1.0.0.3 false Commitments and Contingencies false 1 $ false false Unit_1 Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Unit_2 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Unit_5 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 2 Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract] 0 dtv_CommitmentsAndContingenciesAbstract dtv false na duration string Commitments and Contingencies false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false Commitments and Contingencies false 3 Commitments and Contingencies 1 us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlock us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false false 0 0 <div> <div><div><div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><b>Note 6: Commitments and Contingencies</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><i>Commitments</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">At September 30, 2009, our minimum payments under agreements to purchase broadcast programming, and the purchase of services that we have outsourced to third parties, such as billing services, and satellite telemetry, tracking and control, satellite construction and launch contracts and broadcast center services aggregated $8,541 million, payable as follows: $457 million in the remainder of 2009, $1,606 million in 2010, $1,625 million in 2011, $1,751 million in 2012, $1,357 million in 2013 and $1,745 million thereafter.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><i>Contingencies</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><i>Puerto Rico Condition</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">In connection with approval by the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, of the Liberty Media acquisition of News Corporation’s ownership interest in us, the FCC imposed certain conditions related to attributable interests in two pay television operations: DIRECTV Puerto Rico and Liberty Cablevision of Puerto Rico Ltd. We refer to the FCC’s requirements as the “Puerto Rico Condition”. Because neither News Corporation nor Liberty Media could satisfy the Puerto Rico Condition, in connection with the close of that transaction, a special committee of independent directors of our Board of Directors approved an agreement with News Corporation and Liberty Media in which we assumed responsibility for the satisfaction, modification or waiver of the Puerto Rico Condition within the one year period specified by the FCC. As part of this agreement, during the first quarter of 2008, we received a $160 million cash capital contribution, which we recorded as “Additional paid-in-capital” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">In order to comply with terms of the FCC order, effective February 25, 2009, we placed the shares of DIRECTV Puerto Rico into a trust and appointed an independent trustee who will oversee the management and operation of DIRECTV Puerto Rico, and will have the authority, subject to certain conditions, to divest ownership of DIRECTV Puerto Rico. We continue to consolidate the results of DIRECTV Puerto Rico.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><i>Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">In connection with our acquisition of Sky Brazil in 2006, our partner, Globo, who holds the remaining 25.9% interest, was granted the right, until January 2014, to require us to purchase all or a portion (but not less than half) of its shares in Sky Brazil. Upon exercising this right, the fair value of Sky Brazil shares will be determined, by mutual agreement or by an outside valuation expert, and we have the option to elect to pay for the Sky Brazil shares in cash, shares of our common stock or a combination of both. As of September 30, 2009, we estimate that Globo’s 25.9% equity interest in Sky Brazil has a fair value of approximately $325 million to $450 million. We determined the range of fair values using significant unobservable inputs, which are Level 3 inputs under accounting guidance for measuring fair value and further determined that $325 million was our best estimate of fair value in that range. As a result of our adoption of new accounting standards for the accounting and reporting of noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries, discussed above in “Accounting Changes and new Accounting Standards”, we now account for the redeemable noncontrolling interest at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><i>Litigation</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Litigation is subject to uncertainties and the outcome of individual litigated matters is not predictable with assurance. Various legal actions, claims and proceedings are pending against us arising in the ordinary course of business. We have established loss provisions for matters in which losses are probable and can be reasonably estimated. Some of the matters may involve compensatory, punitive, or treble damage claims, or demands that, if granted, could require us to pay damages or make other expenditures in amounts that could not be estimated at September 30, 2009. After discussion with counsel representing us in those actions, it is the opinion of management that such litigation is not expected to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations or financial position.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><i>Finisar Corporation.</i><font class="_mt">  As previously reported, we filed a notice of appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on October 5, 2006 from a jury determination that The DIRECTV Group, Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries willfully infringed a patent owned by Finisar Corporation and awards of approximately $117 million in damages and pre-judgment interest. DIRECTV was also ordered to pay into escrow $1.60 per new set-top receiver manufactured for use with the DIRECTV system beginning June 17, 2006 and continuing until the patent expires in 2012 or was otherwise found to be invalid. On April 18, 2008, the Court of Appeals vacated (set aside) the verdict of infringement, and sent the case back to the district court for further proceedings and possible retrial on a limited number of claims. On remand, we sought and obtained summary judgment of invalidity of all remaining claims, and the case against DIRECTV was dismissed on May 19, 2009. Finisar has filed a Notice of Appeal, and a briefing schedule for the new appeal has been set.</font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><i>Satellites</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">We may purchase in-orbit and launch insurance to mitigate the potential financial impact of satellite launch and in-orbit failures if the premium costs are considered economic relative to the risk of satellite failure. The insurance generally covers the unamortized book value of covered satellites. We do not insure against lost revenues in the event of a total or partial loss of the capacity of a satellite. We generally rely on in-orbit spare satellites and excess transponder capacity at key orbital slots to mitigate the impact a satellite failure could have on our ability to provide service. At September 30, 2009, the net book value of in-orbit satellites was $2,032 million, all of which was uninsured.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"><i>Subsequent Events Review</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">We have evaluated subsequent events through issuance of these financial statements on November 5, 2009.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div></div> </div> Note 6: Commitments and Contingencies Commitments At September 30, 2009, our minimum payments under agreements to purchase broadcast programming, and false false No definition available. 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