Description of Business and Basis of Presentation Description of Business and Basis of Presentation (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Reclassifications [Policy Text Block]

Reclassifications Certain reclassifications have been made to the 2011 and 2010 amounts to conform to the 2012 presentation. Specifically, the prepaid portion of program rights of $53,697 previously included in "prepaid expenses and other current assets" has been reclassified to "program rights, net" within current assets in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2011. Similar reclassifications were made from "prepaid expenses and other assets" to "program rights and obligations, net" of $27,491 and $13,426 in the consolidated statements of cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Discontinued Operations, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Discontinued Operations

On December 31, 2010, RMH transferred its membership interests in News 12 (regional news programming services), Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation (a cable television advertising company) and certain other businesses to wholly-owned subsidiaries of Cablevision in contemplation of the Distribution. The net assets distributed amounted to $41,273 and were recorded as a deemed capital distribution in the consolidated statement of stockholders’ equity at December 31, 2010. No gain or loss was recognized in connection with this distribution between entities under common control. The operating results of these transferred entities through the date of the transfer have been presented in the consolidated statement of income as discontinued operations for the year ended December 31, 2010. Additionally, the net operating results following the sale of our ownership interests in the Lifeskool and Sportskool video-on-demand services in September and October 2008, respectively, which were recorded under the installment sales method, have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AMC Networks and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation.

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 14.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). 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 and assessing recoverability of owned original programming costs, valuation and recoverability of long-lived assets, income taxes and contingencies and litigation matters.