Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment operating revenues [Abstract]
Total operating revenues	$ 643,749,000	$ 594,385,000
No single customer constitute concentration risk (in hundredths)	10.00%
Assets Held By Businesses Outside US	638,000,000		627,000,000
Segment profit (loss) [Abstract]
Total segment profit	270,734,000	247,474,000
Depreciation and amortization of intangible assets	(31,294,000)	(26,700,000)
Gains (losses) on disposal of property and equipment	152,000	(976,000)
Interest expense	(12,431,000)	(12,145,000)
Equity in earnings of affiliates	22,261,000	20,582,000
Miscellaneous, net	273,000	(3,361,000)
Income from operations before income taxes	249,695,000	224,874,000
Assets [Abstract]
Total Assets	4,256,830,000		4,438,447,000
Lifestyle Media [Member]
Segment operating revenues [Abstract]
Revenues	623,481,000	579,482,000
Segment profit (loss) [Abstract]
Segment Profit (Loss)	310,977,000	280,572,000
Assets [Abstract]
Segment Reporting Information, Assets	2,897,537,000		2,832,529,000
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment operating revenues [Abstract]
Revenues	20,995,000	14,903,000
Segment profit (loss) [Abstract]
Segment Profit (Loss)	(40,243,000)	(33,098,000)
Assets [Abstract]
Segment Reporting Information, Assets	1,359,293,000		1,605,918,000
Travel Channel [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Ownership interest (in hundredths)	65.00%
Food Network Partnership [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Ownership interest (in hundredths)	69.00%
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment operating revenues [Abstract]
Revenues	$ (727,000)