|**Stockholders' Equity**                 | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
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|**Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Stockholders Equity [Text Block]         | (5)Stockholders' EquityShared-Based CompensationOur 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 of15.7million 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.Substantially alloutstandingoptions vest in equal installments over a period of five years and expire ten years from the date of grant.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 whenrestricted stock awards are granted orstock option agreements are exercised.We have3.1million shares available for grant under the Stock Option Plan atMarch31, 2013.The total fair value of options vesting during thethree monthsendedMarch31, 2013 and2012,was $32,000and $474,000, respectively.The total intrinsic values, determined as of the date of exercise, of options exercised in thethree monthsendedMarch31, 2013and 2012,were $134,000and $768,000, respectively. We received $301,000and $1.4millionin cash from stock option exercises in thethree months ended March31, 2013and 2012, respectively.A summary ofnonvestedrestricted stock awardactivityunder the Stock Option Planforthethree monthsendedMarch 31,2013,follows(share amounts in thousands):WeightedAverageGrant DateSharesFair ValueNonvested at January 1, 20131,127$9.59Granted621$8.17Vested(48)$5.81Forfeited(1)$9.84Nonvested at March 31, 20131,699$9.16The following is a summary of our share-based compensation expense for thethree months endedMarch 31,2013and2012(amountsin thousands):20132012Share-based compensation expense$1,3251,900Adjustment to fair value of liability classified awards(66)(170)Total share-based compensation expense$1,2591,730Share-based compensation expense is classified as Selling, General andAdministrative Expense in our Consolidated Income Statements.  Unrecognized share-based compensation expense was $10.1million relating to1.7millionunvestedrestricted stock awards and $84,000relating to32,000unvested stockoptions as ofMarch31, 2013.  We expect to recognize share-based compensation expense over a weighted average period of 1.1years for stock options and 2.3years for restricted stock awards.
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|                                         | Nonvested at January 1, 2013                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
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|                                         | Nonvested at March 31, 2013                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
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|                                         | Share-based compensation expense                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|                                         | Adjustment to fair value of liability classified awards                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|                                         | Total share-based compensation expense                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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