| **Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows and Supplemental Disclosures**         | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
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| **Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Supplemental Disclosures [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Supplemental Disclosures [Text Block]   | (2)       Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Supplemental Disclosures

       Changes in operating assets and liabilities consist of (amounts in thousands):
 Three Months Ended March 31, 2012 2011   Increase in accounts receivable, net$ (10,619)  (7,388)   Increase in prepaid expenses  (1,520)  (1,911)   Increase in inventories  (1,985)  (992)   Decrease in other current assets  104  59   Decrease in other assets  1,152  582   Increase (decrease) in accounts payable  (6,813)  772   Increase in deferred revenues  1,178  244   Decrease in accrued payroll and  payroll related obligations  (2,048)  (2,353)   Increase (decrease) in accrued liabilities  3,120  (99)   Increase in accrued interest  14,686  3,551   Decrease in subscriber deposits  (44)  (53)   Decrease in long-term deferred revenue  (281)  (359)   Decrease in components of other  long-term liabilities  (832)  (2,033)    $ (3,902)  (9,980) 
The following items are for the three months endedMarch 31, 2012 and2011(amounts in thousands):
 Net cash paid or received: 2012 2011  Interest paid, net of amounts capitalized$ 2,086  13,664
The following items are non-cash investing and financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2012and2011(amounts in thousands):
   2012 2011 Non-cash additions for purchases of property and  equipment$ 2,868  6,872 Asset retirement obligation additions to property and  equipment $ 92  116 Asset retirement obligation reductions to property and  equipment for revisions to previous estimates$ -  294 Deferred compensation distribution denominated in  shares$ 511  - |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for supplemental cash flow activities, including cash, noncash, and part noncash transactions, for the period. Noncash is defined as information about all investing and financing activities of an enterprise during a period that affect recognized assets or liabilities but that do not result in cash receipts or cash payments in the period. "Part noncash" refers to that portion of the transaction not resulting in cash receipts or cash payments in the period.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4332-108586Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 95 -Paragraph 32 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4313-108586Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586
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