Stockholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended				3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended					6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2011	Feb. 28, 2011	Jul. 31, 2008	Jan. 31, 2004	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2009	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011 Series A Convertible Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2010 Series A Convertible Preferred Stock	Jun. 30, 2011 Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B-1	Dec. 31, 2010 Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B-1	Jun. 30, 2011 Preferred Stock, Series C Junior	Dec. 31, 2010 Preferred Stock, Series C Junior	Dec. 31, 2009 Preferred Stock, Series C Junior
Stockholder's Equity (Textuals) [Abstract]
Issuance of Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock											0	0	12,500,000	12,500,000	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding											0	0	12,500,000	12,500,000	0	0
The rate Series B Preferred Stock is convertible into shares of our common stock													206.9581409
Percentage of shares Liberty Media would own of our common stock after conversion of Series B Preferred Stock													40.00%
Preferred Stock Reserved For Issuance In Accordance With Rights Plan																	9,000
Additional Stockholder's Equity (Textuals) [Abstract]
Common stock, shares authorized					9,000,000,000			9,000,000,000		9,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued					3,948,913,078			3,948,913,078		3,933,195,112
Common stock, shares outstanding					3,948,913,078			3,948,913,078		3,933,195,112
Common stock reserved for issuance					3,287,210,000			3,287,210,000
Number of common shares exchanged under share lending agreements			262,400,000
Exchange fee per common share for loaned shares			$ 0.001
Number of share common shares returned on common stock borrowed							60,000,000
Shares of common stock loaned under share lending agreements					202,400,000			202,400,000		202,400,000
Amortization of costs related to share-lending arrangement and other issuance costs					$ 2,760,000	$ 2,491,000		$ 5,450,000	$ 4,918,000
Maximum number of business days upto which a share borrower can delay the return of borrowed shares								30 days
Maximum number of business days upto which a share borrower can delay the return of borrowed shares under certain circumstances								60 days
Unamortized, debt issuance costs					45,793,000			45,793,000		51,243,000
Unamortized, debt issuance costs recorded in deferred financing fees, net					44,877,000			44,877,000		50,218
Unamortized, debt issuance costs recorded in long-term related party assets					916,000			916,000		1,025,000
Estimated fair value of remaining loaned shares					443,256,000			443,256,000		329,912,000
Common stock delivered under seven agreement with programming provider				15,173,070
Value of common stock delivered under agreement with sports programming provider				40,967,000
Share-based payment expense related to seven year agreement with sports programming provider					0	219,000		1,568,000	1,860,000
Preferred stock, par value					$ 0.001			$ 0.001		$ 0.001
Remaining value of common stock included in other current assets related to the seven year agreement with sports provider					$ 0			$ 0		$ 1,568,000
Undesignated preferred stock, shares authorized					50,000,000			50,000,000		50,000,000
Number of outstanding warrants to acquire common stock					24,346,000			24,346,000
Average exercise price of warrant					$ 2.96			$ 2.96
Warrants exercised to purchase common stock		16,500,000
Issuance of shares of common stock resulting from the exercise of warrants based on the exercise price		7,122,951
The Rights Plan is intended to act as a deterrent to any person or group acquiring this percentage or more of our outstanding common stock	4.90%
Warrants expired					525,000			1,575,000