Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Income Statement) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	$ 718,597,000	$ 696,875,000	$ 2,275,117,000	$ 2,199,083,000
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	354,992,000	346,398,000	1,080,763,000	1,043,572,000
Selling, general and administrative	159,357,000	156,242,000	505,233,000	494,067,000
Depreciation and amortization	25,619,000	22,011,000	75,568,000	64,034,000
Impairment and related charges		4,486,000		4,486,000
Restructuring expense	10,191,000	3,139,000	16,978,000	3,139,000
Restructuring and other related charges	10,191,000	3,139,000	29,995,000	3,139,000
Total operating expenses	550,159,000	532,276,000	1,691,559,000	1,609,298,000
Operating income	168,438,000	164,599,000	583,558,000	589,785,000
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	(34,995,000)	(33,035,000)	(105,411,000)	(100,154,000)
Share of affiliates’ income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Miscellaneous, net	(1,490,000)	28,762,000	(16,972,000)	30,989,000
Total other (expense) income	(36,485,000)	(4,273,000)	(122,383,000)	(69,165,000)
Income from operations before income taxes	131,953,000	160,326,000	461,175,000	520,620,000
Income tax expense	(8,727,000)	(43,666,000)	(53,807,000)	(133,092,000)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	123,226,000	116,660,000	407,368,000	387,528,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,303,000)	(5,403,000)	(18,305,000)	(13,220,000)
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	116,923,000	111,257,000	389,063,000	374,308,000
Impairment and related charges		4,486,000		4,486,000
Restructuring expense	10,191,000	3,139,000	16,978,000	3,139,000
Eliminations
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	(2,610,000)	(3,012,000)	(11,008,000)	(11,375,000)
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	(1,376,000)	(756,000)	(3,537,000)	(2,648,000)
Selling, general and administrative	(974,000)	(2,257,000)	(7,296,000)	(8,729,000)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Impairment and related charges		0		0
Restructuring expense		0		0
Restructuring and other related charges	0		0
Total operating expenses	(2,350,000)	(3,013,000)	(10,833,000)	(11,377,000)
Operating income	(260,000)	1,000	(175,000)	2,000
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	0	0	0	0
Share of affiliates’ income (loss)	(170,450,000)	(225,363,000)	(565,357,000)	(658,384,000)
Miscellaneous, net	260,000	(1,000)	175,000	(2,000)
Total other (expense) income	(170,190,000)	(225,364,000)	(565,182,000)	(658,386,000)
Income from operations before income taxes	(170,450,000)	(225,363,000)	(565,357,000)	(658,384,000)
Income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income including noncontrolling interests	(170,450,000)	(225,363,000)	(565,357,000)	(658,384,000)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	(170,450,000)	(225,363,000)	(565,357,000)	(658,384,000)
Impairment and related charges		0		0
Restructuring expense		0		0
Parent Company | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	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		0		0
Restructuring and other related charges	0		0
Total operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	(38,751,000)	(38,316,000)	(116,708,000)	(113,057,000)
Share of affiliates’ income (loss)	159,156,000	187,659,000	545,540,000	607,374,000
Miscellaneous, net	(277,000)	(101,000)	(417,000)	(48,000)
Total other (expense) income	120,128,000	149,242,000	428,415,000	494,269,000
Income from operations before income taxes	120,128,000	149,242,000	428,415,000	494,269,000
Income tax expense	(3,205,000)	(37,985,000)	(39,352,000)	(119,961,000)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	116,923,000	111,257,000	389,063,000	374,308,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	116,923,000	111,257,000	389,063,000	374,308,000
Impairment and related charges		0		0
Restructuring expense		0		0
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	474,512,000	485,737,000	1,565,851,000	1,609,916,000
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	203,925,000	216,253,000	657,992,000	687,055,000
Selling, general and administrative	100,496,000	106,068,000	321,524,000	348,590,000
Depreciation and amortization	12,405,000	11,297,000	37,529,000	33,276,000
Impairment and related charges		0		0
Restructuring expense		2,275,000		2,275,000
Restructuring and other related charges	10,180,000		26,472,000
Total operating expenses	327,006,000	335,893,000	1,043,517,000	1,071,196,000
Operating income	147,506,000	149,844,000	522,334,000	538,720,000
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	3,564,000	2,178,000	10,470,000	25,790,000
Share of affiliates’ income (loss)	11,294,000	37,704,000	19,817,000	51,010,000
Miscellaneous, net	(880,000)	213,000	(71,000)	(1,557,000)
Total other (expense) income	13,978,000	40,095,000	30,216,000	75,243,000
Income from operations before income taxes	161,484,000	189,939,000	552,550,000	613,963,000
Income tax expense	(2,328,000)	(2,280,000)	(7,010,000)	(6,589,000)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	159,156,000	187,659,000	545,540,000	607,374,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	159,156,000	187,659,000	545,540,000	607,374,000
Impairment and related charges		0		0
Restructuring expense		2,275,000		2,275,000
Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues, net	246,695,000	214,150,000	720,274,000	600,542,000
Operating expenses
Technical and operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)	152,443,000	130,901,000	426,308,000	359,165,000
Selling, general and administrative	59,835,000	52,431,000	191,005,000	154,206,000
Depreciation and amortization	13,214,000	10,714,000	38,039,000	30,758,000
Impairment and related charges		4,486,000		4,486,000
Restructuring expense		864,000		864,000
Restructuring and other related charges	11,000		3,523,000
Total operating expenses	225,503,000	199,396,000	658,875,000	549,479,000
Operating income	21,192,000	14,754,000	61,399,000	51,063,000
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net	192,000	3,103,000	827,000	(12,887,000)
Share of affiliates’ income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Miscellaneous, net	(593,000)	28,651,000	(16,659,000)	32,596,000
Total other (expense) income	(401,000)	31,754,000	(15,832,000)	19,709,000
Income from operations before income taxes	20,791,000	46,508,000	45,567,000	70,772,000
Income tax expense	(3,194,000)	(3,401,000)	(7,445,000)	(6,542,000)
Net income including noncontrolling interests	17,597,000	43,107,000	38,122,000	64,230,000
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6,303,000)	(5,403,000)	(18,305,000)	(13,220,000)
Net income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	$ 11,294,000	37,704,000	$ 19,817,000	51,010,000
Impairment and related charges		4,486,000		4,486,000
Restructuring expense		$ 864,000		$ 864,000