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REVENUE
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 29, 2024
Disaggregation of Revenue [Abstract]  
REVENUE REVENUE
Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for goods or services. Revenues are recognized as performance obligations are satisfied either at a point in time, such as when an advertisement is published, or over time, such as audience subscription revenue. No single customer represented 10% or more of the Company's net revenue in any fiscal period presented.
Advertising and marketing services revenue
Print advertising revenue includes amounts charged to customers for retail, national, or classified advertising space purchased in our newspapers, advertising marketing services and other print advertising products such as preprint inserts and direct mail.
Digital advertising revenue includes amounts for advertisements placed on our digital platforms, amounts charged to customers for digital marketing services which include: audience extension, search engine optimization, search engine marketing, web and mobile production, social media services and reputation monitoring and management.
Payments for print and digital advertising revenue are due upon completion of our performance obligations at previously agreed upon rates. In instances where the timing of revenue recognition differs from the timing of invoicing, such timing differences are not large. As a result, we have determined that our contracts do not
include a significant financing component. Depending on the product revenue is recognized over time or at the point in time in which performance obligations are met.
Subscription revenue
Print subscription revenue results from the sale of print editions of newspapers to individual subscribers and to sales outlets that resell the newspapers. Print subscriptions include full access to all forms of content provided. Single copy revenue is also included in subscription revenue. Subscription revenue from single-copy and home delivery subscriptions are recognized at the point in time the publications are delivered.
Digital subscription revenue results from the sale of digital-only access to the Company's content delivered via digital products purchased. Digital subscription revenue is recognized over time as performance obligations are met throughout the subscription period.
Payments for print and digital subscription revenue are typically collected in advance, are for contract periods of one year or less and result in an unearned revenue liability that is reduced when revenue is recognized.
Other revenue
Other revenue primarily consists of digital services, commercial printing and delivery of third party products. Digital services revenues, which are primarily delivered through BLOX Digital, are primarily comprised of contractual agreements to provide web hosting and content management services. As such, digital services revenue is recognized over the contract period. Prices for digital services are agreed upon in advance of the contract beginning and are typically billed in arrears on a monthly basis, with the exception of implementation fees which are recognized as deferred revenue and amortized over the contract period. Commercial printing and delivery revenue is recognized when the product is delivered to the customer.
The following table presents our revenue disaggregated by source:
(Thousands of Dollars)202420232022
Operating revenue:
Print advertising revenue81,488 125,804 184,963 
Digital advertising and marketing services revenue194,213 193,173 181,465 
Advertising and marketing services revenue275,701 318,977 366,428 
Print subscription revenue197,584 252,591 313,504 
Digital-only subscription revenue84,331 60,700 40,120 
Subscription Revenue281,915 313,291 353,624 
Print other revenue33,257 39,508 42,962 
Digital other revenue20,507 19,362 17,955 
Other revenue53,764 58,870 60,917 
Total operating revenue611,380 691,138 780,969 
Contract Liabilities: The Company’s primary source of unearned revenue is from subscriptions paid in advance of the service provided. The Company expects to recognize the revenue related to unsatisfied performance obligations over the next twelve months in accordance with the terms of the subscriptions and other contracts with customers. The unearned revenue balances described herein are the Company's only contract liability. Unearned revenue was $31.8 million as of September 29, 2024, $40.8 million as of September 24, 2023, and $49.9 million as of September 25, 2022. Revenue recognized in 2024, 2023 and 2022, that was included in the contract liability as of September 24, 2023, September 25, 2022 and September 26, 2021 was $38.5 million, $47.2 million, and $54.7 million, respectively.
Accounts receivable, excluding allowance for credit losses and contract assets, was $67.2 million, $74.4 million, $74.8 million as of September 29, 2024, September 24, 2023, and September 25, 2022 respectively. See Note 15 for Allowance for credit losses.
Practical expedients: Sales commissions are expensed as incurred as the associated contractual periods are one year or less. These costs are recorded within compensation. The vast majority of our contracts have original expected lengths of one year or less and revenue is earned at a rate and amount that corresponds directly with the value to the customer.