Income Taxes and Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Income Taxes and Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
NOL for federal income tax purposes	$ 543,000
NOL benefit for state income tax purposes	277,000
Foreign NOL carryfowards	201,000
Tax benefit related to credit carryforwards	389,000
Current (benefit) provision:
Federal	(20,241)	$ (7,484)	$ (1,283)
State	23,007	39,441	70,707
Foreign	17,898	8,405	(601)
Total current (benefit) provision	20,664	40,362	68,823
Deferred (benefit) provision:
Federal	(35,837)	(308,917)	638,077
State	(60,930)	(150,108)	93,755
Foreign	(23,653)	(45,006)	(20,965)
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance	148,701	166,809	18,720
Total deferred (benefit) provision	28,281	(337,222)	729,587
Total (benefit) provision	48,945	(296,860)	798,410
Income (loss) before income taxes	(75,570)	$ (1,931,684)	$ 3,335,302
Portion of Income (loss) before income taxes related to foreign operations	$ 103,000
Reconciliation of amounts computed by applying the statutory Federal tax rate to income before taxes
Statutory rate (as a percent)	21.00%	21.00%	21.00%
State income taxes, net of federal benefit	62.90%	3.60%	3.30%
Rates different than statutory	(8.60%)	1.10%	(0.50%)
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance	(196.80%)	(8.60%)	0.60%
Tax credit	62.50%	3.80%	(0.80%)
Impairments		(6.00%)
Other, net	(5.80%)	0.50%	0.30%
Total (benefit) provision for income taxes	(64.80%)	15.40%	23.90%
Deferred tax assets:
NOL, interest, credit and other carryforwards	$ 1,986,276	$ 1,322,706
Accrued and prepaid expenses	1,013,457	966,445
Stock-based compensation	31,061	29,387
Unrealized (gains) losses on available for sale and other investments	58,587	222,769
Discount on convertible notes and convertible note hedge transaction, net	696	46,636
Deferred revenue	6,369	10,748
Other	3,602	10,096
Total deferred tax assets	3,100,048	2,608,787
Valuation allowance	(564,306)	(492,340)
Deferred tax asset after valuation allowance	2,535,742	2,116,447
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation	(1,996,186)	(1,961,227)
Regulatory authorizations and other intangible amortization	(4,187,034)	(3,960,608)
Bases differences in partnerships and cost method investments	(1,312,328)	(1,179,418)
Other liabilities	(21,752)	(21,227)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(7,517,300)	(7,122,480)
Net deferred tax asset (liability)	(4,981,558)	(5,006,033)
Reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits
Balance as of beginning of period	609,543	569,601	$ 539,113
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year	251,296	9,210	36,587
Additions based on tax positions related to prior years	23,794	41,522	16,369
Reductions based on tax positions related to prior years	(24,996)	(7,219)	(21,541)
Reductions based on tax positions related to settlements with taxing authorities		(3,219)
Reductions based on tax positions related to the lapse of the statute of limitations	(310)	(352)	(927)
Balance as of end of period	$ 859,327	$ 609,543	$ 569,601