CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Cash Flows From Operating Activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 1,492,569	$ 1,655,491	$ 2,165,407
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	630,577	712,024	817,564
Impairment of long-lived assets			145,918
Realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments	(4,121)	(11,908)	(99,997)
Non-cash, stock-based compensation	14,262	36,261	29,941
Deferred tax expense (benefit)	228,250	454,699	(485,973)
Change in long-term deferred revenue and other long-term liabilities	228,557	(3,303)	29,750
Other, net	92,471	(70,900)	(29,632)
Changes in current assets and current liabilities, net
Trade accounts receivable	49,183	14,724	126,848
Allowance for doubtful accounts	2,314	(1,270)	(2,888)
Prepaid and accrued income taxes	50,101	93,618	(46,599)
Inventory	(79,542)	14,788	37,895
Other current assets	67,398	(46,772)	(63,154)
Trade accounts payable	46,892	(160,952)	(131,399)
Deferred revenue and other	26,172	(98,179)	(64,909)
Accrued programming and other accrued expenses	(182,682)	(70,480)	350,735
Net cash flows from operating activities	2,662,401	2,517,841	2,779,507
Cash Flows From Investing Activities:
Purchases of marketable investment securities	(1,029,858)	(1,403,890)	(566,373)
Sales and maturities of marketable investment securities	1,799,966	730,210	206,272
Purchases of property and equipment	(581,081)	(393,938)	(431,795)
Capitalized interest related to FCC authorizations (Note 2)	(901,367)	(922,759)	(953,498)
Purchases of FCC authorizations, including deposits (Note 15)	(12,155)	(2,500)	(4,711,154)
Purchases of strategic investments			(90,381)
Other, net	6,659	17,604	25,376
Net cash flows from investing activities	(717,836)	(1,975,273)	(6,521,553)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities:
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes (Note 10)			1,000,000
Redemption and repurchases of senior notes	(1,317,372)	(1,108,489)	(1,074,139)
Repayment of long-term debt and finance lease obligations	(41,548)	(42,767)	(42,422)
Payments made to parent of transferred businesses			(7,098)
Net proceeds from Class A common stock options exercised and stock issued under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan	36,435	19,981	28,574
Stock Rights Offering	998,408
Debt issuance costs			(6,158)
Other, net	(4,092)	(3,270)	(1,994)
Net cash flows from financing activities	(328,169)	(1,134,545)	(103,237)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and cash equivalents	1,616,396	(591,977)	(3,845,283)
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period (Note 6)	887,924	1,479,901	5,325,184
Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and cash equivalents, end of period (Note 6)	$ 2,504,320	$ 887,924	$ 1,479,901