Financial Information for Tracking Stock Groups - Statement of Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions |
3 Months Ended |
6 Months Ended |
Jun. 30, 2016 |
Jun. 30, 2015 |
Jun. 30, 2016 |
Jun. 30, 2015 |
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Net earnings (loss) |
$ 387
|
$ 258
|
$ 458
|
$ 410
|
Depreciation and amortization |
221
|
161
|
438
|
329
|
Stock-based compensation |
24
|
29
|
55
|
44
|
Cash payments for stock based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(91)
|
(10)
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(8)
|
(16)
|
Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
Ìý
|
(87)
|
21
|
(90)
|
Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
27
|
27
|
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(343)
|
(32)
|
(336)
|
(28)
|
(Gains) losses on transactions, net |
(2)
|
(111)
|
(9)
|
(111)
|
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
296
|
(30)
|
Other noncash charges (credits), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(63)
|
32
|
Current and other assets |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
392
|
287
|
Payables and other current liabilities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(508)
|
(246)
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
672
|
598
|
Proceeds from Sale of Other Assets, Investing Activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
129
|
271
|
Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(42)
|
(98)
|
Capital expended for property and equipment |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(125)
|
(104)
|
Cash receipts from returns of equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
200
|
Cash (paid) for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(20)
|
Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(264)
|
(626)
|
Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,174
|
677
|
Investments in equity investees measured at fair value |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(2,400)
|
Ìý
|
Other investing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1)
|
(47)
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,529)
|
253
|
Borrowings of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,365
|
1,467
|
Repayments of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(2,019)
|
(1,628)
|
Repurchases of Liberty common stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(417)
|
(377)
|
Minimum withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(13)
|
(13)
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
8
|
16
|
Other financing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(10)
|
(24)
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,086)
|
(559)
|
Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
4
|
(9)
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,939)
|
283
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
2,449
|
2,306
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
510
|
2,589
|
510
|
2,589
|
QVC Group Common Stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Net earnings (loss) |
138
|
120
|
236
|
280
|
Depreciation and amortization |
214
|
149
|
423
|
301
|
Stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
37
|
24
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(7)
|
(14)
|
Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
(9)
|
(9)
|
(30)
|
(33)
|
Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
14
|
14
|
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(5)
|
(8)
|
(4)
|
2
|
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(94)
|
(91)
|
Intergroup tax allocation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
274
|
43
|
Intergroup tax payments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(104)
|
(55)
|
Other noncash charges (credits), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
22
|
25
|
Current and other assets |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
369
|
283
|
Payables and other current liabilities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(491)
|
(208)
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
645
|
571
|
Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(2)
|
Capital expended for property and equipment |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(110)
|
(80)
|
Cash receipts from returns of equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
200
|
Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(80)
|
Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
12
|
93
|
Other investing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(2)
|
(47)
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(100)
|
84
|
Borrowings of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
778
|
1,098
|
Repayments of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(923)
|
(1,288)
|
Repurchases of Liberty common stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(417)
|
(377)
|
Minimum withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(13)
|
(14)
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
7
|
14
|
Other financing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(13)
|
(4)
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(581)
|
(571)
|
Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
4
|
(9)
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(32)
|
75
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
426
|
422
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
394
|
497
|
394
|
497
|
Liberty Ventures common stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Net earnings (loss) |
249
|
138
|
222
|
130
|
Depreciation and amortization |
7
|
12
|
15
|
28
|
Stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
18
|
20
|
Cash payments for stock based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(91)
|
(10)
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1)
|
(2)
|
Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
9
|
(78)
|
51
|
(57)
|
Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
13
|
13
|
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(338)
|
(24)
|
(332)
|
(30)
|
(Gains) losses on transactions, net |
(2)
|
(111)
|
(9)
|
(111)
|
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
390
|
61
|
Intergroup tax allocation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(274)
|
(43)
|
Intergroup tax payments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
104
|
55
|
Other noncash charges (credits), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(85)
|
7
|
Current and other assets |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
23
|
4
|
Payables and other current liabilities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(17)
|
(38)
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
27
|
27
|
Proceeds from Sale of Other Assets, Investing Activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
129
|
271
|
Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(42)
|
(96)
|
Capital expended for property and equipment |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(15)
|
(24)
|
Cash (paid) for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(20)
|
Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(264)
|
(546)
|
Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,162
|
584
|
Investments in equity investees measured at fair value |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(2,400)
|
Ìý
|
Other investing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1
|
Ìý
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,429)
|
169
|
Borrowings of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
587
|
369
|
Repayments of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,096)
|
(340)
|
Minimum withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1
|
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1
|
2
|
Other financing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
3
|
(20)
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(505)
|
12
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,907)
|
208
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
2,023
|
1,884
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
$ 116
|
$ 2,092
|
$ 116
|
$ 2,092
|