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Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
Segment Reporting (Details) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($) segment	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Segment information
Number of primary operating business units \| segment				2
Total assets	$ 33,497,474			$ 33,497,474		$ 33,230,935
Revenues	3,187,090		$ 3,211,312	6,404,479	$ 6,398,456
Operating income (loss)	637,650		430,732	781,728	887,032
Non-cash impairment charge		$ 253,000		227,000
Asset Impairment Charges				356,418
United States
Segment information
Revenues	3,181,999		3,200,541	6,383,447	6,376,794
Canada And Mexico
Segment information
Revenues	5,091		10,771	21,032	21,662
Pay-TV \| Operating segment
Segment information
Total assets	32,152,834			32,152,834		31,531,612
Revenues	3,186,444		3,211,836	6,404,468	6,400,005
Operating income (loss)	693,511		457,114	1,235,153	914,483
Wireless \| Operating segment
Segment information
Total assets	26,278,932			26,278,932		25,686,381
Revenues	1,279		120	2,381	123
Operating income (loss)	(55,861)		(26,382)	(453,425)	(27,451)
All Other and Eliminations \| Other and Eliminations
Segment information
Total assets	(24,934,292)			(24,934,292)		$ (23,987,058)
Revenues	(633)		(644)	(2,370)	(1,672)
Pay-TV video and related revenue
Segment information
Revenues	3,117,334		3,117,065	6,248,234	6,215,001
Broadband revenue
Segment information
Revenues	32,479		45,507	67,620	95,341
Equipment sales and other revenue
Segment information
Revenues	$ 37,277		$ 48,740	$ 88,625	$ 88,114