Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Comprehensive Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	$ 142,631	$ 120,064
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	9,864	15,385
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps	319	(1,578)
Unrealized gain on available for sale securities	4,021	0
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes	14,204	13,807
Income tax expense	(1,597)	(1,899)
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	12,607	11,908
Comprehensive income	155,238	131,972
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,805)	(7,032)
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	148,433	124,940
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	(238,919)	(245,277)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(9,864)	2,845
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps	0	0
Unrealized gain on available for sale securities	0
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes	(9,864)	2,845
Income tax expense	0	0
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	(9,864)	2,845
Comprehensive income	(248,783)	(242,432)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	(248,783)	(242,432)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	136,217	113,444
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	9,864	(2,845)
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps	319	(1,578)
Unrealized gain on available for sale securities	4,021
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes	14,204	(4,423)
Income tax expense	(1,597)	(1,899)
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	12,607	(6,322)
Comprehensive income	148,824	107,122
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	148,824	107,122
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	235,774	246,047
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	(2,845)
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps	0	0
Unrealized gain on available for sale securities	0
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes	0	(2,845)
Income tax expense	0	0
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	0	(2,845)
Comprehensive income	235,774	243,202
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	235,774	243,202
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	9,559	5,850
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	9,864	18,230
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps	0	0
Unrealized gain on available for sale securities	0
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes	9,864	18,230
Income tax expense	0	0
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	9,864	18,230
Comprehensive income	19,423	24,080
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,805)	(7,032)
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	$ 12,618	$ 17,048