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Fair Value Measurements | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Fair Value Measurements [Abstract] |
Fair Value Measurements | NOTE 6 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS ASC 820-10-35 establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. These tiers include: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions. Marketable Equity Securities The Company's marketable equity securities and interest rate swap are measured at fair value on each reporting date. The marketable equity securities are measured at fair value using quoted prices in active markets. Due to the fact that the inputs used to measure the marketable equity securities at fair value are observable, the Company has categorized the fair value measurements of the securities as Level 1. The cost, unrealized holding gains or losses, and fair value of the Company's investments at December 31, 2011 and 2010 are as follows:
(In thousands) |  |  |  |  | Gross Unrealized |  |  | Gross Unrealized |  |  | Fair |
Investments |  | Cost |  |  | Losses |  |  | Gains |  |  | Value |
2011 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Available-for sale |  | $ | 7,786 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 65,214 |  |  | $ | 73,000 |
Other cost investments |  |  | 4,766 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 4,766 |
Total |  | $ | 12,552 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 65,214 |  |  | $ | 77,766 |
2010 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Available-for sale |  | $ | 12,614 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 57,945 |  |  | $ | 70,559 |
Other cost investments |  |  | 4,773 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | — |  |  | $ | 4,773 |
Total |  | $ | 17,387 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 57,945 |  |  | $ | 75,332 |
Other cost investments include various investments in companies for which there is no readily determinable market value. The Company's available-for-sale security, Independent News & Media PLC ("INM"), was in an unrealized loss position for an extended period of time throughout 2009 through 2011. As a result, the Company considered the guidance in ASC 320-10-S99 and reviewed the length of the time and the extent to which the market value was less than cost and the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer. After this assessment, the Company concluded that the impairment was other than temporary and recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $4.8 million, $6.5 million and $11.3 million in "Loss on marketable securities" for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Interest Rate Swap The Company's $2.5 billion notional amount interest rate swap agreement is designated as a cash flow hedge and the effective portion of the gain or loss on the swap is reported as a component of other comprehensive income (loss). Ineffective portions of a cash flow hedging derivative's change in fair value are recognized currently in earnings. In accordance with ASC 815-20-35-9, as the critical terms of the swap and the floating-rate debt being hedged were the same at inception and remained the same during the current period, no ineffectiveness was recorded in earnings. The Company entered into its swap agreement to effectively convert a portion of its floating-rate debt to a fixed basis, thus reducing the impact of interest rate changes on future interest expense. The Company assesses at inception, and on an ongoing basis, whether its interest rate swap agreement is highly effective in offsetting changes in the interest expense of its floating rate debt. A derivative that is not a highly effective hedge does not qualify for hedge accounting. The Company continually monitors its positions with, and credit quality of, the financial institution which is counterparty to its interest rate swap. The Company may be exposed to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by its counterparty to the interest rate swap. However, the Company considers this risk to be low. If a derivative instrument no longer qualifies as a cash flow hedge, hedge accounting is discontinued and the gain or loss that was recorded in other comprehensive income is recognized currently in income. The swap agreement is valued using a discounted cash flow model that takes into account the present value of the future cash flows under the terms of the agreements by using market information available as of the reporting date, including prevailing interest rates and credit spread. Due to the fact that the inputs are either directly or indirectly observable, the Company classified the fair value measurement of the agreement as Level 2. The fair value of the Company's $2.5 billion notional amount interest rate swap designated as a hedging instrument and recorded in "Other long-term liabilities" was $159.1 million and $213.1 million at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The following table provides the beginning and ending accumulated other comprehensive loss and the current period activity related to the interest rate swap agreements:
(In thousands) |  | Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
Balance at December 31, 2009 |  | $ | 149,179 |
Other comprehensive income |  |  | 15,112 |
Balance at December 31, 2010 |  |  | 134,067 |
Other comprehensive income |  |  | 33,775 |
Balance at December 31, 2011 |  | $ | 100,292 |

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19296-110258 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 159 -Paragraph 17-22, 27, 28 -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 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6947722&loc=d3e13433-108611 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 107 -Paragraph 15C, 15D -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. 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Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6925170&loc=d3e19207-110258 Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 30 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957238&loc=d3e14172-108612 Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 107 -Paragraph 3, 10, 14, 15 -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 13: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 107 -Paragraph 15B -Subparagraph a, b -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 14: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 157 -Paragraph 32, 33, 34 -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. + Details
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