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Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
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12 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dec. 31, 2011
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Dec. 31, 2010
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Nov. 19, 2009
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Dec. 31, 2011
Exchangeable Senior Debentures [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Aggregate Notional Amount Of $1.75 Billion [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Aggregate Notional Amount of $600 million [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Time Warner [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Time Warner Cable Inc [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
AOL Inc [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Sprint [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Sprint [Member]
Exchangeable Senior Debentures [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Century Link, Inc. [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Century Link, Inc. [Member]
Exchangeable Senior Debentures [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Motorola Solutions [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Motorola Mobility [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Viacom, Inc. [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
CBS Corporation [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Aggregate Notional Amount Of $1.75 Billion [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Aggregate Notional Amount of $1.35 billion [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
5.7% Senior Notes Due 2013 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
5.7% Senior Notes Due 2013 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
8.5% Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
8.5% Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
8.25% Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
8.25% Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
3.125% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2023 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
3.125% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2023 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
3.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
3.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
QVC 7.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2017 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
QVC 7.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2017 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
QVC 7.5% Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
QVC 7.5% Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
QVC 7.375% Senior Secured Notes Due 2020 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
QVC 7.375% Senior Secured Notes Due 2020 [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
QVC Bank Credit Facilities [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
QVC Bank Credit Facilities [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2011
Subsidiary Debt [Member]
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Dec. 31, 2010
Subsidiary Debt [Member]
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| Long-Term Debt, outstanding principal | $ 6,583,000,000 | $ 2,000,000,000 | $ 309,000,000 | $ 287,000,000 | $ 504,000,000 | $ 1,138,000,000 | $ 469,000,000 | $ 460,000,000 | $ 486,000,000 | $ 414,000,000 | $ 500,000,000 | $ 1,000,000,000 | $ 500,000,000 | $ 434,000,000 | $ 82,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt | 6,039,000,000 | 6,463,000,000 | 308,000,000 | 323,000,000 | 285,000,000 | 284,000,000 | 501,000,000 | 501,000,000 | 1,275,000,000 | 1,283,000,000 | 258,000,000 | 265,000,000 | 235,000,000 | 253,000,000 | 341,000,000 | 329,000,000 | 334,000,000 | 376,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 986,000,000 | 985,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 500,000,000 | 434,000,000 | 785,000,000 | 82,000,000 | 79,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Debt, Current | 1,189,000,000 | 493,000,000 | 1,168,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Shares Issued | 19.1360 | 4.8033 | 1.7396 | 8.3882 | 11.4743 | 0.5746 | 0.7860 | 5.2598 | 4.6024 | 9.2833 | 9.2833 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt Instrument, Face Amount | 809.90 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt, Current Maturities | 110,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount | 6,000,000 | 7,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity | 2,000,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| standby letters of credit | 250,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity | 1,600,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aggregate notional amount | 1,750,000,000 | 1,350,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derivative, Variable Interest Rate | 0.55% | 0.55% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Swap arrangements, interest rate, low end | 2.98% | 0.57% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Swap arrangements, interest rate, high end | 3.67% | 0.95% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Next Twelve Months | 27,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two | 322,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three | 12,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four | 446,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five | $ 11,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||