Segment Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment operating revenues [Abstract]
Total operating revenues	$ 644,423,000	$ 616,901,000	$ 1,996,304,000	$ 1,876,414,000
No single customer constitute concentration risk (in hundredths)			10.00%
Segment profit (loss) [Abstract]
Total segment profit	269,963,000	262,036,000	859,982,000	829,191,000
Depreciation and amortization of intangible assets	(31,617,000)	(29,514,000)	(97,084,000)	(85,768,000)
Gains (losses) on disposal of property and equipment	448,000	(95,000)	(1,047,000)	(1,570,000)
Interest expense	(12,235,000)	(12,337,000)	(36,898,000)	(36,679,000)
Equity in earnings of affiliates	17,586,000	15,180,000	67,110,000	61,172,000
Miscellaneous, net	2,066,000	(626,000)	1,871,000	(344,000)
Income from operations before income taxes	246,211,000	234,644,000	793,934,000	766,002,000
Assets [Abstract]
Segment Reporting Information, Assets	3,921,558,000		3,921,558,000		4,438,447,000
Outside the U.S. [Member]
Segment operating revenues [Abstract]
Assets Held By Businesses Outside US	632,000,000		632,000,000		627,000,000
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment operating revenues [Abstract]
Revenues	27,110,000	24,990,000	73,131,000	59,745,000
Segment profit (loss) [Abstract]
Total segment profit	(26,676,000)	(27,498,000)	(110,122,000)	(86,969,000)
Assets [Abstract]
Segment Reporting Information, Assets	1,094,815,000		1,094,815,000		1,605,918,000
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Segment operating revenues [Abstract]
Revenues	(777,000)	(1,224,000)	(2,929,000)	(1,224,000)
Lifestyle Media [Member]
Segment operating revenues [Abstract]
Revenues	618,090,000	593,135,000	1,926,102,000	1,817,893,000
Segment profit (loss) [Abstract]
Total segment profit	296,639,000	289,534,000	970,104,000	916,160,000
Assets [Abstract]
Segment Reporting Information, Assets	$ 2,826,743,000		$ 2,826,743,000		$ 2,832,529,000
Travel Channel [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Ownership interest (in hundredths)			65.00%
Food Network Partnership [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Ownership interest (in hundredths)			69.00%