CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ATS ACQUISITION - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	$ (375,851)	$ (454,559)	$ (1,317,194)	$ (1,812,459)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	129,707	(333,984)	(163,539)	(1,188,506)
Revenue	2,417,801	2,322,521	7,111,668	6,947,142
Programming and other direct costs	790,533	755,101	2,373,021	2,272,147
Other operating expenses	569,070	570,111	1,727,842	1,769,477
Restructuring and other expense	16,587	53,448	29,865	142,765
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments)	536,053	823,286	1,827,285	2,138,800
Operating income	505,558	120,575	1,153,655	623,953
Income tax benefit (expense)	(95,968)	141,550	(29,675)	439,945
Net income (loss)	$ 33,739	(192,434)	$ (193,214)	(748,561)
As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Nonoperating Income (Expense)		(451,638)		(1,802,608)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest		(316,774)		(1,162,728)
Revenue		2,327,175		6,961,192
Programming and other direct costs		755,101		2,272,147
Other operating expenses		560,497		1,767,624
Restructuring and other expense		53,448		142,765
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments)		823,265		2,138,776
Operating income		134,864		639,880
Income tax benefit (expense)		134,688		429,664
Net income (loss)		(182,086)		(733,064)
Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest		0
Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Nonoperating Income (Expense)		0		0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest				0
Revenue		(4,094)		(13,490)
Programming and other direct costs		0		0
Other operating expenses		(4,094)		(13,490)
Restructuring and other expense		0		0
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments)		0		0
Operating income		0		0
Income tax benefit (expense)		0		0
Net income (loss)		0		0
Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Nonoperating Income (Expense)		(2,921)		(9,852)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest		0		0
Revenue		0		0
Programming and other direct costs		0		0
Other operating expenses		(2,921)		(9,852)
Restructuring and other expense		0		0
Operating income		2,921		9,852
Depreciation, Depletion And Amortization, Including Asset Impairment Charges		0		0
Income tax benefit (expense)		0		0
Net income (loss)		0		0
Pay TV
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		1,069,946		3,224,987
Pay TV | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		1,054,392		3,185,610
Pay TV | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		15,807		39,630
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		658,278		1,926,816
Broadband | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		646,094		1,887,279
Broadband | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		12,372		39,725
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		172,479		531,701
Telephony | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		204,753		624,077
Telephony | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		(32,155)		(92,257)
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		324,642		967,703
Business services and wholesale | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		324,760		968,291
Business services and wholesale | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		(118)		(588)
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		89,292		270,154
Advertising | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		89,292		270,154
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		7,884		25,781
Other | As Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		7,884		25,781
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]
Nonoperating Income (Expense)		0		1
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest		(17,210)		(25,778)
Revenue		(560)		(560)
Programming and other direct costs		0		0
Other operating expenses		16,629		25,195
Restructuring and other expense		0		0
Operating income		(17,210)		(25,779)
Depreciation, Depletion And Amortization, Including Asset Impairment Charges		21		24
Income tax benefit (expense)		6,862		10,281
Net income (loss)		(10,348)		(15,497)
ATS Acquisition | Pay TV | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		(253)		(253)
ATS Acquisition | Broadband | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		(188)		(188)
ATS Acquisition | Telephony | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue		(119)		(119)
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