Bank Financing and Debt (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Maximum Consolidated Leverage Ratio [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Minimum Consolidated Coverage Ratio [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Consolidated Leverage Ratio [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Consolidated Coverage Ratio [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Forecast [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 5.625% Senior Notes Due 2012 [Member] Forecast [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 8.625% Debentures Due 2012 [Member] Forecast [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 8.200% Senior Notes Due 2014 [Member] Forecast [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 1.95% Senior Notes Due 2017 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 3.375% Senior Notes Due 2022 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 4.85% Senior Notes Due 2042 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 6.750% Senior Notes Due 2056 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Continuing Operations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Continuing Operations [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Discontinued Operations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Discontinued Operations [Member]
Bank Financing And Debt Details [Abstract]
Senior debt (1.95% - 8.875% due 2012 - 2056)	$ 6,752,000,000			$ 6,752,000,000		$ 5,925,000,000
Obligations under capital leases	70,000,000			70,000,000		78,000,000
Less current portion	901,000,000			901,000,000		24,000,000
Total long-term debt from continuing operations, net of current portion	5,900,000,000			5,900,000,000		5,958,000,000
Total Debt [Line Items]
Total debt	6,822,000,000			6,822,000,000		6,003,000,000													6,801,000,000	5,982,000,000	21,000,000	21,000,000
Bank Financing And Debt Parenthetical [Abstract]
Minimum interest rate of senior debt				1.95%
Maximum interest rate of senior debt				8.875%
Net unamortized premium (discount) on senior debt	(19,000,000)			(19,000,000)		4,000,000
Increase in carrying value of debt relating to previously settled fair value hedges	26,000,000			26,000,000		75,000,000
Face value of senior debt	6,750,000,000			6,750,000,000		5,850,000,000
Senior debt not guaranteed by CBS Operations Inc.	52,000,000			52,000,000
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Issuances															400,000,000	700,000,000	500,000,000
Repayment of debt instrument												338,000,000	152,000,000	400,000,000				700,000,000
Interest rate												5.625%	8.625%	8.20%	1.95%	3.375%	4.85%	6.75%
Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt	0	25,000,000	0	25,000,000	0						(57,000,000)
Credit Facility [Abstract]
Commercial paper borrowings	0			0
Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility	2,000,000,000			2,000,000,000
Availability under the credit facility	$ 1,990,000,000			$ 1,990,000,000
Debt Covenants [Line Items]
Credit Facility covenant description							4.0x	3.0x
Credit Facility covenant compliance									1.9x	8.5x