Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 4,602.2	$ 3,057.8	$ 9,135.9	$ 5,729.7
Operating costs and expenses:
Operating (other than depreciation and amortization) (including share-based compensation) (note 11)	1,719.2	1,098.1	3,418.0	2,064.9
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) (including share-based compensation) (note 11)	792.5	613.0	1,555.0	1,084.4
Depreciation and amortization	1,393.4	855.8	2,770.5	1,540.4
Impairment, restructuring and other operating items, net (notes 3 and 12)	27.6	45.8	141.2	66.7
Costs and expenses, Total	3,932.7	2,612.7	7,884.7	4,756.4
Operating income	669.5	445.1	1,251.2	973.3
Non-operating income (expense):
Interest expense	(641.8)	(542.4)	(1,295.3)	(1,013.9)
Interest and dividend income	2.2	35.0	16.0	48.7
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments, net (note 5)	(328.6)	(3.4)	(705.2)	192.1
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses), net	(36.4)	91.3	(57.2)	(45.0)
Realized and unrealized gains due to changes in fair values of certain investments, net (notes 4 and 6)	157.4	193.8	97.2	264.6
Losses on debt modification and extinguishment, net (note 8)	(53.0)	(11.7)	(73.9)	(170.0)
Other expense, net	(3.9)	(1.5)	(4.4)	(3.2)
Nonoperating income (expense), Total	(904.1)	(238.9)	(2,022.8)	(726.7)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(234.6)	206.2	(771.6)	246.6
Income tax benefit (expense) (note 9)	0.6	(193.3)	117.6	(213.6)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(234.0)	12.9	(654.0)	33.0
Discontinued operation (note 3):
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operation, net of taxes	0	(4.2)	0.8	(2.4)
Gain (adjustment to gain) on disposal of discontinued operation, net of taxes	(7.2)	0	332.7	0
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(7.2)	(4.2)	333.5	(2.4)
Net earnings (loss)	(241.2)	8.7	(320.5)	30.6
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(8.7)	(20.3)	(8.2)	(43.2)
Net loss attributable to Liberty Global shareholders	$ (249.9)	$ (11.6)	$ (328.7)	$ (12.6)
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders per share (note 13):
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.31)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.84)	$ (0.02)
Discontinued operation (in dollars per share)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.01)	$ 0.42	$ 0.00
Basic and diluted earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.32)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.42)	$ (0.02)
Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding — basic and diluted (in shares)	784,980,724	585,034,888	786,351,696	549,617,116