Note 11 - Reportable Segments - Summarized Financial Information for Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018
Revenues	$ 10,428,000	$ 10,252,000
Operating expenses	12,949,000	13,697,000
Loss from operations	(2,521,000)	(3,445,000)
Dividends and interest income	1,530,000	1,483,000
Other income	10,000
Net unrealized losses on investments	(28,640,000)
Pretax (loss) income	(29,850,000)	(2,111,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	8,317,000	16,850,000
Net (loss) income	(21,533,000)	14,739,000
Total assets	235,116,000	289,890,000	$ 263,998,000
Capital expenditures	84,000	34,000
Other income and capital gains	10,000	11,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total	84,000	34,000
Amortization of intangible assets		1,062,000
Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(23,000)	(24,000)
Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(206,000)	(136,000)
Advertising [Member]
Revenues	2,192,000	2,116,000
Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenues	1,338,000	1,363,000
Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenues	669,000	602,000
License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenues	4,790,000	4,350,000
Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenues	541,000	995,000
Service, Other [Member]
Revenues	898,000	826,000
Traditional Business [Member]
Revenues	4,199,000
Journal Technologies [Member]
Revenues	6,229,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member]
Operating expenses	4,208,000	4,314,000
Loss from operations	(9,000)	(233,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income
Net unrealized losses on investments
Pretax (loss) income	(32,000)	(257,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	80,000	(680,000)
Net (loss) income	48,000	(937,000)
Total assets	18,702,000	17,259,000
Capital expenditures	50,000	34,000
Other income and capital gains
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total	50,000	34,000
Amortization of intangible assets
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(23,000)	(24,000)
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenues	2,192,000	2,116,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenues	1,338,000	1,363,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenues	669,000	602,000
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	8,741,000	9,383,000
Loss from operations	(2,512,000)	(3,212,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income
Net unrealized losses on investments
Pretax (loss) income	(2,512,000)	(3,212,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	585,000	(2,185,000)
Net (loss) income	(1,927,000)	(5,397,000)
Total assets	30,571,000	26,768,000
Capital expenditures	34,000
Other income and capital gains
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total	34,000
Amortization of intangible assets		1,062,000
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	4,790,000	4,350,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenues	541,000	995,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenues	898,000	826,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Operating expenses
Loss from operations
Dividends and interest income	1,530,000	1,483,000
Other income	10,000
Net unrealized losses on investments	(28,640,000)
Pretax (loss) income	(27,306,000)	1,358,000
Income tax benefit (expense)	7,652,000	19,715,000
Net (loss) income	(19,654,000)	21,073,000
Total assets	185,843,000	245,863,000
Capital expenditures
Other income and capital gains		11,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total
Amortization of intangible assets
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	(206,000)	(136,000)
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