Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Income Statement) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	$ 696,875	$ 648,023	$ 2,199,083	$ 2,078,757
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	346,398	322,743	1,043,572	956,200
Selling, general and administrative	156,242	138,688	494,067	464,670
Depreciation and amortization	22,011	20,938	64,034	65,037
Impairment and related charges	4,486	11,036	4,486	28,148
Restructuring expense	3,139	1,264	3,139	3,887
Total operating expenses	532,276	494,669	1,609,298	1,517,942
Operating income	164,599	153,354	589,785	560,815
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	(33,035)	(31,810)	(100,154)	(85,768)
Share of affiliates' income	0	0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	(3,004)	0	(3,004)
Miscellaneous, net	28,762	12,420	30,989	42,448
Total other income (expense)	(4,273)	(22,394)	(69,165)	(46,324)
Income from operations before income taxes	160,326	130,960	520,620	514,491
Income tax expense	(43,666)	(40,124)	(133,092)	(173,399)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	116,660	90,836	387,528	341,092
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(5,403)	(3,834)	(13,220)	(15,276)
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	111,257	87,002	374,308	325,816
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	(3,012)	(3,886)	(11,375)	(11,643)
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	(756)	(831)	(2,648)	(2,367)
Selling, general and administrative	(2,257)	(3,145)	(8,729)	(9,584)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairment and related charges	0	0	0	0
Restructuring expense	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(3,013)	(3,976)	(11,377)	(11,951)
Operating income	1	90	2	308
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	0	0	0	0
Share of affiliates' income	(225,363)	(182,274)	(658,384)	(611,622)
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0		0
Miscellaneous, net	(1)	(90)	(2)	(308)
Total other income (expense)	(225,364)	(182,364)	(658,386)	(611,930)
Income from operations before income taxes	(225,363)	(182,274)	(658,384)	(611,622)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income including noncontrolling interests	(225,363)	(182,274)	(658,384)	(611,622)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	(225,363)	(182,274)	(658,384)	(611,622)
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	0	0
Restructuring expense	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	(38,316)	(34,403)	(113,057)	(93,548)
Share of affiliates' income	187,659	171,490	607,374	592,012
Loss on extinguishment of debt		(3,004)		(3,004)
Miscellaneous, net	(101)	(1,076)	(48)	(1,419)
Total other income (expense)	149,242	133,007	494,269	494,041
Income from operations before income taxes	149,242	133,007	494,269	494,041
Income tax expense	(37,985)	(46,005)	(119,961)	(168,225)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	111,257	87,002	374,308	325,816
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	111,257	87,002	374,308	325,816
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	485,737	494,563	1,609,916	1,610,247
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	216,253	232,432	687,055	694,336
Selling, general and administrative	106,068	99,481	348,590	335,585
Depreciation and amortization	11,297	10,072	33,276	30,399
Impairment and related charges	0	0	0	0
Restructuring expense	2,275	(10)	2,275	2,649
Total operating expenses	335,893	341,975	1,071,196	1,062,969
Operating income	149,844	152,588	538,720	547,278
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	2,178	10,543	25,790	30,531
Share of affiliates' income	37,704	10,784	51,010	19,610
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0		0
Miscellaneous, net	213	(244)	(1,557)	2,085
Total other income (expense)	40,095	21,083	75,243	52,226
Income from operations before income taxes	189,939	173,671	613,963	599,504
Income tax expense	(2,280)	(2,181)	(6,589)	(7,492)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	187,659	171,490	607,374	592,012
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	187,659	171,490	607,374	592,012
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	214,150	157,346	600,542	480,153
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	130,901	91,142	359,165	264,231
Selling, general and administrative	52,431	42,352	154,206	138,669
Depreciation and amortization	10,714	10,866	30,758	34,638
Impairment and related charges	4,486	11,036	4,486	28,148
Restructuring expense	864	1,274	864	1,238
Total operating expenses	199,396	156,670	549,479	466,924
Operating income	14,754	676	51,063	13,229
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	3,103	(7,950)	(12,887)	(22,751)
Share of affiliates' income	0	0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0		0
Miscellaneous, net	28,651	13,830	32,596	42,090
Total other income (expense)	31,754	5,880	19,709	19,339
Income from operations before income taxes	46,508	6,556	70,772	32,568
Income tax expense	(3,401)	8,062	(6,542)	2,318
Net income including noncontrolling interests	43,107	14,618	64,230	34,886
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(5,403)	(3,834)	(13,220)	(15,276)
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	$ 37,704	$ 10,784	$ 51,010	$ 19,610