CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended			96 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	$ (118,912)	$ 353,252	$ 407,921	$ 170,817	$ 769,276	$ 928,902	$ 789,746
Less: Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax							(47,343)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(118,912)	353,252	407,921	170,817	769,276	928,902	837,089
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization					1,000,048	1,077,936	1,054,026
Impairment of long-lived assets					123,352		437,575
Realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments					(287,250)	60,515	(387,675)
Non-cash, stock-based compensation					19,199	34,153	29,730
Deferred tax expense (benefit)					206,392	134,535	126,194
Change in long-term deferred revenue, distribution and carriage payments and other long-term liabilities					104,233	30,792	(2,352)
Other, net					18,323	106,752	68,339
Changes in current assets and current liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable					88,901	6,305	(97,228)
Allowance for doubtful accounts					(1,436)	8,649	2,147
Advances (to) from discontinued operations							48,803
Prepaid and accrued income taxes					64,775	85,586	26,397
Inventory					116,503	(5,090)	(12,654)
Other current assets					15,632	(2,583)	(71,324)
Trade accounts payable					56,633	(210,163)	109,052
Deferred revenue and other					(21,714)	47,988	3,497
Accrued programming and other accrued expenses					163,213	103,854	137,581
Net cash flows from operating activities from continuing operations					2,436,080	2,408,131	2,309,197
Net cash flows from operating activities from discontinued operations, net						(30,007)	(36,732)
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Purchases of marketable investment securities					(447,901)	(4,119,489)	(6,356,136)
Sales and maturities of marketable investment securities					2,054,805	7,054,104	4,999,639
Purchases of derivative financial instruments						(149,969)	(805,996)
Settlement of derivative financial instruments							718,847
Purchases of property and equipment					(761,694)	(1,001,861)	(1,116,573)
Capitalized interest related to FCC authorizations (Note 15)					(352,683)	(214,000)	(136,926)
Purchases of FCC authorizations (Note 15)					(8,970,389)	(1,343,372)	(328,134)	$ (5,000,000)
AWS-3 FCC license refunds (deposits) (Note 15)					400,000	(1,320,000)
Change in restricted cash, cash equivalents and marketable investment securities					4,610	7,886	38,782
Other, net					(897)	102,777	(48,360)
Net cash flows from investing activities from continuing operations					(8,074,149)	(983,924)	(3,034,857)
Net cash flows from investing activities from discontinued operations, net, including $0 and $0 of purchases of property and equipment, respectively						20,847	13,773
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt						2,000,000	2,300,000
Proceeds from issuance of restricted debt							2,600,000
Redemption of restricted debt							(2,600,000)
Funding of restricted debt escrow							(2,596,750)
Release of restricted debt escrow							2,596,771
Redemption and repurchases of long-term debt					(650,001)	(1,099,999)	(500,000)
Capital contributions from Northstar Manager and SNR Management (Note 15)					204,200	20,700
Repayment of long-term debt and capital lease obligations					(31,525)	(31,653)	(37,869)
Net proceeds from Class A common stock options exercised and stock issued under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan					33,868	50,934	76,512
Other, net					30,189	40,285	13,276
Net cash flows from financing activities from continuing operations					(413,269)	980,267	1,851,940
Net cash flows from financing activities from discontinued operations, net							(435)
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents from discontinued operations							156
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents from continuing operations					(6,051,338)	2,404,474	1,126,280
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period from continuing operations		$ 7,104,496		4,700,022	7,104,496	4,700,022	3,573,742
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period from continuing operations	$ 1,053,158		$ 7,104,496		$ 1,053,158	7,104,496	4,700,022	$ 1,053,158
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents from discontinued operations						(9,160)	(23,238)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning - discontinued operations				$ 9,160		$ 9,160	32,398
Cash and cash equivalents, end - discontinued operations							$ 9,160