CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ATS ACQUISITION - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 2,364,153	$ 2,322,362	$ 4,693,867	$ 4,624,621
Programming and other direct costs	795,127	758,694	1,582,488	1,517,046
Other operating expenses	575,749	591,222	1,158,772	1,199,366
Restructuring and other expense	9,691	12,388	13,278	89,317
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments)	648,527	706,790	1,291,232	1,315,514
Operating income	335,059	253,268	648,097	503,378
Other expense, net	(438,653)	(985,694)	(941,343)	(1,357,900)
Loss before income taxes	(103,594)	(732,426)	(293,246)	(854,522)
Income tax benefit	5,590	252,487	66,293	298,395
Net loss	$ (98,004)	(479,939)	$ (226,953)	(556,127)
As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		2,328,341		4,634,017
Programming and other direct costs		758,694		1,517,046
Other operating expenses		593,690		1,207,127
Restructuring and other expense		12,388		89,317
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments)		706,787		1,315,511
Operating income		256,782		505,016
Other expense, net		(980,640)		(1,350,970)
Loss before income taxes		(723,858)		(845,954)
Income tax benefit		249,068		294,976
Net loss		(474,790)		(550,978)
Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		(5,979)		(9,396)
Programming and other direct costs		0		0
Other operating expenses		(5,979)		(9,396)
Restructuring and other expense		0		0
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments)		0		0
Operating income		0		0
Other expense, net		0		0
Loss before income taxes		0		0
Income tax benefit		0		0
Net loss		0		0
Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
Programming and other direct costs		0		0
Other operating expenses		(5,055)		(6,931)
Restructuring and other expense		0		0
Depreciation, Depletion And Amortization, Including Asset Impairment Charges		0		0
Operating income		5,055		6,931
Other expense, net		(5,055)		(6,931)
Loss before income taxes		0		0
Income tax benefit		0		0
Net loss		0		0
Pay TV
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		1,071,163		2,155,041
Pay TV | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		1,059,857		2,131,218
Pay TV | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		11,306		23,823
Pay TV | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
Broadband
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		642,620		1,268,538
Broadband | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		629,416		1,241,185
Broadband | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		13,204		27,353
Broadband | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
Telephony
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		178,261		359,222
Telephony | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		208,451		419,324
Telephony | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		(30,190)		(60,102)
Telephony | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
Business services and wholesale
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		323,641		643,061
Business services and wholesale | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		323,940		643,531
Business services and wholesale | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		(299)		(470)
Business services and wholesale | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
Advertising
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		97,501		180,862
Advertising | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		97,501		180,862
Advertising | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
Advertising | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
Other
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		9,176		17,897
Other | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		9,176		17,897
Other | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
Other | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
ATS Acquisition | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
Programming and other direct costs		0		0
Other operating expenses		8,566		8,566
Restructuring and other expense		0		0
Depreciation, Depletion And Amortization, Including Asset Impairment Charges		3		3
Operating income		(8,569)		(8,569)
Other expense, net		1		1
Loss before income taxes		(8,568)		(8,568)
Income tax benefit		3,419		3,419
Net loss		(5,149)		(5,149)
ATS Acquisition | Pay TV | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
ATS Acquisition | Broadband | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
ATS Acquisition | Telephony | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
ATS Acquisition | Business services and wholesale | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
ATS Acquisition | Advertising | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		0		0
ATS Acquisition | Other | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 0		$ 0