Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income including noncontrolling interests	$ 348	$ 123,226	$ 133,985	$ 150,157	$ 76,439	$ 116,660	$ 110,332	$ 160,536	$ 407,716	$ 463,967	$ 489,637
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment									(6,272)	(41,716)	76,023
Unrealized loss on interest rate swaps									(1,609)	(356)	(35)
Unrealized gain on available for sale securities									0	0	5,398
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss									0	(370)	0
Other comprehensive income (loss), before income taxes									(7,881)	(42,442)	81,386
Income tax benefit (expense)									364	45	(1,974)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes									(7,517)	(42,397)	79,412
Comprehensive income									400,199	421,570	569,049
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(27,078)	(16,044)	(21,430)
Comprehensive income attributable to AMC Networks' stockholders									$ 373,121	$ 405,526	$ 547,619