| **Note 14 - Commitments and Contingencies**           | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
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| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] | 14.                  COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIESAt December 31,        2011, we were obligated under operating and capital leases,        expiring at various dates through 2019, covering facility        space and equipment as follows (in thousands):  Operating  Capital 2012 $653  $38 2013  677   20 2014  688   13 2015  671   10 2016  693     thereafter  1,897   - The operating        lease contains provisions for escalations and for facility        maintenance. Total rent expense was approximately $0.7        million in 2011 and 2010.We have        severance arrangements for key and virtually all other        employees of the Company that provide for payment of a        portion of their salary and continuance of their benefits        for their severance period, in the event they are        involuntarily terminated. The severance periods range from        a week to a number of months depending on the length of        service and/or level of the employee within the Company.        Had all such key and other covered employees been        terminated at December 31, 2011, for a reason other than a        change in control, the estimated total severance and        benefits would have approximated $2.4 million. In addition,        two executive officers have change in control agreements        entitling them to certain additional benefits totaling $1.7        million that would be payable in the event of a change in        control.At December 31,        2011, we had firm purchase commitments for inventory        components of $1.7 million to be delivered during        2012.On December 1,        2009, one of our customers, International Broadcast        Consultants, Inc., or IBC, filed a lawsuit against us in        the Superior Court of the State of California for the        County of Los Angeles, which was subsequently removed to        the United States District Court for the Central District        of California on January 4, 2010. In August 2011, after        various motions and proceedings before the court, Chyron        settled this lawsuit for de minimis consideration. The        settlement of this lawsuit did not have a material impact        on our business, financial condition, results of operations        or liquidity.A letter of        notification, dated March 10, 2011, was received from        counsel for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., Turner        Network Television, Inc., Cable News Network, Inc., and The        Cartoon Network, Inc. (“Turner”) alleging that        we are obligated to indemnify Turner as a result of a        recently filed patent infringement action against Turner by        Multimedia Patent Trust (“MPT”) in the United        States District Court for the Southern District of        California. Chyron supplies various products to Turner. We        have notified Turner that its request is without merit. We        believe Turner’s request for indemnification lacks        merit because our products do not infringe any of        MPT’s patents and we are not obligated to indemnify        Turner for those portions of our products that are        allegedly involved. Should any of such parts of our        products be found to be infringing, then indemnification        should lawfully be sought from our outside supplier of such        parts and not Chyron. We have denied Turner’s        request. Based on our current knowledge, we believe that        the amount of reasonably possible loss or range of loss is        not reasonably estimable.  Moreover, legal matters are        inherently unpredictable and subject to significant        uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control. As        such, there can be no assurance that the final outcome will        not have a material adverse effect upon our financial        condition and results of operations.We are not a        party to any other legal proceedings that we believe will        have a material impact on our business, financial        condition, results of operations or liquidity. |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14435-108349Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 14 -Paragraph 3 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394976&loc=d3e25287-109308Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 5 -Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.25) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6449706&loc=d3e16207-108621
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