Reportable Segments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Reportable Segments Details [Abstract]
Impairment charges	$ 0	$ (11,000,000)
Interest expense	(95,000,000)	(110,000,000)
Interest income	2,000,000	2,000,000
Gain on early extinguishment of debt	0	25,000,000
Other items, net	(2,000,000)	5,000,000
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in earnings (loss) of investee companies	705,000,000	599,000,000
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(234,000,000)	(201,000,000)
Equity in loss of investee companies, net of tax	(8,000,000)	(4,000,000)
Net earnings (loss) from continuing operations	463,000,000	394,000,000
Net loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(20,000,000)	(31,000,000)
Net earnings	443,000,000	363,000,000
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	4,040,000,000	3,796,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	67,000,000	60,000,000
Segment OIBDA	916,000,000	807,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	800,000,000	677,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	116,000,000	119,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	60,000,000	41,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	34,000,000	35,000,000
Total Assets	26,111,000,000		26,466,000,000
Entertainment Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	2,539,000,000	2,318,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	62,000,000	53,000,000
Segment OIBDA	480,000,000	411,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	440,000,000	370,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	40,000,000	41,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	15,000,000	13,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	19,000,000	17,000,000
Total Assets	9,054,000,000		9,023,000,000
Cable Networks Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	478,000,000	452,000,000
Segment OIBDA	231,000,000	209,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	227,000,000	204,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	4,000,000	5,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	2,000,000	1,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	2,000,000	1,000,000
Total Assets	1,817,000,000		1,750,000,000
Publishing Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	171,000,000	176,000,000
Segment OIBDA	12,000,000	10,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	10,000,000	8,000,000
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	938,000,000		1,033,000,000
Local Broadcasting Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	638,000,000	622,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	3,000,000	4,000,000
Segment OIBDA	199,000,000	171,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	176,000,000	138,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	23,000,000	22,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	7,000,000	6,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	6,000,000	10,000,000
Total Assets	9,596,000,000		9,614,000,000
Outdoor Americas Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	281,000,000	288,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	2,000,000	3,000,000
Segment OIBDA	74,000,000	76,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	32,000,000	33,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	42,000,000	43,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	2,000,000	1,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	6,000,000	7,000,000
Total Assets	3,469,000,000		3,542,000,000
Corporate [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Segment OIBDA	(80,000,000)	(70,000,000)
Total Operating Income (Loss)	(85,000,000)	(76,000,000)
Total Depreciation and Amortization	5,000,000	6,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	33,000,000	19,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	1,000,000	0
Total Assets	784,000,000		1,026,000,000
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Assets	453,000,000		478,000,000
Eliminations [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	$ (67,000,000)	$ (60,000,000)