Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 6 Months Ended |
Jun. 30, 2015 | Jun. 30, 2014 |
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities | $ 394 | $ 473 |
Purchases of property and equipment | (52) | (58) |
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired | (22) | (321) |
Payments for derivative instruments | (11) | 0 |
Proceeds from disposition, net of cash disposed | 61 | 45 |
Payments to Acquire Other Investments | (16) | 0 |
Distributions from equity method investees | 49 | 41 |
Investments in and advances to equity method investees, net | (27) | (9) |
Other investing activities, net | (8) | (1) |
Cash used in investing activities | (26) | (303) |
Commercial paper borrowings, net | 94 | 162 |
Borrowings under revolving credit facility | 123 | 440 |
Repayments of Lines of Credit | (161) | (440) |
Borrowings from debt, net of discount | 936 | 415 |
Principal repayments of debt | (849) | 0 |
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations | (17) | (9) |
Repurchases of stock | (524) | (769) |
Cash distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests | (36) | (2) |
Cash (payments for) proceeds from equity-based plans, net | (11) | 13 |
Hedge of borrowings from debt instruments | (29) | 0 |
Inter-company contributions and other financing activities, net | (13) | (11) |
Cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (487) | (201) |
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | (16) | (5) |
Net change in cash and cash equivalents | (135) | (36) |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 367 | 408 |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | 232 | 372 |
Reclassifications And Eliminations [Member] | | |
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities | 0 | 0 |
Purchases of property and equipment | 0 | 0 |
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired | 0 | 0 |
Payments for derivative instruments | 0 | |
Proceeds from disposition, net of cash disposed | 0 | 0 |
Payments to Acquire Other Investments | 0 | |
Inter-company distributions, investing activities | (31) | |
Distributions from equity method investees | 0 | 0 |
Investments in and advances to equity method investees, net | 0 | 0 |
Other investing activities, net | 0 | 0 |
Cash used in investing activities | (31) | 0 |
Commercial paper borrowings, net | 0 | |
Borrowings under revolving credit facility | 0 | 0 |
Repayments of Lines of Credit | 0 | 0 |
Borrowings from debt, net of discount | 0 | 0 |
Principal repayments of debt | 0 | |
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations | 0 | 0 |
Repurchases of stock | 0 | 0 |
Cash distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests | 0 | 0 |
Cash (payments for) proceeds from equity-based plans, net | 0 | 0 |
Hedge of borrowings from debt instruments | 0 | |
Inter-company distributions, financing activities | 31 | |
Inter-company contributions and other financing activities, net | 0 | 0 |
Cash (used in) provided by financing activities | 31 | 0 |
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 |
Net change in cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 0 | 0 |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | 0 | 0 |
Discovery [Member] | | |
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities | (73) | 146 |
Purchases of property and equipment | 0 | 0 |
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired | 0 | 0 |
Payments for derivative instruments | 0 | |
Proceeds from disposition, net of cash disposed | 0 | 0 |
Payments to Acquire Other Investments | 0 | |
Inter-company distributions, investing activities | 0 | |
Distributions from equity method investees | 0 | 0 |
Investments in and advances to equity method investees, net | 0 | 0 |
Other investing activities, net | 0 | 0 |
Cash used in investing activities | 0 | 0 |
Commercial paper borrowings, net | 0 | 0 |
Borrowings under revolving credit facility | 0 | 0 |
Repayments of Lines of Credit | 0 | 0 |
Borrowings from debt, net of discount | 0 | 0 |
Principal repayments of debt | 0 | |
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations | 0 | 0 |
Repurchases of stock | (524) | (769) |
Cash distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests | 0 | 0 |
Cash (payments for) proceeds from equity-based plans, net | (11) | 13 |
Hedge of borrowings from debt instruments | 0 | |
Inter-company distributions, financing activities | 0 | |
Inter-company contributions and other financing activities, net | 608 | 610 |
Cash (used in) provided by financing activities | 73 | (146) |
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 |
Net change in cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 0 | 0 |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | 0 | 0 |
DCH [Member] | | |
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities | 8 | 10 |
Purchases of property and equipment | 0 | 0 |
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired | 0 | 0 |
Payments for derivative instruments | 0 | |
Proceeds from disposition, net of cash disposed | 0 | 0 |
Payments to Acquire Other Investments | 0 | |
Inter-company distributions, investing activities | 0 | |
Distributions from equity method investees | 0 | 0 |
Investments in and advances to equity method investees, net | 0 | 0 |
Other investing activities, net | 0 | 0 |
Cash used in investing activities | 0 | 0 |
Commercial paper borrowings, net | 0 | 0 |
Borrowings under revolving credit facility | 0 | 0 |
Repayments of Lines of Credit | 0 | 0 |
Borrowings from debt, net of discount | 0 | 0 |
Principal repayments of debt | 0 | |
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations | 0 | 0 |
Repurchases of stock | 0 | 0 |
Cash distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests | 0 | 0 |
Cash (payments for) proceeds from equity-based plans, net | 0 | 0 |
Hedge of borrowings from debt instruments | 0 | |
Inter-company distributions, financing activities | 0 | |
Inter-company contributions and other financing activities, net | (8) | (10) |
Cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (8) | (10) |
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 |
Net change in cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 0 | 0 |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | 0 | 0 |
DCL [Member] | | |
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities | 148 | (1) |
Purchases of property and equipment | (11) | (13) |
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired | 0 | 0 |
Payments for derivative instruments | (11) | |
Proceeds from disposition, net of cash disposed | 0 | 0 |
Payments to Acquire Other Investments | 0 | |
Inter-company distributions, investing activities | 31 | |
Distributions from equity method investees | 0 | 0 |
Investments in and advances to equity method investees, net | (1) | (1) |
Other investing activities, net | 0 | 0 |
Cash used in investing activities | 8 | (14) |
Commercial paper borrowings, net | 94 | 162 |
Borrowings under revolving credit facility | 0 | 440 |
Repayments of Lines of Credit | (13) | (440) |
Borrowings from debt, net of discount | 936 | 415 |
Principal repayments of debt | (849) | |
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations | (2) | (2) |
Repurchases of stock | 0 | 0 |
Cash distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests | 0 | 0 |
Cash (payments for) proceeds from equity-based plans, net | 0 | 0 |
Hedge of borrowings from debt instruments | (29) | |
Inter-company distributions, financing activities | 0 | |
Inter-company contributions and other financing activities, net | (283) | (655) |
Cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (146) | (80) |
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 |
Net change in cash and cash equivalents | 10 | (95) |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 8 | 123 |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | 18 | 28 |
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries Of DCL [Member] | | |
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities | 311 | 318 |
Purchases of property and equipment | (41) | (45) |
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired | (22) | (321) |
Payments for derivative instruments | 0 | |
Proceeds from disposition, net of cash disposed | 61 | 45 |
Payments to Acquire Other Investments | (16) | |
Inter-company distributions, investing activities | 0 | |
Distributions from equity method investees | 49 | 41 |
Investments in and advances to equity method investees, net | (26) | (8) |
Other investing activities, net | (8) | (1) |
Cash used in investing activities | (3) | (289) |
Commercial paper borrowings, net | 0 | 0 |
Borrowings under revolving credit facility | 123 | 0 |
Repayments of Lines of Credit | (148) | 0 |
Borrowings from debt, net of discount | 0 | 0 |
Principal repayments of debt | 0 | |
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations | (15) | (7) |
Repurchases of stock | 0 | 0 |
Cash distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests | (36) | (2) |
Cash (payments for) proceeds from equity-based plans, net | 0 | 0 |
Hedge of borrowings from debt instruments | 0 | |
Inter-company distributions, financing activities | (31) | |
Inter-company contributions and other financing activities, net | (330) | 44 |
Cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (437) | 35 |
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | (16) | (5) |
Net change in cash and cash equivalents | (145) | 59 |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 359 | 285 |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | 214 | 344 |
Other Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries of Discovery [Member] | | |
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities | 0 | 0 |
Purchases of property and equipment | 0 | 0 |
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired | 0 | 0 |
Payments for derivative instruments | 0 | |
Proceeds from disposition, net of cash disposed | 0 | 0 |
Payments to Acquire Other Investments | 0 | |
Inter-company distributions, investing activities | 0 | |
Distributions from equity method investees | 0 | 0 |
Investments in and advances to equity method investees, net | 0 | 0 |
Other investing activities, net | 0 | 0 |
Cash used in investing activities | 0 | 0 |
Commercial paper borrowings, net | 0 | 0 |
Borrowings under revolving credit facility | 0 | 0 |
Repayments of Lines of Credit | 0 | 0 |
Borrowings from debt, net of discount | 0 | 0 |
Principal repayments of debt | 0 | |
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations | 0 | 0 |
Repurchases of stock | 0 | 0 |
Cash distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests | 0 | 0 |
Cash (payments for) proceeds from equity-based plans, net | 0 | 0 |
Hedge of borrowings from debt instruments | 0 | |
Inter-company distributions, financing activities | 0 | |
Inter-company contributions and other financing activities, net | 0 | 0 |
Cash (used in) provided by financing activities | 0 | 0 |
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 |
Net change in cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0 |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 0 | 0 |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | 0 | 0 |
Discovery and Subsidiaries [Member] | | |
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities | 394 | 473 |
Purchases of property and equipment | (52) | (58) |
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired | (22) | (321) |
Payments for derivative instruments | (11) | |
Proceeds from disposition, net of cash disposed | 61 | 45 |
Payments to Acquire Other Investments | (16) | |
Inter-company distributions, investing activities | 0 | |
Distributions from equity method investees | 49 | 41 |
Investments in and advances to equity method investees, net | (27) | (9) |
Other investing activities, net | (8) | (1) |
Cash used in investing activities | (26) | (303) |
Commercial paper borrowings, net | 94 | 162 |
Borrowings under revolving credit facility | 123 | 440 |
Repayments of Lines of Credit | (161) | (440) |
Borrowings from debt, net of discount | 936 | 415 |
Principal repayments of debt | (849) | |
Principal repayments of capital lease obligations | (17) | (9) |
Repurchases of stock | (524) | (769) |
Cash distributions to redeemable noncontrolling interests | (36) | (2) |
Cash (payments for) proceeds from equity-based plans, net | (11) | 13 |
Hedge of borrowings from debt instruments | (29) | |
Inter-company distributions, financing activities | 0 | |
Inter-company contributions and other financing activities, net | (13) | (11) |
Cash (used in) provided by financing activities | (487) | (201) |
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | (16) | (5) |
Net change in cash and cash equivalents | (135) | (36) |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | 367 | 408 |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | $ 232 | $ 372 |