Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value (Details)

v3.6.0.2
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value (Details)
1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
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Jul. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2015
USD ($)
Apr. 30, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
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Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
$ / item
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Mar. 27, 2015
USD ($)
$ / item
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Feb. 28, 2015
$ / item
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Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Short-term marketable securities             $ 9,014,000      
Investments, at fair value             439,560,000      
Payments from settlements of financial instruments             182,192,000 $ 130,237,000    
Revolving Credit Facility                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity                 $ 234,000,000  
Time Warner Cable                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Investments, at fair value             438,912,000      
Zero-strike call option                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Derivative premium paid   $ 47,900,000                
Zero-strike call option | Call Option                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Derivative underlying share amount $ 704,908                  
Derivative premium paid   $ 47,900,000                
Written call option | Time Warner Cable                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Derivative share amount hedged | shares 0 0       0        
Cashless Collar | Time Warner Cable                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Derivative share amount hedged | shares                 1,700,000  
Payments from settlements of financial instruments     $ 67,100,000              
Cashless Collar | Put Option | Time Warner Cable                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Derivative, Price Risk Option Strike Price | $ / item                 136.80  
Cashless Collar | Call Option | Time Warner Cable                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Derivative, Price Risk Option Strike Price | $ / item                 161.62  
Total | Recurring                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Cash equivalents $ 198,011,000 $ 198,011,000       $ 198,011,000 639,956,000      
Short-term marketable securities             9,014,000      
Derivative Asset 49,019,000 49,019,000       49,019,000        
Available for sale securities | Total | Recurring                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Investments, at fair value             439,560,000      
Expiration Date February 2015 | Written call option | Time Warner Cable                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Derivative share amount hedged | shares               625,000    
Derivative, Price Risk Option Strike Price | $ / item               92.02    
Expiration Date February 2016 | Written call option | Time Warner Cable                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Derivative share amount hedged | shares                   625,000
Derivative, Price Risk Option Strike Price | $ / item                   100.39
Payments from settlements of financial instruments       $ 48,300,000            
Expiration Date May 2015 | Written call option | Time Warner Cable                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Derivative share amount hedged | shares               625,000    
Derivative, Price Risk Option Strike Price | $ / item               90.84    
Payments from settlements of financial instruments         $ 36,700,000          
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) | Recurring                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Cash equivalents 198,011,000 198,011,000       198,011,000        
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) | Available for sale securities | Recurring                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Cash equivalents             639,956,000      
Short-term marketable securities             9,014,000      
Investments, at fair value             $ 439,560,000      
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) | Recurring                    
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value                    
Derivative Asset $ 49,019,000 $ 49,019,000       $ 49,019,000        
Minimum                    
Level 2 input                    
Volatility           21.10%        
Interest rate           1.00%        
Dividend yield           0.00%        
Maximum                    
Level 2 input                    
Volatility           21.50%        
Interest rate           1.00%        
Dividend yield           0.00%