Investments (Details)	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2011 GBP (£)	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 UKTV [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 UKTV [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 UKTV [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 HGTV Canada [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 HGTV Canada [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Food Canada [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Food Canada [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Fox-BRV Southern Sports Holdings [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Fox-BRV Southern Sports Holdings [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Food Network Magazine JV [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Food Network Magazine JV [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Oyster.com [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Oyster.com [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Other [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member] USD ($)
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest (in hundredths)	50.00%					50.00%		33.00%		29.00%		7.25%		50.00%		24.01%
Investment balance		$ 477,551,000	$ 455,267,000			$ 419,298,000	$ 401,987,000	$ 22,889,000	$ 20,051,000	$ 14,565,000	$ 12,769,000	$ 13,273,000	$ 11,970,000	$ 1,177,000	$ 1,347,000	$ 6,169,000	$ 6,963,000	$ 180,000	$ 180,000
Purchase of note receivable due from UKTV (dollars)	100,000,000				137,000,000
Cost of investment	239,000,000			395,000,000
Preferred Stock						32,397,000	31,068,000
Estimated amortization that will reduce UKTV's equity in earnings [Abstract]
Future amortization, year one		4,800,000
Future amortization, year two		18,400,000
Future amortization, year three		18,400,000
Future amortization, year four		17,600,000
Future amortization, year five		$ 15,300,000