| In millions, except per share items | Sep-25-22 | Sep-26-21 | Sep-27-20 | Sep-29-19 | Sep-30-18 | Sep-24-17 | Sep-25-16 | Sep-27-15 |
| | 10-K | 10-K | 10-K | 10-K | 10-K | 10-K | 10-K | 10-K |
| Operating revenue: | | | | | | | | |
| Total operating revenue | 781.0 | 794.6 | 618.0 | 509.9 | 544.0 | 566.9 | 614.4 | 648.5 |
| Total operating revenue growth | -1.7% | 28.6% | 21.2% | -6.3% | -4.1% | -7.7% | -5.3% | -1.9% |
| Operating expenses: | | | | | | | | |
| Compensation | 317.8 | 330.9 | 243.0 | 182.9 | 199.2 | 213.1 | 229.8 | 239.0 |
| Newsprint and ink | 30.1 | 29.8 | 24.2 | | | | | |
| Other operating expenses | 344.9 | 325.6 | 259.4 | | | 199.8 | 218.7 | 229.2 |
| Depreciation and amortization | 36.5 | 42.8 | 36.1 | | | 41.3 | 43.4 | 45.6 |
| Assets (gain) loss on sales, impairments and other, net | 9.7 | 8.2 | -5.4 | | | -1.2 | -1.0 | 0.1 |
| Restructuring costs and other | 22.7 | 7.2 | 13.8 | | | 7.5 | 1.8 | 3.3 |
| Total operating expenses | 761.8 | 744.5 | 571.1 | 442.2 | 467.5 | 485.4 | 518.9 | 547.4 |
| Equity in earnings of associated companies | 5.7 | 6.4 | 3.4 | | | 7.6 | 8.5 | 8.3 |
| Operating income | 24.9 | 56.6 | 50.3 | 122.9 | 138.1 | 89.1 | 104.0 | 109.4 |
| Operating margin | 3.2% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 24.1% | 25.4% | 15.7% | 16.9% | 16.9% |
| |
| Non-operating (expense) income: | | | | | | | | |
| Interest expense | -41.8 | -44.8 | -47.7 | -47.6 | -52.2 | -57.6 | -64.2 | -72.4 |
| Curtailment gain | 1.0 | 23.8 | | | | | | |
| Pension withdrawal cost | -2.3 | -12.9 | | | | | | |
| Total non-operating expense, net | -24.1 | -24.5 | -47.4 | -50.9 | -54.9 | -48.9 | -45.8 | -71.5 |
| Income (loss) before income taxes | 0.8 | 32.0 | 2.8 | 23.8 | 30.8 | 40.2 | | |
| Income tax expense (benefit) | 0.7 | 7.3 | 3.0 | 7.9 | -16.2 | 11.6 | 22.2 | 13.6 |
| Net income (loss) | 0.1 | 24.8 | -0.1 | | | 28.6 | 36.0 | 24.3 |
| Net income attributable to non-controlling interests | -2.1 | -2.0 | -1.8 | | | -1.1 | -1.1 | -1.0 |
| (Loss) income attributable to Lee Enterprises, Incorporated | -2.0 | 22.7 | -2.0 | 14.3 | 45.8 | 27.5 | 35.0 | 23.3 |
| |
| Other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes | | | | | | | | |
| Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Lee Enterprises, Incorporated | -27.6 | 85.0 | 7.1 | | | 34.2 | 28.5 | 16.9 |
| |
| Earnings (loss) per common share: | | | | | | | | |
| Basic (in dollars per share) | ($0.35) | $3.98 | ($0.35) | $2.57 | $0.84 | $0.51 | $0.66 | $0.44 |
| Diluted (in dollars per share) | ($0.35) | $3.90 | ($0.35) | $2.51 | $0.82 | $0.50 | $0.64 | $0.43 |