Equity Plans	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]
Equity Plans	Equity Plans On June 6, 2017, AMC Networks granted 32,825 restricted stock units (“RSU’s”) under the AMC Networks Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Non-Employee Directors Plan to non-employee directors that vested on the date of grant. On March 9, 2017, AMC Networks granted 578,901 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 six months ended June 30, 2017, 518,968 RSUs of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock previously issued to employees of the Company vested. On the vesting date, 225,398 RSUs were surrendered to the Company to cover the required statutory tax withholding obligations and 293,570 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 $13.4 million, which has been reflected as a financing activity in the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2017. Share-based compensation expense included in selling, general and administrative expense, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 was $15.1 million and $27.6 million, respectively, and $11.3 million and $19.5 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively. As of June 30, 2017, there was $116.5 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 2.6 years.

Equity Plans

On June 6, 2017, AMC Networks granted 32,825 restricted stock units (“RSU’s”) under the AMC Networks Inc. Amended and Restated 2011 Non-Employee Directors Plan to non-employee directors that vested on the date of grant.

On March 9, 2017, AMC Networks granted 578,901 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 six months ended June 30, 2017, 518,968 RSUs of AMC Networks Class A Common Stock previously issued to employees of the Company vested. On the vesting date, 225,398 RSUs were surrendered to the Company to cover the required statutory tax withholding obligations and 293,570 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 $13.4 million, which has been reflected as a financing activity in the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2017.

Share-based compensation expense included in selling, general and administrative expense, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 was $15.1 million and $27.6 million, respectively, and $11.3 million and $19.5 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively.

As of June 30, 2017, there was $116.5 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 2.6 years.