Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Investments In Affiliates Accounted For Using The Equity Method (Schedule Of Equity Ownership And Carrying Amount) (Details)

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Investments In Affiliates Accounted For Using The Equity Method (Schedule Of Equity Ownership And Carrying Amount) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2012
Expedia [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Expedia [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Expedia [Member]
Jun. 30, 2012
TripAdvisor, Inc. [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
HSN, Inc. [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
TripAdvisor, Inc. [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
TripAdvisor, Inc. [Member]
Dec. 11, 2012
TripAdvisor, Inc. [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
QVC 5.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
QVC 4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
HSN, Inc. [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
HSN, Inc. [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Interactive Group [Member]
Other5 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interactive Group [Member]
Other5 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
Sep. 30, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
Solana Solar [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
Expedia [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
Expedia [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Ventures Group [Member]
Expedia [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Ventures Group [Member]
Other [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Ventures Group [Member]
Other [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Senior secured note [Member]
QVC 5.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 [Member]
Mar. 18, 2013
Senior secured note [Member]
QVC 4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount                                                       $ 500 $ 750
Long-term Debt, Gross   7,533                   500 750 5,073           2,460                  
underlying shares on forward contract         12,000,000                                                
Proceeds from Sale of Equity Method Investments             338                                            
Equity Method Investment, Realized Gain (Loss) on Disposal       443     288                                            
per share price of forward sales contract       $ 34.316                                                  
Proceeds from Sale of Available-for-sale Securities 1,099     412                                                  
Equity Method Investment, Dividends or Distributions         13 23   16                                          
Shares of Equity Method Affiliate Sold             8,500,000                                            
Percentage ownership                               38.00%             18.00% [1]   26.00% [1]        
voting ownership interest in investee                                             58.00%            
Investments in affiliates, accounted for using the equity method   1,237 851                     343 304 293 [2] 242 50 62 894 547   477 [1],[2] 431 [1],[2]   417 [3] 116 [3]    
Equity Method Investment, Quoted Market Value                               1,247             1,608 [1]            
Purchase of shares in equity method investee                 4,800,000                                        
ownership percentage acquired                     4.00%                                    
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid                   300 300                                    
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments                                           $ 300              
[1] Liberty entered into a forward sales contract on 12 million shares of Expedia common stock in March 2012 at a per share forward price of $34.316. The forward contract was settled in October 2012 for total cash proceeds of $412 million and the 12 million shares of Expedia common stock, previously held as collateral, were released to the counterparty. In the fourth quarter of 2012, when the forward contract settled, the difference between the fair value of the Expedia shares and the carrying value of the shares ($443 million) was recognized in the gain (loss) on transactions, net line item in the statement of operations. Liberty owns an approximate 18% equity interest and 58% voting interest in Expedia. Liberty has entered into governance arrangements pursuant to which Mr. Barry Diller, Chairman of the Board and Senior Executive Officer of Expedia, may vote its interests of Expedia, subject to certain limitations. Additionally, through our governance arrangements with Mr. Diller, we have the right to appoint and have appointed 20% of the members of Expedia's board of directors, which is currently comprised of 10 members. Therefore, we determined based on these arrangements that we have significant influence and have accounted for the investment as an equity method affiliate.
[2] During the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, Expedia, Inc. paid dividends aggregating $13 million and $23 million, respectively, and HSN, Inc. paid dividends of $16 million during the year ended December 31, 2013 which were recorded as reductions to the investment balances.
[3] Liberty invested $300 million in a solar energy plant during 2013. Liberty expects to receive a portion of the initial investment back within a year as the entity expects to receive grant proceeds and other favorable tax attributes. The Company expects to record its share of losses of the solar plant but expects to record the impacts of favorable tax attributes (primarily accelerated depreciation) as a current tax benefit with an offsetting deferred tax expense in the tax expense (benefit) line item in the Statement of Operations.