Note 11 - Operating Segments - Summarized Financial Information for Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016
Advertising	$ 2,310,000	$ 2,321,000
Circulation	1,449,000	1,506,000
Advertising service fees and other	638,000	650,000
Licensing and maintenance fees	3,966,000	3,647,000
Consulting fees	848,000	1,376,000
Other public service fees	779,000	1,315,000
Operating expenses	12,843,000	11,777,000
Loss from operations	(2,853,000)	(962,000)
Dividends and interest income	1,171,000	903,000
Other income and capital gains	15,000	16,000
Interest expense accrued for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits	(9,000)	(24,000)
Pretax income (loss)	(1,781,000)	(135,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	310,000	185,000
Net (loss) income	(1,471,000)	50,000
Total assets	248,761,000	238,496,000	$ 225,446,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	187,000	3,541,000
Amortization of intangible assets	1,224,000	1,259,000
Operating expenses	12,843,000	11,777,000
Income (loss) from operations	(2,853,000)	(962,000)
Other income	15,000	16,000
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(1,781,000)	(135,000)
Capital expenditures, including purchase of Logan building	187,000	3,541,000
Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(26,000)	(9,000)
Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(79,000)	(59,000)
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member]
Advertising	2,310,000	2,321,000
Circulation	1,449,000	1,506,000
Advertising service fees and other	638,000	650,000
Licensing and maintenance fees
Consulting fees
Other public service fees
Operating expenses	4,400,000	4,353,000
Loss from operations	(3,000)	124,000
Dividends and interest income
Other income and capital gains	15,000	7,000
Interest expense accrued for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Pretax income (loss)	(14,000)	122,000
Income tax (expense) benefit		(50,000)
Net (loss) income	(14,000)	72,000
Total assets	14,294,000	16,985,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	160,000	3,541,000
Amortization of intangible assets		35,000
Operating expenses	4,400,000	4,353,000
Income (loss) from operations	(3,000)	124,000
Other income	15,000	7,000
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(14,000)	122,000
Capital expenditures, including purchase of Logan building	160,000	3,541,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(26,000)	(9,000)
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member]
Advertising
Circulation
Advertising service fees and other
Licensing and maintenance fees	3,966,000	3,647,000
Consulting fees	848,000	1,376,000
Other public service fees	779,000	1,315,000
Operating expenses	8,443,000	7,424,000
Loss from operations	(2,850,000)	(1,086,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income and capital gains
Interest expense accrued for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits	(9,000)	(24,000)
Pretax income (loss)	(2,859,000)	(1,110,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	775,000	395,000
Net (loss) income	(2,084,000)	(715,000)
Total assets	37,981,000	42,527,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	27,000
Amortization of intangible assets	1,224,000	1,224,000
Operating expenses	8,443,000	7,424,000
Income (loss) from operations	(2,850,000)	(1,086,000)
Other income
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(2,859,000)	(1,110,000)
Capital expenditures, including purchase of Logan building	27,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Advertising
Circulation
Advertising service fees and other
Licensing and maintenance fees
Consulting fees
Other public service fees
Operating expenses
Loss from operations
Dividends and interest income	1,171,000	903,000
Other income and capital gains		9,000
Interest expense accrued for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Pretax income (loss)	1,092,000	853,000
Income tax (expense) benefit	(465,000)	(160,000)
Net (loss) income	627,000	693,000
Total assets	196,486,000	178,984,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment
Amortization of intangible assets
Operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Other income		9,000
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	1,092,000	853,000
Capital expenditures, including purchase of Logan building
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt	$ (79,000)	$ (59,000)