Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 25, 2011
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Reduction in long-term debt reflecting repayments of borrowings, net of discount amortization	$ 434,000,000
Revolving credit agreements, repayments	439,000,000
Revolving credit agreements, unused borrowing commitments	1,240,000,000
Revolving credit agreements, additional unsecured debt allowed to be borrowed	$ 1,000,000,000

Line of Credit Facility, Additional Borrowing Capacity

Name:	gci_LineOfCreditFacilityAdditionalBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	gci
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reduction In Long Term Debt, Repayments, Net Of Discount Amortization

+ Details

Name:	gci_ReductionInLongTermDebtRepaymentsNetOfDiscountAmortization
Namespace Prefix:	gci
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Decrease for amounts repaid on the credit facility for the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 4

-Section 08

-Paragraph f

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(f))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityDecreaseRepayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant