Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details)

v3.8.0.1
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 4 Months Ended 8 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Jan. 01, 2016
Jul. 23, 2014
Apr. 15, 2016
Dec. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Dec. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Current       $ 9   $ 12 $ 9  
Provision for Doubtful Accounts           57 56 $ 47
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Write-offs           55 53 49
Total Value Of Fair Value Option Securities       489   467 489  
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross       3,182   3,596 3,182  
Depreciation           230 186 207
Interest Costs Capitalized           10 8  
Advertising Expense           311 230 210
Share-based Compensation           230 150 204
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized           $ 30    
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition           1 year 8 months 12 days    
Liberty Sirius XM Group                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross       2,079   $ 2,274 2,079  
Share-based Compensation           $ 150 128 157
Anti-dilutive shares excluded from EPS           22,000,000    
Braves Group                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross       943   $ 1,150 943  
Share-based Compensation           48 9 10
Basic earnings (loss)       (30)   (25)    
Unrealized gain loss on the intergroup interest       27   15    
Diluted earnings (loss)       (3)   $ (10)    
Anti-dilutive shares excluded from EPS           2,000,000    
Formula One Group                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross       160   $ 172 160  
Share-based Compensation           $ 32 13 $ 37
Anti-dilutive shares excluded from EPS           5,000,000    
Land [Member]                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross       191   $ 217 191  
Building and Improvements [Member]                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross       144   974 144  
Equipment [Member]                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross       316   $ 514 316  
Satellite system [Member]                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life           15 years    
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross       1,668   $ 1,676 1,668  
Construction in Progress [Member]                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross       $ 863   $ 215 $ 863  
Common Class A | Liberty Sirius XM Group                
Anti-dilutive shares excluded from EPS       21,000,000        
Common Class A | Braves Group                
Anti-dilutive shares excluded from EPS       2,000,000        
Common Class A | Formula One Group                
Anti-dilutive shares excluded from EPS       5,000,000        
Common Class C | Liberty Media Corporation                
Number of Shares Issued During The Period For Each Share of Series A and Series B Stock Held By Shareholders Prior To The Distribution   2            
Common Class SeriesA, SeriesB, SeriesC | Liberty Sirius XM Group                
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic       335,000,000   336,000,000    
Potentially dilutive shares       2,000,000   4,000,000    
Diluted, Weighted average number of shares outstanding       337,000,000   340,000,000    
Common Class SeriesA, SeriesB, SeriesC | Braves Group                
Investment Owned, Balance, Shares           9,084,940    
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic       46,000,000   49,000,000    
Potentially dilutive shares       9,000,000   10,000,000    
Diluted, Weighted average number of shares outstanding       55,000,000   59,000,000    
Common Class SeriesA, SeriesB, SeriesC | Formula One Group                
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic       84,000,000   207,000,000    
Potentially dilutive shares       1,000,000   4,000,000    
Diluted, Weighted average number of shares outstanding       85,000,000   211,000,000    
Common Class SeriesA, SeriesB, SeriesC | Liberty Media Corporation                
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic     335,000,000         338,000,000
Potentially dilutive shares     2,000,000         2,000,000
Diluted, Weighted average number of shares outstanding     337,000,000         340,000,000
Anti-dilutive shares excluded from EPS             23,000,000 22,000,000
Accounting Standards Update 2016-09 | Retained Earnings                
Cumulative adjustment for change in accounting principle $ 66              
SIRIUS XM                
Share-based Compensation           $ 124 $ 109 $ 157
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition           2 years 6 months    
SIRIUS XM | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09                
New Accounting Pronouncement, Effect of Change on subscriber revenue         $ 90      
Formula 1 | Braves Group                
Investment Owned, Balance, Shares           9,084,940    
Minimum                
Typical length of subscription wiht new or leased vehicle with satellite radio           3 months    
Minimum | Building and Improvements [Member]                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life           10 years    
Minimum | Equipment [Member]                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life           3 years    
Maximum                
Typical length of subscription wiht new or leased vehicle with satellite radio           12 months    
Maximum | Building and Improvements [Member]                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life           40 years    
Maximum | Equipment [Member]                
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life           20 years    
Programming and content expense                
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense           $ 27 21 19
Customer service and billing                
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense           4 4 5
Other cost of subscriber services                
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense           5 5 8
Other Operating Income Expense [Member]                
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense           16 13 18
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses                
Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense           $ 178 $ 107 $ 154