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Income Taxes (Details 3) (USD $)
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3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | ||
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Mar. 31, 2013
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Dec. 31, 2014
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Dec. 31, 2013
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Dec. 31, 2012
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| Income Tax Contingency [Line Items] | ||||
| Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain | $ 7,500,000,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain | |||
| capital loss from taxable liquidation of consolidated subsidiary, gross | 289,000,000lmca_CapitalLossFromTaxableLiquidationOfConsolidatedSubsidiaryGross | |||
| capital loss deferred tax asset | 101,000,000lmca_CapitalLossDeferredTaxAsset | |||
| Net operating and capital loss carryforwards | 2,119,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic | 2,487,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic | ||
| Accrued stock compensation | 127,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost | 99,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost | ||
| Other accrued liabilities | 88,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccrualsAccruedLiabilities | 44,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccrualsAccruedLiabilities | ||
| Discount on convertible debt | 34,000,000lmca_DeferredTaxAssetDiscountOnExchangeableDebentures | |||
| Deferred revenue | 678,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome | 598,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome | ||
| Other future deductible amounts | 10,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther | 24,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther | ||
| Deferred tax assets | 3,022,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross | 3,286,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross | ||
| Valuation allowance | (5,000,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | (9,000,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | ||
| Net deferred tax assets | 3,017,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet | 3,277,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet | ||
| Investments | 229,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesInvestmentInNoncontrolledAffiliates | 457,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesInvestmentInNoncontrolledAffiliates | ||
| Intangible assets | 3,991,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets | 3,955,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets | ||
| Other | 304,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther | 261,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther | ||
| Deferred Tax Liabilities | 4,524,000,000us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities | 4,673,000,000us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities | ||
| Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Total | 1,507,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities | 1,396,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities | ||
| Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current | (931,000,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent | (916,000,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent | ||
| Deferred Tax Liabilities, Noncurrent | 2,438,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent | 2,312,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent | ||
| Deferred tax liabilities | 1,507,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities | 1,396,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities | ||
| Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense (Benefit) | 103,000,000us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit | (165,000,000)us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit | 407,000,000us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit | |
| Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Period Increase (Decrease) | 4,000,000us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount | |||
| Valuation Allowance Increase Tax Expense | 2,000,000lmca_ValuationAllowanceIncreaseTaxExpense | |||
| Valuation Allowance Decrease Spinoff | 6,000,000lmca_ValuationAllowanceDecreaseSpinoff | |||
| Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Domestic | 2,119,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic | 2,487,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic | ||
| Excess Tax Benefits From Share Based Compensation Deductions | 70,000,000lmca_ExcessTaxBenefitsFromShareBasedCompensationDeductions | |||
| Deferred Tax Assets Operating Loss Carryforwards Excess Share Based Compensation Deductions | 70,000,000lmca_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsExcessShareBasedCompensationDeductions | |||
| Income Tax Uncertainties [Abstract] | ||||
| Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Beginning Balance | 29,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | 30,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | 29,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | |
| Reduction for tax positions of prior years | (11,000,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | |||
| Lapse in the statute of limitations | (17,000,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations | |||
| Increase in tax positions from acquisition | 1,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromAcquisition | |||
| Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Ending Balance | 2,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | 30,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | 29,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | |
| Unrecognized Tax Benefits Allowance | 2,000,000lmca_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsAllowance | |||
| Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Accrued | 0us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued | |||
| SIRIUS XM | ||||
| Income Tax Contingency [Line Items] | ||||
| Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain |
7,500,000,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationStepAcquisitionEquityInterestInAcquireeRemeasurementGain / us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis = lmca_SiriusXmMember |
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| SIRIUS XM | ||||
| Income Tax Contingency [Line Items] | ||||
| Net operating and capital loss carryforwards |
5,500,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = lmca_SiriusXmMember |
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| Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Domestic |
$ 5,500,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = lmca_SiriusXmMember |
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- Definition
capital loss deferred tax asset No definition available.
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- Definition
capital loss from taxable liquidation of consolidated subsidiary, gross No definition available.
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- Definition
Deferred tax asset Discount on exchangeable debentures No definition available.
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- Definition
Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax assets attributable to deductible operating loss carryforwards due to excess share based compensation deductions. No definition available.
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- Definition
The amount of tax benefit from excess share based compensation deductions resulting in operating loss carryforwards. No definition available.
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- Definition
The amount of an allowance for unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions. No definition available.
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- Definition
The decrease in the valuation allowance as a result of the spin-off. No definition available.
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- Definition
The increase in the valuation allowance due to the increase in the tax expense. No definition available.
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- Definition
In a business combination achieved in stages, this element represents the amount of gain recognized by the entity as a result of remeasuring to fair value the equity interest in the acquiree it held before the business combination. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount of deferred federal income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to income (loss) from continuing operations. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from deferred income. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount after allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount after allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards expected to be realized or consumed within one year or operating cycle, if longer. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible domestic operating loss carryforwards. Excludes state and local operating loss carryforwards. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences not separately disclosed. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from share-based compensation. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from accrued liabilities. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences net of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards after valuation allowances. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from intangible assets other than goodwill. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and investments in other affiliates which are not controlled nor consolidated. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences, net of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards net of valuation allowances expected to be realized or consumed after one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer). Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences not separately disclosed. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Details
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- Details
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- Definition
Amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount accrued for interest on an underpayment of income taxes and penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from acquisitions. No definition available.
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- Definition
Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from lapses of applicable statutes of limitations. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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- Definition
Amount of increase (decrease) in the valuation allowance for a specified deferred tax asset. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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