | December 31,
|  |  | 2017 |  | 2016
|  |  | (amounts in thousands)
Liabilities for uncertain tax positions |  |  |  |  |  |
| Tax |  | $ | 711 |  | $ | -
| Total |  | $ | 711 |  | $ | -
Schedule of Expense Income For Uncertain Tax Positions |
|  | Years Ended December 31,
|  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
|  | (amounts in thousands)
Tax expense (income) |  | $ | - |  | $ | (67) |  | $ | -
Interest and penalties (income) |  |  | - |  |  | (170) |  |  | 20
Total income taxes (benefit) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
from uncertain tax positions |  | $ | - |  | $ | (237) |  | $ | 20
Schedule of Changes in Unrecognized Tax Benefits |
|  |  | Years Ended December 31,
|  |  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
|  |  | (amounts in thousands)
Beginning of year balance |  | $ | (7,138) |  | $ | (7,690) |  | $ | (7,690)
Prior year positions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Gross Increases |  |  | (710) |  |  | - |  |  | -
| Gross Decreases |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | -
Current year positions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Gross Increases |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | -
| Gross Decreases |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | -
Settlements with tax authorities |  |  | - |  |  | - |  |  | -
Reductions due to statute lapse |  |  | 28 |  |  | 552 |  |  | -
End of year balance |  | $ | (7,820) |  | $ | (7,138) |  | $ | (7,690)
Ending liability balance included above that was |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| reflected as an offset to deferred tax assets |  | $ | (7,110) |  | $ | (7,138) |  | $ | (7,623)
Summary of Operating Loss Carryforwards [Table Text Block] |
|  | Net Operating Losses
|  | December 31, 2017
|  | NOLs |  | NOL Expiration Period
|  | (amounts in | (in years)
|  | thousands) |  |  |  |
Federal NOL carryforwards |  | $ | 298,178 |  | 2028 | to | 2033
State NOL carryforwards |  | $ | 595,234 |  | 2018 | to | 2033
State income tax credit |  | $ | 1,248 |  |  | to | 2018

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the components of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for each year presented including, but not limited to: current tax expense (benefit), deferred tax expense (benefit), investment tax credits, government grants, the benefits of operating loss carryforwards, tax expense that results from allocating certain tax benefits either directly to contributed capital or to reduce goodwill or other noncurrent intangible assets of an acquired entity, adjustments of a deferred tax liability or asset for enacted changes in tax laws or rates or a change in the tax status of the entity, and adjustments of the beginning-of-the-year balances of a valuation allowance because of a change in circumstances that causes a change in judgment about the realizability of the related deferred tax asset in future years. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32639-109319 + Details
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