Financial Information for Tracking Stock Groups - Statement of Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions |
3 Months Ended |
6 Months Ended |
Jun. 30, 2017 |
Jun. 30, 2016 |
Jun. 30, 2017 |
Jun. 30, 2016 |
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Net earnings (loss) |
$ 184
|
$ 390
|
$ 703
|
$ 466
|
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
(3)
|
Ìý
|
13
|
Depreciation and amortization |
206
|
221
|
414
|
438
|
Stock-based compensation |
21
|
24
|
37
|
55
|
Cash payments for stock based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(91)
|
Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
9
|
2
|
36
|
(1)
|
Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
14
|
16
|
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(116)
|
(343)
|
(817)
|
(336)
|
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
263
|
310
|
Other noncash charges (credits), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
13
|
(83)
|
Current and other assets |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
299
|
392
|
Payables and other current liabilities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(179)
|
(508)
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
671
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
783
|
Ìý
|
Proceeds From Disposition Of Investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
129
|
Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(118)
|
(42)
|
Capital expended for property and equipment |
(74)
|
Ìý
|
(74)
|
(125)
|
Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(264)
|
Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,174
|
Investments in equity investees measured at fair value |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(2,400)
|
Other investing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(29)
|
(1)
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,529)
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(221)
|
Ìý
|
Borrowings of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,199
|
1,365
|
Repayments of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,497)
|
(2,019)
|
Repurchases of Liberty common stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(152)
|
(417)
|
Withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(13)
|
(13)
|
Other financing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(28)
|
(10)
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,094)
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(491)
|
Ìý
|
Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
9
|
4
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
9
|
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
0
|
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
0
|
Change in available cash held by discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
0
|
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations, Total |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
9
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
80
|
(1,939)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
825
|
2,449
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
905
|
510
|
905
|
510
|
QVC Group Common Stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Net earnings (loss) |
120
|
141
|
223
|
243
|
Depreciation and amortization |
205
|
214
|
412
|
423
|
Stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
30
|
37
|
Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
(6)
|
(9)
|
(20)
|
(30)
|
Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
14
|
14
|
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
Ìý
|
(5)
|
1
|
(4)
|
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(78)
|
(94)
|
Intergroup tax allocation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
110
|
274
|
Intergroup tax payments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(155)
|
(104)
|
Other noncash charges (credits), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
11
|
15
|
Current and other assets |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
291
|
369
|
Payables and other current liabilities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(179)
|
(491)
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
652
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
660
|
Ìý
|
Capital expended for property and equipment |
(73)
|
Ìý
|
(73)
|
(110)
|
Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
12
|
Other investing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(28)
|
(2)
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(100)
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(101)
|
Ìý
|
Borrowings of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,199
|
778
|
Repayments of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,491)
|
(923)
|
Repurchases of Liberty common stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(152)
|
(417)
|
Withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(12)
|
(13)
|
Other financing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(30)
|
(13)
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(588)
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(486)
|
Ìý
|
Effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
9
|
4
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
0
|
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
0
|
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
0
|
Change in available cash held by discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
0
|
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations, Total |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
0
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
82
|
(32)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
338
|
426
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
420
|
394
|
420
|
394
|
Liberty Ventures common stock |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Net earnings (loss) |
64
|
249
|
480
|
223
|
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
(3)
|
Ìý
|
13
|
Depreciation and amortization |
1
|
7
|
2
|
15
|
Stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
7
|
18
|
Cash payments for stock based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(91)
|
Share of losses (earnings) of affiliates, net |
15
|
11
|
56
|
29
|
Cash receipts from returns on equity investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
2
|
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net |
(116)
|
(338)
|
(818)
|
(332)
|
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
341
|
404
|
Intergroup tax allocation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(110)
|
(274)
|
Intergroup tax payments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
155
|
104
|
Other noncash charges (credits), net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
2
|
(98)
|
Current and other assets |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
8
|
23
|
Payables and other current liabilities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(17)
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
19
|
Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
123
|
Ìý
|
Proceeds From Disposition Of Investments |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
129
|
Investments in and loans to cost and equity investees |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(118)
|
(42)
|
Capital expended for property and equipment |
(1)
|
Ìý
|
(1)
|
(15)
|
Purchases of short-term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(264)
|
Sales of short term and other marketable securities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
1,162
|
Investments in equity investees measured at fair value |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(2,400)
|
Other investing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1)
|
1
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1,429)
|
Net cash used by investing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(120)
|
Ìý
|
Borrowings of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
587
|
Repayments of debt |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(6)
|
(1,096)
|
Withholding taxes on net share settlements of stock-based compensation |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(1)
|
Ìý
|
Other financing activities, net |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
2
|
3
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(506)
|
Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(5)
|
Ìý
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
9
|
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
0
|
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities, discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
0
|
Change in available cash held by discontinued operations |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
0
|
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Discontinued Operations, Total |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
9
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
(2)
|
(1,907)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period |
Ìý
|
Ìý
|
487
|
2,023
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period |
$ 485
|
$ 116
|
$ 485
|
$ 116
|