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Description of Business and Basis of Presentation
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation Description of Business and Basis of Presentation
Description of Business
AMC Networks Inc. ("AMC Networks") and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as the "Company") own and operate entertainment businesses and assets. The Company is comprised of two operating segments:
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National Networks: Includes activities of our five national programming networks, AMC Studios operations and AMC Broadcasting & Technology. Our national programming networks are AMC, WE tv, BBC AMERICA, IFC and SundanceTV in the United States ("U.S."); and AMC and IFC in Canada. Our AMC Studios operations produces original programming for our programming networks and also licenses such program rights worldwide. AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology is our technical services business, which primarily services most of the national programming networks.
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International and Other: Principally includes AMC Networks International (AMCNI), the Company's international programming businesses consisting of a portfolio of channels around the world; IFC Films, the Company's independent film distribution business; Levity Entertainment Group LLC ("Levity"), acquired April 20, 2018, our production services and comedy venues company; RLJ Entertainment Inc. ("RLJE"), acquired October 1, 2018, a content distribution company that also includes the subscription streaming services Acorn TV and Urban Movie Channel ("UMC") and our subscription streaming services, Sundance Now and Shudder.
Basis of Presentation
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AMC Networks and its subsidiaries in which a controlling voting interest is maintained or variable interest entities ("VIEs") in which the Company has determined it is the primary beneficiary. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Investments in business entities in which the Company lacks control but does have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for using the equity method of accounting.
Unaudited Interim Financial Statements
These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial information and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and should be read in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2018 contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K ("2018 Form 10-K") filed with the SEC. The condensed consolidated financial statements presented in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are unaudited; however, in the opinion of management, such financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods presented.
The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that might be expected for future interim periods or for the full year ending December 31, 2019.
Revision to Previously Issued Financial Statements
We have revised the condensed consolidated financial statements included herein to correct an error related to the foreign currency translation amounts reported in the condensed consolidated statement of comprehensive income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018. The revision resulted in a decrease of $53.2 million to each of the following line items in the condensed consolidated statement of comprehensive income: (i) foreign currency translation adjustment, (ii) other comprehensive income (loss) and (iii) comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders, for both the three and six months ended June 30, 2018. In accordance with accounting guidance in ASC Topic 250-10, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections (SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 1M), we assessed the materiality of the errors from quantitative and qualitative perspectives and concluded that the errors were not material to our previously issued financial statements. Consequently, we are correcting these errors in this report.
Program Rights
The Company periodically reviews the programming usefulness of its licensed and owned original program rights based on a series of factors, including expected future revenue generation from airings on the Company's networks and other exploitation opportunities, ratings, type and quality of program material, standards and practices, and fitness for exhibition through various forms of distribution. If it is determined that film or other program rights have limited, or no, future programming usefulness, a write-off of the unamortized cost is included in technical and operating expense. Program rights write-offs, included in technical
and operating expense, were $10.3 million and $3.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019 and June 30, 2018, respectively. Program rights write-offs, included in technical and operating expense, were $13.6 million and $9.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and June 30, 2018, respectively. Program write-offs, included in Restructuring and other related charges, were $13.0 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 (see Note 4).
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements; and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates and judgments inherent in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements include the useful lives and methodologies used to amortize and assess recoverability of program rights, the estimated useful lives of intangible assets and the valuation and recoverability of goodwill and intangible assets.
Adoption of New Lease Standard
The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) on January 1, 2019, using the modified retrospective approach and effective date method. In addition, the Company elected the package of practical expedients, permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which among other things, allowed for the carry forward of the historical classification of leases. The adoption of the new standard resulted in additional net lease assets of $180.0 million (which is net of the historical deferred rent liability balance of $57.0 million) and lease liabilities of $237.0 million, respectively, as of January 1, 2019. The new standard did not materially impact our consolidated net income or cash flows. See Note 10 for further discussion regarding leases.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820). ASU 2018-13 changes the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements and is effective for the first quarter of 2020, with early adoption permitted. ASU 2018-13 changes disclosure requirements related to transfers between Level I and II assets, as well as several aspects surrounding the valuation process and unrealized gains and losses related to Level III assets. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of the modified disclosure requirements will have on its consolidated financial statements.
In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-02, Improvements to Accounting for Costs of Films and License Agreements for Program Materials. ASU 2019-02 aligns the accounting for production costs of episodic television series with the accounting for production costs of films. It also requires an entity to test a film or license agreement within the scope of Subtopic 920-350 for impairment at the film group level, when the film or license agreement is predominantly monetized with other films and/or license agreements. The changes in this standard are effective for the first quarter of 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of the prospective disclosure requirements will have on its consolidated financial statements.