Equity Plans	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Equity Plans	Equity Plans On March 9, 2017, AMC Networks granted 578,901 restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and 458,962 performance restricted stock units (“PRSUs”) to certain executive officers and employees under the AMC Networks Inc. 2016 Employee Stock Plan. The RSUs vest ratably over a three-year period and the vesting criteria for 175,299 RSUs include the achievement of certain performance targets by the Company. The PRSUs vest on the third anniversary of the grant date. The target number of PRSUs granted represents the right to receive a corresponding number of shares, subject to adjustment based on the performance of the Company against target performance criteria for a three-year period. The number of shares issuable at the end of the applicable measurement period ranges from 0% to 200% of the target PRSU award. During the three months ended March 31, 2017, 505,935 RSUs of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock previously issued to employees of the Company vested. On the vesting date, 218,641 RSUs were surrendered to the Company to cover the required statutory tax withholding obligations and 287,294 new shares of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock were issued in respect of the remaining RSUs. The units surrendered to satisfy the employees’ statutory minimum tax withholding obligations for the applicable income and other employment tax had an aggregate value of $12.8 million, which has been reflected as a financing activity in the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2017. Share-based compensation expense included in selling, general and administrative expense, for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and March 31, 2016 was $12.5 million and $8.2 million, respectively. As of March 31, 2017, there was $126.2 million of total unrecognized share-based compensation cost related to outstanding unvested share-based awards. The unrecognized compensation cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average remaining period of approximately 2.8 years.

Equity Plans

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

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

On March 9, 2017, AMC Networks granted 578,901 restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and 458,962 performance restricted stock units (“PRSUs”) to certain executive officers and employees under the AMC Networks Inc. 2016 Employee Stock Plan. The RSUs vest ratably over a three-year period and the vesting criteria for 175,299 RSUs include the achievement of certain performance targets by the Company. The PRSUs vest on the third anniversary of the grant date.

The target number of PRSUs granted represents the right to receive a corresponding number of shares, subject to adjustment based on the performance of the Company against target performance criteria for a three-year period. The number of shares issuable at the end of the applicable measurement period ranges from 0% to 200% of the target PRSU award.

During the three months ended March 31, 2017, 505,935 RSUs of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock previously issued to employees of the Company vested. On the vesting date, 218,641 RSUs were surrendered to the Company to cover the required statutory tax withholding obligations and 287,294 new shares of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock were issued in respect of the remaining RSUs. The units surrendered to satisfy the employees’ statutory minimum tax withholding obligations for the applicable income and other employment tax had an aggregate value of $12.8 million, which has been reflected as a financing activity in the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2017.

Share-based compensation expense included in selling, general and administrative expense, for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and March 31, 2016 was $12.5 million and $8.2 million, respectively.

As of March 31, 2017, there was $126.2 million of total unrecognized share-based compensation cost related to outstanding unvested share-based awards. The unrecognized compensation cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average remaining period of approximately 2.8 years.