Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Details)

v2.4.0.8
Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
6 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2012
Dec. 31, 2012
Jun. 30, 2013
QVC Bank Credit Facilities [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
3.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member]
Mar. 18, 2013
QVC 4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
QVC Bank Credit Facilities [Member]
Mar. 18, 2013
QVC 5.95% Senior Secured Notes due 2043 [Member]
Apr. 09, 2013
0.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2043 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Margin over base rate [Member]
QVC Bank Credit Facilities [Member]
Alternate Base Rate [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Margin over LIBOR rate [Member]
QVC Bank Credit Facilities [Member]
LIBOR loan [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
Jun. 30, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
Subsidiary Debt [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
Subsidiary Debt [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 5.95% Senior Secured Notes due 2043 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 5.95% Senior Secured Notes due 2043 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 7.375% Senior Secured Notes Due 2020 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 7.375% Senior Secured Notes Due 2020 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
5.7% Senior Notes Due 2013 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
5.7% Senior Notes Due 2013 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 7.5% Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member]
Mar. 31, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 7.5% Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member]
Mar. 04, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 7.5% Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 7.5% Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
8.25% Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
8.25% Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC Bank Credit Facilities [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC Bank Credit Facilities [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 5.125% Senior Secured Notes 2022 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 5.125% Senior Secured Notes 2022 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
8.5% Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
8.5% Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 7.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2017 [Member]
Mar. 31, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 7.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2017 [Member]
Mar. 15, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 7.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2017 [Member]
Mar. 04, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 7.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2017 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
QVC 7.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2017 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
Jun. 30, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
0.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2043 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
0.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2043 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
3.125% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2023 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
3.125% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2023 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2029 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2030 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
3.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
3.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures Due 2031 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
TripAdvisor Debt Facilities [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
TripAdvisor Debt Facilities [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Principal repayment per senior secured note [Member]
QVC 7.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2017 [Member]
Mar. 31, 2013
Principal repayment per senior secured note [Member]
QVC 7.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2017 [Member]
Mar. 31, 2013
Principal repayment per senior secured note [Member]
QVC 7.5% Senior Secured Notes Due 2019 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
Exchangeable Senior Debentures [Member]
Apr. 09, 2013
Time Warner Inc [Member]
0.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2043 [Member]
Apr. 09, 2013
Time Warner Cable Inc [Member]
0.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2043 [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
QVC [Member]
Jun. 30, 2013
QVC [Member]
Mar. 31, 2013
QVC [Member]
Debt, Current $ 1,029,000,000   $ 1,638,000,000                 $ 23,000,000                                                           $ 1,006,000,000                                                  
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities 5,959,000,000   6,246,000,000                 4,701,000,000                                                           1,258,000,000                                                  
Debt Instrument Principal amount tendered and retired                                                                                                                     1,000 1,000   1,000          
Senior Notes           750,000,000   300,000,000                                                                                                                      
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt                                                                                                                                 16,000,000 57,000,000  
Derivative, Notional Amount                                                                                                                                     3,100,000,000
Repayments of Long-term Debt 4,397,000,000 873,000,000     414,000,000             2,055,000,000 761,000,000                                                         2,342,000,000 112,000,000                                                
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity             2,000,000,000                                                                                                                        
standby letters of credit             250,000,000                                                                                                                        
Incremental borrowing capacity             1,000,000,000                                                                                                                        
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum                   0.25% 1.25%                                                                                                                
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum                   1.00% 2.00%                                                                                                                
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity       1,010,000,000                                                                                                                              
Debt instrument, face amount called for tender                                                 250,000,000                             500,000,000                                                      
Debt Instrument, Repurchased Face Amount                                               231,000,000                           376,000,000 124,000,000                                                        
Repayments of Debt                                                                                                                     1,035.63 1,039.40 1,120 0          
Debt Instrument, Face Amount 7,270,000,000                     4,739,000,000     138,000,000   300,000,000   500,000,000   0   769,000,000       750,000,000   505,000,000   990,000,000   500,000,000   287,000,000   0         2,531,000,000     850,000,000   0   469,000,000   460,000,000   367,000,000   0   385,000,000                    
Long-term Debt 6,988,000,000   7,884,000,000                 4,724,000,000   4,542,000,000 138,000,000 125,000,000 300,000,000 0 500,000,000 500,000,000 0 240,000,000 760,000,000     988,000,000 750,000,000 0 501,000,000 501,000,000 990,000,000 903,000,000 500,000,000 500,000,000 285,000,000 285,000,000 0       500,000,000 2,264,000,000   3,342,000,000 938,000,000 0 0 1,639,000,000 318,000,000 311,000,000 313,000,000 297,000,000 310,000,000 292,000,000 0 391,000,000 385,000,000 412,000,000                  
Exchangeable Senior Debentures                 850,000,000                                                                                                                    
Debt instrument interest rate                 0.75%                                                                                                                    
Debt instrument, face amount per debenture                 $ 1,000                                                                                                                    
Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Shares Issued                                                                                                                             5.1635 6.3040