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Revenue
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 28, 2025
Revenue from Contract with Customer [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 we expect 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 our 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 our 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, or 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. 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)202520242023
Operating revenue:
Print advertising revenue69,168 81,488 125,804 
Digital advertising and marketing services revenue183,823 194,213 193,173 
Advertising and marketing services revenue252,991 275,701 318,977 
Print subscription revenue164,172 197,584 252,591 
Digital-only subscription revenue94,242 84,331 60,700 
Subscription Revenue258,414 281,915 313,291 
Print other revenue30,861 33,257 39,508 
Digital other revenue20,075 20,507 19,362 
Other revenue50,936 53,764 58,870 
Total operating revenue562,341 611,380 691,138 
Contract Liabilities: Our primary source of unearned revenue is from subscriptions paid in advance of the service provided. We expect 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 our only contract liability. Unearned revenue was $26.5 million as of September 28, 2025, $31.8 million as of September 29, 2024, and $40.8 million as of September 24, 2023. Revenue recognized in 2025, 2024 and 2023, that was included in the contract liability as of September 29, 2024, September 24, 2023 and, September 25, 2022 was $29.4 million, $38.5 million, and $47.2 million, respectively.
Accounts receivable, excluding allowance for credit losses and contract assets, was $59.4 million, $67.2 million, $74.8 million as of September 28, 2025, September 29, 2024, and September 24, 2023 respectively. See Note 16 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.