Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Long-Term Debt - Narrative (Details)

v3.8.0.1
Long-Term Debt - Narrative (Details)
1 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Sep. 01, 2017
USD ($)
Aug. 04, 2017
USD ($)
Jul. 27, 2017
USD ($)
Jan. 23, 2017
USD ($)
$ / shares
Jan. 20, 2017
USD ($)
Nov. 08, 2016
USD ($)
Oct. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Aug. 17, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
shares
Jun. 16, 2016
$ / shares
shares
Apr. 15, 2016
shares
Apr. 14, 2016
USD ($)
$ / shares
Oct. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2017
USD ($)
$ / shares
shares
Sep. 30, 2016
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Jul. 31, 2017
USD ($)
Oct. 17, 2013
USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Long-term Debt                         $ 13,492,000,000   $ 8,018,000,000    
Borrowings of debt                         5,820,000,000 $ 2,019,000,000      
Repayments of Long-term Debt                         $ 4,819,000,000 876,000,000      
Sirius XM Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt instrument, unused borrowing capacity, fee, percent                         0.30%        
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity                         $ 1,460,000,000        
1.375 Cash Convertible Senior Notes Due 2023                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt face amount                                 $ 1,000,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage                                 1.375%
Debt instrument interest rate                                 1.375%
$750 million term loan due Oct 2018                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt face amount             $ 250,000,000         $ 250,000,000          
Effective interest rate                         3.05%        
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity             $ 500,000,000         $ 500,000,000          
$750 million term loan due Oct 2018 | Revolving Credit Facility                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity                         $ 500,000,000        
Sirius XM Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Effective interest rate                         3.24%        
Sirius XM 3.875% Senior Notes due 2022                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt face amount                               $ 1,000,000,000  
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage                               3.875%  
Debt instrument interest rate                               3.875%  
Sirius XM 5.00% Senior Notes due 2027                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt face amount                               $ 1,500,000,000  
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage                               5.00%  
Debt instrument interest rate                               5.00%  
Liberty 1% Cash Convertible Notes Due 2023                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt face amount       $ 450,000,000                          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage       1.00%                          
Debt instrument, face amount per debenture       $ 1,000                          
Borrowings of debt       $ 450,000,000                          
Debt instrument interest rate       1.00%                          
Live Nation Margin Loan                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt face amount           $ 500,000,000                      
Borrowings of debt         $ 350,000,000                   0    
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis           LIBOR                      
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate           2.25%                      
Effective interest rate                         3.55%        
Debt instrument, unused borrowing capacity, fee, percent           0.75%                      
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity                         $ 150,000,000        
Debt Instrument, Term           2 years                      
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity           $ 500,000,000                      
Viacom, Inc. | Live Nation Margin Loan                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Shares Pledged As Collateral Under Loan | shares                         1,900,000        
Share value                         $ 52,000,000        
SIRIUS XM | $750 million margin loan due 2018                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Shares Pledged As Collateral Under Loan | shares                         1,138,400,000        
Share value                         $ 6,284,000,000        
Live Nation | Live Nation Margin Loan                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Shares Pledged As Collateral Under Loan | shares                         53,700,000        
Share value                         $ 2,341,000,000        
SIRIUS XM | Sirius XM Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity                         $ 1,750,000,000        
Delta Topco | Liberty 1% Cash Convertible Notes Due 2023                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Consideration payable       $ 400,000,000                          
Common Class A | 1.375% Convertible Notes Bond Hedge Transaction                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Securities Basket price per share | $ / shares                         $ 53.78        
Common Class A | Warrant transaction                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Securities Basket price per share | $ / shares                         $ 53.78        
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights | $ / shares                 $ 61.16                
Liberty Media Corporation | 1.375 Cash Convertible Senior Notes Due 2023                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt instrument, face amount per debenture                     $ 1,000            
Liberty Media Corporation | $750 million term loan due Oct 2018                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis                       LIBOR          
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate                       1.75%          
Debt instrument, unused borrowing capacity, fee, percent             0.75%                    
Liberty Media Corporation | 2.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2046 | Senior Notes                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt face amount               $ 445,000,000                  
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage               2.25%                  
Debt instrument interest rate               2.25%                  
Liberty Media Corporation | Time Warner, Inc. | 2.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2046                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Shares underlying the debentures | shares               4,250,000                  
Liberty Media Corporation | Time Warner, Inc. | 2.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2046 | Senior Notes                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Exchange Price of Shares Attributable to Debentures | $ / shares               $ 104.55                  
Liberty Media Corporation | Common Class A | 1.375 Cash Convertible Senior Notes Due 2023                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Ratio                     21.0859            
conversion price for exchangeable debt | $ / shares                     $ 47.43            
Liberty Sirius XM Group                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Long-term Debt                         $ 6,982,000,000   6,107,000,000    
Number of tracking stock shares received in the Recapitalization for one share of Liberty Media common stock | shares                   1              
Borrowings of debt                         3,933,000,000 1,387,000,000      
Repayments of Long-term Debt                         3,103,000,000 749,000,000      
Liberty Sirius XM Group | Sirius XM Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Long-term Debt                         290,000,000   390,000,000    
Liberty Sirius XM Group | Sirius XM 5.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2022                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Repayments of Long-term Debt $ 411,000,000                                
Loss on extinguishment of debt $ (14,000,000)                                
Liberty Sirius XM Group | Sirius X M 4.25 Senior Notes Due 2020                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Repayments of Long-term Debt     $ 510,000,000                            
Loss on extinguishment of debt     $ (8,000,000)                            
Liberty Sirius XM Group | Sirius XM 5.75% Senior Notes Due 2021                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Repayments of Long-term Debt   $ 618,000,000                              
Loss on extinguishment of debt   $ (21,000,000)                              
Liberty Sirius XM Group | Common Class A                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Securities basket conversion ratio from shares of Liberty Media Corporation common stock                   1.0              
Liberty Sirius XM Group | Common Class A | 1.375% Convertible Notes Bond Hedge Transaction                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Forward contract, number of underlying shares | shares                   21,085,900              
Liberty Sirius XM Group | Common Class A | Warrant transaction                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Class of Warrant or Right, Outstanding | shares                   21,085,900              
Braves Group                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Long-term Debt                         576,000,000   328,000,000    
Number of tracking stock shares received in the Recapitalization for one share of Liberty Media common stock | shares                   0.1              
Borrowings of debt                         288,000,000 194,000,000      
Repayments of Long-term Debt                         42,000,000 126,000,000      
Braves Group | Common Class A                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Securities basket conversion ratio from shares of Liberty Media Corporation common stock                 0.1087 0.10              
Braves Group | Common Class A | 1.375% Convertible Notes Bond Hedge Transaction                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Forward contract, number of underlying shares | shares                 2,292,037 2,108,590              
Braves Group | Common Class A | Warrant transaction                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Class of Warrant or Right, Outstanding | shares                 2,292,037 2,108,590              
Formula One Group                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Long-term Debt                         5,934,000,000   $ 1,583,000,000    
Borrowings of debt                         1,599,000,000 438,000,000      
Repayments of Long-term Debt                         $ 1,674,000,000 $ 1,000,000      
Consideration payable       $ 400,000,000                          
Formula One Group | Common Class A                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Securities basket conversion ratio from shares of Liberty Media Corporation common stock                   0.25              
Formula One Group | Common Class A | 1.375% Convertible Notes Bond Hedge Transaction                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Forward contract, number of underlying shares | shares                   5,271,475              
Formula One Group | Common Class A | Warrant transaction                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Class of Warrant or Right, Outstanding | shares                   5,271,475              
Formula One Group | Common Class C | Liberty 1% Cash Convertible Notes Due 2023                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Ratio       27.1091                          
conversion price for exchangeable debt | $ / shares       $ 36.89                          
Liberty Media Group                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                  
Number of tracking stock shares received in the Recapitalization for one share of Liberty Media common stock | shares                   0.25