Commitments and Contingencies - Expected Contractual Cash Commitments (Details) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Expected contractual cash commitments
2016	$ 544,009
2017	628,083
2018	590,146
2019	555,041
2020	2,247,080
Thereafter	5,263,688
Total	9,828,047
Reserve for uncertain tax positions	4,281
Debt obligations
Expected contractual cash commitments
2016	4,143
2017	5,485
2018	4,477
2019	3,169
2020	1,750,427
Thereafter	4,000,000
Total	5,767,701
Cash interest payments
Expected contractual cash commitments
2016	223,735
2017	300,417
2018	300,286
2019	300,187
2020	280,788
Thereafter	736,188
Total	2,141,601
Satellite and transmission
Expected contractual cash commitments
2016	7,092
2017	3,193
2018	4,204
2019	4,184
2020	3,882
Thereafter	8,998
Total	31,553
Programming and content
Expected contractual cash commitments
2016	170,946
2017	226,718
2018	205,084
2019	187,907
2020	163,482
Thereafter	298,650
Total	1,252,787
Marketing and distribution
Expected contractual cash commitments
2016	16,042
2017	13,878
2018	12,444
2019	10,130
2020	4,646
Thereafter	4,600
Total	61,740
Satellite incentive payments
Expected contractual cash commitments
2016	9,421
2017	13,296
2018	14,302
2019	10,652
2020	7,918
Thereafter	35,609
Total	91,198
Operating lease obligations
Expected contractual cash commitments
2016	32,399
2017	43,967
2018	42,578
2019	38,110
2020	35,577
Thereafter	179,603
Total	372,234
Other
Expected contractual cash commitments
2016	80,231
2017	21,129
2018	6,771
2019	702
2020	360
Thereafter	40
Total	$ 109,233

Amount recognized for uncertainty in income taxes classified as noncurrent.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.24)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 440
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73718637&loc=d3e25383-109308

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