Income Taxes and Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Income Taxes and Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
NOL benefit for state income tax purposes	$ 13,000,000
Tax benefit related to credit carryforwards	5,000,000
Tax benefit related to capital loss carryforwards	14,000,000
Tax benefits related to foreign tax credits and net operating loss carryforwards	9,000,000
Current (provision) benefit:
Federal	(235,357,000)	(287,523,000)	(335,958,000)
State	(27,523,000)	(68,550,000)	(36,762,000)
Foreign	(4,199,000)		(79,000)
Total current (provision) benefit	(267,079,000)	(356,073,000)	(372,799,000)
Deferred (provision) benefit:
Federal	(590,618,000)	(227,024,000)	15,771,000
State	(34,128,000)	16,341,000	(373,000)
Foreign	(4,939,000)
Decrease (increase) in valuation allowance	1,758,000	9,283,000	(20,028,000)
Total deferred (provision) benefit	(627,927,000)	(201,400,000)	(4,630,000)
Total benefit (provision)	(895,006,000)	(557,473,000)	(377,429,000)
Reconciliation of amounts computed by applying the statutory Federal tax rate to income before taxes
Statutory rate (as a percent)	(35.00%)	(35.00%)	(35.00%)
State income taxes, net of Federal benefit (as a percent)	(1.70%)	(2.50%)	(2.80%)
Stock option compensation (as a percent)		0.30%	(0.20%)
Other (as a percent)	(0.50%)	0.60%	2.70%
Decrease (increase) in valuation allowance (as a percent)	0.10%	0.50%	(2.00%)
Total benefit (provision) for income taxes (as a percent)	(37.10%)	(36.10%)	(37.30%)
Income (loss) before income taxes	2,410,584,000	1,542,205,000	1,012,832,000
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Foreign	28,000,000
Deferred tax assets:
NOL, credit and other carryforwards	23,017,000	14,595,000
Unrealized losses on investments	48,452,000	49,555,000
Accrued expenses	95,903,000	256,033,000
Stock-based compensation	23,365,000	17,730,000
Deferred revenue	45,556,000	56,324,000
State taxes net of federal effect	4,917,000	29,599,000
Total deferred tax assets	241,210,000	423,836,000
Valuation allowance	(97,501,000)	(73,126,000)
Deferred tax asset after valuation allowance	143,709,000	350,710,000
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation and amortization	(1,066,476,000)	(701,497,000)
Other long-term liabilities	(26,943,000)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(1,093,419,000)	(701,497,000)
Net deferred tax asset (liability)	(949,710,000)	(350,787,000)
Current portion of net deferred tax asset	73,014,000	216,899,000
Current portion of net deferred tax liability	(48,310,000)		(48,310,000)
Noncurrent portion of net deferred tax asset (liability)	(974,414,000)	(567,686,000)
Reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits
Balance as of beginning of period	193,320,000	224,029,000	226,528,000
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year	44,357,000	7,382,000	7,952,000
Additions based on tax positions related to prior years	34,762,000	11,800,000	3,665,000
Reductions based on tax positions related to prior years	(1,169,000)	(45,197,000)	(6,042,000)
Reductions based on tax positions related to settlements with taxing authorities	(1,185,000)	(493,000)	(5,899,000)
Reductions based on tax positions related to the lapse of the statute of limitations	(3,382,000)	(4,201,000)	(2,175,000)
Balance as of end of period	266,703,000	193,320,000	224,029,000
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, could favorably affect our effective tax rate	208,000,000
Interest and penalty (benefit) expense	4,000,000	(3,000,000)	9,000,000
Accrued interest and penalties	$ 17,000,000	$ 13,000,000