Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 529,200		$ 558,783	$ 403,648	$ 481,389
Accounts receivable, trade (including amounts due from related parties, net, less allowance for doubtful accounts)	793,275		775,891
Current portion of program rights, net	464,921		453,450
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	102,058		91,726
Total current assets	1,889,454	$ 1,883,508	1,879,850
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	185,440		183,514
Investment in affiliates	0		0
Program rights, net	1,279,589		1,319,279
Long-term intercompany notes receivable	0		0
Deferred carriage fees, net	27,172		29,924
Intangible assets, net	452,395		457,242
Goodwill	707,654		695,158
Deferred tax asset, net	21,731		20,081
Other assets	549,932		447,937
Total assets	5,113,367	5,052,884	5,032,985
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	96,816		102,197
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payable	235,301		263,076
Current portion of program rights obligations	326,862		327,549
Deferred revenue	51,916		46,433
Current portion of long-term debt			0
Current portion of capital lease obligations	4,771		4,847
Total current liabilities	715,666	744,937	744,102
Program rights obligations	491,527		534,980
Long-term debt	3,101,138		3,099,257
Capital lease obligations	25,233		26,277
Deferred tax liability, net	145,159		109,698
Other liabilities and intercompany notes payable	153,167		136,122
Total liabilities	4,631,890	$ 4,657,551	4,650,436
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	220,366		218,604
Stockholders' equity (deficiency):
AMC Networks stockholders' equity	230,744		134,944
Non-redeemable noncontrolling interests	30,367		29,001
Total stockholders' equity	261,111		163,945
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	5,113,367		5,032,985
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	0	0
Accounts receivable, trade (including amounts due from related parties, net, less allowance for doubtful accounts)	0		0
Current portion of program rights, net	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(122,335)		(104,389)
Total current assets	(122,335)		(104,389)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0		0
Investment in affiliates	(4,630,009)		(4,377,625)
Program rights, net	0		0
Long-term intercompany notes receivable	(490,723)		(490,375)
Deferred carriage fees, net	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Deferred tax asset, net	0		0
Other assets	0
Total assets	(5,243,067)		(4,972,389)
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payable	(122,335)		(104,389)
Current portion of program rights obligations	0		0
Deferred revenue	0		0
Current portion of long-term debt			0
Current portion of capital lease obligations	0		0
Total current liabilities	(122,335)		(104,389)
Program rights obligations	0		0
Long-term debt	0		0
Capital lease obligations	0		0
Deferred tax liability, net	0		0
Other liabilities and intercompany notes payable	(490,723)		(490,375)
Total liabilities	(613,058)		(594,764)
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Stockholders' equity (deficiency):
AMC Networks stockholders' equity	(4,630,009)		(4,377,625)
Non-redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total stockholders' equity	(4,630,009)		(4,377,625)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	(5,243,067)		(4,972,389)
Parent Company [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	184		320	523	565
Accounts receivable, trade (including amounts due from related parties, net, less allowance for doubtful accounts)	0		0
Current portion of program rights, net	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	1,419		3,760
Total current assets	1,603		4,080
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0		0
Investment in affiliates	3,616,931		3,443,013
Program rights, net	0		0
Long-term intercompany notes receivable	0		0
Deferred carriage fees, net	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Deferred tax asset, net	0		0
Other assets	0		0
Total assets	3,618,534		3,447,093
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	32		350
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payable	86,500		51,692
Current portion of program rights obligations	0		0
Deferred revenue	0		0
Current portion of long-term debt			0
Current portion of capital lease obligations	0		0
Total current liabilities	86,532		52,042
Program rights obligations	0		0
Long-term debt	3,101,138		3,099,257
Capital lease obligations	0		0
Deferred tax liability, net	150,247		114,717
Other liabilities and intercompany notes payable	49,873		46,133
Total liabilities	3,387,790		3,312,149
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Stockholders' equity (deficiency):
AMC Networks stockholders' equity	230,744		134,944
Non-redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total stockholders' equity	230,744		134,944
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,618,534		3,447,093
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	354,419		391,248	262,256	320,950
Accounts receivable, trade (including amounts due from related parties, net, less allowance for doubtful accounts)	588,633		581,270
Current portion of program rights, net	315,628		304,149
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	212,382		183,815
Total current assets	1,471,062		1,460,482
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	138,866		136,032
Investment in affiliates	1,013,078		934,612
Program rights, net	1,092,691		1,128,021
Long-term intercompany notes receivable	490,380		489,939
Deferred carriage fees, net	26,008		29,346
Intangible assets, net	168,117		170,554
Goodwill	66,282		66,609
Deferred tax asset, net	0		0
Other assets	173,988		142,115
Total assets	4,640,472		4,557,710
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	47,245		50,282
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payable	121,433		179,003
Current portion of program rights obligations	255,744		262,004
Deferred revenue	34,738		27,530
Current portion of long-term debt			0
Current portion of capital lease obligations	3,001		2,939
Total current liabilities	462,161		521,758
Program rights obligations	470,626		511,996
Long-term debt	0		0
Capital lease obligations	2,963		3,745
Deferred tax liability, net	0		0
Other liabilities and intercompany notes payable	87,791		77,198
Total liabilities	1,023,541		1,114,697
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Stockholders' equity (deficiency):
AMC Networks stockholders' equity	3,616,931		3,443,013
Non-redeemable noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total stockholders' equity	3,616,931		3,443,013
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	4,640,472		4,557,710
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	174,597		167,215	$ 140,869	$ 159,874
Accounts receivable, trade (including amounts due from related parties, net, less allowance for doubtful accounts)	204,642		194,621
Current portion of program rights, net	149,293		149,301
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	10,592		8,540
Total current assets	539,124		519,677
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	46,574		47,482
Investment in affiliates	0		0
Program rights, net	186,898		191,258
Long-term intercompany notes receivable	343		436
Deferred carriage fees, net	1,164		578
Intangible assets, net	284,278		286,688
Goodwill	641,372		628,549
Deferred tax asset, net	21,731		20,081
Other assets	375,944		305,822
Total assets	2,097,428		2,000,571
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable	49,539		51,565
Accrued liabilities and intercompany payable	149,703		136,770
Current portion of program rights obligations	71,118		65,545
Deferred revenue	17,178		18,903
Current portion of long-term debt			0
Current portion of capital lease obligations	1,770		1,908
Total current liabilities	289,308		274,691
Program rights obligations	20,901		22,984
Long-term debt	0		0
Capital lease obligations	22,270		22,532
Deferred tax liability, net	(5,088)		(5,019)
Other liabilities and intercompany notes payable	506,226		503,166
Total liabilities	833,617		818,354
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interests	220,366		218,604
Stockholders' equity (deficiency):
AMC Networks stockholders' equity	1,013,078		934,612
Non-redeemable noncontrolling interests	30,367		29,001
Total stockholders' equity	1,043,445		963,613
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 2,097,428		$ 2,000,571