Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions |
3 Months Ended |
Mar. 31, 2018 |
Mar. 31, 2017 |
Investing Activities |
|
|
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
$ (8,565)
|
$ 0
|
Payments for (proceeds from) investments |
(22)
|
(188)
|
Distributions from equity method investees |
0
|
5
|
Purchases of property and equipment |
(48)
|
(47)
|
(Payments for) proceeds from derivative instruments, net |
(42)
|
5
|
Other investing activities, net |
2
|
1
|
Financing Activities |
|
|
Commercial paper borrowings, net |
0
|
54
|
Borrowings under revolving credit facility |
0
|
150
|
Borrowings under term loan agreements |
2,000
|
0
|
Principal repayments of revolving credit facility |
0
|
(125)
|
Borrowings from debt, net of discount and including premiums |
0
|
659
|
Principal repayments of debt, including discount payment and premiums to par value |
0
|
(650)
|
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations |
(13)
|
(13)
|
Repurchases of stock |
0
|
(200)
|
Cash settlement of common stock repurchase contracts |
|
58
|
Distributions to noncontrolling interests |
(2)
|
(3)
|
Share-based plan proceeds (payments), net |
23
|
(8)
|
Other financing activities, net |
(11)
|
(6)
|
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
(1)
|
20
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents |
(6,497)
|
(33)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
7,309
|
300
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
812
|
267
|
Reclassifications and Eliminations |
|
|
Operating Activities |
|
|
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
0
|
0
|
Investing Activities |
|
|
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
0
|
|
Payments for (proceeds from) investments |
0
|
0
|
Distributions from equity method investees |
|
0
|
Purchases of property and equipment |
0
|
0
|
(Payments for) proceeds from derivative instruments, net |
0
|
0
|
Inter-company distributions |
|
(2)
|
Other investing activities, net |
0
|
0
|
Cash used in investing activities |
0
|
(2)
|
Financing Activities |
|
|
Commercial paper borrowings, net |
|
0
|
Borrowings under revolving credit facility |
|
0
|
Borrowings under term loan agreements |
0
|
|
Principal repayments of revolving credit facility |
|
0
|
Borrowings from debt, net of discount and including premiums |
|
0
|
Principal repayments of debt, including discount payment and premiums to par value |
|
0
|
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations |
0
|
0
|
Repurchases of stock |
|
0
|
Cash settlement of common stock repurchase contracts |
|
0
|
Distributions to noncontrolling interests |
|
0
|
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests |
0
|
|
Share-based plan proceeds (payments), net |
0
|
0
|
Borrowing under program financing line of credit |
0
|
|
Other financing activities, net |
0
|
2
|
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
0
|
2
|
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
0
|
0
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
0
|
0
|
Discovery |
|
|
Operating Activities |
|
|
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
(54)
|
46
|
Investing Activities |
|
|
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
(8,714)
|
|
Payments for (proceeds from) investments |
0
|
0
|
Distributions from equity method investees |
|
0
|
Purchases of property and equipment |
0
|
0
|
(Payments for) proceeds from derivative instruments, net |
0
|
0
|
Inter-company distributions |
|
0
|
Other investing activities, net |
0
|
0
|
Cash used in investing activities |
(8,714)
|
0
|
Financing Activities |
|
|
Commercial paper borrowings, net |
|
0
|
Borrowings under revolving credit facility |
|
0
|
Borrowings under term loan agreements |
0
|
|
Principal repayments of revolving credit facility |
|
0
|
Borrowings from debt, net of discount and including premiums |
|
0
|
Principal repayments of debt, including discount payment and premiums to par value |
|
0
|
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations |
0
|
0
|
Repurchases of stock |
|
(200)
|
Cash settlement of common stock repurchase contracts |
|
58
|
Distributions to noncontrolling interests |
|
0
|
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests |
0
|
|
Share-based plan proceeds (payments), net |
23
|
(8)
|
Borrowing under program financing line of credit |
0
|
|
Other financing activities, net |
8,745
|
104
|
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
8,768
|
(46)
|
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
0
|
0
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
0
|
0
|
DCH |
|
|
Operating Activities |
|
|
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
(8)
|
(2)
|
Investing Activities |
|
|
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
0
|
|
Payments for (proceeds from) investments |
0
|
0
|
Distributions from equity method investees |
|
0
|
Purchases of property and equipment |
0
|
0
|
(Payments for) proceeds from derivative instruments, net |
0
|
0
|
Inter-company distributions |
|
0
|
Other investing activities, net |
0
|
0
|
Cash used in investing activities |
0
|
0
|
Financing Activities |
|
|
Commercial paper borrowings, net |
|
0
|
Borrowings under revolving credit facility |
|
0
|
Borrowings under term loan agreements |
0
|
|
Principal repayments of revolving credit facility |
|
0
|
Borrowings from debt, net of discount and including premiums |
|
0
|
Principal repayments of debt, including discount payment and premiums to par value |
|
0
|
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations |
0
|
0
|
Repurchases of stock |
|
0
|
Cash settlement of common stock repurchase contracts |
|
0
|
Distributions to noncontrolling interests |
|
0
|
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests |
0
|
|
Share-based plan proceeds (payments), net |
0
|
0
|
Borrowing under program financing line of credit |
0
|
|
Other financing activities, net |
8
|
2
|
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
8
|
2
|
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
0
|
0
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
0
|
0
|
DCL |
|
|
Operating Activities |
|
|
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
17
|
61
|
Investing Activities |
|
|
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
0
|
|
Payments for (proceeds from) investments |
0
|
1
|
Distributions from equity method investees |
|
0
|
Purchases of property and equipment |
(25)
|
(20)
|
(Payments for) proceeds from derivative instruments, net |
0
|
0
|
Inter-company distributions |
|
2
|
Other investing activities, net |
0
|
0
|
Cash used in investing activities |
(25)
|
(17)
|
Financing Activities |
|
|
Commercial paper borrowings, net |
|
54
|
Borrowings under revolving credit facility |
|
150
|
Borrowings under term loan agreements |
2,000
|
|
Principal repayments of revolving credit facility |
|
(125)
|
Borrowings from debt, net of discount and including premiums |
|
659
|
Principal repayments of debt, including discount payment and premiums to par value |
|
(650)
|
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations |
(2)
|
(2)
|
Repurchases of stock |
|
0
|
Cash settlement of common stock repurchase contracts |
|
0
|
Distributions to noncontrolling interests |
|
0
|
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests |
0
|
|
Share-based plan proceeds (payments), net |
0
|
0
|
Borrowing under program financing line of credit |
22
|
|
Other financing activities, net |
(8,445)
|
(132)
|
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
(6,425)
|
(46)
|
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents |
(6,433)
|
(2)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
6,800
|
20
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
367
|
18
|
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries of DCL |
|
|
Operating Activities |
|
|
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
210
|
150
|
Investing Activities |
|
|
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
0
|
|
Payments for (proceeds from) investments |
(28)
|
(189)
|
Distributions from equity method investees |
|
5
|
Purchases of property and equipment |
(23)
|
(27)
|
(Payments for) proceeds from derivative instruments, net |
(42)
|
5
|
Inter-company distributions |
|
0
|
Other investing activities, net |
2
|
1
|
Cash used in investing activities |
(91)
|
(205)
|
Financing Activities |
|
|
Commercial paper borrowings, net |
|
0
|
Borrowings under revolving credit facility |
|
0
|
Borrowings under term loan agreements |
0
|
|
Principal repayments of revolving credit facility |
|
0
|
Borrowings from debt, net of discount and including premiums |
|
0
|
Principal repayments of debt, including discount payment and premiums to par value |
|
0
|
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations |
(11)
|
(11)
|
Repurchases of stock |
|
0
|
Cash settlement of common stock repurchase contracts |
|
0
|
Distributions to noncontrolling interests |
|
(3)
|
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests |
(2)
|
|
Share-based plan proceeds (payments), net |
0
|
0
|
Borrowing under program financing line of credit |
0
|
|
Other financing activities, net |
(319)
|
18
|
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
(332)
|
4
|
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
(1)
|
20
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents |
(214)
|
(31)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
509
|
280
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
295
|
249
|
Other Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries of Discovery |
|
|
Operating Activities |
|
|
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
(5)
|
0
|
Investing Activities |
|
|
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
149
|
|
Payments for (proceeds from) investments |
6
|
0
|
Distributions from equity method investees |
|
0
|
Purchases of property and equipment |
0
|
0
|
(Payments for) proceeds from derivative instruments, net |
0
|
0
|
Inter-company distributions |
|
0
|
Other investing activities, net |
0
|
0
|
Cash used in investing activities |
155
|
0
|
Financing Activities |
|
|
Commercial paper borrowings, net |
|
0
|
Borrowings under revolving credit facility |
|
0
|
Borrowings under term loan agreements |
0
|
|
Principal repayments of revolving credit facility |
|
0
|
Borrowings from debt, net of discount and including premiums |
|
0
|
Principal repayments of debt, including discount payment and premiums to par value |
|
0
|
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations |
0
|
0
|
Repurchases of stock |
|
0
|
Cash settlement of common stock repurchase contracts |
|
0
|
Distributions to noncontrolling interests |
|
0
|
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests |
0
|
|
Share-based plan proceeds (payments), net |
0
|
0
|
Borrowing under program financing line of credit |
0
|
|
Other financing activities, net |
0
|
0
|
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
0
|
0
|
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents |
150
|
0
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
0
|
0
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
150
|
0
|
Discovery Communications Inc And Subsidiaries [Member] |
|
|
Operating Activities |
|
|
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
160
|
255
|
Investing Activities |
|
|
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
(8,565)
|
|
Payments for (proceeds from) investments |
(22)
|
(188)
|
Distributions from equity method investees |
|
5
|
Purchases of property and equipment |
(48)
|
(47)
|
(Payments for) proceeds from derivative instruments, net |
(42)
|
5
|
Inter-company distributions |
|
0
|
Other investing activities, net |
2
|
1
|
Cash used in investing activities |
(8,675)
|
(224)
|
Financing Activities |
|
|
Commercial paper borrowings, net |
|
54
|
Borrowings under revolving credit facility |
|
150
|
Borrowings under term loan agreements |
2,000
|
|
Principal repayments of revolving credit facility |
|
(125)
|
Borrowings from debt, net of discount and including premiums |
|
659
|
Principal repayments of debt, including discount payment and premiums to par value |
|
(650)
|
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations |
(13)
|
(13)
|
Repurchases of stock |
|
(200)
|
Cash settlement of common stock repurchase contracts |
|
58
|
Distributions to noncontrolling interests |
|
(3)
|
Distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests |
(2)
|
|
Share-based plan proceeds (payments), net |
23
|
(8)
|
Borrowing under program financing line of credit |
22
|
|
Other financing activities, net |
(11)
|
(6)
|
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
2,019
|
(84)
|
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
(1)
|
20
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents |
(6,497)
|
(33)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
7,309
|
300
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
$ 812
|
$ 267
|