Financial Information for Tracking Stock Groups - Statement of Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions |
3 Months Ended |
6 Months Ended |
Jun. 30, 2015 |
Jun. 30, 2014 |
Jun. 30, 2015 |
Jun. 30, 2014 |
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Net earnings (loss) |
$ 258
|
$ 106
|
$ 410
|
$ 216
|
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
(19)
|
Ìý
|
(38)
|
Depreciation and amortization |
161
|
164
|
329
|
327
|
Stock-based compensation |
29
|
26
|
44
|
51
|
Cash payments for stock based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(10)
|
(6)
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(16)
|
(10)
|
Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
(87)
|
(4)
|
(90)
|
(2)
|
Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
27
|
20
|
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(32)
|
41
|
(28)
|
66
|
(Gains) losses on transactions, net |
(111)
|
Ìý
|
(111)
|
Ìý
|
Impairment of intangible assets |
Ìý
|
7
|
Ìý
|
7
|
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(30)
|
(66)
|
Other noncash charges (credits), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
32
|
7
|
Current and other assets |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
287
|
311
|
Payables and other current liabilities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(246)
|
(51)
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
598
|
832
|
Proceeds from Sale of Other Assets, Investing Activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
271
|
25
|
Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(98)
|
(31)
|
Capital expended for property and equipment |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(104)
|
(85)
|
Cash receipts from returns of equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
200
|
Ìý
|
Cash (paid) for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(20)
|
Ìý
|
Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(626)
|
(257)
|
Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
677
|
237
|
Other investing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(47)
|
5
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
253
|
(106)
|
Borrowings of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,467
|
1,895
|
Repayments of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,628)
|
(1,744)
|
Repurchases of Liberty common stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(377)
|
(478)
|
Taxes paid in lieu of shares issued for stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(13)
|
(14)
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
16
|
10
|
Other financing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(24)
|
(36)
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(559)
|
(367)
|
Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(9)
|
(5)
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
255
|
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(11)
|
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(24)
|
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Discontinued Operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
3
|
Change in available cash held by discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(235)
|
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations, Total |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(12)
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
283
|
342
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
2,306
|
902
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
2,589
|
1,244
|
2,589
|
1,244
|
QVC Group Common Stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Net earnings (loss) |
120
|
114
|
280
|
234
|
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
7
|
Ìý
|
11
|
Depreciation and amortization |
149
|
165
|
301
|
327
|
Stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
24
|
48
|
Cash payments for stock based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(5)
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(14)
|
(9)
|
Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
(9)
|
(7)
|
(33)
|
(28)
|
Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
14
|
10
|
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(8)
|
(6)
|
2
|
(7)
|
Impairment of intangible assets |
Ìý
|
7
|
Ìý
|
7
|
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(91)
|
(101)
|
Intergroup tax allocation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
43
|
105
|
Intergroup tax payments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(55)
|
(276)
|
Other noncash charges (credits), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
25
|
4
|
Current and other assets |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
283
|
310
|
Payables and other current liabilities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(208)
|
(46)
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
571
|
584
|
Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(2)
|
(2)
|
Capital expended for property and equipment |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(80)
|
(88)
|
Cash receipts from returns of equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
200
|
Ìý
|
Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(80)
|
(38)
|
Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
93
|
27
|
Other investing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(47)
|
(10)
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
84
|
(111)
|
Borrowings of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,098
|
1,895
|
Repayments of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,288)
|
(1,739)
|
Intergroup receipts (payments), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
2
|
Repurchases of Liberty common stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(377)
|
(478)
|
Taxes paid in lieu of shares issued for stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(14)
|
(14)
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
14
|
9
|
Other financing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(4)
|
(36)
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(571)
|
(361)
|
Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(9)
|
(5)
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(14)
|
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1
|
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1)
|
Change in available cash held by discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
2
|
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations, Total |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(12)
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
75
|
95
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
422
|
595
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
497
|
690
|
497
|
690
|
Liberty Ventures common stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Net earnings (loss) |
138
|
(8)
|
130
|
(18)
|
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
(26)
|
Ìý
|
(49)
|
Depreciation and amortization |
12
|
(1)
|
28
|
Ìý
|
Stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
20
|
3
|
Cash payments for stock based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(10)
|
(1)
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(2)
|
(1)
|
Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
(78)
|
3
|
(57)
|
26
|
Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
13
|
10
|
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(24)
|
47
|
(30)
|
73
|
(Gains) losses on transactions, net |
(111)
|
Ìý
|
(111)
|
Ìý
|
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
61
|
35
|
Intergroup tax allocation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(43)
|
(105)
|
Intergroup tax payments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
55
|
276
|
Other noncash charges (credits), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
7
|
3
|
Current and other assets |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
4
|
1
|
Payables and other current liabilities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(38)
|
(5)
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
27
|
248
|
Proceeds from Sale of Other Assets, Investing Activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
271
|
25
|
Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(96)
|
(29)
|
Capital expended for property and equipment |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(24)
|
3
|
Cash (paid) for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(20)
|
Ìý
|
Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(546)
|
(219)
|
Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
584
|
210
|
Other investing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
15
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
169
|
5
|
Borrowings of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
369
|
Ìý
|
Repayments of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(340)
|
(5)
|
Intergroup receipts (payments), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(2)
|
Taxes paid in lieu of shares issued for stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1
|
Ìý
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
2
|
1
|
Other financing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(20)
|
Ìý
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
12
|
(6)
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
269
|
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(12)
|
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(23)
|
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Discontinued Operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
3
|
Change in available cash held by discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(237)
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
208
|
247
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,884
|
307
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
$ 2,092
|
$ 554
|
$ 2,092
|
$ 554
|