Reportable Segments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Reportable Segments Details [Abstract]
Impairment charges	$ 11,000,000	$ 0
Interest expense	(110,000,000)	(110,000,000)
Interest income	2,000,000	2,000,000
Gain on early extinguishment of debt	25,000,000	0
Other items, net	12,000,000	9,000,000
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings (loss) of investee companies	571,000,000	338,000,000
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(203,000,000)	(122,000,000)
Equity in loss of investee companies, net of tax	(5,000,000)	(14,000,000)
Net earnings	363,000,000	202,000,000
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	3,924,000,000	3,510,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	60,000,000	66,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	784,000,000	576,000,000
Total Operating income (loss)	642,000,000	437,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	131,000,000	139,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	42,000,000	34,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	39,000,000	41,000,000
Total Assets	26,393,000,000		26,197,000,000
Entertainment Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	2,318,000,000	1,994,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	53,000,000	55,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	411,000,000	268,000,000
Total Operating income (loss)	370,000,000	230,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	41,000,000	38,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	13,000,000	12,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	17,000,000	14,000,000
Total Assets	8,739,000,000		8,471,000,000
Cable Networks Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	452,000,000	393,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	209,000,000	153,000,000
Total Operating income (loss)	204,000,000	147,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	5,000,000	6,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	1,000,000	1,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	1,000,000	2,000,000
Total Assets	1,676,000,000		1,679,000,000
Publishing Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	176,000,000	155,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	10,000,000	7,000,000
Total Operating income (loss)	8,000,000	5,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	2,000,000	2,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	1,000,000	1,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	0	0
Total Assets	959,000,000		1,091,000,000
Local Broadcasting Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	622,000,000	621,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	4,000,000	5,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	171,000,000	169,000,000
Total Operating income (loss)	138,000,000	143,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	22,000,000	26,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	6,000,000	5,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	10,000,000	12,000,000
Total Assets	9,595,000,000		9,626,000,000
Outdoor Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	416,000,000	413,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	3,000,000	6,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	53,000,000	49,000,000
Total Operating income (loss)	(2,000,000)	(12,000,000)
Total Depreciation and Amortization	55,000,000	61,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	2,000,000	1,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	11,000,000	12,000,000
Total Assets	4,087,000,000		4,092,000,000
Corporate [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	(58,000,000)	(52,000,000)
Total Operating income (loss)	(64,000,000)	(58,000,000)
Total Depreciation and Amortization	6,000,000	6,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	19,000,000	14,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	0	1,000,000
Total Assets	1,381,000,000		1,262,000,000
Residual Costs [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	(12,000,000)	(19,000,000)
Total Operating income (loss)	(12,000,000)	(19,000,000)
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Assets	79,000,000		77,000,000
Eliminations [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	(60,000,000)	(66,000,000)
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	0	1,000,000
Total Operating income (loss)	0	1,000,000
Total Assets	$ (123,000,000)		$ (101,000,000)