Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Principles (Diluted EPS calculations) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Common Stock - Class A [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Undistributed income (loss) allocable to common stockholders for basic computation	$ 15,293	$ 8,635	$ (15,838)	$ 14,818
Reallocation of undistributed earnings as a result of conversion of Class B to Class A shares	1,418	754	(1,427)	1,296
Reallocation of undistributed earnings as a result of conversion of dilutive securities	22	2	0	3
Effect of derivative instruments that may be settled in cash or shares	(18)	0
Effect of share based compensation that may be settled in cash or shares	4	(3)	0	(4)
Net income (loss) adjusted for allocation of undistributed earnings and effect of contracts that may be settled in cash or shares	$ 16,719	$ 9,388	$ (17,265)	$ 16,113
Number of shares used in basic computation	34,031	36,220	35,037	36,149
Conversion of Class B to Class A common shares outstanding	3,155	3,162	3,158	3,162
Unexercised stock options	122	120	0	120
Effect of derivative instruments that may be settled in cash or shares	781	0
Effect of share based compensation that may be settled in cash or shares	26	26	0	26
Number of shares used in per share computation	38,115	39,528	38,195	39,457
Diluted net income (loss) attributable to GCI common stockholders per common share	$ 0.44	$ 0.24	$ (0.45)	$ 0.41
Common Stock - Class B [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Undistributed income (loss) allocable to common stockholders for basic computation	$ 1,418	$ 754	$ (1,427)	$ 1,296
Reallocation of undistributed earnings as a result of conversion of Class B to Class A shares	0	0	0	0
Reallocation of undistributed earnings as a result of conversion of dilutive securities	(34)	(3)	0	(5)
Effect of derivative instruments that may be settled in cash or shares	0	0
Effect of share based compensation that may be settled in cash or shares	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) adjusted for allocation of undistributed earnings and effect of contracts that may be settled in cash or shares	$ 1,384	$ 751	$ (1,427)	$ 1,291
Number of shares used in basic computation	3,155	3,162	3,158	3,162
Conversion of Class B to Class A common shares outstanding	0	0	0	0
Unexercised stock options	0	0	0	0
Effect of derivative instruments that may be settled in cash or shares	0	0
Effect of share based compensation that may be settled in cash or shares	0	0	0	0
Number of shares used in per share computation	3,155	3,162	3,158	3,162
Diluted net income (loss) attributable to GCI common stockholders per common share	$ 0.44	$ 0.24	$ (0.45)	$ 0.41