Reportable Segments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Reportable Segments Details [Abstract]
Interest expense	$ (93,000,000)	$ (94,000,000)	$ (281,000,000)	$ (308,000,000)
Interest income	2,000,000	1,000,000	6,000,000	4,000,000
Net loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	(57,000,000)	0	(32,000,000)
Other items, net	7,000,000	(3,000,000)	(2,000,000)	5,000,000
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in earnings (loss) of investee companies	744,000,000	635,000,000	2,189,000,000	1,926,000,000
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(254,000,000)	(236,000,000)	(744,000,000)	(665,000,000)
Equity in loss of investee companies, net of tax	(21,000,000)	(14,000,000)	(37,000,000)	(30,000,000)
Net earnings (loss) from continuing operations	469,000,000	385,000,000	1,408,000,000	1,231,000,000
Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax (Note 4)	25,000,000	6,000,000	1,000,000	(50,000,000)
Net earnings	494,000,000	391,000,000	1,409,000,000	1,181,000,000
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Revenues	3,634,000,000	3,266,000,000	11,373,000,000	10,391,000,000
Segment OIBDA	941,000,000	904,000,000	2,809,000,000	2,622,000,000
Operating Income (Loss)	828,000,000	788,000,000	2,466,000,000	2,257,000,000
Impairment charges	0	0	0	(11,000,000)
Depreciation and amortization	113,000,000	116,000,000	343,000,000	354,000,000
Stock-based compensation	60,000,000	38,000,000	169,000,000	118,000,000
Capital expenditures	57,000,000	55,000,000	140,000,000	139,000,000
Assets	25,895,000,000		25,895,000,000		26,466,000,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Entertainment Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Revenues	1,884,000,000	1,680,000,000	6,431,000,000	5,705,000,000
Segment OIBDA	431,000,000	384,000,000	1,340,000,000	1,221,000,000
Operating Income (Loss)	394,000,000	346,000,000	1,225,000,000	1,101,000,000
Depreciation and amortization	37,000,000	38,000,000	115,000,000	120,000,000
Stock-based compensation	14,000,000	13,000,000	44,000,000	40,000,000
Capital expenditures	24,000,000	20,000,000	67,000,000	56,000,000
Assets	9,158,000,000		9,158,000,000		9,023,000,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Cable Networks Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Revenues	596,000,000	436,000,000	1,592,000,000	1,334,000,000
Segment OIBDA	261,000,000	227,000,000	699,000,000	626,000,000
Operating Income (Loss)	255,000,000	221,000,000	684,000,000	609,000,000
Depreciation and amortization	6,000,000	6,000,000	15,000,000	17,000,000
Stock-based compensation	2,000,000	1,000,000	6,000,000	4,000,000
Capital expenditures	2,000,000	5,000,000	6,000,000	9,000,000
Assets	1,992,000,000		1,992,000,000		1,750,000,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Publishing Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Revenues	224,000,000	210,000,000	584,000,000	575,000,000
Segment OIBDA	43,000,000	39,000,000	76,000,000	58,000,000
Operating Income (Loss)	41,000,000	38,000,000	71,000,000	53,000,000
Depreciation and amortization	2,000,000	1,000,000	5,000,000	5,000,000
Stock-based compensation	1,000,000	1,000,000	3,000,000	2,000,000
Capital expenditures	1,000,000	1,000,000	2,000,000	1,000,000
Assets	979,000,000		979,000,000		1,033,000,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Local Broadcasting Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Revenues	641,000,000	661,000,000	1,977,000,000	1,987,000,000
Segment OIBDA	181,000,000	213,000,000	635,000,000	632,000,000
Operating Income (Loss)	161,000,000	190,000,000	571,000,000	553,000,000
Depreciation and amortization	20,000,000	23,000,000	64,000,000	68,000,000
Stock-based compensation	7,000,000	7,000,000	21,000,000	19,000,000
Capital expenditures	15,000,000	14,000,000	33,000,000	38,000,000
Assets	9,548,000,000		9,548,000,000		9,614,000,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Outdoor Americas Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Revenues	341,000,000	334,000,000	957,000,000	956,000,000
Segment OIBDA	110,000,000	105,000,000	291,000,000	284,000,000
Operating Income (Loss)	68,000,000	62,000,000	165,000,000	157,000,000
Depreciation and amortization	42,000,000	43,000,000	126,000,000	127,000,000
Stock-based compensation	3,000,000	2,000,000	6,000,000	5,000,000
Capital expenditures	13,000,000	11,000,000	28,000,000	28,000,000
Assets	3,385,000,000		3,385,000,000		3,542,000,000
Corporate [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Segment OIBDA	(85,000,000)	(64,000,000)	(232,000,000)	(199,000,000)
Operating Income (Loss)	(91,000,000)	(69,000,000)	(250,000,000)	(216,000,000)
Depreciation and amortization	6,000,000	5,000,000	18,000,000	17,000,000
Stock-based compensation	33,000,000	14,000,000	89,000,000	48,000,000
Capital expenditures	2,000,000	4,000,000	4,000,000	7,000,000
Assets	655,000,000		655,000,000		1,026,000,000
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Revenues	(52,000,000)	(55,000,000)	(168,000,000)	(166,000,000)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Entertainment Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Revenues	(41,000,000)	(42,000,000)	(145,000,000)	(139,000,000)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Local Broadcasting Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Revenues	(4,000,000)	(5,000,000)	(11,000,000)	(14,000,000)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Outdoor Americas Segment [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Revenues	(7,000,000)	(8,000,000)	(12,000,000)	(13,000,000)
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Assets	178,000,000		178,000,000		478,000,000
Segment Reconciling Item [Member]
Reportable Segments [Line Items]
Impairment charges	0	0	0	(11,000,000)
Depreciation and amortization	$ 113,000,000	$ 116,000,000	$ 343,000,000	$ 354,000,000