Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Comprehensive Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	$ 160,536	$ 142,631
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	18,805	9,864
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps	0	319
Unrealized gain on available for sale securities	0	4,021
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes	18,805	14,204
Income tax expense	0	(1,597)
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	18,805	12,607
Comprehensive income	179,341	155,238
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4,563)	(6,805)
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	174,778	148,433
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	(264,980)	(238,919)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(18,805)	(9,864)
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps		0
Unrealized gain on available for sale securities		0
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes		(9,864)
Income tax expense		0
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	(18,805)	(9,864)
Comprehensive income	(283,785)	(248,783)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	(283,785)	(248,783)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	156,870	136,217
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	18,805	9,864
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps		319
Unrealized gain on available for sale securities		4,021
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes		14,204
Income tax expense		(1,597)
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	18,805	12,607
Comprehensive income	175,675	148,824
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	175,675	148,824
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	247,482	235,774
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps		0
Unrealized gain on available for sale securities		0
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes		0
Income tax expense		0
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	0	0
Comprehensive income	247,482	235,774
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	247,482	235,774
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	21,164	9,559
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	18,805	9,864
Unrealized gain on interest rate swaps		0
Unrealized gain on available for sale securities		0
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes		9,864
Income tax expense		0
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	18,805	9,864
Comprehensive income	39,969	19,423
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4,563)	(6,805)
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	$ 35,406	$ 12,618