| **Stockholders' Equity**                 | 6 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
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| **Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Stockholders Equity [Text Block]         | (6)       Stockholders' Equity

 

Shared-Based Compensation

Our Amended and Restated 1986 Stock Option Plan ("Stock Option Plan"), provides for the grant of options and restricted stock awards (collectively "award") for a maximum of 15.7 million shares of GCI Class A common stock, subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of stock dividends, stock splits, mergers, consolidations or certain other changes in corporate structure or capitalization. If an award expires or terminates, the shares subject to the award will be available for further grants of awards under the Stock Option Plan. The Compensation Committee of GCI's Board of Directors administers the Stock Option Plan. Substantially all restricted stock awards granted vest over periods of up to three years.There have been no options granted since 2010.  The requisite service period of our awards is generally the same as the vesting period.  Options granted pursuant to the Stock Option Plan are only exercisable if at the time of exercise the option holder is our employee, non-employee director, or a consultant or advisor working on our behalf. New shares are issued when restricted stock awards are granted or stock option agreements are exercised.  We have 3.1 million shares available for grant under the Stock Option Plan at June 30, 2013.

The total fair value of options vesting during the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, was $23,000 and $0.5 million, respectively.  The total intrinsic values, determined as of the date of exercise, of options exercised in the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, were $0.1 million and $0.8 million, respectively. We received $0.3 million and $1.4 million in cash from stock option exercises in the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

 

A summary of nonvested restricted stock award activity under the Stock Option Plan for the six months ended June 30, 2013,follows (share amounts in thousands):
     Weighted      Average      Grant Date   Shares Fair Value  Nonvested at January 1, 2013 1,127$9.59   Granted 664$8.22   Vested (119)$7.87   Forfeited (3)$9.60  Nonvested at June 30, 2013 1,669$9.15 
The following is a summary of our share-based compensation expense for the six months ended June 30, 2013 and2012 (amounts in thousands):
   2013 2012  Share-based compensation expense$ 3,094  2,831  Adjustment to fair value of liability classified awards  (188)  (236)    Total share-based compensation expense$ 2,906  2,595 
Share-based compensation expense is classified as Selling, General and Administrative Expense in our Consolidated Income Statements.  Unrecognized share-based compensation expense was $8.5 million relating to 1.7 million unvested restricted stock awards and $59,000 relating to 26,000 unvested stock options as of June 30, 2013.  We expect to recognize share-based compensation expense over a weighted average period of 1 year for stock options and 2 years for restricted stock awards. |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for shareholders' equity, comprised of portions attributable to the parent entity and noncontrolling interest, if any, including other comprehensive income (as applicable).  Including, but not limited to: (1) balances of common stock, preferred stock, additional paid-in capital, other capital and retained earnings; (2) accumulated balance for each classification of other comprehensive income and total amount of comprehensive income; (3) amount and nature of changes in separate accounts, including the number of shares authorized and outstanding, number of shares issued upon exercise and conversion, and for other comprehensive income, the adjustments for reclassifications to net income; (4) rights and privileges of each class of stock authorized; (5) basis of treasury stock, if other than cost, and amounts paid and accounting treatment for treasury stock purchased significantly in excess of market; (6) dividends paid or payable per share and in the aggregate for each class of stock for each period presented; (7) dividend restrictions and accumulated preferred dividends in arrears (in aggregate and per share amount); (8) retained earnings appropriations or restrictions, such as dividend restrictions; (9) impact of change in accounting principle, initial adoption of new accounting principle and correction of an error in previously issued financial statements; (10) shares held in trust for Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP); (11) deferred compensation related to issuance of capital stock; (12) note received for issuance of stock; (13) unamortized discount on shares; (14) description, terms, and number of warrants or rights outstanding; (15) shares under subscription and subscription receivables, effective date of new retained earnings after quasi-reorganization and deficit eliminated by quasi-reorganization and, for a period of at least ten years after the effective date, the point in time from which the new retained dates; and (16) retroactive effective of subsequent change in capital structure.
+ References
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