| **Earnings (Loss) Per Common Share** | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
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| **Earnings Per Share [Abstract]**    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Earnings Per Share [Text Block]      | Earnings (Loss) per Common ShareEarnings (loss) per common share (“EPS”) and common shares used to calculate basic and diluted EPS consist of the following (amounts in thousands, except per share amounts): Three Months Ended March 31, 2016 2015 Class A Class B Class A Class BBasic net income (loss) per share:       Numerator:       Net income (loss) available to common stockholders$1,009 90 $(17,723) (1,546)Less: Undistributed net income allocable to participating securities(48) — — —Undistributed net income (loss) allocable to common stockholders961 90 (17,723) (1,546)Denominator:       Weighted average common shares outstanding33,696 3,155 36,217 3,159Basic net income (loss) attributable to GCI common stockholders per common share$0.03 0.03 $(0.49) (0.49) Three Months Ended March 31, 2016 2015 Class A Class B Class A Class BDiluted net loss per share:       Numerator:       Undistributed net income (loss) allocable to common stockholders for basic computation$961 90 $(17,723) (1,546)Reallocation of undistributed earnings (loss) as a result of conversion of Class B to Class A shares90 — (1,546) —Reallocation of undistributed earnings as a result of conversion of dilutive securities117 (217) — —Effect of derivative instruments that may be settled in cash or shares(2,668) — — —Effect of share based compensation that may be settled in cash or shares(23) — — —Undistributed net income (loss) adjusted for allocation of undistributed earnings and effect of contracts that may be settled in cash or shares$(1,523) (127) $(19,269) (1,546)Denominator:       Number of shares used in basic computation33,696 3,155 36,217 3,159Conversion of Class B to Class A common shares outstanding3,155 — 3,159 —Effect of derivative instruments that may be settled in cash or shares869 — — —Effect of share based compensation that may be settled in cash or shares26 — — —Number of shares used in per share computation37,746 3,155 39,376 3,159Diluted net loss attributable to GCI common stockholders per common share$(0.04) (0.04) $(0.49) (0.49)Weighted average shares associated with outstanding securities for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, which have been excluded from the computations of diluted EPS, because the effect of including these securities would have been anti-dilutive, consist of the following (shares, in thousands): Three Months Ended March 31, 2016 2015Shares associated with anti-dilutive unexercised stock options6 118Derivative instruments that may be settled in cash or shares, the effect of which is anti-dilutive— 342Share-based compensation that may be settled in cash or shares, the effect of which is anti-dilutive— 26Total excluded 6 486 |

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No definition available.
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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for earnings per share.
+ References
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