Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Parent [Member]	Parent [Member] Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Common Class A [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Common Class B [Member] Common Stock [Member]
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017												627	115
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2017		$ 12,619	$ 191,303	$ 766,725	$ 16,030	$ (709,440)	$ (114,386)	$ (3,411)	$ 134,944	$ 12,619	$ 29,001
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	$ 446,187			446,187					446,187
Net income attributable to non-redeemable noncontrolling interests	2,756										2,756
Distribution to noncontrolling member	(2,847)										(2,847)
Other comprehensive income	(44,133)						(42,397)		(42,397)		(1,736)
Settlement of treasury stock	995		995						995
Other comprehensive income	(42,397)
Noncontrolling interests acquired	1,354										1,354
Treasury stock not yet settled and other	(985)		(985)						(985)
Share-based compensation expense	60,979		60,979						60,979
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	4,317		4,317						4,317
Treasury stock acquired	(283,143)					(283,143)			(283,143)
Restricted stock units converted to shares	(16,836)		(16,842)						(16,836)			$ 6
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018												633	115
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	345,208		239,767	1,228,942		(992,583)	(160,194)		316,680		28,528
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	380,486			380,486					380,486
Net income attributable to non-redeemable noncontrolling interests	$ 4,911										4,911
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List]	us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201613Member
Distribution to noncontrolling member	$ (3,438)										(3,438)
Other comprehensive income	(7,365)						(7,517)		(7,517)		152
Non-redeemable noncontrolling interests changes	(4,429)										(4,429)
Settlement of treasury stock	985		985						985
Other comprehensive income	(7,517)
Share-based compensation expense	64,133		64,133						64,133
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options	4,630		4,630						4,630
Treasury stock acquired	(70,598)					(70,598)			(70,598)
Restricted stock units converted to shares	(23,018)		(23,024)						(23,018)			$ 6
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019												639	115
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	691,505	$ (1,956)	286,491	1,609,428	$ (1,956)	(1,063,181)	(167,711)		665,781	$ (1,956)	25,724
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to AMC Networks’ stockholders	239,979			239,979					239,979
Net income attributable to non-redeemable noncontrolling interests	1,131										1,131
Distribution to noncontrolling member	(1,037)										(1,037)
Other comprehensive income	33,239						32,761		32,761		478
Other comprehensive income	32,761
Share-based compensation expense	52,908		52,908						52,908
Treasury stock acquired	(356,701)					(356,701)			(356,701)
Restricted stock units converted to shares	(15,967)		(15,974)						(15,967)			$ 7
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020												646	115
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 643,101		$ 323,425	$ 1,847,451		$ (1,419,882)	$ (134,950)		$ 616,805		$ 26,296