Income Taxes and Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Income Taxes and Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
NOL benefit for state income tax purposes	$ 18,000,000
Tax benefit related to credit carryforwards	4,000,000
Tax benefits related to foreign tax credits and net operating loss carryforwards	19,000,000
Current (provision) benefit:
Federal	35,848,000	(235,357,000)	(287,523,000)
State	9,689,000	(27,523,000)	(68,550,000)
Foreign	(2,242,000)	(4,199,000)
Total current (provision) benefit	43,295,000	(267,079,000)	(356,073,000)
Deferred (provision) benefit:
Federal	(337,595,000)	(590,618,000)	(227,024,000)
State	(46,564,000)	(34,128,000)	16,341,000
Foreign		(4,939,000)
Decrease (increase) in valuation allowance	33,835,000	1,758,000	9,283,000
Total deferred (provision) benefit	(350,324,000)	(627,927,000)	(201,400,000)
Total benefit (provision)	(307,029,000)	(895,006,000)	(557,473,000)
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)	(2.50%)	(1.70%)	(2.50%)
Stock option compensation (as a percent)	0.10%		0.30%
Other (as a percent)	0.90%	(0.50%)	0.60%
Decrease (increase) in valuation allowance (as a percent)	3.60%	0.10%	0.50%
Total benefit (provision) for income taxes (as a percent)	(32.90%)	(37.10%)	(36.10%)
Income (loss) before income taxes	932,769,000	2,410,584,000	1,542,205,000
Portion of Income (loss) before income taxes related to foreign operations	31,000,000
Deferred tax assets:
NOL, credit and other carryforwards	18,862,000	23,017,000
Unrealized losses on investments		48,452,000
Accrued expenses	76,274,000	95,903,000
Stock-based compensation	25,477,000	23,365,000
Deferred revenue	62,727,000	45,556,000
State taxes net of federal effect		4,917,000
Total deferred tax assets	183,340,000	241,210,000
Valuation allowance	(22,358,000)	(97,501,000)
Deferred tax asset after valuation allowance	160,982,000	143,709,000
Deferred tax liabilities:
Depreciation and amortization	(1,659,240,000)	(1,066,476,000)
Unrealized gains on investments	(10,853,000)
Other long-term liabilities	(30,511,000)	(26,943,000)
State taxes net of federal effect	(23,256,000)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(1,723,860,000)	(1,093,419,000)
Net deferred tax asset (liability)	(1,562,878,000)	(949,710,000)
Current portion of net deferred tax asset	99,854,000	73,014,000
Current portion of net deferred tax liability		(48,310,000)
Noncurrent portion of net deferred tax asset (liability)	(1,662,732,000)	(974,414,000)
Reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits
Balance as of beginning of period	266,703,000	193,320,000	224,029,000
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year	110,435,000	44,357,000	7,382,000
Additions based on tax positions related to prior years		34,762,000	11,800,000
Reductions based on tax positions related to prior years	(19,413,000)	(1,169,000)	(45,197,000)
Reductions based on tax positions related to settlements with taxing authorities	(1,739,000)	(1,185,000)	(493,000)
Reductions based on tax positions related to the lapse of the statute of limitations	(9,335,000)	(3,382,000)	(4,201,000)
Balance as of end of period	$ 346,651,000	$ 266,703,000	$ 193,320,000