Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 2,131,278	$ 2,165,702	$ 2,087,185
Cost of sales	(1,337,773)	(1,335,791)	(1,284,865)
Gross profit	793,505	829,911	802,320
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(417,329)	(411,352)	(389,743)
Research and development expenses	(94,360)	(91,552)	(88,748)
Amortization of intangibles	(74,609)	(75,140)	(90,188)
Gain from patent litigation	0	62,141	0
Operating income	207,207	314,008	233,641
Interest expense, net	(55,814)	(60,839)	(82,651)
Non-operating pension benefit (cost)	1,017	(99)	(561)
Loss on debt extinguishment	0	(22,990)	(52,441)
Income from continuing operations before taxes	152,410	230,080	97,988
Income tax benefit (expense)	(42,519)	(62,936)	4,619
Income from continuing operations	109,891	167,144	102,607
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(486,667)	(6,433)	(9,754)
Net income (loss)	(376,776)	160,711	92,853
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	239	(183)	(357)
Net income (loss) attributable to Belden	(377,015)	160,894	93,210
Less: Preferred stock dividends	18,437	34,931	34,931
Net income (loss) attributable to Belden common stockholders	$ (395,452)	$ 125,963	$ 58,279
Weighted average number of common shares and equivalents:
Basic (in shares)	42,203	40,675	42,220
Diluted (in shares)	42,416	40,956	42,643
Basic income (loss) per share attributable to Belden common stockholders:
Continuing operations attributable to Belden common stockholders (in dollars per share)	$ 2.16	$ 3.25	$ 1.61
Discontinued operations attributable to Belden common stockholders (in dollars per share)	(11.53)	(0.16)	(0.23)
Basic income (loss) per share attributable to Belden common stockholders:	(9.37)	3.10	1.38
Diluted income (loss) per share attributable to Belden common stockholders:
Continuing operations attributable to Belden common stockholders (in dollars per share)	2.15	3.23	1.60
Discontinued operations attributable to Belden common stockholders (in dollars per share)	(11.53)	(0.16)	(0.23)
Diluted income (loss) per share attributable to Belden stockholders:	$ (9.37)	$ 3.08	$ 1.37