Bank Financing and Debt (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum Consolidated Leverage Ratio [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Minimum Consolidated Coverage Ratio [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Consolidated Leverage Ratio [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Consolidated Coverage Ratio [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior Notes Due 2012 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Debentures Due 2012 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior Notes Due 2014 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Senior Notes Due 2017 [Member]	Feb. 29, 2012 Senior Notes Due 2022 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Senior Notes Due 2042 [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes Due 2056 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Continuing Operations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Continuing Operations [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Discontinued Operations [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Discontinued Operations [Member]
Bank Financing And Debt Details [Abstract]
Senior debt (1.95% - 8.875% due 2012 - 2056)	$ 5,863,000,000		$ 5,863,000,000		$ 5,925,000,000
Obligations under capital leases	77,000,000		77,000,000		78,000,000
Less current portion	20,000,000		20,000,000		24,000,000
Total long-term debt from continuing operations, net of current portion	5,907,000,000		5,907,000,000		5,958,000,000
Total Debt [Line Items]
Total debt	5,940,000,000		5,940,000,000		6,003,000,000												5,927,000,000	5,982,000,000	13,000,000	21,000,000
Bank Financing And Debt Parenthetical [Abstract]
Minimum interest rate of senior debt			1.95%
Maximum interest rate of senior debt			8.875%
Net unamortized premium (discount) on senior debt	(17,000,000)		(17,000,000)		4,000,000
Increase in carrying value of debt relating to previously settled fair value hedges	24,000,000		24,000,000		75,000,000
Face value of senior debt	5,860,000,000		5,860,000,000		5,850,000,000
Senior debt not guaranteed by CBS Operations Inc.	52,000,000		52,000,000
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Issuances													400,000,000	700,000,000	500,000,000
Repayment of debt instrument										338,000,000	152,000,000	400,000,000				700,000,000
Interest rate										5.625%	8.625%	8.20%	1.95%	3.375%	4.85%	6.75%
Net loss on early extinguishment of debt	(57,000,000)	0	(32,000,000)	0
Credit Facility [Abstract]
Commercial paper borrowings	0		0
Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility	2,000,000,000		2,000,000,000
Availability under the credit facility	$ 1,990,000,000		$ 1,990,000,000
Debt Covenants [Line Items]
Credit Facility covenant description						4.0x	3.0x
Credit Facility covenant compliance								1.6x	9.0x