Segment Information (Tables)
   | 
6 Months Ended | 
Jun. 30, 2021  | 
| Segment Information | 
 
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| Schedule of performance measures | 
  
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  | 
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Three months ended    | 
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Six months ended   | 
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  | 
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June 30,   | 
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June 30,   | 
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  | 
  | 
2021  | 
      | 
2020  | 
  | 
2021  | 
      | 
2020  | 
  | 
 
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amounts in thousands  | 
  | 
 
GCI Holdings  | 
  | 
  | 
    | 
   | 
    | 
  | 
  | 
    | 
   | 
    | 
  | 
 
Consumer Revenue  | 
  | 
  | 
    | 
   | 
    | 
  | 
  | 
    | 
   | 
    | 
  | 
 
Wireless  | 
  | 
$  | 
 32,343  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 64,314  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Data  | 
  | 
   | 
 52,661  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 104,886  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Video  | 
  | 
   | 
 18,704  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 37,633  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Voice  | 
  | 
   | 
 3,681  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 7,235  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Business Revenue  | 
  | 
   | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
 
Wireless  | 
  | 
   | 
 18,410  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 37,311  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Data  | 
  | 
   | 
 85,748  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 176,034  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Video  | 
  | 
   | 
 880  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 1,682  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Voice  | 
  | 
   | 
 6,008  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 12,156  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Lease, grant, and revenue from subsidies  | 
  | 
   | 
 19,421  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 38,821  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Total GCI Holdings  | 
  | 
  | 
 237,856  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 480,072  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Corporate and other  | 
  | 
  | 
 4,428  | 
  | 
 4,114  | 
  | 
  | 
 8,746  | 
  | 
 8,218  | 
  | 
 
Total  | 
  | 
$  | 
 242,284  | 
   | 
 4,114  | 
  | 
  | 
 488,818  | 
   | 
 8,218  | 
  | 
 
 
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| Schedule of segment reporting information | 
  
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  | 
  | 
Three months ended  June 30,   | 
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Six months ended June 30,   | 
 
  | 
  | 
2021  | 
  | 
2020  | 
  | 
2021  | 
  | 
2020  | 
 
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  | 
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amounts in thousands  | 
 
GCI Holdings  | 
      | 
$  | 
 88,656  | 
      | 
 —  | 
      | 
  | 
 184,715  | 
  | 
 —  | 
 
Charter  | 
  | 
   | 
 5,029,000  | 
  | 
 4,487,000  | 
  | 
   | 
 9,672,000  | 
  | 
 8,876,000  | 
 
Corporate and other  | 
  | 
   | 
 (13,309)  | 
  | 
 (7,407)  | 
  | 
   | 
 (26,615)  | 
  | 
 (12,388)  | 
 
  | 
  | 
   | 
 5,104,347  | 
  | 
 4,479,593  | 
  | 
   | 
 9,830,100  | 
  | 
 8,863,612  | 
 
Eliminate equity method affiliate  | 
  | 
   | 
 (5,029,000)  | 
  | 
 (4,487,000)  | 
  | 
   | 
 (9,672,000)  | 
  | 
 (8,876,000)  | 
 
Consolidated Liberty Broadband  | 
  | 
$  | 
 75,347  | 
  | 
 (7,407)  | 
  | 
  | 
 158,100  | 
  | 
 (12,388)  | 
 
 
 
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  | 
  | 
June 30, 2021  | 
   | 
 
  | 
  | 
Total  | 
  | 
Investments  | 
  | 
Capital  | 
   | 
 
  | 
  | 
assets  | 
  | 
in affiliates  | 
  | 
expenditures  | 
   | 
 
 |  
  | 
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amounts in thousands  | 
   | 
 
GCI Holdings  | 
      | 
$  | 
 3,527,081  | 
      | 
 362  | 
      | 
 50,080  | 
  | 
 
Charter  | 
  | 
   | 
 144,026,000  | 
   | 
—  | 
   | 
 3,702,000  | 
  | 
 
Corporate and other  | 
  | 
   | 
 15,247,976  | 
   | 
 14,947,692  | 
   | 
 19  | 
  | 
 
  | 
  | 
   | 
 162,801,057  | 
   | 
 14,948,054  | 
   | 
 3,752,099  | 
  | 
 
Eliminate equity method affiliate  | 
  | 
   | 
 (144,026,000)  | 
   | 
 —  | 
   | 
 (3,702,000)  | 
  | 
 
Consolidated Liberty Broadband  | 
  | 
$  | 
 18,775,057  | 
   | 
 14,948,054  | 
   | 
 50,099  | 
  | 
 
 
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| Schedule of reconciliation of segment Adjusted OIBDA to earnings (loss) before income taxes | 
  
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  | 
  | 
Three months ended    | 
  | 
Six months ended   | 
   | 
 
  | 
  | 
June 30,   | 
  | 
June 30,   | 
   | 
 
  | 
  | 
2021  | 
  | 
2020  | 
  | 
2021  | 
      | 
2020  | 
   | 
 
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  | 
  | 
  | 
amounts in thousands  | 
   | 
 
Adjusted OIBDA  | 
      | 
$  | 
 75,347  | 
      | 
 (7,407)  | 
      | 
 158,100  | 
      | 
 (12,388)  | 
  | 
 
Stock-based compensation  | 
  | 
   | 
 (10,565)  | 
  | 
 (1,933)  | 
  | 
 (20,435)  | 
   | 
 (3,734)  | 
  | 
 
Depreciation and amortization  | 
  | 
   | 
 (66,874)  | 
  | 
 (492)  | 
  | 
 (130,636)  | 
   | 
 (985)  | 
  | 
 
Litigation settlement  | 
  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 (110,000)  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Operating income (loss)  | 
  | 
  | 
 (2,092)  | 
  | 
 (9,832)  | 
  | 
 (102,971)  | 
  | 
 (17,107)  | 
  | 
 
Interest expense  | 
  | 
  | 
 (28,734)  | 
  | 
 (5,131)  | 
  | 
 (61,877)  | 
   | 
 (10,992)  | 
  | 
 
Share of earnings (loss) of affiliates, net  | 
  | 
   | 
 248,848  | 
  | 
 158,128  | 
  | 
 437,827  | 
   | 
 219,810  | 
  | 
 
Gain (loss) on dilution of investment in affiliate  | 
  | 
   | 
 (14,538)  | 
  | 
 (46,001)  | 
  | 
 (96,753)  | 
   | 
 (105,326)  | 
  | 
 
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net  | 
  | 
   | 
 (125,064)  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 (25,716)  | 
   | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Other, net  | 
  | 
   | 
 22,720  | 
  | 
 28  | 
  | 
 14,594  | 
   | 
 191  | 
  | 
 
Earnings (loss) before income taxes  | 
  | 
$  | 
 101,140  | 
  | 
 97,192  | 
  | 
 165,104  | 
   | 
 86,576  | 
  | 
 
 
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