Note 11 - Operating Segments - Summarized Financial Information for Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	$ 10,712,000		$ 9,338,000		$ 21,140,000	$ 19,590,000
Operating expenses	13,383,000		13,711,000		26,332,000	27,408,000
Loss from operations	(2,671,000)		(4,373,000)		(5,192,000)	(7,818,000)
Dividends and interest income	1,141,000		1,024,000		2,671,000	2,507,000
Other income	9,000				19,000
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments, Total	8,497,000				(20,143,000)
Pretax (loss) income	6,735,000		(332,000)		(23,115,000)	(2,443,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	(1,717,000)		100,000		6,600,000	16,950,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent, Total	5,018,000	$ (21,533,000)	(232,000)	$ 14,739,000	(16,515,000)	14,507,000
Total assets	243,463,000		266,742,000		243,463,000	266,742,000	$ 263,998,000
Capital expenditures			41,000		84,000	75,000
Gain on sale of bonds			3,180,000			3,180,000
Other income and capital gains	9,000		10,000		19,000	21,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total			41,000		84,000	75,000
Amortization of intangible assets			748,000			1,810,000
Other income	9,000				19,000
Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(22,000)		(24,000)		(45,000)	(48,000)
Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(219,000)		(149,000)		(425,000)	(285,000)
Advertising [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	2,108,000		2,209,000		4,300,000	4,325,000
Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,273,000		1,356,000		2,611,000	2,719,000
Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	624,000		659,000		1,293,000	1,261,000
License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	4,640,000		3,981,000		9,430,000	8,331,000
Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	399,000		212,000		940,000	1,207,000
Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,668,000		921,000		2,566,000	1,747,000
Traditional Business [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	4,005,000				8,204,000
Journal Technologies [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	6,707,000				12,936,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member]
Operating expenses	4,140,000		4,193,000		8,348,000	8,507,000
Loss from operations	(135,000)		31,000		(144,000)	(202,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments, Total
Pretax (loss) income	(157,000)		7,000		(189,000)	(250,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	35,000		(105,000)		115,000	(785,000)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent, Total	(122,000)		(98,000)		(74,000)	(1,035,000)
Total assets	17,399,000		22,347,000		17,399,000	22,347,000
Capital expenditures			41,000		50,000	75,000
Gain on sale of bonds
Other income and capital gains
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total			41,000		50,000	75,000
Amortization of intangible assets
Other income
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(22,000)		(24,000)		(45,000)	(48,000)
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	2,108,000		2,209,000		4,300,000	4,325,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,273,000		1,356,000		2,611,000	2,719,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	624,000		659,000		1,293,000	1,261,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member]
Operating expenses	9,243,000		9,518,000		17,984,000	18,901,000
Loss from operations	(2,536,000)		(4,404,000)		(5,048,000)	(7,616,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments, Total
Pretax (loss) income	(2,536,000)		(4,404,000)		(5,048,000)	(7,616,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)	715,000		1,250,000		1,300,000	(935,000)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent, Total	(1,821,000)		(3,154,000)		(3,748,000)	(8,551,000)
Total assets	31,710,000		26,592,000		31,710,000	26,592,000
Capital expenditures					34,000
Gain on sale of bonds
Other income and capital gains
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total					34,000
Amortization of intangible assets			748,000			1,810,000
Other income
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]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	4,640,000		3,981,000		9,430,000	8,331,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	399,000		212,000		940,000	1,207,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,668,000		921,000		2,566,000	1,747,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Operating expenses
Loss from operations
Dividends and interest income	1,141,000		1,024,000		2,671,000	2,507,000
Other income	9,000				19,000
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments, Total	8,497,000				(20,143,000)
Pretax (loss) income	9,428,000		4,065,000		(17,878,000)	5,423,000
Income tax benefit (expense)	(2,467,000)		(1,045,000)		5,185,000	18,670,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent, Total	6,961,000		3,020,000		(12,693,000)	24,093,000
Total assets	194,354,000		217,803,000		194,354,000	217,803,000
Capital expenditures
Gain on sale of bonds			3,180,000			3,180,000
Other income and capital gains			10,000			21,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total
Amortization of intangible assets
Other income	9,000				19,000
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	(219,000)		(149,000)		(425,000)	(285,000)
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax