Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 03, 2016	Jun. 28, 2015	Jul. 03, 2016	Jun. 28, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 601,631	$ 585,755	$ 1,143,128	$ 1,132,712
Cost of sales	(353,418)	(351,479)	(669,880)	(690,787)
Gross profit	248,213	234,276	473,248	441,925
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(123,057)	(127,584)	(245,463)	(267,632)
Research and development	(36,652)	(36,632)	(72,785)	(72,831)
Amortization of intangibles	(26,263)	(25,917)	(51,795)	(52,421)
Operating income	62,241	44,143	103,205	49,041
Interest expense, net	(24,049)	(24,769)	(48,445)	(48,615)
Income from continuing operations before taxes	38,192	19,374	54,760	426
Income tax benefit	3,558	2,303	3,415	1,615
Income from continuing operations	41,750	21,677	58,175	2,041
Loss from disposal of discontinued operations, net of tax		(86)		(86)
Net income	41,750	21,591	58,175	1,955
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(99)		(198)
Net income attributable to Belden stockholders	$ 41,849	$ 21,591	$ 58,373	$ 1,955
Weighted average number of common shares and equivalents:
Basic	42,085	42,655	42,046	42,596
Diluted	42,548	43,233	42,493	43,224
Basic income per share attributable to Belden stockholders:
Continuing operations	$ 0.99	$ 0.51	$ 1.39	$ 0.05
Discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net income	0.99	0.51	1.39	0.05
Diluted income per share attributable to Belden stockholders:
Continuing operations	0.98	0.50	1.37	0.05
Discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net income	$ 0.98	$ 0.50	$ 1.37	$ 0.05
Comprehensive income attributable to Belden stockholders	$ 43,485	$ 19,562	$ 58,291	$ 13,839
Dividends declared per share	$ 0.05	$ 0.05	$ 0.10	$ 0.10