The amount of aggregate principal of received consents from bond holders.

No definition available.

Name:	gciinc_AggregatePrincipalConsentReceived
Namespace Prefix:	gciinc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percent of total aggregate principal where consent received from bond holders.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gciinc_AggregatePrincipalConsentReceivedPercentofTotalOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	gciinc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Consideration for equity interests (such as common shares, preferred shares, or partnership interest) issued or issuable per share to acquire the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gciinc_BusinessAcquisitionEquityInterestIssuedorIssuableConsiderationPerShare
Namespace Prefix:	gciinc_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Base value of shares in determining consideration in business combination.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gciinc_BusinessAcquisitionEquityInterestIssuedorIssuableValuePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	gciinc_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Ratio of current stock shares to new class of shares upon merger or acquisition

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gciinc_ConversionofStockPerShareConversionRate
Namespace Prefix:	gciinc_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate fee paid to bondholders for validly delivering consent.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gciinc_DebtInstrumentFeePaidtoBondholders
Namespace Prefix:	gciinc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Years until preferred stock redemption date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gciinc_PreferredStockYearstoRedemptionDate
Namespace Prefix:	gciinc_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage rate used to calculate dividend payments on preferred stock.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PreferredStockDividendRatePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Detail information of subsequent event by type. User is expected to use existing line items from elsewhere in the taxonomy as the primary line items for this disclosure, which is further associated with dimension and member elements pertaining to a subsequent event.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityInterestIssuedOrIssuableByTypeAxis=us-gaap_CommonStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityInterestIssuedOrIssuableByTypeAxis=us-gaap_PreferredStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=gciinc_SeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=gciinc_SeniorNotesDueTwentyTwentyFiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Subsequent Events (Details)	Apr. 26, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 04, 2017 Years $ / shares	Apr. 12, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017
Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Consideration per share \| $ / shares		$ 32.50
Liberty Ventures reference price \| $ / shares		$ 43.65
Years to redemption date \| Years		21
GCI Class A Common Stock [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Ratio of new stock received		0.63
Consideration per share \| $ / shares		$ 27.50
GCI Series A Preferred Stock [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Ratio of new stock received		0.20
Consideration per share \| $ / shares		$ 5.00
Minimum \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Series A preferred shares dividend rate		5.00%
Maximum \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Series A preferred shares dividend rate		7.00%
Senior Notes Due 2021 \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount of consent received \| $			$ 312,418,000
Percent of total consent received			96.13%
Aggregate consent fee \| $	$ 812,500
Senior Notes Due 2025 \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt stated percentage			6.875%
Aggregate principal amount of consent received \| $			$ 443,538,000
Percent of total consent received			98.56%
Aggregate consent fee \| $	$ 1,125,000
Senior Notes \| Senior Notes Due 2021
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt stated percentage				6.75%
Senior Notes \| Senior Notes Due 2021 \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Debt stated percentage			6.75%