| Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2012
 Aggregate Notional Amount of $1.35 billion [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Exchangeable Senior Debentures [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Aggregate Notional Amount Of $1.75 Billion [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Aggregate Notional Amount of $600 million [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Time Warner Cable Inc [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 AOL Inc [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Sprint [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Sprint [Member]
 Exchangeable Senior Debentures [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Century Link, Inc. [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Century Link, Inc. [Member]
 Exchangeable Senior Debentures [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Motorola Solutions [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Motorola Mobility [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Viacom, Inc. [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 CBS Corporation [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Aggregate Notional Amount Of $1.75 Billion [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 Aggregate Notional Amount of $1.35 billion [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 5.7% Senior Notes Due 2013 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 5.7% Senior Notes Due 2013 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 8.5% Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 8.5% Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 8.25% Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 8.25% Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 3.125% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2023 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 3.125% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2023 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 3.125% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2023 [Member]
 Time Warner [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member] | Jun. 30, 2012
 3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 3.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 3.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 QVC 7.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2017 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 QVC 7.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2017 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 QVC 7.5% Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 QVC 7.5% Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 QVC 7.375% Senior Secured Notes Due 2020 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 QVC 7.375% Senior Secured Notes Due 2020 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 QVC Bank Credit Facilities [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 QVC Bank Credit Facilities [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 TripAdvisor Debt Facilities [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 TripAdvisor Debt Facilities [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 TripAdvisor Debt Facilities [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011
 TripAdvisor, Inc. [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012
 TripAdvisor Chinese Credit Facilities [Member] | Jun. 30, 2012
 principal repayment per debenture [Member]
 3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member] | |
| Long-Term Debt, outstanding principal | $ 7,824,000,000 | $ 241,000,000 | $ 287,000,000 | $ 504,000,000 | $ 1,138,000,000 | $ 469,000,000 | $ 460,000,000 | $ 371,000,000 | $ 414,000,000 | $ 500,000,000 | $ 1,000,000,000 | $ 500,000,000 | $ 903,000,000 | $ 412,000,000 | $ 412,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt | 7,884,000,000 | 6,039,000,000 | 240,000,000 | 308,000,000 | 285,000,000 | 285,000,000 | 501,000,000 | 501,000,000 | 1,639,000,000 | 1,275,000,000 | 311,000,000 | 258,000,000 | 297,000,000 | 235,000,000 | 292,000,000 | 341,000,000 | 391,000,000 | 334,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 988,000,000 | 986,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 903,000,000 | 434,000,000 | 412,000,000 | 412,000,000 | 0 | 400,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt, Current | 1,638,000,000 | 1,189,000,000 | 1,291,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Shares Issued | 4.8033 | 1.7396 | 8.3882 | 11.4743 | 0.5746 | 0.7860 | 5.2598 | 4.6024 | 9.2833 | 9.2833 | 19.1360 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Repayments of Debt | 111,000,000.000 | 184.096 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt Instrument, Face Amount | 619.09 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount | 6,000,000 | 6,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior Notes | 500,000,000 | 1,000,000,000 | 500,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity | 2,000,000,000 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| standby letters of credit | 250,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity | 1,100,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aggregate notional amount | 1,350,000,000 | 1,750,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derivative, Variable Interest Rate | 0.31% | 0.31% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Swap arrangements, interest rate, low end | 2.98% | 0.57% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Swap arrangements, interest rate, high end | 3.67% | 0.95% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aggregate borrowing capacity under Revolver and Term Loan facility | 600,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Next Twelve Months | 737,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two | 59,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three | 962,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four | 310,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five | 543,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Repayments of Long-term Debt | 1,512,000,000 | 899,000,000 | 4,791,000,000 | 20,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding | $ 32,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||