Segment Information (Information On Reportable Segments And Reconciliation To Consolidated Net Income) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total unique subscribers at end of period	0	23,600,000
Revenues	$ 869,791	$ 718,553
Cost of revenues and marketing expenses	759,833	542,410
Contribution profit (loss)	109,958	176,143
Other operating expenses	111,893	73,903
Operating income (loss)	(1,935)	102,240
Other income (expense)	(5,090)	(4,000)
Benefit for income taxes	(2,441)	38,007
Net income (loss)	(4,584)	60,233
Domestic [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total unique subscribers at end of period		22,797,000	[1]
Revenues		706,274
Cost of revenues and marketing expenses		519,389
Contribution profit (loss)		186,885
International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total unique subscribers at end of period		803,000
Revenues		12,279
Cost of revenues and marketing expenses		23,021
Contribution profit (loss)		(10,742)
Domestic Streaming [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number Of Subscriptions At End Of Period	23,410,000
Revenues	506,665
Cost of revenues and marketing expenses	440,157
Contribution profit (loss)	66,508
International Streaming [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number Of Subscriptions At End Of Period	3,065,000
Revenues	43,425
Cost of revenues and marketing expenses	146,108
Contribution profit (loss)	(102,683)
Domestic Dvd [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number Of Subscriptions At End Of Period	10,089,000
Revenues	319,701
Cost of revenues and marketing expenses	173,568
Contribution profit (loss)	$ 146,133

[1] For purposes of determining the number of unique subscribers, domestic subscribers who have elected both a DVD and a streaming subscription plan are considered a single unique subscriber.