Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Comprehensive Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income including noncontrolling interests	$ 123,226	$ 116,660	$ 407,368	$ 387,528
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(33,281)	(6,094)	(38,490)	(32,679)
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps	(187)	0	(2,076)	0
Other comprehensive loss, before income taxes	(33,468)	(6,094)	(40,566)	(32,679)
Income tax benefit	335	0	483	0
Other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes	(33,133)	(6,094)	(40,083)	(32,679)
Comprehensive income	90,093	110,566	367,285	354,849
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(5,217)	(5,218)	(17,048)	(11,954)
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	84,876	105,348	350,237	342,895
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income including noncontrolling interests	(170,450)	(225,363)	(565,357)	(658,384)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	33,281	6,094	38,490	32,679
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps	0		0
Other comprehensive loss, before income taxes	33,281		38,490
Income tax benefit	0		0
Other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes	33,281	6,094	38,490	32,679
Comprehensive income	(137,169)	(219,269)	(526,867)	(625,705)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	(137,169)	(219,269)	(526,867)	(625,705)
Parent Company | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income including noncontrolling interests	116,923	111,257	389,063	374,308
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(33,281)	(6,094)	(38,490)	(32,679)
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps	(187)		(2,076)
Other comprehensive loss, before income taxes	(33,468)		(40,566)
Income tax benefit	335		483
Other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes	(33,133)	(6,094)	(40,083)	(32,679)
Comprehensive income	83,790	105,163	348,980	341,629
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	83,790	105,163	348,980	341,629
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income including noncontrolling interests	159,156	187,659	545,540	607,374
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0	0	0
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps	0		0
Other comprehensive loss, before income taxes	0		0
Income tax benefit	0		0
Other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	159,156	187,659	545,540	607,374
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	159,156	187,659	545,540	607,374
Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income including noncontrolling interests	17,597	43,107	38,122	64,230
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(33,281)	(6,094)	(38,490)	(32,679)
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps	0		0
Other comprehensive loss, before income taxes	(33,281)		(38,490)
Income tax benefit	0		0
Other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes	(33,281)	(6,094)	(38,490)	(32,679)
Comprehensive income	(15,684)	37,013	(368)	31,551
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(5,217)	(5,218)	(17,048)	(11,954)
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders	$ (20,901)	$ 31,795	$ (17,416)	$ 19,597