v3.24.1
Income Taxes and Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Income Taxes and Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes  
Schedule of components of the (provision for) benefit from income taxes

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

For the Years Ended December 31,

​

​

    

2023

    

2022

    

2021

 

​

​

(In thousands)

​

Current (benefit) provision:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Federal

​

$

528,689

​

$

572,754

​

$

486,736

​

State

​

​

118,540

​

​

133,475

​

​

106,594

​

Foreign

​

​

2,475

​

​

(4,255)

​

​

2,387

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Total current (benefit) provision

​

​

649,704

​

​

701,974

​

​

595,717

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Deferred (benefit) provision:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Federal

​

​

(69,321)

​

​

(95,995)

​

​

(31,424)

​

State

​

​

(15,794)

​

​

(20,720)

​

​

(7,090)

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Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance

​

​

515

​

​

—

​

​

(2,790)

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Total deferred (benefit) provision

​

​

(84,600)

​

​

(116,715)

​

​

(41,304)

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Total (benefit) provision

​

$

565,104

​

$

585,259

​

$

554,413

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​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Schedule of reconciliation of amounts computed by applying the statutory Federal tax rate to income before taxes

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​

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​

​

​

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For the Years Ended December 31,

​

​

    

2023

    

2022

    

2021

 

​

​

% of pre-tax income/(loss)

​

Statutory rate

​

21.0

​

21.0

​

21.0

​

State income taxes, net of federal benefit

​

3.4

​

3.5

​

3.5

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Other, net

​

0.1

​

(0.1)

​

(0.3)

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Total (benefit) provision for income taxes

​

24.5

​

24.4

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24.2

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​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Schedule of deferred tax assets and liabilities

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As of December 31,

​

​

    

2023

    

2022

 

​

​

(In thousands)

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Deferred tax assets:

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​

​

​

​

​

​

NOL, interest, credit and other carryforwards

​

$

7,277

​

$

7,642

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Accrued and prepaid expenses

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​

22,449

​

​

8,526

​

Stock-based compensation

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​

16,686

​

​

19,374

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Deferred revenue

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​

6,118

​

​

7,344

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Bases differences in partnerships and cost method investments

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​

3,360

​

​

1,281

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Total deferred tax assets

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​

55,890

​

​

44,167

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Valuation allowance

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​

(8,194)

​

​

(7,679)

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Deferred tax asset after valuation allowance

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​

47,696

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​

36,488

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​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Deferred tax liabilities:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Depreciation

​

​

(193,564)

​

​

(235,498)

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Regulatory authorizations and other intangible amortization

​

​

(122,302)

​

​

(153,738)

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Total deferred tax liabilities

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​

(315,866)

​

​

(389,236)

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Net deferred tax asset (liability)

​

$

(268,170)

​

$

(352,748)

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Schedule of reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits included in long-term deferred revenue, distribution and carriage payments and other long-term liabilities

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​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

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For the Years Ended December 31,

​

Unrecognized tax benefit

    

2023

    

2022

    

2021

 

​

​

(In thousands)

​

Balance as of beginning of period

​

$

204,378

​

$

198,511

​

$

188,141

​

Additions based on tax positions related to the current year

​

​

3,601

​

​

3,444

​

​

303

​

Additions based on tax positions related to prior years

​

​

2,892

​

​

9,523

​

​

12,095

​

Reductions based on tax positions related to prior years

​

​

(7,219)

​

​

(7,100)

​

​

(1,400)

​

Reductions based on tax positions related to settlements with taxing authorities

​

​

(834)

​

​

—

​

​

—

​

Reductions based on tax positions related to the lapse of the statute of limitations

​

​

(352)

​

​

—

​

​

(628)

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Balance as of end of period

​

$

202,466

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$

204,378

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$

198,511

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​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​