COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Future Cash Payments Required Under Arrangements Pursuant to Contracts Entered into in the Normal Course of Business

Future cash payments and commitments required under arrangements pursuant to contracts entered into by the Company in the normal course of business as of December 31, 2015 are as follows:

	Payments Due by Period
	Total		Year 1		Years 2-3		Years 4-5		More than 5 years
Off balance sheet arrangements:
Purchase obligations (a)	$	5,190,648	$	1,982,231	$	2,451,658	$	719,281	$	37,478
Guarantees (b)	34,360		17,016		16,319		1,025		—
Letters of credit (c)	71,686		2,071		69,615		—		—
Total	$	5,296,694	$	2,001,318	$	2,537,592	$	720,306	$	37,478

(a) Purchase obligations primarily include contractual commitments with various programming vendors to provide video services to customers and minimum purchase obligations to purchase goods or services.  Future fees payable under contracts with programming vendors are based on numerous factors, including the number of subscribers receiving the programming.  Amounts reflected above related to programming agreements are based on the number of subscribers receiving the programming as of December 2015 multiplied by the per subscriber rates or the stated annual fee, as applicable, contained in the executed agreements in effect as of December 31, 2015. 

(b) Includes franchise and performance surety bonds primarily for the Company's Cable segment.  Also includes outstanding guarantees primarily by CSC Holdings in favor of certain financial institutions in respect of ongoing interest expense obligations in connection with the monetization of the Company's holdings of shares of Comcast common stock.  Does not include CSC Holdings' guarantee of Newsday's obligations under its $480,000 senior secured loan facility.  Payments due by period for these arrangements represent the year in which the commitment expires.

(c) Consists primarily of letters of credit obtained by CSC Holdings in favor of insurance providers and certain governmental authorities for the Cable segment.  Payments due by period for these arrangements represent the year in which the commitment expires.