Fair Value Measurement - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 29, 2013	Dec. 30, 2012
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Change in amount of contingent consideration	$ 12,900,000
Payments to partially offeset the increase in contingent consideration during period	6,800,000
Future funding commitments	27,700,000	39,800,000
Hedge funds redemption description	Shares in the hedge funds are generally redeemable twice a year or on the last business day of each quarter with at least 60 days written notice subject to potential 5% holdback. There are no unfunded commitments related to the hedge funds.
Hedge funds redemption period	at least 60 days
Hedge funds redemption potential holdback percentage	5.00%
Fair value of total long-term debt	3,930,000,000	1,620,000,000
Maximum
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Liquidation period of underlying assets of partnership investments, low estimate (in years)	11 years
Minimum
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Liquidation period of underlying assets of partnership investments, low estimate (in years)	9 years
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate		2.00%
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate		15.50%
Effect of 1% change in growth rate on valuation of goodwill, increase (decrease)	1,400,000	2,300,000
Effect Of One-Percent-Point Change In Discount Rate On Valuation Of Goodwill, Increase (Decrease)	2,700,000	3,500,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 \| Maximum
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	30.00%
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 \| Minimum
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	10.00%
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Assets held for sale - Quarter 4	0	0
Goodwill - Quarter 4	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Assets held for sale - Quarter 4	0	0
Goodwill - Quarter 4	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Assets held for sale - Quarter 4	395,851,000	17,508,000
Goodwill - Quarter 4	21,790,000	29,610,000
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Assets held for sale - Quarter 4	395,851,000	17,508,000
Goodwill - Quarter 4	$ 21,790,000	$ 29,610,000
Digital \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate	3.00%
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	16.00%
Publishing \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fair Value Inputs, Long-term Revenue Growth Rate	3.00%
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate	20.50%
One Percentage Point Increase in growth rate and discount rate	1.00%	1.00%

Goodwill, Effect of One Percentage Point Change in Discount Rate on Valuation of Goodwill, Increase (Decrease)

No definition available.

Name:	gci_GoodwillEffectOfOnePercentagePointChangeInDiscountRateOnValuationOfGoodwillIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	gci_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Goodwill, Effect of One Percentage Point Change in Growth Rate on Valuation of Goodwill, Increase (Decrease)

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gci_GoodwillEffectOfOnePercentagePointChangeInGrowthRateOnValuationOfGoodwillIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	gci_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

One Percentage Point Increase in growth rate and discount rate

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gci_OnePercentagePointIncreaseingrowthrateanddiscountrate
Namespace Prefix:	gci_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Payments For Contingent Consideration

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gci_PaymentsForContingentConsideration
Namespace Prefix:	gci_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value portion of assets classified as held for sale.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=d3e19190-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleLongLivedFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of (increase) decrease in the value of a contingent consideration liability, including, but not limited to, differences arising upon settlement.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7488404&loc=d3e7008-128479

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsChangeInAmountOfContingentConsiderationLiability1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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

- Definition

Interest rate used to find the present value of an amount to be paid or received in the future as an input to measure fair value. For example, but not limited to, weighted average cost of capital (WACC), cost of capital, cost of equity and cost of debt.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (bbb)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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

- Definition

Percentage of assumed long-term growth in revenues, used as an input to measure fair value.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Describes the terms and conditions for redemption of the entity's investment, or portion thereof (for example, quarterly redemption with 60 days notice), for each of those certain investments for which net asset value per share is calculated (including by unit, membership interest, or other equity (ownership interest) unit measure) (alternative investments), by major category.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6A

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=SL6742756-110258

+ Details

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

- Definition

States the notice requirement (for example, 30 to 60 days) the entity is required to deliver before it can redeem its investment, or portion thereof, for each of those certain investments for which net asset value per share is calculated (including by unit, membership interest, or other equity (ownership interest) unit measure) (alternative investments), by major category.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Estimate remaining period the underlying assets are expected to be liquidated by the investees for investments for which net asset value per share is calculated (including by unit, membership interest, or other ownership interest unit measure), in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6A

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=SL6742756-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueInvestmentsEntitiesThatCalculateNetAssetValuePerShareLiquidatingInvestmentRemainingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of the total value of investments that cannot be redeemed because of a redemption restriction as of the statement of financial position date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of unfunded commitments for which the entity is obligated, to those certain investments for which net asset value per share is calculated (including by unit, membership interest, or other equity (ownership interest) unit measure) (alternative investments).

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6A

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=SL6742756-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueInvestmentsEntitiesThatCalculateNetAssetValuePerShareUnfundedCommittments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant