Segment Information - Operating Revenues And Long Lived Assets By Geographic Location (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Operating revenues by geographic location:
Total operating revenues	$ 956,116	$ 825,525	$ 925,046	$ 855,120	$ 888,701	$ 803,085	$ 892,771	$ 816,878	$ 3,561,807	$ 3,401,435	$ 3,018,227
Long-lived assets by geographic location:
Total long-lived assets	4,668,301				4,366,904				4,668,301	4,366,904	4,852,479
ASSETS
Total assets	6,521,680				6,200,294				6,521,680	6,200,294	6,672,314
Operating Segments [Member] | U.S. Networks [Member]
Operating revenues by geographic location:
Total operating revenues									2,967,042	2,871,424	2,716,663
ASSETS
Total assets	2,793,927				2,800,137				2,793,927	2,800,137	2,937,428
Operating Segments [Member] | International Networks [Member]
Operating revenues by geographic location:
Total operating revenues									621,820	557,052	327,891
ASSETS
Total assets	3,413,152				2,991,607				3,413,152	2,991,607	3,276,989
Corporate and Other [Member]
Operating revenues by geographic location:
Total operating revenues									(27,055)	(27,041)	(26,327)
ASSETS
Total assets	314,601				408,550				314,601	408,550	457,897
United States
Operating revenues by geographic location:
Total operating revenues									2,989,325	2,884,474	2,726,124
Long-lived assets by geographic location:
Total long-lived assets	1,773,616				1,809,919				1,773,616	1,809,919	1,903,918
Poland
Operating revenues by geographic location:
Total operating revenues									495,216	443,388	224,720
Long-lived assets by geographic location:
Total long-lived assets	2,504,337				2,172,743				2,504,337	2,172,743	2,406,842
Other International
Operating revenues by geographic location:
Total operating revenues									77,266	73,573	67,383
Long-lived assets by geographic location:
Total long-lived assets	$ 390,348				$ 384,242				$ 390,348	$ 384,242	$ 541,719