Stock-Based Compensation (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended				6 Months Ended							1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Dish awards	Dec. 31, 2011 Dish awards Class A common stock	Jun. 30, 2012 Dish awards Class A common stock	Dec. 31, 2011 Dish awards Class B common stock	Jun. 30, 2012 Long-Term Performance Based Plans	Jun. 30, 2011 Long-Term Performance Based Plans	Jun. 30, 2012 Long-Term Performance Based Plans	Jun. 30, 2011 Long-Term Performance Based Plans	Jun. 30, 2012 2005 LTIP	Dec. 31, 2005 2005 LTIP	Jun. 30, 2012 2005 LTIP Dish awards	Jun. 30, 2012 2005 LTIP Echostar awards	Jun. 30, 2012 The 2008 LTIP	Jun. 30, 2011 The 2008 LTIP	Jun. 30, 2012 The 2008 LTIP	Jun. 30, 2011 The 2008 LTIP	Jun. 30, 2012 The 2008 LTIP Dish awards	Jun. 30, 2012 Other Employee Performance Awards	Jun. 30, 2011 Other Employee Performance Awards	Jun. 30, 2012 Other Employee Performance Awards	Jun. 30, 2011 Other Employee Performance Awards	Jun. 30, 2012 Other Employee Performance Awards Dish awards	Jun. 30, 2012 2012 Stock Option Adjustment	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options Y	Jun. 30, 2011 Stock Options Y	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options Y	Jun. 30, 2011 Stock Options Y	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options Maximum	Jun. 30, 2011 Stock Options Maximum	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options Maximum	Jun. 30, 2011 Stock Options Maximum	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options Minimum	Jun. 30, 2011 Stock Options Minimum	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options Minimum	Jun. 30, 2011 Stock Options Minimum	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options Dish awards	Jan. 02, 2008 Stock Options Dish awards multiplicationfactor	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options Dish awards Maximum	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options Echostar awards	Jan. 02, 2008 Stock Options Echostar awards multiplicationfactor	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options Long-Term Performance Based Plans Dish awards	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options 2005 LTIP Dish awards	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options The 2008 LTIP Dish awards	Jun. 30, 2012 Stock Options Other Employee Performance Awards Dish awards	Jan. 31, 2012 Stock Options 2012 Stock Option Adjustment Dish awards employee	Jun. 30, 2012 Restricted Stock Units Dish awards	Jun. 30, 2012 Restricted Stock Units Echostar awards	Jan. 02, 2008 Restricted Stock Units Echostar awards	Jun. 30, 2012 Restricted Stock Units Long-Term Performance Based Plans Dish awards	Jun. 30, 2012 Restricted Stock Units 2005 LTIP Dish awards	Jun. 30, 2012 Restricted Stock Units The 2008 LTIP Dish awards	Jun. 30, 2012 Restricted Stock Units Other Employee Performance Awards Dish awards
Stock-Based Compensation
Expiration term (in years)																																										P10Y
Percentage of stock awards vesting per year (as a percent)					20% per year
Common stock available for future grant under stock incentive plans (in shares)							72,700,000
Cash dividend (in dollars per share)						$ 2.00		$ 2.00
Number of stock options subject to an exercise price change in connection with the Stock Option Adjustment (in shares)																																																	17,300,000
Number of employees affected by stock option adjustment																																																	400
Reduction in exercise price due to dividend declaration (in dollars per share)																																																	$ 2.00
Stock option converted into new stock options (in shares)																																								2
Multiplication factor for conversion of original stock option to new stock option																																									0.831219			0.843907
Portion of the number of shares that were exercisable under the original option needed to receive a new stock option (as a percent)																																											one-fifth
One Echostar restricted stock unit converted into new Dish Network restricted stock units (in shares)																																																				5
Stock option activity
Total options outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)																																								17,640,074					6,531,800	1,881,500	1,650,300	3,000,000
Granted (in shares)																																								499,500
Exercised (in shares)																																								(2,440,967)
Forfeited and cancelled (in shares)																																								(386,500)
Total options outstanding, end of period (in shares)																																								15,312,107			700,430		6,531,800	1,881,500	1,650,300	3,000,000
Exercisable at end of period (in shares)																																								5,926,911
Weighted-Average Exercise Price
Total options outstanding, beginning of period (in dollars per share)																																								$ 20.38					$ 18.70	$ 21.61	$ 10.92	$ 21.16
Granted (in dollars per share)																																								$ 32.14
Exercised (in dollars per share)																																								$ 18.44
Forfeited and cancelled (in dollars per share)																																								$ 20.32
Total options outstanding, end of period (in dollars per share)																																								$ 18.91					$ 18.70	$ 21.61	$ 10.92	$ 21.16
Exercisable at end of period (in shares)																																								$ 17.97
Aggregate intrinsic value
Options outstanding																																								$ 151,123
Options exercisable																																								63,994
Restricted stock units
Total restricted stock units outstanding, beginning of period (in shares)																																																		1,179,709	44,020		1,092,581	216,831	10,750	865,000
Vested (in shares)																																																		(24,795)
Forfeited and cancelled (in shares)																																																		(62,333)
Total restricted stock units outstanding, end of period (in shares)																																																		1,092,581	44,020		1,092,581	216,831	10,750	865,000
Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value
Total restricted stock units outstanding, beginning of period (in dollars per share)																																																		$ 23.11			$ 22.90
Vested (in dollars per share)																																																		$ 22.94
Forfeited and cancelled (in dollars per share)																																																		$ 26.20
Total restricted stock units outstanding, end of period (in dollars per share)																																																		$ 22.90			$ 22.90
2005 LTIP Terms
Vesting period														7 years
Percentage awards vesting per annum during first four years														10.00%
Percentage awards vesting per annum after first four years														20.00%
Unrecognized non-cash stock-based compensation expense
Total													36,940		31,296	5,644
Vested Portion													29,734		25,107	4,627
Share-based compensation additional disclosures
Tax benefit from stock awards exercised																												9,787	5,614	11,530	6,409
Portion vested (as a percent)																	70.00%		70.00%
Remaining portion to meet vesting condition (as a percent)																	30.00%		30.00%
Recognized non-cash stock-based compensation expense
Non-cash stock-based compensation expense recognized	6,757	3,718	28,844	18,860					3,612	1,408	12,029	14,287					2,179	1,495	7,457	14,299		1,433	(87)	4,572	(12)		13,000
Estimated Remaining Non-Cash, Stock-Based Compensation Expense
Remaining expense estimated to be recognized during 2012																					1,823					2,128
Estimated contingent expense subsequent to 2012																					1,915					46,559
Total estimated expense remaining over the term of plan																					$ 3,738					$ 48,687
Black-Scholes option valuation model, assumptions
Risk free interest rate, low end of range (as a percent)																												0.41%	1.76%	0.41%	1.76%
Risk free interest rate, high end of range (as a percent)																												0.87%	3.18%	1.29%	3.18%
Volatility factor, low end of range (as a percent)																												33.15%	31.74%	33.15%	31.74%
Volatility factor, high end of range (as a percent)																												38.87%	41.00%	39.34%	41.00%
Expected term of options, low end of range (in years)																												3.1	4.7	3.1	4.7
Expected term of options, high end of range (in years)																												5.8	10.0	5.9	10.0
Weighted-average fair value of options granted (in dollars per share)																																$ 10.72	$ 14.77	$ 12.69	$ 14.77	$ 6.72	$ 11.33	$ 6.72	$ 9.16
Dividend yield percentage																														0.00%