| **Intangible Assets (Tables)**                                                             | 6 Months Ended                                                                                                                                             |
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| **Intangible Assets [Abstract]**                                                           |                                                                                                                                                       |
| Schedule Of Amortization Expense [Table Text Block]                                        |   Three Months Ended June 30 Six Months Ended June 30,  20122011 20122011Amortization expense$ 1,324 1,583  2,625 3,156 |
| Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Future Amortization Expense [Table Text Block] |  Years Ending December 31,   2012$ 4,722 2013  3,808 2014  3,036 2015  1,835 2016  670         |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of amortization expense.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**gciinc_ScheduleOfAmortizationExpenseTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**gciinc_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsDisclosureAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the amount of amortization expense expected to be recorded in succeeding fiscal years for finite-lived intangible assets.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_ScheduleofFiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsFutureAmortizationExpenseTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |