Equity and Long-Term Incentive Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Stock Options, Activity

The following table summarizes activity relating to Company employees who held AMC Networks stock options for the year ended December 31, 2015:

	Shares Under Option		Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Weighted Average Contractual Term (in years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value(a)
	Time Vesting Options
Balance, December 31, 2014	14,045		$	16.93	1.27	$	658
Exercised	(14,045	)	$	16.93
Balance, December 31, 2015	—		$	—		$	—
Options exercisable at December 31, 2015	—		$	—		$	—

(a) The aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between (i) the exercise price of the underlying award and (ii) the quoted price of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock on December 31, 2014.

In addition, the following table summarizes activity relating to Cablevision and MSG employees who held AMC Networks stock options for the year ended December 31, 2015:

	Shares Under Option				Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share		Weighted Average Contractual Term (in years)	Aggregate Intrinsic Value(a)
	Time Vesting Options		Performance Vesting Options
Balance, December 31, 2014	229,497		32,500		$	15.81	1.14	$	12,566
Exercised	(94,664	)	(32,500	)	$	13.62
Balance, December 31, 2015	134,833		—		$	17.88	0.43	$	7,659
Options exercisable at December 31, 2015	134,833		—		$	17.88	0.43	$	7,659

(a) The aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between (i) the exercise price of the underlying award and (ii) the quoted price of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock on December 31, 2015 or December 31, 2014, as indicated.

Schedule of Share-based Compensation, Restricted Stock Units Award Activity

The following table summarizes activity relating to Company employees who held AMC Networks restricted stock units for the year ended December 31, 2015:

	Number of Restricted Stock Units		Number of Performance Restricted Stock Units		Weighted Average  Fair Value Per Stock Unit at Date of Grant
Unvested award balance, December 31, 2014	898,854		655,843		$	62.79
Granted	362,589		125,465		$	72.95
Released/Vested	(317,222	)	(89,929	)	$	46.75
Canceled/Forfeited	(90,835	)	(7,986	)	$	65.94
Unvested award balance, December 31, 2015	853,386		683,393		$	70.07

During 2015, AMC Networks granted 488,054 restricted stock units to certain executive officers and employees under the AMC Networks Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Employee Stock Plan. 448,955 of such restricted stock units vest on the third anniversary of the grant date, 39,099 of such restricted stock units vest in equal annual installments over a three-year period.

The following table summarizes activity relating to Non-employee Directors who held AMC Networks restricted stock units for the year ended December 31, 2015:

	Number of Restricted Stock Units		Weighted Average  Fair Value Per Stock Unit at Date of Grant
Vested award balance, December 31, 2014	114,690		$	45.46
Granted	22,659		$	78.00
Released/Vested	(9,794	)	$	44.32
Vested award balance, December 31, 2015	127,555		$	51.33