Financial Information for Tracking Stock Groups - Statement of Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Millions |
12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2017 |
Dec. 31, 2016 |
Dec. 31, 2015 |
| Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Net earnings (loss) |
$ 2,487
|
$ 1,274
|
$ 911
|
| Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
(20)
|
(280)
|
| Depreciation and amortization |
725
|
874
|
703
|
| Stock-based compensation |
123
|
97
|
127
|
| Cash payments for stock based compensation |
Ìý
|
(92)
|
(16)
|
| Noncash interest expense |
Ìý
|
12
|
5
|
| Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
200
|
68
|
178
|
| Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
29
|
31
|
32
|
| Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(618)
|
(1,175)
|
(114)
|
| (Gains) losses on transactions, net |
(410)
|
(9)
|
(110)
|
| (Gains) Losses on extinguishment of debt |
Ìý
|
6
|
21
|
| Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
(1,136)
|
473
|
(103)
|
| Other noncash charges (credits), net |
10
|
(115)
|
(11)
|
| Current and other assets |
(143)
|
136
|
(237)
|
| Payables and other current liabilities |
225
|
(117)
|
(44)
|
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
1,443
|
1,062
|
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
1,492
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Cash (paid) for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
22
|
Ìý
|
(844)
|
| Proceeds From Disposition Of Investments |
3
|
353
|
271
|
| Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
(159)
|
(86)
|
(120)
|
| Cash receipts from returns of equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
250
|
| Capital expended for property and equipment |
(204)
|
(233)
|
(258)
|
| Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
(264)
|
(1,370)
|
| Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
1,174
|
1,359
|
| Investments in equity investees measured at fair value |
Ìý
|
(2,400)
|
Ìý
|
| Other investing activities, net |
(53)
|
(36)
|
(76)
|
| Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(788)
|
| Net cash used by investing activities |
(391)
|
(1,492)
|
Ìý
|
| Borrowings of debt |
2,469
|
3,427
|
4,558
|
| Repayments of debt |
(2,631)
|
(4,498)
|
(3,811)
|
| Repurchases of Liberty common stock |
(765)
|
(799)
|
(785)
|
| Withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
(70)
|
(16)
|
(30)
|
| Distribution from Liberty Expedia Holdings |
Ìý
|
299
|
Ìý
|
| Other financing activities, net |
(39)
|
15
|
(54)
|
| Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
(1,036)
|
(1,572)
|
(122)
|
| Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash |
13
|
(20)
|
(3)
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
17
|
17
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(23)
|
| Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations, Total |
Ìý
|
17
|
(6)
|
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
78
|
(1,624)
|
143
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
825
|
2,449
|
2,306
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
903
|
825
|
2,449
|
| QVC Group Common Stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Net earnings (loss) |
1,254
|
511
|
674
|
| Depreciation and amortization |
721
|
850
|
657
|
| Stock-based compensation |
97
|
75
|
60
|
| Noncash interest expense |
Ìý
|
3
|
6
|
| Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
(38)
|
(42)
|
(55)
|
| Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
28
|
28
|
22
|
| Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
Ìý
|
(2)
|
(42)
|
| (Gains) losses on transactions, net |
(409)
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| (Gains) Losses on extinguishment of debt |
Ìý
|
(1)
|
21
|
| Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
(421)
|
(199)
|
(122)
|
| Intergroup tax allocation |
266
|
360
|
141
|
| Intergroup tax payments |
(288)
|
(301)
|
(101)
|
| Other noncash charges (credits), net |
7
|
(33)
|
(14)
|
| Current and other assets |
(177)
|
92
|
(245)
|
| Payables and other current liabilities |
182
|
(68)
|
3
|
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,005
|
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
1,222
|
1,273
|
Ìý
|
| Cash (paid) for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
22
|
Ìý
|
(824)
|
| Proceeds From Disposition Of Investments |
2
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Cash receipts from returns of equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
200
|
| Capital expended for property and equipment |
(201)
|
(206)
|
(218)
|
| Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(184)
|
| Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
12
|
193
|
| Other investing activities, net |
(52)
|
(44)
|
(76)
|
| Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(909)
|
| Net cash used by investing activities |
(229)
|
(238)
|
Ìý
|
| Borrowings of debt |
2,469
|
1,905
|
3,969
|
| Repayments of debt |
(2,618)
|
(2,178)
|
(3,244)
|
| Repurchases of Liberty common stock |
(765)
|
(799)
|
(785)
|
| Withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
(43)
|
(15)
|
(25)
|
| Other financing activities, net |
(57)
|
(16)
|
(4)
|
| Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
(1,014)
|
(1,103)
|
(89)
|
| Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash |
13
|
(20)
|
(3)
|
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
(8)
|
(88)
|
4
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
338
|
426
|
422
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
330
|
338
|
426
|
| Liberty Ventures common stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Net earnings (loss) |
1,233
|
763
|
237
|
| Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
(20)
|
(280)
|
| Depreciation and amortization |
4
|
24
|
46
|
| Stock-based compensation |
26
|
22
|
67
|
| Cash payments for stock based compensation |
Ìý
|
(92)
|
(16)
|
| Noncash interest expense |
Ìý
|
9
|
(1)
|
| Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
238
|
110
|
233
|
| Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
1
|
3
|
10
|
| Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(618)
|
(1,173)
|
(72)
|
| (Gains) losses on transactions, net |
(1)
|
(9)
|
(110)
|
| (Gains) Losses on extinguishment of debt |
Ìý
|
7
|
Ìý
|
| Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
(715)
|
672
|
19
|
| Intergroup tax allocation |
(266)
|
(360)
|
(141)
|
| Intergroup tax payments |
288
|
301
|
101
|
| Other noncash charges (credits), net |
3
|
(82)
|
3
|
| Current and other assets |
34
|
44
|
8
|
| Payables and other current liabilities |
43
|
(49)
|
(47)
|
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
170
|
57
|
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
270
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
| Cash (paid) for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(20)
|
| Proceeds From Disposition Of Investments |
1
|
353
|
271
|
| Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
(159)
|
(86)
|
(120)
|
| Cash receipts from returns of equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
50
|
| Capital expended for property and equipment |
(3)
|
(27)
|
(40)
|
| Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
(264)
|
(1,186)
|
| Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
1,162
|
1,166
|
| Investments in equity investees measured at fair value |
Ìý
|
(2,400)
|
Ìý
|
| Other investing activities, net |
(1)
|
8
|
Ìý
|
| Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
121
|
| Net cash used by investing activities |
(162)
|
(1,254)
|
Ìý
|
| Borrowings of debt |
Ìý
|
1,522
|
589
|
| Repayments of debt |
(13)
|
(2,320)
|
(567)
|
| Withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
(27)
|
(1)
|
(5)
|
| Distribution from Liberty Expedia Holdings |
Ìý
|
299
|
Ìý
|
| Other financing activities, net |
18
|
31
|
(50)
|
| Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
(22)
|
(469)
|
(33)
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
17
|
17
|
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(23)
|
| Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations, Total |
Ìý
|
17
|
(6)
|
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
86
|
(1,536)
|
139
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
487
|
2,023
|
1,884
|
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
$ 573
|
$ 487
|
$ 2,023
|