CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 2,165,407	$ 1,550,785	$ 842,026
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	817,564	921,202	963,357
Impairment of long-lived assets	145,918		125,752
Realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments	(99,997)	(119,092)	(287,250)
Non-cash, stock-based compensation	29,941	13,037	19,199
Deferred tax expense (benefit)	(485,973)	506,808	228,443
Change in long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	29,750	76,203	103,827
Other, net	(29,632)	9,573	19,748
Changes in current assets and current liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	126,848	109,364	66,606
Allowance for doubtful accounts	(2,888)	(4,566)	(2,532)
Prepaid and accrued income taxes	(46,599)	(144,212)	61,370
Inventory	37,895	(43,157)	96,318
Other current assets	(63,154)	13,111	17,623
Trade accounts payable	(131,399)	33,976	67,086
Deferred revenue and other	(64,909)	(98,019)	(22,708)
Accrued programming and other accrued expenses	350,735	29,234	160,258
Net cash flows from operating activities	2,779,507	2,854,247	2,459,123
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Purchases of marketable investment securities	(566,373)	(345,210)	(447,901)
Sales and maturities of marketable investment securities	206,272	868,792	2,054,805
Settlement of derivative financial instruments		562,234
Purchases of property and equipment	(431,795)	(614,055)	(734,998)
Capitalized interest related to FCC authorizations (Note 2)	(953,498)	(724,329)	(352,683)
Purchases of FCC authorizations, including deposits (Note 14)	(4,711,154)	(1,500,000)	(8,970,389)
AWS-3 FCC license refunds (deposits), net (Note 14)			400,000
Purchase of strategic investments	(90,381)
Other, net	25,664	14,911	(10,918)
Net cash flows from investing activities	(6,521,265)	(1,737,657)	(8,062,084)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes		2,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes (Note 9)	1,000,000	3,000,000
Purchases of convertible note hedges (Note 9)		(635,100)
Proceeds from issuance of warrants (Note 9)		375,600
Redemption and repurchases of senior notes	(1,074,139)	(1,500,000)	(650,001)
Capital contributions from Northstar Manager and SNR Management (Note 14)			204,200
Repayment of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	(42,422)	(43,521)	(36,846)
Payments made to parent of transferred businesses	(7,098)	(34,446)	(31,610)
Net proceeds from Class A common stock options exercised and stock issued under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan	28,574	18,625	33,868
Debt issuance costs	(6,158)	(26,622)
Other, net	(1,994)	(606)	32,189
Net cash flows from financing activities	(103,237)	3,153,930	(448,200)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(3,844,995)	4,270,520	(6,051,161)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	5,324,503	1,053,983	7,105,144
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 1,479,508	$ 5,324,503	$ 1,053,983