Note 11 - Summarized Financial Information for Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member]
Advertising, net	$ 2,321,000	$ 2,704,000
Circulation	1,506,000	1,524,000
Advertising service fees and other	$ 650,000	$ 685,000
Licensing and maintenance fees
Consulting fees
Other public service fees
Operating expenses	$ 4,353,000	$ 4,623,000
Income (loss) from operations	$ 124,000	$ 290,000
Dividends and interest income
Other income and capital gains	$ 7,000
Interest expenses on note payable collaterized by real estate and margin loans	$ (9,000)
Interest expense accrued for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	$ 122,000	$ 290,000
Income tax benefit	(50,000)	(90,000)
Net income	72,000	200,000
Total assets	16,985,000	12,513,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	3,541,000	$ 58,000
Amortization of Intangible Assets	$ 35,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member]
Advertising, net
Circulation
Advertising service fees and other
Licensing and maintenance fees	$ 3,647,000	$ 3,757,000
Consulting fees	1,376,000	1,192,000
Other public service fees	1,315,000	1,461,000
Operating expenses	7,424,000	7,061,000
Income (loss) from operations	$ (1,086,000)	$ (651,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income and capital gains
Interest expenses on note payable collaterized by real estate and margin loans
Interest expense accrued for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits	$ (24,000)	$ (20,000)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	(1,110,000)	(671,000)
Income tax benefit	395,000	250,000
Net income	(715,000)	(421,000)
Total assets	$ 42,527,000	47,975,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment		11,000
Amortization of Intangible Assets	$ 1,224,000	$ 1,224,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Advertising, net
Circulation
Advertising service fees and other
Licensing and maintenance fees
Consulting fees
Other public service fees
Operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Dividends and interest income	$ 903,000	$ 828,000
Other income and capital gains	9,000	18,000
Interest expenses on note payable collaterized by real estate and margin loans	$ (59,000)	$ (57,000)
Interest expense accrued for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	$ 853,000	$ 789,000
Income tax benefit	(160,000)	(135,000)
Net income	693,000	654,000
Total assets	$ 178,984,000	$ 174,338,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment
Amortization of Intangible Assets
Advertising, net	$ 2,321,000	$ 2,704,000
Circulation	1,506,000	1,524,000
Advertising service fees and other	650,000	685,000
Licensing and maintenance fees	3,647,000	3,757,000
Consulting fees	1,376,000	1,192,000
Other public service fees	1,315,000	1,461,000
Operating expenses	11,777,000	11,684,000
Income (loss) from operations	(962,000)	(361,000)
Dividends and interest income	903,000	828,000
Other income and capital gains	16,000	18,000
Interest expenses on note payable collaterized by real estate and margin loans	(68,000)	(57,000)
Interest expense accrued for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits	(24,000)	(20,000)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	(135,000)	408,000
Income tax benefit	185,000	25,000
Net income	50,000	433,000
Total assets	238,496,000	234,826,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	3,541,000	69,000
Amortization of Intangible Assets	$ 1,259,000	$ 1,224,000