Reportable Segments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Reportable Segments Details [Abstract]
Impairment charges	$ 0	$ 0	$ (11,000,000)	$ 0
Interest expense	(95,000,000)	(110,000,000)	(309,000,000)	(330,000,000)
Interest income	2,000,000	2,000,000	5,000,000	5,000,000
Net loss on early extinguishment of debt (Note 6)	(57,000,000)	0	(32,000,000)	0
Other items, net	3,000,000	(21,000,000)	12,000,000	(7,000,000)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings (loss) of investee companies	624,000,000	574,000,000	1,858,000,000	1,542,000,000
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(219,000,000)	(217,000,000)	(647,000,000)	(569,000,000)
Equity in loss of investee companies, net of tax	(14,000,000)	(19,000,000)	(30,000,000)	(38,000,000)
Net earnings	391,000,000	338,000,000	1,181,000,000	935,000,000
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	3,418,000,000	3,365,000,000	10,818,000,000	10,461,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	55,000,000	40,000,000	166,000,000	133,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	898,000,000	837,000,000	2,583,000,000	2,286,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	771,000,000	703,000,000	2,182,000,000	1,874,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	127,000,000	134,000,000	390,000,000	412,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	38,000,000	35,000,000	119,000,000	110,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	59,000,000	57,000,000	152,000,000	152,000,000
Total Assets	26,392,000,000		26,392,000,000		26,197,000,000
Entertainment Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	1,680,000,000	1,632,000,000	5,705,000,000	5,462,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	42,000,000	27,000,000	139,000,000	101,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	384,000,000	405,000,000	1,221,000,000	1,113,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	346,000,000	366,000,000	1,101,000,000	996,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	38,000,000	39,000,000	120,000,000	117,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	13,000,000	11,000,000	40,000,000	35,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	20,000,000	22,000,000	56,000,000	53,000,000
Total Assets	8,522,000,000		8,522,000,000		8,471,000,000
Cable Networks Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	436,000,000	420,000,000	1,334,000,000	1,226,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	227,000,000	203,000,000	626,000,000	532,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	221,000,000	197,000,000	609,000,000	515,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	6,000,000	6,000,000	17,000,000	17,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	1,000,000	2,000,000	4,000,000	4,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	5,000,000	3,000,000	9,000,000	8,000,000
Total Assets	1,777,000,000		1,777,000,000		1,679,000,000
Publishing Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	210,000,000	220,000,000	575,000,000	558,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	39,000,000	38,000,000	58,000,000	64,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	38,000,000	36,000,000	53,000,000	58,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	1,000,000	2,000,000	5,000,000	6,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	1,000,000	0	2,000,000	2,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	3,000,000
Total Assets	996,000,000		996,000,000		1,091,000,000
Local Broadcasting Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	661,000,000	656,000,000	1,987,000,000	1,968,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	5,000,000	6,000,000	14,000,000	15,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	213,000,000	184,000,000	632,000,000	583,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	190,000,000	161,000,000	553,000,000	508,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	23,000,000	23,000,000	68,000,000	75,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	7,000,000	6,000,000	19,000,000	17,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	14,000,000	17,000,000	38,000,000	45,000,000
Total Assets	9,526,000,000		9,526,000,000		9,626,000,000
Outdoor Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	486,000,000	477,000,000	1,383,000,000	1,380,000,000
Total Intercompany Revenues	8,000,000	7,000,000	13,000,000	17,000,000
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	99,000,000	80,000,000	245,000,000	215,000,000
Total Operating Income (Loss)	45,000,000	21,000,000	82,000,000	35,000,000
Total Depreciation and Amortization	54,000,000	59,000,000	163,000,000	180,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	2,000,000	2,000,000	6,000,000	5,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	15,000,000	12,000,000	41,000,000	38,000,000
Total Assets	3,994,000,000		3,994,000,000		4,092,000,000
Corporate [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	(53,000,000)	(55,000,000)	(163,000,000)	(164,000,000)
Total Operating Income (Loss)	(58,000,000)	(60,000,000)	(180,000,000)	(181,000,000)
Total Depreciation and Amortization	5,000,000	5,000,000	17,000,000	17,000,000
Total Stock-based Compensation	14,000,000	14,000,000	48,000,000	47,000,000
Total Capital Expenditures	4,000,000	2,000,000	7,000,000	5,000,000
Total Assets	1,644,000,000		1,644,000,000		1,262,000,000
Residual Costs [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	(12,000,000)	(19,000,000)	(36,000,000)	(56,000,000)
Total Operating Income (Loss)	(12,000,000)	(19,000,000)	(36,000,000)	(56,000,000)
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Assets	74,000,000		74,000,000		77,000,000
Eliminations [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Total Revenues	(55,000,000)	(40,000,000)	(166,000,000)	(133,000,000)
Total OIBDA before Impairment Charges	1,000,000	1,000,000	0	(1,000,000)
Total Operating Income (Loss)	1,000,000	1,000,000	0	(1,000,000)
Total Assets	$ (141,000,000)		$ (141,000,000)		$ (101,000,000)