| **Intangible Assets and Goodwill (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,    2013 2012 2013 2012  Amortization expense$ 1,431  1,324  2,887  2,625  |
| Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Future Amortization Expense [Table Text Block] |  Years Ending December 31,   2013$ 5,478 2014  4,670 2015  3,347 2016  856 2017  146                                                                        |

| 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 |