Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Feb. 28, 2017
Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents and Other Investment Securities:
Trading/equity (Note 2)	$ 2,370	$ 93,367
Total current marketable investment securities	149,740	185,513
Restricted marketable investment securities(1)	67,019	72,014
Total marketable investment securities	216,759	257,527
Restricted cash and cash equivalents (1)	578	393
Other investment securities	108,308	113,460
Total other investment securities	108,308	113,460
Total marketable investment securities, restricted cash and cash equivalents, and other investment securities	$ 325,645	371,380
Maximum maturities of commercial paper	365 days
Maximum maturities of corporate securities	18 months
NagraStar L.L.C
Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents and Other Investment Securities:
Ownership interest in equity method investment			50.00%
Current marketable investment securities - other
Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents and Other Investment Securities:
Total current marketable investment securities	$ 147,370	$ 92,146

Maximum maturities of commercial paper.

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Maximum maturities of corporate securities.

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The amount of marketable securities pledged as collateral noncurrent.

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The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

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Amount of investment in marketable security.

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Amount of investment in marketable security, classified as current.

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Amount of investments classified as other.

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Amount of cash and cash equivalents restricted as to withdrawal or usage. Cash includes, but is not limited to, currency on hand, demand deposits with banks or financial institutions, and other accounts with general characteristics of demand deposits. Cash equivalents include, but are not limited to, short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

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Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (trading) and investment in equity security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI).

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