Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Acquisitions (Details)

v3.8.0.1
Acquisitions (Details)
$ / shares in Units, shares in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 29, 2017
USD ($)
shares
Oct. 02, 2015
USD ($)
$ / shares
shares
Dec. 31, 2017
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Cash and cash equivalents $ 22,000,000        
Property and equipment 214,000,000        
Other assets 752,000,000        
Goodwill 950,000,000   $ 7,082,000,000 $ 6,052,000,000 $ 6,112,000,000
Trademarks 676,000,000        
Intangible assets subject to amortization 602,000,000        
Accounts payable & Accrued liabilities (515,000,000)        
Debt (460,000,000)        
Other liabilities assumed (12,000,000)        
Deferred tax liabilities (281,000,000)        
Total 1,948,000,000        
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Pro Forma Revenue     13,791,000,000 14,220,000,000  
Pro Forma Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Changes in Accounting and Extraordinary Items, Net of Tax     2,200,000,000 1,258,000,000  
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments       57,000,000  
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Purchase Accounting Adjustments       (40,000,000)  
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets, Purchase Accounting Adjustments       (50,000,000)  
Deferred Tax Liabilities Purchase Accounting Adjustments       (33,000,000)  
Business Acquisition, Amortization Adjustment Recognized During Measurement Period       3,000,000  
Equity Method Investments     309,000,000 581,000,000  
Stock-based compensation     123,000,000 97,000,000 127,000,000
Restructuring Charges     35,000,000    
zulily          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 341,000,000      
Property and equipment   105,000,000      
Other assets   46,000,000      
Goodwill   917,000,000      
Trademarks   870,000,000      
Intangible assets subject to amortization   790,000,000      
Accounts payable & Accrued liabilities   (145,000,000)      
Other liabilities assumed   (65,000,000)      
Deferred tax liabilities   (607,000,000)      
Total   2,252,000,000      
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount   0      
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Pro Forma Information, Earnings or Loss of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual         34,000,000
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred   $ 2,300,000,000      
Business Acquisition, Share Price | $ / shares   $ 9.375      
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid   $ 1,200,000,000      
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments       57,000,000  
Business Acquisition Equity Interests Issued or Issuable Number Of Shares Issued Per Shares Acquired   0.3098      
zulily | Customer Relationships          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Intangible assets subject to amortization   $ 490,000,000      
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life   4 years      
zulily | Email lists          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Intangible assets subject to amortization   $ 250,000,000      
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life   2 years      
zulily | Capitalized Software          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Intangible assets subject to amortization   $ 50,000,000      
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life   3 years      
HSNi          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount $ 0        
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Pro Forma Information, Earnings or Loss of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual     43,000,000    
Percentage of equity method investee not currently owned 62.00%        
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired 62.00%        
Equity Method Investments $ 605,000,000        
Equity value of acquired business 1,900,000,000        
Remeasurement Gain 409,000,000        
HSNi | Customer Relationships          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Intangible assets subject to amortization $ 425,000,000        
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life 9 years        
HSNi | Capitalized Software          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Intangible assets subject to amortization $ 16,000,000        
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life 1 year        
HSNi | Technology          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Intangible assets subject to amortization $ 161,000,000        
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life 7 years        
QVC Group Common Stock          
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Equity Method Investments     40,000,000 224,000,000  
Restructuring Charges     35,000,000    
QVC Group Common Stock | HSNi          
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Business Acquisition Equity Interests Issued or Issuable Number Of Shares Issued Per Shares Acquired 1.65        
Liberty Ventures common stock          
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Equity Method Investments     269,000,000 357,000,000  
Common Class A | QVC Group Common Stock | zulily          
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Stock Issued During Period Shares Acquisitions] | shares   38.5      
Common Class A | QVC Group Common Stock | HSNi          
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Stock Issued During Period Shares Acquisitions] | shares 53.6        
Value of shares issued to acquire business $ 1,300,000,000        
QVC          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Goodwill     5,190,000,000 5,110,000,000 5,149,000,000
QVC | QVC Group Common Stock          
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Equity Method Investments     40,000,000 40,000,000  
zulily          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Goodwill     917,000,000 917,000,000 860,000,000
HSN          
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Business acquisition costs, including stock-based compensation     38,000,000    
Stock-based compensation     8,000,000    
Corporate and Other          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net [Abstract]          
Goodwill     42,000,000 25,000,000 $ 103,000,000
Corporate and Other | QVC Group Common Stock          
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Equity Method Investments       184,000,000  
Corporate and Other | Liberty Ventures common stock          
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Equity Method Investments     269,000,000 $ 357,000,000  
Corporate and Other Cornerstone          
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information          
Restructuring Charges     $ 5,000,000