Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Income Statement) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	$ 684,832	$ 601,138	$ 1,391,411	$ 1,269,820
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	305,492	259,730	576,537	521,903
Selling, general and administrative	179,366	158,880	336,644	313,459
Restructuring expense	389	2,654	354	3,310
Depreciation and amortization	21,553	21,040	41,185	41,567
Total operating expenses	506,800	442,304	954,720	880,239
Operating income	178,032	158,834	436,691	389,581
Other income (expense)
Interest expense, net	(30,336)	(31,779)	(61,364)	(64,366)
Share of affiliates' income	0	0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(9)	0	(48,343)	0
Miscellaneous, net	(24,910)	11,384	(25,599)	1,154
Total other income (expense)	(55,255)	(20,395)	(135,306)	(63,212)
Income from operations before income taxes	122,777	138,439	301,385	326,369
Income tax expense	(39,390)	(50,997)	(97,933)	(112,251)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	83,387	87,442	203,452	214,118
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,212)	(4,433)	(12,832)	(10,189)
Net income (loss) attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	77,175	83,009	190,620	203,929
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	(2,390)	(178)	(4,874)	(403)
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	(694)	(171)	(1,377)	(377)
Selling, general and administrative	(1,450)	(19)	(3,254)	(18)
Restructuring expense	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(2,144)	(190)	(4,631)	(395)
Operating income	(246)	12	(243)	(8)
Other income (expense)
Interest expense, net	0	0	0	0
Share of affiliates' income	(121,134)	(129,655)	(368,033)	(410,028)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Miscellaneous, net	246	(12)	243	8
Total other income (expense)	(120,888)	(129,667)	(367,790)	(410,020)
Income from operations before income taxes	(121,134)	(129,655)	(368,033)	(410,028)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income including noncontrolling interests	(121,134)	(129,655)	(368,033)	(410,028)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	(121,134)	(129,655)	(368,033)	(410,028)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	0	0	0	0
Restructuring expense	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)
Interest expense, net	(30,172)	(20,020)	(60,742)	(40,374)
Share of affiliates' income	142,131	126,287	388,178	402,272
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(9)		(48,343)
Miscellaneous, net	(170)	23,961	(251)	(52,352)
Total other income (expense)	111,780	130,228	278,842	309,546
Income from operations before income taxes	111,780	130,228	278,842	309,546
Income tax expense	(34,605)	(47,219)	(88,222)	(105,617)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	77,175	83,009	190,620	203,929
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	77,175	83,009	190,620	203,929
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	519,955	464,368	1,074,484	1,003,811
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	223,254	189,500	414,032	386,258
Selling, general and administrative	130,383	114,080	245,894	232,567
Restructuring expense	112	557	42	672
Depreciation and amortization	9,952	9,203	20,027	18,170
Total operating expenses	363,701	313,340	679,995	637,667
Operating income	156,254	151,028	394,489	366,144
Other income (expense)
Interest expense, net	9,538	(2,325)	18,831	(12,790)
Share of affiliates' income	(20,997)	3,368	(20,145)	7,756
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Miscellaneous, net	(190)	(23,601)	(213)	45,712
Total other income (expense)	(11,649)	(22,558)	(1,527)	40,678
Income from operations before income taxes	144,605	128,470	392,962	406,822
Income tax expense	(2,474)	(2,183)	(4,784)	(4,550)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	142,131	126,287	388,178	402,272
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	142,131	126,287	388,178	402,272
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	167,267	136,948	321,801	266,412
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	82,932	70,401	163,882	136,022
Selling, general and administrative	50,433	44,819	94,004	80,910
Restructuring expense	277	2,097	312	2,638
Depreciation and amortization	11,601	11,837	21,158	23,397
Total operating expenses	145,243	129,154	279,356	242,967
Operating income	22,024	7,794	42,445	23,445
Other income (expense)
Interest expense, net	(9,702)	(9,434)	(19,453)	(11,202)
Share of affiliates' income	0	0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0		0
Miscellaneous, net	(24,796)	11,036	(25,378)	7,786
Total other income (expense)	(34,498)	1,602	(44,831)	(3,416)
Income from operations before income taxes	(12,474)	9,396	(2,386)	20,029
Income tax expense	(2,311)	(1,595)	(4,927)	(2,084)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	(14,785)	7,801	(7,313)	17,945
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,212)	(4,433)	(12,832)	(10,189)
Net income (loss) attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	$ (20,997)	$ 3,368	$ (20,145)	$ 7,756