<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000912752 <NAME> SINCLAIR COMMUNICATIONS, INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> US DOLLARS <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1999 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-2000 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-2000 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 <CASH> 22,063 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 171,092 <ALLOWANCES> 5,137 <INVENTORY> 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 389,343 <PP&E> 398,142 <DEPRECIATION> 121,012 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 3,482,317 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 332,639 <BONDS> 750,000 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 200,000 <PREFERRED> 35 <COMMON> 894 <OTHER-SE> 909,688 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 3,482,317 <SALES> 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 570,644 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 461,141 <OTHER-EXPENSES> (10,168) <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 130,913 <INCOME-PRETAX> (31,578) <INCOME-TAX> 7,089 <INCOME-CONTINUING> (24,489) <DISCONTINUED> 42,725 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 18,236 <EPS-BASIC> (0.35) <EPS-DILUTED> (0.35)