Acquired Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2013	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2012
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets, gross carrying amount	$ 9,005,787		$ 9,005,787
Amortizable intangible assets, accumulated amortization	4,592,309		4,520,493
Unamortizable intangible assets [Abstract]
Goodwill	1,307,267		3,964,600
Trademark and masthead	2,091,022
Unamortizable intangible assets, gross carrying amount	3,398,289		6,055,622
Goodwill, accumulated amortization	76,782		507,278
Trademark and masthead, accumulated amortization	0		0
Unamortizable intangible assets, accumulated amortization	76,782		507,278
Total goodwill and other intangibles, gross carrying amount	12,404,076		15,061,409
Total goodwill and other intangibles, accumulated amortization	4,669,091		5,027,771
Amortization period	16 years
Estimated amortization expense for future fiscal years [Abstract]
2013	215,445
2014	275,970
2015	269,761
2016	269,761
2017	269,761
Thereafter	3,112,780
Total	4,413,478
Amortizing Intangible Assets (net of amortization expense) [Roll Forward]
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense), beginning of period	13,536,778
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	(9,051,484)
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense and impairment losses), beginning of period	4,485,294
Amortizing intangible assets acquired	0
Impairment losses	0	0
Amortization expense	71,816	74,564
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense), end of period	13,464,962
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	(9,051,484)
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense and impairment losses), end of period	4,413,478
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning of period	38,894,778
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	(35,437,456)
Goodwill, beginning of period	3,457,322
Goodwill acquired	0
Impairment losses	(2,226,837)	0
Goodwill, gross, end of period	38,894,778
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	(37,664,293)
Goodwill, ending balance	1,230,485	12,968,255
Impairment charges [Abstract]
Goodwill	2,226,837	0
Other intangibles	0	0
Trademark & masthead	0	0
Total impairment charges	2,226,837	0
Impairment charges, net of deferred tax benefit	2,200,000
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Trademark and masthead, beginning of period	2,091,022
Trademark and masthead, end of period	2,091,022
Trademark and masthead [Member]
Unamortizable intangible assets [Abstract]
Trademark and masthead	2,091,022
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Trademark and masthead before accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	18,515,316
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	(16,424,294)
Trademark and masthead, beginning of period	2,091,022
Trademark and masthead acquired	0
Impairment losses	0
Trademark and masthead before accumulated impairment losses, end of period	18,515,316
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	(16,424,294)
Trademark and masthead, end of period	2,091,022
Non-compete Agreements [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets, gross carrying amount	1,000,000		1,000,000
Amortizable intangible assets, accumulated amortization	1,000,000		1,000,000
Customer Relationships [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets, gross carrying amount	2,451,073		2,451,073
Amortizable intangible assets, accumulated amortization	1,057,460		1,026,935
Advertising and Subscriber Base [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets, gross carrying amount	4,989,768		4,989,768
Amortizable intangible assets, accumulated amortization	1,989,238		1,952,322
Other [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Amortizable intangible assets, gross carrying amount	564,946		564,946
Amortizable intangible assets, accumulated amortization	545,611		541,236
Printing [Member]
Estimated amortization expense for future fiscal years [Abstract]
Total	486,120
Amortizing Intangible Assets (net of amortization expense) [Roll Forward]
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense), beginning of period	500,721
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	0
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense and impairment losses), beginning of period	500,721
Amortizing intangible assets acquired	0
Impairment losses	0
Amortization expense	14,601
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense), end of period	486,120
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	0
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense and impairment losses), end of period	486,120
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning of period	2,226,837
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	0
Goodwill, beginning of period	2,226,837
Goodwill acquired	0
Impairment losses	(2,226,837)
Goodwill, gross, end of period	2,226,837
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	(2,226,837)
Goodwill, ending balance	0	2,226,837
Impairment charges [Abstract]
Goodwill	2,226,837
Other intangibles	0
Printing [Member] | Trademark and masthead [Member]
Unamortizable intangible assets [Abstract]
Trademark and masthead	0
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Trademark and masthead before accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	0
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	0
Trademark and masthead, beginning of period	0
Trademark and masthead acquired	0
Impairment losses	0
Trademark and masthead before accumulated impairment losses, end of period	0
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	0
Trademark and masthead, end of period	0
Office Products and Furniture [Member]
Estimated amortization expense for future fiscal years [Abstract]
Total	926,828
Amortizing Intangible Assets (net of amortization expense) [Roll Forward]
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense), beginning of period	947,127
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	0
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense and impairment losses), beginning of period	947,127
Amortizing intangible assets acquired	0
Impairment losses	0
Amortization expense	20,299
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense), end of period	926,828
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	0
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense and impairment losses), end of period	926,828
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning of period	1,230,485
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	0
Goodwill, beginning of period	1,230,485
Goodwill acquired	0
Impairment losses	0
Goodwill, gross, end of period	1,230,485
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	0
Goodwill, ending balance	1,230,485	1,230,485
Impairment charges [Abstract]
Goodwill	0
Other intangibles	0
Office Products and Furniture [Member] | Trademark and masthead [Member]
Unamortizable intangible assets [Abstract]
Trademark and masthead	0
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Trademark and masthead before accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	0
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	0
Trademark and masthead, beginning of period	0
Trademark and masthead acquired	0
Impairment losses	0
Trademark and masthead before accumulated impairment losses, end of period	0
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	0
Trademark and masthead, end of period	0
Newspaper [Member]
Estimated amortization expense for future fiscal years [Abstract]
Total	3,000,530
Amortizing Intangible Assets (net of amortization expense) [Roll Forward]
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense), beginning of period	12,088,930
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	(9,051,484)
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense and impairment losses), beginning of period	3,037,446
Amortizing intangible assets acquired	0
Impairment losses	0
Amortization expense	36,916
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense), end of period	12,052,014
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	(9,051,484)
Amortizing intangible assets (net of amortization expense and impairment losses), end of period	3,000,530
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning of period	35,437,456
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	(35,437,456)
Goodwill, beginning of period	0
Goodwill acquired	0
Impairment losses	0
Goodwill, gross, end of period	35,437,456
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	(35,437,456)
Goodwill, ending balance	0	9,510,933
Impairment charges [Abstract]
Goodwill	0
Other intangibles	0
Newspaper [Member] | Trademark and masthead [Member]
Unamortizable intangible assets [Abstract]
Trademark and masthead	2,091,022
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Trademark and masthead before accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	18,515,316
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning of period	(16,424,294)
Trademark and masthead, beginning of period	2,091,022
Trademark and masthead acquired	0
Impairment losses	0
Trademark and masthead before accumulated impairment losses, end of period	18,515,316
Accumulated impairment losses, end of period	(16,424,294)
Trademark and masthead, end of period	$ 2,091,022
Syscan [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Unamortizable intangible assets [Abstract]
Amortization period	20 years
The Herald-Dispatch [Member] | Advertising and Subscriber Base [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Unamortizable intangible assets [Abstract]
Amortization period	25 years
The Herald-Dispatch [Member] | Advertising and Subscriber Base [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Unamortizable intangible assets [Abstract]
Amortization period	20 years