Note 12 - Operating Segments - Summarized Financial Information for Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenues	$ 11,007,000	$ 10,201,000	$ 30,597,000	$ 30,470,000
Operating expenses	13,716,000	13,834,000	41,124,000	40,222,000
Income (loss) from operations	(2,709,000)	(3,633,000)	(10,527,000)	(9,752,000)
Dividends and interest income	1,215,000	952,000	3,722,000	3,491,000
Gains on sales of bonds and capital asset			3,182,000
Other income	9,000	4,000	28,000	25,000
Pretax (loss) income	(1,682,000)	(2,816,000)	(4,125,000)	(5,858,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	710,000	1,465,000	17,660,000	6,015,000
Net income	(972,000)	(1,351,000)	13,535,000	157,000
Total assets	258,168,000	261,403,000	258,168,000	261,403,000	$ 280,708,000
Capital expenditures, net	124,000	57,000	199,000	251,000
Amortization of intangible assets	749,000	1,224,000	2,559,000	3,671,000
Reversal of accrued interest and penalty expense for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits				743,000
Capital expenditures	124,000	57,000	199,000	251,000
Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(24,000)	(24,000)	(72,000)	(75,000)
Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(173,000)	(115,000)	(458,000)	(290,000)
Advertising [Member]
Revenues	2,375,000	2,400,000	6,700,000	6,833,000
Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenues	1,346,000	1,385,000	4,065,000	4,258,000
Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenues	724,000	778,000	1,985,000	2,111,000
License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenues	4,756,000	3,916,000	13,087,000	11,764,000
Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenues	940,000	869,000	2,147,000	3,027,000
Service, Other [Member]
Revenues	866,000	853,000	2,613,000	2,477,000
Traditional Business [Member]
Revenues	4,445,000		12,750,000
Journal Technologies [Member]
Revenues		6,562,000	17,847,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member]
Operating expenses	4,214,000	4,432,000	12,721,000	13,295,000
Income (loss) from operations	231,000	131,000	29,000	(93,000)
Dividends and interest income
Gains on sales of bonds and capital asset
Other income		1,000		22,000
Pretax (loss) income	207,000	108,000	(43,000)	(146,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	785,000	(50,000)		(125,000)
Net income	992,000	58,000	(43,000)	(271,000)
Total assets	20,851,000	16,333,000	20,851,000	16,333,000
Capital expenditures, net	124,000		199,000	160,000
Amortization of intangible assets
Reversal of accrued interest and penalty expense for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Capital expenditures	124,000		199,000	160,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(24,000)	(24,000)	(72,000)	(75,000)
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenues	2,375,000	2,400,000	6,700,000	6,833,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenues	1,346,000	1,385,000	4,065,000	4,258,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenues	724,000	778,000	1,985,000	2,111,000
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	9,502,000	9,402,000	28,403,000	26,927,000
Income (loss) from operations	(2,940,000)	(3,764,000)	(10,556,000)	(9,659,000)
Dividends and interest income
Gains on sales of bonds and capital asset
Other income
Pretax (loss) income	(2,940,000)	(3,764,000)	(10,556,000)	(8,916,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	480,000	1,570,000	(455,000)	6,690,000
Net income	(2,460,000)	(2,194,000)	(11,011,000)	(2,226,000)
Total assets	29,818,000	34,517,000	29,818,000	34,517,000
Capital expenditures, net		57,000		91,000
Amortization of intangible assets	749,000	1,224,000	2,559,000	3,671,000
Reversal of accrued interest and penalty expense for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits				743,000
Capital expenditures		57,000		91,000
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
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	4,756,000	3,916,000	13,087,000	11,764,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenues	940,000	869,000	2,147,000	3,027,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenues	866,000	853,000	2,613,000	2,477,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Dividends and interest income	1,215,000	952,000	3,722,000	3,491,000
Gains on sales of bonds and capital asset			3,182,000
Other income	9,000	3,000	28,000	3,000
Pretax (loss) income	1,051,000	840,000	6,474,000	3,204,000
Income tax benefit (expense)	(555,000)	(55,000)	18,115,000	(550,000)
Net income	496,000	785,000	24,589,000	2,654,000
Total assets	207,499,000	210,553,000	207,499,000	210,553,000
Capital expenditures, net
Amortization of intangible assets
Reversal of accrued interest and penalty expense for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Capital expenditures
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	(173,000)	(115,000)	(458,000)	(290,000)
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