Goodwill and Intangible Assets (2) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Goodwill gross	$ 45,619,000,000	$ 45,523,000,000	$ 45,752,000,000
Accumulated impairment losses	(36,999,000,000)	(36,999,000,000)	(37,084,000,000)
Goodwill, net of impairment	8,620,000,000	8,524,000,000	8,668,000,000
Acquisitions	107,000,000	4,000,000
Dispositions	0	(7,000,000)
Other	(11,000,000)	(141,000,000)
Intangible Assets Table [Line Items]
Gross intangible assets	7,652,000,000	7,668,000,000
Accumulated amortization, intangible assets	(1,126,000,000)	(1,044,000,000)
Total intangible assets, net	6,526,000,000	6,624,000,000
Amortization Expense [Abstract]
Amortization expense	122,000,000	130,000,000	134,000,000
Aggregate annual amortization expense for existing intangible assets subject to amortization for future five years [Abstract]
2012	102,000,000
2013	89,000,000
2014	79,000,000
2015	69,000,000
2016	61,000,000
Leasehold agreements [Member]
Intangible Assets Table [Line Items]
Gross intangible assets	882,000,000	895,000,000
Accumulated amortization, intangible assets	(590,000,000)	(562,000,000)
Total intangible assets, net	292,000,000	333,000,000
Franchise Agreements [Member]
Intangible Assets Table [Line Items]
Gross intangible assets	487,000,000	491,000,000
Accumulated amortization, intangible assets	(292,000,000)	(272,000,000)
Total intangible assets, net	195,000,000	219,000,000
Other Intangible Assets [Member]
Intangible Assets Table [Line Items]
Gross intangible assets	376,000,000	375,000,000
Accumulated amortization, intangible assets	(244,000,000)	(210,000,000)
Total intangible assets, net	132,000,000	165,000,000
Total Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Member]
Intangible Assets Table [Line Items]
Gross intangible assets	1,745,000,000	1,761,000,000
Accumulated amortization, intangible assets	(1,126,000,000)	(1,044,000,000)
Total intangible assets, net	619,000,000	717,000,000
FCC Licenses [Member]
Intangible Assets Table [Line Items]
Gross intangible assets	5,738,000,000	5,738,000,000
Accumulated amortization, intangible assets	0	0
Total intangible assets, net	5,738,000,000	5,738,000,000
Trade names [Member]
Intangible Assets Table [Line Items]
Gross intangible assets	169,000,000	169,000,000
Accumulated amortization, intangible assets	0	0
Total intangible assets, net	169,000,000	169,000,000
Goodwill Gross [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	107,000,000	4,000,000
Dispositions	0	(92,000,000)
Other	(11,000,000)	(141,000,000)
Accumulated Impairment Losses [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	85,000,000
Other	0	0
Entertainment Segment [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Goodwill gross	9,456,000,000	9,352,000,000	9,392,000,000
Accumulated impairment losses	(6,294,000,000)	(6,294,000,000)	(6,294,000,000)
Goodwill, net of impairment	3,162,000,000	3,058,000,000	3,098,000,000
Acquisitions	107,000,000	0
Dispositions	0	0
Other	(3,000,000)	(40,000,000)
Entertainment Segment [Member] | Goodwill Gross [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	107,000,000	0
Dispositions	0	0
Other	(3,000,000)	(40,000,000)
Entertainment Segment [Member] | Accumulated Impairment Losses [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	0
Other	0	0
Cable Networks Segment [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Goodwill gross	480,000,000	480,000,000	480,000,000
Accumulated impairment losses	0	0	0
Goodwill, net of impairment	480,000,000	480,000,000	480,000,000
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	0
Other	0	0
Cable Networks Segment [Member] | Goodwill Gross [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	0
Other	0	0
Cable Networks Segment [Member] | Accumulated Impairment Losses [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	0
Other	0	0
Publishing Segment [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Goodwill gross	407,000,000	407,000,000	416,000,000
Accumulated impairment losses	0	0	0
Goodwill, net of impairment	407,000,000	407,000,000	416,000,000
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	0
Other	0	(9,000,000)
Publishing Segment [Member] | Goodwill Gross [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	0
Other	0	(9,000,000)
Publishing Segment [Member] | Accumulated Impairment Losses [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	0
Other	0	0
Local Broadcasting Segment [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Goodwill gross	23,466,000,000	23,466,000,000	23,593,000,000
Accumulated impairment losses	(20,816,000,000)	(20,816,000,000)	(20,887,000,000)
Goodwill, net of impairment	2,650,000,000	2,650,000,000	2,706,000,000
Acquisitions	0	4,000,000
Dispositions	0	(5,000,000)
Other	0	(55,000,000)
Local Broadcasting Segment [Member] | Goodwill Gross [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	0	4,000,000
Dispositions	0	(76,000,000)
Other	0	(55,000,000)
Local Broadcasting Segment [Member] | Accumulated Impairment Losses [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	71,000,000
Other	0	0
Outdoor Segment [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Goodwill gross	11,810,000,000	11,818,000,000	11,871,000,000
Accumulated impairment losses	(9,889,000,000)	(9,889,000,000)	(9,903,000,000)
Goodwill, net of impairment	1,921,000,000	1,929,000,000	1,968,000,000
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	(2,000,000)
Other	(8,000,000)	(37,000,000)
Outdoor Segment [Member] | Goodwill Gross [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	(16,000,000)
Other	(8,000,000)	(37,000,000)
Outdoor Segment [Member] | Accumulated Impairment Losses [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward [Line Items]
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	14,000,000
Other	$ 0	$ 0