CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY (DEFICIT) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Accumulated Earnings (Deficit)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2008	$ (3,209,677)	$ 0	$ 1,142,529	$ (8,792)	$ (4,343,414)
Increase (Decrease) in Shareholders' Equity
Dividends to DISH Orbital Corporation (Note 15)	(1,050,000)				(1,050,000)
Stock-based compensation	12,227		12,227
Income tax (expense) benefit related to stock awards and other	(142)		(142)
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net	12,625			12,625
Net income (loss)	603,655	0			603,655
Balance at Dec. 31, 2009	(3,631,312)	0	1,154,614	3,833	(4,789,759)
Increase (Decrease) in Shareholders' Equity
Capital distribution to affiliate	(266,699)				(266,699)
Stock-based compensation	15,387		15,387
Income tax (expense) benefit related to stock awards and other	559		559
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net	(68)			(68)
Capital transaction with EchoStar in connection with purchases of strategic investments, net of tax of $2,895 (Note 15)	(9,103)				(9,103)
Net income (loss)	948,676	0			948,676
Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	(2,942,560)	0	1,170,560	3,765	(4,116,885)
Increase (Decrease) in Shareholders' Equity
Dividends to DISH Orbital Corporation (Note 15)	(3,500,000)				(3,500,000)
Stock-based compensation	31,163		31,163
Income tax (expense) benefit related to stock awards and other	5,958		5,958
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net	(5,215)			(5,215)
Net income (loss)	1,525,683	0			1,525,683
Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$ (4,884,971)	$ 0	$ 1,207,681	$ (1,450)	$ (6,091,202)

Tax benefit associated with any equity-based compensation plan other than an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). The tax benefit results from the deduction by the entity on its tax return for an award of stock that exceeds the cumulative compensation cost for common stock or preferred stock recognized for financial reporting. Includes any resulting tax benefit that exceeds the previously recognized deferred tax asset (excess tax benefits).

+ References+ Details

Gross appreciation or the gross loss in value of the total of unsold available-for-sale securities (except when designated as a fair value hedge or which had been determined to have had an other than temporary decline in fair value below its amortized cost basis). While for technical reasons this element has no balance attribute, the default assumption is a credit balance consistent with its label.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 9

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6872113&loc=d3e27357-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 130

-Paragraph 19

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 13

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)

-Number 51

-Paragraph 38

-Subparagraph c(3)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 16

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 220

-SubTopic 10

-Section 55

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (e)-(g)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6920433&loc=d3e998-108581

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 130

-Paragraph 26

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 220

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 5

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6920043&loc=d3e557-108580

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 130

-Paragraph 24

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 130

-Paragraph 14

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 130

-Paragraph 17

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

- Definition

Total of all stockholders' equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which are attributable to the parent. The amount of the economic entity's stockholders' equity attributable to the parent excludes the amount of stockholders' equity which is allocable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (noncontrolling interest, minority interest). This excludes temporary equity and is sometimes called permanent equity.

+ References+ Details