| Financial Information for Tracking Stock Groups - Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($)$ in Millions
 | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 
| Dec. 31, 2019 | Sep. 30, 2019 | Jun. 30, 2019 | Mar. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Jun. 30, 2018 | Mar. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | 
| Cash flows from operating activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Net earnings (loss) | $ 20 | $ 262 | $ 192 | $ (127) | $ 31 | $ 366 | $ 255 | $ 213 | $ 347 | $ 865 | $ 1,890 | 
| Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,061 | 905 | 824 | 
| Stock-based compensation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 312 | 192 | 230 | 
| Share of (earnings) loss of affiliates, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (6) | (18) | (104) | 
| Realized and unrealized (gains) losses on financial instruments, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 315 | (40) | 88 | 
| Noncash interest expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9 | (1) | 16 | 
| Losses (gains) on dilution of investment in affiliate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (7) | 1 | (3) | 
| Loss on early extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 57 | 1 | 48 | 
| Deferred income tax expense (benefit) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 120 | 167 | (1,064) | 
| Other charges (credits), net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8 | (17) | 4 | 
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Current and other assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (3) | (31) | 50 | 
| Payables and other liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 100 | 132 | (247) | 
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,313 | 2,156 | 1,732 | 
| Cash flows from investing activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash proceeds from dispositions of investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 442 | 399 | 21 | 
| Cash (paid) received for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 313 | (2) | (1,754) | 
| Investments in equity method affiliates and debt and equity securities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (29) | (414) | (862) | 
| Repayment of loans and other cash receipts from equity method affiliates and debt and equity securities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11 | 14 |  | 
| Capital expended for property and equipment, including internal-use software and website development |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (510) | (403) | (517) | 
| Sales of short term investments and other marketable securities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 73 |  |  | 
| Other investing activities, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 14 | 36 | (25) | 
| Net cash provided (used) by investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 314 | (370) | (3,137) | 
| Cash flows from financing activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Borrowings of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,020 | 3,617 | 6,697 | 
| Repayments of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (4,871) | (4,057) | (5,107) | 
| Series C Liberty SiriusXM common stock repurchases |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (443) | (466) |  | 
| Proceeds from issuance of Series C Liberty Formula One common stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,938 | 
| Subsidiary shares repurchased by subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (2,159) | (1,314) | (1,409) | 
| Cash dividends paid by subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (68) | (59) | (60) | 
| Taxes paid in lieu of shares issued for stock-based compensation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (211) | (130) | (135) | 
| Other financing activities, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (41) | 29 | (48) | 
| Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,773) | (2,380) | 1,876 | 
| Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1) | 4 | 
| Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 854 | (595) | 475 | 
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period |  |  |  | 452 |  |  |  | 1,047 | 452 | 1,047 | 572 | 
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period | 1,306 |  |  |  | 452 |  |  |  | 1,306 | 452 | 1,047 | 
| Liberty Sirius XM Group |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash flows from operating activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Net earnings (loss) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 735 | 1,004 | 1,659 | 
| Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 537 | 369 | 352 | 
| Stock-based compensation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 267 | 156 | 150 | 
| Share of (earnings) loss of affiliates, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24 | 11 | (29) | 
| Realized and unrealized (gains) losses on financial instruments, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 41 | 1 | 16 | 
| Noncash interest expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 | (8) | 7 | 
| Loss on early extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 57 |  | 35 | 
| Deferred income tax expense (benefit) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 268 | 231 | (492) | 
| Intergroup tax allocation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (21) | 22 | (6) | 
| Intergroup tax (payments) receipts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (3) | (20) | 4 | 
| Other charges (credits), net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 | 2 | (4) | 
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Current and other assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (11) | (4) | 30 | 
| Payables and other liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 39 | 21 | 127 | 
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,944 | 1,785 | 1,849 | 
| Cash flows from investing activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash proceeds from dispositions of investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 373 |  |  | 
| Cash (paid) received for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 313 | (2) | (107) | 
| Investments in equity method affiliates and debt and equity securities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (19) | (405) | (851) | 
| Repayment of loans and other cash receipts from equity method affiliates and debt and equity securities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11 | 14 |  | 
| Capital expended for property and equipment, including internal-use software and website development |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (363) | (356) | (288) | 
| Sales of short term investments and other marketable securities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 73 |  |  | 
| Other investing activities, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (4) | (7) | (8) | 
| Net cash provided (used) by investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 384 | (756) | (1,254) | 
| Cash flows from financing activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Borrowings of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5,795 | 2,795 | 4,553 | 
| Repayments of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (4,833) | (2,431) | (3,216) | 
| Series C Liberty SiriusXM common stock repurchases |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (419) | (466) |  | 
| Subsidiary shares repurchased by subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (2,159) | (1,314) | (1,409) | 
| Cash dividends paid by subsidiary |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (68) | (59) | (60) | 
| Taxes paid in lieu of shares issued for stock-based compensation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (201) | (127) | (100) | 
| Other financing activities, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (38) | 50 | (35) | 
| Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,923) | (1,552) | (267) | 
| Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 405 | (523) | 328 | 
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period |  |  |  | 102 |  |  |  | 625 | 102 | 625 | 297 | 
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period | 507 |  |  |  | 102 |  |  |  | 507 | 102 | 625 | 
| Braves Group |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash flows from operating activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Net earnings (loss) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (77) | 11 | (26) | 
| Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 71 | 76 | 67 | 
| Stock-based compensation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 17 | 11 | 48 | 
| Share of (earnings) loss of affiliates, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (18) | (12) | (78) | 
| Unrealized (gains) losses on intergroup interests, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 42 | 24 | 15 | 
| Realized and unrealized (gains) losses on financial instruments, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 | 2 |  | 
| Noncash interest expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 | 5 | 3 | 
| Loss on early extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5 | 
| Deferred income tax expense (benefit) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (7) | (1) | 2 | 
| Intergroup tax allocation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (8) | (14) | (39) | 
| Intergroup tax (payments) receipts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 21 | 35 | 15 | 
| Other charges (credits), net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 18 | (20) | 18 | 
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Current and other assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (12) | 8 | (57) | 
| Payables and other liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 23 | (22) | (15) | 
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 75 | 103 | (42) | 
| Cash flows from investing activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash proceeds from dispositions of investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 155 | 5 | 
| Investments in equity method affiliates and debt and equity securities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (4) |  | (2) | 
| Capital expended for property and equipment, including internal-use software and website development |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (103) | (33) | (219) | 
| Other investing activities, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 37 | (5) | 
| Net cash provided (used) by investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (107) | 159 | (221) | 
| Cash flows from financing activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Borrowings of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 96 | 123 | 544 | 
| Repayments of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (31) | (317) | (218) | 
| Taxes paid in lieu of shares issued for stock-based compensation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (4) |  | (30) | 
| Other financing activities, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (7) | (18) |  | 
| Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 54 | (212) | 296 | 
| Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 22 | 50 | 33 | 
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period |  |  |  | 190 |  |  |  | 140 | 190 | 140 | 107 | 
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period | 212 |  |  |  | 190 |  |  |  | 212 | 190 | 140 | 
| Formula One Group |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash flows from operating activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Net earnings (loss) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (311) | (150) | 257 | 
| Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 453 | 460 | 405 | 
| Stock-based compensation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 28 | 25 | 32 | 
| Share of (earnings) loss of affiliates, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (12) | (17) | 3 | 
| Unrealized (gains) losses on intergroup interests, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (42) | (24) | (15) | 
| Realized and unrealized (gains) losses on financial instruments, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 270 | (43) | 72 | 
| Noncash interest expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 | 2 | 6 | 
| Losses (gains) on dilution of investment in affiliate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (7) | 1 | (3) | 
| Loss on early extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1 | 8 | 
| Deferred income tax expense (benefit) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (141) | (63) | (574) | 
| Intergroup tax allocation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 29 | (8) | 45 | 
| Intergroup tax (payments) receipts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (18) | (15) | (19) | 
| Other charges (credits), net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (14) | 1 | (10) | 
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Current and other assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 20 | (35) | 77 | 
| Payables and other liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 38 | 133 | (359) | 
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 294 | 268 | (75) | 
| Cash flows from investing activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Cash proceeds from dispositions of investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 69 | 244 | 16 | 
| Cash (paid) received for acquisitions, net of cash acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,647) | 
| Investments in equity method affiliates and debt and equity securities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (6) | (9) | (9) | 
| Capital expended for property and equipment, including internal-use software and website development |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (44) | (14) | (10) | 
| Other investing activities, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 18 | 6 | (12) | 
| Net cash provided (used) by investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 37 | 227 | (1,662) | 
| Cash flows from financing activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 
| Borrowings of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 129 | 699 | 1,600 | 
| Repayments of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (7) | (1,309) | (1,673) | 
| Series C Liberty SiriusXM common stock repurchases |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (24) |  |  | 
| Proceeds from issuance of Series C Liberty Formula One common stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,938 | 
| Taxes paid in lieu of shares issued for stock-based compensation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (6) | (3) | (5) | 
| Other financing activities, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 | (3) | (13) | 
| Net cash provided (used) by financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 96 | (616) | 1,847 | 
| Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1) | 4 | 
| Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 427 | (122) | 114 | 
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period |  |  |  | $ 160 |  |  |  | $ 282 | 160 | 282 | 168 | 
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period | $ 587 |  |  |  | $ 160 |  |  |  | $ 587 | $ 160 | $ 282 |