Segment Information - Information Regarding Business Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Operating Revenues
Intersegment revenue	$ 892,771	$ 732,102	$ 1,709,649	$ 1,390,352
Cost of services, excluding depreciation and amortization	286,999	195,087	566,666	394,234
Selling, general and administrative	191,133	178,498	389,954	380,685
Total segment profit	414,639	358,517	753,029	615,433
Depreciation	16,089	14,798	33,628	31,693
Amortization	25,654	11,640	56,716	23,335
Loss (gain) on disposal of property and equipment		44	(242)	2,560
Operating income	372,896	332,035	662,927	557,845
Interest expense, net	(33,175)	(16,835)	(66,920)	(29,802)
Equity in earnings of affiliates	21,712	27,290	47,390	46,235
Gain on derivatives	8,267	37,198	11,033	43,131
(Loss) gain on sale of investments	(16,373)		191,824
Miscellaneous, net	(21,672)	(13,194)	(15,606)	(13,596)
Income from operations before income taxes	331,655	366,494	830,648	603,813
Additions to property and equipment	12,952	9,079	24,297	18,478
Total Assets	6,512,715		6,512,715		$ 6,672,314
Long-lived assets	4,677,210		4,677,210		4,852,479
U S
Segment Operating Revenues
Intersegment revenue	755,427	717,081	1,457,315	1,359,886
Long-lived assets	1,862,190		1,862,190		1,903,918
P L
Segment Operating Revenues
Intersegment revenue	120,095		217,853
Long-lived assets	2,333,333		2,333,333		2,406,842
Other International
Segment Operating Revenues
Intersegment revenue	17,249	15,021	34,481	30,466
Long-lived assets	481,687		481,687		541,719
Operating Segments [Member] | U.S. Networks [Member]
Segment Operating Revenues
Intersegment revenue	752,321	715,100	1,454,516	1,354,004
Total segment profit	401,139	397,332	760,636	697,836
Depreciation	12,716	12,848	26,869	27,560
Amortization	10,022	10,021	20,043	19,961
Loss (gain) on disposal of property and equipment		34	42	3,581
Equity in earnings of affiliates	9,014	14,486	16,746	24,507
Additions to property and equipment	8,567	8,582	17,238	16,251
Total Assets	2,903,981		2,903,981		2,937,428
Operating Segments [Member] | U.S. Networks [Member]
Segment Operating Revenues
Intersegment revenue	147,044	22,088	268,382	46,153
Total segment profit	37,369	(10,495)	47,158	(16,374)
Depreciation	3,114	949	6,239	2,078
Amortization	15,632	1,619	36,673	3,374
Loss (gain) on disposal of property and equipment		9	(284)	9
Equity in earnings of affiliates	12,698	12,804	30,644	21,728
Additions to property and equipment	4,385	496	7,059	776
Total Assets	3,165,665		3,165,665		3,276,989
Intersegment Revenue Eliminations [Member]
Segment Operating Revenues
Intersegment revenue	(6,594)	(5,086)	(13,249)	(9,805)
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Operating Revenues
Total segment profit	(23,869)	(28,320)	(54,765)	(66,029)
Depreciation	259	1,001	520	2,055
Loss (gain) on disposal of property and equipment		1		(1,030)
Additions to property and equipment		$ 1		$ 1,451
Total Assets	$ 443,069		$ 443,069		$ 457,897