Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Comprehensive Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	$ 150,157	$ 160,536
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(5,762)	18,805
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps	(639)	0
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes	(6,401)	18,805
Income tax expense	149	0
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	(6,252)	18,805
Comprehensive income	143,905	179,341
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,722)	(4,563)
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	137,183	174,778
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	(216,933)	(264,980)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	5,762	(18,805)
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps	0
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes	5,762
Income tax expense	0
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	5,762	(18,805)
Comprehensive income	(211,171)	(283,785)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	(211,171)	(283,785)
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	143,397	156,870
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(5,762)	18,805
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps	(639)
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes	(6,401)
Income tax expense	149
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	(6,252)	18,805
Comprehensive income	137,145	175,675
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	137,145	175,675
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	224,244	247,482
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps	0
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes	0
Income tax expense	0
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	0	0
Comprehensive income	224,244	247,482
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	224,244	247,482
Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest	(551)	21,164
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(5,762)	18,805
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps	0
Other comprehensive income, before income taxes	(5,762)
Income tax expense	0
Other comprehensive income, net of income taxes	(5,762)	18,805
Comprehensive income	(6,313)	39,969
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,722)	(4,563)
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	$ (13,035)	$ 35,406