Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Debt (Details)

v3.6.0.2
Debt (Details)
$ in Thousands, shares in Millions
1 Months Ended 4 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
shares
Mar. 21, 2016
USD ($)
Oct. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Oct. 30, 2014
USD ($)
item
Oct. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Jul. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Apr. 30, 2015
USD ($)
Nov. 30, 2014
USD ($)
May 31, 2013
shares
Jul. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Mar. 27, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Debt disclosures                            
Long-term Debt, Gross $ 600,000                   $ 600,000 $ 400,000    
Debt outstanding $ 198,512                   198,512 399,703    
Repayments of debt                       40,000    
Margin Loan Agreements                            
Debt disclosures                            
Proceeds From Issuance Of Secured Debt               $ 52,000            
Margin Loan Agreements | Charter                            
Debt disclosures                            
Number of common shares pledged as collateral | shares 9.5                          
Value of pledged collateral $ 2,700,000                   $ 2,700,000      
Margin Loan Agreements | LIBOR                            
Debt disclosures                            
Interest rate basis                     three-month LIBOR      
2014 Margin Loan Agreement                            
Debt disclosures                            
Debt outstanding                           $ 372,000
Maximum borrowing capacity $ 400,000                   $ 400,000      
Remaining borrowing capacity                       28,000    
Proceeds From Issuance Of Secured Debt         $ 28,000     $ 52,000            
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage 2.39%                   2.39%      
Line of Credit, Current $ 400,000                   $ 400,000      
2014 Margin Loan Agreement | Three-month LIBOR                            
Debt disclosures                            
Basis spread on variable rate 1.55%                          
2014 Margin Loan Agreement | Term loan                            
Debt disclosures                            
Unused commitment fee percentage 0.25%                          
Revolving Credit Facility                            
Debt disclosures                            
Maximum borrowing capacity                         $ 234,000  
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt             $ 40,000              
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage                   0.12%        
Revolving Credit Facility | Time Warner Cable                            
Debt disclosures                            
Repayments of debt           $ 40,000                
Revolving Credit Facility | LIBOR                            
Debt disclosures                            
Interest rate basis                   three-month LIBOR        
Basis spread on variable rate                   0.64%        
BroadbandSPV | 2014 Margin Loan Agreement                            
Debt disclosures                            
Long-term Debt, Gross $ 400,000                   400,000 $ 400,000    
Number of debt agreements | item       2                    
Maximum borrowing capacity       $ 400,000                    
Remaining borrowing capacity     $ 80,000                      
Proceeds From Issuance Of Secured Debt     $ 320,000                      
Cheetah 5 | 2016 Margin Loan Agreement                            
Debt disclosures                            
Long-term Debt, Gross $ 200,000                   $ 200,000      
Maximum borrowing capacity   $ 300,000                        
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage 2.94%                   2.94%      
Cheetah 5 | 2016 Margin Loan Agreement | LIBOR                            
Debt disclosures                            
Interest rate basis                     LIBOR      
Basis spread on variable rate   2.10%                        
Cheetah 5 | 2016 Margin Loan Agreement | Term loan                            
Debt disclosures                            
Maximum borrowing capacity   $ 200,000                        
Line of Credit, Current $ 200,000                   $ 200,000      
Cheetah 5 | 2016 Margin Loan Agreement | Draw loan                            
Debt disclosures                            
Maximum borrowing capacity   $ 100,000                        
Unused commitment fee percentage   0.50%                        
Remaining borrowing capacity $ 100,000                   $ 100,000      
Liberty | Charter                            
Debt disclosures                            
Number of common shares pledged as collateral | shares                 20.3          
Liberty | 2014 Margin Loan Agreement                            
Debt disclosures                            
Distribution to parent       $ 300,000