| **Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Principles**                | 9 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       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| **Condensed Notes to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               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| Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Principes                     | The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of General Communication, Inc. (“GCI”) and its direct and indirect subsidiaries and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. They should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2010, filed with the SEC on March 15, 2011 as part of our annual report on Form 10-K.  In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for an entire year or any other period. 

 

(1)       Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Principles

In the following discussion, GCI and its direct and indirect subsidiaries are referred to as “we,” “us” and “our.”

 

 (a)       Business

GCI, an Alaska corporation, was incorporated in 1979. We offer the following services: 
- Origination and termination of traffic in Alaska for certain common carriers,
- Cable television services throughout Alaska,
- C ompetitive local access services throughout Alaska,
- I ncumbent local access services in  areas of  rural Alaska,
- Long-distance telephone service,
- Sale of postpaid and prepaid wireless telephone services and sale of wireless telephone handsets and accessories,
- Data network services,
- Internet access services,
- Wireless roaming for certain wireless carriers,
- Broadband services, including our SchoolAccess ®  offering to rural school districts, our ConnectMD ®  offering to rural hospitals and health clinics, and managed video conferencing,
- Managed services to certain commercial customers,
- Sales and service of dedicated communications systems and related equipment, and
- Lease, service arrangements and maintenance of capacity on our fiber optic cable systems used in the transmission of voice and data services within Alaska and between Alaska and the remaining United States and foreign countries.

 

(b)       Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the consolidated accounts of GCI and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, as well as a variable interest entity (“VIE”) in which we were the primary beneficiary, when on August 30, 2011, we provided certain loans and guarantees to Terra GCI Investment Fund, LLC (“TIF”).  We account for non-controlling interests in consolidated subsidiaries for which our ownership is less than 100 percent.  All significant intercompany transactions between non-regulated affiliates of our company are eliminated.   Intercompany transactions generated between regulated and non-regulated affiliates of the company are not eliminated in consolidation.

 

(c)       Noncontrolling Interest

Noncontrolling interests represent the equity ownership interests in consolidated subsidiaries not owned by us. Noncontrolling interest is adjusted for contributions, distributions, and earnings (loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interest partners of the consolidated entities. Income and loss is allocated to the noncontrolling interest based on the respective partnership agreements.

 

(d)       Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2011-08, “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350)”.  The amendments in this update will allow an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step quantitative goodwill impairment test. Under these amendments, an entity would not be required to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit unless the entity determines, based on a qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount. The amendments include a number of events and circumstances for an entity to consider in conducting the qualitative assessment.This pronouncement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011.  The adoption of ASU 2011-08 is not expected to have a material impact on our income statements, financial position or cash flows.

 

In May 2011, the FASBissued ASU2011-04 “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”)”which amends current guidance to achieve common fair value measurement and disclosure requirements in GAAP and IFRS.  The amendments generally represent clarification of FASB ASC Topic 820, but also include instances where a particular principle or requirement for measuring fair value or disclosing information about fair value measurements has changed.  This pronouncement is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011.  The adoption of ASU 2011-04 is not expected to have a material impact on our income statements, financial position or cash flows.

 

 (e)       Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

FASBASU 2009-13 addresses the accounting for multiple deliverable arrangements to enable vendors to account for products or services (“deliverables”) separately rather than as a combined unit. Specifically, this guidance amends the criteria in Subtopic 605-25, “Revenue Recognition - Multiple-Element Arrangements”, for separating consideration in multiple-deliverable arrangements. This guidance establishes a selling price hierarchy for determining the selling price of a deliverable, which is based on: (a) vendor-specific objective evidence; (b) third-party evidence; or (c) estimates. This guidance also eliminates the residual method of allocation and requires that arrangement consideration be allocated at the inception of the arrangement to all deliverables using the relative selling price method. In addition, this guidance significantly expands required disclosures related to a vendor's multiple-deliverable revenue arrangements. The adoption of ASU 2009-13 on January 1, 2011, did not have a material impact on our income statements, financial position or cash flows.

 

Under ASU 2010-28 “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): When to Perform Step 2 of the Goodwill Impairment Test for Reporting Units with Zero or Negative Carrying Amounts”, if the carrying amount of a reporting unit is zero or negative, an entity must assess whether it is more likely than not that goodwill impairment exists. To make that determination, an entity should consider whether there are adverse qualitative factors that could impact the amount of goodwill, including those listed in ASC 350-20-35-30. As a result of the new guidance, an entity can no longer assert that a reporting unit is not required to perform the second step of the goodwill impairment test because the carrying amount of the reporting unit is zero or negative, despite the existence of qualitative factors that indicate goodwill is more likely than not impaired.  The adoption of ASU 2010-28 on January 1, 2011, did not have a material impact on our income statements, financial position or cash flows.

 

ASU 2010-29 “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Disclosure of Supplementary Pro Forma Information for Business Combinations” specifies that if a public entity presents comparative financial statements, the entity should disclose revenue and earnings of the combined entity as though the business combination(s) that occurred during the current year had occurred as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period only. The amendments in this update also expand the supplemental pro forma disclosures under Topic 805 to include a description of the nature and amount of material, nonrecurring pro forma adjustments directly attributable to the business combination included in the reported pro forma revenue and earnings.  The adoption of ASU 2010-29 on January 1, 2011, did not have a material impact on our income statements, financial position, cash flows or related disclosures.

 

(f)       Regulatory Accounting 

       We account for our regulated operations in accordance with the accounting principles for regulated enterprises.  This accounting recognizes the economic effects of rate regulation by recording cost and a return on investment as such amounts are recovered through rates authorized by regulatory authorities.  Accordingly, plant and equipment is depreciated over lives approved by regulators and certain costs and obligations are deferred based upon approvals received from regulators to permit recovery of such amounts in future years.  Our cost studies and depreciation rates for our regulated operations are subject to periodic audits that could result in a change to recorded revenues.  

 

(g)       Earnings per Common Share

We compute net income per share of Class A and Class B common stock using the “two class” method.  Therefore, basic net income per share is computed by dividing net income applicable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period.  Diluted net income per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common and dilutive common equivalent shares outstanding during the period.  The computation of the dilutive net income per share of Class A common stock assumes the conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock, while the dilutive net income per share of Class B common stock does not assume the conversion of those shares. Additionally in applying the “two-class” method, undistributed earnings are allocated to both common shares and participating securities. Our restricted stock grants are entitled to dividends and meet the criteria of a participating security.

 

Undistributed earnings for each year are allocated based on the contractual participation rights of Class A and Class B common shares as if the earnings for the year had been distributed.  In accordance with our Articles of Incorporation which provide that, if and when dividends are declared on our common stock in accordance with Alaska corporate law, equivalent dividends shall be paid with respect to the shares of Class A and Class B common stock. Both classes of common stock have identical dividend rights and would therefore share equally in our net assets in the event of liquidation. As such, we have allocated undistributed earnings on a proportionate basis.

 

Earnings 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     September 30,     2011 2010     Class A Class B Class A Class B Basic net income per share:        Numerator:         Allocation of undistributed earnings $ 6,701  509 $ 7,142  441             Denominator:         Weighted average common shares outstanding 41,768  3,175  51,496  3,183    Basic net income per share$ 0.16  0.16 $ 0.14 0.14             Diluted net income per share:        Numerator:         Allocation of undistributed earnings for   basic computation$ 6,701  509 $ 7,142  441  Reallocation of undistributed earnings as a  result of conversion of Class B to Class A  shares 509  -  441  -  Reallocation of undistributed earnings as a  result of conversion of Class B to Class A  shares outstanding -  (40)  -  (2)  Effect of share based compensation that may  be settled in cash or shares (495)  -  -  -   Net income adjusted for allocation of  undistributed earnings and effect of share based  compensation that may be settled in cash or  shares$ 6,715  469 $ 7,583  439             Denominator:         Number of shares used in basic computation 41,768  3,175  51,496  3,183  Conversion of Class B to Class A common shares  outstanding 3,175  -  3,183  -  Unexercised stock options 304  -  261  -  Effect of share based compensation that may  be settled in cash or shares 217  -  -  -   Number of shares used in per share  computations 45,464  3,175  54,940  3,183    Diluted net income per share$ 0.15  0.15 $ 0.14 0.14     Nine Months Ended     September 30,     2011 2010     Class A Class B Class A Class B Basic net income per share:        Numerator:         Allocation of undistributed earnings $ 6,274  464 $ 10,536  651             Denominator:         Weighted average common shares  outstanding 42,940  3,177  51,521  3,184    Basic net income per share$ 0.15  0.15 $ 0.20  0.20             Diluted net income per share:        Numerator:         Allocation of undistributed earnings for  basic computation$ 6,274  464 $ 10,536  651  Reallocation of undistributed earnings as a  result of conversion of Class B to Class A  shares 464  -  651  -  Reallocation of undistributed earnings as a  result of conversion of Class B to Class A  shares outstanding -  (44)  -  (1)  Effect of share based compensation that  may be settled in cash or shares (571)  -  -  -   Net income adjusted for allocation of  undistributed earnings and effect of share  based compensation that may be settled in  cash or shares$ 6,167  420 $ 11,187  650             Denominator:         Number of shares used in basic computation 42,940  3,177  51,521  3,184  Conversion of Class B to Class A common  shares outstanding 3,177  -  3,184  -  Unexercised stock options 348  -  103  -  Effect of share based compensation that may  be settled in cash or shares 217  -  -  - Number of shares used in per share computations 46,682  3,177  54,808  3,184    Diluted net  income per share$ 0.13  0.13 $ 0.20  0.20
Weighted average shares associated with outstanding share awards for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, which have been excluded from the computations of diluted EPS, because the effect of including these share awards would have been anti-dilutive, consist of the following (shares, in thousands):

 
  Three Months Ended  Nine Months Ended  September 30,  September 30,  2011 2010  2011 2010 Shares associated with anti-dilutive unexercised  stock options  95  169   39  955 Share-based compensation that may be settled  in cash or shares, the effect of which is  anti-dilutive  -  233   -  233
Additionally, 50,000 weighted average shares associated with contingent awards were excluded from the computation of diluted EPS for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011 because the contingencies of these awards have not been met at September 30, 2011.

 

(h)       Common Stock

       Following are the changes in issued common stock for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 (shares, in thousands):

 
   Class A Class B  Balances at December 31, 2009 51,899  3,186  Class B shares converted to Class A 5  (5)  Shares issued upon stock option exercises 41  -  Share awards issued 211  -  Shares retired (132)  -  Other (2)  -   Balances at September 30, 2010 52,022  3,181         Balances at December 31, 2010 44,213  3,178  Class B shares converted to Class A 6  (6)  Shares issued upon stock option exercises 157  -  Share awards issued 417  -  Shares retired (3,802)  -  Other (25)  -   Balances at September 30, 2011 40,966  3,172 
 

GCI's Board of Directors has authorized a common stock buyback program for the repurchase of GCI's Class A and Class B common stock in order to reduce the outstanding shares of Class A and Class B common stock.  We are authorized to increase our repurchase limit $5.0 million per quarter indefinitely and to use stock option exercise proceeds to repurchase additional shares.  If stock repurchases are less than the total approved quarterly amount the difference may be carried forward and used to repurchase additional shares in future quarters.  

 

Under the stock buyback program, we repurchased 1.9 million shares of our Class A and B common stock at a cost of $17.9 million during the three months ended September 30, 2011.  There were no repurchases during the three months ended September 30, 2010.  During the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 we repurchased 3.8 million and 224,000 shares, respectively, of our Class A and B common stock at a cost of $39.0 million and $1.3 million, respectively.  The cost of the repurchased common stock reduced Common Stock on our Consolidated Balance Sheets.  The 2011 repurchases reduced the amount available under the stock buyback program to $101.5 million at September 30, 2011.  The repurchased stock was constructively retired as of September 30, 2011.

 

We expect to continue the repurchases for an indefinite period dependent on leverage, liquidity, company performance, market conditions and subject to continued oversight by GCI's Board of Directors. The open market repurchases have complied and will continue to comply with the restrictions of Rule 10b-18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(i)       Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant items subject to estimates and assumptions include the allowance for doubtful receivables, unbilled revenues, accrual of the Universal Service Fund (“USF”) high cost area program support, share-based compensation, inventory reserves, reserve for future customer credits, valuation allowances for deferred income tax assets, depreciable and amortizable lives of assets, the carrying value of long-lived assets including goodwill, cable certificates and wireless licenses, purchase price allocations, deferred lease expense, asset retirement obligations, the accrual of Cost of Goods Sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) and the accrual of contingencies and litigation. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

The accounting estimates related to revenues from the high cost USF program are dependent on various inputs including current line counts, the most current rates paid to us, and our assessment of the impact of new Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) regulations, and the potential outcome of FCC proceedings.  Some of the inputs are subjective and based on our judgment regarding the outcome of certain variables and are subject to upward or downward adjustment in subsequent periods.  

 

Effective in the second quarter of 2010, we changed our USF high-cost area program support accrual methodology due to a change in our estimate of the current amounts expected to be paid to us.  The effect of this change in estimate was a revenue increase of $4.7 million, a net income increase of $3.1 million, and a basic and diluted net income per share increase of $0.06 for the nine months ended September 30, 2010.

 

(j)       Guarantees

Certain of our customers have guaranteed levels of service.  If an interruption in service occurs we do not recognize revenue for any portion of the monthly service fee that will be refunded to the customer or not billed to the customer due to these service level agreements.

 

Additionally, we have provided certain guarantees to U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation(“US Bancorp”), our tax credit investor in TIF.  We have guaranteed the delivery of $30.7 million of New Markets Tax Credits (“NMTC”) to US Bancorp, as well as certain loan and management fee payments between our subsidiaries and the VIE, of which we are the primary beneficiary.  In the event that the tax credits are not delivered or certain payments not made, we are obligated to provide prompt and complete payment of these obligations.   Please refer to Note 9 for more information about our NMTC transaction.

 

(k)       Classification of Taxes Collected from Customers

We report sales, use, excise, and value added taxes assessed by a governmental authority that are directly imposed on a revenue-producing transaction between us and a customer on a net basis in our income statement.  Following are certain surcharges reported on a gross basis in ourConsolidated Income Statements for the three and nine months endedSeptember 30, 2011 and 2010(amounts in thousands):

 
   Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended   September 30, September 30,   2011 2010 2011 2010 Surcharges reported gross$ 1,300  1,272  4,100  4,023 |

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| - Definition
Description containing the entire organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure. May be provided in more than one note to the financial statements, as long as users are provided with an understanding of (1) the significant judgments and assumptions made by an enterprise in determining whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement with a VIE, (2) the nature of restrictions on a consolidated VIE's assets reported by an enterprise in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets, (3) the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with an enterprise's involvement with the VIE, and (4) how an enterprise's involvement with the VIE affects the enterprise's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows.  Describes procedure if disclosures are provided in more than one note to the financial statements.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Staff Position (FSP) -Number FAS140-4 and FIN46(R)-8 -Paragraph 8, C1, C7Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph 2-6Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Statement of Position (SOP) -Number 94-6 -Paragraph 10Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 46R -Paragraph 4, 14, 15
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