Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Goodwill And Intangible Assets [Line Items]

Schedule of Goodwill

Goodwill
				NBCUniversal
(in millions)	Cable Communications			Cable Networks		Broadcast Television		Filmed Entertainment		Theme Parks			Corporate and Other			Total
Balance, December 31, 2015	$	12,389		$	12,947	$	806	$	267	$	6,344		$	192		$	32,945
Acquisitions(a)	82			232		—		2,717		—			1			3,032
Adjustments(b)	174			—		—		—		(250		)	(181		)	(257		)
Foreign currency translation	—			4		—		9		247			—			260
Balance, December 31, 2016	12,645			13,183		806		2,993		6,341			12			35,980
Acquisitions	140			241		—		32		—			5			418
Dispositions	—			—		—		—		—			(11		)	(11		)
Adjustments(c)	(1		)	1		—		185		—			1			186
Foreign currency translation	—			2		—		2		203			—			207
Balance, December 31, 2017	$	12,784		$	13,427	$	806	$	3,212	$	6,544		$	7		$	36,780

(a) Acquisitions in 2016 in our Filmed Entertainment segment primarily included the DreamWorks Animation acquisition (see Note 5 for additional information).

(b) Adjustments in 2016 primarily included the updated allocation of the purchase price for Universal Studios Japan in our Theme Parks segment and the reclassification of certain operations and businesses from Corporate and Other to our Cable Communications segment.

(c) Adjustments in 2017 primarily included the updated allocation of the purchase price for DreamWorks Animation (see Note 5 for additional information).

Other Intangible Assets

Intangible Assets
		2017					2016
December 31 (in millions)	Weighted-Average Original Useful Life as of December 31, 2017	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets:
Franchise rights	N/A	$	59,364				$	59,364
Trade names	N/A	2,981					2,981
FCC licenses(a)	N/A	2,238					651
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets:
Customer relationships	19 years	13,612		$	(5,819	)	13,478		$	(5,110	)
Software	4 years	8,258		(4,846		)	7,017		(3,997		)
Cable franchise renewal costs and contractual operating rights	9 years	1,492		(834		)	1,460		(800		)
Patents and other technology rights	7 years	259		(221		)	257		(208		)
Other agreements and rights	16 years	2,724		(1,065		)	2,443		(898		)
Total		$	90,928	$	(12,785	)	$	87,651	$	(11,013	)

(a) In 2017, we acquired the rights to spectrum in the FCC Spectrum auction (see Note 5 for additional information).

Amortization of Intangible Assets

Estimated Amortization Expense of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets
(in millions)
2018	$	2,283
2019	$	1,952
2020	$	1,629
2021	$	1,225
2022	$	905

NBCUniversal Media LLC [Member]

Goodwill And Intangible Assets [Line Items]

Schedule of Goodwill

Goodwill
(in millions)	Cable Networks		Broadcast Television		Filmed Entertainment		Theme Parks			Total
Balance, December 31, 2015	$	12,947	$	806	$	267	$	6,344		$	20,364
Acquisitions(a)	232		—		2,717		—			2,949
Adjustments(b)	—		—		—		(250		)	(250		)
Foreign currency translation	4		—		9		247			260
Balance, December 31, 2016	13,183		806		2,993		6,341			23,323
Acquisitions	241		—		32		—			273
Adjustments(c)	1		—		185		—			186
Foreign currency translation	2		—		2		203			207
Balance, December 31, 2017	$	13,427	$	806	$	3,212	$	6,544		$	23,989

(a) Acquisitions in 2016 in our Filmed Entertainment segment primarily included the DreamWorks Animation acquisition (see Note 4 for additional information).

(b) Adjustments in 2016 included the updated allocation of the purchase price for Universal Studios Japan in our Theme Parks segment.

(c) Adjustments in 2017 primarily included the updated allocation of the purchase price for DreamWorks Animation (see Note 4 for additional information).

Other Intangible Assets

Intangible Assets
		2017					2016
December 31 (in millions)	Weighted-Average Original Useful Life as of December 31, 2017	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets:
Customer relationships	19 years	$	13,301	$	(5,643	)	$	13,173	$	(4,952	)
Software	5 years	1,516		(737		)	1,195		(563		)
Other	16 years	2,580		(1,205		)	2,345		(1,053		)
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets:
Trade names	N/A	2,981					2,981
FCC licenses	N/A	513					651
Total		$	20,891	$	(7,585	)	$	20,345	$	(6,568	)

Amortization of Intangible Assets

Estimated Amortization Expense of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets
(in millions)
2018	$	1,018
2019	$	1,010
2020	$	968
2021	$	866
2022	$	786