Commitments and Contingencies - Part 2 (Details)										1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 29, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 27, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 05, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 06, 2017 USD ($)	May 22, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 23, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 22, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 18, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 23, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Feb. 12, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 12, 2019 patent	Jun. 05, 2017 USD ($)
Loss contingencies
Asset Impairment Charges											$ 356,418,000
Network Development Future Expenditures											10,000,000,000
Turner Network Sales, Inc.
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount				$ 159,000,000
Claimed interest				$ 24,000,000
Remaining claims, incremental exposure												$ 206,000,000
Payment For License Fee		$ 20,000,000
ClearPlay
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount											543,000,000
Minimum
Loss contingencies
Wireless Projects Future Expenditures											250,000,000
Maximum
Loss contingencies
Wireless Projects Future Expenditures											$ 500,000,000
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | AWS-3 Licenses
Loss contingencies
Interim Build-out Requirement (as a percent)											40.00%
Final Build-out Requirement (as a percent)											75.00%
Accelerated period to meet Final Build-Out Requirement on failure to meet Interim Build-Out Requirement											2 years
Northstar Spectrum And SNR Holdco | SNR Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit								25.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit											25.00%
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses | Vermont National Telephone Company
Loss contingency terms
Percentage Of Bidding Credit						25.00%
Recovery amount						$ 10,000,000,000
Bidding Credit						$ 3,300,000,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses | Minimum | Vermont National Telephone Company
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount							$ 5,500
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | AWS-3 Licenses | Maximum | Vermont National Telephone Company
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount							$ 11,000
Northstar Wireless or Northstar Spectrum | Northstar Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Bidding Credit								$ 1,961,000,000
SNR Wireless or SNR Wireless Holdco | SNR Licenses
Loss contingency terms
Bidding Credit								$ 1,370,000,000
Telemarketing Litigation
Loss contingencies
Period of injunctive relief sought from placing any outbound telemarketing calls to market or promote its goods or services											5 years
Period barred from making outbound telemarketing calls											2 years
Number Of Telemarketing Calls | item										51,119
Litigation Per Call Damages										$ 400
Krakauer Action
Loss contingencies
Third party number of call made in case trebled damages per call					$ 1,200
Settlement amount awarded to other party			$ 61,000,000
Krakauer Action | Other Accrued Expense
Loss contingencies
Litigation accrual													$ 61,000,000
Judicial Ruling | Krakauer Action
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount	$ 10,760,000
Mobile Networking Solutions [Member]
Loss contingency terms
Number Of Patents | patent														2
DISH Network L.L.C. | Telemarketing Litigation
Loss contingencies
Damages awarded to state and federal plaintiff															$ 280,000,000
Loss contingency terms
Claim amount									$ 270,000,000
DISH Network L.L.C. | Telemarketing Litigation | Other Accrued Expense
Loss contingencies
Litigation accrual											$ 280,000,000		$ 280,000,000