Description of Business and Basis of Presentation (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Consolidation, Policy

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AMC Networks and its majority owned or controlled subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates, Policy

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“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 valuation of acquisition-related assets and liabilities, derivative assets and liabilities, certain stock compensation awards, the useful lives and methodologies used to amortize and assess recoverability of program rights, the estimated useful lives of intangible assets, valuation and recoverability of goodwill and intangible assets and income tax assets and liabilities.

Reclassification, Policy

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications were made to the prior period amounts to conform to the current period presentation, including the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740) Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes which requires deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in the statement of financial position.

Discontinued Operations, Policy

Discontinued Operations

In connection with the acquisition of Chellomedia (see Note 3), management committed to a plan to dispose of the operations of Chellomedia's advertising sales unit, Atmedia, which was completed in August 2014. The operating results of Atmedia have been classified as discontinued operations for the year ended December 31, 2014.