Commitments and Contingencies (Details 5) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 09, 2013 item	Oct. 23, 2012	Dec. 31, 2007 item	Oct. 11, 2012	Apr. 30, 2009	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2008	Jul. 31, 2009 item	May 31, 2012	Jul. 08, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2012	Jan. 31, 2008	Jun. 21, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Mar. 15, 2010
Loss contingencies
General and administrative expenses	$ 762,146,000	$ 687,122,000	$ 666,217,000
Loss Contingency Terms
Litigation expense			730,457,000
Garnet Digital
Loss Contingency Terms
Number of companies against whom similar complaints brought				15
LightSquared transaction shareholder derivative actions
Loss contingencies
Number of shareholders who filed lawsuits	5
Lightsquared Harbinger Capital Partners LLC
Loss contingencies
Business days allowed to terminate existing agreements	3 days
Voom Settlement Agreement
Loss Contingency Terms
Payments under the multi-year affiliation agreement allocated to the fair value of the Voom Settlement Agreement	54,000,000
Cash paid under settlement agreement					700,000,000
Fair value of MVDDS Licenses	24,000,000
Litigation expense			730,000,000
Katz Communications-Patent infringement
Loss Contingency Terms
Number of patents the suit alleges infringement of						19
Number of patents remain in the lawsuit	4
Number of reexamination petitions pending before patent and trademark office	2
Satellite transponder guarantees
Loss contingencies
Guarantees for payments	312,000,000
ESPN-Affiliation agreements
Loss contingencies
Claim amount								30,000,000			35,000,000
Court ruling																		66,000,000		66,000,000
Litigation accrual			71,000,000																42,000,000
Attorneys' fees							5,000,000		71,000,000	24,000,000
General and administrative expenses			5,000,000
Payment of accrued interest									12,000,000
Technology Development Licensing
Loss Contingency Terms
Number of reexamination petitions pending before patent and trademark office												2
Hopper litigation | Maximum
Loss contingencies
Number of days to store HD primetime programs recordings													8 days
Norman IP Holdings
Loss Contingency Terms
Minimum number of autonomous streamlined signal processors	1
Do Not Call Litigation
Loss contingencies
Period of injunctive relief sought from placing any outbound telemarketing calls to market or promote its goods or services	5 years
Do Not Call Litigation | DISH Network L.L.C.
Loss contingencies
Claim amount	270,000,000
Lightsquared Harbinger Capital Partners LLC | Minimum
Loss contingencies
Claim amount														500,000,000
Personalized Media Communications Inc | Maximum
Loss contingencies
Claim amount															450,000,000	650,000,000
Personalized Media Communications Inc | Minimum
Loss contingencies
Claim amount															150,000,000	500,000,000
Voom Settlement Agreement
Loss contingencies
Claim amount																	$ 2,500,000,000