|**Non-controlling Interest**            | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
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|**Non-controlling Interest [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Non-controlling Interest [Text Block]   | (7)Non-controllingInterestOn August 30, 2011, we entered into an arrangement under theNew Markets Tax Credit(“NMTC”)program with US Bancorp to help fund a $35.2million project to extend terrestrial broadband service for the first time to rural Northwestern Alaska communities via a high capacity hybrid fiber optic and microwave network.  When completed, the project, called TERRA-Northwest (“TERRA-NW”), will connect toourTERRA-SW network and provide a high capacity backbone connection from the served communities to the Internet.Please see Note 13, “Commitments and Contingencies” in Item 8 “Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” in our December 31, 2011 annual report on Form 10-K for more information about TERRA-SW.The NMTC program was provided for in the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (the “Act”) to induce capital investment in qualified lower income communities.  The Act permits taxpayers to claim credits against their federal income taxes for up to 39% of qualified investments in the equity of community development entities (“CDEs”).  CDEs are privately managed investment institutions that are certified to make qualified low-income community investments.In connection with the NMTC transaction we loaned $58.3 million to TIF, a special purpose entity created to effect the financing arrangement, at 1% interest due August 30, 2041.  Simultaneously, US Bancorp invested $22.4 million in TIF, and as such, is entitled to substantially all of the benefits derived from the NMTCs. TIF then contributed US Bancorp's contribution and the loan proceeds to certain CDEs.  The CDEs, in turn, loaned the $76.8 million in funds less payment of placement fees, at interest rates varying from 1% to 3.96%, to Unicom,our whollyowned subsidiary, as partial financing for TERRA-NW.  The loan proceeds to Unicom, net of syndication and arrangement fees, are restricted for use on TERRA-NW.  Restricted cash of $14.8million held by Unicom atMarch31,2012, is included in our Consolidated Balance Sheet.  Webeganconstruction on TERRA-NW in 2012 and expect to complete the project in 2014 or earlier if possible.This transaction includes a put/call provision whereby we may be obligated or entitled to repurchase US Bancorp's interest in TIF. We believe that US Bancorp will exercise the put option in August 2018 at the end of the compliance period.  The NMTC is subject to 100% recapture for a period of seven years as provided in the Internal Revenue Code.  We are required to be in compliance with various regulations and contractual provisions that apply to the NMTC arrangement.  Non-compliance with applicable requirements could result in projected tax benefits not being realized by US Bancorp.  We have indemnified US Bancorp for any loss or recapture of NMTCs until such time as our obligation to deliver tax benefits is relieved.There have been no credit recaptures asofMarch31, 2012.The value attributed to the put/call is nominal.We have determined that TIF is a VIE.  The consolidated financial statements of TIF include the CDEs discussed above.  The ongoing activities of the VIE – collecting and remitting interest and fees and NMTC compliance – were all considered in the initial design and are not expected to significantly affect economic performance throughout the life of the VIE.  Management considered the contractual arrangements that obligate us to deliver tax benefits and provide various other guarantees to US Bancorp,US Bancorp's lack of a material interest in the underlying economics of the project,and the fact that we are obligated to absorb losses of the VIE.  We concluded that wearethe primary beneficiary and consolidated the VIE in accordance with the accounting standard for consolidation.US Bancorp's contribution, net of syndication fees and other direct costs incurred in structuring the arrangement, is included in Non-controlling Interest on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.  Incremental costs to maintain the structure during the compliance period are recognized as incurred to selling, general and administrative expense.The following table summarizes the impact of the VIE consolidatedas ofMarch31, 2012(amountsin thousands):AssetsEquityCarrying ValueClassificationCarrying ValueClassification$14,804Restricted cash$16,131Non-controlling interest1,742Construction in progress415Retained earnings attributable to
 General Communication, Inc.
 common stockholders$16,546$16,546
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X- DefinitionThe entire disclosure for noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiaries, which could include the name of the subsidiary, the ownership percentage held by the parent, the ownership percentage held by the noncontrolling owners, the amount of the noncontrolling interest, the location of this amount on the balance sheet (when not reported separately), an explanation of the increase or decrease in the amount of the noncontrolling interest, the noncontrolling interest share of the net Income or Loss of the subsidiary, the location of this amount on the income statement (when not reported separately), the nature of the noncontrolling interest such as background information and terms, the amount of the noncontrolling interest represented by preferred stock, a description of the preferred stock, and the dividend requirements of the preferred stock.+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.31) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1A -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6921930&loc=SL4573702-111684Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph 38 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.+ Details**Name:**
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