Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]

Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation

Note 1. Description of Business and Basis of Presentation Description of Business

     AMC Networks Inc. ("AMC Networks") and collectively with its subsidiaries (the "Company") own and operate entertainment businesses and assets. The Company is comprised of two reportable segments:

• National Networks: Includes four nationally distributed programming networks: AMC, WE tv, IFC and Sundance Channel. These programming networks are distributed throughout the United States ("U.S.") via cable and other multichannel video programming distribution platforms, including direct broadcast satellite ("DBS") and platforms operated by telecommunications providers (we refer collectively to these cable and other multichannel video programming distributors as "multichannel video programming distributors" or "distributors"); and
• International and Other: Principally includes AMC/Sundance Channel Global, the Company's international programming business; IFC Films, the Company's independent film distribution business; and AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology, the Company's network technical services business, which primarily services the programming networks of the Company. AMC and Sundance Channel are distributed in Canada and Sundance Channel and WE tv are distributed in other countries throughout Europe and Asia. The International and Other reportable segment also includes VOOM HD
  Holdings LLC ("VOOM HD"), which the Company is winding down, and which continues to sell certain limited amounts of programming internationally through program license agreements.

     On June 30, 2011, Cablevision Systems Corporation (Cablevision Systems Corporation and its subsidiaries are referred to as "Cablevision") spun-off the Company (the "Distribution") and AMC Networks became an independent public company. In connection with the Distribution, Cablevision contributed all of the membership interests of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC ("RMH") to AMC Networks, which was an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Cablevision immediately prior to the Distribution. RMH owned, directly or indirectly, the businesses included in Cablevision's Rainbow segment. On June 30, 2011, Cablevision effected the Distribution of all of AMC Networks' outstanding common stock to its shareholders. Both Cablevision and the Company continue to be controlled by Charles F. Dolan, certain members of his immediate family and certain family related entities (collectively the "Dolan Family").

Basis of Presentation

     These unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") for interim financial information. Accordingly, these unaudited consolidated financial statements do not include all the information and notes required for complete annual financial statements.

     These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2011 contained in the Company's 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K ("2011 Form 10-K") filed with the SEC.

     The consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2012 and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011 are unaudited; however, in the opinion of management, such consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods presented. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

     The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that might be expected for future interim periods or for the full year ending December 31, 2012.

     The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates and judgments inherent in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements include the determination of ultimate revenues as it relates to accounting for amortization of owned original programming costs, valuation and recoverability of long-lived assets, income taxes and contingencies and litigation matters.

     The Company's consolidated financial statements for periods prior to the Distribution have been derived from the consolidated financial statements and accounting records of Cablevision and reflect certain assumptions and allocations. The results of operations and cash flows of the Company for those periods could differ from those that might have resulted had the Company been operated autonomously or as an entity independent of Cablevision. The Company's consolidated financial statements after the Distribution reflect certain revenues and expenses related to transactions with or charges from Cablevision and The Madison Square Garden Company and its subsidiaries ("MSG") as described in Note 11.

Discontinued Operations

     Discontinued operations consists of receipts related to the sale of the Lifeskool and Sportskool video-on-demand services in September and October 2008, respectively, which were recorded under the installment sales method.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

     In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2011-08, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment (ASU 2011-08), to allow entities to use a qualitative approach to test goodwill for impairment. ASU 2011-08 permits an entity to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value. If it is concluded that this is the case, it is necessary to perform the prescribed two-step goodwill impairment test. Otherwise, the two-step goodwill impairment test is not required. The Company adopted ASU 2011-08 effective January 1, 2012 and applied it to the Company's annual impairment test as of the end of February 2012 (see Note 3).

     In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income (ASU 2011-05). The provisions of ASU 2011-05 provide that an entity that reports items of other comprehensive income has the option to present comprehensive income as (i) a single statement that presents the components of net income and total net income, the components of other comprehensive income and total other comprehensive income and a total for comprehensive income or (ii) in a two-statement approach, whereby an entity must present the components of net income and total net income in the first statement and that statement is immediately followed by a financial statement that presents the components of other comprehensive income, a total for other comprehensive income and a total for comprehensive income. The previous option under GAAP that permitted the presentation of other comprehensive income in the statement of stockholders' equity has been eliminated. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-12, Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassification of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05 (ASU 2011-12). ASU 2011-12 defers the requirement in ASU 2011-05 to present reclassification adjustments for each component of accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI") in both other comprehensive income and net income on the face of the financial statements, and the presentation of reclassification adjustments is not required in interim periods. The Company adopted ASU 2011-05 and ASU 2011-12 effective January 1, 2012 and presents comprehensive income using the two-statement approach.

     In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in GAAP and IFRSs (ASU 2011-04). ASU 2011-04 provides amendments to Topic 820 that change the wording used to describe many of the requirements in GAAP for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements. The Company adopted ASU 2011-04 effective January 1, 2012. The adoption of this authoritative guidance did not have any impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

     In July 2012, the FASB issued ASU No. 2012-02, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment (ASU 2012-02), to allow entities to use a qualitative approach to test indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. ASU 2012-02 permits an entity to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether the existence of events and circumstances indicates that it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. If it is concluded that this is the case, an entity is required to determine the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset and perform the quantitative impairment test by comparing the fair value with the carrying amount in accordance with Subtopic 350-30. Otherwise, the quantitative impairment test is not required. This guidance will be effective for the Company's 2013 annual impairment test and earlier adoption is permitted. The Company will evaluate performing a qualitative assessment in 2013.