Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Margin Account [Member]
Other income (expenses)
Interest expense on note payable collateralized by real estate	$ (284,000)	$ (224,000)	$ (230,000)
Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Other income (expenses)
Interest expense on note payable collateralized by real estate	(88,000)
Advertising, net	9,854,000	10,502,000	11,435,000
Circulation	5,912,000	5,915,000	6,038,000
Advertising service fees and other	2,651,000	2,703,000	2,800,000
Licensing and maintenance fees	14,758,000	13,984,000	12,987,000
Consulting fees	4,085,000	4,704,000	4,002,000
Other public service fees	4,352,000	6,170,000	6,161,000
	41,612,000	43,978,000	43,423,000
Salaries and employee benefits	27,381,000	26,010,000	25,262,000
Outside services	3,729,000	3,524,000	3,212,000
Postage and delivery expenses	1,141,000	1,318,000	1,281,000
Newsprint and printing expenses	912,000	1,225,000	1,221,000
Depreciation and amortization	5,709,000	5,531,000	5,516,000
Other general and administrative expenses	9,380,000	9,882,000	9,121,000
	48,252,000	47,490,000	45,613,000
(Loss) from operations	(6,640,000)	(3,512,000)	(2,190,000)
Dividends and interest income	4,085,000	3,829,000	3,001,000
Other income	61,000	65,000	97,000
Interest and penalty expense accrued for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits	(112,000)	(96,000)	(537,000)
Gains on sales of marketable securities/capital assets		4,000
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on investments		(376,000)
(Loss) income before taxes	(2,978,000)	(310,000)	141,000
Benefit from income taxes	1,935,000	1,120,000	490,000
Net (loss) income	$ (1,043,000)	$ 810,000	$ 631,000
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding – basic and diluted (in shares)	1,380,746	1,380,746	1,380,746
Basic and diluted net (loss) income per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.76)	$ 0.59	$ 0.46
Comprehensive (loss) income
Net (loss) income	$ (1,043,000)	$ 810,000	$ 631,000
Net change in unrealized appreciation of investments (net of tax benefits of $1,028,000 for fiscal 2016; net of taxes of $5,764,000 and $14,286,000 for fiscal 2015 and 2014, respectively)	(2,214,000)	(8,811,000)	22,393,000
Reclassification adjustment of other-than-temporary impairment losses recognized in net income (net of taxes of $0, $146,000 and $0 for fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively)		230,000
	$ (3,257,000)	$ (7,771,000)	$ 23,024,000