Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Subsidiary Financial Information (Statement of Cash Flow) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified
|
3 Months Ended |
12 Months Ended |
Mar. 31, 2013
|
Mar. 31, 2012
|
Dec. 31, 2012
|
Dec. 31, 2011
|
Dec. 31, 2010
|
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
$ 175
|
$ 401
|
$ 1,206
|
$ 818
|
$ 1,204
|
Investing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital expenditures, net |
(33)
|
(45)
|
(246)
|
(259)
|
(220)
|
Expenditures for cable and satellite television distribution rights, net |
(25)
|
(2)
|
(2)
|
(2)
|
(4)
|
Cash paid for joint ventures and acquisitions of businesses, net of cash received |
0
|
(16)
|
(95)
|
|
|
Proceeds from joint ventures and equity investees |
|
|
|
|
220
|
Decrease in restricted cash |
|
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
Changes in other noncurrent assets |
(4)
|
0
|
(3)
|
4
|
(7)
|
Intercompany investing activities |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in investing activities |
(62)
|
(63)
|
(344)
|
(256)
|
(9)
|
Financing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal payments of debt and capital lease obligations |
(1,168)
|
(319)
|
(1,246)
|
(837)
|
(4,142)
|
Principal borrowings of debt from senior secured credit facility |
240
|
275
|
1,717
|
465
|
1,905
|
Proceeds from issuance of senior secured notes |
1,050
|
0
|
500
|
|
1,000
|
Payment of debt origination fees |
(14)
|
0
|
(7)
|
|
(27)
|
Other financing activities |
4
|
0
|
20
|
|
|
Dividends paid to Liberty, net |
(244)
|
(238)
|
(1,817)
|
(205)
|
(9)
|
Dividend paid to noncontrolling interest |
(25)
|
(29)
|
(29)
|
(50)
|
(63)
|
Net short-term intercompany debt (repayments) borrowings |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Intercompany financing activities |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in financing activities |
(190)
|
(311)
|
(862)
|
(627)
|
(1,336)
|
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
(24)
|
(9)
|
(20)
|
4
|
14
|
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents |
(101)
|
18
|
(20)
|
(61)
|
(127)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
540
|
560
|
560
|
621
|
748
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
439
|
578
|
540
|
560
|
621
|
Parent company
|
|
|
|
|
|
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
101
|
264
|
618
|
328
|
773
|
Investing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital expenditures, net |
(8)
|
(7)
|
(69)
|
(87)
|
(25)
|
Expenditures for cable and satellite television distribution rights, net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Cash paid for joint ventures and acquisitions of businesses, net of cash received |
|
0
|
|
|
|
Decrease in restricted cash |
|
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
Changes in other noncurrent assets |
(3)
|
2
|
(14)
|
12
|
1
|
Intercompany investing activities |
245
|
135
|
346
|
382
|
380
|
Net cash used in investing activities |
234
|
130
|
265
|
308
|
358
|
Financing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal payments of debt and capital lease obligations |
(1,167)
|
(315)
|
(1,237)
|
(825)
|
(4,131)
|
Principal borrowings of debt from senior secured credit facility |
240
|
275
|
1,717
|
465
|
1,905
|
Proceeds from issuance of senior secured notes |
1,050
|
|
500
|
|
1,000
|
Payment of debt origination fees |
(14)
|
|
(7)
|
|
(27)
|
Other financing activities |
4
|
|
20
|
|
|
Dividends paid to Liberty, net |
(244)
|
(238)
|
(1,817)
|
(205)
|
(9)
|
Dividend paid to noncontrolling interest |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Net short-term intercompany debt (repayments) borrowings |
(142)
|
(89)
|
74
|
(83)
|
97
|
Intercompany financing activities |
(101)
|
0
|
(61)
|
(29)
|
|
Net cash used in financing activities |
(407)
|
(367)
|
(811)
|
(677)
|
(1,165)
|
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents |
(72)
|
27
|
72
|
(41)
|
(34)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
75
|
3
|
3
|
44
|
78
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
3
|
30
|
75
|
3
|
44
|
Guarantor subsidiaries
|
|
|
|
|
|
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
77
|
83
|
413
|
380
|
371
|
Investing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital expenditures, net |
0
|
(1)
|
(5)
|
(8)
|
(1)
|
Expenditures for cable and satellite television distribution rights, net |
(24)
|
(1)
|
(1)
|
(2)
|
(2)
|
Cash paid for joint ventures and acquisitions of businesses, net of cash received |
|
0
|
|
|
|
Changes in other noncurrent assets |
2
|
(1)
|
(1)
|
|
|
Intercompany investing activities |
104
|
121
|
217
|
190
|
324
|
Net cash used in investing activities |
82
|
118
|
210
|
180
|
321
|
Financing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal payments of debt and capital lease obligations |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Principal borrowings of debt from senior secured credit facility |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from issuance of senior secured notes |
0
|
|
|
|
|
Payment of debt origination fees |
0
|
|
|
|
|
Other financing activities |
0
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends paid to Liberty, net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Dividend paid to noncontrolling interest |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Net short-term intercompany debt (repayments) borrowings |
96
|
28
|
(104)
|
93
|
14
|
Intercompany financing activities |
(252)
|
(235)
|
(577)
|
(590)
|
(739)
|
Net cash used in financing activities |
(156)
|
(207)
|
(681)
|
(497)
|
(725)
|
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents |
3
|
(6)
|
(58)
|
63
|
(33)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
165
|
223
|
223
|
160
|
193
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
168
|
217
|
165
|
223
|
160
|
Non-guarantor subsidiaries
|
|
|
|
|
|
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
(3)
|
54
|
175
|
110
|
60
|
Investing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital expenditures, net |
(25)
|
(37)
|
(172)
|
(164)
|
(194)
|
Expenditures for cable and satellite television distribution rights, net |
(1)
|
(1)
|
(1)
|
|
(2)
|
Cash paid for joint ventures and acquisitions of businesses, net of cash received |
|
(16)
|
(95)
|
|
|
Proceeds from joint ventures and equity investees |
|
|
|
|
220
|
Changes in other noncurrent assets |
(3)
|
(1)
|
12
|
(8)
|
(8)
|
Intercompany investing activities |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in investing activities |
(29)
|
(55)
|
(256)
|
(172)
|
16
|
Financing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal payments of debt and capital lease obligations |
(1)
|
(4)
|
(9)
|
(12)
|
(11)
|
Principal borrowings of debt from senior secured credit facility |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from issuance of senior secured notes |
0
|
|
|
|
|
Payment of debt origination fees |
0
|
|
|
|
|
Other financing activities |
0
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends paid to Liberty, net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Dividend paid to noncontrolling interest |
(25)
|
(29)
|
(29)
|
(50)
|
(63)
|
Net short-term intercompany debt (repayments) borrowings |
46
|
61
|
30
|
(10)
|
(111)
|
Intercompany financing activities |
4
|
(21)
|
75
|
47
|
35
|
Net cash used in financing activities |
24
|
7
|
67
|
(25)
|
(150)
|
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
(24)
|
(9)
|
(20)
|
4
|
14
|
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents |
(32)
|
(3)
|
(34)
|
(83)
|
(60)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
300
|
334
|
334
|
417
|
477
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
268
|
331
|
300
|
334
|
417
|
Eliminations
|
|
|
|
|
|
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Investing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Capital expenditures, net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Expenditures for cable and satellite television distribution rights, net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Cash paid for joint ventures and acquisitions of businesses, net of cash received |
|
0
|
|
|
|
Changes in other noncurrent assets |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Intercompany investing activities |
(349)
|
(256)
|
(563)
|
(572)
|
(704)
|
Net cash used in investing activities |
(349)
|
(256)
|
(563)
|
(572)
|
(704)
|
Financing activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
Principal payments of debt and capital lease obligations |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Principal borrowings of debt from senior secured credit facility |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from issuance of senior secured notes |
0
|
|
|
|
|
Payment of debt origination fees |
0
|
|
|
|
|
Other financing activities |
0
|
|
|
|
|
Dividends paid to Liberty, net |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Dividend paid to noncontrolling interest |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Net short-term intercompany debt (repayments) borrowings |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Intercompany financing activities |
349
|
256
|
563
|
572
|
704
|
Net cash used in financing activities |
349
|
256
|
563
|
572
|
704
|
Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents |
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period |
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period |
$ 0
|
$ 0
|
$ 0
|
$ 0
|
|