Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011 PCS Restructuring [Member]	Dec. 31, 1998 PCS Restructuring [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 FCC License [Member] years	Dec. 31, 2011 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Alternative Minimum Tax Operating Loss Carryforward [Member] Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Alternative Minimum Tax Operating Loss Carryforward [Member] State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Capital loss carryforward [Member]
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Change in Amount	$ 1,300,000,000	$ 1,550,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	(254,000,000)	(166,000,000)	1,058,000,000
FCC License Amortization Period for Tax Purposes In Years						15
income tax reconciliation state and local law changes	59,000,000
Cumulative effect of changes in corporate state income tax laws that was recognized within State income taxes, net of federal income tax effect	38,000,000	0	6,000,000
Cumulative effect of changes in corporate state income tax laws that was recognized as change in valuation allowance	21,000,000
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Foreign	194,000,000	210,000,000	(3,000,000)
Cash paid for net income taxes	(35,000,000)		(31,000,000)
Proceeds from Income Tax Refunds		139,000,000
Operating Loss Carryforwards					229,000,000		9,500,000,000	14,400,000,000
Percent Reimbursement of net cash benefit in shares of stock					60.00%
Unexpired Carryforward Benefit Subject to Joint Venture Requirements				59,000,000
Federal tax benefit relating to operating loss carryforwards							3,200,000,000
State tax benefit relating to operating loss carryforwards								650,000,000
Operating Loss carryforwards that expire between 2016 and 2019							545,000,000
Operating Loss Carryforwards that expire in varying amounts between 2020 and 2031							9,000,000,000
Other Tax Carryforward, Deferred Tax Asset									9,700,000,000	2,400,000,000	144,000,000
tax benefit relating to capital loss carryforward	52,000,000	51,000,000
capital loss carryforwards that expire in 2013	109,000,000
Capital loss carryforwards that expire in 2014 and 2015	35,000,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Credit Carryforwards	471,000,000
Credit Carryforward that Expire prior to 2015	23,000,000
Credit Carryforwards which expire between 2015 and 2031	296,000,000
Credit Carryforwards with no expiration date	152,000,000
Unrecognized tax benefit	225,000,000	228,000,000	284,000,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate	187,000,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Accrued	26,000,000	28,000,000
Significant Change in Unrecognized Tax Benefits is Reasonably Possible, Estimated Range of Change	85,000,000
Change in valuation allowance	$ (1,221,000,000)	$ (1,418,000,000)	$ (281,000,000)