Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Income Statement) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	$ 784,221	$ 740,823
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	340,148	320,365
Selling, general and administrative	172,512	166,449
Depreciation and amortization	24,056	20,354
Impairment and related charges	0	0
Restructuring expense	2,642	0
Total operating expenses	539,358	507,168
Operating income	244,863	233,655
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	(35,445)	(33,186)
Share of affiliates' income	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0
Miscellaneous, net	(12,785)	16,946
Total other income (expense)	(48,230)	(16,240)
Income from operations before income taxes	196,633	217,415
Income tax expense	(46,476)	(56,879)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	150,157	160,536
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,760)	(3,666)
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	143,397	156,870
Eliminations
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	(2,769)	(4,480)
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	(1,058)	(778)
Selling, general and administrative	(1,900)	(3,699)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Impairment and related charges	0	0
Restructuring expense	0	0
Total operating expenses	(2,958)	(4,477)
Operating income	189	(3)
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	0	0
Share of affiliates' income	(216,933)	(264,980)
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0
Miscellaneous, net	(189)	3
Total other income (expense)	(217,122)	(264,977)
Income from operations before income taxes	(216,933)	(264,980)
Income tax expense	0	0
Net income including noncontrolling interests	(216,933)	(264,980)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	(216,933)	(264,980)
Parent Company
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	0	0
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Impairment and related charges	0	0
Restructuring expense	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0
Operating income	0	0
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	(38,929)	(36,907)
Share of affiliates' income	224,244	247,482
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0
Miscellaneous, net	(99)	(206)
Total other income (expense)	185,216	210,369
Income from operations before income taxes	185,216	210,369
Income tax expense	(41,819)	(53,499)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	143,397	156,870
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	143,397	156,870
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	574,230	574,917
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	220,488	222,621
Selling, general and administrative	111,581	122,059
Depreciation and amortization	12,537	10,804
Impairment and related charges	0	0
Restructuring expense	(283)	0
Total operating expenses	344,323	355,484
Operating income	229,907	219,433
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	3,183	11,897
Share of affiliates' income	(7,311)	17,498
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0
Miscellaneous, net	709	734
Total other income (expense)	(3,419)	30,129
Income from operations before income taxes	226,488	249,562
Income tax expense	(2,244)	(2,080)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	224,244	247,482
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	224,244	247,482
Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	212,760	170,386
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	120,718	98,522
Selling, general and administrative	62,831	48,089
Depreciation and amortization	11,519	9,550
Impairment and related charges	0	0
Restructuring expense	2,925	0
Total operating expenses	197,993	156,161
Operating income	14,767	14,225
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	301	(8,176)
Share of affiliates' income	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt		0
Miscellaneous, net	(13,206)	16,415
Total other income (expense)	(12,905)	8,239
Income from operations before income taxes	1,862	22,464
Income tax expense	(2,413)	(1,300)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	(551)	21,164
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,760)	(3,666)
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	$ (7,311)	$ 17,498