Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Components of income before income taxes
Domestic	$ 172,612,000	$ 290,000	$ 284,501,000
Foreign	22,072,000	25,485,000	4,272,000
Income before income taxes	194,684,000	25,775,000	288,773,000
Current benefit (provision)
Federal	21,086,000	(26,450,000)	21,542,000
State	1,943,000	(291,000)	(579,000)
Foreign	(7,775,000)	(3,734,000)	(1,809,000)
Total current benefit (provision)	15,254,000	(30,475,000)	19,154,000
Deferred benefit (provision)
Federal	7,841,000	(464,000)	(96,976,000)
State	(6,720,000)	9,438,000	(6,593,000)
Foreign	(46,000)
Total deferred benefit (provision)	1,075,000	8,974,000	(103,569,000)
Total income tax benefit (provision), net	16,329,000	(21,501,000)	(84,415,000)
Actual tax provision reconciliation to the amounts computed by applying statutory Federal tax rate to income before taxes
Statutory rate (as a percent)	(35.00%)	(35.00%)	(35.00%)
State income taxes, net of Federal benefit (as a percent)	(0.80%)	4.80%	(1.90%)
Dividend received deduction (as a percent)	1.80%
Decrease (increase) in valuation allowance (as a percent)	39.00%	(50.40%)	2.00%
Stock write-off (as a percent)			2.00%
Other (as a percent)	3.40%	(2.80%)	3.70%
Total income tax benefit (provision), net (as a percent)	8.40%	(83.40%)	(29.20%)
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating losses, credit and other carryforwards	461,931,000	138,169,000
Unrealized losses on investments, net	14,757,000	8,614,000
Accrued expenses	26,438,000	23,421,000
Stock-based compensation	14,942,000	15,659,000
Other asset	3,076,000
Total deferred tax assets	521,144,000	185,863,000
Valuation allowance	(69,224,000)	(35,729,000)
Deferred tax assets after valuation allowance	451,920,000	150,134,000
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation and amortization	(798,878,000)	(492,207,000)
Other liabilities	(1,682,000)	(7,826,000)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(800,560,000)	(500,033,000)
Current portion of net deferred tax assets	23,317,000	23,492,000
Noncurrent portion of net deferred tax liabilities	(371,957,000)	(373,391,000)
Net deferred tax liabilities	(348,640,000)	(349,899,000)
Net operating loss carryforwards	1,111,000,000
Capital loss carry forwards for federal income tax purposes	78,000,000
Tax credits available to offset future tax liabilities	19,000,000
Net operating loss carryforwards attributable to stock-based compensation	6,000,000
Reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits
Beginning Balance	48,874,000	29,999,000	14,559,000
Additions from Hughes Acquisition		3,119,000
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year	158,000
Additions based on tax positions related to prior years	3,723,000	16,630,000	15,440,000
Reductions based on tax positions related to prior years	(855,000)	(874,000)
Reductions based on tax settlements	(16,587,000)
Reductions based on expirations of statute of limitations	(636,000)
Ending balance	34,677,000	48,874,000	29,999,000
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, could favourably affect our effective tax rate	$ 30,000,000	$ 30,000,000