Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Comprehensive Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income including noncontrolling interests	$ 90,686	$ 76,900	$ 87,442	$ 126,676	$ 81,637	$ 53,103	$ 58,448	$ 71,237	$ 381,704	$ 264,425	$ 290,160
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment									(55,852)	(74,758)	0
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps									3,365	4,320	6,262
Other comprehensive (loss) income, before income taxes									(52,487)	(70,438)	6,262
Income tax expense									(4,322)	(4,315)	(2,311)
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of income taxes									(56,809)	(74,753)	3,951
Comprehensive income									324,895	189,672	294,111
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									(13,123)	(1,304)	578
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders									311,772	188,368	$ 294,689
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income including noncontrolling interests									(700,429)	(552,433)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment									73,695	81,980
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps									0	0
Other comprehensive (loss) income, before income taxes									73,695	81,980
Income tax expense									0	0
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of income taxes									73,695	81,980
Comprehensive income									(626,734)	(470,453)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders									(626,734)	(470,453)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income including noncontrolling interests									366,788	260,797
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment									(73,695)	(81,980)
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps									3,365	4,320
Other comprehensive (loss) income, before income taxes									(70,330)	(77,660)
Income tax expense									(4,322)	(4,315)
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of income taxes									(74,652)	(81,975)
Comprehensive income									292,136	178,822
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders									292,136	178,822
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income including noncontrolling interests									715,807	552,836
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment									(73,695)	(81,980)
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps									0	0
Other comprehensive (loss) income, before income taxes									(73,695)	(81,980)
Income tax expense									0	0
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of income taxes									(73,695)	(81,980)
Comprehensive income									642,112	470,856
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders									642,112	470,856
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income including noncontrolling interests									(462)	3,225
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment									17,843	7,222
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps									0	0
Other comprehensive (loss) income, before income taxes									17,843	7,222
Income tax expense									0	0
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of income taxes									17,843	7,222
Comprehensive income									17,381	10,447
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests									(13,123)	(1,304)
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders									$ 4,258	$ 9,143