Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Income Statement) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	$ 761,385	$ 710,545	$ 1,502,208	$ 1,430,734
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	376,809	334,845	697,174	633,457
Selling, general and administrative	171,376	162,273	337,825	325,982
Depreciation and amortization	21,669	20,606	42,023	44,099
Impairment and related charges	0	17,112	0	17,112
Restructuring expense (credit)	0	(81)	0	2,623
Total operating expenses	569,854	534,755	1,077,022	1,023,273
Operating income	191,531	175,790	425,186	407,461
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	(33,933)	(26,951)	(67,119)	(53,958)
Share of affiliates' income	0	0	0	0
Miscellaneous, net	(14,719)	18,980	2,227	30,028
Total other income (expense)	(48,652)	(7,971)	(64,892)	(23,930)
Income from operations before income taxes	142,879	167,819	360,294	383,531
Income tax expense	(32,547)	(60,193)	(89,426)	(133,275)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	110,332	107,626	270,868	250,256
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4,151)	(5,028)	(7,817)	(11,442)
Net income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	106,181	102,598	263,051	238,814
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	(3,883)	(5,432)	(8,363)	(7,757)
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	(1,114)	(777)	(1,892)	(1,536)
Selling, general and administrative	(2,773)	(4,988)	(6,472)	(6,439)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairment and related charges		0		0
Restructuring expense (credit)		0		0
Total operating expenses	(3,887)	(5,765)	(8,364)	(7,975)
Operating income	4	333	1	218
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	0	0	0	0
Share of affiliates' income	(168,041)	(190,429)	(433,021)	(429,348)
Miscellaneous, net	(4)	(333)	(1)	(218)
Total other income (expense)	(168,045)	(190,762)	(433,022)	(429,566)
Income from operations before income taxes	(168,041)	(190,429)	(433,021)	(429,348)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income including noncontrolling interests	(168,041)	(190,429)	(433,021)	(429,348)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	(168,041)	(190,429)	(433,021)	(429,348)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairment and related charges		0		0
Restructuring expense (credit)		0		0
Total operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	(37,834)	(29,733)	(74,741)	(59,145)
Share of affiliates' income	172,233	184,748	419,715	420,522
Miscellaneous, net	259	(230)	53	(343)
Total other income (expense)	134,658	154,785	345,027	361,034
Income from operations before income taxes	134,658	154,785	345,027	361,034
Income tax expense	(28,477)	(52,187)	(81,976)	(122,220)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	106,181	102,598	263,051	238,814
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	106,181	102,598	263,051	238,814
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	549,262	536,302	1,124,179	1,115,684
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	248,181	240,150	470,802	461,904
Selling, general and administrative	120,463	116,423	242,522	236,104
Depreciation and amortization	11,175	10,123	21,979	20,327
Impairment and related charges		0		0
Restructuring expense (credit)		(45)		2,659
Total operating expenses	379,819	366,651	735,303	720,994
Operating income	169,443	169,651	388,876	394,690
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	11,715	10,165	23,612	19,988
Share of affiliates' income	(4,192)	5,681	13,306	8,826
Miscellaneous, net	(2,504)	1,898	(1,770)	2,329
Total other income (expense)	5,019	17,744	35,148	31,143
Income from operations before income taxes	174,462	187,395	424,024	425,833
Income tax expense	(2,229)	(2,647)	(4,309)	(5,311)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	172,233	184,748	419,715	420,522
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	172,233	184,748	419,715	420,522
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	216,006	179,675	386,392	322,807
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	129,742	95,472	228,264	173,089
Selling, general and administrative	53,686	50,838	101,775	96,317
Depreciation and amortization	10,494	10,483	20,044	23,772
Impairment and related charges		17,112		17,112
Restructuring expense (credit)		(36)		(36)
Total operating expenses	193,922	173,869	350,083	310,254
Operating income	22,084	5,806	36,309	12,553
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	(7,814)	(7,383)	(15,990)	(14,801)
Share of affiliates' income	0	0	0	0
Miscellaneous, net	(12,470)	17,645	3,945	28,260
Total other income (expense)	(20,284)	10,262	(12,045)	13,459
Income from operations before income taxes	1,800	16,068	24,264	26,012
Income tax expense	(1,841)	(5,359)	(3,141)	(5,744)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	(41)	10,709	21,123	20,268
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4,151)	(5,028)	(7,817)	(11,442)
Net income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	$ (4,192)	$ 5,681	$ 13,306	$ 8,826