Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities

Schedule of marketable investment securities, restricted cash and other investment securities

	As of December 31,
	2012		2011
	(In thousands)
Marketable investment securities:
Current marketable investment securities - VRDNs	$	130,306	$	160,555
Current marketable investment securities - strategic	1,261,015		360,052
Current marketable investment securities - other	2,240,316		911,138
Total current marketable investment securities	3,631,637		1,431,745
Restricted marketable investment securities (1)	51,366		65,843
Noncurrent marketable investment securities - ARS and other (2)	106,172		109,327
Total marketable investment securities	3,789,175		1,606,915
Restricted cash and cash equivalents (1)	83,044		66,592
Other investment securities:
Other investment securities - cost method (2)	12,879		2,805
Investment in DBSD North America	—		1,297,614
Total other investment securities	12,879		1,300,419
Total marketable investment securities, restricted cash and cash equivalents, and other investment securities	$	3,885,098	$	2,973,926

(1) Restricted marketable investment securities and restricted cash and cash equivalents are included in “Restricted cash and marketable investment securities” on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(2) Noncurrent marketable investment securities — auction rate securities (“ARS”) and other investment securities are included in “Marketable and other investment securities” on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Schedule of unrealized gain (loss) on marketable investment securities

	As of December 31,
	2012										2011
	Marketable										Marketable
	Investment		Unrealized								Investment		Unrealized
	Securities		Gains		Losses			Net			Securities		Gains		Losses			Net
	(In thousands)
Debt securities:
VRDNs	$	130,306	$	—	$	—		$	—		$	160,555	$	—	$	—		$	—
ARS and other	43,921		1,375		(8,033		)	(6,658		)	46,657		848		(14,486		)	(13,638		)
ARS fair value election	62,251		—		—			—			62,670		—		—			—
Other (including restricted)	3,287,317		208,208		(1,203		)	207,005			994,021		5,526		(6,565		)	(1,039		)
Equity securities:
Other	265,380		17,918		(11,537		)	6,381			343,012		89,044		(61,934		)	27,110
Subtotal	3,789,175		227,501		(20,773		)	206,728			1,606,915		95,418		(82,985		)	12,433
Investment in DBSD North America (1)	—		—		—			—			839,009		78,749		—			78,749
Total	$	3,789,175	$	227,501	$	(20,773	)	$	206,728		$	2,445,924	$	174,167	$	(82,985	)	$	91,182

(1) Of our total investment in DBSD North America of $1.298 billion as of December 31, 2011, $839 million was invested in 7.5% Convertible Senior Secured Notes due 2009, which were accounted for as available-for-sale investments prior to the DBSD Transaction.

Schedule of available-for-sale securities in continuous unrealized loss position by length of time and their fair value

	As of December 31,
	2012					2011
	Fair		Unrealized			Fair		Unrealized
	Value		Loss			Value		Loss
	(In thousands)
Debt Securities:
Less than 12 months	$	761,551	$	(909	)	$	694,199	$	(4,793	)
12 months or more	72,395		(8,327		)	98,240		(16,258		)
Equity Securities:
Less than 12 months	154,566		(11,537		)	247,683		(61,934		)
12 months or more	—		—			—		—
Total	$	988,512	$	(20,773	)	$	1,040,122	$	(82,985	)

Schedule of fair value measurements

	As of
	December 31, 2012								December 31, 2011
	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
	(In thousands)
Cash Equivalents (including restricted)	$	3,386,929	$	67,833	$	3,319,096	$	—	$	397,777	$	46,371	$	351,406	$	—
Debt securities:
VRDNs	$	130,306	$	—	$	130,306	$	—	$	160,555	$	—	$	160,555	$	—
ARS and other	106,172		—		955		105,217		109,327		—		3,412		105,915
Other (including restricted)	3,287,317		11,182		3,276,135		—		994,021		—		994,021		—
Equity securities	265,380		265,380		—		—		343,012		343,012		—		—
Subtotal	3,789,175		276,562		3,407,396		105,217		1,606,915		343,012		1,157,988		105,915
Investment in DBSD North America (1)	—		—		—		—		839,009		—		—		839,009
Total	$	3,789,175	$	276,562	$	3,407,396	$	105,217	$	2,445,924	$	343,012	$	1,157,988	$	944,924

(1) Of our total investment in DBSD North America of $1.298 billion as of December 31, 2011, $839 million was invested in 7.5% Convertible Senior Secured Notes due 2009, which were accounted for as available-for-sale investments prior to the DBSD Transaction.

Schedule of changes in Level 3 instruments

	Level 3
	Investment
	Securities
	(In thousands)
Balance as of December 31, 2011	$	944,924
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in earnings	78,650
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)	(71,746		)
Purchases	—
Settlements (1)	(846,611		)
Issuances	—
Transfers from level 2 to level 3	—
Balance as of December 31, 2012	$	105,217

(1) For the year ended December 31, 2012, this amount primarily relates to the conversion of our DBSD North America 7.5% Convertible Senior Secured Notes due 2009 in connection with the completion of the DBSD Transaction.  See Note 10 for further information.

Schedule of gains and losses on sales and changes in carrying values of investments

	For the Years Ended December 31,
Other Income (Expense):	2012			2011			2010
	(In thousands)
Marketable investment securities - gains (losses) on sales/exchanges	$	120,558		$	14,313		$	13,277
Marketable investment securities - unrealized gains (losses) on investments accounted for at fair value	1,331			263			8,371
Marketable investment securities - gains (losses) on conversion of DBSD North America Notes (1)	99,445			—			—
Other investment securities - gains (losses) on sales/exchanges	—			10,000			21,422
Marketable investment securities - other-than-temporary impairments	(49,020		)	(16,557		)	(12,734		)
Other investment securities - unrealized gains (losses) on fair value investments and other-than-temporary impairments	—			—			3,361
Impairment of receivable from Blockbuster UK	(25,000		)	—			—
Other	977			(1,833		)	(2,701		)
Total	$	148,291		$	6,186		$	30,996

(1)   During the year ended December 31, 2012, we recognized a $99 million non-cash gain related to the conversion of our DBSD North America 7.5% Convertible Senior Secured Notes due 2009 in connection with the completion of the DBSD Transaction.  See Note 10 for further information.