CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 1,469,454	$ 769,276	$ 928,902
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	953,146	1,000,048	1,077,936
Impairment of long-lived assets		123,352
Realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments	(119,092)	(287,250)	60,515
Non-cash, stock-based compensation	13,037	19,199	34,153
Deferred tax expense (benefit)	506,932	206,392	134,535
Change in long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	76,508	104,233	26,581
Other, net	4,354	18,323	106,772
Changes in current assets and current liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	115,111	88,901	217
Allowance for doubtful accounts	(4,212)	(1,436)	7,622
Prepaid and accrued income taxes	(144,256)	64,775	85,586
Inventory	(49,560)	116,503	380
Other current assets	17,509	15,632	3,263
Trade accounts payable	35,760	56,633	(212,664)
Deferred revenue and other	(96,828)	(21,714)	46,197
Accrued programming and other accrued expenses	24,289	163,213	78,129
Net cash flows from operating activities	2,802,152	2,436,080	2,378,124
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Purchases of marketable investment securities	(345,210)	(447,901)	(4,119,489)
Sales and maturities of marketable investment securities	868,792	2,054,805	7,054,104
Purchases of derivative financial instruments			(149,969)
Settlement of derivative financial instruments	562,234
Purchases of property and equipment	(603,021)	(761,694)	(1,001,861)
Capitalized interest related to FCC authorizations (Note 2)	(724,329)	(352,683)	(214,000)
Purchases of FCC authorizations (Note 14)		(8,970,389)	(1,343,372)
AWS-3 FCC license refunds (deposits) (Note 14)		400,000	(1,320,000)
Other, net (Note 8)	(1,487,130)	3,713	131,510
Net cash flows from investing activities	(1,728,664)	(8,074,149)	(963,077)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes (Note 9)	2,000,000		2,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes (Note 9)	3,000,000
Purchases of convertible note hedges (Note 9)	(635,100)
Proceeds from issuance of warrants (Note 9)	375,600
Redemption and repurchases of senior notes (Note 9)	(1,500,000)	(650,001)	(1,099,999)
Capital contributions from Northstar Manager and SNR Management (Note 14)		204,200	20,700
Repayment of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	(34,824)	(31,525)	(31,653)
Net proceeds from Class A common stock options exercised and stock issued under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan	18,625	33,868	50,934
Debt issuance costs	(26,622)		(7,677)
Other, net	(600)	30,189	47,962
Net cash flows from financing activities	3,197,079	(413,269)	980,267
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	4,270,567	(6,051,338)	2,395,314
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	1,053,158	7,104,496	4,709,182
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 5,323,725	$ 1,053,158	$ 7,104,496