Supplemental Financial Information

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Additional Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]

16) SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Supplemental Cash Flow Information


	Nine Months Ended
	September 30,
	2020		2019
Cash paid for interest	$	765	$	790

Cash paid for income taxes	$	298	$	586

Noncash additions to operating lease assets	$	124	$	357

Variable Interest Entities

In the normal course of business, we enter into joint ventures or make investments with business partners that support our underlying business strategy and provide us the ability to enter new markets to expand the reach of our brands, develop new programming and/or distribute our existing content. In certain instances, an entity in which we make an investment may qualify as a VIE. In determining whether we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE, we assess whether we have the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the activities of the VIE and have the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

The Consolidated Balance Sheets include assets and liabilities related to consolidated VIEs totaling $1.31 billion and $232 million, respectively, at September 30, 2020, and $141 million and $22 million, respectively, at December 31, 2019. Revenues and operating income from our consolidated VIEs were $50 million and $6 million, respectively, for the three months ended September 30, 2020, and $606 million and $504 million, respectively, for the nine months ended September 30, 2020. Revenues and operating income from our consolidated VIEs were not significant for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019. The increase in amounts related to our consolidated VIEs reflects the acquisition of Miramax (see Note 2) and the licensing of the streaming rights to South Park by a consolidated 51%-owned VIE in the second quarter of 2020.

Lease Income

We enter into operating leases for the use of our owned production facilities and office buildings. Lease payments received under these agreements consist of fixed payments for the rental of space and certain building operating costs, as well as variable payments based on usage of production facilities and services, and escalating costs of building operations. We recorded total lease income, including both fixed and variable amounts, of $32 million and $85 million for three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively, and $42 million and $120 million for three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively.