Segment Information - Information Regarding Business Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Operating Revenues
Revenues	$ 851,753	$ 776,122	$ 732,102	$ 658,250	$ 669,152	$ 644,423	$ 708,132	$ 643,749	$ 3,018,227	$ 2,665,456	$ 2,530,809
Segment Profit (Loss)
Total segment profit									1,245,691	1,121,761	1,102,460
Depreciation and amortization of intangible assets	41,277	41,291	26,438	28,590	31,498	31,617	34,173	31,294	137,596	128,582	117,580
Write-down of goodwill									0	0	24,723
Loss on disposal of property and equipment	1,563	40	44	2,516	(177)	(448)	1,647	(152)	4,163	870	1,681
Interest expense									(108,047)	(52,687)	(48,710)
Equity in earnings of affiliates	11,289	23,392	27,290	18,945	18,521	17,586	27,263	22,261	80,916	85,631	79,644
Gain (loss) on derivatives	3,088	4,037	37,198	5,933	5,246	2,041	(1,339)	(3,137)	50,256	2,810	(7,085)
Miscellaneous, net	17,946	$ (9,543)	$ (13,194)	$ (402)	(4,519)	$ 25	$ 871	$ 3,410	(5,193)	(212)	8,326
Income from operations before income taxes									1,121,864	1,027,851	990,651
Depreciation [Abstract]
Depreciation									68,949	72,979	63,010
Amortization of intangible assets [Abstract]
Amortization of intangible assets									68,647	55,603	54,570
Equity in earnings of affiliates [Abstract]
Additions to property and equipment									52,480	58,794	73,089
Total Assets	6,672,314				4,657,481				6,672,314	4,657,481	4,434,823
Long-lived assets	4,852,479				2,482,055				4,852,479	2,482,055	2,534,438
U S
Segment Operating Revenues
Revenues									2,726,124	2,602,103	2,479,492
Equity in earnings of affiliates [Abstract]
Long-lived assets	1,903,918				1,919,692				1,903,918	1,919,692	1,948,434
P L
Segment Operating Revenues
Revenues									224,720
Equity in earnings of affiliates [Abstract]
Long-lived assets	2,406,842								2,406,842
Other International
Segment Operating Revenues
Revenues									67,383	63,353	51,317
Equity in earnings of affiliates [Abstract]
Long-lived assets	541,719				562,363				541,719	562,363	586,004
U.S. Networks [Member]
Segment Operating Revenues
Revenues									2,716,663	2,588,357	2,466,061
Segment Profit (Loss)
Total segment profit									1,337,189	1,268,417	1,212,767
Loss on disposal of property and equipment									4,474	1,311	1,606
Equity in earnings of affiliates									43,851	42,613	40,648
Depreciation [Abstract]
Depreciation									54,954	63,179	55,560
Amortization of intangible assets [Abstract]
Amortization of intangible assets									40,166	48,318	48,655
Equity in earnings of affiliates [Abstract]
Additions to property and equipment									40,120	50,042	63,026
Total Assets	2,937,428				2,864,074				2,937,428	2,864,074	2,849,547
International Networks
Segment Operating Revenues
Revenues									327,891	90,180	75,677
Segment Profit (Loss)
Total segment profit									30,893	(41,854)	(17,535)
Loss on disposal of property and equipment									461	(5)	6
Equity in earnings of affiliates									37,065	43,018	38,996
Depreciation [Abstract]
Depreciation									10,299	4,257	2,263
Amortization of intangible assets [Abstract]
Amortization of intangible assets									28,481	7,285	5,914
Equity in earnings of affiliates [Abstract]
Additions to property and equipment									10,424	8,212	7,313
Total Assets	3,276,989				660,215				3,276,989	660,215	693,846
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Operating Revenues
Revenues									(26,327)	(13,081)	(10,929)
Segment Profit (Loss)
Total segment profit									(122,391)	(104,802)	(92,772)
Loss on disposal of property and equipment									(772)	(436)	69
Depreciation [Abstract]
Depreciation									3,696	5,543	5,187
Amortization of intangible assets [Abstract]
Amortization of intangible assets											1
Equity in earnings of affiliates [Abstract]
Additions to property and equipment									1,936	540	2,750
Total Assets	$ 457,897				$ 1,133,192				$ 457,897	$ 1,133,192	$ 891,430