Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Tracking Stocks (Narrative) (Details)

v3.8.0.1
Tracking Stocks (Narrative) (Details)
$ / shares in Units, $ in Millions
1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Jan. 23, 2018
$ / shares
Nov. 30, 2016
USD ($)
Oct. 26, 2016
$ / shares
Sep. 07, 2016
agreement
Sep. 07, 2016
item
May 16, 2016
shares
Jun. 30, 2016
USD ($)
Jun. 16, 2016
$ / shares
shares
May 11, 2016
Dec. 31, 2017
USD ($)
$ / shares
shares
Jan. 23, 2017
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Oct. 27, 2016
Apr. 15, 2016
shares
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Number of tracking stock groups                           3    
Cash and cash equivalents                   $ 1,029   $ 562     $ 201 $ 681
Liberty Sirius XM Group                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Number of tracking stock shares received in the Recapitalization for one share of Liberty Media common stock | shares                           1    
Cash and cash equivalents                   615   287     112 148
Braves Group                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Number of tracking stock shares received in the Recapitalization for one share of Liberty Media common stock | shares                           0.1    
Cash and cash equivalents                   132   107     13 11
Braves Group | Common Class C                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Number of subscription rights received for each share of common stock held | shares           0.47                    
Share Price | $ / shares               $ 12.80                
Percentage discount on stock subscriptions                 20              
Pre rights offering trading period                 18 days              
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Period Increase (Decrease) | shares               15,833,634                
Formula One Group                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Number of tracking stock shares received in the Recapitalization for one share of Liberty Media common stock | shares                           0.25    
Cash and cash equivalents                   $ 282   $ 168     $ 76 $ 522
SIRIUS XM                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared | $ / shares $ 0.011                 $ 0.044            
Payments of Dividends                   $ 190            
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company                   130            
SIRIUS XM | Liberty Sirius XM Group                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Cash and cash equivalents                   $ 69            
SIRIUS XM | Quarterly                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared | $ / shares     $ 0.01                          
Payments of Dividends   $ 48                            
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company   $ 32                            
Formula 1 | Braves Group                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Percentage ownership                   15.10%       20.00%    
Investment Owned, Balance, Shares | shares                   9,084,940            
Formula 1 | Formula One Group                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Cash and cash equivalents                   $ 165            
Braves Holdings                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity                   792            
Braves Holdings | Braves Group                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Cash and cash equivalents                   $ 55            
Intergroup Note | Braves Group                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Repayments of Lines of Credit             $ 150                  
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity             $ 165                  
Delta Topco                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Investment ownership percentage       20.00% 20.00%                      
Number of stock purchase agreements       2 2                      
Interest acquired (as a percent)       20.00% 20.00%           100.00%          
Diluted investment ownership percentage                         19.10%      
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired       20.00% 20.00%           100.00%          
Delta Topco | Maximum                                
Targeted or Tracking Stock, Stock [Line Items]                                
Interest acquired (as a percent)       20.00% 20.00%                      
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired       20.00% 20.00%