Note 6 - Reportable Segments - Summarized Financial Information for Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2019		Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	$ 10,428,000	$ 10,712,000	$ 14,518,000	$ 12,997,000	$ 10,252,000	$ 9,338,000	$ 11,007,000	$ 10,106,000	$ 48,655,000		$ 40,703,000	$ 41,384,000
Operating expenses									66,879,000	[1]	54,763,000	54,551,000
Income (loss) from operations									(18,224,000)		(14,060,000)	(13,167,000)
Dividends and interest income									5,380,000		4,808,000	4,844,000
Other income									38,000		37,000	34,000
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments, Total	(28,640,000)	8,497,000	3,214,000	(786,000)					(17,715,000)
Pretax income	(29,850,000)	6,735,000	5,443,000	(13,804,000)	(2,111,000)	(332,000)	(1,682,000)	(7,214,000)	(31,476,000)		(11,339,000)	(8,068,000)
Income tax expense	8,317,000	(1,717,000)	(1,620,000)	1,280,000	16,850,000	100,000	710,000	1,880,000	6,260,000		19,540,000	7,150,000
Net (loss) income	(21,533,000)	$ 5,018,000	$ 3,823,000	$ (12,524,000)	14,739,000	(232,000)	(972,000)	(5,334,000)	(25,216,000)		8,201,000	(918,000)
Total assets	237,376,000				263,998,000				237,376,000		263,998,000	280,708,000
Capital expenditures									165,000		212,000	253,000
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)
Amortization of intangible assets											3,058,000	4,895,000
Interest and penalty expense reversal for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits												743,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total									165,000		212,000	253,000
Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt									(93,000)		(95,000)	(100,000)
Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt									(862,000)		(651,000)	(422,000)
Advertising [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									9,132,000		9,112,000	9,104,000
Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									5,249,000		5,401,000	5,654,000
Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									2,712,000		2,659,000	2,812,000
License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									20,179,000		17,225,000	16,037,000
Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									5,539,000		2,832,000	4,476,000
Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									5,844,000		3,474,000	3,301,000
Traditional Business [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									17,093,000		17,172,000	17,570,000
Journal Technologies [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									31,562,000		23,531,000	23,814,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member]
Operating expenses									16,981,000		16,840,000	17,852,000
Income (loss) from operations									112,000		332,000	(282,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income												22,000
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments, Total
Pretax income									19,000		237,000	(360,000)
Income tax expense									(5,000)		490,000	(2,000)
Net (loss) income									14,000		727,000	(362,000)
Total assets	17,176,000				19,602,000				17,176,000		19,602,000	16,606,000
Capital expenditures									132,000		212,000	160,000
Capital gains on sales of marketable securities and others
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on investments
Amortization of intangible assets
Interest and penalty expense reversal for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total									132,000		212,000	160,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt									(93,000)		(95,000)	(100,000)
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									9,132,000		9,112,000	9,104,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									5,249,000		5,401,000	5,654,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									2,712,000		2,659,000	2,812,000
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									49,898,000	[1]	37,923,000	36,699,000
Income (loss) from operations									(18,336,000)		(14,392,000)	(12,885,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments, Total
Pretax income									(18,336,000)		(14,392,000)	(12,142,000)
Income tax expense									2,450,000		695,000	7,910,000
Net (loss) income									(15,886,000)		(13,697,000)	(4,232,000)
Total assets	22,741,000				29,885,000				22,741,000		29,885,000	33,461,000
Capital expenditures									33,000			93,000
Capital gains on sales of marketable securities and others
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on investments
Amortization of intangible assets											3,058,000	4,895,000
Interest and penalty expense reversal for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits												743,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total									33,000			93,000
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]
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									20,179,000		17,225,000	16,037,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									5,539,000		2,832,000	4,476,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax									5,844,000		3,474,000	3,301,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Dividends and interest income									5,380,000		4,808,000	4,844,000
Other income									38,000		37,000	12,000
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments, Total									(17,715,000)
Pretax income									(13,159,000)		2,816,000	4,434,000
Income tax expense									3,815,000		18,355,000	(758,000)
Net (loss) income									(9,344,000)		21,171,000	3,676,000
Total assets	$ 197,459,000				$ 214,511,000				197,459,000		214,511,000	230,641,000
Capital expenditures
Capital gains on sales of marketable securities and others											3,182,000
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on investments											(4,560,000)
Amortization of intangible assets
Interest and penalty expense reversal for uncertain and unrecognized tax benefits
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total
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									(862,000)		(651,000)	(422,000)
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

[1] included goodwill impairment of $13,400,000