Segment Information (Tables)
   | 
9 Months Ended | 
Sep. 30, 2021  | 
| Segment Information | 
 
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| Schedule of performance measures | 
  
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  | 
  | 
Three months ended    | 
  | 
Nine months ended   | 
  | 
 
  | 
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September 30,   | 
  | 
September 30,   | 
  | 
 
  | 
  | 
2021  | 
      | 
2020  | 
  | 
2021  | 
      | 
2020  | 
  | 
 
 |  
  | 
  | 
amounts in thousands  | 
  | 
 
GCI Holdings  | 
  | 
  | 
    | 
   | 
    | 
  | 
  | 
    | 
   | 
    | 
  | 
 
Consumer Revenue  | 
  | 
  | 
    | 
   | 
    | 
  | 
  | 
    | 
   | 
    | 
  | 
 
Wireless  | 
  | 
$  | 
 33,485  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 97,799  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Data  | 
  | 
   | 
 53,608  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 158,494  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Video  | 
  | 
   | 
 18,273  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 55,906  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Voice  | 
  | 
   | 
 3,873  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 11,108  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Business Revenue  | 
  | 
   | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
  | 
 
Wireless  | 
  | 
   | 
 18,695  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 56,006  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Data  | 
  | 
   | 
 91,792  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 267,826  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Video  | 
  | 
   | 
 904  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 2,586  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Voice  | 
  | 
   | 
 5,748  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 17,904  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Lease, grant, and revenue from subsidies  | 
  | 
   | 
 19,310  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 58,131  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Total GCI Holdings  | 
  | 
  | 
 245,688  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
  | 
 725,760  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Corporate and other  | 
  | 
  | 
 4,532  | 
  | 
 4,219  | 
  | 
  | 
 13,278  | 
  | 
 12,437  | 
  | 
 
Total  | 
  | 
$  | 
 250,220  | 
   | 
 4,219  | 
  | 
  | 
 739,038  | 
   | 
 12,437  | 
  | 
 
 
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| Schedule of segment reporting information | 
  
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  | 
  | 
Three months ended  September 30,   | 
  | 
Nine months ended September 30,   | 
 
  | 
  | 
2021  | 
  | 
2020  | 
  | 
2021  | 
  | 
2020  | 
 
 |  
  | 
  | 
amounts in thousands  | 
 
GCI Holdings  | 
      | 
$  | 
 88,800  | 
      | 
 —  | 
      | 
  | 
 273,515  | 
  | 
 —  | 
 
Charter  | 
  | 
   | 
 5,295,000  | 
  | 
 4,625,000  | 
  | 
   | 
 14,967,000  | 
  | 
 13,501,000  | 
 
Corporate and other  | 
  | 
   | 
 (8,372)  | 
  | 
 (14,270)  | 
  | 
   | 
 (34,987)  | 
  | 
 (26,658)  | 
 
  | 
  | 
   | 
 5,375,428  | 
  | 
 4,610,730  | 
  | 
   | 
 15,205,528  | 
  | 
 13,474,342  | 
 
Eliminate equity method affiliate  | 
  | 
   | 
 (5,295,000)  | 
  | 
 (4,625,000)  | 
  | 
   | 
 (14,967,000)  | 
  | 
 (13,501,000)  | 
 
Consolidated Liberty Broadband  | 
  | 
$  | 
 80,428  | 
  | 
 (14,270)  | 
  | 
  | 
 238,528  | 
  | 
 (26,658)  | 
 
 
 
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  | 
  | 
September 30, 2021  | 
   | 
 
  | 
  | 
Total  | 
  | 
Investments  | 
  | 
Capital  | 
   | 
 
  | 
  | 
assets  | 
  | 
in affiliates  | 
  | 
expenditures  | 
   | 
 
 |  
  | 
  | 
amounts in thousands  | 
   | 
 
GCI Holdings  | 
      | 
$  | 
 3,517,437  | 
      | 
 397  | 
      | 
 91,198  | 
  | 
 
Charter  | 
  | 
   | 
 142,495,000  | 
   | 
—  | 
   | 
 5,563,000  | 
  | 
 
Corporate and other  | 
  | 
   | 
 14,922,275  | 
   | 
 14,387,017  | 
   | 
 21  | 
  | 
 
  | 
  | 
   | 
 160,934,712  | 
   | 
 14,387,414  | 
   | 
 5,654,219  | 
  | 
 
Eliminate equity method affiliate  | 
  | 
   | 
 (142,495,000)  | 
   | 
 —  | 
   | 
 (5,563,000)  | 
  | 
 
Consolidated Liberty Broadband  | 
  | 
$  | 
 18,439,712  | 
   | 
 14,387,414  | 
   | 
 91,219  | 
  | 
 
 
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| Schedule of reconciliation of segment Adjusted OIBDA to earnings (loss) before income taxes | 
  
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  | 
  | 
Three months ended    | 
  | 
Nine months ended   | 
   | 
 
  | 
  | 
September 30,   | 
  | 
September 30,   | 
   | 
 
  | 
  | 
2021  | 
  | 
2020  | 
  | 
2021  | 
      | 
2020  | 
   | 
 
 |  
  | 
  | 
  | 
amounts in thousands  | 
   | 
 
Adjusted OIBDA  | 
      | 
$  | 
 80,428  | 
      | 
 (14,270)  | 
      | 
 238,528  | 
      | 
 (26,658)  | 
  | 
 
Stock-based compensation  | 
  | 
   | 
 (10,581)  | 
  | 
 (2,002)  | 
  | 
 (31,016)  | 
   | 
 (5,736)  | 
  | 
 
Depreciation and amortization  | 
  | 
   | 
 (68,130)  | 
  | 
 (56)  | 
  | 
 (198,766)  | 
   | 
 (1,041)  | 
  | 
 
Litigation settlement, net of recoveries  | 
  | 
  | 
 23,520  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 (86,480)  | 
  | 
 —  | 
  | 
 
Operating income (loss)  | 
  | 
  | 
 25,237  | 
  | 
 (16,328)  | 
  | 
 (77,734)  | 
  | 
 (33,435)  | 
  | 
 
Interest expense  | 
  | 
  | 
 (28,155)  | 
  | 
 (3,719)  | 
  | 
 (90,032)  | 
   | 
 (14,711)  | 
  | 
 
Share of earnings (loss) of affiliates, net  | 
  | 
   | 
 314,563  | 
  | 
 188,586  | 
  | 
 752,390  | 
   | 
 408,396  | 
  | 
 
Gain (loss) on dilution of investment in affiliate  | 
  | 
   | 
 (1,693)  | 
  | 
 (35,284)  | 
  | 
 (98,446)  | 
   | 
 (140,610)  | 
  | 
 
Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net  | 
  | 
   | 
 (26,839)  | 
  | 
 (39,324)  | 
  | 
 (52,555)  | 
   | 
 (39,324)  | 
  | 
 
Other, net  | 
  | 
   | 
 14,788  | 
  | 
 8  | 
  | 
 29,382  | 
   | 
 199  | 
  | 
 
Earnings (loss) before income taxes  | 
  | 
$  | 
 297,901  | 
  | 
 93,939  | 
  | 
 463,005  | 
   | 
 180,515  | 
  | 
 
 
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