Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenue (note 18)	$ 20,008.8	$ 18,280.0	$ 18,248.3
Operating costs and expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization, shown separately below):
Programming and other direct costs of services	4,606.2	4,104.0	4,043.1
Programming and other direct costs of services	2,884.8	2,655.2	2,775.8
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) (notes 13 and 17)	3,566.9	3,171.7	3,164.3
Depreciation and amortization (note 9)	5,801.1	5,825.8	5,500.1
Impairment, restructuring and other operating items, net (notes 4, 9, 14 and 15)	348.5	174.1	536.8
Operating costs and expenses	17,207.5	15,930.8	16,020.1
Operating income	2,801.3	2,349.2	2,228.2
Non-operating income (expense):
Interest expense	(2,638.4)	(2,441.4)	(2,544.7)
Realized and unrealized gains on derivative instruments, net (note 7)	845.1	847.2	88.8
Foreign currency transaction losses, net	(290.0)	(1,149.2)	(836.5)
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) due to changes in fair values of certain investments and debt, net (notes 6, 8 and 10)	(461.5)	124.5	205.2
Losses on debt modification and extinguishment, net (note 10)	(237.2)	(388.0)	(186.2)
Gain on Dutch JV Transaction (note 5)	520.8	0.0	0.0
Other income (expense), net	9.3	(26.9)	(10.7)
Non-operating income (expense)	(2,251.9)	(3,033.8)	(3,284.1)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	549.4	(684.6)	(1,055.9)
Income tax benefit (expense) (note 11)	1,217.9	(364.9)	75.0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	1,767.3	(1,049.5)	(980.9)
Discontinued operation (note 5):
Earnings from discontinued operation, net of taxes	0.0	0.0	0.8
Gain on disposal of discontinued operation, net of taxes	0.0	0.0	332.7
Discontinued operation	0.0	0.0	333.5
Net earnings (loss)	1,767.3	(1,049.5)	(647.4)
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(62.0)	(103.0)	(47.6)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders	1,705.3	$ (1,152.5)	$ (695.0)
Basic earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders per share (notes 1 and 3):
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ (1.13)	$ (1.29)
Discontinued operation (in dollars per share)		$ 0	$ 0.42
Liberty Global Group [Member]
Discontinued operation (note 5):
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders	$ 1,941.1	$ (167.5)	$ 0.0
Basic earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders per share (notes 1 and 3):
Basic earnings (loss) (in dollars per share)	$ 2.18	$ (0.19)
Diluted earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders per share (notes 1 and 3):
Diluted earnings (loss) (in dollars per share)	$ 2.16	(0.19)
LiLAC Group [Member]
Discontinued operation (note 5):
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders	$ (235.8)		0.0
Basic earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders per share (notes 1 and 3):
Basic earnings (loss) (in dollars per share)	$ (2.13)	0.39
Diluted earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders per share (notes 1 and 3):
Diluted earnings (loss) (in dollars per share)	$ (2.13)	$ 0.39
Old Liberty Global [Member]
Discontinued operation (note 5):
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders	$ 0.0	$ (1,002.2)	$ (695.0)
Basic earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders per share (notes 1 and 3):
Basic earnings (loss) (in dollars per share)		$ (1.13)	$ (0.87)
Diluted earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders per share (notes 1 and 3):
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)		(1.13)	(1.29)
Discontinued operation (in dollars per share)		$ 0	$ 0.42