Note 6 - Reportable Segments - Summarized Financial Information for Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Revenues	$ 10,106,000	$ 11,007,000	$ 9,338,000	$ 10,252,000	$ 10,914,000	$ 10,201,000	$ 10,279,000	$ 9,990,000	$ 40,703,000	$ 41,384,000	$ 41,612,000
Operating expenses									54,763,000	54,551,000	48,252,000
Income (loss) from operations									(14,060,000)	(13,167,000)	(6,640,000)
Dividends and interest income									4,808,000	4,844,000	4,085,000
Other income									37,000	34,000	61,000
Capital gains on sales of marketable securities and others									3,182,000
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on investments	(4,560,000)								(4,560,000)	0
Pretax (loss) income	(7,214,000)	(1,682,000)	(332,000)	(2,111,000)					(11,339,000)	(8,068,000)	(2,978,000)
Income tax benefit	1,880,000	710,000	100,000	16,850,000	1,135,000	1,465,000	4,240,000	310,000	19,540,000	7,150,000	1,935,000
Net income (loss)	(5,334,000)	$ (972,000)	$ (232,000)	$ 14,739,000	(1,075,000)	$ (1,351,000)	$ 2,979,000	$ (1,471,000)	8,201,000	(918,000)	(1,043,000)
Total assets	263,998,000				280,708,000				263,998,000	280,708,000	225,446,000
Capital expenditures									212,000	253,000	3,779,000
Amortization of intangible assets									3,058,000	4,895,000	5,037,000
Interest and penalty expense reversal for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits										743,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total									212,000	253,000	3,779,000
Interest and penalty expense reversal (accrual) for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits											(112,000)
Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt									(95,000)	(100,000)	(88,000)
Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt									(651,000)	(422,000)	(284,000)
Advertising [Member]
Revenues									9,112,000	9,104,000	9,854,000
Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenues									5,401,000	5,654,000	5,912,000
Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenues									2,659,000	2,812,000	2,651,000
License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenues									17,225,000	16,037,000	14,758,000
Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenues									2,832,000	4,476,000	4,085,000
Service, Other [Member]
Revenues									3,474,000	3,301,000	4,352,000
Traditional Business [Member]
Revenues									17,172,000	17,570,000	18,417,000
Journal Technologies [Member]
Revenues									23,531,000	23,814,000	23,195,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member]
Operating expenses									16,840,000	17,852,000	17,240,000
Income (loss) from operations									332,000	(282,000)	1,177,000
Dividends and interest income
Other income										22,000	52,000
Capital gains on sales of marketable securities and others
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on investments
Pretax (loss) income									237,000	(360,000)	1,141,000
Income tax benefit									490,000	(2,000)	(530,000)
Net income (loss)									727,000	(362,000)	611,000
Total assets	19,602,000				16,606,000				19,602,000	16,606,000	17,644,000
Capital expenditures									212,000	160,000	3,662,000
Amortization of intangible assets											142,000
Interest and penalty expense reversal for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total									212,000	160,000	3,662,000
Interest and penalty expense reversal (accrual) for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt									(95,000)	(100,000)	(88,000)
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenues									9,112,000	9,104,000	9,854,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenues									5,401,000	5,654,000	5,912,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenues									2,659,000	2,812,000	2,651,000
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									37,923,000	36,699,000	31,012,000
Income (loss) from operations									(14,392,000)	(12,885,000)	(7,817,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income
Capital gains on sales of marketable securities and others
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on investments
Pretax (loss) income									(14,392,000)	(12,142,000)	(7,929,000)
Income tax benefit									695,000	7,910,000	3,140,000
Net income (loss)									(13,697,000)	(4,232,000)	(4,789,000)
Total assets	29,885,000				33,461,000				29,885,000	33,461,000	39,786,000
Capital expenditures										93,000	117,000
Amortization of intangible assets									3,058,000	4,895,000	4,895,000
Interest and penalty expense reversal for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits										743,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total										93,000	117,000
Interest and penalty expense reversal (accrual) for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits											(112,000)
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									17,225,000	16,037,000	14,758,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenues									2,832,000	4,476,000	4,085,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenues									3,474,000	3,301,000	4,352,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Dividends and interest income									4,808,000	4,844,000	4,085,000
Other income									37,000	12,000	9,000
Capital gains on sales of marketable securities and others									3,182,000
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on investments									(4,560,000)
Pretax (loss) income									2,816,000	4,434,000	3,810,000
Income tax benefit									18,355,000	(758,000)	(675,000)
Net income (loss)									21,171,000	3,676,000	3,135,000
Total assets	$ 214,511,000				$ 230,641,000				214,511,000	230,641,000	168,016,000
Capital expenditures
Amortization of intangible assets
Interest and penalty expense reversal for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total
Interest and penalty expense reversal (accrual) for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
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									(651,000)	(422,000)	(284,000)
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