Note 12 - Operating Segments - Summarized Financial Information for Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenues	$ 9,338,000	$ 10,279,000	$ 19,590,000	$ 20,269,000
Operating expenses	13,711,000	13,545,000	27,408,000	26,388,000
Income (loss) from operations	(4,373,000)	(3,266,000)	(7,818,000)	(6,119,000)
Dividends and interest income	1,024,000	1,368,000	2,507,000	2,539,000
Gains on sales of bonds and capital asset	3,180,000		3,182,000
Other income	10,000	6,000	19,000	21,000
Pretax (loss) income	(332,000)	(1,261,000)	(2,443,000)	(3,042,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	100,000	4,240,000	16,950,000	4,550,000
Net income	(232,000)	2,979,000	14,507,000	1,508,000
Total assets	266,742,000	255,159,000	266,742,000	255,159,000	$ 280,708,000
Capital expenditures	41,000	7,000	75,000	194,000
Amortization of intangible assets	748,000	1,223,000	1,810,000	2,447,000
Loss from operations	(4,373,000)	(3,266,000)	(7,818,000)	(6,119,000)
Reversal of accrued interest and penalty expense for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits		752,000		743,000
Capital expenditures	41,000	7,000	75,000	194,000
Gain on sale of bonds	3,180,000		3,182,000
Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(24,000)	(25,000)	(48,000)	(51,000)
Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(149,000)	(96,000)	(285,000)	(175,000)
Advertising [Member]
Revenues	2,209,000	2,123,000	4,325,000	4,433,000
Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenues	1,356,000	1,424,000	2,719,000	2,873,000
Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenues	659,000	695,000	1,261,000	1,333,000
License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenues	3,981,000	3,882,000	8,331,000	7,848,000
Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenues	212,000	1,310,000	1,207,000	2,158,000
Service, Other [Member]
Revenues	921,000	845,000	1,747,000	1,624,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member]
Operating expenses	4,193,000	4,463,000	8,507,000	8,863,000
Income (loss) from operations	31,000	(221,000)	(202,000)	(224,000)
Dividends and interest income
Gains on sales of bonds and capital asset
Other income		6,000		21,000
Pretax (loss) income	7,000	(240,000)	(250,000)	(254,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	(105,000)	(75,000)	(785,000)	(75,000)
Net income	(98,000)	(315,000)	(1,035,000)	(329,000)
Total assets	22,347,000	15,618,000	22,347,000	15,618,000
Capital expenditures	41,000		75,000	160,000
Amortization of intangible assets
Loss from operations	31,000	(221,000)	(202,000)	(224,000)
Reversal of accrued interest and penalty expense for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Capital expenditures	41,000		75,000	160,000
Gain on sale of bonds
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(24,000)	(25,000)	(48,000)	(51,000)
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenues	2,209,000	2,123,000	4,325,000	4,433,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenues	1,356,000	1,424,000	2,719,000	2,873,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenues	659,000	695,000	1,261,000	1,333,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenues
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenues
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenues
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member]
Operating expenses	9,518,000	9,082,000	18,901,000	17,525,000
Income (loss) from operations	(4,404,000)	(3,045,000)	(7,616,000)	(5,895,000)
Dividends and interest income
Gains on sales of bonds and capital asset
Other income
Pretax (loss) income	(4,404,000)	(2,293,000)	(7,616,000)	(5,152,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	1,250,000	4,345,000	(935,000)	5,120,000
Net income	(3,154,000)	2,052,000	(8,551,000)	(32,000)
Total assets	26,592,000	35,763,000	26,592,000	35,763,000
Capital expenditures		7,000		34,000
Amortization of intangible assets	748,000	1,223,000	1,810,000	2,447,000
Loss from operations	(4,404,000)	(3,045,000)	(7,616,000)	(5,895,000)
Reversal of accrued interest and penalty expense for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits		752,000		743,000
Capital expenditures		7,000		34,000
Gain on sale of bonds
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
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenues
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenues
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenues
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenues	3,981,000	3,882,000	8,331,000	7,848,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenues	212,000	1,310,000	1,207,000	2,158,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenues	921,000	845,000	1,747,000	1,624,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Dividends and interest income	1,024,000	1,368,000	2,507,000	2,539,000
Gains on sales of bonds and capital asset	3,180,000		3,182,000
Other income	10,000		19,000
Pretax (loss) income	4,065,000	1,272,000	5,423,000	2,364,000
Income tax benefit (expense)	(1,045,000)	(30,000)	18,670,000	(495,000)
Net income	3,020,000	1,242,000	24,093,000	1,869,000
Total assets	217,803,000	203,778,000	217,803,000	203,778,000
Capital expenditures
Amortization of intangible assets
Loss from operations
Reversal of accrued interest and penalty expense for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Capital expenditures
Gain on sale of bonds	3,180,000		3,182,000
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	(149,000)	(96,000)	(285,000)	(175,000)
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenues
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenues
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenues
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenues
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenues
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenues