Note 10 - Operating Segments - Summarized Financial Information for Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended					6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020		Dec. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2020		Mar. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	$ 12,356,000			$ 10,712,000		$ 24,033,000		$ 21,140,000
Operating expenses	13,454,000	[1]		13,383,000		26,649,000	[1]	26,332,000
Income (loss) from operations	(1,098,000)			(2,671,000)		(2,616,000)		(5,192,000)
Dividends and interest income	1,297,000			1,141,000		2,977,000		2,671,000
Other income				9,000		3,000		19,000
Net unrealized (losses) gains on investments	(77,211,000)			8,497,000		(57,680,000)		(20,143,000)
Pretax income (loss)	(77,186,000)			6,735,000		(57,696,000)		(23,115,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	20,860,000			(1,717,000)		15,580,000		6,600,000
Net income (loss)	(56,326,000)		$ 14,210,000	5,018,000	$ (21,533,000)	(42,116,000)		(16,515,000)
Total assets	174,735,000			243,463,000		174,735,000		243,463,000	$ 237,376,000
Capital expenditures	71,000					168,000		84,000
Net unrealized losses on investments	(77,211,000)			8,497,000		(57,680,000)		(20,143,000)
(Loss) income before income taxes	(77,186,000)			6,735,000		(57,696,000)		(23,115,000)
Net (loss) income	(56,326,000)		$ 14,210,000	5,018,000	$ (21,533,000)	(42,116,000)		(16,515,000)
Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(21,000)			(22,000)		(43,000)		(45,000)
Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(153,000)			(219,000)		(337,000)		(425,000)
Advertising [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,992,000			2,108,000		4,118,000		4,300,000
Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,286,000			1,273,000		2,598,000		2,611,000
Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	654,000			624,000		1,348,000		1,293,000
License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	5,505,000			4,640,000		10,715,000		9,430,000
Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,229,000			399,000		1,918,000		940,000
Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,690,000			1,668,000		3,336,000		2,566,000
Traditional Business [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	3,932,000			4,005,000		8,064,000		8,204,000
Journal Technologies [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	8,424,000			6,707,000		15,969,000		12,936,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member]
Operating expenses	3,908,000			4,140,000		7,906,000		8,348,000
Income (loss) from operations	24,000			(135,000)		158,000		(144,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income
Net unrealized (losses) gains on investments
Pretax income (loss)	3,000			(157,000)		115,000		(189,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit				35,000		(30,000)		115,000
Net income (loss)	3,000			(122,000)		85,000		(74,000)
Total assets	16,074,000			17,399,000		16,074,000		17,399,000
Capital expenditures	64,000					99,000		50,000
Net unrealized losses on investments
(Loss) income before income taxes	3,000			(157,000)		115,000		(189,000)
Net (loss) income	3,000			(122,000)		85,000		(74,000)
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(21,000)			(22,000)		(43,000)		(45,000)
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	1,992,000			2,108,000		4,118,000		4,300,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,286,000			1,273,000		2,598,000		2,611,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	654,000			624,000		1,348,000		1,293,000
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	9,546,000	[1]		9,243,000		18,743,000	[1]	17,984,000
Income (loss) from operations	(1,122,000)			(2,536,000)		(2,774,000)		(5,048,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income
Net unrealized (losses) gains on investments
Pretax income (loss)	(1,122,000)			(2,536,000)		(2,774,000)		(5,048,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	415,000			715,000		925,000		1,300,000
Net income (loss)	(707,000)			(1,821,000)		(1,849,000)		(3,748,000)
Total assets	19,578,000			31,710,000		19,578,000		31,710,000
Capital expenditures	7,000					69,000		34,000
Net unrealized losses on investments
(Loss) income before income taxes	(1,122,000)			(2,536,000)		(2,774,000)		(5,048,000)
Net (loss) income	(707,000)			(1,821,000)		(1,849,000)		(3,748,000)
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	5,505,000			4,640,000		10,715,000		9,430,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,229,000			399,000		1,918,000		940,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,690,000			1,668,000		3,336,000		2,566,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Dividends and interest income	1,297,000			1,141,000		2,977,000		2,671,000
Other income				9,000		3,000		19,000
Net unrealized (losses) gains on investments	(77,211,000)			8,497,000		(57,680,000)		(20,143,000)
Pretax income (loss)	(76,067,000)			9,428,000		(55,037,000)		(17,878,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	20,445,000			(2,467,000)		14,685,000		5,185,000
Net income (loss)	(55,622,000)			6,961,000		(40,352,000)		(12,693,000)
Total assets	139,083,000			194,354,000		139,083,000		194,354,000
Capital expenditures
Net unrealized losses on investments	(77,211,000)			8,497,000		(57,680,000)		(20,143,000)
(Loss) income before income taxes	(76,067,000)			9,428,000		(55,037,000)		(17,878,000)
Net (loss) income	(55,622,000)			6,961,000		(40,352,000)		(12,693,000)
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	(153,000)			(219,000)		(337,000)		(425,000)
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