CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 486,208	$ 329,848
Restricted cash	253	252
Accounts receivable, trade (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $13,259 and $13,420)	436,550	370,765
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	167,836	130,425
Amounts due from affiliates	18,387	19,764
Derivative contracts	3,269	52,545
Total current assets	1,112,503	903,599
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $3,708,770 and $2,599,579	5,760,479	6,023,826
Investment securities pledged as collateral	1,521,045	1,720,357
Derivative contracts	31,510	0
Other assets	97,537	57,904
Amortizable intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization	4,400,996	5,066,454
Indefinite-lived cable television franchises	13,020,081	13,020,081
Goodwill	8,012,416	8,019,861
Total assets	33,956,567	34,812,082
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	883,408	795,128
Interest	321,327	397,422
Employee related costs	123,387	147,727
Other accrued expenses	329,122	411,988
Amounts due to affiliates	23,424	10,998
Deferred revenue	131,133	111,197
Liabilities under derivative contracts	0	52,545
Credit facility debt	57,650	42,650
Senior notes and debentures	531,206	507,744
Capital lease obligations	4,147	9,539
Notes payable	71,873	33,424
Total current liabilities	2,476,677	2,520,362
Defined benefit plan obligations	84,755	103,163
Other liabilities	169,473	144,289
Deferred tax liability	4,809,745	4,769,286
Liabilities under derivative contracts	153,850	187,406
Collateralized indebtedness	1,400,398	1,349,474
Credit facility debt	6,163,843	4,600,873
Senior notes and debentures	14,824,532	15,352,688
Capital lease obligations	17,304	12,441
Notes payable	5,218	32,478
Deficit investment in affiliates	0	3,579
Total liabilities	30,105,795	29,076,039
Commitments and contingencies (Note 15)
Redeemable equity	179,799	231,290
Stockholders' Equity:
Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding	0	0
Paid-in capital	3,618,709	4,665,229
Retained earnings	38,744	840,636
Total stockholders' equity before accumulated other comprehensive Income and non-controlling interest	3,664,691	5,513,236
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(2,291)	(10,022)
Total stockholders' equity	3,662,400	5,503,214
Noncontrolling interest	8,573	1,539
Total stockholders' equity	3,670,973	5,504,753
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	33,956,567	34,812,082
Common Class A
Stockholders' Equity:
Common stock	5,107	2,470
Common Class B [Member]
Stockholders' Equity:
Common stock	2,131	4,901
Common Class C
Stockholders' Equity:
Common stock	0	0
Customer relationships
Current Assets:
Amortizable intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization	3,991,289	4,561,863
Trade names
Current Assets:
Amortizable intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization	388,835	478,509
Amortizable intangible assets
Current Assets:
Amortizable intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization	$ 20,872	$ 26,082