Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

The carrying amount of goodwill, by operating segment is as follows:



	National Networks			International and Other			Total
December 31, 2013	$	76,748		$	—		$	76,748
Additions—business acquisitions	176,371			521,226			697,597
Amortization of "second component" goodwill	(2,524		)	—			(2,524		)
Foreign currency translation	—			(37,465		)	(37,465		)
December 31, 2014	$	250,595		$	483,761		$	734,356

The increase in the carrying amount of goodwill for the National Networks operating segment relates to the acquisition of New Video and for the International and Other operating segment primarily relates to the acquisition of Chellomedia (see Note 3).

The reduction of $2,524 in the carrying amount of goodwill for the National Networks is due to the realization of a tax benefit for the amortization of "second component" goodwill at SundanceTV. Second component goodwill is the amount of tax deductible goodwill in excess of goodwill for financial reporting purposes. In accordance with the authoritative guidance at the time of the SundanceTV acquisition, the tax benefits associated with this excess are applied to first reduce the amount of goodwill, and then other intangible assets for financial reporting purposes, if and when such tax benefits are realized in the Company's tax returns.

There were no accumulated impairment losses related to goodwill for any periods as of December 31, 2014.

The following table summarizes information relating to the Company’s identifiable intangible assets:



	December 31, 2014							Estimated Useful Lives
	Gross		Accumulated Amortization			Net		Estimated Useful Lives
Amortizable intangible assets:
Affiliate and customer relationships	$	555,742	$	(80,351	)	$	475,391	17 to 25 years
Advertiser relationships	45,827		(655		)	45,172		11 years
Trade names	52,698		(2,351		)	50,347		20 years
Other amortizable intangible assets	16		(2		)	14
Total amortizable intangible assets	654,283		(83,359		)	570,924
Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
Trademarks	19,900		—			19,900
Total intangible assets	$	674,183	$	(83,359	)	$	590,824
	December 31, 2013
	Gross		Accumulated Amortization			Net
Amortizable intangible assets:
Affiliate relationships	$	243,600	$	(53,971	)	$	189,629
Other amortizable intangible assets	644		(621		)	23
Total amortizable intangible assets	244,244		(54,592		)	189,652
Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
Trademarks	19,900		—			19,900
Total intangible assets	$	264,144	$	(54,592	)	$	209,552

The increase in amortizable intangible assets is a result of the acquisitions of Chellomedia and New Video (see Note 3).

The gross asset and accumulated amortization amounts related to fully amortized other amortizable intangible assets were removed from the intangible assets balance as of December 31, 2014.

Aggregate amortization expense for amortizable intangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 was $30,828, $31,631 and $64,489, respectively. Estimated aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets subject to amortization for each of the following five years is:



Years Ending December 31,
2015	$	36,612
2016	36,612
2017	36,612
2018	36,612
2019	36,612

Annual Impairment Test of Goodwill

Based on the Company’s annual impairment test for goodwill as of December 1, 2014, no impairment charge was required for any of the reporting units. The Company performed a quantitative assessment for all reporting units, other than the AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology reporting unit, and the fair value exceeded the carrying value (including allocated goodwill) for each reporting unit. In order to evaluate the sensitivity of the estimated fair value calculation, the Company applied a hypothetical 20% decrease in the fair value of each reporting unit. This hypothetical decrease would have no impact on the conclusion reached in the goodwill impairment analysis of the National Programming Networks reporting unit. Based on the quantitative assessment of the International Programming reporting unit, if the fair value of the reporting units decreased by 4%, the Company would be required to perform step-two of the quantitative assessment.

The Company performed a qualitative assessment for the AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology reporting unit. The qualitative assessment included, but was not limited to, consideration of the historical significant excesses of the estimated fair value of the reporting unit over its carrying value (including allocated goodwill), macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, cost factors and historical and projected cash flows.

In assessing the recoverability of goodwill, the Company must make assumptions regarding estimated future cash flows and other factors to determine the fair value of the respective assets. These estimates and assumptions could have a significant impact on whether an impairment charge is recognized and also the magnitude of any such charge. Fair value estimates are made at a specific point in time, based on relevant information. These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgments and therefore cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions could significantly affect the estimates. Estimates of fair value for goodwill impairment testing are primarily determined using discounted cash flows and comparable market transactions methods. These valuation methods are based on estimates and assumptions including projected future cash flows, discount rate and determination of appropriate market comparables and determination of whether a premium or discount should be applied to comparables. Projected future cash flows also include assumptions for renewals of affiliation agreements, the projected number of subscribers and the projected average rates per basic and viewing subscribers and growth in fixed price contractual arrangements used to determine affiliation fee revenue, access to program rights and the cost of such program rights, amount of programming time that is advertiser supported, number of advertising spots available and the sell through rates for those spots, average fee per advertising spot and operating margins, among other assumptions. If these estimates or material related assumptions change in the future, we may be required to record impairment charges related to goodwill.

Impairment Test of Identifiable Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

Based on the Company's annual impairment test for identifiable indefinite-lived intangible assets, no impairment charge was required. The Company’s indefinite-lived intangible assets relate to SundanceTV trademarks, which were valued using a relief-from-royalty method in which the expected benefits are valued by discounting estimated royalty revenue over projected revenues covered by the trademarks. In order to evaluate the sensitivity of the fair value calculations for the Company’s identifiable indefinite-lived intangible assets, the Company applied a hypothetical 20% decrease to the estimated fair value of the identifiable indefinite-lived intangible assets. This hypothetical decrease in estimated fair value would not result in an impairment.

Significant judgments inherent in estimating the fair value of indefinite-lived intangible assets include the selection of appropriate discount and royalty rates, estimating the amount and timing of estimated future cash flows and identification of appropriate continuing growth rate assumptions. The discount rates used in the analysis are intended to reflect the risk inherent in the projected future cash flows generated by the respective intangible assets.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the aggregate amount of goodwill and a description of intangible assets, which may include (a) for amortizable intangible assets (also referred to as finite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, the amount of any significant residual value, and the weighted-average amortization period, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization (also referred to as indefinite-lived intangible assets), the carrying amount, and (c) the amount of research and development assets acquired and written off in the period, including the line item in the income statement in which the amounts written off are aggregated, if not readily apparent from the income statement. Also discloses (a) for amortizable intangibles assets in total and by major class, the gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization, the total amortization expense for the period, and the estimated aggregate amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years, (b) for intangible assets not subject to amortization the carrying amount in total and by major class, and (c) for goodwill, in total and for each reportable segment, the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the period (including the aggregate amount of goodwill acquired, the aggregate amount of impairment losses recognized, and the amount of goodwill included in the gain (loss) on disposal of a reporting unit). If any part of goodwill has not been allocated to a reportable segment, discloses the unallocated amount and the reasons for not allocating. For each impairment loss recognized related to an intangible asset (excluding goodwill), discloses: (a) a description of the impaired intangible asset and the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method for determining fair value, (c) the caption in the income statement or the statement of activities in which the impairment loss is aggregated, and (d) the segment in which the impaired intangible asset is reported. For each goodwill impairment loss recognized, discloses: (a) a description of the facts and circumstances leading to the impairment, (b) the amount of the impairment loss and the method of determining the fair value of the associated reporting unit, and (c) if a recognized impairment loss is an estimate not finalized and the reasons why the estimate is not final. May also disclose the nature and amount of any significant adjustments made to a previous estimate of an impairment loss.

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